2-7-17
U-L LAFAYETTE ENROLLMENT IN THE SPRING SEMESTER IS DOWN COMPARED TO THE SPRING SEMESTER LAST YEAR. U-L SAW 15,771 STUDENTS ENROLL FOR THIS SEMESTER, WHICH IS 200 LESS STUDENTS THAN LAST YEAR. STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS WERE NOT ABLE TO SAY FOR SURE IF THOSE NUMBERS WERE AFFECTED BY CUTS TO THE TOPS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. TOPS WAS FUNDED AT 41 PERCENT THIS SPRING, COMPARED TO 93 PERCENT IN THE FALL.
ACCORDING TO CRIME STATISTICS FOR LAKE CHARLES, THE HIGHEST CRIME AREA OF THE CITY IS CENTER LAKE CHARLES. THE AREA KNOWN AS BEAT SIX TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS BETWEEN BROAD STREET SOUTH TO THE RAILROAD AND FIRST AVENUE EAST TO THE COULEE JUST BEFORE I-210. POLICE CHIEF DON DIXON TELLS KPLC TV THAT ITS AN AREA WITH LOW INCOMES, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND LOTS OF DRUG ACTIVITY, WHICH LEADS TO HIGH CRIME. HE SAYS THEY GIVE THAT AREA MORE ATTENTION, BUT ITS HARD WITH THE DEPARTMENT DOWN 13 OFFICERS, SO THEY’RE TRYING TO GET RESIDENTS TO STEP UP AND HELP BY NOTIFYING THE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY SEE CRIMES TAKE PLACE.
THE TEENAGER WHO WAS SHOT IN THE 600 BLOCK OF PULFORD STREET IN OPELOUSAS THIS PAST WEEKEND HAS DIED. OPELOUSAS POLICE ARE RELEASING FEW DETAILS ABOUT THE SHOOTING EXCEPT TO SAY IT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND THE VICTIM WAS 15 YEARS OLD. EARLIER LAST WEEK, THE SAME RESIDENCE WHERE THE SHOOTING OCCURRED WAS FIRED ON 25 TIMES. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THAT SHOOTING.
Less than one-third of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ deficit-closing plan would involve budget cuts to state agencies. The governor’s plan, released Monday, would use $119 million from the “rainy day” fund and about $100 million in other financing to help close the $304 million deficit. Dollars from better-than-expected fee collections would be used to fill gaps. Lawmakers will consider the proposals in a 10-day special session that begins Feb. 13.
A 47-YEAR-OLD MAN IS IN JAIL AFTER CRASHING HIS VEHICLE INTO A LAFAYETTE CHURCH. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
VOICER A :17
RIDESHARING COMPANIES LIKE UBER AND LYFT ARE NOW ABLE TO OPERATE IN LAKE CHARLES. THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON A “VEHICLES FOR HIRE” ORDINANCE. THE OWNER OF YELLOW CAB, JORDAN PAGE, TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE ORDINANCE HURTS THEM BY TAKING SOME DOLLARS AWAY FROM THEM, BUT IT HELPS BY KEEPING ILLEGAL CABS OFF THE STREET. HE SAYS HE PLANS TO COMPETE, INCLUDING RELEASING AN APP JUST LIKE THE RIDESHARING COMPANIES HAVE THAT ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO REQUEST A RIDE.
KAJN IMPACT NEWS PAGE TWO
AN AUDIT OF THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM FOUND THAT A PERSONNEL SECRETARY STOLE MORE THAN 17 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FINGERPRINTING FEES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2014 TO JUNE OF 2016. ELLEN TAYLOR WAS ARRESTED BY THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THE INVESTIGATION WAS HANDED OVER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW SYSTEM FOR HANDLING AND DEPOSITING FINGERPRINT FEES TO PREVENT FUTURE THEFTS. THE AUDIT ALSO REVEALED ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO STOLE ALMOST 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT SHE WAS PUT IN A PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM AND HAS SINCE PAID BACK ALL OF THE MONEY.
A lawsuit is slamming Louisiana’s system to defend poor people, describing defendants waiting months in jail to see their lawyers, and lawyers who are woefully overworked. Two legal rights groups and two law firms filed the lawsuit Monday on behalf of 13 defendants currently in jail. They are suing Gov. John Bel Edwards, members of the Louisiana Public Defender Board and the state’s chief public defender. They’re asking for an injunction barring the state from maintaining a public defense system that fails to give defendants “constitutionally adequate representation.”
