2-9-22
TAXABLE SALES IN LAFAYETTE PARISH REACHED UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO MANDI D. MITCHELL OF THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. TAXABLE SALES REACHED SEVEN-POINT-SIX-NINE BILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR, UP BY ONE-POINT-THREE BILLION OVER THE YEAR TWENTY-TWENTY, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS RECORD. THERE WERE SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXABLE SALES FOR DECEMBER, THE HIGHEST SINGLE MONTH ON RECORD. MITCHELL SAYS THE RATE OF SPENDING IS EXPECTED TO LEVEL OFF THIS YEAR BECAUSE INFLATION AND HIGH INTEREST RATES ARE LIKELY TO TEMPER CONSUMER SPENDING.
A PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR LOUISIANA WOULD SPLIT UP THE COMMUNITY OF LOREAUVILLE, ACCORDING TO MAYOR BRAD CLIFTON. HE SAYS, UNDER THE PLAN TO BE VOTED ON TODAY, THE VILLAGE OF LOREAUVILLE WOULD BE IN ITS CURRENT SENATE DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY SENATOR FRED MILLS OF SAINT MARTINVILLE, WHILE THE OUTSKIRTS OF LOREAUVILLE WOULD MOVE TO DISTRICT 22, WHOSE SENATE OFFICES ARE IN FRANKLIN. CLIFTON IS CONCERNED THAT IT MAY BE HARD FOR A SENATOR IN DISTRICT 22 TO REMEMBER THE OUTSKIRT AREA OF LOREAUVILLE NEEDS ATTENTION. CLIFTON SAYS A PLAN THAT WOULD KEEP THE COMMUNITY IN THE CURRENT DISTRICT WAS REJECTED BY SENATE PRESIDENT PAGE CORTEZ OF LAFAYETTE.
A proposed new congressional district map that would create a second mostly Black district has been rejected by Louisiana’s Senate. Instead senators approved a map Tuesday that looks similar to the current configuration. A Democratic senator from Baton Rouge offered an amendment that would have altered the 5th Congressional District, now represented by white Republican Rep. Julia Letlow. The Senate voted 27-12 against the amendment and approved a Republican’s bill making fewer changes in current lines.
AN N-F-L SAFETY WHO HAILS FROM DERIDDER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER FOLLOWING A CRASH DECEMBER TWENTY-THIRD THAT KILLED A PASSENGER IN HIS VEHICLE. THE LOUDON COUNTY, VIRGINIA SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS AN INVESTIGATION REVEALS TWENTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD DESHAZOR D. EVERETT WAS TRAVELING AT MORE THAN TWICE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF FORTY-FIVE MILES-AN HOUR WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, STRIKING SEVERAL TREES. THE PASSENGER, TWENTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD OLIVIA S. PETERS OF LAS VEGAS, LATER DIED FROM INJURIES SHE SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH. EVERETT WAS AN ALL-STATE DEFENSIVE BACK AT DERIDDER HIGH SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY PLAYS FOR THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS.
ENTERGY IS PLANNING A SCHEDULED POWER OUTAGE FOR PORTIONS OF SCOTT TODAY. THAT’S SO UTILITY WORKERS CAN SAFELY MAKE UPGRADES TO FACILITIES AND IMPROVE ELECTRICAL SERVICE. THE SCOTT POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE POWER OUTAGE WILL OCCUR BETWEEN EIGHT-THIRTY THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE UNTIL TWELVE-THIRTY. THIS OUTAGE MAY AFFECT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALONG SUNSET, CAMERON, PEREZ, ANNE AND WIRTZ STREETS.
THE MAURICE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT BATTLED A MAJOR FIRE EARLY MONDAY MORNING. A TWO-STORY HOUSE OFF OF HIGHWAY SIX-NINETY-NINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE MAURICE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ASSISTED BY NINE OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF INJURIES OR FATALITIES.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION CADE BRUMLEY SAYS NEW SOCIAL STUDY STANDARDS FOR LOUISIANA HAVE NOTHING IN THEM THAT WOULD INDOCTRINATE STUDENTS ON THE NATION’S RACIAL HISTORY. BRUMLEY TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT HE HAS BEEN CLEAR FOR SOME TIME THAT CRITICAL RACE THEORY WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THEIR STANDARDS. HE SAYS THEY WILL BE COGNIZANT THAT NOTHING IN THE STANDARDS COULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR ANY FORM OF INDOCTRINATION. THE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE NEW STANDARDS ON MARCH EIGHTH AND NINTH.
THE MOTHER OF A STUDENT AT OPELOUSAS HIGH SCHOOL WAS ARRESTED MONDAY FOR ALLEGEDLY THREATENING A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. POLICE SPOKESPERSON MAJOR MARK GUIDRY SAYS IT HAPPENED DURING A MEETING BETWEEN THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD MAGON RICHARD AND THE ADMINISTRATOR. RICHARD REPORTEDLY THREATENED TO COMMIT BATTERY ON THE ADMINISTRATOR, THOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED. RICHARD HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF ASSAULT ON A SCHOOL TEACHER.
