3-1-17
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS AUTHORIZED DISTRICT STAFF TO BEGIN DESIGN WORK ON AIR CONDITIONERS THAT WILL BE PUT IN 18 SCHOOL GYMS. THE STAFF HAS WORKED WITH ENGINEERS ON CHANGES TO THE AIR CONDITIONERS TO BRING THEM WITHIN THE 12-POINT-5 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. PLANNING AND FACILITIES DIRECTOR KYLE BORDELON SAYS THE ENGINEERS AGREED TO REDUCE THE UNIT’S CAPACITY TO NINETY PERCENT OF MAXIMUM LOAD. THE SCHOOLS THAT WILL BE GETTING A-C UNITS FOR THEIR GYMS INCLUDE LAFAYETTE,CARENCRO, ACADIANA AND COMEAUX HIGH SCHOOLS, THE TRUMAN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, AND CARENCRO, PAUL BREAUX, BROUSSARD, LAFAYETTE, EDGAR MARTIN, YOUNGSVILLE, SCOTT, AND JUDICE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
TWO PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD IN A HOUSE FIRE THIS MORNING IN SULPHUR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A 9-1-1 CALL AT AROUND TWO A-M FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVED ACROSS FROM THE HOUSE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE 25-HUNDRED BLOCK OF JETT STREET. WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED THE HOUSE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. ACCORDING TO KPLC TV, A 58-YEAR-OLD WOMAN AND A 68-YEAR-OLD MAN DIED AND ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE ONLY PEOPLE INSIDE THE HOME.
PORT BARRE POLICE PULLED OVER A VEHICLE YESTERDAY THAT WAS GOING 80 IN A 45 MILE AN HOUR ZONE AND, WHEN THEY APPROACHED THE VEHICLE, THEY SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF MARIJUANA, ACCORDING TO A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN. A SEARCH OF THE VEHICLE LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF 56 ECSTACY TABS, TWELVE SMALL BAGS OF MARIJUANA, AND TWENTY ALPRAZOLAM PILLS. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, 27-YEAR-OLD DEXTER SCOTT OF BATON ROUGE, WAS TRAVELING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AND THREE TODDLERS. SCOTT AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, 24-YEAR-OLD SYMONE GREEN, WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND BOOKED ON NUMEROUS CHARGES, WHILE THE THREE CHILDREN WERE RELEASED TO A FAMILY MEMBER.
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SAY THAT TOPS SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE THE FIRST PRIORITY IF STATE REVENUES INCREASE. LAST WEEK COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION JAY DARDENNE SUBMITTED A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT CUTS THE STATES COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM BY THIRTY PERCENT, LEAVING IT 82 MILLION DOLLARS SHORT OF BEING FULLY FUNDED. HE SAYS IT’S NOT THE BUDGET THEY WANTED BUT WHAT THEY HAD TO SUBMIT BASED ON THE REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE’S DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR. THE LEGISLATURE COULD CHOOSE TO FULLY FUND THE TOPS PROGRAMS BY CUTTING ELSEWHERE.
THE MCCOMB VEAZEY NEIGHBORHOOD COTERIE IS TURNING A VACANT CORNER LOT AT SOUTH MAGNOLIA AND 14TH STREETS INTO A POCKET PARK. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT BUT THEY ARE ALLOWING THE GROUP TO USE AND MAINTAIN IT. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HELPED THE GROUP GET A GRANT FROM WELLS FARGO TO HELP BUILD A GAZEBO OR COVERED STAGE AREA WHICH CAN BE USED FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCES OR ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS. TINA SHELVIN BINGHAM, WHO IS WITH THE COTERIE, SAYS THAT AFTER THAT’S COMPLETED, THEY WILL LOOK TO ADD A GARDEN SO RESIDENTS CAN HELP THEMSELVES TO FRESH VEGETABLES, IMPROVING THEIR DIETS AND HEALTH.
A LAKE CHARLES BOY SCOUT HAS DIED AFTER BEING SEVERELY INJURED IN A VEHICLE-RELATED ACCIDENT OVER THE WEEKEND. 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN SCOTT FRUGE WAS BEING TREATED AT THE CHILDREN’S MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL IN HOUSTON. FRUGE, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF TROOP 107 IN LAKE CHARLES, WAS ON A TROOP OUTING AT GARNER STATE PARK. AN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN SET UP TO HELP THE FRUGE FAMILY WITH THEIR EXPENSES AT THE AUSTIN SCOTT FRUGE GO FUND ME PAGE.
A HOUSE FIRE NEAR BALDWIN HAS CLAIMED THE LIFE OF AN ELDERLY MAN. THE FIRE STARTED AT A HOME ON CHARENTON ROAD BETWEEN 12:30 AND ONE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. LIONEL BODIN, WHO IS ALMOST 80, AND HIS WIFE MADE IT OUT OF THE HOME, BUT BODIN WENT BACK IN TO RETREIVE SOMETHING AND NEVER MADE IT OUT AGAIN. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF LANDRY WAS AMONG A GROUP THAT GOT TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP YESTERDAY. LANDRY IS IN WASHINGTON D-C FOR THE WINTER MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL. LANDRY IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION. HE SAYS IT WAS AN HONOR TO MEET THE PRESIDENT AND IS GRATEFUL FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE RULE OF LAW TOP PRIORITIES.
