3-1-18
YESTERDAY JUDGE JULES EDWARD REVOKED THE PROBATION OF LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE AND ORDERED HIM TO SERVE THREE WEEKS IN JAIL. EDWARDS HAD PUT POPE ON PROBATION MARCH OF 2016 FOR VIOLATING LOUISIANA PUBLIC RECORD LAWS AND HE HAD TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE. EDWARDS REVOKED THE PROBATION BECAUSE POPE HAD NOT DONE ANY COMMUNITY SERVICE SINCE THEN. POPE WAS TAKEN IN SHACKLES IMMEDIATELY TO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
TWO COASTAL PROJECTS FOR CAMERON PARISH WERE APPROVED IN EARLY FEBRUARY. THE FIRST WOULD USE DREDGED MATERIALS FROM THE CALCASIEU SHIP CHANNEL TO THE MARSH ON THE SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, A PROJECT THAT WILL COST 28 MILLION DOLLARS AND IS EXPECTED TO RESTORE OVER 900 ACRES OF LAND. THAT PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE A FEW YEARS TO COMPLETE BECAUSE THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS TO WAIT FOR THE MATERIAL FROM THE CALCASIEU SHIP CHANNEL TO BE DREDGED. THE SECOND PROJECT, WHICH WILL COST 25-POINT-6 MILLION DOLLARS, WILL HELP RESTORE AREAS EAST OF CALCASIEU LAKE, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER AND TAKE TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
A CROWLEY MAN HAS BEEN INDICTED IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A LAFAYETTE MAN ON MARCH 16TH LAST YEAR. 26-YEAR-OLD JEANTRELL PIERSON FACES A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER. HE IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 45-YEAR-OLD JOHN JONES ON HANSEL DRIVE IN LAFAYETTE AND THEN TAKING HIS CAR, WHICH WAS LATER FOUND ABANDONED IN A MOTEL PARKING LOT. PIERSON WAS ALREADY IN JAIL IN DECEMBER ON A CHARGE OF TAKING CONTRABAND INTO A PENAL INSTITUTION WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED FOR THE MURDER.
Efforts to renew part of an expiring sales tax to help patch a nearly $1 billion budget hole have failed in the Louisiana House, as lawmakers seem unable to reach a compromise on taxes in the special session. Only 38 House lawmakers on Wednesday night voted for the proposal by Republican Rep. Stephen Dwight. It needed 70 votes to pass. The proposal would temporarily renew one-quarter of an expiring 1 percent sales tax and temporarily eliminate some sales tax breaks, to raise nearly $300 million a year.
TWO MEN ARE WANTED IN CONNECTION TO A SERIES OF VEHICLE BURGLARIES AND THE THEFT OF ONE VEHICLE IN SCOTT LAST MONTH. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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LAST WEEK THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO RAISE THE PARISH-WIDE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX BY ONE PERCENT. THE RESOLUTION NOW MOVES TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR APPROVAL BEFORE IT CAN GO INTO EFFECT. MAYOR NIC HUNTER SAYS THE TAX IS NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE INFLUX OF HOTELS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING UP IN LAKE CHARLES. HUNTER SAYS THE MONEY RAISED BY THE TAX WILL GO TOWARD IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE THE NEW HOTELS HAVE CAUSED A STRAIN ON SEWER AND WATER.
SOUTH LOUISIANA PARISHES, ESPECIALLY THOSE ALONG THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN, ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON RISING RIVER LEVELS. HEAVY RAINS IN THE MIDWEST TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS MEAN HIGHER WATER LEVELS COMING DOWN THE RED RIVER AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IF THE RIVER LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE, THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS COULD OPEN GATES AT THE MORGANZA SPILLWAY INTO THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, WHICH COULD CAUSE FLOODING IN AREAS INCLUDING BUTTE LA ROSE AND KROTZ SPRINGS. THE RIVERS COULD BEGIN TO CREST ON MARCH 18TH.
Calls for the resignation of Louisiana’s secretary of state continue to come in, after he was accused of sexually harassing an employee. State Rep. Helena Moreno, leader of the Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus, said Secretary of State Tom Schedler should step down “to ensure the public’s trust” in the office. Moreno, a New Orleans Democrat, issued her statement Wednesday, shortly after Gov. John Bel Edwards recommended that Schedler exit office. Last week, a lawsuit filed against Schedler accused the Republican of sexually harassing an employee for years and punishing her after she rebuffed repeated advances.
