3-13-15
THE PRINCIPAL AT CARENCRO MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD HIS TEACHING CERTIFICATION REINSTATED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON WEDNESDAY. THE DAY BEFORE, THE DEPARTMENT SUSPENDED THE CERTIFICATION OF SPURGEON BANYARD BECAUSE OF A 1998 CONVICTION OF EMBEZZLEMENT. BANYARD SAYS HIS CRIMINAL RECORD WAS EXPUNGED AND HE PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH LED THEM TO REVERSE THE SUSPENSION. BANYARD TELLS THE ADVOCATE HE BELIEVES SOMEONE, UNHAPPY WITH HIS MANAGEMENT STYLE AT THE SCHOOL, MADE ACCUSATIONS AS RETALIATION FOR THE CHANGES HE HAS MADE.
THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH POLICE JURY HAS APPROVED SELLING ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES ONLINE THROUGH CIVICSOURCE OF NEW ORLEANS. THE COST TO THE PARISH WOULD BE 150 DOLLARS PER PROPERTY SALE. ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES ARE THOSE THAT ARE MOSTLY ABANDONED AND THE OWNERS FAILED TO PAY THE TAXES. ATTORNEY DAVID BRUCHAUS SAYS THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES IN THE PARISH, BUT THEY’LL START WITH PUTTING TEN PROPERTIES FOR SALE ONLINE.
THE ACADIANA ADDICTION CENTER HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL OVER NEW REGULATIONS THEY PASSED LAST YEAR. THE CENTER HAD PURCHASED A TEN ACRE COMPLEX ON CHOCTAW ROAD NEAR SUNSET FOR ONE-POINT-6 MILLION DOLLARS, AND PLANNED TO PUT A SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT CENTER THERE. HOWEVER, LAST AUGUST SUNSET RESIDENTS SUCCESSFULLY PETITIONED THE COUNCIL TO PASS NEW REGULATIONS THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM OPERATING THERE. IN THE LAWSUIT, THE CENTER CLAIMS THE COUNCIL VIOLATED THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, WHICH OFFERS PROTECTIONS FOR RECOVERING ALCOHOLICS AND ADDICTS.
Gov. Bobby Jindal is targeting gambling revenue as a financing source to keep sexual assault victims from having to pay for their own medical exams. The governor’s office unveiled broad outlines Thursday of legislation designed to address complaints that rape victims have been faced with medical bills totaling thousands of dollars. The proposal — to be sponsored by New Orleans Rep. Helena Moreno — would ban hospitals from billing a victim for sexual assault medical exams. To help pay for the rape exams, Jindal proposes to give the Crime Victims Reparation board dollars from unclaimed and expired slot machine tickets, money that currently stays with casinos.
A LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BUS DRIVER IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR SUSPICION OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AFTER AN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY MORNING IN BROUSSARD. INITIAL REPORTS WERE THAT 50-YEAR-OLD JOHN HARVEY BERNARD WENT INTO A DITCH TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR, BUT POLICE NOW SAY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING BERNARD. THERE WERE ELEVEN STUDENTS ON THE BUS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND ANY INJURIES THEY RECEIVED WERE MINOR. DAMON EVANS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, SAYS BERNARD HAS BEEN SUSPENDED WITH PAY PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION.
AN ATTORNEY FOR A LAKE CHARLES WOMAN, CONVICTED FOR ABUSING HER STEPSON, HAS ASKED THE COURT TO RECONSIDER HER SENTENCE. JAIME BROOKS DAY WAS ORIGINALLY SENTENCED TO THIRTY YEARS IN PRISON IN DECEMBER OF 2013, BUT, AFTER THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS VACATED THE SENTENCE, JUDGE CLAYTON DAVIS RESENTENCED HER TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON. DAY’S ATTORNEY, W. TODD FONTENOT, SAYS TEN YEARS IS ALSO EXCESSIVE AND, IF JUDGE DAVIS REJECTS HIS MOTION, HE WILL AGAIN TAKE THE MATTER TO THE THIRD CIRCUIT. THE CALCASIEU PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SAYS IN A NEWS RELEASE THAT THEY ARE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE COURT’S SENTENCE.
A KAPLAN MAN IS BEHIND BARS IN ST. MARTIN PARISH AFTER A THREE HOUR STANDOFF WITH AUTHORITIES. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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The chief executive officer of state-backed Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. abruptly resigned following a closed session of the insurer’s board of directors to discuss personnel matters. The Advocate reports David Thomas, a 40-year veteran of the insurance industry, declined to comment after the meeting.
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said he could not discuss the details of Thomas’ resignation, other than to say it involved other personnel issues. State-backed Citizens insures properties that private insurance companies won’t touch.
