3-15-16
NORTH LAFAYETTE RESIDENTS GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE AT THEIR FIRST MEETING HELD LAST NIGHT. THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED GETTING POLICE OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES MORE OFTEN, MENTORING YOUTHS IN HIGH CRIME AREAS, AND GIVING POLICE A LIST OF AVAILABLE SERVICES WHERE THEY CAN REFER THOSE IN NEED. COMMITTEE MEMBER CAROL BROUSSARD SAYS HIGH CRIME RATES ARE A PROBLEM IN THE SUNNY STREET AREA. SHE TOLD INTERIM POLICE CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS THAT THEY NEED TO OWN THAT AREA IN ORDER TO BRING DOWN THE CRIME.
INTERSTATE TEN AT THE TEXAS BORDER IS EXPECTED TO BE CLOSED LATER THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF FLOOD WATERS, ACCORDING TO SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON OF STATE POLICE. WATERS FROM THE SABINE RIVER ARE NEAR THE ROADWAY. CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO SAYS ANYBODY IN PARISH WHO PLANS TO GO TO TEXAS FOR WORK OR BUSINESS SHOULD CANCEL THEIR PLANS OR BE PREPARED TO STAY ON THE TEXAS SIDE AFTER THE INTERSTATE IS CLOSED. HOWEVER, SERGEANT ANDERSON SAYS THEY ARE MAKING PLANS TO DETOUR TRAFFIC IN CASE OF A CLOSURE.
RISING FLOODWATERS ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS AT SEVERAL LOW LYING CEMETARIES IN WESTERN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE CEMETARIES THAT ARE DEALING WITH SOME CASKETS FLOATING UP ARE FOUNTAIN, NORTH OF STARKS, DOYLE IN STARKS, THE V-F-W SOUTH OF STARKS AND NIBLETTS’ BLUFF CEMETARY IN VINTON. THE CALCASIEU CORONER’S OFFICE HAS SENT INSPECTORS TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND SECURE ANY CASKETS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FLOAT AWAY, WHILE SOME WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CORONER’S OFFICE UNTIL THE WATERS RECEDE. INVESTIGATOR ZEB JOHNSON IS WARNING RESIDENTS NOT TO GO TO THE CEMETARIES TO CHECK ON THEIR FAMILY GRAVES BECAUSE THE CASKETS ARE VERY HEAVY AND IT’S DANGEROUS.
HIGH WATER LEVELS AT BAYOU COURTABLEAU IN ST. LANDRY PARISH IS CAUSING CONCERNS FOR RESIDENTS THERE. THAT’S WHY PARISH PRESIDENT BILL FONTENOT IS REMINDING BOATERS TO RESPECT THE NO WAKE ZONE IN THE PARISH. HE SAYS WAVES CREATED BY BOATS CAN PUSH WATER INTO THE HOMES ALONG THE BAYOU. THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS PATROLLING THE AREA TO STRICTLY ENFORCE THE ORDER.
Gov. John Bel Edwards outlined an expansive agenda to lawmakers Monday as they opened their regular legislative session, saying that while Louisiana’s budget troubles will continue to be his focus, he’ll also seek to fulfill campaign promises to raise the minimum wage and enact an equal pay law. He said, “Stabilizing the budget must remain our top priority, but setting Louisiana on a more prosperous trajectory also requires focusing on policies that will move our state and our people forward.” Lawmakers face the same financial problems that have kept the state staggering from one budget crisis to the next.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MAN WHO STABBED ANOTHER MAN IN THE CHEST LAST NIGHT. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES OF ACADIANA IS WORKING WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH INFORMATION ON DIPLOMA PATHWAYS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THE TRAINING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD’S SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN CROWLEY FROM TEN TO NOON TODAY, AT THE LAFAYETTE MAIN LIBRARY TONIGHT FROM 5:30 TO EIGHT, AND TOMORROW AT THE OPELOUSAS PUBLIC LIBRARY FROM TEN TO NOON. A LIGHT MEAL WILL BE PROVIDED. YOU MUST RSVP BY CALLING 1-855-984-3458.
Louisiana’s unemployment rate ticked up in January, with jobless numbers rising because more people joined the labor force than found jobs. The jobless rate rose to 5.9 percent from 5.8 percent in December, but stayed below the 6.9 percent rate of January 2015. A separate survey showed payrolls rose slightly in January from December, but are more than 15,000 below year-ago levels, warning Louisiana’s economy may be shrinking. Mining employment has fallen by 12,000 over the year.
