3-15-17
STATE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS ARE WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR ON THE VEROT SCHOOL ROAD PROJECT IN LAFAYETTE TO MAKE SURE IT IS COMPLETED BY THE SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR. HEAVY RAINS OVER THE LAST YEAR HAVE DELAYED THE PROJECT. DEIDRA DRUILHET, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT, SAYS SOME PHASES OF THE CONSTRUCTION CANNOT BE DONE WHILE THE GROUND IS SATURATED, SUCH AS LAYING DRAINAGE PIPE. SHE SAYS THE PROJECT INCLUDES WIDENING VEROT SCHOOL TO FOUR LANES WITH A MEDIAN BETWEEN PINHOOK AND VINCENT ROADS.
A CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR BRINGING CONTRABAND INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER. THE COMBINED ANTI-DRUG TASK FORCE BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING INFORMATION THAT CONTRABAND WAS BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE PRISON. THEY DISCOVERED THAT 26-YEAR-OLD TIMOTHY W. WALLS OF LAKE CHARLES HAD ALLEGEDLY BROUGHT TOBACCO AND APPROXIMATELY THREE TO SIX PACKS OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS SINCE DECEMBER. WALLS WAS BOOKED INTO THE SULPHUR CITY JAIL ON A CHARGE OF INTRODUCING CONTRABAND INTO A PENAL INSTITUTION AND HIS BOND HAS BEEN SET AT 125 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
TWO STUDENTS WERE HELD FROM SCHOOL PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION YESTERDAY MORNING AFTER THEY THREATENED TO BRING GUNS TO NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL IN OPELOUSAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVED TWO TIPS MONDAY NIGHT FROM PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED WARNINGS NOT TO GO TO SCHOOL “DUE TO SHOOTING.” THE NEXT MORNING DEPUTIES PUT THE SCHOOL ON LOCKDOWN AND, DURING A SEARCH OF THE SCHOOL, THEY FOUND A BOMB THREAT SCRAWLED ON A BATHROOM WALL AND A BURNED OUT RECEPTACLE WHERE SOMEONE APPARENTLY ATTEMPTED TO START A FIRE. SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED YET THOUGH THE CASE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is in Washington to meet with colleagues from other states and to speak about protections on domestic shrimp. Nungesser’s office said Tuesday the Republican lieutenant governor is attending the National Lieutenant Governors Association conference this week. While there, he’ll spend Thursday night at the White House St. Patrick’s Day reception with President Donald Trump and Ireland’s prime minister, Enda Kenny. Nungesser also will testify before the U.S. International Trade Commission, urging the commission to maintain regulations aimed at keeping some shrimp from Vietnam, China and other countries out of the United States.
THE YOUNGSVILLE POLICE CHIEF IS CONTINUING HIS PUSH FOR HIGHER PAY FOR HIS POLICE OFFICERS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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AN ACCESS ROAD FOR DROPPING OFF STUDENTS AT PRIEN LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN LAKE CHARLES WILL COST TWICE AS MUCH AS EXPECTED. ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACTOR, THE PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE DIRT AT THE SCHOOL, WHICH ISN’T SUITABLE FOR BUILDING A ROAD, SEVERAL TREES THAT NEED TO BE CLEARED AND MORE REQUIREMENTS ADDED TO THE PROJECT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TEN-TO-5 LAST NIGHT TO ADD 231 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE PROJECT. SUPERINTENDENT KARL BRUCHAUS SAYS THE PROJECT IS STILL UNDER BUDGET BECAUSE OF A 200 THOUSAND DOLLAR DONATION FROM LAKE CHARLES L-N-G.
A RAYNE MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY HIT HIS GIRLFRIEND WITH HIS VEHICLE DURING AN ARGUMENT. IT HAPPENED ABOUT SIX MILES NORTHEAST OF RAYNE ON THE GRAND PRAIRIE HIGHWAY, WHERE, ACCORDING TO ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON, 34-YEAR-OLD WILTON PADDIO DROVE HIS CAR ACROSS MULTIPLE LANES OF ROAD AND INTO A YARD, STRIKING HIS GIRLFRIEND. IT HAPPENED AFTER A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO GOT HEATED. THE GIRLFRIEND SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. PADDIO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MANSLAUGHTER.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is urging Congress to keep the Medicaid expansion program intact as they work to replace President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Louisiana’s Democratic governor sent a letter Tuesday to Republican and Democratic congressional leaders. In it, he says he has “serious concern” with the GOP health plan because it would end the higher federal financing rate for Medicaid expansion in 2020. He says Medicaid expansion has saved Louisiana money and boosted health jobs in the state.
