3-22-17
A RACE BETWEEN THREE LAFAYETTE ATTORNEYS FOR A SEAT ON THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HAS BECOME HEATED BEFORE THIS SATURDAY’S ELECTION. VANESSA ANSEMAN THIS WEEK WAS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IN THE RACE WHEN THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL REVERSED A RULING BY A ST. LANDRY PARISH JUDGE THAT SHE FAILED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. SHE BLAMES HER OPPONENTS FOR PUSHING WHAT SHE CALLED A “BOGUS” LAWSUIT, AND SHE’S USING IT TO POSITION HERSELF AS THE OUTSIDER. ANOTHER CANDIDATE, CANDYCE PERRET, IS ALSO BLAMING DIRTY POLITICS AS THE REASON FOR RECENT REPORTS COMING OUT ABOUT AN INDECENT EXPOSURE ARREST 13 YEARS AGO IN FLORIDA, WHERE CHARGES WERE LATER DROPPED. THE THIRD CANDIDATE IS SUSAN THEALL.
MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY HELD THEIR FIRST EVER ACADEMIC SIGNING DAY YESTERDAY. THERE WERE MORE THAN 450 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY. EACH HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR THE FALL SEMESTER AND ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS. THE STUDENTS SIGNED ON A LARGE BANNER, MET PRESIDENT PHILLIP WILLIAMS, AND WERE ABLE TO SCHEDULE CLASSES FOR THEIR FIRST SEMESTER.
The body of a Port Barre man has been pulled from the Toledo Bend Reservoir in Sabine Parish. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents Monday recovered the body of 71-year-old Phillip D. LeBlanc from the Pirates Cove area of Toledo Bend. The department, in a news release Tuesday, said LeBlanc’s body has been turned over to the Sabine Parish Coroner’s Office to determine a cause of death. The department says LeBlanc was not wearing a life jacket.
Louisiana has launched a statewide effort to find property owners and landlords who can provide rental housing to some of the thousands still displaced by massive flooding last year. Gov. John Bel Edwards described the kickoff of the Louisiana Housing Heroes Initiative on Tuesday as incredibly important to the state’s recovery. More than 45,000 flood victims are still living with relatives since the flooding, according to state estimates. Another 373 people are living in hotels.
LAFAYETTE ARTIST ROBERT DAFFORD HAS BEEN NAMED THE 18TH RECIPIENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, PRESENTED BY THE LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOUNDATION. THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE YESTERDAY IN FRONT OF DAFFORD’S MURAL ON THE SOUTH WALL OF LAFAYETTE CITY HALL. IT DEPICTS A BAYOU TRADING POST HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO IN LAFAYETTE WHERE FRENCH, AFRICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND OTHER ETHNICITIES CONDUCTED BUSINESS. DAFFORD SAYS HE WAS INCREDULOUS AND HONORED BY THE AWARD, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED TO HIM DURING THE OPENING RECEPTION AT FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LOUISIANE ON APRIL 27TH.
A SUMMER CAMP FOR FOSTER CHILDREN IS COMING TO BEAUREGARD PARISH THIS JULY. THE ROYAL FAMILY KIDS CAMP IS FOCUSED ON GIVING THE FOSTER KIDS ONE WEEK OF POSITIVE MEMORIES, SOME FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. THE GOAL OF THE CAMP IS TO SHOW THE KIDS THEY ARE VALUABLE AND LOVED BY GOD. CAMP DIRECTOR KIMBERLY MARLER IS ACTIVELY RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS TO STAY WITH THE KIDS. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE ROYAL FAMILY KIDS CAMP SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA FACEBOOK PAGE.
A BREAUX BRIDGE MAN SHOT TWO SUSPECT ATTEMPTING TO ROB HIS HOME EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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Louisiana’s state senators may derail plans by Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration to eliminate a program that provides mental health services to thousands of children. The Edwards administration intends to shutter the program on April 1, to save more than $2 million this year. The program elimination is part of the Louisiana Department of Health’s response to cuts levied by lawmakers in last month’s special session to close a deficit. But the Senate Health and Welfare Committee scheduled a Wednesday hearing on the emergency regulation issued to eliminate the mental health services. If senators on the committee reject the regulation, that could stop the closure.
