3-23-15
The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury is reconsidering the zoning board’s decision to rezone 85 acres near DeQuincy as housing for up to 2,500 temporary workers on one construction project. The American Press reports that the parish Planning and Zoning Board voted 7-3 Tuesday for the rezoning request despite area residents’ protests. The police jury agreed Thursday to wait until April 23 before acting on the request for what developers call Magnolia Pines Lodge. It would house workers building an expansion at Sasol Ltd.
IF THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL APPROVES NEW ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODES FOR THE PARISH, IT COULD MEAN A TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHARACTER OF DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE. NATHAN NORRIS, THE C-E-O OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, TELLS THE ADVOCATE SAYS THE GOAL FOR THAT AREA IS TO MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING. THE PROPOSALS INCLUDE HAVING THE MAIN ENTRANCES FACE THE SIDEWALK, WINDOWS ARE REQUIRED AND HAVE TO BE CLEAR, NOT TINTED, PARKING LOTS WOULD BE BEHIND THE BUILDINGS, OUTDOOR DINING AREAS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED AS WELL AS AWNINGS OR GALLERIES BUILT OVER SIDEWALKS. THE NEW CODES WOULD ONLY APPLY TO NEW CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS.
IN OPELOUSAS, ONE MAN IS DEAD FOLLOWING A HOSTAGE SITUATION THAT BEGAN AFTER A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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A JENNINGS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ACHIEVED A 34 SCORE ON THE A-C-T TEST, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SCORE EVER FOR A STUDENT IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A-C-T PRESENTED AKIL DARJEAN WITH A CONGRATULATORY LETTER FROM THE STATE ORGANIZATION THIS WEEKEND. JENNINGS HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL BEN OUSTALET TELLS KPLC TV THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DOCTORS AND LAWYERS GRADUATE FROM THE SCHOOL, BUT NONE HAVE SCORED 34 ON THE ACT, WHICH IS TWO POINTS SHORT OF PERFECT. DARJEAN SAYS HIS GOAL IS TO GET A PERFECT SCORE, AND IS AWAITING RESULTS ON ANOTHER TEST THAT HE HAD TAKEN RECENTLY.
THE DEFENSE FOR SETH FONTENOT OF LAFAYETTE WILL PRESENT THEIR WITNESSES TODAY IN HIS MURDER TRIAL. FONTENOT IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING 15-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN RIVAULT AND WOUNDING TWO OTHER TEENAGERS IN FEBRUARY OF 2013. THE TWO OTHER SHOOTING VICTIMS WERE WITNESSES IN THE TRIAL FOR THE PROSECUTION, WHICH ALSO CALLED FIVE LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES, A GUN EXPERT, TWO FORENSIC CHEMISTS AND A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST. ON FRIDAY, THE DEFENSE BEGAN TO PRESENT WITNESSES, BEGINNING WITH A FORENSIC BALLISTICS EXPERT.
A JEANERETTE MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO KIDNAP AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CHILD SATURDAY NIGHT. IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL SAYS THE KIDNAP ATTEMPT OCCURRED IN THE 600 BLOCK OF BAYARD STREET IN NEW IBERIA. HE SAYS THEY ARRESTED 33-YEAR-OLD MONTANA DOICE AFTER RECEIVING MULTIPLE TIPS FROM WITNESSES ABOUT THE VEHICLE USED BY THE ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPER. DOICE HAS BEEN BOOKED INTO THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL FOR ATTEMPTED SIMPLE KIDNAPPING.
The Lafayette Parish School Board plans to invest in new grass and repairs to football fields at three of its high schools this summer. The Advocate reports the board’s Facilities Committee recommended the board approve the projects at Acadiana, Carencro and Comeaux high schools — the only three high schools that haven’t had new fieldwork in 20 years or longer. Kyle Bordelon, acting chief operations officer and facilities director for the school system, says facilities staff soon will seek cost proposals from contractors for the work. Bordelon says refurbishing a field involves removing the existing grass and reshaping the field so it drains properly.
State police say an Opelousas man died in a crash on Louisiana Highway 749 in St. Landry Parish. Trooper 1st Class Brooks David (DAH-veed) says 38-year-old Herbert Rideau was driving north near Opelousas about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when his pickup truck ran off the right side of the road. David said the truck continued through a private lot and crashed head-on into a parked 18-wheeler. He says Rideau was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
