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A PROPOSED NEW RECYCLING CONTRACT WAS INTRODUCED AT LAST NIGHT’S LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING AND A FINAL VOTE ON THE CONTRACT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE APRIL FIFTH MEETING. UNDER TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, GLASS IS EXCLUDED AND THE RECYCLING PICKUP DAYS WOULD COINCIDE WITH GARBAGE COLLECTION DAYS. ALSO EACH ELIGIBLE RESIDENT WOULD BE GIVEN A RECYCLING CART. IF APPROVED, THE RECYCLING FEE WOULD REMAIN THE SAME UNTIL NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, AND THEN COULD GO UP BASED ON INFLATION WITH A CAP OF EIGHT PERCENT.
LOCAL FARMERS IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH ARE HOLDING CRAWFISH TOURS, WHICH ARE POPULAR, NOT ONLY WITH LOUISIANANS, BUT WITH FOREIGNERS AS WELL. EACH CRAWFISH TOUR ENDS AT THE GATOR CHATEAU WHERE VISITORS CAN SEE AND HOLD ALLIGATORS. TOURS ARE AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS OF TEN OR MORE AND RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. YOU CAN CONTACT THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH TOURIST COMMISSION AT 821-55-34.
ATTORNEYS WITH THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE INDICATE THERE COULD BE MORE CHARGES FILED AGAINST SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL AND TWO OF HIS DEPUTIES. ACKAL AND DEPUTIES LUCAS PLAUCHE AND LESTER HEBERT ARE FACING A LAWSUIT OVER ALLEGED ABUSE DURING A JAIL SWEEP IN OCTOBER OF 2014. SHERIFF’S OFFICE ATTORNEY FRED SCHROEDER FILED PAPERWORK IN COURT YESTERDAY ASKING THAT THE LAWSUIT BE PUT ON HOLD UNTIL A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE SWEEP BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETED. ACKAL AND ONE OF HIS TOP SUPERVISORS WERE RECENTLY INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY FOR ABUSE OF INMATES DURING ANOTHER JAIL SWEEP IN APRIL OF 2011, IN WHICH EIGHT OF HIS DEPUTIES PLEADED GUILTY.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS WANTS TO REMOVE A STATE LAW THAT KEEPS LOUISIANA FROM ISSUING DRIVER’S LICENSES THAT COMPLY WITH THE SECURITY MEASURES OF THE FEDERAL REAL I-D LAW. JULIE DARCE HASE MORE.
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THE DIRECTOR OF LE CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE LAFAYETTE SAYS HE, A U-L PROFESSOR AND TWO U-L STUDENTS WERE AT THE PLACE WHERE A BOMB WENT OFF IN THE BRUSSELS, BELGIUM AIRPORT EXACTLY FOUR DAYS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. PHILIPPE GUSTIN SAYS THEY WERE RETURNING FROM A CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS. HE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT BUSINESS TRAVEL IS PART OF HIS JOB AND HE’S IN THE MIDDLE OF PLANNING A TRIP TO BRUSSELS IN SEPTEMBER WITH MEMBERS OF THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE, THOUGH HE DOESN’T KNOW IF THOSE PLANS WILL CHANGE. GUSTIN SAYS HE WILL CONTINUE TO TRAVEL TO THAT COUNTRY IN THE FUTURE, THOUGH HE WILL BE CAREFUL WHO HE INVITES TO GO WITH HIM.
AN ANIMAL RESCUE GROUP IN LAKE CHARLES IS COLLECTING DONATED ITEMS FOR ANIMALS AND FAMILIES DISPLACED BY THE RECENT FLOODS. RENEE SMITH, THE DIRECTOR OF LAKE CHARLES PIT BULL RESCUE, SAYS SO FAR THEY HAVE DROPPED OFF SEVEN TRUCKLOADS OF GOODS BETWEEN EVANS AND STARKS. THEY EVEN ADOPTED A FAMILY, THE WIMBERLYS, WHO HAD JUST FINISHED THEIR HOME BEFORE HAVING TO EVACUATE. A GOFUNDME PAGE HAS BEEN SET UP FOR THE WIMBERLY FAMILY.
A ST. LANDRY PARISH RESIDENT HAS FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST A PARISH COUNCIL MEMBER, CHALLENGING WHETHER SHE MEETS THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS. FEKISHA MILLER-MATTHEWS HAS SERVED ON THE COUNCIL SINCE 2007, BUT BETWEEN 2011 AND 2014, SHE FILED FOR A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR A HOUSE SHE OWNS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. TO RECEIVE THE EXEMPTION, THE TAXPAYER HAS TO MAKE THAT HOME HER PRIMARY RESIDENCE. ST. LANDRY PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS DEPUTY CLERK LAUREN JONES SAYS MILLER-MATTHEWS WILL BE GIVEN 21 DAYS TO RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT.
THE LOUISIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DECIDED YESTERDAY TO POSTPONE UNTIL NEXT MONDAY A DECISION ON WHETHER TO RECONSIDER THE SALE OF CLECO TO A GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS. THE COMMISSION REJECTED THE SALE IN FEBRUARY BUT THE INVESTOR GROUP SWEETENED THE OFFER. UNDER THE NEW TERMS, THEY WOULD GIVE A FREE MONTH OR TWO OF ELECTRICITY TO CLECO’S 286 THOUSAND CUSTOMERS, 15 MILLION DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, AND PLEDGE TO KEEP EMPLOYEE LEVELS AND BENEFITS THE SAME FOR TEN YEARS. COMMISSION CHAIRMAN CLYDE HOLLOWAY SAYS HE BELIEVES THEY WILL AGREE TO ANOTHER HEARING THOUGH HE REMAINS OPPOSED TO THE SALE.
