3/23/18
SALES TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE LAFAYETE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT FELL JUST UNDER THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR MARK FOR THE PERIOD OF DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY. THAT’S DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT COLLECTED ONE-POINT-SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS OVER THAT SAME PERIOD. RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR IDEAS FOR OVERCOMING A POTENTIAL FINANCIAL CRISIS. A SUMMIT, WHERE SUGGESTIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED, WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEDNESDAY EVENING AT SIX AT THE LITE CENTER ON CAJUNDOME BOULEVARD.
THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA GARDEN CONFERENCE AND EXPO IS HOLDING ITS 19TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT BURTON COLISEUM IN LAKE CHARLES. GARDEN LOVERS ARE INVITED TO COME SEE ALL KINDS OF FLORAL DESIGNS, TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS. THERE WILL ALSO BE GARDENING TIPS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND LECTURES FOR THE PUBLIC. THE EVENT, WHICH ATTRACTS OVER THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE EACH YEAR, WILL TAKE PLACE FROM NINE A-M TO FIVE TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND TICKET PRICES FOR THOSE OVER 12-YEARS-OLD IS THREE DOLLARS.
THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE TODAY FOR A MISSING SWIMMER IN THE MERMENTAU RIVER NEAR THE ACADIA AND JEFF DAVIS PARISH LINE. TWO SWIMMERS WENT INTO THE RIVER LATE YESTERDAY BUT ONE FAILED TO SURFACE. THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED SHORTLY AFTER SIX LAST NIGHT AND BEGAN THE SEARCH WITH THE HELP OF LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES AND THE CALCASIEU SHERIFF’S MARINE DIVISION. THE SEARCH WAS SUSPENDED EARLY THIS MORNING.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says he doesn’t like the idea of arming teachers in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Florida. The Democratic governor’s comments Thursday were the first specifics he’s offered on one the most contentious issues moving through the Legislature. Edwards says he favors having more trained officers in schools and added that he is working with stakeholders to come up with a comprehensive safety program. Roughly two dozen bills involving guns have been filed, most stemming from the massacre last month at a Florida high school where 17 people were killed.
A LONGTIME LAFAYETTE RESIDENT HAS ARRIVED HOME FROM WASHINGTON
D-C WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. HEWITT GOMEZ WAS A WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN AND MEMBER OF THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES. GOMEZ, WHO ALREADY HAS RECEIVED THE FRENCH LEGION MEDAL OF HONOR, HELPED NAVIGATE BOMBERS IN EUROPE THAT DELIVERED SUPPLIES TO TROOPS. HE WAS AMONG A HANDFUL OF O-S-S VETERANS TO RECEIVE THE MEDAL AT A CEREMONY WEDNESDAY, INCLUDING RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT LEBLANC OF ABBEVILLE.
A LAKE ARTHUR MAN, WHO IS A SUSPECT IN A HOMOCIDE CASE AND WAS OUT ON BAIL, WAS ARRESTED AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. 40-YEAR-OLD VAUGHN DELL ROBINSON WAS BOOKED INTO THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH JAIL ON A CHARGE OF ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF STOLEN THINGS. JEFF DAVIS D-A MICHAEL CASSIDY SAYS ROBINSON WAS CHARGED AS PART OF THE 2015 MURDER OF 73-YEAR-OLD CHARLES TALEN IN LAKE ARTHUR. HE SAYS ROBINSON’S BOND IN THAT CASE WAS SET AT 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH HE WAS ABLE TO MEET AND BE RELEASED.
IN ST. MARTINVILLE, AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED A SHOOTING SUSPECT. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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A House Republican leader says he’s found a way to lower Louisiana’s budget gap next year. Gov. John Bel Edwards calls it a gimmick that won’t help stabilize finances. The latest clash comes as conservative House GOP lawmakers and the Democratic governor remain at odds over solutions to the shortfall looming July 1.
Rep. Lance Harris, chairman of the House Republican Delegation, suggests Louisiana could use $150 million in unbudgeted cash from this year to prepay one month’s of payments for care of Louisiana’s Medicaid patients. Under the proposal, the state would then only make 11 months of those payments next year, shrinking the budget hole. That would only cut costs for one year. Edwards says that’s similar to budget maneuvers used by former Gov. Bobby Jindal to shuffle costs.
