3-26-15
THE VERDICT IS IN IN THE SETH FONTENTOT CASE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A TEAM OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS FROM MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL FOR WINNING A NATIONAL COMPETITION. THE TEAM CREATED A TOOL TO BETTER SAMPLE VOLCANIC FORMATIONS ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, WHICH WAS THE WINNER IN THE 2014 OCEAN EXPLORATION TRUST’S ENGINEERING DESIGN CHALLENGE. SIX STUDENTS AND TWO FACULTY MEMBERS WERE PRESENTED WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AT THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETING. MAYOR RANDY ROACH SAYS THE TEAM REPRESENTS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MCNEESE STATE’S GROWING REPUTATION OF DEVELOPING INDUSTRY-READY GRADUATES.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL LAST NIGHT VOTED 6-TO-5 TO HIRE ATTORNEY JAMES GIBSON TO DEFEND THEM AGAINST A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE ACADIANA ADDICTION CENTER. THE CENTER PLANNED ON BUILDING A NEW FACILITY IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA NEAR SUNSET, BUT THE COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM BUILDING THERE. THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS THE ORDINANCE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST DISABLED PEOPLE AND VIOLATES FEDERAL LAW. THE COUNCIL SCHEDULED A SPECIAL MEETING FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY TO TALK ABOUT THE LAWSUIT WITH THEIR NEW ATTORNEY.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s health care spending plan for next year relies on more than $400 million in tax changes uncertain to win passage from state lawmakers.
Even then, lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee were told Wednesday, the governor’s proposal still has gaps in the Medicaid program and provides less for the private managers of the LSU hospitals than they say they need. And without the tax change money, the Department of Health and Hospitals told the committee those privatization deals would take a $330 million cut. Department Secretary Kathy Kliebert said that type of reduction could jeopardize the contractual deals and lessen health services for the poor and uninsured.
A LAFAYETTE-BASED PUBLIC EDUCATION ADVOCACY GROUP IS URGING LOUISIANA LAWMAKERS TO LIMIT STATE INTRUSION INTO THE DECISIONS MADE BY LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, AND CHANGE THE EVALUATION PROCESS FOR SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS. THE POWER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION LAFAYETTE HELD THEIR ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY SEVERAL STATE LEGISLATORS. THE GROUP SAYS THEY SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO LIMIT THE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TO APPROVE TYPE 2 CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE THE SCHOOL’S THAT LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE REJECTED. THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE AGAINST PENALIZING SCHOOLS WHOSE STUDENTS OPT OUT OF STATE STANDARDIZED TESTS, AND THEY ARE FOR MODIFYING TEACHER EVALUATIONS THAT ARE TIED TO STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
DEQUINCY POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO ROB A MARKET BASKET STORE YESTERDAY MORNING. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE POLICE SAYS A WHITE MAN, WEARING A DARK, LONG-SLEEVED SHIRT AND SHORTS, PRESENTED A NOTE TO A WORKER TELLING THEM TO GIVE HIM THEIR MONEY BAG AND WARNING THEM NOT TO PRESS A PANIC BUTTON. WHEN THE WORKER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS NO MONEY BAG, HE GRABBED THE NOTE AND RAN OUT OF THE STORE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE MAN, WHO WAS DRIVING A DARK RED, FOUR-DOOR PICKUP WITH A BUSTED REAR WINDOW, SHOULD CONTACT THE DEQUINCY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED TENTH AND TWELFTH GRADE STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN ACADIA PARISH WILL CONVERGE ON THE RICE FESTIVAL BUILDING IN CROWLEY FOR THE ANNUAL CAREER CONNECTIONS EXPO. THE EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 24TH, BUT IT WAS MOVED BECAUSE OF WEATHER. STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE WILL EXPLORE DIFFERENT CAREER OPTIONS AS WELL AS THE REALITIES OF THE WORKFORCE. KAJN WILL BE PROVIDING BROADCAST REPORTS FROM THE EVENT THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING.
More than 20 people have been arrested in a Texas and Louisiana prescription drug ring allegedly using the homeless to pose as patients. Federal prosecutors in North Texas on Wednesday announced the 23 suspects are from Houston, Austin and Dallas, plus Lafayette and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. An indictment unsealed Tuesday in Dallas says the scheme began in 2013 and often involved homeless or poor people being paid fees to pose as patients. The ringleaders then obtained the prescriptions and sold the drugs.
