3-31-17
ACADIANA AREA LEGISLATORS SPOKE ABOUT A PROPOSED GASOLINE TAX AT A THURSDAY SESSION OF ONE ACADIANA, THE AREA’S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. HOUSE SPEAKER TAYLOR BARRAS OF NEW IBERIA SAYS IT’S UNLIKELY THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL PASS A 23 CENT GASOLINE TAX, PROPOSED BY A TASK FORCE, BUT SOME INCREASE MAY PASS. HE SAYS TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE TO BE ASSURED THAT IT WOULD GO TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE. DEMOCRAT STATE REPRESENTATIVE TERRY LANDRY OF LAFAYETTE SAYS THERE’S NO CHOICE BUT TO RAISE THE GASOLINE TAX BECAUSE OF A 13 BILLION DOLLAR BACKLOG OF STATE ROAD PROJECTS, WHICH DOESN’T INCLUDE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
A federal judge in Louisiana who took medical leave after she was mysteriously pulled off a string of cases now faces a lawsuit from a fellow judge challenging her mental and physical capacity to manage her personal and financial affairs. The case against U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi has been sealed from public view.
But Lake Charles attorney Thomas Lorenzi confirmed Thursday that he filed the March 16 suit on behalf of U.S. Magistrate Kathleen Kay, who serves under Minaldi. Minaldi’s attorney, Glen Vamvoras, said the judge is fighting the suit because she is “competent and able to manage her own affairs.”
A NEW IBERIA MAN WAS UNANIMOUSLY CONVICTED BY A JURY OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER, ARMED ROBBERY AND INTIMIDATION OF A WITNESS. TRISTAN “BODY” ROMERO WILL BE SENTENCED ON JUNE FIRST. IN MAY OF 2015, A MAN WAS WAITING IN LINE AT A FAST FOOD DRIVE THRU ON HOPKINS STREET IN NEW IBERIA, WHEN ROMERO GOT INTO THE CAR BEHIND HIM, DEMANDED ALL HIS MONEY AND THEN SHOT HIM. THE INCIDENT WAS CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, AND WAS WITNESSED BY OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE IN LINE AS WELL.
ON THURSDAY, GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS RELEASED HIS PLAN TO STABILIZE THE STATE’S BUDGET BY OVERHAULING THE STATE’S TAX STRUCTURE. THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL IS A PROPOSED COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES TAX, THAT WOULD BE ASSESSED ON THE TAXABLE GROSS RECEIPTS OF MOST BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE-POINT-5 MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXABLE GROSS RECEIPTS EACH YEAR. BUSINESSES THAT MAKE LESS THAN THAT WOULD BE ASSESS A FLAT 250 DOLLAR TAX. THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL CONSIDER EDWARDS PLAN WHEN THE 60 DAY REGULAR SESSION BEGINS ON APRIL TENTH.
THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL PLANS ON ANOTHER VOTE TO BAN SMOKING IN BARS. IN MAY OF 2015, THE COUNCIL VOTED 5-TO-4 AGAINST THE BAN, WITH THOSE OPPOSED CONCERNED ABOUT HOW FAR GOVERNMENT CAN GO TO REGULATE A PRIVATE BUSINESS. HOWEVER, THREE OF THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST THE MEASURE ARE NO LONGER ON THE COUNCIL AND THERE ARE FIVE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON AS AUTHORS OF THE NEW MEASURE, ENOUGH TO PASS IT. THE ISSUE IS UP FOR A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION ON TUESDAY WITH A FINAL VOTE ON APRIL 18TH.
THE NEXT STEP IN FINDING A NEW PRESIDENT FOR MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY BEGINS MONDAY IN BATON ROUGE. THE PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE WILL NARROW THE LIST OF CANDIDATES DOWN TO 15. THE COMMITTEE IS SEEKING TO FIND A CANDIDATE TO REPLACE DR. PHILIP WILLIAMS, WHO IS RETIRING ON JUNE 30TH. COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN DR. JIM HENDERSON SAID EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT THEY HAVE TO SELECT A NEW PRESIDENT BY THE BEGINNING OF MAY.
IN ACADIA PARISH, TREES ON THE BANKS OF A CANAL ARE THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE RIVERSIDE BRIDGE FROM FLOATING DOWNSTREAM. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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THE “I VOTED” BLUE DOG STICKERS THAT WERE HANDED OUT TO LOUISIANANS WHO VOTED IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HAVE BECOME COLLECTOR’S ITEMS. STICKERS THAT ARE IN MINT CONDITION ARE GOING FOR AS MUCH AS FIFTY DOLLARS ON EBAY. SECRETARY OF STATE TOM SCHEDLER SAYS THE BLUE DOG CAMPAIGN, DESIGNED TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION, WAS THE BEST INVESTMENT THE DEPARTMENT HAS EVER MADE. SCHEDLER’S SPOKESPERSON MEG CASPER SAYS THE DEPARTMENT IS CONSIDERING SIMILAR CAMPAIGNS IN FUTURE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS THAT WOULD FEATURE ANOTHER LOUISIANA IMAGE OR ARTIST.
