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A TEACHER AT LAFAYETTE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS BEEN PLACED ON TEMPORARY LEAVE AFTER NOTIFYING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT THEY HAD RECENTLY TRAVELED ABROAD. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
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A TOWN HALL MEETING WAS HELD IN VILLE PLATTE TO DISCUSS THE INCREASE IN CRIME. OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE ATTENDED THE MEETING HELD BY MAYOR JENNIFER VIDRINE. SHE ALONG WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND CITY COUNCILMEN LISTENED TO SUGGESTIONS FROM THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. VIDRINE SAYS SHE IS CONSIDERING HOLDING COMMUNITY TOWN HALLS FOCUSED ON VIOLENCE ONCE A QUARTER.
Complaints about noise and smell have prompted Lake Arthur to ban roosters and restrict animals such as chickens and horses. The American Press reports the Lake Arthur Town Council voted 4-1 on Wednesday to ban roosters, pigs, hogs, goats, emus and sheep within town limits. Chickens and hens are limited to six per resident and cannot run free. Violators of the ordinance could face a $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail.
Louisiana is borrowing $350 million to keep money flowing to state-financed construction projects. The Bond Commission that oversees the construction spending approved the general obligation bond sale without objection Thursday. The state borrows money by selling bonds to investors for upfront cash. The debt will be paid over 20 years with a 2.2% interest rate.
THE LAFAYETTE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS JOINED THE CITY IN ASKING A JUDGE TO DISMISS A LAWSUIT FILED BY SIX RESIDENTS. ATTORNEY LANE ROY, REPRESENTING THE SIX, FILED THE SUIT IN DECEMBER SEEKING TO STOP THE CREATION OF FIVE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS. ROY SAYS THE CITY PARISH COUNCIL FAILED TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURE IN INTRODUCING AND ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE, BUT THE CITY ATTORNEYS ARGUE THAT THEY DID.
THE MAN ACCUSED IN THE RECENT KIDNAPPING AND KILLING OF JOYCE THOMAS OF VILLE PLATTE WAS PAROLED LAST YEAR AFTER SERVING TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF A ONE-HUNDRED-SEVENTEEN YEAR SENTENCE. FIFTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD PHILLIP DEWOODY OF OPELOUSAS WAS SENT TO JAIL AFTER HE HELD A FAMILY AT KNIFEPOINT, TIED THEM TO A REFRIGERATOR AND DEMANDED THEIR VALUABLES BEFORE LEAVING THE HOME. WHILE BEING HELD IN THE LINCOLN PARISH DETENTION CENTER, HE OVERPOWERED A GUARD AND ESCAPED AND, WHILE ON THE LOOSE, COMMITTED ARMED ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED RAPE. DEWOODY TOLD THE PAROLE BOARD LAST YEAR THAT HE HAD REMORSE FOR HIS CRIMES AND THE BOARD GRANTED HIS RELEASE.
The U.S. Department of Labor says a southwest Louisiana contractor operating in Louisiana, Texas and Florida has paid $495,900 in back wages to 411 workers. The department said in a news release Tuesday that Versa Integrity Group Inc. of Sulphur, erroneously classified wages as per diem payments. It says that meant overtime was paid at lower rates than federal law requires to workers who do inspections, maintenance and repair work at industrial refining, chemical and offshore locations. The department says Versa is based in Sulphur and provides non-destructive testing at 22 locations in the three states.
U-S SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY IS ASKING PRESIDENT TRUMP TO ALLOW A ONE YEAR EXTENSION OF THE REAL I-D DEADLINE OF OCTOBER FIRST. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
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