3-8-19
STATE SENATOR FRED MILLS PLANS TO INTRODUCE A BILL THAT WOULD GUARANTEE LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICERS A RAISE WHEN SALES TAX COLLECTIONS GO UP. UNDER THE BILL THAT MILLS WILL PROPOSE WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS NEXT MONTH, WHEN SALES TAX COLLECTIONS ARE MORE THAN THREE PERCENT IN A FISCAL YEAR, LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICERS ARE GUARANTEED AT LEAST A TWO PERCENT RAISE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION THAT FIREFIGHTERS HAVE A GUARANTEED ANNUAL PAY RAISE BUT THEY DO NOT. THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AT TUESDAY’S MEETING SUPPORTING MILL’S BILL.
LAKE CHARLES POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HOMOCIDE THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT ON NORTH GOOS BOULEVARD. POLICE WERE CALLED OUT ABOUT A SHOOTING AT NORTH GOOS BOULEVARD AND KNAPP STREET. THEY FOUND A GUNSHOT VICTIM, 34-YEAR-OLD JAVID DWAYNE DUHON OF LAKE CHARLES, WHO WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BUT LATER DIED. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
REDEMPTORIST CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN CROWLEY WILL BE CLOSING AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. THE PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL HAS BEEN OPERATING IN CROWLEY FOR 59 YEARS. LOW REGISTRATION NUMBERS HAS BEEN CITED AS THE REASON FOR THE CLOSURE. IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH PASTOR JASON VIDRINE SAYS THEY NEEDED TO ENROLL AT LEAST 158 STUDENTS TO MAKE ENDS MEET BUT THEY HAD ONLY 79 REGISTERED THROUGH FEBRUARY.
A federal judge has approved a settlement in a lawsuit over religious activities at a Louisiana school system. U.S. District Court Judge Maurice Hicks Jr. on Wednesday approved an agreement reached in January between the Bossier Parish School District and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
The group sued the school district in February 2018 after several parents complained their children had been subjected to unwanted religious messages.
Hicks’ order calls for the school board to revise part of its religious expression policy.
A LAFAYETTE WOMAN WAS ARRESTED FOR SETTING TWO VEHICLES ON FIRE EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. THE VEHICLES WERE BURNING IN THE PARKING AREA OF THE MACON STREET HOUSING COMPLEX ON CONNIE CIRCLE. FIRE FIGHTERS ARRIVED TO PUT OUT THE FIRES AT AROUND FIVE A-M AND LATER DETERMINED THAT THEY HAD BEEN INTENTIONALLY SET. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLES HAD BEEN IN A PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION HOURS EARLIER LEADING TO THE ARREST OF 22-YEAR-OLD MARSHA CONSTANTINE, WHO WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A CHARGE OF SIMPLE ARSON.
A ROAD THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE CAMERON JETTY PIER WILL OFFICIALLY BECOME PRIVATE AND CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AT SIX TOMORROW MORNING. THE PIER IS BEING CLOSED TO MAKE WAY FOR VENTURE GLOBAL’S CALCASIEU PASS L-N-G PROJECT. ASSISTANT CAMERON PARISH ADMINISTRATOR DARRELL WILLIAMS SAYS THE CLOSURE IS WORTH IT BECAUSE THE FIVE BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WILL RESULT IN TWO THOUSAND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, TWO TO THREE HUNDRED FULL TIME JOBS AS WELL AS INDIRECT JOBS. HE SAYS ONCE IT’S SAFE, VENTURE GLOBAL WILL PROVIDE BOAT SHUTTLE SERVICE SO THE PUBLIC CAN ONCE AGAIN HAVE ACCESS TO THE PIER.
A ONE-YEAR-OLD BOY, WHO WAS ALLEGELDY BEATEN BY HIS MOTHER’S BOYFRIEND, REMAINS HOSPITALIZED BUT IS DOING BETTER. THE BOYFRIEND, 43-YEAR-OLD TONY DOMINGUE OF ST. MARTINVILLE, HAD HIS BAIL SET AT 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SECOND DEGREE CRUELTY TO A JUVENILE, SECOND DEGREE BATTERY AND HATE CRIMES. THE BOY’S MOTHER, 25-YEAR-OLD JORETTA CARRERE OF NEW IBERIA HAD HER BOND SET AT 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS. MAJOR GINNY OWENS OF THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAY THE MOTHER WAS CHARGED BECAUSE SHE WAS PRESENT DURING THE ABUSE AND DIDN’T STOP IT OR REPORT IT.
THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE PARISH ADDRESS IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THIS MORNING AT 11:30 AT THE TOWN CLUB IN CROWLEY. THE SPEAKERS INCLUDE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON, ACADIA PARISH POLICE JURY PRESIDENT DAVID SAVOY AND ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SCOTT RICHARD. TICKETS ARE 25 DOLLARS. THE EVENT INCLUDES A SEAFOOD LUNCH.
ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON IS INVITING EVERYONE TO HAVE COFFEE WITH HIM TOMORROW AT EIGHT A-M AT THE RICE PALACE IN CROWLEY. HE WILL GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON SHERIFF’S OFFICE PROGRAMS AND TAKE QUESTIONS.
