3-9-22
THE FORMER MAYOR OF JEANERETTE, APRIL FOULCARDE, HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF THREE CHARGES: MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE, BANK FRAUD AND THEFT. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
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THE SCOTT FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A FIRE AT A BUSINESS ON NORTH AMBASSADOR CAFFERY SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT. THE FIRE AT WESTPORT LINEN WAS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL QUICKLY, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO BINS OF LINENS AND TWO COMMERCIAL LINEN PRESSES. FIRE CHIEF CHAD SONNIER SAYS THE FIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF PIECES OF LINEN BEING REMOVED FROM A DRYER AND LEFT SMOLDERING IN A BIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS, EVENTUALLY IGNITING THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION APPROVED ITS FUNDING REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD GIVE TEACHERS A FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLAR ANNUAL PAY RAISE WHILE KEEPING SCHOOL BUDGETS THE SAME. THE PAY RAISE PROPOSAL MIRRORS THE ONE OFFERED BY GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS, THOUGH HE SAID HE’D LIKE TO BOOST IT BY TWO THOUSAND IF THE REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE RECOGNIZES MORE STATE REVENUE WHEN IT MEETS IN MAY. THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE OR REJECT THE FUNDING REQUEST BUT CANNOT CHANGE IT. LARRY CARTER OF THE LOUISIANA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS WANTED BESE TO ASK FOR A TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED A YEAR RAISE FOR TEACHERS, SAYING THE FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLAR A YEAR AMOUNT IS NOT ENOUGH.
A STARKS MAN WAS ARRESTED BY THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR KIDNAPPING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER. DEPUTIES WERE DISPATCHED TO A RESIDENCE IN STARKS ABOUT AN UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN AND LEARNED SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN AGAINST HER WILL BY TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW D. ESTRIDGE. DETECTIVES SAY ESTRIDGE ADMITTED TO TAKING THE WOMAN AGAINST HER WILL AND BEATING HER. ESTRIDGE WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER AND IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND PENDING A HEARING.
A BURN BAN HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR ACADIA PARISH. POLICE JURY PRESIDENT CHANCE HENRY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST NIGHT FOR ACADIA PARISH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. HE SAYS ALL OUTDOOR BURNING ACTIVITIES ARE PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR PRESCRIBED BURNS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. THE ORDER GOES INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AND REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL IT IS RESCINDED.
THE CITY OF CARENCRO WILL BE BUILDING A NEW FIRE STATION WITH TWO ADDITIONAL TRUCKS AND SQUAD UNITS. THE FIVE MILLION DOLLAR COST WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH BONDS AND A SEWER TAX. THE ADDED FIRE STATION WILL IMPROVE THE FIRE RATING SCORE FOR THE CITY, WHICH COULD BRING DOWN HOME INSURANCE RATES. FIRE CHIEF DAVID MOUTON SAYS THEY COULD ALSO ADD THREE MORE FULL TIME POSITIONS IF A FEDERAL SAFETY GRANT IS APPROVED.
YESTERDAY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCED A BAN ON RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS BECAUSE OF THAT COUNTRY’S INVASION OF UKRAINE. MIKE MONCLA OF THE LOUISIANA OIL AND GAS ASSOCIATION SAYS IT COULD IMPACT GAS PRICES BUT IT’S NOT THE CAUSE OF HIGH PRICES AT THE PUMP. HE BLAMED BIDEN’S RESTRICTIONS ON THE OIL INDUSTRY FOR CAUSING SKY HIGH PRICES INCLUDING THE TERMINATION OF THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE AND OFFSHORE LEASES, AS WELL AS A BAN ON FEDERAL PERMITS TO DRILL. MONCLA SAYS GAS PRICES WERE THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN A YEAR-AND-A HALF AGO BEFORE THE RUSSIAN INVASION HAPPENED.
A GROUP OF TWENTY CYCLISTS, GOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY, MADE SEVERAL STOPS IN ACADIANA YESTERDAY. THE MONEY THEY RAISE IS FOR THE FULLER CENTER FOR HOUSING, A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION THAT BUILDS AND REPAIRS HOMES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. THE GROUP HAD THEIR FIRST BIKE RIDE IN TWO THOUSAND EIGHT AND, OVER THE YEARS, HAVE RAISED THREE-POINT-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS AND WORKED ON NEARLY TWO HUNDRED FIFTY HOMES. ONE OF THE MEMBERS, JIM BRIEN, SPEAKING TO KLFY TV AT A REST STOP IN PORT BARRE, SAYS IT’S A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE HELPING OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP.
