4-10-17
LAFAYETTE’S NEWEST SCHOOL IS DESIGNED TO DRAW BACK STUDENTS WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT. THE EDWARD J. SAM ACCELERATED SCHOOL OF LAFAYETTE WILL OPEN JULY 17TH AT THE W-D AND MARY BAKER SMITH CAREER CENTER CAMPUS. THE SCHOOL WILL HAVE A COMBINATION OF IN PERSON AND COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTION, AND IT WILL HAVE COUNSELORS THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS WITH ACADEMICS, PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND CAREER GOALS. PRINCIPAL JODY DUHON TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THEY HOPE TO HAVE 200 STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THOUGH THEY HAVE THE FACILITIES TO ACCEPT TWICE THAT MANY.
SOME AREAS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA CONTINUED TO DEAL WITH FLOODWATERS OVER THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER, RIVERS IN THE REGION ARE RECEDING. THE CALCASIEU RIVER CRESTED AT OVER 22 FEET IN OBERLIN BUT NOW IS JUST SLIGHTLY ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. THE CALCASIEU RIVER NEAR OLD TOWN BAY IN THE LAKE CHARLES AREA IS STILL A FOOT-AND-A-HALF ABOVE FLOOD STAGE, WHICH MAY CREATE IMPASSABLE CONDITIONS AT GOOS FERRY ROAD AND FLOOD THE LOWER END OF PICKREL LANE. UNTIL RIVER LEVELS RETURN TO NORMAL, ALL BOAT TRAFFIC ON THE CALCASIEU RIVER TO THE CALCASIEU PARISH LINE IS PROHIBITED.
POLICE IN ST. LANDRY PARISH SAY A TEENAGER DIED WHEN HE WAS HIT BY A TRUCK ALONG THE SIDE OF L-A 104. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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Gov. John Bel Edwards will make his case for rewriting Louisiana’s tax laws to legislators slogging back for another session where debate focuses on budget cuts and spending levels. Louisiana’s two-month regular session opens at noon today, with little consensus emerging about how to remedy the budget instability. Edwards will lay out his proposals to the House and Senate at one this afternoon, pushing a tax overhaul that aims to end the budget gaps by more heavily taxing businesses. Republicans, particularly House GOP leaders, haven’t embraced the Democratic governor’s ideas.
BOB GILES IS BEING RECOGNIZED THIS YEAR AS THE LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR BY THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BUSINESS HALL OF FAME. GILES IS THE OWNER OF GILES AUTOMOTIVE, WHICH CONSISTS OF VOLVO, SUBARU AND NISSAN IN LAFAYETTE AND NISSAN IN OPELOUSAS. GILES BEGAN IN 1982 WITH A VOLKSWAGON DEALERSHIP IN LAFAYETTE. HE WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE BUSINESS HALL OF FAME AWARDS, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON MAY SECOND AT THE U-L STUDENT UNION BALLROOM.
LAKE CHARLES POLICE RELEASED THE NAME OF THE VICTIM OF A SHOOTING ON TULIP STREET EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. 22-YEAR-OLD CODY LASTRAPES WAS KILLED AT THE SCENE. THREE OTHER PEOPLE WERE SHOT AS WELL, AND TWO OF THEM ARE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. NO ARRESTS HAVE YET BEEN MADE AND THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
THE CITY OF KAPLAN IS PUTTING UP CAMERAS TO MONITOR A PLAYGROUND. FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THREE MONTHS, REPAIRS HAVE HAD TO BE MADE ON PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT TOBY MALLETT PARK. MAYOR KIRK CHAMPAGNE SAYS ADULTS HAVE BEEN ABUSING SWINGS THAT WERE MEANT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 12 YEARS OLD. CHAMPAGNE SAYS THE CAMERAS WILL BE USED TO MONITOR THE PLAYGROUND AND ANY ADULTS FOUND PLAYING ON THE EQUIPMENT WILL FACE FINES.
Louisiana homeowners, with damage from last year’s devastating floods, are being asked to take a survey, the first step in applying for disaster recovery aid.
The survey will be posted online today at restore.la.gov . Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration will use survey responses to help determine who is eligible for the $1.3 billion homeowner assistance program that will be funded out of congressional block grant aid. About 36,000 homeowners are expected to receive rebuilding assistance: those with major or severe damage from the flooding — considered a foot or more of water or at least $8,000 in destruction — who didn’t have flood insurance coverage.
