4-12-12
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED AT A NEWS CONFERENCE PLANS TO CRACK DOWN ON DRAG RACING, WHICH IS BECOMING AN INCREASING PROBLEM. SATURDAY NIGHT THERE WERE REPORTS OF DRAG RACING AT THE KOHL’S DEPARTMENT STORE PARKING LOT, AT A NEARBY CIRCLE K, AND ON ERASTE LANDRY. POLICE SAY THEY PLAN ON SETTING UP SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT PLACES WHERE THE DRAG RACING TENDS TO OCCUR. PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER SERGEANT ROBIN GREEN SAYS THEY ARE ASKING BUSINESSES TO CALL THEM IF THEY NOTICE THIS BEHAVIOR GOING ON IN THEIR PARKING LOTS.
FOUR WOMEN ARE WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER A VIDEO SURFACED OF A WOMAN BEING ATTACKED AND SEVERELY BEATEN INSIDE A NEW IBERIA RESTAURANT. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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LOUISIANA IS SHORT ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED TEACHERS IN K THROUGH TWELVE SCHOOLS. SYLVIA MASTERS TELLS US ABOUT AN EFFORT IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE DEAL WITH IT.
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AN INVESTIGATIVE AUDIT HAS FOUND THAT FORMER OAKDALE CITY CLERK LISA SCHAEFER STOLE NEARLY NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM OAKDALE RECREATION DISTRICT ONE. THAT’S IN ADDITION TO THE MORE THAN SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SHE TOOK FROM CITY FUNDS TO PAY OFF HER CREDIT CARDS. THE ALLEGED THEFTS OCCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY TWENTY-FOURTEEN UNTIL HER DEATH IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR. THE AUDIT OF THE RECREATION DISTRICT FOUND THAT SHE MADE NINETY-THREE PAYMENTS TOTALLING MORE THAN EIGHTY-SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS BETWEEN TWENTY-TWELVE AND TWENTY-EIGHTEEN TO TWO CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS BELONGING TO SCHAEFER.
LAFAYETTE POLICE AND CRIME STOPPERS ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP TO FIND A MAN WHO THREATENED A CASHIER AT THE CIRCLE K ON MUDD AVENUE JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON MARCH TWENTY-EIGHTH. THE MAN, WHOSE PICTURE IS POSTED ON THE LAFAYETTE POLICE CRIME STOPPERS FACEBOOK PAGE, GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH THE CASHIER AND THREATENED TO CHOKE HER. HE THEN LEFT AND CAME BACK WITH A GUN. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE SUSPECT’S IDENTITY IS ASKED TO CALL CRIMESTOPPERS AT TWO-THREE-TWO-TIPS. ALL CALLERS REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES, INVESTIGATING A STRING OF BURGLARIES IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE PARISH, HAVE ARRESTED TWO CHURCH POINT MEN. THE DEPUTIES SAY, WITH THE ARREST OF TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD CODY MANES AND FORTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TODD TWEEDEL, THEY HAVE SOLVED FIVE BURGLARIES AND TWO THEFTS. THEY BELIEVE THE TWO WERE INVOLVED IN OTHER BURGLARIES AND THEFTS AS WELL. MANES FACES THREE COUNTS OF BURGLARY AND TWO COUNTS OF THEFT, WHIL TWEEDEL IS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF BURGLARY.
A PROPOSED STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, TO MAKE CHANGES BY GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS TO THE TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM PERMANENT, HAS MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE TO THE FULL SENATE. THE CHANGES ALLOWED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO GET A CUT OF THE REVENUE FROM INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS AND THEY NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO REJECT APPLICATIONS FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS. BUSINESS GROUPS AND OIL INDUSTRY LEADERS ARE OPPOSED TO THE CHANGES, WHICH, THEY SAY, MAKES IT TOO COMPLICATED TO GET TAX EXEMPTIONS. SHERIFFS, SCHOOL BOARD LEADERS AND PARISH PRESIDENTS SHOWED UP IN FORCE AT THE COMMITTEE HEARING YESTERDAY TO LOBBY FOR MAKING THE CHANGES PERMANENT.
U-S SENATOR BILL CASSIDY VISITED VILLE PLATTE HIGH SCHOOL YESTERDAY TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. HE SAID THAT, BECAUSE OF A TWENTY-NINE-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLAR NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION GRANT, MOST EVANGELINE PARISH RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS BROADBAND INTERNET. HE SAYS BETTER INTERNET SERVICE WILL NOT ONLY HELP STUDENTS BUT ALSO BUSINESSES COMPETING FOR AND SERVING CUSTOMERS. MAYOR JENNIFER VIDRINE SAYS INTERNET SERVICE IN VILLE PLATTE NOW IS AMONG THE SLOWEST IN AMERICA.
