4-13-16
DESPITE THE ACADIANA AREA LOSING AROUND TWELVE THOUSAND JOBS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, HOME SALES REMAIN SURPRISINGLY ROBUST, ACCORDING TO BILL BACQUE OF THE REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF ACADIANA MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE. DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2016, THERE WERE 1,045 HOMES SOLD IN THE NINE ACADIANA PARISHES, LESS THAN ONE PERCENT BELOW THE SAME PERIOD IN 2015, WHICH WAS A RECORD SETTING SALES YEAR. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF THE HOMES SOLD WAS JUST OVER 182 THOUSAND DOLLARS, DOWN FOUR-POINT-2-3 PERCENT. BACQUE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION IS DOWN, BUT EXISTING HOME SALES SOARED.
A CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY HAS BEEN FIRED AFTER HE WAS ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING A WOMAN. AN INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED BY THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AFTER THE WOMAN CALLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT CODY ONXLEY, WHO HAS BEEN A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY FOR FOUR YEARS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONXLEY CONTACTED THE WOMAN AND WENT TO HER HOUSE UNDER FALSE PRETENSES AND WHILE THERE HE ALLEGEDLY TOUCHED THE VICTIM IN A SEXUALLY INAPPROPRIATE MANNER. ONXLEY IS OUT ON BOND AFTER BEING ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SEXUAL BATTERY AND MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE.
TOMORROW IS ACADIANA DAY AT THE CAPITAL. MEMBERS OF ONE ACADIANA, THE ACADIANA REGIONAL ALLIANCE, AND THE AREA CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAUS WILL HEAD TO BATON ROUGE TO MEET THE ACADIANA LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND ATTEND A SPECIAL LUNCHEON AT THE CAPITAL WELCOME CENTER. AT AROUND TWO P-M, THE GROUP WILL BE RECOGNIZED ON THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOORS. AMY THIBODEAUX OF THE CROWLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS THERE HASN’T BEEN AN ACADIANA DAY AT THE CAPITAL FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THANKED ONE ACADIANA AND THE ACADIANA REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR SPEARHEADING EFFORTS TO REINSTITUTE IT.
The Louisiana Senate has backed an equal pay bill that is one of the main pieces of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ legislative agenda. New Orleans Sen. J.P. Morrell’s proposal would require large private businesses to pay the same wages to men and women who perform the same work. It lays out a process for filing a complaint — and later possibly a lawsuit — by employees who believe they’re entitled to more compensation. The majority-Republican Senate voted 28-10 for the bill, sending it to the House.
A BILL THAT WOULD PROTECT PASTORS AND CHURCHES FROM BEING COMPELLED TO PARTICIPATE IN SAME SEX WEDDINGS HAS PASSED OUT OF A SENATE COMMITTEE. REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR MIKE JOHNSON OF BOSSIER CITY SAYS HIS BILL, KNOWN AS THE PASTOR PROTECTION ACT, IS NARROWLY WRITTEN TO APPLY TO PASTORS AND CHURCHES ONLY, AND IS NOT EXTENDED TO BUSINESSES. HE SAYS IT DOESN’T GO AS FAR AS LEGISLATION HE PROPOSED LAST YEAR THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE STATE FROM PENALIZING BUSINESSES THAT DENIED SERVICES TO GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES BASED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS SAYS HE SUPPORTS THE BILL IN ITS CURRENT FORM.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY WAS IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY TO TALK ABOUT PLANS FOR A PROPOSED I-49 CONNECTOR. AT A PRICE TAG OF APPROXIMATELY 700 MILLION DOLLARS, THE CONNECTOR IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THE PLAN TO EXTEND INTERSTATE 49 FROM LAFAYETTE TO NEW ORLEANS. SECRETARY SHAWN WILSON SAYS ITS UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL GET THE ENTIRE AMOUNT AT ONE TIME. HE SAYS THAT MEANS THE CONNECTOR WILL HAVE TO BE COMPLETED IN PORTIONS AS THE MONEY BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE DEFENSE FOR KEVIN DAIGLE OF LAKE CHARLES WANTS TO MOVE HIS FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OUT OF THE CITY. DAIGLE IS THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING STATE TROOPER STEVEN VINCENT LAST AUGUST. THE PROSECUTION IS SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY IF HE IS CONVICTED. A HEARING WILL BE HELD ON MAY 25TH TO CONSIDER THE DEFENSE’S REQUEST FOR A CHANGE OF VENUE BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE PUBLICITY THE CASE HAS RECEIVED.
One man is dead and two have been injured in a lawnmower accident in which one man was riding on the lawnmower’s hood and another man, riding in a wheelchair, was holding on to the tractor and being pulled behind it. KPLC-TV reports it happened Sunday in Rayne. Police Chief Carroll J. Stelly says 41-year-old Wilbert J. Bourque Jr., who was driving the mower, died from his injuries. The lawnmower was heading east on American Legion Road when it was hit from behind by a Ford truck.
