4-17-18
A FORMER EMPLOYEE HAS SUED THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR ALLEGEDLY RIGGING THE LOTTERY SYSTEM FOR THE SCHOOLS OF CHOICE. AZADEH MARIAM YAZDI CLAIMS THAT CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER ANNETTE SAMEC AND TWO EMPLOYEES ALLEGEDLY MADE ADMISSIONS DECISIONS BASED ON RACE, COLOR, FRIENDSHIP, RELATIONSHIPS BY BLOOD AND MARRIAGE AND WHETHER CHILDREN BELONGED TO EMPLOYEES. SHE SAYS THAT AFTER EXPOSING THE PRACTICE, SHE WAS SUBJECT TO HARRASSMENT AND EVENTUALLY WAS FIRED. HER ATTORNEY, LANE ROY, ALSO REPRESENTED FORMER SUPERINTENDENT PAT COOPER IN HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SCHOOL BOARD.
A STATE POLICE REPORT HAS RULED THAT A BICYCLIST, WHO WAS KILLED ON HIGHWAY 90 IN SULPHUR LAST WEEK, VIOLATED STATE LAW AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AT FAULT. SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON WITH STATE POLICE SAYS 34-YEAR-OLD J-J BROOKS DID NOT HAVE A LIGHT ON THE BACK OF HIS BIKE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW, AND HE WAS TRAVELING CLOSER TO THE CENTER LINE OF THE HIGHWAY THAN THE SHOULDER. HIS CLOSE FRIEND, MICHAEL TRAHAN, DISPUTED THE REPORT SAYING HE HAD LOTS OF REFLECTORS ON THE BIKE AND A LIGHT ON HIS CAP. HE TOLD KPLC TV THERE’S NO REAL SHOULDER ON THE HIGHWAY, SO HE QUESTIONED WHERE IS HE SUPPOSED TO RIDE HIS BIKE.
JEANERETTE MAYOR APRIL FOULCARD AND THREE OF HER RELATIVES TURNED THEMSELVES INTO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE MONDAY. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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Louisiana lawmakers have scaled back a budget proposal for their own agencies, reversing a plan that would have boosted spending by nearly $12 million. When it was first introduced, the budget bill for legislative agencies , filed by House Speaker Taylor Barras, would have spent $96.4 million in the 2018-19 financial year that begins July 1. That would have been a significant increase from the $84.8 million allocated this year for the House, Senate, legislative auditor and other offices that work for lawmakers. But the House Appropriations Committee stripped $12.1 million from the proposal Monday, shrinking it to $84.3 million instead — slightly less than the legislative agencies received this year.
Louisiana House Republican leaders have prioritized the popular TOPS college tuition program in next year’s budget, choosing to shield the awards from cuts while making steep reductions across health services for the poor and disabled.
House Appropriations Committee members on Monday rewrote the spending plan for the financial year that begins July 1. The majority-Republican committee decided to make the lion’s share of cuts to close a $648 million shortfall in the health department. TOPS would be fully financed, but higher education campuses would take $22 million in reductions.
ON APRIL 28TH, VOTERS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF SEVERAL TAX RENEWALS. THERE ARE TWO PARISHWIDE TAX RENEWALS, ONE FOR THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND THE OTHER FOR JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES. WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS ARE TWO OTHER TAX RENEWALS, FOR RECREATION AND PLAYGROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND FOR STREET AND ROAD MAINTENANCE. EARLY VOTING IS TAKING PLACE THIS WEEK THROUGH SATURDAY AT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THE HISTORIC WAR MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER IN DERIDDER WAS OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC YESTERDAY SO THEY COULD SEE THE RECENT RENOVATIONS. DIRECTOR FAITH SCOTT TELLS KPLC TV THE PRICE TAG ON THE RENOVATIONS CAME CLOSE TO 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WERE PAID FOR THROUGH A SPECIAL PROPERTY TAX. SHE SAYS THEY DID A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING REPLACE THE LIGHTING, CEILING TILES, FLOORING AND WALLPAPER AND MADE UPGRADES TO THE BATHROOMS. SHE SAYS THERE ARE A LOT OF HISTORIC ARTIFACTS THAT MAY MAKE PEOPLE WHO VISIT FEEL THEY ARE GOING BACK IN TIME.
AN ARREST WARRANT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A 23-YEAR-OLD CROWLEY MAN FOR CRUELTY TO JUVENILES. KENNETH STEVENS IS DESCRIBED AS BLACK, SIX-TWO, 180 POUNDS WITH BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. HE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO DRIVE A BLACK CADILLAC. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON HIS WHEREABOUTS IS URGED TO CALL CRIMESTOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH AT 789-TIPS.
