4-18-17
RETAIL SALES IN LAFAYETTE PARISH FOR FEBRUARY WERE DOWN 5-POINT-7-7 PERCENT COMPARED TO FEBRUARY OF 2016. THE PREVIOUS FIVE MONTHS HAD SEEN INCREASES. RETAIL SALES FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY COMBINED WERE ONE-POINT-6-3 PERCENT LESS THAN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF LAST YEAR. STACEY ZAWACKI OF THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SAYS THERE’S NO WAY TO PINPOINT WHY THERE WAS A DECREASE IN FEBRUARY.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN CREDIT CARD SKIMMING MACHINES AT GAS PUMPS STATEWIDE, INCLUDING IN CALCASIEU PARISH. TWO WERE FOUND AT GAS STATIONS IN VINTON AND TWO IN LAKE CHARLES. TONY KAHN, A MANAGER FOR A VALERO STORE IN LAKE CHARLES TELLS KPLC TV HE INSTRUCTS HIS CASHIERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE PUMPS AND THE REGISTERS. CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO SAYS IF IT LOOKS LIKE A GAS PUMP HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH, THE SAFEST THING TO DO IS TO NOT USE IT.
A PRIEST FROM ST. LEO CHURCH IN LEONVILLE, WHO HAD BEEN REPORTED MISSING ON EASTER SUNDAY, WAS FOUND SAFE. FATHER JULIUS OHIAEGE (OH YAY GAY) HAD DROPPED OFF FATHER KENNETH DOMINGUE AT THE LAFAYETTE AIRPORT AND GOT LOST ON HIS WAY BACK TO LEONVILLE. HE IS FROM NIGERIA AND WAS DRIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UNITED STATES. OFFICIALS WITH THE LAFAYETTE DIOCESE SAY HE FILLED UP HIS GAS TANK SEVERAL TIMES, AND A MOTORIST, WHO HEARD THAT HE WAS MISSING, SPOTTED HIS CAR AND CALLED THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE. HE WAS EVENTUALLY HELPED BY STATE POLICE.
The Louisiana Senate will consider proposals to whittle away at Louisiana’s tax break programs to keep more money in the state treasury for spending. The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee advanced a handful of bills Monday to the full Senate that would lessen or eliminate tax breaks. One measure would get rid of a personal income tax credit parents can take up to $25 per child for educational expenses. Other proposals would place new limits on Louisiana’s sales tax holiday for hunting supplies and would continue temporary reductions made to a personal income tax credit for taxes paid to other states.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING A BILL THAT WOULD AFFECT TRUCK DRIVERS AND SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
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A BURNING CANDLE IGNITED A FIRE THAT DAMAGED AN APARTMENT BUILDING ON RIALS DRIVE IN LAFAYETTE MONDAY MORNING. ALTON TRAHAN OF THE LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS A NEIGHBOR NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM AN UPSTAIRS APARTMENT AND KNOCKED ON DOORS TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT. TRAHAN SAYS THE OCCUPANT OF THE UPSTAIRS APARTMENT WAS ASLEEP WHEN THE FIRE BROKE OUT. ALL FOUR APARTMENTS IN THE BUILDING SUFFERED HEAVY FIRE, SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE.
THE ANNUAL TRASH BASH FOR LAKE CHARLES RESIDENTS TAKES PLACE THIS SATURDAY. IT WILL BE HELD AT THE CHENNAULT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SATURDAY MORNING FROM EIGHT TO ELEVEN. RESIDENTS CAN BRING A VARIETY OF ITEMS FOR FREE DISPOSAL INCLUDING BATTERIES, OIL AND ANTIFREEZE, MERCURY, PAINT, ELECTRONICS, AND MORE. YOU CAN GO TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL TRASH BASH IN LAKE CHARLES TO SEE ITEMS THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT AND NOT ACCEPT AT THE EVENT.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEARCHING FOR THREE MEN WHO COMMITTED AN ARMED ROBBERY OF THE LUCKY JACK’S CASINO OFF OF INTERSTATE TEN AT EXIT 72. IT HAPPENED LAST FRIDAY MORNING AT AROUND 4:15. WITNESSES IDENTIFIED THE MEN AS BLACK, THOUGH THEY WERE WEARING MASKS AND GLOVES WITH LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS AND LONG PANTS. THEY LEFT IN A WHITE JEEP CHEROKEE, WHICH WAS LATER FOUND ABANDONED ON L-A 1120 NEAR L-A 100. SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS THE JEEP HAD BEEN STOLEN FROM ANOTHER PARISH.
