4-2-15
THE PRINCIPAL OF CARENCRO MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION YESTERDAY. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A FORMER ELTON HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER PLED GUILTY ON MONDAY TO ONE COUNT OF CARNAL KNOWLEGDGE OF A JUVENILE. 35-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN JOSEPH FRUGE WAS ACCUSED OF HAVING INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SEVERAL STUDENTS. JEFF DAVIS PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL CASSIDY SAYS ALL OF THE VICTIMS SUPPORTED THE NOTION OF LETTING HIM PLEAD TO A LESSER CHARGE. FRUGE WILL BE SENTENCED ON JULY 20TH, WHERE HE FACES UP TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON.
LAST NIGHT THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL VOTED 9-TO-1 TO ALLOW THE ACADIANA ADDICTION CENTER TO OPERATE A TREATMENT FACILITY IN A RURAL SUBDIVISION NEAR SUNSET. LAST AUGUST, THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE THAT EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED THE CENTER FROM OPENING THE TREATMENT FACILITY. THE ACADIANA ADDICTION CENTER RECENTLY FILED A LAWSUIT ALLEGING THE COUNCIL VIOLATED TWO FEDERAL LAWS, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABLITIES ACT. THE COUNCIL HAD HIRED AN ATTORNEY TO DEFEND THEM AGAINST THE LAWSUIT, BUT HE SENT THEM A LETTER SAYING HE HAS CHOSEN TO NOT TAKE THEIR CASE.
Louisiana’s top higher education leaders are rallying behind a proposal to put cost controls on the TOPS free college tuition program, to address concerns about its ballooning price tag. The legislation is supported by two Senate leaders: Finance Chairman Jack Donahue and Education Chairman Conrad Appel. And it has the critical backing of Phyllis Taylor, wife of the program’s namesake and a fierce TOPS protector. Donahue’s bill would lock in the TOPS tuition payment rate at the 2015-16 level and require increases in future years to get approval from lawmakers.
A MAN WANTED BY OKLAHOMA AUTHORITIES ON A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER WAS ARRESTED THIS WEEK BY THE LAFAYETTE CITY MARHAL’S OFFICE. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY MARSHAL’S OFFICE, PHIL CONRAD, SAYS AN INFORMANT TOLD THEM THAT 40-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN DIXON WAS AT A RESIDENCE ON EMERALD DRIVE IN SCOTT. HE SAYS THEY ARRESTED DIXON WHILE HE WAS FINISHING UP CLEANING HIS MOTORCYCLE IN THE FRONT YARD. DIXON IS ACCUSED OF INJECTING METHAMPHETAMINE INTO A MAN TO SHAKE HIM FROM UNCONSCIOUSNESS, BUT IT LED TO HIS DEATH.
A DERIDDER WOMAN HAS ENTERED A GUILTY PLEA FOR STEALING MORE THAN ONE-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLARS FROM HER EMPLOYER. 52-YEAR-OLD LISA H. ERNST WORKED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT FOR AMERISAFE, AND MADE 142 DIRECT INTERBANK TRANSFERS INTO HER ACCOUNT. ERNST ENTERED A CONDITIONAL GUILTY PLEA OF WIRE FRAUD, WHICH WILL BECOME FINAL WHEN ACCEPTED BY THE U-S DISTRICT JUDGE. ERNST FACES UP TO TWENTY YEARS IN PRISON, A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE AND RESTITUTION.
RAYNE POLICE ARE ASKING ANYONE WHO WITNESSED THE SHOOTING DEATH OF 32-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER TRENT TO STEP FORWARD. TRENT WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES OUTSIDE THE FROG CITY TRAVEL PLAZA AT AROUND TWO A-M SATURDAY. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION CAN PROVIDE IT ANONYMOUSLY BY CALL ACADIA PARISH CRIME STOPPERS AT 789-TIPS.
Problems with a computer upgrade at the Department of Revenue have delayed millions of dollars in severance tax payments owed to Louisiana’s parishes.
Louisiana shares the taxes it collects for oil and gas production from its land and water bottoms with the local parishes. Treasurer John Kennedy says his office hasn’t been able to make quarterly payments due at the end of December and March because it hasn’t received tax information needed from the revenue department. Revenue department spokeswoman Kizzy Payton said Wednesday that the computer glitch has been fixed and money should begin flowing to parishes by April 10.
