4-2-26
A PROPOSED NINE-POINT-NINE MILL PROPERTY TAX FOR SCHOOLS IS ON THE MAY BALLOT IN SAINT LANDRY PARISH. LOCAL PARENT AND SCHOOL ACTIVIST ROD SIAS TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS STRUGGLING WITH AGING FACILITIES AND A LACK OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES. HE SAYS THERE’S A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS AND RESOURCES. SIAS SAYS THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX WOULD PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD STILL BE SHORT OF THE STATE AVERAGE FOR SCHOOL FUNDING IF IT PASSED.
IT’S BEEN NEARLY A MONTH SINCE JULIE STEED OF LAFAYETTE WAS THE VICTIIM OF A HIT-AND-RUN WHILE RIDING HER SCOOTER ON PINHOOK AT NIGHT. SHE TELLS KADN TV FROM HER HOSPITAL BED THAT SHE’S WRAPPING HER MIND AROUND THE IDEA OF BEING PARALYZED FOR LIFE. STEED SAYS SHE HAS NO MEMORY OF THAT NIGHT WITH HER LAST MEMORY BEING GOING TO BED THE DAY BEFORE. STEED SAYS SHE HOPES LAFAYETTE IMPROVES INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BIKES AND SCOOTER RIDERS BECAUSE IF THERE HAD BEEN A BIKE LANE, SHE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN IN THE ROAD.
BEAUREGARD PARISH VOTERS WILL VOTE ON A ONE PERCENT SALES TAX ON JUNE TWENTY-SEVENTH THAT EXPIRED YESTERDAY. IT FUNDS THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE IN THE PARISH. PARISH ADMINISTRATOR DAMON COOLEY SAYS THEY WERE REVIEWING THE CONTRACT IN EARLY MARCH WHEN THEY REALIZED THE TAX WAS EXPIRING. BECAUSE OF THE EXPIRATION, THE TAX WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT AS A NEW TAX EVEN THOUGH IT IS ACTUALLY A RENEWAL.
LAWMAKERS IN BATON ROUGE HAVE INTRODUCED SEVERAL BILLS DESIGNED TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN THE SEAFOOD MARKET. HOUSE BILL EIGHT FIFTY-SEVEN WOULD REQUIRE CLEARER LABELING WHEN IMPORTED SEAFOOD IS MIXED WITH A DOMESTIC CATCH AND INCREASE FINES FOR MISLABELING. HOUSE BILL SEVEN TWENTY-FIVE WOULD REQUIRE RESTAURANTS AND SEAFOOD MARKETS TO KEEP RECORDS SHOWING WHERE THEIR SEAFOOD WAS PURCHASED. STATE OFFICIALS WOULD HAVE GREATER AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE SEAFOOD LAWS UNDER HOUSE BILL ONE-TWENTY-ONE, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO SEIZE AND DESTROY SEAFOOD THAT VIOLATES REGULATIONS.
THE TEACHER SHIELD ACT HAS MOVED THROUGH A COMMITTEE WITHOUT OPPOSITION. THE BILL BY REPRESENTATIVE CANDACE NEWELL OF NEW ORLEANS WOULD REQUIRE STUDENTS WHO ASSAULT TEACHERS, EMPLOYEES OR STUDENTS BE REMOVED AND PLACED IN AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SETTING. ACCUSED STUDENTS WOULD STILL GET AN EXPULSION HEARING IN ORDER TO ENSURE DUE PROCESS. NEWELL SAYS IT CONCERNS HER IF THE CLASSROOM IS NOT A COMFORTABLE SETTING FOR TEACHERS.
A JUVENILE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER FOR THE DEATH OF A VILLE PLATTE YOUTH. DAJAVON WILSON WAS REPORTED MISSING ON DECEMBER FOURTEENTH AND HIS BODY WAS FOUND A WEEK LATER BEHIND THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER. HIS MOTHER, QUANDA WILSON, SAYS SHE IS STILL DEALING WITH THE PAIN OF LOSING HER SON BUT THE ARREST OF A SUSPECT HAS BROUGHT SOME RELIEF. SHE SAYS THE SUSPECT AND HER SON WERE CLOSE FRIENDS AND ATTENDED SCHOOL TOGETHER.
TRAFFIC STALLED ON I-TEN IN ACADIA PARISH TUESDAY BECAUSE OF A VEHICLE FIRE. IT HAPPENED IN THE MEDIAN NEAR THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH LINE. THERE WERE NO KNOWN INJURIES FROM THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.
THE VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS HOLDING ITS FOURTH CITIZEN’S ACADEMY. SHERIFF EDDIE LANGLINAIS CALLS THE FIVE WEEK PROGRAM A BRIDGE BETWEEN DEPUTIES AND THE COMMUNITY. HE SAYS IT’S A WAY TO TEACH VERMILLION PARISH CITIZENS WHAT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE DOES FOR THEM. THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO PARISH RESIDENTS WHO COMPLETE A REGISTRATION PROCESS AND PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.
