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THE BUDGET CRISIS AT THE 15TH JUDICIAL PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE WILL BE THE SUBJECT AT A FORUM THAT WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT ONE AT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE COMPLEX. THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE HAS HAD TO CANCEL CONTRACTS WITH A NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS AND THEY HAVE ONLY SIX FULL TIME EMPLOYEES REMAINING, EACH OF WHOM HAVE TAKEN A TWENTY PERCENT SALARY CUT, ACCORDING TO DISTRICT PUBLIC DEFENDER PAUL MARX. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, IN A NEWS RELEASE, SAYS THAT MEANS LONGER INCARCERATION TIMES FOR DEFENDANTS AND THREATENS THE PROGRESS MADE TO REFORM AND IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. THE FORUM WILL INCLUDE MARX, AS WELL AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEITH STUTES AND CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE MARILYN CASTLE.
A SULPHUR MAN DROWNED SUNDAY MORNING WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE SWIMMING PORTION OF A TRIATHLON HELD AT SAM HOUSTON STATE PARK IN LAKE CHARLES. ACCORDING TO KIM MYERS OF THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE, 25-YEAR-OLD TAUREAN K.BLAKE SWAM ABOUT 100 YARDS BEFORE STRUGGLING AND GOING UNDER. SERGEANT RON JOHNSON OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE MARINE DIVISION, WHO WAS ON HAND FOR THE RACE, PUT ON A TANK AND MANAGED TO FIND BLAKE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. A PULSE WAS FOUND, BUT BLAKE LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL.
THE WALMART IN OPELOUSAS WAS LOCKED DOWN YESTERDAY AFTER A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE WAS FOUND BY OPELOUSAS POLICE. THE PACKAGE TURNED OUT TO HAVE CANDY IN IT. POLICE WERE NOT SURE OF THE CONTENTS BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN WRAPPED IN ELECTRCIAL TAPE. A HAZMAT TEAM FROM BATON ROUGE HAD BEEN CALLED IN TO DETONATE THE PACKAGE.
Louisiana bloggers and YouTubers won’t be able to get kickbacks for online referrals to Amazon.com, thanks to a new sales tax law that went into effect Friday. The Advocate reports Amazon is cancelling its Amazon Associates program because Louisiana will now be collecting sales taxes on some purchases made online through “dealers” in the state. Amazon has done the same thing in other states with similar so-called “Amazon tax” laws that deem out-of-state retailers as having an in-state presence when they offer commissioned referrals in the state. Louisiana’s new sales tax law on referral relationships was approved during the recent 25-day special session.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RE-ACCREDITED. INTERIM POLICE CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS RECEIVED THE HONORS OVER THE WEEKEND AT THE 109TH CONFERENCE OF THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COMPLY WITH 380 STANDARDS IN ORDER TO GAIN THE RE-ACCREDITATION. THOMAS SAYS THIS SHOWS THE OFFICERS OF THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT DEMONSTRATE TO LAFAYETTE RESIDENTS THAT THEY ARE A PROFESSIONAL AGENCY PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICES.
A SPECIAL CEREMONY WILL BE HELD THIS SPRING TO OPEN A TIME CAPSULE THAT WAS FOUND BY CONSTRUCTION CREWS WORKING ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE BEAUREGARD PARISH COURTHOUSE IN DERIDDER. A SMALL COPPER BOX WAS FOUND BEHIND A WOODEN DOOR. A PAST MASTER OF THE MASONIC LODGE IN DERIDDER SAYS IT WAS PUT THERE IN 1914 WHEN THE COURTHOUSE WAS BUILT AS PART OF A LONG STANDING MASONIC TRADITION. THE COPPER BOX IS ON DISPLAY AT THE GREATER BEAUREGARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICE AND WILL BE OPENED WHEN THE GRAND MASTER OF LOUISIANA COMES TO DERIDDER FOR THE CEREMONY.
A NEW POLICE CHIEF FOR CROWLEY WILL BE ELECTED THIS SATURDAY. JIMMY BROUSSARD AND SCOTT FOGLEMAN ARE FACING EACH OTHER IN A RUNOFF ELECTION. THEY ARE SEEKING TO REPLACE K-P GIBSON, WHO IS TAKING OVER AS ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF ON JULY FIRST. EARLY VOTING ENDED THIS PAST SATURDAY. ACADIA PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS BILLIE MEYER TELLS THE CROWLEY POST SIGNAL THAT THE FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING, SATURDAY, MARCH 26TH, WAS BUSY, BUT VOTING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK DROPPED OFF CONSIDERABLY.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has told state Democratic Party leaders he’s backing Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell in the U.S. Senate race.
The governor’s endorsement of the utility regulator from Bossier Parish was a blow to the campaign of Caroline Fayard, a New Orleans lawyer from a family of long-time Democratic Party supporters. Edwards told the state party’s governing body Saturday that Campbell has demonstrated he can win elections in places where people didn’t believe a Democrat could gain support.
