4-7-16
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 8-TO-1 TO NAME THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN YOUNGSVILLE, “ SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL.” THE LONE NO VOTE WAS CAST BY BOARD MEMBER JEREMY HIDALGO, WHOSE DISTRICT INCLUDES THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAD SUPPORTED YOUNGSVILLE CITY OFFICIALS, WHO WANTED THE HIGH SCHOOL TO BE NAMED YOUNGSVILLE HIGH. CONSTRUCTION ON THE SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH AND IT IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2017.
THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL DECIDED AGAINST CONTINUING THE FUNDING AN EXTENSION OF OPERATING HOURS AT THE SALTWATER BARRIER. COUNCILMAN RODNEY GEYEN PLEADED WITH HIS COLLEAGUES TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE PORT OF LAKE CHARLES, THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. ASSISTANT PARISH ADMINISTRATOR DANE BOLIN SAYS THE CURRENT OPERATING HOURS AT THE SALTWATER BARRIER ARE FROM SIX A-M TO TEN P-M AND UNTIL MIDNIGHT FROM FRIDAY TO SUNDAY. HE SAYS WITHOUT THE FUNDING, THE HOURS WILL BE FROM SIX TO SIX BEGINNING IN OCTOBER.
TWO 19-YEAR-OLD’S FROM ACADIANA WERE FOUND IN THE GULF OF MEXICO YESTERDAY MORNING AFTER CLINGING TO THEIR NEARLY SUBMERGED BOAT FOR MORE THAN NINE HOURS. DEREK ROMERO OF NEW IBERIA WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH CAMERON HOSPITAL, WHERE HE LATER DIED. SHANE MARTIN OF ST. MARTIN PARISH IS LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION AT LAKE CHARLES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. A COAST GUARD SPOKESMAN SAYSTHE TWO HAD GONE FISHING TUESDAY MORNING AND WENT FURTHER INTO THE GULF BEFORE THE WAVES TURNED ROUGH AND THEIR VESSEL TOOK ON WATER.
Republican Treasurer John Kennedy says he has raised more than $800,000 for his U.S. Senate campaign. Kennedy’s campaign announced the fundraising figure Wednesday, more than a week before reports for the quarter ending March 31 are due to the Federal Election Commission. The state treasurer’s campaign says 95 percent of the money came from Louisiana donors. When he announced in January, Kennedy started off well behind two of his GOP competitors, U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, and U.S. Rep. John Fleming.
THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION OPPOSED TO REDUCING MOSS STREET IN LAFAYETTE FROM FOUR LANES TO THREE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT WANTS TO HAVE TWO LANES FOR TRAFFIC AND A CENTRAL LANE FOR TURNING, WHILE GIVING SPACE FOR BICYCLISTS. D-O-T-D TRAFFIC ENGINEER NICK FRUGE TOLD A GROUP OF MOSS STREET BUSINESS OWNERS THAT THE CHANGES WOULD RESULT IN A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. WARREN ABADIE OF THE
D-O-T-D SAYS THAT THEY’LL EVALUATE THE CHANGES AFTER A YEAR, AND, IF IT’S NOT WORKING, THE ROAD CAN BE RESTRIPED.
A VINTON WOMAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER CLAIMING A SLOT MACHINE JACKPOT AT DELTA DOWNS THAT WASN’T HERS. AFTER 42-YEAR-OLD KASEY LABREY WAS PAID THE 800 DOLLARS, SHE DEPARTED THE CASINO WITH HER BOYFRIEND. STATE TROOPERS LATER FOUND THE PAIR BEHIND A BARN AT DELTA DOWNS AND WERE ARRESTED. LABREY WAS CHARGED WITH THEFT, WHILE HER BOYFRIEND, 27-YEAR-OLD ALVIN SMITH THE THIRD OF VINTON, WAS CHARGED ON AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT OF HORSE TRAILER THEFT.
A NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM RAYNE, WHO FELL OUT OF THE BED OF A TRUCK OVER THE WEEKEND, DIED AT A BATON ROUGE HOSPITAL TUESDAY NIGHT. AUTHORITIES SAY CHANCE LEGER WAS PERCHED ATOP A TOY BOX IN THE BACK OF HIS FATHER’S CHEVY AVALANCHE AS THEY TRAVELED DOWN STANDARD MILL ROAD SATURDAY EVENING. HE SUFFERED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES WHEN THE UNSECURED TOY BOX SLID OFF THE TRUCK’S BED COVER. THE FATHER, 36-YEAR-OLD BRENT LEGER OF CHURCH POINT, HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH HAVING A PERSON UNDER TWELVE IN THE BED OF A TRUCK WHILE MOVING ON A HIGHWAY, BUT THE CHARGE IS EXPECTED TO BE UPGRADED BECAUSE OF THE BOY’S DEATH.
The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee narrowly rejected a bill aimed at protecting Confederate monuments around Louisiana from removal. The 5-4 vote against the proposal by Sen. Beth Mizell, a Republican from Franklinton, killed the bill. The Louisiana House has voted to triple the wait time for women seeking an abortion to 72 hours. If passed by the Senate, Louisiana would match five other states with the longest waiting periods in the country.
