5-13-15
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD LAST NIGHT APPROVED CUTTING FORTY NON-TEACHING JOBS, INCLUDING EIGHT-AND-A-HALF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITIONS. IT WAS NOT CLEAR HOW MANY OF THE POSITIONS WERE ALREADY VACANT. THE MOVE IS EXPECTED TO SAVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS. THE BOARD IS LOOKING AT A PROJECTED 15 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICT FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO ADOPT A FINAL BUDGET ON JUNE 17TH.
THE SULPHUR CITY COUNCIL MONDAY APPROVED AN INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE. THE RATE WILL INCREASE BY ONE-POINT-4-5 MILLS BEGINNING JULY FIRST. IT’S EXPECTED TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 192 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE CITY. THE MONEY RAISED BY THE MILLAGE GOES TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, STREET MAINTENANCE AND GENERAL ALIMONY FUNDS.
THE OPELOUSAS BOARD OF ALDERMEN VOTED 4-TO-2 TO GIVE MAYOR REGGIE TATUM A NINE THOUSAND DOLLAR PAY RAISE. TATUM, WHO TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY, WILL NOW MAKE 75 THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY, A 14 PERCENT RAISE. TATUM SAYS, UNDER THE PREVIOUS SALARY, HE WAS MAKING LESS THAN 15 CITY EMPLOYEES, AND THE MAYORS OF SOME SMALLER CITIES IN LOUISIANA RECEIVED A LARGER SALARY. THE MOST VOCAL OPPONENT TO THE RAISE, ALDERMAN JULIUS ALSANDOR, SAYS TATUM HAS NOT BEEN IN OFFICE LONG ENOUGH TO EARN A RAISE.
Lawmakers narrowly refused a proposal Tuesday that would have required the Louisiana Legislature to come into a veto session when a governor rejects bills.
The House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 4-3 against the proposal by Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard, an independent from Thibodaux. Lawmakers have never held a veto session since the modern constitution was enacted more than 40 years ago. After losing on that measure, Richard voluntarily shelved a bill to remove the governor’s ability to line-item veto spending in the budget.
THE CITY OF SCOTT WILL BE REPLACING NINE THOUSAND FEET OF OLD WATER LINES ALONG ALFRED, LAFAYETTE, SCOTT, ST. MARY AND VICTORIA STREETS. THE NEW SIX INCH LINES WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH WATER PRESSURE TO ALLOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO INSTALL 15 FIRE HYDRANTS ALONG THOSE ROADS. SCOTT’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FACILITATOR PAT LOGAN SAYS THE INSTALLATION OF THE WATER LINES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN JANUARY AND TAKE FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS TO COMPLETE. THE STATE IN MARCH AWARDED A 467 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FOR THE PROJECT.
THE ATTORNEY FOR A JENNINGS MAN, ACCUSED OF SHOOTING A JENNINGS POLICE OFFICER, HAS REQUESTED A SANITY COMMISSION. PUBLIC DEFENDER JOSLYN ALEX HAS FILED PAPERS REQUESTING THAT A TWO DOCTOR SANITY COMMISSION CONDUCT A MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION OF HER CLIENT, THIRTY-YEAR-OLD GEORGE DAVID LOWDINS. HE IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING SERGEANT RICKY BENOIT IN THE NECK LAST JUNE WHEN HE RESPONDED TO DOMESTIC DISPUTE CALL. LOWDINS WAS SCHEDULED TO GO TO TRIAL MONDAY, BUT IT WILL BE RESET AFTER THE JUDGE RULES ON THE REQUEST FOR THE SANITY COMMISSION.
KORYN HAWTHORNE OF ABBEVILLE MADE THE FINALS ON THE TELEVISION SHOW, THE VOICE. HAWTHORNE AND ANOTHER CONTESTANT WERE THE TWO LOWEST VOTE GETTERS OF THE FINAL FIVE MONDAY NIGHT, BUT HAWTHORNE WON A FACE OFF HELD LAST NIGHT, GETTING THE MOST TWITTER VOTES. SHE NOW MOVES ON TO THE FINALS, WHICH BEGIN MONDAY. ANOTHER LOUISIANA NATIVE IS AMONG THE FINAL FOUR, MEGHAN LINSEY OF PONCHATOULA.
A federal judge in Baton Rouge says there is a rational reason for Louisiana’s law requiring abortion clinic doctors to get hospital admitting privileges, but the law could still turn out to be an undue burden on women who want abortions. District Judge John deGravelles (duh-GRAV-el) threw out part of a challenge to the law Tuesday but refused to dismiss the entire lawsuit. DeGravelles says he’s bound by an appeals court decision upholding a similar Texas law. Louisiana’s attorney, Kyle Duncan, says trial is scheduled June 22 on two questions: the Legislature’s purpose in passing the law and the effect it will have on access to abortions.
