5-22-15
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT WAYS OF REVERSING LEGAL EXPENSES, WHICH HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED IN THE LAST YEAR. THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THREE OPTIONS: HIRING AN IN-HOUSE LEGAL STAFF, RENEWING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND RAISING INSURANCE PREMIUMS SO THAT THE LEGAL EXPENSES ARE COVERED. DISTRICT STAFF WILL RESEARCH THE OPTIONS AND REPORT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AT THEIR JUNE 16TH MEETING. EXPENSES HAVE RISEN FOR SEVERAL REASONS INCLUDING A LAWSUIT BY FIRED SUPERINTENDENT PAT COOPER AND A RISING NUMBER OF CLAIMS FROM BUS ACCIDENTS AND WORKER’S COMPENSATION.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BOARD REJECTED THREE APPLICATIONS FOR TYPE ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA CHARTER ACADEMY FOUNDATION SUBMITTED TWO APPLICATIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOLS WHILE THE LOUISIANA ACHIEVEMENT CHARTER ACADEMY FILED THE OTHER, ALSO FOR A KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL. SUPERINTENDENT KARL BRUCHAUS TOLD THE BOARD THAT THE DISTRICT STAFF RECOMMENDS AGAINST PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOLS AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF SEVERAL NEW INITIATIVES THEY ARE IMPLEMENTING. THE TWO GROUPS CAN APPEAL TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR TYPE TWO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
TWO SUSPECTED DRUG DEALERS IN ABBEVILLE WERE ARRESTED THIS WEEK. A VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE NARCOTIC’S UNIT WAS FOLLOWING A CAR WITH THE TWO SUSPECTS WHEN ONE OF THEM ALLEGEDLY TOSSED A PLASTIC BAG OUT THE WINDOW CONTAINING METHAMPHETAMINE. 38-YEAR-OLD JEREMY MELANCON WAS CHARGED WITH POSSESSING AND ATTEMPTING TO DISTRIBUTE CRYSTAL METH AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, WHILE 32-YEAR-OLD CHET MILLER FACES A CHARGE OF POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE. THEY BOTH ALSO HAD OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AGAINST THEM.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu responded to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s religious objections executive order by issuing an order of his own. It reaffirms that the city has banned acts of discrimination for numerous reasons, including sexual orientation or gender identification. Landrieu’s order comes after a Jindal-backed religious objections bill died in a House committee this week. Jindal’s order seeks to enforce the spirit of the failed bill, which would have curtailed the state’s ability to punish those who discriminate against same-sex couples.
LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIRST FORUM FOR THE FOUR ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES TO REPLACE OUTGOING LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF MIKE NEUSTROM. DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEITH STUTES MODERATED THE FORUM, WHICH WAS HELD AT THE LITE CENTER. THE FOUR CANDIDATES ARE SCOTT POLICE CHIEF CHAD LEGER, FORMER ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY MARK GARBER, JOHN P. SMITH, A LITIGATION SPECIALIST WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, AND RICK CHARGOIS, A FORMER STATE POLICE LIEUTENANT. THE PRIMARY ELECTION TAKES PLACE ON OCTOBER 24TH.
A MAN WHO ROBBED A CONVENIENCE STORE IN WELCH LAST MARCH WAS ARRESTED IN TEXAS THIS WEEK. RODERICK ANDERSON ALLEGEDLY STOLE EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS FROM A CASH REGISTER AT SKIP’S 90-1 STOP ON MARCH 22ND. THE WELSH POLICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED ANDERSON WAS NO LONGER IN THE AREA AND FORWARDED A NO BOND WARRANT TO THE U-S MARSHALL’S SERVICE AND THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IN TEXAS. ANDERSON WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO LOUISIANA YESTERDAY AND BOOKED INTO THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH JAIL.
THE ST. MARTIN PARISH FIRE DISTRICT IS OFFERING A REWARD IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER STOLEN EQUIPMENT. SOMETIME LAST WEEK, SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF EQUIPMENT WAS STOLEN FROM THE CATAHOULA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DISTRICT IS OFFERING A 500 DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF THE CULPRITS. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT BRIAN CASTILLE, A COORDINATOR WITH THE DISTRICT, AT 332-13-14.
The Louisiana House has agreed to a more than $24 billion budget proposal for next year that contains fewer cuts than lawmakers had feared but still leaves some public health care programs short. Lawmakers voted 65-37 Thursday for the spending plan to finance government operations in the fiscal year that begins July 1. After starting the legislative session with a hefty budget shortfall, the House passed a series of tax changes to raise more money for state coffers. That, combined with money from improved income forecasts and other patchwork financing, would close about $850 million of the gap in the House version of the budget.
