5-23-19
A contract worker for Louisiana’s transportation department has been killed after a vehicle collided with equipment in a work zone on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.
Louisiana State Police Trooper Taylor J. Scrantz, in a news release, says it happened shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday as 48-year-old Andres Torres, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, was attaching an arrow board traffic control sign to the rear of a company truck in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10. The left lane had been closed for construction, and crews were in the process of opening the lane, when, authorities say, 32-year-old Ronald Brown, of Sunset, hit the sign and Torres.
SALES TAX COLLECTIONS FOR CALCASIEU PARISH ARE DECLINING. HOWEVER, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT KARL BRUCHAUS AND PARISH ADMINISTRATOR BRYAN BEAM POINT OUT THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN BEFORE THE RECENT INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION. BRUCHAUS SAYS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM’S BUDGET IS IN GOOD SHAPE. THE INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY IS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE CHARLES CITY LIMITS SO SALES TAX COLLECTIONS THERE HAVE REMAINED LEVEL, ACCORDING TO CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR KAREN HARRELL.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QUARTERBACK DREW BREES TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TOUR OF THE YOUNGSVILLE SPORTS COMPLEX LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AS HE CONSIDERS IT FOR HIS YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE. BREES WAS IN LAFAYETTE TO MEET AND GREET CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS WHO WERE SIGNING UP FOR HIS FOOTBALL ‘N’ AMERICA FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE WHEN HIS TEAM REACHED OUT TO THE COMPLEX TO SET UP A LAST MINUTE TOUR. MAYOR KEN RITTER, WHO LED THE TOUR, SAYS THEY DIDN’T REACH A FORMAL AGREEMENT BUT BREES WAS DEFINITELY INTERESTED. BREES ALSO ANNOUNCED TUESDAY PLANS TO OPEN A SURGE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, A SPORTS AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, AT THE OLD HOPE ALIVE CHURCH SITE AT THE CORNER OF VEROT SCHOOL ROAD AND PINHOOK.
Lawmakers in the Louisiana House have backed a regulatory framework and tax rate for online fantasy sports contests for cash prizes. The games were legalized in 47 of the state’s parishes in November’s election, making Louisiana the 42nd state to allow online fantasy sports betting through websites such as DraftKings and FanDuel. Before Louisiana residents can participate, lawmakers must enact the rules and taxing plans. They are contained in two bills by Republican Rep. Kirk Talbot that won House passage Tuesday and Wednesday and they now head to the Senate for debate.
A VILLE PLATTE MAN FACES MURDER AND DRUG CHARGES AFTER A SUSPICIOUS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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SASOL HAS RAISED ITS ESTIMATE FOR THE COST OF A CHEMICAL PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR LAKE CHARLES. THEY NOW ESTIMATE IT WILL COST BETWEEN TWELVE-POINT-6 TO TWELVE-POINT-9 BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS ALMOST ONE BILLION DOLLARS HIGHER THAN THEIR LAST ESTIMATE IN FEBRUARY AND ALMOST FOUR BILLION DOLLARS HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL 2014 ESTIMATE. THE COMPANY ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE FIRST OF SEVEN PRODUCTION FACILITIES AT THE LAKE CHARLES PROJECT HAVE ACHIEVED BENEFICIAL OPERATIONS AND THEY EXPECT THE REMAINING MANUFACTURING UNITS TO ACHIEVE BENEFICIAL OPERATIONS THROUGH EARLY NEXT YEAR. SASOL’S STOCK PRICE DROPPED BY FIFTEEN PERCENT YESTERDAY.
LAFAYETTE PARISH INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT IRMA TROSCLAIR HAS MADE APPOINTMENTS TO THREE KEY POSITIONS. SHE HAS CHOSEN FRANCIS TOUCHET TO BE THE ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH IS A NEWLY CREATED POSITION. DR. MARK RABALAIS WILL TAKE OVER AS THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER. TROSCLAIR HAS CHOSEN JENNIFER WALET GARDNER AS THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
Louisiana’s attorney general says he’ll “vigorously defend” a state law that was amended last year to stiffen penalties for those trespassing near pipelines. Lawmakers approved the legislation amid protests over construction of the now completed Bayou Bridge pipeline in south Louisiana. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade organization and landowners whose property was seized for the project are among plaintiffs in a lawsuit announced Wednesday in Baton Rouge. So are protesters and a journalist who, the suit says, were arrested for being in an area where they had permission to be from a landowner.
