5-29-17
CUTS TO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM’S TRANSPORTATION BUDGET WILL ESPECIALLY IMPACT STUDENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS OF CHOICE OUTSIDE THEIR ATTENDANCE ZONES. CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER JOE CRAIG TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THEY WILL STILL PROVIDE BUS SERVICE FOR THOSE STUDENTS, BUT THE NUMBER OF STOPS WILL BE REDUCED TO MORE CENTRAL AREAS. CLOSE TO 38-HUNDRED STUDENTS IN THE PARISH ATTEND SCHOOLS OF CHOICE PROGRAMS OUTSIDE THEIR ATTENDANCE ZONES. THE SCHOOL BOARD LAST WEEK REDUCED THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET BY ONE-POINT-7-5 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF 23 BUS ROUTES ACROSS THE PARISH.
AS PART OF MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONIES, ABOUT ONE THOUSAND FLAGS DONATED BY THE FAMILIES OF LOCAL VETERANS WILL BE ON DISPLAY TODAY IN LAKE CHARLES. THE AVENUE OF FLAGS BEGINS AT NINE THIS MORNING UNTIL FIVE THIS AFTERNOON AT ORANGE GROVE CEMETARY ON BROAD STREET. IN JENNINGS, A MEMORIAL DAY PARADE WILL BEGIN AT FIVE P-M AT THE CORNER OF WEST DIVISION AND MAIN STREET FOLLOWED BY A CEREMONY HONORING FALLEN SOLDIERS. FORT POLK WILL HOST THEIR MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM AT ELEVEN THIS MORNING.
THE CITY OF CROWLEY HOSTED A MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE RICE THEATRE. VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL AS WELL AS THE FAMILIES OF VETERANS AND GOLD STAR MOTHERS WERE RECOGNIZED. THERE WERE PATRIOTIC DISPLAYS AND MUSIC FROM THE LA MUSIQUE DE LOUISIANE BAND. SPEAKERS INCLUDED CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS, JULIANA ROBERSON OF THE STATE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY AND MATTHEW WEST, THE VICE COMMANDER OF THE LOUISIANA V-F-W.
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is urging Louisiana residents to do an “insurance checkup” ahead of the start of hurricane season. He says people should talk to their insurance agents to make sure they know what their named-storm and hurricane deductibles are in their homeowner and rental insurance policies. He encourages people to invest in a flood insurance policy. Hurricane season begins Thursday with the start of June.
SHOTS WERE FIRED IN THE AREA OF DALE STREET LAST NIGHT. LAFAYETTE POLICE CORPORAL BRIDGETTE DUGAS SAYS THEY RECEIVED CALLS AROUND NINE P-M THAT AT LEAST SIX OR SEVEN SHOTS WERE FIRED. SHE SAYS POLICE ARE TALKING TO A PERSON OF INTEREST WHO IS NOT COOPERATING. ONE RESIDENT TOLD KLFY TV THAT WHEN THEY HEARD THE GUNSHOTS FIRED, EVERYONE IN THE HOME HIT THE FLOOR.
A Louisiana juvenile court is introducing a therapy dog program to help children at court dealing with difficult family situations. The American Press reports that Judge C. Kerry Anderson in Beauregard Parish’s juvenile court heard a presentation given by a dog handler and decided to introduce the concept at the courthouse. The dog handler, Judy Bailey, and her dog Blue recently came to the courthouse to interact with children as families and children waited for their day in court. Anderson says he thought it would be a great way to help children cope with what can be a “very stressful and anxiety-filled” day.
SOME RESIDENTS IN JEANERETTE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT SPEEDING VEHICLES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. ONE RESIDENT, MARY LANDRY, TELLS KATC TV THAT HER COMPLAINTS LED TO CHILD CROSSING SIGNS, BUT, SHE SAYS, IT HASN’T HELPED AND THEY NEED TO POST SPEED LIMITS. CITY MARSHAL FERNEST MARTIN SAYS HE PLANS TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING DEPUTIES OUT ON THE STREETS TO TICKET SPEEDERS. HE SAYS THEY ARE GOING TO SIT THERE AND MONITOR IT, AND HOPEFULLY CATCH SPEEDING CARS ON THEIR CAMERAS.
The loan application period has opened for flood-damaged small businesses and nonprofits seeking aid from a $51 million new program. The Restore Louisiana Small Business Program was created by Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration, using dollars earmarked by Congress for rebuilding after the March and August 2016 floods. The program offers partially-forgivable loans between $20,000 and $50,000 to qualified businesses. Applications will be accepted through June 30, with loans starting in mid-July.
