5-31-22
TWO JUVENILES REMAIN AT LARGE AFTER ESCAPING FROM THE ACADIANA CENTER FOR YOUTH IN SAINT MARTINVILLE ON MONDAY. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
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AN AUDIT OF THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT FOUND THAT MORE THAN EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DEDICATED TAX COLLECTIONS WAS MISSPENT. L-C-G OFFICIALS ALSO DISCOVERED A MISSAPROPRIATION AT A MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE BY A PARKS AND RECREATION EMPLOYEE WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED. THE AUDIT INCLUDED FIFTEEN OTHER FINDINGS INCLUDING INADEQUATE CONTROL OF FUEL CARDS AND A LACK OF PROCEDURES. L-C-G OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE WORKING TO CORRECT THE ISSUES AND, IN SOME CASES, HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED POLICIES TO ADDRESS THEM.
Louisiana’s Legislature is heading into its final week after a Memorial Day weekend break, with major budget work completed and a debate that divided opponents of legal abortion settled. Other issues remain unresolved as the session nears its deadline for adjournment, June 6 at 6 p.m. Lawmakers are waiting to see if Edwards will veto a bill banning transgender women and girls from some school and college athletic competitions, as he did last year. Anti-gun-control legislation is still pending, as is legislation that could rein in future governors’ emergency powers.
THE ANNUAL AVENUE OF FLAGS WAS HELD YESTERDAY IN LAKE CHARLES, ONE OF THE LARGEST DISPLAYS OF MEMORIAL FLAGS IN THE COUNTRY. IT BEGAN IN NINETEEN-EIGHTY-THREE WITH FIFTY FLAGS. YESTERDAY’S CEREMONY INCLUDED MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND FLAGS. EACH FLAG REPRESENTED AN INDIVIDUAL VETERAN AND SOME WERE THE CASKET FLAGS PRESENTED TO THE FAMILIES.
AN ANNUAL THREE-DAY MEMORIAL FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS IN CHURCH POINT CONCLUDED YESTERDAY AT THE CHURCH POINT DEPOT. AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY, THE NAMES OF THE TWENTY-ONE SOLDIERS WHO CALLED CHURCH POINT HOME WERE READ AND A BELL RANG. EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR, THERE WAS A SLOW SENTRY PATROL THROUGH THE GROUNDS. TWENTY-ONE METAL CROSSES WERE ON DISPLAY AS WELL WITH THE NAMES AND PHOTOS OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY.
A LAFAYETTE MAN IS FACING A FEDERAL HATE CRIME CHARGE AFTER THREATENING A HISPANIC FAMILY THAT LIVED NEXT DOOR TO HIM OVER THE WEEKEND. LAFAYETTE POLICE SERGEANT ROBIN GREEN SAYS TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD PHILLIP JAMES ALEXANDER BEGAN YELLING RACIST COMMENTS AT THE FAMILY, WHO WERE SITTING ON THEIR PORCH. THE FAMILY SAYS HE TOLD THEM HOW MUCH HE HATED THEM, THEN HE FIRED A SHOT INTO THE GROUND AND WARNED THEM NOT TO CALL POLICE. THE VICTIMS SAY THEY HESITATED BUT EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO CALL NINE-ONE-ONE.
LOUISIANA PATIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING DELAYS IN C-T SCREENINGS, WHICH HELP DOCTORS DIAGNOSE AND MONITOR A NUMBER OF ILLNESSES. IT IS DUE TO A NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF THE DYE USED WITH C-T SCAN MACHINES. OCHSNER HEALTH SAYS THE SUPPLY IS UP SLIGHTLY COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW WEEKS BUT THEY ARE STILL RESERVING IT FOR EMERGENCIES. DOCTOR DENNIS KAY OF THE RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THEY ARE SEEING SIGNS OF PROGRESS AND THEY ARE HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED SUPPLY ON A CONSISTENT BASIS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
THE CITY OF GRAND COTEAU IS OPERATING ITS WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM AT A LOSS, ACCORDING TO THE TOWN’S ANNUAL AUDIT. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT TOWN OFFICIALS CONSIDER RAISING RATES TO PAY FOR THE COSTS OF THE SYSTEM. THE AUDIT ALSO FOUND THAT THE TOWN WAS NOT FOLLOWING ITS POLICY THAT A LATE FEE BE APPLIED IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE FIFTEENTH OF THE MONTH AND TO TERMINATE SERVICES IF ACCOUNTS ARE MORE THAN THIRTY DAYS DELINQUENT. TOWN OFFICIALS RESPONDED THAT THEY WOULD ADHERE TO ITS POLICY.
