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TONIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO COVER EXTRA LEGAL EXPENSES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. THE DISTRICT’S RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR MONA BERNARD SAYS THE MAIN REASON FOR THE EXTRA LEGAL EXPENSES IS AN INCREASE IN SCHOOL BUS CRASHES. THERE HAVE BEEN 69 BUS CRASHES SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, MORE THAN IN ANY OF THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS. IN AT LEAST 27 OF THE ACCIDENTS THE BUS DRIVER HAS BEEN AT FAULT, AND BERNARD SAYS THEY’VE HAD TO PAY OUT SOME VERY LARGE CLAIMS.
HIGHWAY 190 AND LA 26 NEAR ELTON WAS CLOSED FOR A FEW HOURS YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF A PIPE BOMB FOUND IN A VEHICLE PARKED AT FUEL PUMPS IN FRONT OF A CONVENIENCE STORE. JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES FOUND 26-YEAR-OLD DANIEL STRODER OF JENNINGS ASLEEP IN THE VEHICLE AND ARRESTED HIM AND CHARGED HIM WITH POSSESSION OF A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. THE PIPE BOMB WAS DESTROYED NEARBY WITH A SMALL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING AND MORE CHARGES COULD BE FILED AGAINST STRODER.
THE PILOT OF A CROP DUSTER WAS KILLED WHEN HE CRASHED HIS PLANE IN RURAL ACADIA PARISH. MAXINE TRAHAN OF THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE PLANE CLIPPED A FEW TREES, CRASHING INTO ANOTHER TREE. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT AROUND 12:40 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND THE PLANE LANDED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OFF OF HIGHWAY 190 NEAR UNATEX ROAD. THE NAME OF THE 32-YEAR-OLD PILOT WAS NOT RELEASED BECAUSE HIS NEXT OF KIN HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration is preparing to sell a welcome center and adjacent parking garage in downtown Baton Rouge. The administration will ask for legislative signoff next week to declare the two structures surplus property, clearing the way for the sale process. Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says the welcome center isn’t used enough to justify the expense to the state. By selling underused facilities, the state can reduce spending on maintenance and upkeep of those buildings, in addition to collecting sale proceeds.
NEXT WEEK THE LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS WILL DECIDE IF THEY WILL ENDORSE A NEW FINANCING METHOD THAT COULD RESULT IN A QUICKER COMPLETION OF THE NEW NINETY MILLION DOLLAR TERMINAL. THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHOD WOULD BRING THE BUILDER IN ON THE DESIGN PHASE. PROJECT CONSULTANT WALT ADAMS SAYS THIS WOULD ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF SOME PARTS OF THE TERMINAL BEFORE THE DESIGN PHASE IS COMPLETED. HE SAYS IT WOULD SHAVE A YEAR OFF OF THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR CONSTRUCTION, MEANING THE TERMINAL WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 2019, INSTEAD OF 2020 OR LATER.
Two young whooping crane couples have laid eggs this year, bringing both hope and disappointment to biologists working to establish a flock of the elegant endangered birds in southwest Louisiana, where they once flourished. State biologist Sara Zimorski says at least one egg was fertile, but it never hatched because heavy rains flooded the nest. The other set of eggs was infertile, but those cranes have laid a second pair. There are only about 600 of the graceful, 5-foot-tall cranes, all descendants of 16 birds.
AN ABBEVILLE NATIVE HAS MADE THE FINAL FIVE ON THE NATIONAL TELEVISION SHOW THE VOICE. THE VOTE BY THE PUBLIC THAT PUT KORYN HAWTHORNE INTO THE FINAL FIVE WAS ANNOUNCED LIVE ON LAST NIGHT’S SHOW. HAWTHORNE IS COMING HOME TO ABBEVILLE TODAY FOR A CELEBRATION. SHE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A HOMECOMING PARADE TODAY AT FIVE TO MAGDALEN SQUARE WHERE SHE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL CONCERT.
After weeks of back-room wrangling, the budget-balancing debate is moving to the floor of the Louisiana House, with colleges and health services at the mercy of the high-stakes decisions. House leaders intend to ask their colleagues to decide Thursday which tax changes they’re willing to make — tax hikes, scaled-back tax breaks or lessened business incentives — to help balance next year’s budget and close a $1.6 billion shortfall. The House budget committee needs decisions by Monday, so it can know how much money is available to craft its version of next year’s spending plan. Action in the Appropriations Committee by early next week would keep the budget on track to make it through the House and Senate before the legislative session must end June 11.
