5-9-19
A LAWSUIT SEEKING TO FORCE A NEW ELECTION ON CHANGES TO THE LAFAYETTE HOME RULE CHARTER WAS THROWN OUT BY A JUDGE YESTERDAY. DISTRICT JUDGE JOHN TRAHAN RULED THAT A COUNCIL ORDINANCE IS SUFFICIENT TO CORRECT ERRORS TO THE BORDERS OF NEW CITY AND PARISH COUNCIL DISTRICTS. THAT MEANS AN OCTOBER 12TH ELECTION FOR THE NEW CITY AND PARISH COUNCILS CAN GO FORWARD AS PLANNED. LAFAYETTE BUSINESSMAN KEITH KISHBAUGH AND ATTORNEYS FOR LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE KYLE ARDOIN, WHO JOINED THE SUIT, SAID THEY WOULD CONFER BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO APPEAL.
A BILL BY STATE SENATOR RONNIE JOHNS, THAT WOULD HELP FUND A NEW I-TEN BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES, IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITHOUT OPPOSITION SO FAR. THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE ANY SETTLEMENT MONEY FROM A LAWSUIT OVER A 1994 CHEMICAL SPILL BE DEDICATED TO THE BUILDING OF THE NEW BRIDGE. JOHNS TELLS KPLC TV THAT HE HAS NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY WILL COME FROM THE LAWSUIT, BUT HE FEELS STRONGLY THE MONEY SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COST OF THE NEW BRIDGE. ANOTHER BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARK ABRAHAM WOULD PROVIDE FOR A TOLL AUTHORITY TO HELP PAY FOR THE NEW BRIDGE.
VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT JEAN BROUSSARD RESIGNED SUDDENLY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
VOICER Q :47
Louisiana won’t become the latest state to ratify the long-stalled Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. State senators Wednesday rejected legislation by New Orleans Democratic Sen. J.P. Morrell to enact a constitutional provision outlawing discrimination based on gender. Congress in 1972 approved the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. Morrell sought to make Louisiana the 38th state to back the amendment, reaching the threshold for ratification.
After stalling one proposal to exempt diapers and tampons from Louisiana’s state sales tax, the Senate revived the measure in a second bill. Sen. J.P. Morrell, a New Orleans Democrat, proposes to remove the 4.45 percent state sales tax from diapers and feminine hygiene products starting in 2021. Senators on Wednesday rejected including that exemption in the state constitution. But later in the day, they backed including the tax break in statute.
TWO JUVENILE BOYS FROM LAFAYETTE, AGES THIRTEEN AND SIXTEEN, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER. THE TWO ARE SUSPECTS IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A 54-YEAR-OLD MAN LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AT ST. ANTHONY PARK ON EDISON STREET. POLICE RECEIVED REPORTS OF GUNSHOTS FIRED AT AROUND 11:16 TUESDAY NIGHT. WHEN POLICE ARRIVED THEY FOUND MICHAEL THOMAS OF LAFAYETTE SUFFERING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND AND HE LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL.
THUNDERSTORMS YESTERDAY MORNING CAUSED SOME DAMAGE IN JENNINGS. A TREE FELL DOWN AFTER BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, WHICH ALSO TOOK OUT SOME POWER LINES. THE TREE WAS IN THE YARD OF A HOME ON SHERMAN AND FOURTH STREET, BUT IT FELL TOWARD THE STREET. IT COMPLETELY UPROOTED, BUT CAUSED NO DAMAGE EXCEPT TO THE POWER LINES.
A BOOKKEEPER AT A CROWLEY NURSING HOME HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON THEFT CHARGES. 47-YEAR-OLD BERNADETTE ROGER OF CARENCRO IS ACCUSED OF WRITING MORE THAN FIFTY CHECKS MADE OUT TO PETTY CASH THAT SHE ENDORSED. POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYS MORE THAN TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IS MISSING FROM THE ACCOUNTS OF RESIDENTS AT THE SOUTHWIND NURSING HOME. THE MONEY HAD BEEN PUT THERE BY THE FAMILIES OF RESIDENTS SO THEY COULD PURCHASE ITEMS THEY WANTED OR NEEDED.
