6-18-15
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS APPROVED NEW SCHOOL ZONES. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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TODAY THE LAKE CHARLES DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WILL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKEFRONT, INCLUDING THE OLD PINNACLE PROPERTY, TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE PLAN CALLS FOR A HOTEL, RESTAURANTS, LIVING ACCOMODATIONS, RETAIL, BOAT DOCKS, AND PUBLIC PIERS. STEVE OUBRE OF ARCHITECTS SOUTHWEST, WHICH DEVELOPED THE PLAN, WILL PRESENT IT TO THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 23RD. THE PLAN’S CONCEPTS AND ARTIST’S RENDERINGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO INSPECT ON THE LAKE CHARLES CITY WEBSITE, CITY OF LAKE CHARLES-DOT-COM.
Kimberly Russell has been selected as the new chancellor of LSU Eunice.
LSU President F. King Alexander said in a news release Wednesday Russell is currently the vice president for advancement and external affairs and executive director of the Tyler Junior College Foundation at Tyler Junior College in Texas.
LSU conducted a national search for the new LSUE chancellor, led by a committee composed of LSUE faculty, staff and leaders from the community. Russell replaces William Nunez who announced his retirement in December.
State Superintendent of Education John White has received a favorable review from Louisiana’s top school board. White, in a message on Twitter, said his overall rating from the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was 3.3 out of 4. The Advocate reports the announcement Wednesday followed a 20-minute closed-door session of the board. The rating puts White in the effective/proficient category that is the second-highest of four categories — the third year he’s gotten such a classification.
LAFAYETTE DEVELOPER GREG GACHASSIN COULD BE GOING TO TRIAL. THE STATE ETHICS BOARD HAS ACCUSED GACHASSIN OF ENTERING INTO TWO CONSULTING CONTRACTS WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE FINANCED BY THE LAFAYETTE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY WHILE HE WAS THE AUTHORITY’S CHAIRMAN. THE ETHICS ADJUDICATORY BOARD DENIED A REQUEST BY GACHASSIN’S ATTORNEY TO THROW OUT THE CHARGES AND DENIED THE BOARD OF ETHICS REQUEST FOR A RULING ON THE CASE WITHOUT TRIAL PROCEEDINGS. A TRIAL DATE HAS NOT BEEN SET, BUT A CONFERENCE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR JULY SEVENTH TO DISCUSS THE STATUS OF THE CASE.
Rain across Southwest Louisiana is threatening the survival of soybean and rice crops. LSU AgCenter extension agent Barrett Courville (KOOR’-vill) says overall it’s a horrible season and he doesn’t see much hope. Courville says weeks of thunderstorms and heavy rains have saturated fields, increasing the presence of disease and mildew on many of the crops. Courville says most farmers have crop insurance, which pays for most of the planting cost, but it does not cover the total loss.
ONE MAN WAS KILLED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT MONDAY AFTERNOON ON L-A 370 SOUTHWEST OF CHURCH POINT. STATE POLICE SAY 60-YEAR-OLD ANDERSON DOMINGUE OF EUNICE WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND WHEN HE WENT OFF THE ROAD AT A CURVE. HIS PICKUP TRUCK WENT AIRBORNE, STRUCK A TREE, AND OVERTURNED IN A CANAL. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM DOMINGUE, BUT STATE POLICE DO NOT BELIEVE HE WAS IMPAIRED.
IN A NEW POLL RANKING THE BEST AND WORST STATES FOR WORKING DADS, LOUISIANA RANKED 47TH. WALLETHUB USED SEVERAL FACTORS INCLUDING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELLBEING, HEALTH, WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND CHILD CARE IN COMING UP WITH THE RANKINGS. LOUISIANA RANKED NUMBER ONE FOR LOWEST CHILD CARE COSTS, BUT JUST 49TH IN LIFE EXPECTANCY AND 48TH IN AVERAGE WORKING HOURS. MINNESOTA WAS DEEMED THE BEST STATE FOR WORKING DADS.
