6-23-15
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD IS CONSIDERING HIRING FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MIKE HEFNER TO DRAW UP NEW ATTENDANCE ZONES FOR THE PARISH. THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER A CONTRACT WITH HEFNER AT THEIR JULY FIRST MEETING THAT WOULD PAY HIM BETWEEN 35 AND 42 THOUSAND DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WORK THEY HAVE HIM DO. IF APPROVED, HEFNER WOULD HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 29TH TO COME UP WITH DRAFT PLANS OF SCHOOL ZONE RECOMMENDATIONS, THOUGH HEFNER SAYS HE WOULD LIKELY HAVE IT READY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. HE SAYS THAT WOULD GIVE THE BOARD ALL SPRING TO WORK ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT, INCLUDING NOTIFYING PARENTS, REWORKING BUS ROUTES, AND STAFFING.
A 19-YEAR-OLD LAKE CHARLES MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY. THE VICTIM TOLD POLICE THAT IVAN MONCEAUX THE THIRD ASSAULTED HIM WHILE HE WAS PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AT MONCEAUX’S HOME. THE CHILD WAS EXAMINED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND FOUND TO HAVE INJURIES CONSISTENT WITH THE CRIME. MONCEAUX, WHO DENIES THE CHARGES, WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
THE NEW CHANCELLOR AT L-S-U-E MADE HER FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE YESTERDAY AT A RECEPTION FOR HER, HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY’S CONFERENCE CENTER. KIMBERLY RUSSELL, WHO BEGINS THE JOB OFFICIALLY ON SEPTEMBER FIRST, SAYS HER BIGGEST GOALS ARE TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL’S VISIBILITY AND ACCESS. L-S-U PRESIDENT F KING ALEXANDER, WHO INTRODUCED RUSSELL, SAYS SHE WAS CHOSEN FOR THE JOB BECAUSE OF HER FUNDRAISING ABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR 16 YEARS AT TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE. HE SAYS, DURING HER TIME THERE, ENROLLMENT AT THAT SCHOOL MORE THAN DOUBLED.
The administrator of a northwest Louisiana abortion clinic says it probably would close if the state is allowed to enforce a law requiring doctors who perform the procedure to be able to admit patients to a hospital within 30 miles of their clinics.
Kathaleen Pittman of Hope Medical Group in Shreveport testified Monday that the doctor who does 70 percent of the abortions there has not been able to get admitting privileges to nearby hospitals. She says the other doctor probably would be unwilling to continue as the only physician on staff. Judge John deGravelles (duh-GRAV-uhl) has set aside six days for the trial on the legality of the state law.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MAN WHO HELD UP A RESTAURANT MONDAY. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
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THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS DECIDED TO RENEW THE VOLUNTEER ATHLETIC ACCIDENT INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. THE PROGRAM SHIFTS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSURING STUDENT ATHLETES FROM THE BOARD TO THE PARENTS. THE SCHOOL BOARD’S RISK MANAGER SKYLAR GIARDINA SAYS THE PROGRAM LAST YEAR SAVED THE DISTRICT ABOUT 675 THOUSAND DOLLARS. UNDER THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR, PARENTS WILL PAY AN AVERAGE INSURANCE PREMIUM OF 43 DOLLARS IF THEIR CHILD PARTICIPATES IN SPORTS OTHER THAN FOOTBALL, AND IT GOES UP TO BETWEEN 185 TO 364 DOLLARS IF THEY DO PLAY FOOTBALL.
THE PRINCIPAL AT SACRED HEART SCHOOL IN VILLE PLATTE HAS RESIGNED AND BISHOP MICHAEL JARRELL SAYS HER RESIGNATION IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. DIANE FONTENOT SUBMITTED HER RESIGNATION AFTER A BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED HER IMMEDIATE REMOVAL. THE COMMITTEE ON MONDAY ISSUED THEIR REPORT WHICH COMMENDED HER FOR HER WORK AS ADMINISTRATOR AT THE SCHOOL, BUT SAID HER RELATIONSHIP WITH STAKEHOLDER’S WAS IRREPAIRABLE. BISHOP JARRELL FORMED THE COMMITTEE IN MAY BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS BY PARENTS AND ALUMNI.
Lawmakers will have approval authority over consulting contracts signed across state agencies, in response to complaints about wasteful spending. A year after vetoing the proposal, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed the bill by Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard, an independent from Thibodaux. Most consulting and professional services contracts with a state price tag topping $40,000 annually will be subject to review from the Legislature’s joint budget committee for the next three years. If the committee rejects or reworks a contract, savings will go to a higher education fund.
