6-28-16
A PETITION THAT BEGAN MONDAY TO KEEP BIKE LANES ON WEST BAYOU PARKWAY IN LAFAYETTE HAD MORE THAN 700 SIGNATURES AS OF THAT AFTERNOON. MARK DECLOUET, ONE OF THE PETITION ORGANIZERS, TOLD THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT IT WAS BEGUN BECAUSE OF ANOTHER PETITION SENT TO MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX TO HAVE THE LANES REMOVED. THAT PETITION SAID THE BIKE LANES WERE CAUSING TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON WEST BAYOU PARKWAY AND CREATING SAFETY HAZARDS. THE BIKE LANES ARE PART OF THE MICKEY SHUNICK MEMORIAL BIKE LOOP.
CALCASIEU PARISH MOSQUITO CONTROL OFFICIALS SAY THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN AN INCREASE IN WEST NILE VIRUS ACTIVITY. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SCOTT HARRINGTON TELLS KPLC TV THAT IT’S UNUSUAL TO SEE IT THIS EARLY IN THE SUMMER. HE SAYS THEY DON’T NORMALLY SEE POSITIVE POOLS UNTIL AUGUST. MOSQUITO CONTROL IS INCREASING ITS AERIAL AND GROUND SPRAYING IN THE LAKE CHARLES AREA.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL END UP WITH A TWO-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT WHEN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS THURSDAY, ACCORDING TO FINANCE DIRECTOR TRESSA MILLER. SHE TOLD THE SCHOOL BOARD’S FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT THEY WILL DIP INTO THE RESERVE FUND TO PAY OFF THE DEFICIT, BUT SHE ADVISED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AVOID DOING THAT IN THE FUTURE. SHE TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT, AS OF MAY 30TH, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD EXCESS REVENUES OF ABOUT ONE MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT TURNED INTO A DEFICIT AFTER PAYING THE SALARIES OF EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED AN EXTRA MONTH. SHE SAYS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN DECENT FINANCIAL SHAPE, BUT THEY CAN’T CONTINUE SUSTAINING LOSSES EACH YEAR, AND THEY NEED TO BUILD UP THE FUND BALANCE.
The head of an abortion rights legal nonprofit says she expects a Mississippi law to be among the first affected by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning a Texas abortion law. Both require doctors who perform abortions to be able to admit patients to a nearby hospital. Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights says Mississippi’s case is already pending before the high court, so it’s likely to be affected soon. Louisiana also has a similar law.
TWO LAFAYETTE MEN WERE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROBBERY OF A BUSINESS LOCATED IN THE 400 BLOCK OF AMBASSADOR CAFFERY PARKWAY. AN EMPLOYEE TOLD POLICE THAT, AT AROUND TWO A-M SATURDAY, A MAN ENTERED THE ESTABLISHMENT WITH A GUN AND DEMANDED MONEY. POLICE NOTICED A MAROON VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ROBBERY IN SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS AND LOCATED THE VEHICLE LATER AT AROUND FIVE THAT AFTERNOON. IT LED TO THE ARRESTS OF 22-YEAR-OLD BILLY WARREN WILLIAMS AND 30-YEAR-OLD LEON BROWN, BOTH OF LAFAYETTE.
A SULPHUR MAN WHO SHOT A WOMAN AND LED POLICE ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE THROUGH LAKE CHARLES HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND HIS BOND SET AT ONE MILLION DOLLARS. 50-YEAR-OLD DAVID BREAUX IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND, 33-YEAR-OLD KAYLA DEMARY, AND SHOOTING AT HER FATHER, 55-YEAR-OLD HARRY BERTRAND. DEMARY IS LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION AT A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL, ACCORDING TO SULPHUR POLICE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER MEL ESTESS. A GOFUNDME ACCOUNT HAS BEEN SET UP TO HELP THE FAMILY WITH MEDICAL EXPENSES.
IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL SIGNED A ONE YEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT MONDAY WITH THE CITY OF NEW IBERIA. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
VOICER D :28
Cleco customers will get a break on their July electricity bills thanks to a one-time $475 credit kicking in this summer. NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports the credit is one of several incentives state regulators approved as part of a buyout offer for the utility. Cleco, in a Monday news release, says about 287,000 customers will see the full credit on bills starting in July. If a customer’s July bill is lower than $475, the credit will continue to apply to the following month’s bill until it runs out.
