6-3-21
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD ENDED THE MASK REQUIREMENT ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES. MASKS ARE STILL MANDATED FOR SCHOOL BUSES. ON MAY TWENTY-SIXTH, GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS ENDED THE MASK MANDATES FOR SCHOOLS, BUT LEFT IT UP TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SET THEIR OWN FACE MASKING RULES. THE SCHOOL BOARD ALSO LIFTED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION MADE LAST YEAR THAT GAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT SPECIAL POWERS TO RESPOND TO UNIQUE EVENTS MORE QUICKLY.
A VERMILLION PARISH MAN, WHO SURVIVED THE SEACOR POWER LIFT BOAT DISASTER, DETAILS HIS EXPERIENCES IN A TEN PAGE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST THE BOAT MANUFACTURER, OWNER AND CHARTERER. DWAYNE LEWIS SAYS HE REMEMBERS JUMPING OUT OF BED WHEN THE BOAT ROLLED FROM ITS FRONT TO ITS BACK, AND HE AND ANOTHER MAN MANAGED TO SHATTER A WINDOW. HE WAS SUCKED OUTSIDE BY A WAVE AND HE DRIFTED FOR THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS BEFORE BEING RESCUED. LEWIS SAYS HE SUFFERS FROM POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME AND FEARS HE WILL NEVER WORK OFFSHORE AGAIN.
A key group of House Republicans announced opposition to a Senate-led effort to permanently keep a 0.45% state sales tax that is scheduled to roll off the books in four years. The opposition could doom the proposal’s chance of passage. Still, senators plowed ahead with their effort to strip the tax’s expiration date and steer the money in later years to roadwork. The Senate Finance Committee voted 7-4 Wednesday to send the proposal to the full Senate for debate, but the House’s Conservative Caucus released a statement calling the Senate proposal irresponsible.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s administration has approved the state’s request for a major disaster declaration after flash flooding in mid-May damaged several thousand homes and left five people dead. Edwards says residents in five parishes _ including Calcasieu and Lafayette _ are now eligible to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Edwards said the quick approval of his request will go a long way to help thousands recover.
RECENT FLOODING PROBLEMS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH CAUSED MAJOR HEADACHES FOR MANY RESIDENTS. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
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A CROWLEY NATIVE WITH THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD, WHO IS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN IRAQ, EARNED A GOLD GERMAN PROFICIENCY BADGE. SPECIALIST VANESSA TAYLOR HIT A TARGET FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIMES WITH A GERMAN PISTOL AND THIRTEEN OUT OF SIXTEEN ROUNDS WITH A GERMAN RIFLE TO EARN THE GOLD MARKSMANSHIP BADGE. COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR GERALD COMEAUX SAYS HE PERSONALLY PICKED TAYLOR BECAUSE OF HER ABILITY TO SHOOT THE M-FOUR AND BECAUSE OF HER HARD WORK AND PERFORMANCE FOR THE BRIGADE. TAYLOR SAID SHE FELT A HUGE SENSE OF PRIDE AND WANTED TO JUMP FOR JOY BUT MAINTAINED HER COMPOSURE BECAUSE SHE WAS AROUND A GROUP OF PEOPLE SHE DIDN’T KNOW.
LOUISIANA HAD THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO NEW CONFIRMED COVID-NINETEEN CASES, ACCORDING TO YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THAT MOVES THE TOTAL OVER THREE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE THOUSAND. HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR COVID-NINETEEN ROSE BY EIGHT WHILE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECLINED BY TWO. THERE WERE JUST TWO MORE DEATHS STATEWIDE.
NONE OF THE STATEWIDE DEATHS CAME FROM ACADIANA OR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. ACADIANA HAD THIRTY-EIGHT NEW CONFIRMED COVID-NINETEEN CASES. LAFAYETTE PARISH LED THE WAY WITH SIXTEEN. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED ELEVEN NEW CASES, INCLUDING FOUR IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH.
