6-9-16
A LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL COMMITTEE DECIDED AGAINST REGULATING LOW-RIDING PANTS THAT EXPOSE SKIN OR UNDERWEAR. COUNCILMAN KENNETH BOUDREAUX BROUGHT UP THE TOPIC AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN COMPLAINTS BY CONSTITUENTS, WHO FIND SAGGY PANTS DISTASTEFUL AND DISPRESPECTFUL. INTERIM POLICE CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS WARNED THE COMMITTEE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IT COULD BE PROFILING. HE SUGGESTED BUSINESS OWNERS COULD SET DRESS CODES, WHICH WOULD BE ENFORCED BY THEIR OWN SECURITY.
ONELODGE NORTH LAKE BROKE GROUND YESTERDAY ON A NEW 25-HUNDRED BED WORKFORCE HOUSING FACILITY IN SULPHUR. THE CEREMONY WAS HELD AT 516 PRATER ROAD, THE SITE WHERE THE FACILITY WILL BE BUILT. THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH WILL ACCOMODATE 208 WORKERS, IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THIS FALL. OFFICIALS PLAN FOR IT TO BE A SAFE AND SECURE FACILITY WITH A GUARDED GATE AND RESIDENTS HAVING TO USE A KEY CARD TO GET IN.
RECENTLY RELEASED NUMBERS FROM THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION SHOWS THAT THE ACADIANA REGION SAW A LOSS OF ALMOST 15 THOUSAND JOBS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2015, COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. MOST OF THE JOB LOSSES WERE IN THE MINING SECTOR, WHICH IS MAINLY COMPRISED OF OIL AND GAS BUSINESSES. TOTAL WAGES FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER WERE DOWN BY MORE THAN 300 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN POOR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS. JASON EL KOUBI OF ONE ACADIANA TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT IN HIS PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH RESTAURANT AND STORE OWNERS, HE HAS FOUND THAT MOST BUSINESSES ARE SEEING A FIVE TO TEN PERCENT DECLINE IN SALES.
The Democratic chairman of the House tax committee sided with his Republican colleagues to kill one of the main money-raising tax bills sought by Gov. John Bel Edwards. Ways and Means Chairman Neil Abramson cast the tie-breaking vote Wednesday to stall the Democratic governor’s proposal to lessen an income tax break given to upper-income earners. The committee voted 10-9 against the bill.
The proposal by Republican Rep. Rob Shadoin would have raised $117 million to fill gaps in next year’s budget by cutting tax breaks allowed for taxpayers who itemize on their individual income tax returns.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is heading to Louisiana in his latest job recruitment effort.
Scott heads next week to Baton Rouge and New Orleans, where he will try to convince business owners that they should leave Louisiana because Gov. John Bel Edwards is proposing tax hikes to solve the state’s budget woes. Scott, who has visited several states led by Democratic governors in the last two years, predicted that tax increases proposed by Edwards will hurt Louisiana residents and hurt their job growth. Richard Carbo, a spokesman for Edwards, said that when Scott visits, he should meet students and families who are “paying the price” for the failed policies of previous governor Bobby Jindal that resulted in a budget deficit.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN EARLY MORNING SHOOTING. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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BIDS ARE EXPECTED TO GO OUT LATER THIS MONTH FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PARK IN LAKE CHARLES. THE ESTIMATED PRICE TAG FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS IS 350 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WITH THE CITY COVERING 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND A STATE CAPITAL OUTLAY GRANT PAYING THE REMAINING 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE SEATING, LIGHTING, AND A KIOSK WITH MAPS THAT SHOW THE LOCATIONS OF BRICKS THAT HAVE THE NAMES OF FALLEN MILITARY MEMBERS ENGRAVED ON THEM. THERE WILL ALSO BE SEVERAL STEEL PANEL ETCHINGS WITH FIGURES REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT MILITARY BRANCHES.
A JUVENILE CARJACKER LED IBERIA PARISH DEPUTIES IN A CAR CHASE THAT ENDED WITH A CRASH TUESDAY. DEPUTIES RECEIVED REPORTS OF A CARJACKING THAT HAPPENED ON LOMBARD STREET IN NEW IBERIA, AND WHEN THEY FOUND THE VEHICLE, A WHITE SILVERADO, THEY ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT A TRAFFIC STOP. THE JUVENILE REFUSED TO PULL OVER AND TRIED TO SPEED AWAY BUT EVENTUALLY CRASHED THE TRUCK ON BREAUX ALLEY. THE JUVENILE THEN TRIED TO RUN AWAY ON FOOT, BUT WAS CAUGHT AFTER THE DEPUTIES SET UP A PERIMETER.
