7-18-16
A SHOOTING IN LAFAYETTE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING LEFT THREE PEOPLE INJURED. THE MOST SEVERELY INJURED WAS A 34-YEAR-OLD RAYNE MAN, WHO SUFFERED A GUNSHOT WOULD TO THE HEAD AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION. CORPORAL PAUL MOUTON OF THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE VICTIMS COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON A SUSPECT. THE SHOOTING OCCURRED IN THE AREA OF JEFFERSON AND CYPRESS STREETS.
MEMBERS OF THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD RECEIVED A SPECIAL SURPRISE WHEN THEY ARRIVED BACK IN LAKE CHARLES YESTERDAY AFTER TRAINING AT CAMP BEAUREGARD NEAR PINEVILLE. THEY WERE TREATED TO LOTS OF WATERMELON, PIZZA, AND COLD DRINKS COURTESY OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE VINTON V-F-W, THE ARMED FORCES COMMITTEES IN SULPHUR AND VINTON, AND THE VIETNAM VETERAN’S OF AMERICA. DOROTHY AND HOUSTON FRUGE SPEARHEADED THE WELCOME EVENT, WHICH WAS THEIR FOURTH ONE. DOROTHY SAYS THEY DO IT TO MAKE THE SOLDIERS FEEL APPRECIATED.
ST. LANDRY PARISH PRESIDENT BILL FONTENOT PLANS TO CONTINUE PUSHING FOR A VOTER REFERENDUM ON A PARISHWIDE LIBRARY SYSTEM. ST. LANDRY PARISH IS THE ONLY PARISH IN THE STATE WITHOUT A PARISHWIDE SYSTEM AND FONTENOT SAYS THE PARISH HAS THE HIGHEST ILLITERACY IN THE STATE. HOWEVER, HE’S FACED OPPOSITION FROM THE COUNCIL INCLUDING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WHICH VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, EARLIER THIS MONTH, TO DELAY THE MATTER. FONTENOT SAYS THAT, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, HE WILL GATHER MORE INFORMATION AND MAKE ANOTHER PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL.
More than 250,000 people have been enrolled in Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion program, which began offering health insurance coverage this month. The Louisiana Department of Health announced the latest figures Friday. The state’s budget estimates 375,000 will eventually be enrolled, to reach the $180 million savings target assumed from the program. The health department says an average of 2,500 people per day have signed up for coverage since enrollment opened in June.
A TEACHER AT WOODVALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS RECEIVED A SMALL GRANT THAT SHE WILL USE TO CREATE A FRENCH LIBRARY IN HER CLASSROOM. LAURE WARNER IS THE RECIPIENT OF A 312 DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE RICHARD GUIDRY CREOLE AND CAJUN FUND, WHICH SHE WILL USE TO PURCHASE 32 FRENCH BOOKS FOR HER FOURTH GRADE FRENCH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE STUDENTS. THE COORDINATOR OF THE FUND, BRENDA MOURNIER, SAYS THE BOOKS WILL HELP IMPROVE THE STUDENTS FRENCH LITERACY. THE FUND IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FINAL GRANT CYCLE THIS YEAR, AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ACADIANA’S WEBSITE, C-F-ACADIANA-DOT-COM.
A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY WAS HELD THIS WEEKEND FOR A NEW DOG PARK IN LAKE CHARLES. THE HALF ACRE GREEN SPACE AT THE CORNER OF ANN AND MILL STREETS IS COMPLETELY FENCED IN WITH A GATE TO SEPARATE THE LARGE AND SMALL DOGS. MAYOR RANDY ROACH SAYS THE CITY PROVIDED THE PROPERTY FOR THE DOG PARK, KNOWN AS BARK DU LAC, AND GAVE THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE QUALITY OF LIFE TASK FORCE RAISED THE REMAINING 32 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
A WOMAN HAS DIED AFTER A STABBING IN ACADIA PARISH. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
VOICER E :18
The two special sessions called by Gov. John Bel Edwards to help stabilize Louisiana’s finances cost taxpayers at least $1.8 million. During the two sessions on taxes held this year, lawmakers raised about $1.5 billion to shrink holes in the current year budget. WAFB-TV says the House and Senate ran up costs of about $1.3 million for the first session, much of it for the $157 paid daily to lawmakers.
The shorter second session cost the Senate $196,000, while the House was still adding up its costs.
