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ELECTED OFFICIALS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND LOCAL MEDIA TOURED THE BRAND-NEW LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL. IT TOOK FOUR YEARS OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION TO CREATE THE THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, WHICH IS THE SIZE OF TWO COSTCOS. PRINCIPAL LAYNE EDELMAN SAYS THE SCHOOL WILL HAVE A STAFF OF ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY AND EIGHTEEN HUNDRED STUDENTS WITH THE CAPACITY TO INCREASE FROM THERE. NEXT WEEK THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING WILL BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR AN EXTENDED PARKING LOT AND A FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD.
THE IBERIA PARISH COUNCIL APPROVED A NEW SOLAR ORDINANCE THAT DETERMINES HOW AND WHERE SOLAR FARMS ARE DEVELOPED. AN AMENDMENT WAS ADDED TO THE ORDINANCE THAT CHANGED THE ORIGINAL ONE MILE SETBACK BETWEEN SOLAR FARMS AND NEARBY STRUCTURES TO A HALF-MILE. COUNCILMAN BRIAN NAPIER, WHO INTRODUCED THE AMENDMENT, SAID THE CHANGE WILL PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE STILL GIVING LANDOWNERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEASE OR DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY FOR SOLAR PROJECTS. CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATE JOSHUA TROSCLAIR OF NEW IBERIA CALLS THE HALF-MILE AN INCREDIBLY LARGE BARRIER THAT WILL MAKE IT PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOLAR TO COME INTO THE PARISH.
A THIRD PERSON HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO THE MURDER OF KALIN STEVENS LAST MONTH IN LAKE CHARLES. THE BODY OF STEVENS WAS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF HIGHWAY NINETY ON JUNE TWENTY-NINTH IN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BELIEVED TO BE A HIT-AND-RUN. TWENTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD TIMMESHA PORTER OF LAKE CHARLES WAS CHARGED WITH ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT FOR ALLEGEDLY BEING INVOLVED IN THE HOMOCIDE AND CONCEALING EVIDENCE. SHE WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY AFTER A SEARCH OF HER HOME AND HER BOND WAS SET AT ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
U-S SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OF LOUISIANA IS EASILY OUTPACING HIS CHALLENGERS IN RAISING CAMPAIGN CASH FOR NEXT YEAR’S U-S SENATE RACE. CASSIDY HAS RAISED MORE THAN TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND HAS ABOUT NINE MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH ON HAND, ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION. STATE TREASURER JOHN FLEMING HAS RAISED AROUND THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND THIS YEAR AND HAS MORE THAN TWO MILLION ON HAND. CASSIDY’S OTHER CHALLENGER, STATE SENATOR BLAKE MIGUEZ OF NEW IBERIA, HAS ONE-POINT-SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS CASH ON HAND.
HEARTS OF HOPE IN LAFAYETTE, A SEXUAL TRAUMA CENTER, IS FACING FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY YOUNG SAYS THEY DO GET SOME STATE FUNDING, BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO SURVIVE. YOUNG SAYS, SO FAR THIS YEAR, THEY’VE ANSWERED ONE HUNDRED FORTY CRISIS LINE CALLS, BEEN TO EIGHTY EMERGENCY ROOMS WITH ADVOCATES, DONE CLOSE TO FORTY EXAMS, AND INTERVIEWED TWO HUNDRED FIFTY CHILDREN. DUE TO THE CUTS, ADVOCATES WITH HEART OF HOPE MAY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CRUCIAL INFORMATION AND SUPPORT DURING THE EVIDENCE-GATHERING PROCESS.
AN IOTA MAN IS IN JAIL FACING NUMEROUS DRUG AND WEAPON CHARGES. ON WEDNESDAY, ACADIA PARISH DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AT A RESIDENCE ON GOTTS COVE ROAD WHERE THEY OBSERVED ILLEGAL NARCOTICS IN PLAIN VIEW. THEY GOT A SEARCH WARRANT AND FOUND MARIJUANA, METH AND OTHER DRUGS AS WELL AS SEVERAL WEAPONS. TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD COLIN BENOIT WAS ARRESTED AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
AN OAKDALE COUPLE WANTED FOR ALLEGED HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CRIMES INVOLVING JUVENILES WERE ARRESTED IN TENNESSEE. THIRTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD TABITHA ROBISON AND FORTY-YEAR-OLD MARVIN CLEMENT JUNIOR HAVE BEEN WANTED BY THE STATE OF LOUISIANA SINCE JULY THIRTY-FIRST OF LAST YEAR. THE TWO WERE FOUND BY U-S MARSHALS IN A CAMPER ON THE HOLSTON RIVER AND WERE BOOKED INTO THE HAWKINS COUNTY JAIL, WHERE THEY AWAIT EXTRADITION TO LOUISIANA. THE VICTIM, DESCRIBED AS A VERY YOUNG MINOR, WAS NOT WITH THE COUPLE AT THE TIME OF THEIR ARREST AND IS IN SAFE CUSTODY IN LOUISIANA.
A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL IS BEING HELD TONIGHT IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH FOR THE SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS FOUND DEAD MONDAY IN A FIELD. GEORGE FAUST HAS THE DETAILS.
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