7-26-19
LAFAYETTE FIRE OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING A HOUSE FIRE ON GERALD DRIVE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE KITCHEN AND SPREAD TO THE ATTIC. IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES TO BRING THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HOME WERE NOT THERE BUT A PASSERBY FORCED OPEN A DOOR SO THAT THE THREE DOGS COULD ESCAPE UNHARMED.
FUNERAL SERVICES ARE BEING HELD TODAY FOR A LAKE ARTHUR MAN WHO DIED LAST WEEKEND IN A RODEO ACCIDENT. 23-YEAR-OLD CLAY LEBLANC, WHO WAS CONSIDERED A RISING RODEO STAR, WAS KILLED IN A SADDLE BRONC COMPETITION IN LEESVILLE ON SUNDAY. HE WAS RANKED AS THE NUMBER TWO COWBOY IN THE STATE BY THE CAJUN RODEO ASSOCIATION. THE FUNERAL TAKES PLACE THIS MORNING AT ELEVEN AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO PLACE SUPERINTENDENT JEROME PUYAU ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WHILE A SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING INTO MISCONDUCT. PUYAU IS ACCUSED OF FAILING TO PUT ITEMS REQUESTED BY BOARD MEMBERS ON THE AGENDA, HIRING PERSONNEL WHO DO NOT FIT BOARD SPECIFIED QUALIFICATIONS, AND PAYING PRIVATE ATTORNEY’S FEES WITH BOARD FUNDS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD. PUYAU DID AGREE WITH AUTHORIZING THE INVESTIGATION BUT SAID THERE’S NO REASON HE NEEDED TO BE PUT ON LEAVE DURING THE PROCESS. HE SAYS THE BOARD HAS THE RIGHT TO FIRE AND HIRE SUPERINTENDENTS BUT NOT TO SUSPEND.
Louisiana Senate President John Alario, who has been a fixture in state politics for five decades, says he’s leaving the Legislature at the end of this term. Alario, who has served as a state lawmaker since 1972, is term-limited from the Senate in early 2020. But he’d allowed speculation to linger that he might run for his old House seat in the fall election. On Thursday, Alario ended that speculation.
HOMEWORK WILL ONCE AGAIN AFFECT A STUDENT’S OVERALL GRADE IN THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM. TWO YEARS AGO, HOMEWORK MADE UP TEN PERCENT OF THE GRADING FORMULA, BUT LAST YEAR THE SCHOOL BOARD STRIPPED IT. ON JULY 17TH, THE BOARD REINSTITUTED HOMEWORK INTO THE GRADING FORMULA AT FIVE PERCENT. BOARD PRESIDENT JUSTIN CENTANI SAYS HE PROPOSED THE CHANGE BECAUSE OF TEACHERS WHO REQUESTED THE BOARD REINCORPORATE GRADED HOMEWORK.
A FORMER LAKE CHARLES TEACHER HAS BEEN INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY. 34-YEAR-OLD DEIDRE RAE SMITH, A TEACHER AT LAKE CHARLES CHARTER ACADEMY, WAS ARRESTED IN MAY AFTER COMPLAINTS WERE MADE ABOUT AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF HER TEN-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP ALLEGEDLY BEGAN AT THE END OF 2018. THE GRAND JURY INDICTED HER ON NUMEROUS CHARGES INCLUDING EIGHT COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE RAPE.
THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES FOUND IN A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON JUNE TWELFTH IN ST. LANDRY PARISH. TWO BREAUX BRIDGE MEN, 49-YEAR-OLD KIRK BELLARD AND 38-YEAR-OLD MARCUS D. GUIDRY, WERE KILLED IN THE CRASH ON SPILLWAY ROAD NORTH OF HENDERSON. THE LIGHT SPORT PLANE CLIPPED THE TREE LINE ABOUT FIFTY FEET FROM THE CRASH. AN INITIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT BY THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATIONS.
Southern University says its medical marijuana grower has planted its first crop, as Louisiana edges nearer to having product available to patients. The Baton Rouge university announced Thursday that seeds were planted two days earlier by Ilera Holistic Healthcare. The school estimates its medical marijuana could be in pharmacies by the fall. Southern says the growing facility located in nearby Baker received the final needed approvals Monday from the state agriculture department, which oversees Louisiana’s medical marijuana program.
