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LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DONALD AGUILLARD RECEIVED HIGH MARKS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD IN HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. HIS OVERALL SCORE WAS A SIX-POINT-6-5 OUT OF A POSSIBLE EIGHT, PUTTING HIM IN THE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE CATEGORY. AGUILLARD RELEASED THE SCORES TO THE PUBLIC ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HE TOLD THE BOARD HE WAS APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR SUPPORT.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY LEARNED YESTERDAY THAT THEY HAD A SURPLUS OF ABOUT 36 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED ON DECEMBER 31ST. C-P-A KYLE JUDICE TOLD THE JURY THAT THEY HAD REVENUES OF CLOSE TO 152 MILLION DOLLARS, AND SPENT ABOUT 115 MILLION DOLLARS. FINANCE DIRECTOR TAMMY BUFKIN SAYS TAXABLE SALES ALMOST DOUBLED FROM 7-POINT-7 PERCENT IN 2014 TO 13-POINT-8 PERCENT IN 2015. ALSO, EMPLOYMENT FOR THE LAKE CHARLES METROPOLITAN AREA, WHICH INCLUDES PARTS OF CALCASIEU AND CAMERON PARISHES, REACHED RECORD LEVELS, RISING FROM 102,200 TO 104,300.
THE FAMILY OF A NEW IBERIA MAN, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY AN IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY, ARE CALLING ON THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO HAVE THEIR DEPUTIES GO THROUGH SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN DEALING WITH MENTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE. AT A NEWS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, FAMILY MEMBERS SAID THAT 40-YEAR-OLD SHANNON LABIT SUFFERED FROM PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA. THEY ALSO WERE CRITICAL OF THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR NOT ALLOWING THEM ACCESS TO LABIT SO THEY COULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COAX HIM INTO SURRENDERING TO POLICE. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS PLACED THE DEPUTY WHO SHOT LABIT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE WHILE THE STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT.
A FEDERAL REPORT INDICATES THAT LOUISIANA SPENDING ON PRISONS AND JAILS INCREASED TWICE AS MUCH AS SPENDING ON ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE REPORT FROM THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHOWS STATE AND LOCAL MONEY FOR CORRECTIONS DOUBLED FROM 1990 TO 2013, WHILE SPENDING ON EDUCATION INCREASED BY FIFTY PERCENT. WHEN IT COMES TO HIGHER EDUCATION, LOUISIANA SPENT TEN PERCENT LESS IN 2013 COMPARED TO 1990, WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION. LOUISIANA HAS THE HIGHEST INCARCERATION RATE IN THE NATION, AND SPENDS ABOUT 350 MILLION DOLLARS ON PRISONS.
TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S FATAL SHOOTING AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER IN LAFAYETTE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A GRAND JURY INDICTED A SULPHUR MAN IN CONNECTION WITH THE ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY OF A CONVENIENCE STORE IN NOVEMBER. KIM MYERS OF THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWED THE ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBER PUT A CHECKERED SHIRT AROUND HIS FACE IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL HIS IDENTITY. POLICE FOUND A SHIRT THAT LOOKED LIKE THE ONE IN THE VIDEO AS THEY WERE CANVASSING THE AREA FOR EVIDENCE. DNA EVIDENCE FROM THE SHIRT WAS USED TO CONNECT 40-YEAR-OLD SHANNON V WILLIAMS TO THE CRIME.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOLS SAYS HE PLANS TO STAY IN HIS POSITION UNTIL HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED IN MAY AGAINST RENEWING THE CONTRACT OF EDWARD BROWN. BROWN SAYS THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT MET WITH HIM YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS A BUYOUT OF HIS CONTRACT, BUT BROWN CHOSE NOT TO ACCEPT. THE BOARD MEETS NEXT TUESDAY TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS ON THE SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
MORE THAN A HUNDRED BICYCLISTS TOOK PART IN A RIDE IN LAFAYETTE TO HONOR MICKEY SHUNICK, WHO WAS KIDNAPPED AND KILLED IN MAY OF 2012. THE CYCLISTS RODE ON THE MICKEY SHUNICK MEMORIAL BIKE LOOP, THAT WAS CREATED AFTER THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL GAVE ITS UNANIMOUS APPROVAL. A PETITION WAS STARTED IN MAY TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO REMOVE PART OF THE BIKE LOOP ALONG WEST BAYOU PARKWAY BECAUSE, THE PETITIONERS SAY, IT POSES A SAFETY HAZARD AND WORSENS TRAFFIC CONGESTION. THE ORGANIZERS OF THE BIKE RIDE ENCOURAGED ATTENDEES TO SIGN A COMPETING PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THE BIKE LANES.
