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56 STREETS IN LAFAYETTE WILL BE REPAIRED THIS YEAR COSTING MORE THAN FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TOM CARROLL SAYS BIDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND THE REPAIR WORK SHOULD BEGIN IN ABOUT A MONTH. HE SAYS THE REPAIRS WILL INVOLVE RECONSTRUCTING THE STREETS, NOT JUST RESURFACING THEM. COASTAL BRIDGE COMPANY OF BATON ROUGE WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT, AND CARROLL SAYS THEY WILL DECIDE THE SPECIFIC ORDER OF THE STREET REPAIRS.
PLANS ARE MOVING FORWARD FOR A 43 MILLION DOLLAR LUXURY APARTMENT COMPLEX TO BE BUILT ON THE OLD SEARS PROPERTY IN DOWNTOWN LAKE CHARLES. PROPERTY OWNER ROGER LANDRY SAYS THEY’VE SUBMITTED BUILDING PERMITS AND THE CLOSING DATE ON THE SITE IS APRIL 13TH. YESTERDAY THE PRIMARY CONTRACTOR ON THE PROJECT, UNICORP CONSTRUCTION OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, HELD A MEET AND GREET AT MULLER LOFTS AND SHOWED OFF PLANS FOR THE 270 UNIT LUXURY APARTMENT COMPLEX. ACCORDING TO MANAGEMENT, THIS IS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN LAKE CHARLES’ HISTORY, AND IT WILL TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE DOWNTOWN RENTALS.
39 PIT BULLS IN ST. LANDRY PARISH THAT WERE TO BE EUTHANIZED HAVE BEEN SAVED BY A RESCUE ORGANIZATION OUT OF ST. LOUIS. ST. LANDRY ANIMAL CONTROL SENT OUT A PLEA FOR HELP ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND THE GROUP, STRAY, AGREED TO TAKE THE DOGS. THEY ARRIVED YESTERDAY AND AGREED TO TAKE EVEN MORE DOGS THAN THE 39 PIT BULLS TO THEIR STATE OF THE ART NO KILL SHELTER. THE DIRECTOR OF THE ST. LANDRY ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER, STACEY ALLEMAN, TELLS KATC TV THAT THEY HAVE GONE FROM ACCEPTING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT DOWN THE PIT BULLS TO FEELING LIKE THEY’RE ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES SAYS FEBRUARY TEMPERATURES WERE THE WARMEST ON RECORD FOR THREE SOUTH LOUISIANA CITIES…LAFAYETTE, BATON ROUGE, AND NEW ORLEANS. LAFAYETTE ALSO BROKE THE RECORD FOR THE WARMEST WINTER, WHICH INCLUDES DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WHILE BATON ROUGE HAD ITS SECOND WARMEST WINTER AND IT WAS THE THIRD WARMEST FOR NEW ORLEANS. ALEX KRAUTMANN,THE METEOROLOGIST FOR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SLIDELL, SAYS A NUMBER OF FACTORS BROUGHT THE WARMER WEATHER, INCLUDING THE JET STREAM RUNNING FARTHER NORTH. L-S-U AGCENTER AQUACULTURE SPECIALIST GREG LUTZ SAYS THE WARM WINTER PROVIDED A BOOST TO THE CRAWFISH CROP, BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE ACTIVE AND GROW LARGER IN WARMER WATER.
THE U-L RAGIN CAJUN BASEBALL TEAM HAS THEIR HOME OPENER TONIGHT IN THE NEWLY RENOVATED M-L TIGUE MOORE FIELD. THE STADIUM IS GOING THROUGH A 16 MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE THAT LIKELY WON’T BE COMPLETED UNTIL LATE IN THE SEASON. HOWEVER, THE LEMOINE COMPANY CONTRACTORS WORKED WITH U-L OFFICIALS TO MAKE THE PARK AVAILABLE FOR THE RAGIN CAJUN’S HOME GAMES. U-L WILL BE PLAYING A THREE GAME SERIES THIS WEEKEND AGAINST SOUTHERN MISS, WHICH IS UNDEFEATED.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR A LAKE CHARLES BOY SCOUT. 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN SCOTT FRUGE WAS SEVERELY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT AT A TROOP OUTING LAST WEEKEND AND DIED TUESDAY. THE FUNERAL SERVICE IS SCHEDULED FOR ELEVEN TOMORROW AT ST. MARGARET CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAKE CHARLES. THE BURIAL WILL FOLLOW AT FREY CEMETARY IN MOWATA.
A LAFAYETTE MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING IN ST. MARTIN PARISH. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT FEES AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH EXTREME CAUTION IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH EQUITABLE ACCESS TO A QUALITY EDUCATION. THAT’S THE FINDINGS OF A STUDY ON STUDENT FEES THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE STUDY FOUND THAT, IN MOST CASES, PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ARE IN CHARGE OF ESTABLISHING FEES, DETERMINING HOW THE MONEY IS USED, AND WHETHER TO GRANT WAIVERS IF STUDENTS CAN’T PAY. THE REPORT ADVISES LOCAL SCHOOL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES TO REGULARLY MONITOR FEES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE BEING USED FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE AND MAKE SURE WAIVERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
