8-11-22
AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A WOMAN WHO WAS FOUND IN A VEHICLE IN SAINT LANDRY PARISH. GERALD GRUENIG REPORTS.
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THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED NEW POLICIES WEDNESDAY IN HOPES OF ENCOURAGING STUDENT PARENTS TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. FEMALE AND MALE STUDENT PARENTS WILL GET EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR LABOR AND DELIVERY, MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND A CHILD’S ILLNESS. ACCOMODATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR NEW MOTHERS TO BREASTFEED AND BREAST PUMP. NO ONE OBJECTED TO THE ADOPTION OF THE NEW POLICIES, WHICH WILL GO INTO EFFECT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS TRACKING A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA EARLIER THIS WEEK. THEY SAY GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED BUT THEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS MAKE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT LESS FAVORABLE. THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY THREE NAMED STORMS SO FAR THIS YEAR. DESPITE THE LACK OF ACTIVITY, FORECASTERS ARE STILL EXPECTING THIS YEAR’S HURRICANE SEASON TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE.
LAST WEEK, THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY APPROVED A FIFTEEN-POINT-FOUR MILLION DOLLAR BID TO BUILD A FORENSIC CENTER. THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT DEAN KELLY SAYS THE TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WILL HOUSE THE CORONEER’S OFFICE AND THE CRIME LAB. IT WILL BE LOCATED AT THIRTY-TWO-THIRTY-SIX KIRKMAN STREET IN LAKE CHARLES. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR AND IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY TWENTY-TWENTY-FOUR.
IBERIA PARISH HAD THEIR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL YESTERDAY. MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH TEACHER AND BUS DRIVER SHORTAGES BUT NEW SUPERINTENDENT HEATH HULIN SAYS THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH FULLY STAFFED. HE SAYS THEY’VE BEEN HOSTING TRAINING CLASSES IN THE DISTRICT AND A POOL OF SUBSTITUTE BUS DRIVERS ARE READY TO STEP IN IF NEEDED TO GET STUDENTS TO SCHOOL. HULIN SAYS THEY HAVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN PLACE WITH SCHOOL CRISIS PLANS, WHICH HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY A NATIONAL CONSULTANT TO MAKE SURE IT COVERS ALL THEIR BASES.
THE CHIEF LAFAYETTE CITY COURT JUDGE SAYS A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE CITY COURT’S LAWYER IS PUZZLING AS WELL AS DISAPPOINTING AND UNNECESSARY. ON MONDAY, L-C-G FILED THE LAWSUIT AGAINST LAWYER GARY MCGOFFIN OVER AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS FOR NOT PROVIDING DOCUMENTS REQUESTED BACK IN NOVEMBER. CITY COURT JUDGE DOUGLAS SALOOM SAYS THE LAWSUIT IS PUZZLING BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL HARD COPIES OF THE REQUESTED LETTERS WERE MADE AVAILABLE ON NOVEMBER SIXTEENTH. HE SAYS A PHONE CALL, LETTER OR EMAIL OR AN APPOINTMENT TO VIEW THE RECORDS WOULD HAVE SERVED THE SAME PURPOSE AND BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES IS REMINDING STATE RESIDENTS TO GET THEIR REAL I-D BEFORE NEXT MAY. BEGINNING MAY THIRD, U-S CITIZENS EIGHTEEN AND OLDER CANNOT BOARD DOMESTIC FLIGHTS, OR ACCESS CERTAIN FEDERAL BUILDINGS, MILITARY BASES OR POWER PLANTS WITHOUT A REAL I-D, A VALID PASSPORT OR OTHER ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF FEDERAL I-D. SPOKESPERSON MATTHEW BOUDREAUX SAYS OVER SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND IN LOUISIANA ARE REAL I-D READY BUT THEY’D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS GO UP. TO GET A REAL I-D, YOU MUST VISIT AN O-M-V FIELD OFFICE OR PUBLIC TAG AGENT LOCATION.
OCHSNER LAFAYETTE GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER ANNOUNCED SOME ROAD CLOSURES IN ORDER TO REMOVE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. THE CIRCLE DRIVE AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE WILL BE CLOSED TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ACCESS LIMITED TO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ONLY. THE SOUTHBOUND LANE OF COOLIDGE STREET FROM SOUTH COLLEGE TO HOSPITAL DRIVE WILL BE CLOSED BEGINNING TOMORROW AND LAST UNTIL SUNDAY AS WELL. PATIENT DROP-OFFS AND PICKUPS WILL OCCUR AT THE WEST TOWER AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ENTRANCES FOR THE DURATION OF THE CLOSURE.
