8-15-19
LAFAYETTE PARISH STUDENTS HEAD BACK TO CLASS TODAY AND WITH THE NEW YEAR COMES SOME NEW CHANGES IN THE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM. GERALD GREUNIG HAS THE DETAILS.
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TEN NEW LICENSE PLATE READERS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS OF JENNINGS. THE READERS SCAN LICENSE PLATES TO FIND MOTORISTS WHO DO NOT HAVE AUTO INSURANCE. THOSE WHO DON’T WILL BE SENT A NOTICE AND HAVE SIXTY DAYS TO PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE AND PAY A FEE. DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL CASSIDY SAYS THE LICENSE PLATE READERS WILL END UP SAVING PEOPLE MONEY BECAUSE WHEN MORE PEOPLE ARE INSURED IT RESULTS IN LOWER RATES.
TONIGHT THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL VOTE ON RESOLUTIONS TO REMOVE THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. BOTH MOTIONS WERE PUT FORWARD BY BOARD MEMBER CHRIS GAUTREAX. IT COMES AFTER LAST MONTH’S DECISION TO PUT SUPERINTENDENT JEROME PUYAU ON PAID LEAVE, THOUGH PUYAU HAS BEEN GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY. RETIRED ASSISTANT U-S ATTORNEY THOMAS THOMPSON OF ABBEVILLE HAS SINCE PUT UP A GO FUND ME PAGE TO HELP PAY FOR PUYAU’S LEGAL EXPENSES.
A NEW POLL SHOWS MOST LOUISIANA VOTERS BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE. THE POLL FUNDED BY RESTORE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA FOUND THAT 71 PERCENT BELIEVED IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND EIGHTY PERCENT SAID MORE EXTREME WEATHER WILL AFFECT FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE SURVEY ALSO SHOWS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR COASTAL RESTORATION PROJECTS SUCH AS SEDIMENT DIVERSION. IT FOUND NEAR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR PROTECTING COASTAL RESTORATION AND HURRICANE PROTECTION FUNDING AND EVEN A SMALL MAJORITY SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY TAXES TO FUND COASTAL RESTORATION.
THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH LAFAYETTE. THE AUTHORITY’S SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR, KNOWN AS THE OPPORTUNITY MACHINE, WILL LAUNCH ITS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS BOOT CAMP ON LAFAYETTE’S NORTH SIDE. PRESIDENT AND C-E-O GREGG GOTHREAUX SAYS THEY HAVE REQUESTED STATE FUNDING TO RENOVATE THE OPPORTUNITY MACHINE’S NEW HEADQUARTERS. HE SAYS, IF THEY GET THE FUNDS, A PORTION WILL BE DEDICATED TO AN OUTREACH CENTER THAT WILL WORK WITH BUSINESSES IN THE GATEWAY AREA AND INNOVATION DISTRICTS.
THREE LAKE CHARLES MEN WERE ARRESTED AFTER A HIGH SPEED PURSUIT IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE CITY TUESDAY NIGHT. POLICE TRIED TO PULL OVER A VEHICLE NEAR PREJEAN DRIVE DRIVEN BY 24-YEAR-OLD DARTERIOUS BARTIE, WHO WAS WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH A FEBRUARY SHOOTING. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLEE, ITEMS WERE THROWN OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH WERE RECOVERED, INCLUDING NARCOTICS, A WEAPON AND COUNTERFIET MONEY. THE CHASE ENDED IN CAMERON PARISH AND THE THREE MEN IN THE VEHICLE WERE ARRESTED.
THREE EUNICE TEENAGERS WERE ARRESTED FOR BREAKING INTO TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER’S HOMES AND STEALING WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION. THE THREE WERE CAUGHT TRYING TO BREAK INTO ANOTHER HOME ON PEARL STREET TUESDAY NIGHT AND WERE CAPTURED AFTER A FOOT CHASE. ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO MADE THE ARREST LATER WENT HOME AND FOUND IT HAD BEEN BURGLARIZED AND CONNECTED THE TEENS TO THE BURGLARY. THE STOLEN WEAPONS WERE RECOVERED BUT THE AMMUNITION AND OTHER STOLEN ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND.
LOUISIANA’S TOP SCHOOL BOARD GAVE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION JOHN WHITE A SATISFACTORY JOB EVALUATION YESTERDAY. IT’S THE SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW THAT WHITE HAS RECEIVED FAVORABLE MARKS. WHITE SAYS HE RECEIVED A SCORE OF THREE OUT OF FOUR AND IS RATED EFFECTIVE PROFICIENT, THE SECOND HIGHEST OF FOUR CATEGORIES. HE SAYS THE ONE CRITICISM HE RECEIVED WAS BASED ON A CONCERN THAT SOME BLACK STUDENTS AND THOSE WITH DISABLITIES ARE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS.
