8-15-23
THE TOWN OF GRAND COTEAU WILL BE WITHOUT WATER TODAY. CITY SUPERVISOR PAUL PREJEAN SAYS THE EXTREME HEAT CAUSED A WATER VALVE TO GO OUT. HE SAYS THERE WILL BE NO WATER DURING MAINTENANCE THAT’S BEING DONE TO PREPARE THE TOWER. PREJEAN SAYS SCHOOLS IN GRAND COTEAU WILL BE CLOSED TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WATER SITUATION.
THE LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A FIRE AT PETE’S SPORTS BAR ON JOHNSTON STREET YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE FIRE WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING BUT CAUSED SMOKE DAMAGE INSIDE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BUT IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED IN A GREASE TRAP. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME HEAT IMPACTING THE STATE. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
VOICER P :19
A RECALL OF ELTON MAYOR KESIA LEMOINE HAS FAILED. THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO SIGNATURES WERE GATHERED ON A RECALL PETITION. HOWEVER, THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS SUBMITTED A DOCUMENT TO STATE OFFICIALS THAT INDICATES ONLY ONE OF THE SIGNATURES CAN BE COUNTED. THAT’S BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY SIGNATURE THAT WAS PROPERLY WITNESSED, AS IS REQUIRED.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN ACADIANA HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM BY STUDENTS, MEANING THEY HAVE MISSED FIFTEEN OR MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL. ALL EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE REGION SAW AN INCREASE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR EVEN THOUGH ALL BUT VERMILLION PARISH HAD A DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT. IT MATCHES A TREND ACROSS THE STATE AND THE NATION. THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE FOR LOUISIANA WAS TWENTY-THREE PERCENT IN THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, UP FROM NINETEEN PERCENT IN THE TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE TWENTY-TWO SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT MONDAY AFTERNOON IN LAFAYETTE INVOLVING A MOTORCYCLIST. POLICE CORPORAL KEN HANDY SAYS THE CRASH HAPPENED AT AROUND FOUR P-M ON KALISTE SALOOM NEAR AMBASSADOR CAFFERY. THE MOTORCYCLIST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE MOTORCYCLIST WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE INJURIES.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY SAYS THE NUMBER OF WILDFIRES ACROSS THE STATE ARE TRENDING UP. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS THE DETAILS.
VOICER Q :33
A NOTICE ABOUT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CITY OF RAYNE LAST NIGHT SAID IT WAS TO CONSIDER INCREASED TAXES ON THE CITY’S MILLAGE RATES. HOWEVER, MAYOR CHUCK ROBICHEAUX SAYS THE WORDING ON THE AGENDA IS INCORRECT. HE SAYS THEY APPROVED THE MILLAGE INCREASE FOR GENERAL ALIMONY AND YOUTH RECREATION AT LAST MONTH’S MEETING AND HAD A PUBLIC HEARING. ROBICHEAUX SAYS LAST NIGHT’S HEARING WAS A FORMALITY TO SATISFY LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC POSTING OF THE ALREADY APPROVED CITY MILLAGE RATE RENEWAL.
