8-26-15
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO NOT RENEW THEIR RECYCLING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE RECYCLING FOUNDATION WHEN IT EXPIRES IN FEBRUARY. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR KEVIN BLANCHARD SAYS THE RECYCLING FOUNDATION CAN SUBMIT A NEW BID, BUT THEY WANT TO OPEN UP THE BIDDING PROCESS TO OTHER FIRMS AS WELL. HE SAYS THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR IMPROVED RECYCLING. THAT INCLUDES POSSIBLY MAKING CURBSIDE RECYCLING AVAILABLE FOR RURAL RESIDENTS AND APARTMENT TENANTS.
THE OPELOUSAS BOARD OF ALDERMAN VOTED 5-TO-1 TO AMEND THIS FISCAL YEAR’S BUDGET AND TO ADOPT A GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER FIRST. MAYOR REGGIE TATUM WAS UPSET BY ALDERMAN JULIUS ALSANDOR, WHO CAST THE ONLY NO VOTE. ALSANDOR SAID HE WASN’T SURE ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE AMENDED BUDGET IS PROPOSING. TATUM ASKED HIM WHY DIDN’T RAISE QUESTIONS IN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SEND IT TO THE FULL BOARD.
Planned Parenthood is asking a federal judge to stop Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration from ending Medicaid payments to the organization’s Louisiana clinics. Jindal, a Republican presidential candidate, announced plans this month to cut off the funding, citing hidden-camera videos that accuse the organization of profiting from the sale of aborted baby body parts. Planned Parenthood denies the allegations. The Medicaid payments are set to end Sept. 2 unless Planned Parenthood gets the injunction it’s seeking.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal plans to attend the funeral of a Louisiana state trooper shot and killed in the line of duty last weekend. Jindal spokesman Mike Reed confirms that the Republican governor, a presidential candidate, will be in Lake Charles on Saturday at the Catholic funeral Mass to be held for Senior Trooper Steven Vincent. Vincent was shot on Sunday after authorities say he had stopped to help a man whose truck was stuck in a ditch. Officials have arrested Kevin Daigle and booked him with first-degree murder in the shooting death.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR TROOPER STEVEN VINCENT WAS HELD IN HIS HOMETOWN OF IOWA. THE STANDS AT THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM WERE PACKED. MEMBERS OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SPOKE ABOUT VINCENT’S WORK ETHIC, INCLUDING IOWA POLICE CHIEF KEITH VINCENT, WHO WAS STEVEN’S BROTHER. VINCENT SAYS STEVEN WOULD HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMED BY THE RESPONSE FROM HIS HOMETOWN COMMUNITY,
AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS APPEALING THE 13 MONTH SENTENCE IMPOSED ON SETH FONTENOT OF LAFAYETTE FOR SHOOTING AND KILLING 15-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN RIVAULT AND WOUNDING TWO OTHER TEENS. ASSISTANT
D-A JAY PRATHER JUNIOR IS ASKING THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS TO VACATE THE SENTENCE HANDED DOWN BY JUDGE EDWARD RUBIN AND IMPOSE A SENTENCE APPROPRIATE TO THE CRIME, OR SEND IT BACK TO RUBIN FOR RESENTENCING. A JURY IN MARCH CONVICTED FONTENOT OF MANSLAUGHTER, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF FORTY YEARS IN PRISON.
STATE POLICE SAY CHARGES WILL BE FILED AGAINST THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE THAT CRASHED INTO A TRACTOR TRAILER ALONG INTERSTATE TEN TUESDAY MORNING. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Louisiana still ranks below the national average — and near the bottom among all states — in average composite scores for students taking the ACT college readiness test. However, state officials note that the state did move up in the latest national ACT data. And the state education department says the state’s improvement from 19.2 to a 19.4 composite score is the most progress made by any of the 13 states that require all students to take the test. Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Hawaii had lower scores in the figures released early Wednesday.
