8-26-16
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES HAS ANNOUNCED WHERE RESIDENTS IN ACADIA AND LAFAYETTE PARISHES CAN COMPLETE APPLICATIONS FOR EMERGENCY FOOD STAMPS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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GOVERNOR EDWARDS TOOK A HELICOPTER INTO LAKE ARTHUR YESTERDAY TO VISIT WITH RESIDENTS AND GET A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THE DAMAGE FROM THE RECENT FLOOD. HE DROVE BY THE LEVY, WHICH VOLUNTEERS REINFORCED WITH PLYWOOD AND SAND BAGS TO KEEP THE DISASTER FROM BEING ANY WORSE. GOVERNOR EDWARDS SAID THERE’S A TREMENDOUS RESILIENCY AMONG THE PEOPLE IN LAKE ARTHUR, WHO HAVE BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS TO EACH OTHER. EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE GOVERNOR TOURED THE DAMAGE IN YOUNGSVILLE.
The Louisiana Department of Health is reopened three molluscan shellfish growing areas in Vermilion and Iberia parishes 30 minutes before sunrise today. The department, in a news release, said areas 26, 27 and 28 were closed last Friday because of environmental conditions related to flooding. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry signed the order to reopen the waters Thursday, noting that water conditions have returned to within the standards set by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The state says it has notified local oyster harvesters that work the affected areas, as well as the Louisiana Oyster Task Force and the Food and Drug Administration, that the waters are being reopened.
LOUISIANA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IS PREPARING LEGISLATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE STATE. SENATOR DAVID VITTER SAYS HE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION ARE GATHERING STATISTICS RIGHT NOW TO BACK THEIR REQUEST FOR MORE MONEY THAN IS NORMALLY AVAILABLE WHEN THE PRESIDENT DECLARES AN EMERGENCY. HE TOOK HUD SECRETARY JULIAN CASTRO AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MARIA CONTRERAS SWEET ON A TOUR YESTERDA SO THEY COULD GET A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. CASTRO SAYS THEY SEE A REAL NEED FOR SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE.
STATE OFFICIALS ARE TOUTING A NEW PROGRAM CALLED “SHELTER AT HOME”, WHICH THEY CONSIDER A KEY PART OF THE STATE’S PLAN TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF FLOOD VICTIMS. RESIDENTS WOULD BE APPROVED FOR THE PROGRAM IF THEIR HOMES CAN BE MADE LIVEABLE AT A COST OF UNDER 15 THOUSAND DOLLARS. IF THEY ARE APPROVED, CREWS WILL GO IN AND MAKE THE HOMES HABITABLE SO THEY CAN LIVE THERE WHILE MORE PERMANENT REPAIRS ARE MADE. GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS SAYS HE EXPECTS CREWS TO BEGIN GOING INTO HOMES ON MONDAY.
WHILE THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE NEW BUDGET FOR THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY SMOOTH, TWO ISSUES ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONTENTIOUS WHEN THE COUNCIL ADDRESSES THEM NEXT MONTH. COUNCILMAN JAY CASTILLE WANTS TO CUT 85 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A SPECIAL DOWNTOWN POLICE DETAIL. CASTILLE SAYS THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT TO ZERO AND LET DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PAY FOR THE POLICE DETAIL THEMSELVES. THE OTHER PROPOSAL THAT COULD PROVOKE DEBATE IS BY COUNCILMAN JARED BELLARD AND WOULD CUT 95 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT’S INTERNATIONAL TRADE DIVISION, DIVERTING THAT MONEY TO STRUGGLING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
A PROPOSED DRAINAGE PLAN FOR CALCASIEU PARISH WAS UNVEILED YESTERDAY TO THE DRAINAGE LIAISON COMMITTEE. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ALLEN WAINWRIGHT SAYS THEY’VE IDENTIFIED DRAINAGE RUNOFF AS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM AND IT IS GROWING. HE SAYS THE DRAINAGE PLAN INCLUDES NEW POLICIES AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. THE DRAINAGE PLAN IS CURRENTLY IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE, SO IF YOU WISH TO COMMENT, YOU CAN CALL THE PARISH ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE OR GO ONLINE TO C-P-P-J-DOT-CITIZEN-REACH-DOT-COM.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY MORNING IN THE KATHY APARTMENT COMPLEX IN CROWLEY. ACCORDING TO SHERIFF K-P GIBSON, TWO MEN IN A WHITE S-U-V EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHOT A PERSON, AND THEN DROVE AWAY. IT’S BELIEVED THE VEHICLE HAD A BROKEN REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND IS STILL BE IN THE CROWLEY AREA. THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT THIS TIME.
