8-5-16
A Lafayette developer has been fined more than $1.5 million over claims that he steered lucrative consulting contracts to himself while serving on a public board.
The Advocate reports that the developer, Greg Gachassin, can appeal the decision released Wednesday by the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The ethics board brought charges against Gachassin and his firm, The Cartesian Company, in June 2012. Gachassin allegedly steered two $500,000 consulting contracts for himself through the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority in 2009, while he was serving as the authority’s chairman.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY HAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN EXTENSION OF PINECONE DRIVE IN MOSS BLUFF. THE EXTENSION WILL GIVE DRIVERS ANOTHER ROUTE TO U-S HIGHWAY 171. PARISH ENGINEER TIM CONNER SAYS THERE’S A SCHOOL IN THAT AREA, SO IT WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER WAY IN-AND-OUT. THE JURY AWARDED A 2-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLAR BID TO MCMANUS CONSTRUCTION AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED SOME TIME IN APRIL.
Rescuers have recovered the pilot’s body from the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed in the Atchafalaya Basin. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says the wreckage was found Thursday morning and a short time later the body of the pilot was found. Chief Criminal Deputy Richard Hazelwood says the helicopter disappeared Wednesday afternoon in the basin south of Baton Rouge, after leaving Gonzales, Louisiana, to do a pipeline survey. The pilot has been identified as 29-year-old Casey Clark of Great Falls, Montana.
Louisiana’s Department of Education says the percentage of students achieving “mastery” scores on 2016 standardized assessment tests improved from 33 percent to 38 percent. The overall percentage reaching at least a “basic” score increased as well. The Department also released a list of Louisiana parishes that have seen the biggest improvement since 2012, and at the top of the list is Acadia Parish, which has gone from 45 percent to 86 percent this year, a 41 percent improvement. Other area parishes that made the top ten are Cameron, Evangeline, Vermillion and Iberia parishes.
FIREFIGHTERS SAY A BLAZE AT A LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED CHASE IN JEFF DAVIS AND CALCASIEU PARISH LAST NIGHT. SERGEANT IAN DAVIS OF THE IOWA POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE CHASE BEGAN ON U-S HIGHWAY 165 AND MOVED ON TO INTERSTATE TEN, WITH SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MILES PER HOUR. THE DRIVER HEADED WEST AND GOT OFF AT THE IOWA EXIT, THEN GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE GOING EAST. EVENTUALLY, THE DRIVER LOST CONTRON ON L-A 101 NEAR HAYES AND WAS ARRESTED.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 12-TO-1 TO DELAY HIRING FIVE MASTER TEACHERS. THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE LAST MONTH RECOMMENDED HIRING THE TEACHERS TO HELP IMPROVE THE ACADEMIC STANDING OF SOUTH STREET AND WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OPELOUSAS JUNIOR HIGH. HOWEVER, BOARD MEMBER MARY ELLEN DONATTO SAYS THE DISTRICT MAY NOT RECEIVE THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS THEY’D HOPED FOR TO PAY FOR THE TEACHERS. THAT’S BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT UNDER THE STRICTER GUIDELINES AND THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE MASTER TEACHERS UNDERGO FURTHER TRAINING.
With the budget balanced at least temporarily, Gov. John Bel Edwards has turned more attention to state infrastructure, planning it to be a key initiative for next year’s legislative session. In June, the Democratic governor created an 18-member study group to develop ideas for tackling Louisiana’s more than $12 billion road and bridge improvement backlog. Its recommendations are due by Jan. 1. Edwards said Thursday he wants the study group to consider gas tax hikes, toll roads and public/private partnerships as it devises recommendations to raise more money for roadwork.
A Lafayette developer has been fined more than $1.5 million over claims that he steered lucrative consulting contracts to himself while serving on a public board.
The Advocate reports that the developer, Greg Gachassin, can appeal the decision released Wednesday by the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The ethics board brought charges against Gachassin and his firm, The Cartesian Company, in June 2012. Gachassin allegedly steered two $500,000 consulting contracts for himself through the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority in 2009, while he was serving as the authority’s chairman.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY HAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN EXTENSION OF PINECONE DRIVE IN MOSS BLUFF. THE EXTENSION WILL GIVE DRIVERS ANOTHER ROUTE TO U-S HIGHWAY 171. PARISH ENGINEER TIM CONNER SAYS THERE’S A SCHOOL IN THAT AREA, SO IT WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER WAY IN-AND-OUT. THE JURY AWARDED A 2-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLAR BID TO MCMANUS CONSTRUCTION AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED SOME TIME IN APRIL.
Rescuers have recovered the pilot’s body from the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed in the Atchafalaya Basin. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says the wreckage was found Thursday morning and a short time later the body of the pilot was found. Chief Criminal Deputy Richard Hazelwood says the helicopter disappeared Wednesday afternoon in the basin south of Baton Rouge, after leaving Gonzales, Louisiana, to do a pipeline survey. The pilot has been identified as 29-year-old Casey Clark of Great Falls, Montana.
Louisiana’s Department of Education says the percentage of students achieving “mastery” scores on 2016 standardized assessment tests improved from 33 percent to 38 percent. The overall percentage reaching at least a “basic” score increased as well. The Department also released a list of Louisiana parishes that have seen the biggest improvement since 2012, and at the top of the list is Acadia Parish, which has gone from 45 percent to 86 percent this year, a 41 percent improvement. Other area parishes that made the top ten are Cameron, Evangeline, Vermillion and Iberia parishes.
FIREFIGHTERS SAY A BLAZE AT A LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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KAJN IMPACT NEWS PAGE TWO
SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED CHASE IN JEFF DAVIS AND CALCASIEU PARISH LAST NIGHT. SERGEANT IAN DAVIS OF THE IOWA POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE CHASE BEGAN ON U-S HIGHWAY 165 AND MOVED ON TO INTERSTATE TEN, WITH SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MILES PER HOUR. THE DRIVER HEADED WEST AND GOT OFF AT THE IOWA EXIT, THEN GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE GOING EAST. EVENTUALLY, THE DRIVER LOST CONTRON ON L-A 101 NEAR HAYES AND WAS ARRESTED.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 12-TO-1 TO DELAY HIRING FIVE MASTER TEACHERS. THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE LAST MONTH RECOMMENDED HIRING THE TEACHERS TO HELP IMPROVE THE ACADEMIC STANDING OF SOUTH STREET AND WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OPELOUSAS JUNIOR HIGH. HOWEVER, BOARD MEMBER MARY ELLEN DONATTO SAYS THE DISTRICT MAY NOT RECEIVE THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS THEY’D HOPED FOR TO PAY FOR THE TEACHERS. THAT’S BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT UNDER THE STRICTER GUIDELINES AND THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE MASTER TEACHERS UNDERGO FURTHER TRAINING.
With the budget balanced at least temporarily, Gov. John Bel Edwards has turned more attention to state infrastructure, planning it to be a key initiative for next year’s legislative session. In June, the Democratic governor created an 18-member study group to develop ideas for tackling Louisiana’s more than $12 billion road and bridge improvement backlog. Its recommendations are due by Jan. 1. Edwards said Thursday he wants the study group to consider gas tax hikes, toll roads and public/private partnerships as it devises recommendations to raise more money for roadwork.
