8-8-17
THE BODIES OF TWO MEN, POSSIBLE INVOLVED IN A SUNDAY KIDNAPPING, WERE FOUND IN THE INTRACOASTAL CANAL MONDAY EVENING. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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AT A NEWS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, MAYOR NIC HUNTER ANNOUNCED THE FILLING OF TWO NEW STAFF POSITIONS. KIMBERLY DELAFOSSE WILL BE THE ASSISTANT OF CITY ADMINISTRATOR JOHN CARDONE AND KAREN HARDY WILL TAKE A POSITION AS PROJECT SPECIALIST. ALSO MAYOR HUNTER ANNOUNCED THREE INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. THEY ARE SOLVING THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM, BRINGING DOWN THE RATE OF VIOLENT CRIME AMONG YOUTH, AND OBTAINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A VOLUNTEER AT MISS HELEN’S SOUP KITCHEN IN CROWLEY HAS BEEN CONFIRMED TO HAVE TUBERCULOSIS. ON MONDAY MORNING, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION BEGAN TESTING ANY VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED AT THE SOUP KITCHEN OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS. BLUE ROLFES, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE, SAYS THEY CONTACTED THE C-D-C AFTER THE VOLUNTEER STARTED SHOWING TUBERCULOSIS-TYPE SYMPTOMS. SHE SAYS THE C-D-C HAS VERY SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS THEY FOLLOW TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE PERSON WHO CAME DOWN WITH THE DISEASE.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is starting his outreach effort to solicit ideas for patching a more than $1 billion hole in next year’s state operating budget. Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says the governor will meet Tuesday with business leaders from around Louisiana to discuss ways to close the mid-2018 gap when temporary taxes expire. Edwards then will begin regional meetings with lawmakers next week, hoping to draw support for ideas that will keep the state from making massive cuts to health and education programs. Any tax plans will require a special session to consider ahead of the shortfall, but Edwards says he won’t call one unless he can reach a consensus with House GOP leaders.
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE DETERMINED THE IDENTITY OF A BODY FOUND ON GAUTHIER ROAD LAST THURSDAY. IT IS 32-YEAR-OLD BYRON LEWIS WHITTAKER OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, WHO HAD BEEN IN LAFAYETTE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT DID NOT HAVE A KNOWN ADDRESS, ACCORDING TO POLICE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN CPL. KARL RATCLIFF. AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED ON THE BODY BUT THE CAUSE OF DEATH REMAINED INCONCLUSIVE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT WHITTAKER IS URGED TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE CRIME STOPPERS AT 232-TIPS.
A CITIZEN’S GROUP IN SULPHUR IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY DO AWAY WITH HAVING A MAYOR AND INSTEAD REPLACE THE POSITION WITH A CITY MANAGER. THE PROPOSAL FROM THE HOME RULE CHARTER COMMITTEE WOULD TAKE AWAY POLITICS FROM THE ROLE OF THE CITY MANAGER, WHOSE JOB WOULD BE TO EXECUTE THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL, ACCORDING TO TAB FINCHUM, WHO IS ONE OF THE SIX MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO HIRE AND FIRE THE CITY MANAGER. MAYOR CHRIS DUNCAN OPPOSES THE PROPOSAL, SAYING IT TAKES AWAY THE CITIZEN’S RIGHT TO SELECT THE LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT HE SUPPORTS PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE MATTER.
A BREAUX BRIDGE FAMILY HAD A SURPRISE VISITOR SHOW UP ON THE FRONT STOOP OF THEIR HOME SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AN EIGHT FOOT ALLIGATOR SAT DOWN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DOOR AT A HOUSE ON BELLE DRIVE NEAR ST. MARTIN HOSPITAL. WILDLIFE AGENTS CAME OUT AND WERE ABLE TO WRANGLE IT. RESIDENTS GATHERED AROUND TO WATCH AND THE GATOR HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO A SAFER AREA.
Louisiana’s public schools are restarting an evaluation system that will tie nearly one-third of teachers’ annual job reviews to students’ standardized test scores in the upcoming school year. The soon-to-be-revived evaluation system — which impacts about 15,000 of 50,000 teachers — had been on hold for four years. It has been sidelined since the 2012-13 school year, during Louisiana’s move to tougher academic standards. The Advocate reports the test score component remains controversial.
