9-15-17
The Lafayette Parish school board has approved a one-time stipend for teachers and a salary increase for all full-time employees. The Advertiser reports the $1,647 stipend will be paid to Lafayette Parish teachers in October. It comes from the excess of a sales tax first approved in 2002, once other allocations are made.
The board also agreed to use $2 million for a step salary increase for all full-time school district employees and a pay-for-performance stipend for employees who are evaluated using the Compass system.
THE THREE PEOPLE KILLED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION ON I-TEN IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH WEDNESDAY WERE ALL TURKISH NATIONALS. THE THREE WERE IN A 2008 MAZDA 3 THAT COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK AFTER TRAVELING THROUGH THE MEDIAN. A FOURTH PASSENGER, 25-YEAR-OLD FAITH TURHAN, WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP, 56-YEAR-OLD PAUL ALBERT OF LAFAYETTE, WAS AIRLIFTED TO A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL.
A PETITION IS CIRCULATING IN KAPLAN TO RECALL POLICE CHIEF BOYD ADAMS AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED THIS WEEK ON THEFT CHARGES AND FOR MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE. ADAMS IS ACCUSED OF USING NEARLY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DEPARTMENT FUNDS FOR PERSONAL USE. ORGANIZERS OF THE PETITION NEED AT LEAST 999 SIGNATURES. THE MAN WHO STARTED THE PETITION, ROY WHITEMAN, TELLS KLFY TV THAT THEY WON’T STOP UNTIL THEY GET ENOUGH SIGNATURES.
Attorney General Jeff Landry says an anti-discrimination proposal, being considered by the state bar association to govern Louisiana’s lawyers, is overly broad and would violate the U.S. Constitution. The proposed professional conduct rule would prohibit Louisiana lawyers from discrimination based on race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status or disability. Lawyers can face disciplinary action if they violate conduct rules. The Louisiana State Bar Association hasn’t taken action on the proposed conduct rule, which is based on an anti-discrimination “model rule” from the American Bar Association.
CAJUN COAST SEARCH AND RESCUE IS PLANNING TO CONDUCT A SEARCH THIS WEEKEND FOR DAISY LYNN LANDRY, WHO HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE MAY 25TH. COMMANDER TONEY WADE SAYS THAT, BEFORE TROPICAL STORM HARVEY HIT, SIX DIFFERENT DOGS BROUGHT SEARCH GROUPS TO THE SAME AREA AROUND THE CAMELIA BRIDGE IN LAFAYETTE. HE SAYS HE’S NOT CERTAIN IF IT’S LANDRY, BUT HE’S SURE SOMEONE IS OUT THERE. WADE TELLS KLFY TV EVERYONE IS CERTAIN THAT LANDRY IS DECEASED, BUT THE FAMILY WANTS TO FIND HER SO SHE CAN GET A PROPER BURIAL AND HAVE CLOSURE.
AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN ENERGY ECONOMIST SAYS SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA IS POSITIONED TO EXPERIENCE AN ECONOMIC BOOM BECAUSE OF THE LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS PLANTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN THE AREA. SPEAKING AT THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ENTREPRENEURIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN LAKE CHARLES, DR. ANAS ALHAJJI SAYS THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL SHIFT TO LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS, AND IT WILL REALLY TAKE OFF ONCE OIL PRICES GO UP. HE SAYS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WILL ESPECIALLY SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE PLANTS ONCE THEY ARE UP AND OPERATING AND PERMANENT JOBS ARE IN PLACE. HE SAYS THE BENEFITS OF MORE MONEY FOR SCHOOLS, ROADS, JOB INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ISSUES RELATED TO URBANIZATION.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS A PORT BARRE WOMAN HAS ADMITTED HAVING RELATIONS WITH AN UNDERAGE MALE JUVENILE. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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THE KINDER TOWN COUNCIL LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THEY HAD A DEFICIT THIS YEAR OF MORE THAN 162 THOUSAND DOLLARS. HOWEVER, THAT’S FAR LESS THAN LAST YEAR, WHEN EXPENSES OUTPACED REVENUE BY MORE THAN 394 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE TOWN’S AUDITOR, ACCOUNTANT ROY SCIMEMI, SAYS KINDER HAS BEEN RUNNING DEFICITS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT THEY ARE GETTING SMALLER, WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN. HE SAYS THE TOWN HAS BEEN CUTTING EXPENSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT MORE REDUCTIONS ARE NEEDED.
