9-22-17
SEVERAL L-J ALLEMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER WERE INJURED YESTERDAY IN AN ACCIDENT. IT HAPPENED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF JOHNSTON AND FOREMAN STREETS IN LAFAYETTE AT AROUND 8:10 A-M. THE BUS COLLIDED WITH A COMMERCIAL TRUCK. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS CITED.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY LAST NIGHT TURNED DOWN AN APPLICATION FOR AN R-V PARK IN SULPHUR. APPLICANT WENDELL THIBODEAUX SAID HE WANTED TO PROVIDE A NICE QUALITY PARK FOR OUT OF TOWN WORKERS AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD APPROVED HIS REQUEST EARLIER THIS WEEK. BUT A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS CAME OUT TO OPPOSE THE PARK OVER CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY AND DRAINAGE. THE PARK WAS TO BE BUILT OFF OF HIGHWAY 108 WEST NEAR CHOUPIQUE ROAD.
A SUNSET MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMOCIDE FOR HIS PART IN A SEPTEMBER SECOND ACCIDENT NEAR EGAN. 25-YEAR-OLD JAKE HEBERT WAS DRIVING HIS PICKUP TRUCK ON L-A 91 WHEN HE CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVEN BY 19-YEAR-OLD DERRICK CONNOR JUNIOR OF EGAN. A PASSENGER IN CONNOR’S VEHICLE, 16-YEAR-OLD TYLER LEGER OF EGAN, DIED THIS PAST MONDAY FROM INJURIED SUSTAINED IN THE ACCIDENT. A BREATH TEST FOUND THAT HEBERT’S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS NEARLY TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT.
Louisiana’s House speaker wants to use the lion’s share of a $100 million-plus state surplus expected from the last budget year to repay the “rainy day” fund, which was used during the year to pay agency expenses. Lawmakers took $99 million from the fund, rather than make deep cuts, to plug an anticipated budget gap in the 2016-17 financial year that ended June 30. But apparently the income forecast for that year had been too conservative. A state economist told Louisiana’s forecasting panel Thursday that tax collections exceeded revenue projections by about $140 million.
THE NEW TERMINAL PROJECT AT THE LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT IS GETTING BACK ON TRACK AS THE COMMISSION HAS ASKED COMPANIES WANTING TO BE THE LEAD CONSTRUCTION FIRM TO SUBMIT PROOF OF CREDENTIALS. LAFAYETTE TAXPAYERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED 32 MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH A TEMPORARY SALES TAX FOR A NEW 130 MILLION DOLLAR TERMINAL THAT WILL BE NEARLY TWICE THE SIZE OF THE CURRENT TERMINAL. IN MAY THE COMMISSION ASKED FOR PROPOSALS FROM CONTRACTORS BUT WITHDREW THE REQUEST OVER DEADLINE QUESTIONS AND A LACK OF CONFIRMATION OVER STATE FUNDING. ROBERT CALLAHAN, WHO REPRESENTS THE COMMISSIONERS, SAYS THEY MAY CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR AS EARLY AS THEIR NOVEMBER MEETING.
THE STARKS FIRE CHIEF AND VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WALKED OUT OF A BOARD MEETING OVER A DISPUTE BUT DID NOT QUIT. KPLC TV IS REPORTING THAT THEY MAY QUIT IF THE DISPUTE WAS NOT RESOLVED AT A MEETING LAST NIGHT. A SOURCE SAYS THE CHIEF WANTS A STIPEND AND VEHICLE LIKE MOST VOLUNTEER CHIEFS IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE FIRE CHIEF, COREY BLANCHARD, SAYS RESIDENTS DON’T NEED TO WORRY BECAUSE, IF THERE IS A FIRE DANGER, SOMEONE WILL RESPOND.
IN ST. MARTIN PARISH, THE DRIVER OF AN 18 WHEELER DIED BEFORE CRASHING INTO A HOME. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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Louisiana’s eight metropolitan areas included two of the nation’s fastest growing economies and two of its fastest shrinking in 2016. Lake Charles’ economy grew 8.1 percent, fastest in the nation according to numbers released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department. Alexandria grew 7 percent, fourth fastest nationwide, boosted by natural resources and mining, a sector including oil and gas extraction.
Two other urban areas had bad news. The Lafayette area’s economy shrank 11.5 percent, third-worst nationwide. The Houma-Thibodaux area economy shrank 10.4 percent.
