9-22-23
A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY WAS HELD YESTERDAY IN NEW IBERIA FOR A NEW SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURING FACILITY. MIKE TARANTINO FROM THE IBARIA DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION SAYS FIRST SOLAR PICKED THE PERFECT SPOT FOR THIS FACILITY BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL WORKFORCE AND THE AREA IS LOCATED IN A GOOD SPACE TO BRING GOODS IN AND OUT. THE FACTORY IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MORE THAN SEVEN HUNDRED DIRECT JOBS. IT’S EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY TWENTY-TWENTY-SIX.
HAZMAT TEAMS AND FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED TO A CHEMICAL ACCIDENT IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY. A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS VAPOR WAS REPORTED NEAR A BUSINESS LOCATED IN THE THIRTY-TWO-HUNDRED BLOCK OF CAMERON STREET. HAZMAT TECHNICIANAS STABILIZED THE CHEMICAL SOLUTION AND PUT A BARRIER DIKE AROUND A PLASTIC TOTE IN CASE OF A LEAK HAPPENING OVERNIGHT. LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN ALTON TRAHAN SAYS THE SOLUTION IS EXPECTED TO STAY STABLE, BUT HAZMAT TEAMS WILL RETURN THIS MORNING TO ASSESS AND MITIGATE THE INCIDENT.
AFTER MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH OFFICIALS AT BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA, ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF LANDRY SAYS HE DOEN’T WANT A SALE OF THE COMPANY TO GO FORWARD UNTIL MORE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. ELEVANCE HEALTH HAS PROPOSED PURCHASING THE COMPANY FOR TWO-POINT-FIVE BILLION DOLLARS. LANDRY SAYS HE DOESN’T OPPOSE THE SALE IN THEORY BUT, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, IT IS A BAD DEAL THAT WILL AFFECT ONE POINT NINE MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE WITH SOME FORM OF BLUE CROSS INSURANCE. LANDRY SAYS HE’S NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM TAKING LEGAL ACTION IF THERE’S GOING TO BE INJURY TO THE CONSUMER OR A VIOLATION OF ANTI-TRUST POLICIES.
A MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE FROM SULPHUR WAS ARRESTED MULTIPLE TIMES THIS WEEK ON THEFT CHARGES. JEWELRY WAS REPORTED MISSING FROM A HOME IN GRAY MARKET DRIVE IN LAKE CHARLES IN JULY AND POLICE LINKED IT TO SEVERAL RECENTLY PAWNED JEWELRY AND EQUIPMENT ITEMS AT PAWNSHOPS IN ORANGE, VIDOR, AND BEAUMONT. SEVENTY-YEAR-OLD JOHN LESLIE SONS, A MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE WITH ACCESS TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS, WAS ARRESTED ON THEFT CHARGES MONDAY AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. HIS BOND WAS SET AT SEVENTEEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
NOT MANY DETAILS HAVE BEEN RELEASED YET ABOUT A TWO VEHICLE CRASH IN RAYNE. IT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY SIX-THIRTY IN THE THREE HUNDRED BLOCK OF SOUTH ADAMS. THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
PLANS WERE UNVEILED YESTERDAY FOR A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART INDOOR SPORTS FACILITY, WHICH WILL BE BUILT BY THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AT THE SITE OF BEAULLIEU PARK AND THE COMEAUX RECREATION CENTER. THE COST OF THE PROJECT WILL BE COVERED BY A TWO PERCENT PROPERTY TAX ON HOTELS THAT HOTELIERS AGREED TO ASSESS ON THEMSELVES. BEN BERTHELOT OF LAFAYETTE TRAVEL SAYS THE NEW FACILITY WILL HAVE THREE TIMES THE FLOOR SPACE OF THE CAJUNDOME, OFFERING EIGHT BASKETBALL COURTS AND SIXTEEN VOLLEYBALL COURTS. HE SAYS IT COULD DRIVE AN ADDITIONAL THIRTY THOUSAND PLUS HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOM NIGHTS PER YEAR.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BILLY NUNGESSER ANNOUNCED THE CREATION OF FOUR NEW LOUISIANA CULTURAL DISTRICTS, BRINGING THE TOTAL IN THE STATE TO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO STIMULATE REVITALIZATION BY PROVIDING TAX INCENTIVES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES. THE NEW CULTURAL DISTRICTS FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDE THE SAINT MARTINVILLE CULTURAL DISTRICT AND THE DOWNTOWN SULPHUR CULTURAL DISTRICT. NUNGESSER SAYS THE PROGRAM IS PRODUCING A SOLID RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR LOUISIANA WITH HUNDREDS OF NEW BUSINESSES OPENING IN THESE DISTRICTS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE VISITING THEM.
A MOTORCYCLIST, WHO WORKED AT MENDOZA FORD, WAS KILLED WHEN HIT BY AN S-U-V IN MAURICE TUESDAY EVENING. AUTHORITIES SAY THE DRIVER OF THE S-U-V, A STUDENT AT NORTH VERMILLION HIGH SCHOOL, WAS TRAVELING EAST ON EAST ETIENNE AND FAILED TO YIELD TO NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC ON MAURICE AVENUE, CAUSING THE CRASH. ISAAC LUQUETTE OF ABBEVILLE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED. THE DRIVER OF THE S-U-V WAS CITED FOR FAILURE TO YIELD.
