9-27-17
The Lafayette Parish School System is making an urgent plea for bus drivers because of a shortage. KLFY-TV reports the school district has called a special board meeting for today at 5:30 p.m. Chief Administrative Officer Joe Craig says the board will be asked to approve increasing the pay scale for bus drivers, create a new position called School Bus Driver Intern and approve a pay incentive to discourage absenteeism. Craig says school districts around the country are struggling to attract and hire drivers.
A CALCASIEU PARISH JURY HAS FOUND 17-YEAR-OLD STACY TYRONE JOHNSON GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER. HE WAS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING 79-YEAR-OLD ROBERT COLSTON JUNIOR. ON JUNE FIFTH OF LAST YEAR, COLSTON CRASHED HIS TRUCK INTO A TREE AND, WHEN EMERGENCY WORKERS REMOVED HIS BODY, THEY FOUND THAT HE HAD BEEN SHOT. THE JURY DELIBERATED AN HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE COMING TO A DECISION AND THE JUDGE HAS SET A SENTENCING HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER ELEVENTH.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOLS HAS PUT A PROPERTY TAX ON THE TABLE. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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A federal lawsuit accuses Louisiana prison officials of violating the rights of state penitentiary prisoners by banning them from talking about their crime in interviews. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit Tuesday in Baton Rouge. The suit says the policy bans interviews about the crimes because of the possible effect of such interviews on crime victims’ families. The suit says the policy prevents Christopher Lowery, a former coordinator with the Wrongful Conviction Project, from reporting on issues of public concern.
ALL THREE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN THE STATE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AFTER SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS OF DECLINES. ENROLLMENT AT UNIVERSITIES SLID BY 6-POINT-6 PERCENT OVER THOSE SEVEN YEARS, ACCORDING TO BOARD OF REGENTS NUMBERS, BUT THIS YEAR ENROLLMENT IS UP BY ONE-POINT-3 PERCENT. U-L LAFAYETTE HAS 222 FEWER STUDENTS ENROLLED THIS YEAR. THEIR CURRENT ENROLLMENT FOR THE FALL SEMESTER IS 17,297.
CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO SAYS HE BELIEVES PEOPLE ARE SAFE IN THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP. HE MADE THE COMMENTS TO KPLC TV IN THE WAKE OF A DEADLY SHOOTING AT A NASHVILLE CHURCH THIS PAST SUNDAY. HE SAYS THAT’S HE’S HELD SECURITY CONVERSATIONS WITH OVER FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE FROM ABOUT 150 CHURCHES SINCE 2015, WHEN THERE WAS ANOTHER SHOOTING AT A CHARLESTON CHURCH. MANCUSO SAYS HE BEGAN ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING FOR CHURCHES LAST YEAR AND SOME OFF DUTY OFFICERS GO TO CHURCH IN UNIFORM AND IN A MARKED CAR JUST TO BE SEEN AND PROVIDE A PRESENCE.
THE CHURCH POINT POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN IDENTIFYING STOLEN ITEMS THAT WERE RECOVERED DURING A CAR BURGLARY INVESTIGATION. ON MONDAY, THEY POSTED TWO PHOTOS OF STOLEN ITEMS ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE. TWO MORE PHOTOS WERE PUT UP YESTERDAY ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE OF ITEMS THAT WERE FOUND DURING A SEARCH OF A RESIDENCE. TWO ADULTS AND A JUVENILE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser says he’s boycotting New Orleans Saints games and NFL events after several players refused to stand during the national anthem. Nungesser, Louisiana’s top tourism official, told news outlets Tuesday he finds players kneeling or sitting during the anthem “un-American” and “disgraceful.” Nungesser will be in London on Sunday when the Saints face off with the Miami Dolphins, part of a trip to promote travel from Europe to New Orleans. But the lieutenant governor said he won’t attend the game.
