KAJN Jesus FM 102.9


9-4-15

LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH PRESIDENT JOEY DUREL HAS THREATENED TO VETO ALL OR PARTS OF THE 2015-16 BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.  DUREL’S CONCERNS WERE A VARIETY OF AMENDMENTS PASSED LAST NIGHT THAT WILL CUT INTO THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT’S RESERVES.  DUREL AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER LORRIE TOUPS WANT TO KEEP A 15 TO 20 PERCENT RESERVE, BUT THE AMENDMENTS APPROVED WOULD CUT THE RESERVES BY MORE THAN 4-POINT-6 PERCENT.  DUREL SAYS HE’S CONCERNED THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO USE MORE OF THE RESERVES AT A TIME WHEN SALES TAX REVENUES ARE DECLINING AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY FOR NEXT YEAR COULD BE CHALLENGING.

 

A LAKE ARTHUR POLICE OFFICER, WHO WAS SEEN IN A PHOTO DISPLAYING THE KU KLUX KLAN INSIGNIA AND PERFORMING A NAZI SALUTE, HAS BEEN FIRED.  THE TOWN COUNCIL HELD A TWENTY MINUTE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE HOLDING A VOTE TO TERMINATE 33-YEAR-OLD RAYMOND MOTT JUNIOR.  MOTT SAYS HE PLANS TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO FIGHT HIS TERMINATION AND TO SUE FOR DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER.  HE TELLS THE AMERICAN PRESS HE WAS FIRED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS BECAUSE THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH IN LOUISIANA LAW WERE NOT FOLLOWED.

 

DELAYS IN A FRONTAGE ROAD PROJECT IN CROWLEY IS PUTTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF ONE OF THE CITY’S LARGEST DEVELOPMENTS BEHIND SCHEDULE.  ROCKY ROBIN OF DEREK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SAYS THEY HAD PLANNED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON GRAND VIEW, AN EIGHTY ACRE DEVELOPMENT NEXT SUMMER, BUT THE DELAY ON THE ROAD PROJECT MEANS CONSTRUCTION MAY NOT BEGIN UNTIL THE FALL OF 2016.  PLANS CALL FOR THE GRAND VIEW TO HAVE A GROCERY STORE, TWO RESTAURANTS, THREE CAR DEALERSHIPS, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, NINETY RESIDENTIAL UNITS, AND A 100 THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT SHOPPING CENTER.  THERE’S BEEN NO DETAILS ON WHAT PARTICULAR BUSINESSES WILL BE MOVING IN.

 

Arguments have wrapped up at a federal appeals court in a case involving those who claimed economic harm from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  Oil giant BP wants some of the money returned that it paid in damage claims under a 2012 settlement.  BP eventually won a revision in the way losses were calculated after arguing the settlement administrator wasn’t correctly matching business’s revenues and expenses.   The company wants restitution of some of the money paid out before the revision was approved.

 

A 24-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS KILLED WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER HE WAS HIT BY A TRAIN.  JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.

 

VOICER B :20

 

ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS LED TO MORE FLOODING IN CALCASIEU PARISH IN RECENT YEARS.  THAT’S ACCORDING TO PARISH ADMINISTRATOR BRYAN BEAM AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ALLEN WAINWRIGHT, WHO PRESENTED A PARISHWIDE DRAINAGE STUDY TO THE DRAINAGE COMMITTEE.  WAINWRIGHT SUGGESTED FORMING A NEW DEPARTMENT TO HELP PREVENT FLOODING.  BEAM SAYS TEN-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAXES COULD BE SHIFTED TO HELP FUND THE DEPARTMENT.

 

ABBEVILLE CITY OFFICIALS AND THE A-C-L-U OF LOUISIANA HAVE REACHED A TENTATIVE SETTLEMENT IN A LAWSUIT THAT SOUGHT TO HALT A POLICY THAT RESTRICTS THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.  IN 2013, A POLICY WAS PUT IN PLACE THAT BANNED OFFICERS FROM USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO ENGAGE WITH OR CREATE NEGATIVE POSTINGS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OR CITY OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES, AND RESIDENTS.  THE A-C-L-U OF LOUISIANA SUED THE CITY, MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF ON BEHALF OF SERGEANT COLT LANDRY, SAYING THE POLICY WAS VAGUE AND HINDERS OFFICER’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.  NEITHER SIDE HAS REVEALED THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT, AND MARJORIE ESMAN OF THE A-C-L-U TOLD THE ADVOCATE THE SUIT IS NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER.

 

Hunting supplies are tax-free this weekend, as Louisiana holds its annual Second Amendment sales tax holiday.  From Friday through Sunday, purchases of guns, ammunition and hunting supplies are exempt from the 4 percent state sales tax and all local sales taxes.  The exemption applies to a wide range of hunting gear, including firearms, bullets, archery supplies, hunting accessories, apparel such as safety gear and camouflage clothing, and off-road vehicles designed for hunting.

The exemption does not apply to golf carts, bikes, motorcycles, tractors, heavy equipment or other vehicles that may be legally driven on highways.