9-5-24
A PROPERTY DEVELOPER HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF KAPLAN. LECO PROPERTIES BOUGHT THE LEGION PARK SUBDIVISION TWO YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS ZONED AS R-TWO RESIDENTIAL, MEANING MOBILE HOMES WERE ALLOWED AS LONG AS THEY MET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS. THE CITY CHANGED THE ZONE TO R-ONE LAST OCTOBER, WHICH PROHIBITS MOBILE HOMES. THE DEVELOPER SAYS IT SPENT THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THE PROPERTY AND SPENT MONEY TO HIRE ENGINEERS, OBTAIN PERMITS, PURCHASE MOBILE HOMES AND OTHER PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS.
TWO U-L STUDENTS WERE STRUCK BY A TRANSPORT BUS WEDNESDAY MORNING. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS DOES NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE REVIEW PROCESS TO ENSURE RELEASE DATES FOR PRISON INMATES ARE ACCURATELY CALCULATED, ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR’S OFFICE. INMATE RELEASE TIMES CHANGE BASED ON GOOD BEHAVIOR OR DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, BUT SUPERVISORS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE A SECOND LEVEL REVIEW OF SUCH CALCULATIONS. THE AUDIT FOUND THERE WASN’T ALWAYS EVIDENCE THOSE REVIEWS WERE HAPPENING. THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT DISPUTED THE FINDINGS SAYING THE REVIEW PROCESS IS ADEQUATE AND POINTING OUT THE AUDITOR DID NOT FIND ERRORS IN THE CALCULATIONS THAT WERE REVIEWED.
LAST NIGHT THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE REVISING THE PANHANDLING ORDINANCE. THEY’VE ADDED AN AMENDMENT PROHIBITING SOLICITATION ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS. THE LAKE CHARLES CITY ATTORNEY SAYS HE BELIEVES THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN GROUPS. LAST MONTH A NEW STATE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT THAT MADE PANHANDLING ON MOST ROADWAYS ILLEGAL.
THE SAINT MARTINVILLE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A TEN PERCENT PAY INCREASE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE CURRENT STARTING SALARY IS FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND, BUT THAT WILL GO UP TO FORTY-SEVEN THOUSAND WITH THE NEXT PAY PERIOD. POLICE CHIEF RICKEY MARTIN SAYS THEY ARE UNDERSTAFFED CAUSING WEAR AND TEAR ON THE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HOURS. HE SAYS THIS NEWS WILL DEFINITELY BUILD UP MORALE.
THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE VEHICLE THEFTS IN LAFAYETTE ARE ON PACE TO SURPASS LAST YEAR’S AMOUNT. THERE WERE TWENTY-ONE TOTAL JUVENILE VEHICLE THEFTS ALL OF LAST YEAR WHILE THERE ARE ALREADY SIXTEEN THEFTS THIS YEAR WITH ALMOST FOUR MONTHS REMAINING. SERGEANT ROBIN GREEN SAYS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF THE THEFTS IS PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR CARS UNATTENDED WHILE THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. SHE SAYS THE SECOND HIGHEST REASON IS JUVENILES STEALING VEHICLES FROM FAMILY MEMBERS.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS DRAWN UP A PROPOSAL FOR CUTTING THE AGENCY’S SPENDING OF STATE FUNDS BY ONE HUNDRED FIVE MILLION BECAUSE OF A PROJECTED STATE BUDGET SHORTFALL OF THREE HUNDRED FORTY MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR. SECRETARY MICHAEL HARRINGTON AND UNDERSECRETARY DREW MARANTO MET WITH LAWMAKERS ON THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE LAST WEEK. THEY SAID THEY ARE CONSIDERING ELIMINATING SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE CARE TO THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE ELDERLY. SEVERAL OF THE LAWMAKERS EXPRESSED SHOCK BY THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE CUTS BUT REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TONY BACALA SAID THERE’S NO NEED TO PANIC BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE FIRST MEETING.
OPELOUSAS IS ONE OF TWENTY-FOUR COMMUNITIES IN LOUISIANA TO EARN THE TITLE OF AN ACCREDITED MAIN STREET AMERICA PROGRAM. THAT MEANS THE CITY HAS MET THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS REGARDING PRESERVATION-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION. DOWNTOWN OPELOUSAS IS ONE OF SIXTEEN HUNDRED DOWNTOWNS ACROSS THE NATION THAT EMPHASIZES REVITALIZING HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND NEW BUSINESSES. MELANIE LEBOUEF OF OPELOUSAS TOURISM AND MAIN STREET SAYS THIS ACCREDITATION MEANS PROGRESS, SO MANY HAVE LONGED TO SEE DOWNTOWN, IS FINALLY WITHIN REACH.
