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THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO KEEP PROPERTY TAXES AT THE SAME RATE. THAT MEANS IF YOUR PROPERTY VALUE INCREASED, YOU WILL BE PAYING MORE IN TAXES. LAFAYETTE PARISH PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED AT AN AVERAGE OF 8-POINT-5 PERCENT THIS YEAR. BY KEEPING THE SAME PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE, THE SCHOOL BOARD ANTICIPATES SEEING AN ADDITIONAL SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE.
LAKE CHARLES RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR A PROPOSED TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT OFF OF COUNTRY CLUB ROAD EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT IT AT LAST NIGHT’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE 15 TO 20 MILLION DOLLAR DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE 66 TOWNHOMES IN IT, AND SOME ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASED TRAFFIC THAT IT COULD CAUSE. ONE NEARBY RESIDENT, JOHN VICKERS, SAYS HE OBJECTS TO THEIR BEING ABLE TO USE STANLEY ROAD AS A WAY IN AND OUT OF THE PROPERTY, BECAUSE IT ALREADY HAS MAJOR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE SEPTEMBER 21ST COUNCIL MEETING.
DRAINAGE FROM THE RECENT FLOODS IS RESULTING IN A POOR FALL SHRIMP SEASON. SPECIALIST THOMAS HYMEL OF THE L-S-U AG CENTER SAYS THE RUSH OF FRESH WATER IS PUSHING SHRIMP FURTHER AWAY FROM THE COAST. HE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER MOST OF THE SHRIMP THAT’S BEING CAUGHT IS NOT SO MUCH IN THE VERMILLION BAY BUT FURTHER OUT. WENDELL VERRET OF THE PORT OF DELCAMBRE SAYS HE BELIEVES IT’S A TEMPORARY SETBACK AND SOME NORTH WINDS WOULD STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.
Eleven years ago, Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation. Lessons learned from that 2005 monster storm formed the backbone of state and federal reaction as flooding ravaged 20 Louisiana parishes last month. The response in the immediate aftermath of the flooding was widely praised by officials and storm victims, Republican and Democrat alike.
Criticisms are emerging about the pace of housing aid, the size of grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the question marks that surround rebuilding and recovery.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL ZIP CODE FOR EMERGENCY FOOD STAMPS. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
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Gov. John Bel Edwards is traveling to Washington to pitch Louisiana’s case for additional federal flood relief aid. The Democratic governor will be in the capital today and Friday. Spokesman Richard Carbo says it’s the first of several trips Edwards will make to Washington in the next few weeks to discuss flood assistance with Obama administration officials and congressional leaders.
Edwards is asking for $2 billion in federal disaster block grant money from Congress.
L-U-S CUSTOMERS WILL SEE THEIR UTILITY BILLS GO UP BY NINE PERCENT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL APPROVED THE RATE INCREASE WHICH WILL HELP RAISE THE FUNDS TO IMPROVE LAFAYETTE UTILITIES SYSTEM’S ELECTRIC, WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS. COUNCILWOMAN NANETTE COOK ASKED IF THERE WAS SOME WAY TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON CUSTOMERS FOR THE FIRST YEAR THAT BEGINS NOVEMBER FIRST. L-U-S DIRECTOR TERRY HUVAL SAID IN RESPONSE THAT THEY COULD REDUCE THE RATE HIKE BY DEDUCTING THE FUEL ADJUSTMENT FROM CUSTOMER’S BILLS FOR THAT FIRST YEAR.
THE ANNUAL GREAT STRIDES WALK, THE BIGGEST FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION, IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH. IN LAKE CHARLES, THE THREE MILE WALK WILL TAKE PLACE THAT SATURDAY MORNING AT WALNUT GROVE. DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR CASSONDRA GUILBEAU SAYS THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE U-S ARE AFFECTED BY CYSTIC FIBROSIS, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE THE GOVERNMENT FUNDING OTHER DISEASES HAVE. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE GREAT STRIDES WALK BY VISITING THE WEBSITE, FIGHT-C-F-DOT-C-F-F-DOT-ORG.
