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LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL MADE SEVERAL CUTS BEFORE ADOPTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT BEGINS NOVEMBER FIRST. THE COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO CUT THE DOWNTOWN SECURITY DETAIL BY 85 THOUSAND DOLLARS, THOUGH THAT MONEY WILL BE ROLLED INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S GENERAL OVERTIME BUDGET AND CAN BE USED FOR DOWNTOWN PATROLS, IF THE NEED ARISES. THE COUNCIL ALSO REDUCED THE BUDGETS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AND FOR THE JAIL. THE BUDGET CUT COULD DELAY 365 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN PLANNED REPAIRS AT THE JAIL.
THE S-B-A SHIPYARD IN JENNINGS HAS BEEN ADDED BY THE E-P-A TO THE SUPERFUND PROGRAM’S NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST. THE 98 ACRE PROPERTY WAS THE SITE FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE OF BARGES BETWEEN 1965 AND 1999. THE E-P-A SAYS CONTAMINATION FROM THE SITE, LOCATED ALONG THE MERMENTAU RIVER, HAS MIGRATED TO UNDERLYING GROUNDWATER, NEARBY SURFACE WATERS AND ADJACENT WETLANDS. JENNA DURANT OF THE E-P-A SAYS THEY ARE WORKING TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION RELEASES FROM AN ABANDONED BARGE BURIED ON THE PROPERTY.
A Louisiana university says the first group of nine retired chimpanzees from a Louisiana research lab has arrived at a new animal sanctuary in the north Georgia mountains. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Project Chimps near Blue Ridge, Georgia, announced the move Thursday in a joint news release. The university said the chimps that arrived at the Project Chimps sanctuary Thursday will be followed by many transfers to eventually relocate all 220 chimpanzees from New Iberia. University officials say they’ve been planning retirement and sanctuary for its chimpanzees for more than two years, and “the vast majority” were never part of any research.
President Barack Obama has authorized the federal government to cover a larger percentage of the costs for repairing damage to public infrastructure from the historic flooding in south Louisiana. In a letter to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards dated Thursday, Obama says he agreed to increase the federal government’s share of the costs for “public assistance” projects from 75 percent to 90 percent. State and local government agencies cover the balance for these projects, which includes debris removal and emergency response expenses. In a letter to Obama dated Sept. 2, Edwards said the state had more than $8.7 billion in flood damage.
LAST NIGHT THE YOUNGSVILLE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED MAYOR KEN RITTER’S REQUEST TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO CLEAR DRAINAGE. IN A REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, RITTER SAYS THREE MILLION POUNDS OF DEBRIS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED SINCE THE FLOOD, AND 382 CONSTRUCTION PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY CITY HALL. HE SAYS YOUNGSVILLE RECEIVED 20 INCHES OF RAIN IN A THIRTY HOUR PERIOD, AND 60 PERCENT OF THAT CAME IN JUST THREE HOURS. HE SAYS THAT, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, THEIR LOCATION HASN’T HAD A STORM OF THIS MAGNITUDE IN 500 TO A THOUSAND YEARS, AND NO AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING WOULD HAVE ENABLED THEM TO HANDLE THAT AMOUNT OF RAIN.
A SULPHUR NATIVE WHO DIED IN THE 9/11 TERROR ATTACKS IN 2001 WILL BE HONORED AT A CEREMONY SATURDAY. LEO RUSSEL KEENE THE THIRD WAS KILLED IN THE ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY. THE MILITARY VETERANS FUND COMMISSIONED A BUST OF KEENE THAT WILL BE PLACED IN THE BRIMSTONE MUSEUM IN SULPHUR. THE BUST WILL BE UNVEILED AT A CEREMONY AT THE MUSEUM, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE.
PARENTS OF STUDENTS AT A KROTZ SPRINGS SCHOOL ARE UPSET. JEFF HORCHEK TELLS US WHY.
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THE L-S-U AG CENTER IS THE RECIPIENT OF A 992 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO DO RESEARCH ON COVER CROPS. ROGERS LEONARD OF THE AGCENTER SAYS INTEREST IN COVER CROPS, WHICH ARE PLANTED AFTER HARVEST, HAS WANED, BUT THEY’RE HOPING TO REKINDLE INTEREST AMONG FARMERS. COVER CROPS ARE NOT HARVESTED BUT INSTEAD TILLED UNDER OR KILLED TO ADD NUTRIENTS TO THE SOIL. SIX TO EIGHT FARMS ACROSS THE STATE WILL BE USED FOR RESEARCH ON THE COVER CROPS.
