2-19-19
THE WIDENING OF VEROT SCHOOL ROAD IN LAFAYETTE IS NEARING COMPLETION. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IS PREDICTING THAT THE ROADWORK SHOULD BE FINISHED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. THE PROJECT TO WIDEN VEROT SCHOOL TO FOUR LANES OVER A THREE-POINT-ONE-NINE MILE STRETCH BEGAN IN NOVEMBER OF 2015. THE PROJECT COSTS 35 MILLION DOLLARS, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PICKING UP 80 PERCENT OF THE COSTS WHILE THE STATE COVERED THE REMAINING AMOUNT.
The first of Sasol’s seven chemical product manufacturing plants is up and running in southwest Louisiana. The American Press reports a second plant is set to start up later this year at Sasol’s Westlake site, with the remaining manufacturing units to begin operations later this year and into early 2020. Michael Kane, vice president of site operations, says the first unit will produce 470,000 tons of low-density polyethylene per year, and the second plant will manufacture 420,000 tons of polyethylene annually. Kane says Sasol has hired 650 workers for the manufacturing facility so far.
POLICE HAVE MADE A SECOND ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH RACES AND ACES CASINO IN ST. MARTINVILLE. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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Louisiana officials say the month-long partial federal government shutdown likely further delayed recovery grants to homeowners still trying to recover from the 2016 flooding. As many as 6,000 Louisiana residents who took out loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration have been waiting to see if federal rules might change so they could access Restore Louisiana recovery grants. Congress changed the law in October to allow SBA loan applicants to not have those count against the federally financed grants. But The Advocate reports state officials are waiting for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to issue new legal guidance.
CONXSTRUCTION ZONES ARE KNOWN AS HOT SPOTS FOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. JEFF HORCHAK HAS A REPORT ON ACCIDENTS IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES ON I-TEN.
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CHRISTUS OCHSNER ST. PATRICK’S REHABILITATION FACILITY IN LAKE CHARLES HAS INTRODUCED A NEW DEVICE TO HELP PATIENTS IN THEIR PHYSICAL THERAPY. THE LITEGAIT HELPS PATIENTS MOVE FREELY BY PUTTING THEM IN A HARNESS AS THEY ARE ABOVE GROUND OR ON A TREADMILL, FREEING THE PATIENT FROM THE FEAR OF FALLING. PHYSICAL THERAPIST MICHAEL MUZYCZYN TELLS KPLC TV IT GIVES PATIENTS CONFIDENCE AND ALLOWS THE THERAPIST TO STEP BACK AND ANALYZE THE PATIENT WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THEM FALLING. THE DEVICE COST 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH WAS RAISED THROUGH THE GREEN HAT CHARITY FUN RUN WALK OR CRAWL FROM LAST YEAR.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT IS CRACKING DOWN ON ATV’S BEING USED IN ROADWAYS. SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS THEY ARE ACTING BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS BY RESIDENTS. HE SAYS MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE ABOUT CHILDREN DRIVING THE ATV’S ON THE ROADWAYS, CUTTING OFF OTHER VEHICLES AND ALMOST BEING HIT. GIBSON SAYS THEY ARE ISSUING CITATIONS WITH FINES OF BETWEEN TWO TO THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEY WILL IMPOUND THE ATV’S IF NECESSARY.
Louisiana’s agricultural hall of fame will have four new members in March, including its second female member. Linda Zaunbrecher will be among the inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction on March 7 in Baton Rouge. She was the first woman elected to the Louisiana Farm Bureau State Board of Directors’ executive committee, in 1984. This year’s other inductees include Grady Coburn, Jack Hamilton and George LaCour.
