News

Organizer: Tax exemption program costing state

Louisiana has a robust industrial sector, but the structure of the state’s industrial property tax exemption process has long hurt the taxing entities that desperately need more revenue, a community organizer says. Broderick Bagert, lead organizer for Together Louisiana, spoke Wednesday during a St.

Baseball must end diamond dust-ups

The boys of summer will be boys and it’s high time Major League Baseball did something about it. The generally genteel game is increasingly marred by senseless brawling among players and coaches.

What? Change the state song?

Gov. Jimmie Davis must be rolling over in his grave right now. Louisiana’s internationally acclaimed official state song is under attack by the Louisiana Legislature. There is an effort by some south Louisiana legislators to designate the Cajun classic "Jambalaya" as an official public ballad.

Of Blue Vee, Black Cat, other colorful folks

Blue Vee, ridden by Donald Comeaux, won the first race — a five-furlong claiming race for four-year-olds and up — when 10,000 people turned out for the opening of Evangeline Downs on April 28, 1966, 53 years ago this week. The event was something to behold. Gov.

5 projects unveiled for Acadia Parish

Tuesday night’s unveiling of plans for five economic/cultural development projects scattered across Acadia Parish was described as a “commencement.

Eunice News candidate announcement policy

The Eunice News will publish free announcements for candidates in the Oct. 12 Gubernatorial Primary Election. The announcements are biographical only and limited to 400 words. They will contain no campaign promises, pledges or references to other candidates.

Jobless rates down

Unemployment rates in the Tri-Parish area are lower than they were a year ago and the workforce, although down, is stabilizing, according to statistics from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The unemployment rates by parish for March are: — 5.

Former Eunice principal selected as interim superintendent for Lafayette schools

Irma Trosclair will take over as interim superintendent of Lafayette schools in three weeks, after a 9-0 School Board vote Wednesday tapped her to succeed retiring Superintendent Donald Aguillard. Trosclair will assume the lead school system position beginning May 18.

“It was like they were living like they were in a war zone,”

Some of the 11 people arrested in two pre-dawn raids in Eunice on Thursday were sleeping with their guns nearby, Police Chief Randy Fontenot said. “They were ready for attack. It was like they were living like they were in a war zone,” he said.

Fundraising in full gear for pregnancy center

A fundraising campaign that banks on one baby bottle after another getting filled with donations is underway, according to Kim Loewer, one of the volunteers for the planned New Life Pregnancy Care Center in Mamou.