The battle over the French Quarter’s trash contractor is heating up. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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The Louisiana legislature is taking a hard look at the LHSAA, thanks to a new committee established by Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson. Kace Kieschnick reports.
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A dispute over trash pickup and sanitation in the French Quarter is heating up. Mayor LaToya Cantrell is looking to terminate the contract with I-V Waste and award an emergency contract to Henry Consulting at a higher cost. That’s not sitting well with many who live and work in the French Quarter. Glade Bilby with the French Quarter Management District says even though a judge ruled that Mayor Cantrell can move forward with the emergency contract, the issue is far from over.
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As such, Bilby says come next Friday, he feels that I-V Waste will continue to provide trash pickup and sanitation services in the French Quarter.
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Bilby says he feels that I-V waste is better suited to serving the French Quarter than Henry Consulting, and members of city administration agree with him.
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This week, Attorney General Liz Murrill filed an amicus brief, saying Mayor Cantrell is blatantly abusing her emergency authority.
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Louisiana Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson has established a committee to monitor and communicate with the LHSAA. Johnson says the LHSAA is a private corporation with authority over student-athletes across the state.
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Johnson says legislators regularly hear concerns from constituents on LHSAA transfer, discipline and organization policies. He says he was surprised by how emotional and frustrated numerous legislators were with the situation.
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While Johnson is looking for a better public-private relationship with the organization and more oversight, he’s also trying to protect the LHSAA from overreaching legislation. He says he wants the association and Louisiana schools to share in success.
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Being grounded will be the least of these kids’ worries. Seven teens, including six juveniles, are facing felony charges for causing damage to a golf course in St. Charles Parish. Sergeant Jenni Barrette (buh-REHT) says this happened at the Grand Ridge Golf Club.
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Specifically, the areas around the 11th, 12th and 13th holes were damaged. All suspects are boys, and they range in age from 13 to 17. Sergeant Barrette says the 17-year-old, Hunter Graffia of Destrehan, is facing the most charges.
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Barrette says these teens do not represent the kids of St. Charles Parish as a whole.
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The charges are felonies because the damages exceed one-thousand dollars. The golf course is still playable, albeit with a few additional man-made – make that juvenile-made – hazards on the 11th through the 13th holes.
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When people think of tourism in Louisiana, naturally the one city that comes to mind is New Orleans. But in speaking to Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says while New Orleans is certainly a fun place to visit, he’s trying to change that narrative.
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Nungesser says he doesn’t want to see New Orleans become overcrowded like what many European tourist destinations are becoming.
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Bill Cassidy’s Republican challenger list for his U.S. Senate seat has just gotten a little more crowded. Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta has announced today that he’s running for his seat. Skrmetta made the announcement in a video, in which he introduced himself to voters statewide.
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Later in the video, Skrmetta outlined some of his priorities, should he be elected to the U.S. Senate.
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Skrmetta joins State Treasurer John Fleming and State Senator Blake Miguez among the prominent Republicans to challenge Cassidy for the seat that he has held for two terms.