Deaf students are suing the Louisiana Community College System, alleging a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Matt Doyle talked to the plaintiff’s attorney Andrew Bizer…
______________________________________
The attorney for former State Police leader, Mike Edmondson, has responded to a scathing audit that alleges he abused his position. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”
_________________________________________________
Deaf students have filed a discrimination suit against the Louisiana Community College System, alleging Delgado Community College denied sign language interpreters and other accommodations. Plaintiffs’ attorney Andrew Bizer says Delgado violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Bizer says the discrimination directly led to a loss of financial aid…
Two plaintiffs, Lee Bruce and Ronneka Smith, have been named so far, but Bizer says he expects more to be named after the story took off on social media. Bizer says he hopes the suit will force the state to overhaul its treatment of disabled students…
System spokesperson Quintin Taylor says he can’t comment on pending litigation, but released the following statement: “We take this issue and all issues of accessibility of our students and faculty very seriously, we always do everything we can to provide proper access to our students and faculty.”
_________________________________________________________
Tallulah has been struggling with water issues and now an electrical transformer failure has left the city without water today. Hard freezes hampered the system earlier this month. Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Yvonne Lewis says water was restored to the city Tuesday and now another catastrophe has hit…
Mayor Paxton Branch says water should be flowing again Entergy crews restored power in about 2 hours, but still need to replace a control panel, before putting the water panel back online. The school day was cut short today and Lewis doesn’t have a time table on when classes will resume…
Lewis says they are asking for donations to get the city through the lack of water…
______________________________________________________
A mobile trailer fire in Hammond has claimed one life. Preliminary findings from the state fire marshal indicates the deadly blaze was a result of the resident using an outdoor cooking burner to heat the trailer. No smoke alarms were found and Fire Marshal Butch Browning says that tends to be the case in most fatal fires…
The man’s name has not yet been released
Browning says the last month has had a noticeable spike in fire fatalities…
Most of the spike in recent fire deaths has been attributed to people finding unconventional ways to keep warm, but Browning says year round there’s another reason for most fires…
________________________________________________________________
Retired State Police Superintendent Mike Edmondson’s attorney has responded to a legislative audit that found evidence of misconduct and tax evasion throughout his nine year tenure. The letter touted Edmonson’s character and leadership, but Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says there was one notable omission.
Edmondson’s attorneys say at the moment he doesn’t have the resources to respond to each allegation. Ciolino says this may be due to the breadth of allegations.
Edmondson’s was accused of using a state facility for housing, and not reporting it on his taxes. Ciolino says finding a defense for that accusation will be difficult.