How governor, legislators will tackle insurance crisis
Gov. John Bel Edwards called legislators into a special session to address Louisiana’s worsening insurance crisis. Top officials say thousands could lose homes without a fix.
Read More
Christiaan Mader
Christiaan Mader founded The Current in 2018, reviving the brand from a short-lived culture magazine he created for Lafayette publisher INDMedia. An award-winning investigative and culture journalist, Christiaan’s work as a writer and reporter has appeared in The New York Times, Vice, Offbeat, Gambit, and The Advocate.
Factors to be considered in selecting a site include cost, size of the property, walkability, whether demolition is needed, development potential of surrounding property, traffic and road conditions, regional accessibility and amenities near the property.
Source: The Advocate
More than 5,500 pages of complaints were released to the Louisiana Illuminator in response to a public records request. The records include all complaints submitted during the seven-day period immediately following the tip line’s inception on Nov. 28, 2022.
The vast majority of complaints submitted to the tip line were spam. Dozens of users submitted the entire script of Jerry Seinfeld’s “Bee Movie.”
Source: Louisiana Illuminator
Estrada was fired in February 2021 by then-Chief Thomas Glover for excessive use of force in a November 2020 arrest. Video surveillance from inside the jail showed Estrada push a handcuffed man, Dennis Lazard, against the wall and strike him in the abdomen to force him to sit after requests to sit were ignored.
Source: The Advocate
Melanie Brevis, co-founder of Lafayette Citizens Against Censorship, was reading a prepared statement during the public comment section of the meeting when Robert Judge, the board’s chair, informed her she was “out of order.”
Two Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputies, who were paid security at the meeting, approached her and escorted her out of the meeting.
Source: KATC
Applications for the 2022 ArtSpark program can be submitted through the online application at acadianacenterforthearts.org until February 24, 2023.
Source: KATC
Centanni will be running to succeed Conrad Comeaux, who has served as assessor since 2001.
Source: The Advertiser
Such a long-term investment into early childhood care and education in New Orleans is unprecedented and could serve as a model for the rest of the country, advocates say.
Source: Verite
Edwards is the second Black man to be elected to a city-wide position in Lafayette. City Marshal Reggie Thomas was the first Black man elected to a city-wide position in 2020.
Before running for the city court position, Edwards served for nearly 30 years as a district court judge before deciding to run for a position in the city court as a no-party candidate.
Source: Next Lafayette City Court Judge Jules Edwards prepares to take seat
The owners behind And Books Too, Marty and Lorraine Medlin, announced their retirement after first opening nearly 37 years ago and will close the store when the all the merchandise is sold.
Source: The Advocate
The parish is the latest venue for a conservative movement to challenge library materials some view as inappropriate for children and teens. The efforts have also targeted library displays, such as Pride Month exhibits, and events featuring drag queens.
Source: Louisiana Illuminator
Recap: Where Lafayette made progress in 2022
We’ve seen promise all over our community, including efforts to tackle Lafayette’s mountain of blighted properties, its mounting fentanyl deaths, food insecurity and more.
Read More