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News
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Housing and unemployment ‘a serious crisis, regardless’ as Lafayette commits all HUD coronavirus relief to small business grants
The decision previews potentially tragic choices to come as local and state governments dig their way out of a worsening economic fallout from the coronavirus: Governments have more problems than they can fix.
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COLUMN: How Guillory’s business grant program is bad policymaking
Regardless of the merit’s of Mayor-President Josh Guillory small business forgivable loan program, the process he’s used doesn’t lead to good policymaking while ignoring our community’s looming housing crisis.
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Louisiana cities are doing what they can to both save small businesses and keep people in their homes
Strapped for cash, some Louisiana cities are working to balance the needs of businesses and housing in how they use federal coronavirus relief.
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‘Very slow’ reopening of parish courthouse starts Monday
There won’t be any civil or criminal jury trials in the 15th Judicial District until at least July 1, but the Lafayette Parish Courthouse will reopen Monday in line with the state’s Phase 1 guidelines.
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Guillory proposes using HUD coronavirus relief for small business grant programs, not housing assistance
Housing advocates say the money is better used to help stabilize growing housing insecurity in the region. The proposal will go before the council next week for approval.
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With haircuts coming back, Lafayette’s salons are getting some bold styling requests
Since the coronavirus pandemic told hold here in March, temporarily shuttering The Loft, along with all other beauty salons in town, stylists have received an inordinate number of requests from quarantined clients to help make their longest-held hair dreams come true.
Reader Q: My daughter is an RN working on the front line. I haven’t been able to see/touch her since the beginning of March. Is it safe to finally visit/hug her?
Dr. Garabet Akoghlanian, an infectious disease specialist with Lafayette General Health, says there are multiple factors that need to be considered, including the age of the parent(s), their risk of having severe disease, and the risk of their loved one on the front line.
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Housing instability in Acadiana surges, just as local coronavirus curve begins to flatten
Calls for sheltering help have climbed over the last month, according to data from 211, and moratoria on evictions and utility disconnections will soon end.
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Analysis: Balancing Lafayette’s city budget is going to hurt
Lafayette’s city general fund is facing such large deficits that even zeroing out what critics call government waste won’t be enough to close the gap.
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COLUMN: With slight expansion of absentee balloting, Louisiana will test pandemic voting on low turnout primaries
Louisiana’s emergency election plan only applies to the July and August elections, though it could serve, if needed, as a foundation for an emergency plan for the November presidential election.
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LGH offering antibody testing for its employees
Lafayette General Health began offering voluntary coronavirus antibody testing to its employees this week. It will offer the lab-based test to all of its 4,500+ employees and nearly 1,200 providers across its health system.