The Independent Media Group April 4, 2012 - The Independent Media Group

The Independent Weekly April 4, 2012

New articles...

Bullied to Death

Opponents of an anti-bullying bill say it promotes a ‘gay agenda.’ But families of victims demand a change in how Louisiana schools handle bullies. By Alex Woodward

Tieler Garsaud, a sixth-grader at Abita Springs Middle School, testified before Louisiana’s House of Representatives last year. Up for a vote: an anti-bullying bill dubbed the Safe Schools Act, authored by state Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans. Garsaud, 12, who came out as gay to his parents at age 10, told lawmakers that all...
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RE: Hair-Raising Data
Proof that LCG’s SafeLight/SafeSpeed program works is hard to dismiss. I’m not a fan of the SafeLight/SafeSpeed program in Lafayette. Nor am I an opponent. I don’t have strong feelings about cameras mounted at traffic signals and in mobile vans because they generally don’t affect me. ... Read More >>

Reform. Mine Did

Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to modify the retirement plans of thousands of state employees — for the worse, many of them believe — even as he reforms his personal retirement plan for the better. By Jeremy Alford

It wasn’t exactly a secret that the administration was tinkering with public pension proposals. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s policy advisers were dropping hints about it over the Christmas holidays, and by the turn of the year holding meetings with obvious supporters. Jindal finally unleashe
...
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Pooyie 04.04.12

C'est Bon

Another feather in Lafayette’s “Cool Town” cap was bestowed last week when Festival International de Louisiane was named Best World Music Festival in the 2012 About.com Readers’ Choice Awards.

Pas Bon

In an exchange at last week’s council meeting about a projected $5 million shortfall in LCG’s operating budget to man two proposed fire stations, Bellard trotted out his usual bogeymen: the horse farm and non-governmental organizations.

Couillion

State Sen. A.G. Crowe...
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Raising the Barre
Two Lafayette women ditched their high heels and high-stress careers for ‘pole dancing.’ ... Read More >>

Wrist Watch
Dive into summer style with a splash of arm color. ... Read More >>

Location cubed — and great sandwiches
Johnston Street Java hits its stride with a simple menu done well. ... Read More >>

Most Read

Glenn Stewart convicted

In rendering his ruling, District Judge John Trahan all but called the real estate developer a liar for inconsistencies in his accounts of what prompted him to punch a school teacher unconscious.
Dana Baker resigns from Festival International
Frank’s Casing Crew going public

Frank’s Casing Crew, now doing business as Frank’s International, will make its final appearance on ABiz’s list of the Top 50 Privately Held Companies in Acadiana this year, and once again, it will likely be at the top with more than $1 billion in annual revenues. The 75-year-old company specializing in tubular fabrication and installation services to the oil and gas industry plans to go public this year.
Landry, Pierre playing the blame game

The defeat, or rather highjacking of House Bill 420 in the final days of this year's Legislative Session, say Reps. Vincent Pierre and Terry Landry, is the result of the propaganda spread by one unidentified local media outlet and an unnamed former state Representative, but nothing to do with the original legislation's lack of checks, balances or details.
Shelvin loses cool, fails to disclose conflict

City-Parish Council Chairman Brandon Shelvin heaped steady doses of condescending ire on a Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Louisiana executive while failing to reveal his financial ties to a BC/BS rival.

in case you missed it

The One Who Got Away

Abbeville native David Primeaux was a popular professor until his death late last year, and while he was successful at camouflaging a dark past, he couldn’t outlive it.
Fore!

Before District Attorney Mike Harson tees off for a fifth term in office, he should seriously consider what might be coming at him.
The Day Primeaux Died

Now we know why the former pedophile priest committed suicide late last year, and the story behind it is more riveting than his death.
Risky Business

Tehmi Chassion’s failure to recuse himself in the school board’s selection of a group health benefits provider raises ‘serious questions’ on whether he violated state ethics law.
Posthaste VS. DAVID EGAN

He’s a singer. A songwriter. A piano man. A family man. He’s even got his own Wikipedia entry. He’s David Egan. And he knows ancient secrets about the monolithic stones of Stonehenge that he’s not willing to share.