BREAKING: Oil rig explodes of La. coast (9/02, 10:40 a.m.)
Posted September 2, 2010 at 10:42 am
Filed Under News | Leave a Comment
| Share |
GRAND ISLE (AP) — An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive oil spill.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel says the blast was reported by a commercial helicopter company about 9:30 a.m. CDT Thursday. Seven helicopters, two airplanes and four boats are en route to the site, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast.
Ranel says it hasn’t been determined whether the structure is a production platform or a drilling rig or whether workers were aboard. Ranel says smoke was reported but it is unclear whether the rig is still burning.
For more details, check the print edition of Friday’s American Press.
City signs off on development proposal (9/2)
Posted September 1, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Filed Under News | Leave a Comment
| Share |
By ERIC CORMIER
AMERICAN PRESS
Baton Rouge-based Cypress Realty is being given time to nail down financing for its estimated $27 million lakefront project, which is scheduled to be built on the south side of the Lake Charles Civic Center grounds.
After almost two hours of deliberations, the City Council voted 4-2 — with one abstention — to approve the company’s development plan.
That was the last step needed for Cypress Realty to apply with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for insurance that would guarantee the private lending deal that company officials say has received preliminary approval.
Voting for the development were Marshall Simien, Rodney Geyen, John Ieyoub and Mark Eckard. Voting against were Stuart Weatherford and Dana Jackson. Luvertha August abstained.
In voting for the development, the City Council decided that Cypress Realty will have until Dec. 31 to get confirmation from HUD on whether the loan will be guaranteed. Cypress Realty would have to provide a $50,000 nonrefundable deposit on Jan. 1 to hold the property at least until April to see if HUD would approve the financing insurance.
“I’m excited and ready to pull it off,” said Cypress Realty spokesman Chris Rinaudo. “We feel good about it.”
Roger Landry, chief executive officer of GWL Construction of Atlanta, has partnered his company with Cypress Realty in the lakefront development, called Lakeside.
“This deal is fair for the city. I’m elated and glad. Everyone was able to put personal conflicts aside. It is a historical moment for Lake Charles,” said Landry, who is slated to build the structure if all financing can be successfully completed.
This decision comes months after the City Council had already approved a ground lease and development agreement, leaving the development plan as the final piece of the project’s puzzle.
Rinaudo needs all three agreements to make an application to HUD.
Cypress Realty wants to build a four-story facility with 54,000 square feet of commercial space and 200 living units. A garage that would be completely enclosed is also in the plans.
Rinaudo told the City Council that the plan is to build the whole facility at one time and not in phases, as he had planned for initially.
Landry told the council that if HUD doesn’t approve the loan, the lender won’t give the builders any money, and that would essentially end the project.
The Council debates
August didn’t give any indication during discussions that she would abstain from voting.
“It seems to me that the pitch I’ve heard tonight is the same one I originally heard,” she said before the vote.
August did explain that she supports development on the lakefront.
Jackson, who has been outspoken against the plan for months, reiterated his position.
“Everybody knows where I stand. I don’t like the project,” he said.
Jackson referred to what he described as empty business spaces at a large mall in Bossier City that at one time were filled.
“It was nice up there; now they have no shops. I know the apartments (Lakeside) will make it, but more has to be done. I can’t tie this property up on a maybe,” he said.
Eckard commented on the revolving conversation in the city about economic development.
“We have a chance to do it and let a private business invest. We need to take advantage of that,” he said. “If they are declined, we lost maybe three months. That is not an unacceptable time.”
Jay Ecker, the former owner of Rikenjaks Pub, told the City Council that he was putting together an investment team to open an eatery and brew pub in the development once it opened.
“Now is the time to fulfill the wishes of the voters,” he said.
LC port board member resigns (9/2)
Posted September 1, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Filed Under News | Leave a Comment
| Share |
By ERIC CORMIER
AMERICAN PRESS
Former state Rep. Elcie Guillory will replace local businessman Mark Abraham as a commissioner at the Port of Lake Charles.
Abraham announced his immediate and voluntary resignation Wednesday.
During a special meeting held at the port, Abraham explained his reasoning for the decision. He had eight months remaining on his term.
Later in the day, members of the South-west Louisiana legislative delegation decided to recommend former state Rep. Elcie Guillory to become a temporary commissioner, allowing the Port Board to fulfill its responsibility to have at least one minority member.
Gov. Bobby Jindal has already approved Guillory for the post, according to state Sen. Willie Mount. Once Guillory fills out the necessary paperwork, it will be sent to the governor for formal approval, she said.
Abraham told the American Press he made the decision to resign last weekend after several meetings among port commissioners and after reading a letter printed in the newspaper by Lake Charles City Councilman Marshall Simien.
“There has been a great deal of discussion in recent weeks relative to no minority representation on the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District. I believe it’s important to qualify and resolve the issue,” he said, reading from a prepared statement.
Earlier this month, minority representation on the board became an issue after John LeBlanc was appointed by Cameron Parish and approved by the governor. LeBlanc was taking over the seat formerly held by minority representative David Darbone, whose term expired.
According to state law, the Port Board must have either two minority members or a minority and a woman. For several weeks the board has operated with one woman — Commissioner Kay Barnett — and no minority member. That drew the ire of state Rep. A.B. Franklin.
Abraham said the port isn’t responsible for the makeup of the commission.
“That being said, the current Port Board, through no fault of its own, may possibly be in violation. It is therefore vitally important that we maintain the legal status of the board in order that it may continue its role as the economic development engine of Southwest Louisiana. It is absolutely imperative that this economic development entity remain on solid legal footing in all the decisions it makes now and for the future,” Abraham said.
“While I still have eight months remaining on my appointment to the Port Board, I believe I can best serve our community and all of Southwest Louisiana by resigning from the board effectively immediately. I am doing this so that a minority representative can be immediately appointed to the position of commissioner by the governor as my replacement. This action will remove any question of the Port Board’s proper legal status.”
Port commissioners all spoke of their heartfelt appreciation for Abraham’s decision.
“Mark, thank you for doing the right thing,” said Commissioner Harry Hank.
“This has been a difficult meeting for me to chair,” said Wade Shaddock, the board’s president. “In a large part, you’ve been responsible for promoting and bringing to fruition large economic development projects. At a critical point you are taking one for the port.”
Franklin said he spoke with Abraham on Sunday, and during the meeting said, “We appreciate what you’re doing.”
Cardinals new, but not young (9/2)
Posted September 1, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Filed Under Sports | Leave a Comment
| Share |
By ALEX HICKEY
AMERICAN PRESS
So, who are these guys?
It’s the question that everyone around McNeese State is asking about the Lamar Cardinals. There are many answers to that query, but the most notable one seems to be this: they’re a lot older than you think.
Despite being a first-year football program, Lamar starts six juniors on defense and 10 juniors on offense. Though most of those players are junior college transfers, in terms of collective football experience they are nearly as much of a veteran squad as McNeese.
“The one thing that stands out about Lamar is that this is their first game back playing and they have no senior starters listed, but they have (16) juniors, which is as old as we are,” said McNeese head coach Matt Viator. “They’re going to come in here with some guys that have played before, and we know they’re going to have good players.”
One of those players is defensive end Jacody Coleman, a Beaumont, Texas, native who transferred home from Iowa after two seasons as a linebacker for the Hawkeyes.
Another player at a new position is tight end Billy Chavis. The 6-foot-4, 258-pound Chavis was a linebacker and defensive back in two seasons at Texas A&M before going to Lamar last year as head coach Ray Woodard started putting his team together.
McNeese assistant coach Mike Collins said he thinks Chavis will be one of Lamar’s primary targets.
“He’s 6-5, and I think they want to utilize him based on what you read on the paper day-to-day,” Collins said.
The triggerman for the Lamar offense is quarterback Andre Bevil. Woodard has essentially built his offense around Bevil, bringing the junior in from his previous coaching stop at Navarro (Texas) Junior College.
Bevil was an efficient quarterback at Navarro. He did not rack up gaudy yardage numbers in throwing for 1,062 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore, but he completed 65 percent of his throws.
Offensively, the Cardinals’ depth chart indicates that they will be in a single-back formation with three wide receivers.
Woodard said he believes speed will be one of his team’s assets.
“We’ve got good team speed for our age. We’re obviously going to be young, but not as young as some people think,” Woodard said. “I think we’re going to play with a lot of enthusiasm. I’m sure we’ll have our share of mistakes playing together for the first time, but we want to represent Lamar and make everyone who comes over there proud of us.”
The one area where youth stands out for Lamar is in the kicking game. Punter Kollin Kahler, kicker Justin Stout and long snapper Chris Maikranz are all freshmen, and so are their respective backups.
“Hopefully there’ll be some first-game jitters,” Collins said.
BREAKING: Cypress survives LC Council vote (9/1, 7:05 p.m.)
Posted September 1, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Filed Under News | 1 Comment
| Share |
The Lake Charles City Council voted 4-2, with one abstention to allow Cypress Realty of Baton Rouge to continue its efforts to develop property on the Civic Center grounds.
The developer will now seek federal Housing and Urban Development guarantees for the loans it is seeking for the project that is estimated to cost $27 million.
For more on the story, see Thursday’s American Press.
keep looking »
-
Last 7 Days
-
Listen by Phone
Requires free Jott account.
Follow us via    |
Search |
|
|
|
|
|
|
