March 2019 Vol. 2 No. 1
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PARISH NEWS
Lafayette Man Convicted of Felony Theft and Money VEROT SCHOOL ROAD Laundering CONSTRUCTION NEARS COMPLETION! COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
After more than three years, the 3.19 mile widening and reconstruction of Verot School Road (LA HWY 339), is nearly complete. Earlier this month, the safety cones and road closed signs were removed from the north and southbound lanes of Verot School Rd. between Ambassador Caffery Pkwy and Newburg Drive (just past Heleaux’s Grocery store). According to DOTD spokesperson Brandy Richardson, “…except for a few punch-list items, all of the concrete work has been completed. Barring any unforeseen issues and weather permitting, the road should completely open within the next 30 to 60 days (April).” While residents in the area are relieved that construction is almost completed, businesses along the construction zone
are counting the minutes until all of the safety cones are removed, and traffic can resume at a safe and normal pace. “It’s been a long three years for us. The constant lane closures, dust, and noise from the construction greatly impacted our business,” says Kathryn Shank CoOwner of DAX on Verot. “Over the past few years, our business has dropped considerably, simply because customers could not pull in or out of our driveway safely.” The $35,000,000 project began in November of 2015. According to Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) records, the project is slightly ahead of schedule, as its original completion was estimated to be the summer of 2019.
Lafayette Parish Posts Second-highest Taxable Sales Year for 2018 With more than $577 million in sales in December 2018, taxable sales in Lafayette Parish reached just over $6 billion, the second highest on record. The previous retail sales record was set in 2014 when sales topped $6.4 billion. Sales ended the year up 4.0% from 2017 and up 4.7% from 2016. “[2018] Holiday shopping met LEDA’s forecast of $1 billion which is an encouraging sign for continued upward momentum. Taxable sales have rebounded from the decline that began in 2015,” says Gregg Gothreaux, President and CEO of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. Gothreaux reminds consumers that shopping local stores keeps sales tax revenue in our community to support schools, jobs, roads, and safety. Total taxable sales ended up in all
municipalities compared to 2017— Lafayette (1.1%) Broussard (13.25%), Carencro (8.0%), Duson (25.8%), Scott (17.0%), Youngsville (18.4%) and unincorporated areas of the parish (4.4%). Within the city of Lafayette, year-end sales were up in the food, auto, furniture, and miscellaneous/other categories, while apparel, general merchandise, building materials, and services were down. Sources: LEDA and the Lafayette Parish School Board Sales Tax Division.
On February 7, 2019, a Lafayette Parish Jury unanimously convicted Michael C. Duhon (52) of theft over $25,000 and money laundering in excess of $100,000. During the three-day trial, prosecutors argued that Duhon used an elaborate financial scheme to steal more than $400,000 in retirement funds and land from the victim(s). He then moved the money via shell companies and various bank accounts to conceal the source of the funds. Duhon has been held in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center since his indictment in November 2017, on charges of Felony Theft, Money Laundering, and Exploitation of the Infirmed.
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With his conviction, Duhon faces a sentence of 5 to 20 years for Theft and a sentence of 5 to 99 years for Money Laundering. Sentencing will take place after a pre-sentence investigation is completed.
Clams Don’t Mess Around After Oil Spills - UL Lafayette Researchers Find
Razor clam photo courtesy of Dr. Darryl Felder - University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Stout razor clams may be on the cutting edge of oil spill cleanup, according to University of Louisiana at Lafayette researchers. After simulating an oil spill, faculty and student researchers found coastal sediments that held razor clams retained 25 percent less oil than areas where the mollusks weren’t present. “That could mean clams are absorbing oily residue, or they might be burying it. Either way, they’re acting as frontline custodians combatting environmental crises,” said Dr. Paul Klerks, a UL Lafayette biology professor and one of the project’s investigators. “Our research shows that evaluations of oil spill impacts need to consider how animals living in coastal areas may influence what happens to the oil. Studies like these are important because they help determine where spilled oil will be found and how fast it will disappear,” Klerks said. Razor clams are bioturbators, which means their burrowing reworks and moves sediment in the beaches and coastal estuaries where they live. They are ubiquitous in the western Atlantic Ocean from Cape Cod to Argentina, and
throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Feeding and digging by these “ecosystem engineers” can redistribute contaminants over a wide geographic area, potentially exposing other sea creatures to pollutants as well. Researchers found the clams’ presence reduced contaminants on the sediments’ surface by 25 percent; however, the team noted the level of toxins below the surface had not increased, Klerks said. “We checked oil levels below the surface to assess whether the clams were burying the oil. If they were, then there should have been less oil at the surface and more oil in deeper sediment. Questions remain. While it is clear the clams’ presence affected the oil, Klerks said more study is needed to determine how and why. Another avenue University researchers are examining: how Gulf ghost shrimp interact with pollutants. Like razor clams, ghost shrimp burrow into sediments, but tend to be more reclusive. They “are very abundant and very active. They make burrows that may be as much as 10 feet deep, so they are likely to have even more of an impact than razor clams,” Klerks said. He explained that the tunnels’ depths mean ghost shrimp move more sediment than razor clams do. That results in more oxygen below the surface and more bacteria that potentially could consume – and therefore combat – toxins. The new findings on how both organisms help the environment cope with contaminants “underscore the importance of healthy coastal systems,” Klerks added.
