Tagged: Jefferson Parish

Jefferson Parish school officials are proposing a $404 million budget for 2012-2013.

The Times-Picayune reports the proposal takes into account recent moves to close schools and cut staff to offset rising costs.

The board plans a public hearing on the budget July 25 at Alfred Bonnabel Magnet Academy High in Kenner.

The largest slice of the budget in in employee compensation for employees — more than $329 million.

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded an $18.6 million contract for drainage construction in the Industrial Canal area on Jefferson Parish's west bank.

The contract, an element of the Louisiana Urban Flood Damage Reduction Project, seeks to reduce flooding that might result from about 9 inches of rain falling over a 24-hour period.

The contract was awarded to Fleming Construction Co. of Jefferson Parish.

The 36-month project includes removing underground drainage pipes and replacing them with a reinforced concrete open channel.

Officials say about half of the households in unincorporated East Jefferson participated in the first week of curbside garbage recycling, a significant increase for a service they last had before Hurricane Katrina.

Director Marnie Winter of the Department of Environmental Affairs tells The Times-Picayune (http://bit.ly/MUJnkD) the overall rate of households putting out the new green bins Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was 51 percent.

Before Katrina, Winter says an average of about 32 percent of homes participated in curbside recycling.

Jefferson Parish officials say water service was back on Grand Isle Wednesday after a temporary clamp was successfully placed on a busted line that provided drinking water to the barrier island.

The repair was made about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The Barataria Bay water transmission line was apparently damaged by a passing vessel Tuesday morning.

GRETNA, La. (AP) — The brother of imprisoned former Congressman Bill Jefferson has surrendered in Jefferson Parish. Authorities say Archie Jefferson was wanted for misapplication of funds and theft for renovation work conducted at a Marrero home.

A federal judge has been asked to postpone a sentencing hearing for the ex-wife of former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard for her role in a payroll fraud case.

Karen Parker, who is scheduled to be sentenced July 27, pleaded guilty in January to one count of misprision of a felony, or concealing a crime.

In a court filing Monday, federal prosecutors and Parker's defense attorney asked U.S. District Judge Hayden Head to delay her sentencing until November.