Latest news with #Guidry
American Press
2 days ago
- General
- American Press
The Informer: Courthouse dome eludes exact engineering details
The octagon-shaped dome atop the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse — pictured on June 12, 1977 — is 32-feet wide and about 25-feet tall. The top of the flag pole pedestal adds another seven feet. (American Press Archives) For years, the assumption in Lake Charles was that the green dome atop the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse was solid — and tarnished — copper. Turns out, it's not. The question of how a solid copper dome that is 32-feet wide could have been lifted onto a three-story building in 1911 led to a startling discovery in 1977. Wesley Guidry, a draftsman with the parish's engineering office, found old photostatic copies of the courthouse's original blue prints 48 years ago and found drawings of steel beams in a hollow dome. 'The blueprint showed that the inside of the dome was made of an arched ribbed construction and steel braces were angled under the roof to give support to the dome,' Guidry told the American Press for its June 12, 1977, issue. Guidry took it upon himself to climb inside the dome to see firsthand if the steel braces were solid copper. To his surprise, he found tin. Guidry said the arched construction and metal underneath the copper roof gives both shape and support to the dome. He also said the shape of the dome is deceiving to those looking at it from ground level. It's not round, it's octagon-shaped. Guidry told the American Press the only recorded data on the historic landmark are the blueprints, he said. The dome was built by piece work. Thin sheets of copper, varying in size, were pieced together side by side without any overlap, he said. 'Inside the dome, there are cat walks that the men stood on when they were laying the copper sheets on top of the tin framework,' Guidry told the American Press. He told the newspaper he believes the seams of the copper sheets were soldered together. Guidry said its about 25 feet from the roof of the courthouse to the top of the round part of the dome. An additional seven feet is added by the flag pole pedestal. The shiny copper dome that was put in place in 1911 eventually tarnished over the years and turned pale green. Salt in the air oxidized the copper and turned it into sodium sulfate. Calcasieu Parish Administrator-Engineer Rodney Vincent told the American Press in 1977 that to clean the dome and restore its natural shine would cost a 'tremendous amount of money.' Vincent said at one time the Police Jury 'fancied' the idea of shining up the copper dome. 'But the estimates received were more than the Police Jury could afford.' The courthouse is a replica of the Villa Cora in Vicenza, Italy known as the Rotunda and was added to the Federal Register of Historic Buildings in 1989. The east front has a large Roman Doric portico with four high columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. There are north and south wings. A white colored balustrade runs along the edge of the flat roof.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Vermilion Parish narcotics investigation leads to the seizure of drugs and illegal firearm
VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) — A traffic stop in Vermilion Parish lead to a narcotics investigation where an assortment of narcotics and an illegal firearm were seized, deputies said. Barry Guidry, 37, was arrested and charged for possession with intent to distribute Adderall, amphetamine, acetaminophen hydrocodone, fentanyl, Xanax, suboxone, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana and marijuana, firearm in the presence of CDS, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a fireman with obliterated numbers, deputies said. According to authorities, on May 22 a traffic stop was conducted on Guidry's vehicle and a search was established after alleged probable cause. The search resulted in the location of a backpack containing several types of illegal narcotics as well as a firearm with obliterated serial numbers, deputies said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This investigation remains ongoing and we will update as more information is released. Opelousas sales tax renewal heads to August election Vermilion Parish narcotics investigation leads to the seizure of drugs and illegal firearm Weekend Showers With Better Rain Chances Next Week… What would a post-car future look like? Eunice armed robbery suspects named; investigation ongoing Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Construction continues on state crime lab set for 2026 completion
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Construction continues on the new Louisiana State Police (LSP) Crime Lab, slated for a 2026 completion. An LSP captain said the facility will provide more space, features, and law enforcement's biggest tool in addressing criminal cases. 'We're trying to meet those demands,' said Capt. Chad Guidry. A digital tour of the facility shows the new additions, including a dividable conference room, new meeting spots, outside features, and a new indoor gun range. 'You may hear that and go, 'They're going to just go in there and shoot guns,'' Guidry said. 'No. We actually can go distance determination, gunshot residue, we can fire larger calibers inside without having to go to a range offsite, or something like that.' The space will be double the current crime lab and be the biggest in Louisiana. 'The current crime lab is 53,000 square feet,' Guidry said. 'This is 118,000 square feet.' Louisiana has more than 11,000 unsolved murder cases dating back to 1965, according to a database posted by Project Cold Case. Guidry said more space means more analysts, and that could lead to more cases being solved. 'Adding more personnel down the road will help with that,' Guidry said. 'As science and technology advance, it'll make things a little bit easier.' Officials broke ground at the site in 2023, when the state stared down a large case backlog. Guidry said LSP is now doing better in that respect, but it was a pressing issue at the time. 'It takes more personnel, it takes more equipment, different types of equipment,' Retired Col. Lamar Davis said at the time. Construction is much further along than it was then, and Guidry said the foundation will be visible within the next two months. He said the initial $100 million estimate still stands. If the construction company informs LSP that costs have increased, Guidry said there would be tweaks to keep it at that total cost. 'We'd look at some cutbacks,' Guidry said. 'The cutbacks may be changing some of the shell pieces to the building, not adding a certain feature.' Guidry said taxpayers are not directly funding this project. Instead, it is funded through a bond agreement. The project has a 2026 completion estimate, but newer technologies are being implemented at the current lab. Guidry said LSP cannot simply wait on the new lab to be finished before adding that equipment. United Airlines cuts some flights over safety concerns; Baton Rouge Airport responds Third person arrested, accused of helping Orleans Justice Center escapee Construction continues on state crime lab set for 2026 completion Man in critical condition after shooting on Florida Boulevard; 1 suspect in custody LSP: Man killed, ejected from vehicle after crash in Iberville Parish Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pedestrian struck, killed on Tangipahoa Parish highway
TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A man is dead following a crash in Tangipahoa Parish, according to Louisiana State Police. Troopers reported that around 5:50 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8, they responded to the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian on Louisiana Highway 445 near Gliderport Road. New Orleans school placed on lockdown due to gun scare An investigation revealed a 1999 Ford F-350 was headed north on the highway just as 73-year-old Keith Guidry was headed south in a wheelchair in the same lane. Troopers said for unknown reasons, the truck struck Guidry, resulting in fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck's driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and was not injured. St. Tammany Parish deputies investigate 'incident' on Tammany Trace The crash remains under investigation, as toxicology samples from both individuals have been sent off for testing. 'Louisiana State Police urge both pedestrians and motorists to remain alert and aware of their surroundings while on or near roadways. Crashes involving pedestrians are often preventable when basic safety practices are followed,' said LSP Troop MLB pitcher dies after being pulled from rubble of nightclub roof collapse: reports Holy Cross School in New Orleans names new principal Allstate Sugar Bowl recognizes 37 student-athletes at 2025 Awards Luncheon Could the cost of coffee rise due to tariffs? Republicans unlock House floor with compromise quashing proxy voting for new parents Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Landry's levee board power moves give off a ‘Musky' reek
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry gives his address in the House Chamber on opening day of the regular legislative session, Monday, March 11, 2024, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (John Ballance/The Advocate, Pool) It has all the makings of history repeating itself — and in the worst way imaginable. You're hard pressed to find anyone who's endorsed Gov. Jeff Landry's recent moves to undo the layers of separation between himself and the body that oversees flood protection for most of the New Orleans area. They're apparently at the behest of Shane Guidry, a prominent business owner in the offshore energy supply sector and generous donor to Landry's campaigns over the years. The governor has made Guidry, who describes the governor as his best friend, an unofficial adviser within his administration. Guidry's influence has become apparent within the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. The New Orleans-area levee boards on both sides of the Mississippi River were overhauled and rebranded after Hurricane Katrina once local and state leaders saw the need to remove political influence from resiliency infrastructure decisions. Their new structure placed an emphasis on subject matter expertise on flood protection rather than the political connections that had been in place for decades. The first instance of Guidry dabbling in inner workings of the Flood Protection Authority-East came when executive director Kelli Chandler resigned in January. She clashed with Guidry over the role of the levee board's 60-person police force, The Times-Picayune reported. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While Chandler saw protection of the authorities flood protection assets in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes as the department's top priority, Guidry wanted more emphasis placed on law enforcement in New Orleans' levee-adjacent neighborhoods. Officers should be doing more than 'watching grass grow,' he said. Thanks to approval from the GOP-dominated Louisiana Legislature, the governor now has authority to directly appoint the leaders of dozens of state boards and commissions that previously went through a formal vetting and state Senate approval process. For the Flood Protection Authority-East, Landry tapped Metairie civil engineer Roy Carubba to replace Chandler, who had no background related to flood protection. Carubba's firm has worked in the past for Guidry, according to reports. All signs point to Guidry continuing to exercise control over the levee board, and he says flood protection will continue to be its priority. But so far this month, four members resigned from the levee board, most of them citing Guidry's reversal of reforms made after Katrina, according to WVUE-TV Fox 8. Three of them, Roy Arrigo, Thomas Fierke and William Settoon addressed their resignation letter to Guidry, although he has no official status with the Landry administration or designated powers over the authority. 'Contrary to board appointed President Caruba's (sic) often expressed opinions of the FPA, we have observed the morale, readiness and focus on flood protection have been diminished during his tenure,' the letter reads. The fourth board member, Derek Rabb, has not explained his departure. When The Times-Picayune reached Carubba for comment, he said he first had to clear the interview with Guidry. Once cleared to speak, the engineer's comments about his de facto boss were glowing, with Carubba describing Guidry as 'a brilliant business person.' Guidry explained to the newspaper why he's provided guidance to the governor. 'Look at Elon Musk, right? There's a reason why he's doing something free for Trump — because he knows he can help him. And Trump wants that,' Guidry said. 'There's a reason why I do what I do free for Jeff because he knows I have nothing to gain.' One local good government group has concerns over Landry and Guidry wading into flood infrastructure management. In a statement, the New Orleans-based Bureau of Government Research (BGR) challenged claims from the administration that the Flood Protection Authority, both its East and West offshoots, has been mismanaged. 'The governor's advisers have alleged that the New Orleans area's vital flood protection infrastructure hasn't been kept in working order and that funding dedicated for this purpose has been wasted,' the BGR statement reads. 'While blaming the leadership of the authorities tasked with managing the $14.5 billion levee system, they have not provided any details or evidence of the problems.' BGR called on the governor to provide 'thorough explanations, not accusations' before his administration puts forward any legislation to change the post-Katrina makeup of the flood protection authorities. The bureau was among supporters of the coalition of civic and business groups, along with elected leaders, who pushed for the new framework that received voter approval in the form of a state constitutional amendment. 'Chief among the coalition's aims was ensuring that the authorities' boards of commissioners were selected for their expertise in flood protection-related and other relevant fields – not their political connections or views,' BGR wrote. It's been almost 20 years since the federally built levee system protecting New Orleans failed at multiple points, covering some 80% of the city with stormwater that destroyed homes and businesses that had otherwise survived Katrina. Two decades is not nearly long enough to erase the trauma from the minds of those who went through the storm and chose to rebuild. It's this still-fragile mindset that Landry and Guidry have stirred with their approach to the Flood Protection Authority. The exit of four board members, just weeks ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, has been disconcerting for many who have yet to have their trust in government restored. This behind-the-scenes approach from the governor and his best bud does nothing to quell anxiety levels that increase every June 1. Greater transparency and a renewed adherence to post-Katrina flood protection principles from Landry and Guidry would go a long way toward engendering confidence in their decision-making. While leaders might come and go, what the levees protect is not as easily replaced. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
