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T u e s d ay, a p r i l 1, 2025
Powerful tornado hits St. Landry Parish No injuries reported but homes, structures in Grand Prairie damaged by Monday storm
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Pay hike for teachers uncertain No plans in place after Louisiana voters rejected constitutional amendment
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO
Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK
A tornado Monday morning left a home damaged and debris in the yard on Pointe Verte Road in Grand Prairie. BY JA’KORI MADISON
After voters on Saturday rejected a constitutional amendment that would have funded higher salaries for teachers, it’s unclear whether educators will still receive a raise next school year or instead see their paychecks shrink. One of four constitutional changes championed by Gov. Jeff Landry that failed to pass over the ä Lawmakers are weekend, Amendment 2 working on an would have made one-time alternative plan pay stipends the Legislaafter the defeat of ture approved last year an amendment to — $2,000 for teachers and change state tax $1,000 for support staff — a recurring part of their policy.. PAGE 4A salaries. But now, without funding for permanent raises and with the stipends set to expire after this school year, there are no plans to keep teacher pay at its current level. As a result, Louisiana educators could see their paychecks decrease unless the Legislature finds funding for another round of stipends or a permanent increase. While campaigning for the amendment, Landry said there was no alternative plan to raise teacher salaries: “If Amendment 2 does not pass,” he posted on X last week, “there is no backup stipend.” When asked Monday, a spokesperson for Landry did not say whether the governor would support additional stipends for teachers if lawmakers
ä See TEACHERS, page 4A
Staff writer
An EF2 tornado hit Grand Prairie on Monday morning, damaging some homes and walkways, according to the National Weather Service. It was part of a powerful thunderstorm that swept through Acadiana early Monday morning, leaving chaos in its wake. At 4:21 a.m., the tornado began near St. Peter Catholic Church at the intersection of La. 363 and La. 748, according to the weather service. Peak winds reached 120 mph. No injuries or deaths were reported, according to service forecaster Chanelle Stigger. At Pointe Verte Road, an RV was flipped and a home had total roof loss. There was also damage to covered walkways and trees, and a large section of another roof was taken off by the tornado. The tornado continued to Old Hickory Road, where a few branches were broken and one tree was down, according to the weather service. The tornado traveled for 1.8 miles before lifting on Hickory. A weather service survey team also examined damage near the community of Lebeau and concluded it was caused by straight-line
OMV has new head as computer outages continue BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
Monday’s tornado flipped an RV in Grand Prairie. winds. Those winds were estimated between 60 mph and 70 mph. Surveyors noted the high winds damaged trees and awnings. St. Landry Parish residents who had damage from Monday’s severe weather are asked to document the impact and report it to the parish government. Parish officials say residents should take clear pictures of any damage and contact the St. Landry Parish Government’s main office at (337) 948-3688 to provide details.
Neighbors who have been displaced can contact the Red Cross at (844) 782-9441. The heavy rain from Monday morning’s thunderstorm also prompted a flood warning for rivers in Texas and southwest Louisiana, including the Vermilion River in Lafayette Parish. The river was at 11.8 feet Monday morning, according to the weather service. Flood stage is 10 feet. The Vermilion was expected to reach a crest of 13 feet Monday night before falling below flood stage.
During a time of turmoil for the Office of Motor Vehicles, State Fire Marshal Bryan Adams will take over the agency after Commissioner Dan Casey stepped down last week, Gov. Jeff Landry announced Monday. In a statement, Landry pointed to Adams’ career in public service as making him exceptionally qualified for the role. “He is committed to moderniz- Adams ing the outdated OMV system to better serve the people and ensure it operates efficiently moving forward,” Landry said.
ä See OMV, page 4A
Work-based learning lags in La., study finds Fewer high schoolers participating in internships, apprenticeships BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
Fewer Louisiana high schoolers are participating in internships and apprenticeships than their peers in neighboring states, despite a push by state education officials to increase the number of work-based learning opportunities for students, a new study found.
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In 2023, about 5% of high school seniors graduated with internship credits — an all-time high for Louisiana but significantly lower than other Southern states, according to data compiled by Leaders for a Better Louisiana, a civic organization focused on education and economic development. Louisiana also lags in the number of students in apprenticeship programs, which typically last for a year or longer and help students learn trades such as construction, electrical work or plumbing. Just 3 out of every 1,000 high schoolers in the state complete an apprenticeship, the study found. The report comes as Louisiana’s Education Department is encouraging schools to promote work-based learn-
ing. A new accountability system that takes effect next school year will rate high schools partly based on student participation in internships and apprenticeships, despite some concerns about limited opportunities in rural areas. “We support that Louisiana is encouraging more high school students to gain real work experience before graduation,” said Better Louisiana CEO Adam Knapp. “As we grow this number, we encourage more businesses across the state to consider high school students as part of their workforce supply.” Work-based learning gives students
STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Instructor and chef Theresa Edwards helps Brielle Credeur make pralines at the W.D. and Mary Baker Smith Career Center in Lafayette on Feb. 6. Fewer Louisiana high schoolers are graduating with work-based learning credits ä See STUDY, page 4A than their peers in other Southern states, a new study found.
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100TH yEAR, NO. 275