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FAA reducing air traffic by 10% Move aimed at maintaining safety during shutdown BY MATTHEW DALY, JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown. The reduction stands to impact
thousands of flights nationwide because the FAA directs more than 44,000 flights daily, including commercial passenger flights, cargo planes and private aircraft. Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. With some calling out of work, staffing shortages during some shifts have led to flight delays at a number of U.S. airports.
“We can’t ignore it,” he said. Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy INSIDE said they would meet with airline ä Trump lashes out at GOP senators executives later to end shutdown. Page 3A Wednesday to determine how to ä Money removed from some safely implement Louisiana SNAP accounts. Page 1B the reduction in flights. Until then, Duffy Citing growing staffing pres- both declined to sures, FAA Administrator Bryan name the affected markets. BedBedford said the agency would not ford said a list would be released wait for a crisis to act. sometime Thursday.
Showdown looms over controversial pogy boats
“If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures,” Bedford said, “we’ll come back and take additional measures.” The Associated Press on Wednesday sent requests for comment on the FAA’s decision to major U.S. airlines, including Delta, United and American Airlines. Southwest Airlines said it was evaluating potential impacts to its schedule and would reach out
ä See FAA, page 5A
Downtown residential project faces opposition DDA will seek legal action over zoning board decision
BY ANGELINE MATHEWS Contributing writer
STAFF FILE PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER
Westbank Fishing employees pull in their giant nets as they catch menhaden, commonly known as pogy, in the Gulf off the coast of south Louisiana in July.
Proposal could ease restrictions on industry
vide advance information on what will be proposed because the request for potential changes had come from commission Chair Kevin Sagrera. The agency also did not respond to a public records request for the details. BY MIKE SMITH Sagrera did not respond to requests Staff writer for comment. Sagrera, speaking at the conclusion A new showdown is brewing over of the commission’s October meeting, Louisiana’s controversial menhaden surprised some by calling on the defishing, with another round set to play Menhaden fill the hold of a boat as out in Baton Rouge on Thursday when partment’s staff to come up with a prostate commissioners consider a pro- it returns to the dock at Westbank posal to alter the buffer zone for menhaden, commonly known as pogy. His posal to again alter industry regula- Fishing in Empire. request followed a recently completed tions. Recreational fishermen and conser- too deeply into their bottom lines, put- study of the industry’s bycatch, or fish killed besides pogies, that both sides vation groups are girding for what ting jobs and livelihoods at risk. Both sides will arrive at Thursday’s held up as proof of their positions. they expect will be a proposal to par“I’d like to charge the department tially ease the half-mile buffer zone meeting of the state’s Wildlife and off the coast where menhaden fishing Fisheries Commission with scientific on working with the menhaden indusis banned, the result of a painstakingly data in hand to back their positions. try and the rec(reational) industry on negotiated compromise last year. They The details of what will be proposed modifications to the menhaden buffer say easing the buffer in those locations are not yet clear, though clues have zone, leaving in place the enhanced will damage Louisiana’s fragile coast emerged. buffer zones that we have right now The state Department of Wildlife and ecosystem, while the industry arä See BOATS, page 6A gues that the current rules have eaten and Fisheries said it could not pro-
Members of Lafayette’s Downtown Development Authority will seek legal action regarding a residential project planned at 444 Jefferson St. Its board voted unanimously Wednesday morning to pursue legal proceedings and hire counsel regarding a decision from the Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Board of Zoning Adjustment’s approval of the project. At issue is the lack of habitable space required for buildings along Jefferson Guidry Street as required by the Lafayette Development Code. The project, led by local developer Cliff Guidry, was approved by the zoning board in September without addressing the issue. Guidry is planning to demolish the current building that most recently housed The Handy Stop Market & Café and build a 21-unit, three-level building of mostly condominiums with 23 parking spaces on the ground level. Guidry amended his project to include screens and artwork along the bottom floor wall but says he can’t trade parking spots for the space required by the development code, which requires spaces for businesses or offices to entice foot traffic in the
ä See PROJECT, page 5A
PROVIDED RENDERING
The project at 444 Jefferson St. would be a 21-unit, three-level building of mostly condominiums.
Despite judge’s order, ICE detainee held at Angola deported to Laos BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN
claims to U.S. citizenship — but it had already put him on a plane to Laos four hours earlier. Now it’s not clear whether U.S. The federal government says it received a judge’s order blocking Immigration and Customs EnICE from deporting a man with forcement knows where Chant-
Staff writer
WEATHER HIGH 79 LOW 56 PAGE 6A
hila Souvannarath is, and the government says Louisiana’s federal Middle District Court cannot order him returned because it has no jurisdiction over Laos, according to a Nov. 3 court filing by an assistant
U.S. attorney. The government says it was acting on a 2006 removal order indicating Souvannarath became deportable to Thailand or Laos following a criminal conviction.
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In immigration records, the U.S. government alleged he was a citizen of Laos, but the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana says
ä See DEPORTED, page 5A
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