Bossier Press-Tribune
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 | $1.00 | BOSSIER CITY, LA | SERVING GOD & OUR COMMUNITY | VOL. 91 NO. 35
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$30 million interstate overlay project moves forward
‘Laissez les bons temps rouler’
n Bids expected to go out March 2021
STACEY TINSLEY Bossier Press-Tribune
STACEY TINSLEY Bossier Press-Tribune A much smoother ride is on the horizon for drivers along I-20 in Bossier. The future I-20 overlay project will now see the existing lanes be completely removed and rebuilt. The project was initially supposed to run from Benton Road to Airline Drive. But it will now stretch from just west of Benton Road to Industrial Drive for a full reconstruction. “It is estimated to cost about $30 mil- Buchanan lion, though that amount will ultimately depend on the final design of the project,” said Erin Buchanan, spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Also included in the project are additional repairs to the interstate in other areas from Pines Road in Shreveport to the I-20/I-220 interchange in Bossier City out by Louisiana Downs. “Lane closures will obviously be necessary during the project for work to be able to be completed. The details of those closures will be determined once the project goes to bid and the contract is awarded,” she added. The project is currently scheduled to go out to bid in March 2021. © 2020 Bossier Newspaper Publishing Co., Inc.
Civic Center vendor claims termination of contract was ‘revenge’
STACEY TINSLEY/BOSSIER PRESS-TRIBUNE
The Krewe of Gemini hosted a float loading Friday prior to its Mardi Gras parade Saturday.
BPPJ approves new development standards STACEY TINSLEY Bossier Press-Tribune The Bossier Parish Police Jury approved changes that will affect how developments are built. During Wednesday’s police jury meeting, changes to the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances pertaining to water and sewer regulations were approved.
“Any new developments are going to have them build the sewer up to this new standard,” said Eric Hudson, Bossier Parish assistant engineer. Hudson stated that a set of sewer standards referenced in the ordinance was updated. “We updated our specs and we updated our detail that we require based on some of the pipe failures we’ve had,” said Hudson. The changes aims to allevi-
ate future pipe failures within the parish’s water and sewer district. “This will hopefully alleviate pipe failures for our entire sewer district. Anything that the parish treats, or anything that falls in our consolidated/ water/sewer district No. 1 it covers,” Hudson said. “Anything that’s in Bossier City stays like it is unless the city changes their standards.”
A former Bossier Civic Center vendor claims he is the victim of retribution by Bossier City government for speaking out against the leasing of the civic center. Wayne Hogue, former owner of the civic center’s concession stand Primo Concessions, said at last Tuesday’s council meeting that he was terminated and immediately evicted from the civic center in retribution for taking a stance against the city. “On the morning of Feb. 7, I was at the civic center concession stand preparing for the Cyber Innovation Center’s robotics competition. CAO Pam Glorioso came into the civic center and told me that a city councilman had just visited the mayor’s office and Hogue told him he wanted me out of the civic center immediately,” Hogue said. “He had requested the last contract and an insurance certificate the day before. So, he was obviously looking for a reason to attack us.” Hogue was speaking at the council’s public hearing regarding an ordinance declaring the civic center as surplus and a 10-year lease of the center. Hogue said that at least one elected official used his or her political position and power to have him evicted. “At least one elected official used his political position and power to take revenge on me for speaking up on behalf of the citizens of the community that are going to be impacted by this ordinance. It was a vicious attack on my First Amendment right of freedom of speech. I believe this is a crystal clear abuse of power and retaliation on a private citizen and company by at least one city official,” said Hogue. See, CONTRACT, Page 3