Bossier Schools postpones tax decision, now looks to 'provide tax relief' to property owners
Plus — I-20 reconstruction one year later: 42% complete. STARBASE welcomes 40,000th student. Free health fair today.
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Bossier Schools postpones tax decision, now looks to 'provide tax relief' to property owners
In a sudden last-minute reversal, the Bossier Parish School Board announced that it had postponed tonight's public hearing and school board vote regarding a property tax roll forward.
Instead, a specially called meeting will be held at 4 p.m. October 31, 2024, at the Bossier Instructional Center on Airline Drive.
"In an effort to provide tax relief to the property owners of Bossier Parish, the time extension will enable the board further opportunity to thoughtfully explore an option that is expected to result in an overall net decrease on Bossier Schools’ portion of tax bills while also meeting the financial needs of the district," the BPSB said in a release.
The school board said the new tax plan will be presented to the public before the meeting.
"As this plan takes shape, it will be communicated to the public via the Bossier Schools website prior to the October 31 public hearing so that its citizenry has sufficient time to review the information that will be presented," Bossier Schools said in the statement issued Wednesday.
BossierNow covered the announced tax hikes in seven articles, beginning on August 7. In our most recent report, school board members' names and email addresses were published with our commitment to reveal the board members who would vote for the tax hike.
Meanwhile, in two weeks, the Bossier Parish Police Jury will have its tax roll forward meeting and Jury vote. It is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. in the Police Jury Meeting Room at the Bossier Parish Courthouse.
So far, tax roll forwards have been approved by Benton Fire District 4 Chief J.T. Wallace, Jr. and Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington.
The four main taxing authorities in Bossier Parish had proposed nearly $8 million in tax hikes. The Caddo-Bossier Parishes Port Commission has also announced a minimal roll-forward of property taxes for Bossier property owners, amounting to a $220,405 increase.
The City of Bossier City is the lone local taxing authority to announce it will roll back its millage to avoid a tax increase.
"Just so that everybody is clear and understands that we are going to roll back the millage to 21.5 mils," councilmember David Montgomery, Jr. said at the September 10 City Council meeting. "So that there will not be an increase in what the people pay in taxes. And that's coming from the City of Bossier City City Council."
I-20 reconstruction one year later: 42% complete
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has marked one year of construction to fully rebuild a section of I-20 through Bossier City.
The $121.7 million project continues to make consistent progress to enhance one of the busiest sections of interstate in north Louisiana. Weather permitting, it is on track to achieve a completion date in late 2025.
Work began with lane closures on September 18, 2023, allowing the contractor, JB James Construction, to begin removing the existing travel lanes from near Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive.
Since then, all of the lanes have been removed, and extensive portions have been replaced with new roadway bases and concrete, a large-scale improvement that is being undertaken for the first time since the interstate was built in the late 1960s.
Additionally, two interchanges are currently under construction. The on- and off-ramps at Old Minden Road (LA 72) and Industrial Drive (LA 782-2) have been removed to allow for a total rebuild. New paving is now in place on the Old Minden Road ramps, and the interchange is anticipated to reopen in mid-October 2024.
The Industrial Drive interchange will also soon be the site of brand-new concrete ramps, which will reopen in late October 2024. The contractor is currently cutting soil cement to create the new roadway base.
Across the Red River in Shreveport, nighttime work continues. Significant concrete panel repair is being made near the Pines Road and Monkhouse Drive interchanges, improving the travel experience even outside the full reconstruction zone.
As a reminder, the section of I-20 in Bossier City from Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive remains closed to commercial motor vehicles due to narrow lane widths. CMVs (such as 18-wheelers and other large vehicles) must use the I-220 detour.
Inside Barksdale AFB: STARBASE celebrates 40,000th 5th-grade student
You’ll have to excuse Easton Verheyden for seeming a little stunned.
When the Princeton Elementary student stepped off the bus on Sept. 17, he had no idea he was the 40,000th fifth-grader to enter the STARBASE Louisiana program.
“I didn’t know what to think,” said Verheyden. “I was just wondering, ‘Are they talking to me or someone else?’”
There was no doubt among the large gathering of 307th Bomb Wing Airmen, STARBASE Louisiana officials, and Bossier Parish School Board employees who they were here to see.
“We’ve got a master spreadsheet of fifth grade students that’s 25 years old,” said Richard Scott, STARBASE Louisiana director. “So, we’ve been tracking this for a long time, and it’s great that it happened during our 25th Anniversary.”
In the quarter century since its inception, STARBASE Louisiana has built a reputation as one of the premier programs in the Department of Defense. It has won multiple awards and partnered with several local and military entities to promote STEM education.
That involvement and commitment have helped the program accomplish its two-fold mission of inspiring a love of learning through STEM and empowering the next generation of innovators.
“We’ve had multiple students go on to careers in aeronautics and aviation,” said Scott. “We even have a couple of graduates working for SpaceX.”
STARBASE Louisiana’s schoolhouse on Barksdale Air Force Base primarily teaches fifth graders. However, the program also has on-site middle and high school programs with advanced programs in areas like robotics and rocketry.
All that leaves Verheyden and other Bossier Parish students with much to look forward to as they progress through school.
However, Verheyden seemed to be simply soaking up the current moment.
“This is pretty neat, especially since my birthday is Monday,” he said.
– By Senior Master Sgt. Theodore Daigle /307th Bomb Wing
LSU Health hosts first-ever free health fair today
The LSU Health Shreveport School of Allied Health Professions will host its first-ever Health Fair today, Thursday, September 19, from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in the outpatient clinic at the School of Allied Health Professions at 1450 Claiborne Avenue in Shreveport.
This health fair, led by allied health professionals, will offer the community free education on preventative healthcare as well as complimentary screenings and assessments for:
Blood pressure
Body mass index
Balance and Fall Risk
Sleep Apnea
Grip Strength
Hearing Loss
This health fair will also offer education on autism and mature driver safety. Healthy snacks and drinks will be available for all participants.
To pre-register for a chance to win a Whole Foods Market gift card, visit: https://bit.ly/sahp-health-fair. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required to attend the fair.
Bossier Sheriff’s Office to conduct sobriety checkpoint this weekend
The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint Saturday, September 21st, beginning at 8:00 p.m. at an undisclosed location in Bossier Parish.
The sobriety checkpoint is being conducted as part of a grant awarded to the Sheriff’s Office from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission for DWI Enforcement.
Motorists are encouraged to report impaired drivers to law enforcement anytime in support of “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” The Bossier Sheriff's Office can be reached 24 hours daily at (318) 965-2203.
South Bossier Parish bridge closure
Beginning on Monday, September 23, 2024, the LA 527 bridge over Flat River in south Bossier Parish will be closed for necessary pile repair. This closure is scheduled to continue until Thursday, September 26, 2024.
This bridge is located approximately a half mile east of the intersection with Highway 71 near the community of Taylortown.
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