Which intersections in Lake Charles and Sulphur have seen the most accidents over the last 12 months?

The top 10 sites for traffic accidents in Lake Charles since the beginning of 2017, according to city police Maj. Gordon Fontenot:

Interstate 210 — 102 crashes.

I-10 — 87 crashes.

Gerstner Memorial and East Prien Lake Road — 44 crashes.

Prien Lake Road and Lake Street — 30 crashes.

Prien Lake Road and Common Street — 25 crashes.

Prien Lake Road and Enterprise Boulevard — 24 crashes.

Prien Lake Road and Nelson Road — 24 crashes.

Nelson Road and West McNeese Street — 23 crashes.

Gerstner Memorial and Power Centre Parkway — 20 crashes.

Country Club Road and Nelson Road — 20 crashes.

Sulphur Police Chief Lewis Coates said the intersection of I-10 and La. 108 — including the entire cloverleaf of on- and off-ramps — tops the list in Sulphur.

It’s followed by the intersection of I-10 and La. 27 — again encompassing all of the ramps — and the intersection of La. 27 (Beglis Parkway) and Maplewood Drive, Coates said.

For more info: www.cityoflakecharles.com; www.sulphur.org.

 

VA to allow sign-up for ID card soon

I saw recently where the VA was offering free flu shots, and occasionally I see where businesses offer discounts to veterans.

I took my DD-214 to the VA office, where a lady with a very brusque manner told me that I cannot get a veteran ID unless I am in a VA treatment program.

Is it true that a Naval officer with 10 years of service cannot get a veteran ID to enjoy these small benefits because he is healthy or chooses to obtain health care elsewhere?

The Veteran Health Identification Card is available only to those undergoing treatment. 

But under the Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs will soon begin issuing ID cards to honorably discharged veterans.

“Goods, services, and promotional activities are often offered by public and private institutions to veterans who demonstrate proof of service in the military, but it is impractical for a veteran to always carry Department of Defense form DD-214 discharge papers to demonstrate such proof. …,” reads the law. 

“A general purpose veteran identification card made available to veterans would be useful to demonstrate the status of the veterans without having to carry and use official Department of Defense form DD-214 discharge papers.”

The VA will begin taking applications this month, but officials have yet to say when the cards will be issued. The department won’t charge a fee for the cards, said Tammie Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Alexandria VA Health Care System.

Another ID card option: Louisiana law allows veterans to have the word “veteran” put on their driver’s licenses. To do so, applicants must present a DD-214, discharge certificate or a Uniformed Services Identification Card at a state Office of Motor Vehicles branch.

For more info: www.va.gov; www.expresslane.org.

 

The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.