4-24-15
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS WRAPPED UP ITS INVESTIGATION INTO KNIGHT OIL TOOL’S CHAIRMAN MARK KNIGHT AND THREE OTHERS ACCUSED OF A CONSPIRACY TO PLANT DRUGS UNDER THE CAR OF KNIGHT’S BROTHER, BRIAN, LAST JUNE. CAPTAIN KIP JUDICE SAYS THEY WILL HAND THE CASE OVER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE ON MONDAY. AT THE TIME OF THE ALLEGED SCHEME, BRIAN KNIGHT WAS INVOLVED IN MEDIATION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OVER FINANCES. MEANWHILE, KNIGHT OIL TOOLS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THEY HAVE BEGUN A SEARCH FOR A NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN.
A LAKE CHARLES HOMEOWNER SHOT A SUSPECTED JUVENILE BURGLAR IN THE LEG EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. SERGEANT MARK KRAUS OF THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE HOMEOWNER SHOT THE JUVENILE, WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY RUNNING AT HIM FROM A NEIGHBOR’S BACKYARD. THE JUVENILE FLED THE SCENE BEFORE POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVED, BUT WAS LATER APPREHENDED OFF OF CALIFORNIA STREET AND TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. KRAUS SAYS A BAG CONTAINING ITEMS TAKEN FROM THREE HOMES WAS FOUND IN THE AREA, AND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DROPPED BY THE SUSPECT.
AUTHORITIES SEARCHED A HOME BY IN THE 900 BLOCK OF WEST MAIN STREET IN NEW IBERIA AND FOUND LARGE QUANTITIES OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS. THE HOMEOWNER, 44-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL MITCHELL, WAS CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE DRUG COUNTS, AND A WOMAN IN THE HOME, 30-YEAR-OLD CONSTANCE SIMON OF YOUNGSVILLE, WAS ALSO ARRESTED. THEY BOTH POSTED BAIL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A JOINT INVESTIGATION BY THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY LED TO THE SEARCH WARRANT AND THE ARRESTS.
Gov. Bobby Jindal says businesses that oppose religious objections laws are entering an “unholy alliance” with liberal elites who support more taxes and regulation and demonize profit-making. In a meeting with reporters Thursday, the Republican governor said he was alarmed when business groups united with gay rights advocates to oppose religious objections laws in Indiana and Arkansas. Jindal is backing a religious objections proposal before the Louisiana Legislature. Computer giant IBM opposes it, and the governor says other corporations have asked him to oppose the bill.
SOME PEOPLE ARE RAISING QUESTIONS OVER WHAT THEY SEE AS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST INVOLVING THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH PRESIDENT. JOEY DUREL HELPED BROKER THE PURCHASE OF THE UNIVERSITY HORSE FARM BY THE CITY TO TURN IT INTO A CITY PARK, AND HE SERVES AS PRESIDENT OF THE NONPROFIT THAT RUNS THE FARMERS MARKET AT THE PARK. CITY PARISH COUNCILMAN JARED BELLARD TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT IT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD WHEN DUREL SERVES ON THE NONPROFIT THAT RECEIVES MONEY WHILE, AS CITY PARISH PRESIDENT, HE DECIDES WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE FARM. DUREL SAYS HE PERSONALLY USED HIS OWN MONEY TO HELP START THE FARMER’S MARKET AND HE’S NEVER RECEIVED ANY PAY AS PRESIDENT OF THE FARMER’S AND ARTISANS MARKET AT THE HORSE FARM.
A LAKE CHARLES MAN SAYS HE BELIEVES THREE DOMESTIC ALL-WHITE GEESE HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM A POPULAR FEEDING AREA ON THE LAKE BETWEEN VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PARK AND BILBO CEMETARY. KENNY BERTRAND AND A GROUP OF OTHER PEOPLE STOP BY THE AREA EVERY DAY TO FEED THE BIRDS, AND HE NOTICED TWO ADULTS AND A BABY ARE MISSING. HE’S OFFERING A REWARD TO WHOEVER TOOK THEM, THOUGH IT DEPENDS ON THE CONDITION OF THE BIRDS. BEAU GREGORY OF THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES TELLS KPLC TV THAT THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST TAKING THE BIRDS SINCE THEY ARE DOMESTICATED, THOUGH HE HOPES PEOPLE WOULD JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE.
TWO TIME ESCAPEE THEOBEGI LEVIER IS BACK BEHIND BARS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Gov. Bobby Jindal says he won’t support any legislative effort to temporarily suspend tax breaks to drum up quick cash to patch together next year’s budget.
The Republican governor said Thursday he’s told lawmakers that he would consider the move a tax increase and he would veto a budget dependent on it. He equated the proposals to “games or loopholes.” But Jindal says he thinks lawmakers will find a longer-term solution to the state’s $1.6 billion budget shortfall, with tax changes and spending reductions.
