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1-15-18

A Louisiana woman has pleaded guilty to stealing almost $1.5 million from a Broussard oilfield related company.  U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, in a news release Friday, said 54-year-old Susan M. Benoit (BEN-wah), of Lafayette, entered the plea Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to two counts of wire fraud. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell.  Benoit faces up to 20 years in prison, restitution, forfeiture and a $250,000 fine.

 

THE REBUILDING OF OAKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS BEGUN AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN TWO YEARS.  A FIRE LAST MAY, CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, DAMAGED ABOUT EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE SCHOOL, INCLUDING THE LIBRARY, MEDIA ROOM AND SEVERAL CLASSROOMS.  LAST MONTH THE ALLEN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AWARDED A SIX-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO M-D DESCANT CONSTRUCTION OF BUNKIE.  SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL DOUCET TELLS THE AMERICAN PRESS HE’S EXCITED THAT THEY’VE STARTED AND IN A FEW MONTHS THEY’LL SEE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

 

THE FORMER NEW LIFE CENTER WOMEN’S SHELTER IN OPELOUSAS IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A STATE OF THE ART POLICE TRAINING FACILITY.  JOEY COMEAUX, THE PRESIDENT AND C-E-O OF THE COVERSIX TRAINING ACADEMY, TELLS KLFY TV HE ONLY AGREED TO TAKE OVER THE FACILITY WHEN HE WAS ASSURRED THAT EVERY FAMILY WAS PACKED UP AND PUT INTO A NICER PLACE.  HE SAYS HE LEARNED THAT THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE IS OPENING A BRAND NEW WOMEN’S SHELTER IN LAFAYETTE.  HE SAYS THE NEW POLICE TRAINING FACILITY WILL HELP RENOVATE AND REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN OPELOUSAS.

 

The former executive director of the State Police Commission is suing, claiming she was retaliated against for challenging Louisiana State Police brass and calling attention to a string of illegal campaign contributions made by commission members.  The Advocate reports Cathy Derbonne, who served as the commission’s chief administrator for eight years, said she had no choice but to resign at the height of the scandal last year after commissioners threatened to humiliate her at a public meeting.  The commission acts as a civil service board for state police, hearing complaints from rank-and-file troopers and deciding disciplinary appeals. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in state district court in Baton Rouge, seeks back pay and benefits.

 

TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, AND THERE ARE CELEBRATIONS PLANNED IN LAFAYETTE.  JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.

 

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THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT’S NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL DIVISION IS HOSTING A SERIES OF MEETINGS THIS WEEK TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING.  RESIDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER INPUT AND GET ACQUAINTED WITH NIEGHBORHOOD PATROL OFFICERS.  THE FIRST MEETING IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT SIX AT LANZA PARK.  THERE WILL ALSO BE A MEETING ON THURSDAY AT THE COLUMBUS CIRCLE RECREATION CENTER AND ONE IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK, ON TUESDAY, AT THE HENRY HEIGHTS RECREATION CENTER.  BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE ALSO AT SIX.

 

A REENACTMENT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH FROM SELMA TO MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA WAS HELD IN ABBEVILLE ON SATURDAY.  FOLLOWING THAT WAS THE UNVEILING OF THE NINTH ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE EXHIBIT.  THE EXHIBIT WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN MAGDALAN SQUARE IN ABBEVILLE UNTIL FEBRUARY 27TH.

 

Louisiana is expected to award all of its flood-rebuilding grants to homeowners by August, two years after the historic flooding. Most of the repair and reconstruction work should be completed by the end of the year.  The Advocate reports that was the assessment Pat Forbes, head of the state disaster recovery office, gave to the Restore Louisiana Task Force .  Louisiana has distributed 4,800 awards so far, totaling $138 million, out of $1.3 billion in federal aid dedicated to homeowners.