1-25-17
THE NEW LAFAYETTE POLICE CHIEF SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO ADD TEN POLICE OFFICERS WHO WOULD PATROL THE THREE AREAS OF THE CITY WITH THE MOST ACTIVE BAR SCENES. CURRENTLY THE DEPARTMENT SPENDS ABOUT 260 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR OVERTIME DETAILS WHICH PATROL THOSE AREAS. CHIEF TOBY AGUILLARD TOLD A CITY PARISH COUNCIL COMMITTEE LAST NIGHT THAT IT WOULD COST MORE INITIALLY TO TRAIN THE NEW OFFICERS, BUT WOULD RESULT IN A COST SAVINGS OVER THE LONG TERM. AGUILLARD SAYS HE PLANS TO SUBMIT A BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE TEN NEW OFFICERS LATER THIS YEAR, WHICH WOULD BRING THE DEPARTMENT UP TO 277 OFFICERS.
AN OAKDALE WOMAN PLEADED GUILTY LAST WEEK TO ACCEPTING BRIBES TO SMUGGLE CELL PHONES AND TOBACCO INTO THE FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE IN OAKDALE. U-S ATTORNEY STEPHANIE FINLEY SAYS 55-YEAR-OLD BILLIE A. HOLMES RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SMUGGLE THE CONTRABAND WHEN SHE WAS WORKING AS AN EDUCATION CONTRACTOR AT THE PRISON BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2014 AND MAY OF 2015. HOLMES WAS RECORDED ONE TIME MAKING PLANS TO SMUGGLE A CELL PHONE. SHE FACES UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON AND A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE WHEN SHE IS SENTENCED ON APRIL 21ST.
OMEGA PROTEIN HAS BEEN FINED ONE MILLION DOLLARS FOR DUMPING POLLUTED WATER INTO THE VERMILLION RIVER FROM THEIR ABBEVILLE PLANT ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IT WAS PART OF A PLEA AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE U-S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE. THE COMPANY ALSO AGREED TO PAY A 200 THOUSAND DOLLAR COMMUNITY SERVICE FEE TO THE STATE POLICE EMERGENCY SERVICE UNIT, ACCORDING TO U-S ATTORNEY STEPHANIE FINLEY. SHE SAYS OMEGA PROTEIN WILL ALSO MAINTAIN AN EFFLUENT POND AT THE PLANT, WHERE THE PROCESSED WATER WILL BE PUMPED TO AND TREATED BEFORE IT IS DISCHARGED.
A new financial analysis says six of the country’s major energy-producing states have slipped into recession. The report by S&P Global Ratings says a sharp decline in energy production and exploration over the last 18 months has caused revenue to plummet and job growth to stagnate. The states are Louisiana ,Alaska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Experts say state economic growth has been slower than expected, with revenue in some places failing to meet projections or keep up with rising spending needs.
THE OWNERS OF A CARENCRO BUSINESS HAVE TO REBUILD FOR THE SECOND TIME IN JUST FIVE YEARS. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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JURY SELECTION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 13TH IN THE TRIAL OF KEVIN DAIGLE OF LAKE CHARLES, THE MAN ACCUSED OF THE MURDER OF STATE POLICE TROOPER STEVEN VINCENT IN AUGUST OF 2015. THE JURY WILL BE SELECTED IN BOSSIER CITY AND THEN TRANSPORTED TO CALCASIEU PARISH FOR THE TRIAL. THE DEFENSE IS ASKING A JUDGE TO ALLOW A CALIFORNIA NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST TO EXAMINE DAIGLE. PROSECUTOR RICK BRYANT TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE EVALUATION IS AN ATTEMPT BY THE DEFENSE TO MAKE DAIGLE INELIGIBLE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY IF HE’S FOUND GUILTY.
IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES WERE LED ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE YESTERDAY AFTER THEY ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER A VEHICLE THAT WAS REPORTED STOLEN FROM NEW IBERIA. THE CHASE BEGAN AT DASPIT ROAD AND WEST TAMPICO STREET AND LASTED FOR 18 MINUTES, REACHING SPEEDS OF MORE THAN 85 MILES AN HOUR. THE CHASE ENDED WHEN THE STOLEN VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND AT THE INTERSECTION OF BELLPLACE OLIVIER AND LOREAUVILLE ROADS. THIRTY-YEAR-OLD SCOTTIE GRIGSBY WAS ARRESTED AFTER A SHORT FOOT CHASE, WHILE 38-YEAR-OLD JAMIE DELAHOUSSAYE WAS ARRESTED IN THE VEHICLE. ACADIAN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED OUT TO TREAT THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS HIT FROM BEHIND.
Ongoing litigation that threatens to strip the financing for more than 30 of Louisiana’s public charter schools didn’t stop the state education board from authorizing new charters. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved applications Tuesday to create three more charter schools of the type whose funding is in doubt because of the lawsuit. An appellate court has ruled that money from Louisiana’s public school funding formula can’t pay for the schools granted charters by the state board, rather than local school boards. The impact of that ruling is on hold, while the case winds its way to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
