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OFFICIALS AND LEGISLATORS FROM SEVEN ACADIANA PARISHES PLED WITH MEMBERS OF THE LOUISIANA SENATE AND HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES TO BEGIN FIXING TWO LANE HIGHWAYS IN THE AREA. THE COMMITTEES HELD A MEETING AT THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL CHAMBERS YESTERDAY AND ABOUT ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE FROM ACADIANA WERE IN ATTENDANCE. STATE SENATOR JONATHAN PERRY OF KAPLAN HIGHLIGHTED TWO HIGHWAYS HE SAYS ARE IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION: L-A 35 BETWEEN BRANCH AND CHURCH POINT AND L-A 717 THAT RUNS THROUGH VERMILLION, JEFF DAVIS AND CAMERON PARISHES. STATE REPRESENTATIVES JACK MONTOUCET OF CROWLEY AND H BERNARD LEBAS OF VILLE PLATTE SAID L-A 13 FROM CROWLEY THROUGH ST. LANDRY AND EVANGELINE PARISH IS IN BAD SHAPE AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
LOUISIANA WILL BE HOLDING IT’S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ON MARCH FIFTH, AND IT’S RESTRICTED TO THOSE REGISTERED IN THE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT PARTIES. THAT CAUSES SOME CONFUSION FOR VOTERS, ACCORDING TO JEFF DAVIS PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS LORRAINE DEES, BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLY ELECTION IN LOUISIANA WHERE PARTY AFFILIATION IS RESTRICTED. SHE SAYS VOTERS WILL HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY FIFTH TO REGISTER TO VOTE OR TO CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION. VOTERS IN BEAUREGARD PARISH WILL ALSO BE VOTING ON THE RENEWAL OF A TEN YEAR, ONE CENT SALES TAX, AND VOTERS FROM ANY PARTY OR INDEPENDENTS IN THAT PARISH CAN VOTE ON THAT ISSUE.
THE BODY OF AN ELDERLY RAYNE WOMAN REPORTED MISSING TUESDAY NIGHT WAS FOUND IN A FIELD OFF MARAIST ROAD NEAR CROWLEY. IT’S BELIEVED THAT 71-YEAR-OLD EVELYN LEGER DIED FROM NATURAL CAUSES. HER BODY WAS FOUND ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YARDS FROM HER BUICK REGAL. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE SHE GOT CONFUSED WHILE DRIVING AND DROVE INTO A FIELD WHERE SHE GOT STUCK. THEY BELIEVE SHE DIED WHILE GOING FOR HELP.
The state health department is offering two scenarios for slashing $131 million in spending over the remaining five months of the budget year, if lawmakers refuse to raise taxes. Health and Hospitals Secretary Rebekah Gee says either option would have a “catastrophic impact” to Medicaid patients. Under one scenario, most cuts would be levied on the privatized LSU hospitals that care for the poor and uninsured. Under the other scenario, all optional Medicaid programs would be eliminated.
AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING A FIRE AT OIL SERVICE COMPANY FRANK’S INTERNATIONAL. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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LAKE CHARLES POLICE ARE REOPENING A COLD CASE HOMOCIDE FROM 1987. THE BODY OF 75-YEAR-OLD NOAH BREAUX WAS FOUND IN HIS BURNING HOUSE BUT IT WAS LATER DETERMINED HE DIED BEFORE THE FIRE FROM MULTIPLE SKULL FRACTURES, BUT THE WEAPON WAS NEVER DETERMINED. ZEB JOHNSON WITH THE CALCASIEU PARISH CORONER’S OFFICE TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE FIRE WAS AN ATTEMPT BY THE CRIMINALS TO COVER UP THE MURDER, BUT SOME EVIDENCE WAS LEFT BEHIND. DEPUTY CHIEF MARK KRAUS SAYS THAT EVIDENCE IS GOING TO BE RETESTED AND THEY’RE HOPING IT WILL RESULT IN AN ARREST AND CONVICTION.
THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT REINSTATED THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER CONVICTION OF A VERMILLION PARISH MAN, WHO SHOT AND KILLED HIS HUNTING PARTNER IN 2011. A JURY FOUND QUINT MIRE GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER FOR THE DEATH OF JULIAN GAJAN. MIRE SHOT GAJAN THREE TIMES WHILE THEY WERE HUNTING IN LITTLE PRAIRIE MARSH. THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL OVERTURNED THE CONVICTION, BECAUSE THEY SAID THE PROSECUTION FAILED TO PROVIDE A CLEAR MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTING, AND INSTEAD FOUND MIRE GUILTY OF NEGLIGENT HOMOCIDE. THE STATE SUPREME COURT HAS OVERTURNED THAT RULING AND MIRE WILL NOW HAVE TO SERVE THE ORIGINAL LIFE SENTENCE.
The Louisiana Supreme Court has overturned a constitutional amendment barring felons from running for office because voters approved a version without a last-minute legislative change. Wednesday’s 6-1 ruling says citizens did not vote on the amendment enacted by the legislature. The justices ruled in the case of Derrick Shepherd, a former state senator. He was not allowed to run for the state House in 2015 because his federal sentence for conspiring to launder money had ended in 2014.
