1-29-20
THE DUSON COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ARE IN SHOCK OVER THE MURDER OF WHEELCHAIR-BOUND MAN FOLLOWING A DEADLY HOME INVASION. MEGAN KELLY REPORTS.
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SOME RURAL RESIDENTS IN ST. LANDRY, POINT COUPEE AND IBERVILLE PARISHES WILL BE GETTING HIGH SPEED INTERNET. THE FIFTEEN-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL PROJECT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY IN GROSS TETE. STAR COMMUNICATIONS WILL BEGIN WORK THIS SUMMER TO ROLL OUT MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED MILES OF FIBER OPTIC CABLE WHICH WILL HELP MORE THAN TWENTY-SIX-HUNDRED HOMEOWNERS, TWELVE BUSINESSES AND SIXTEEN FARMS. COMPANY C-E-O TIM MAY SAYS IT WILL TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF A LAKE CHARLES COUPLE AFTER A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A BRAIN INJURY THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE SURGERY. MANCUSO SAYS THE HOSPITAL STAFF FOUND BRUISES THAT COVERED THE BOY’S BODY, EACH IN VARIOUS STAGES OF HEALING, SUGGESTING ABUSE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE BOY’S FATHER, TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD TYLER N. LABORDE AND HIS STEPMOTHER, JESSICA P. MATTHEWS, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE BATTERY, SECOND DEGREE CRUELTY TO A JUVENILE AND CRUELTY TO A JUVENILE. TWO GIRLS IN THE HOME, AGES FOUR AND ONE, ALONG WITH THE BOY, WERE PLACED INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.
Louisiana has reported its third vaping death. It’s the state’s first death this year linked to e-cigarettes. The state Department of Health reported the first two deaths a week apart in November. Department spokeswoman Kelly Zimmerman says the most recent death was that of someone from Lafayette Parish.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and softball coach Gerry Glasco have agreed to a two-year contract extension. Director of Athletics Bryan Maggard announced Monday that the third-year coach’s contract now goes through 2025. In two years, Glasco has guided the Ragin’ Cajuns to 93 wins and two NCAA Tournament regional appearances. Last year, Louisiana-Lafayette swept the Sun Belt regular season and conference tournament on their way to a 52-win season.
THE ACADIA PARISH POLICE JURY IS LOOKING AT WAYS TO CUT THE COSTS FOR HOUSING INMATES IN THE PARISH JAIL. SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS THEY ARE EXPERIENCING SOME OVERCROWDING AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO BOND OUT OR THEIR FAMILY HAS NOT HELPED THEM OUT. THE POLICE JURY IS LOOKING AT SAVING MONEY BY PUTTING NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS ON HOUSE ARREST WITH AN ANKLE BRACELET. THE PLAN IS FOR THE INMATE TO PAY THE ELEVEN DOLLARS A DAY THAT IT COSTS FOR THE BRACELET THOUGH SOME MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
TWO MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR A SHOOTING IN JENNINGS ON SUNDAY. WELSH POLICE MADE A TRAFFIC STOP OF A VEHICLE WITH TWO MEN IN IT ON I-TEN ON SUNDAY AND FOUND SPENT BULLET CASINGS IN THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER THE TRAFFIC STOP, A PERSON WALKED INTO THE JENNINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REPORT AN INCIDENT WHERE SHOTS WERE FIRED AT A VEHICLE WITH A PERSON IN IT. THE TWO SUSPECTS, BRENNAN HEBERT AND JAQUON PITRE, HAVE EACH BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER.
Louisiana’s top public school board will hire an outside search firm to help screen candidates to be the state’s next education superintendent. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s screening committee outlined an application process Tuesday that will include public interviews for the top handful of contenders. The committee intends to identify three to five finalists for interviews. The job is being vacated in mid-March by longtime Superintendent of Education John White.
