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U-L LAFAYETTE PRESIDENT JOSEPH SAVOIE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN FROM SEVEN PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES. IN THE STATEMENT, SAVOIE ADVISED STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF FROM THOSE COUNTRIES, WHO ARE AT THE UNIVERSITY, TO CONSIDER POSTPONING OR CANCELING ANY TRAVEL PLANS UNTIL MORE DETAILS ARE KNOWN ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. HE SAYS THEY REMAIN COMMITTED TO SUPPORT ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, FACULTY AND THEIR FAMILIES. U-L HAS OFFERED TO HELP STUDENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORDER AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR STUDIES.
A LAKE CHARLES MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING A FAMILY MEMBER IN THE STOMACH. CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A CALL AT AROUND TWO A-M SUNDAY MORNING ON IRA BREAUX ROAD IN LAKE CHARLES. 61-YEAR-OLD GENE R. CASTILLO FACES A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE VICTIM WAS AIRLIFTED TO A HOSPITAL IN LAFAYETTE, ACCORDING TO SHERIFF’S OFFICE SPOKESMAN JAMES MCGEE, AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
AN UNRESTRAINED PASSENGER WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN ST. LANDRY PARISH. JEFF HORCHEK HAS MORE.
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GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS IS EXPECTED TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION FOR FEBRUARY 13TH TO THE 23RD TO DEAL WITH A 304 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT. AT A PRESS CLUB LUNCHEON IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA INSPECTOR GENERAL STEPHEN STREET SAYS HE THINKS HIS OFFICE WILL BE AN EASY TARGET FOR CUTS. HE SAYS HIS OFFICE IS INVOLVED IN ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION AND IS THUS POLITICALLY UNPOPULAR. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS GONE FROM 17 STAFF POSITIONS TO 13 IN THE PAST TWO BUDGET CYCLES, AND HE’S TALKED TO COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION JAY DARDENNE ABOUT HOW HARD IT WILL BE FOR THEM TO CONDUCT COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS WITH ANOTHER CUT.
PRETRIAL HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 16TH IN THE CASE OF THREE PEOPLE ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO PLANT DRUGS ON THE VEHICLE OF A KNIGHT OIL TOOLS VICE PRESIDENT. AUTHORITIES SAYS MARK KNIGHT LAUNCHED THE SCHEME TO PLANT THE DRUGS ON THE CAR OF HIS BROTHER IN THE MIDST OF A DISPUTE OVER OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY. HIS CO-DEFENDANTS, THEN-STATE TROOPER COREY JACKSON AND THEN-LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY JASON KINCH, ALLEGEDLY HELPED KNIGHT. PRE-TRIAL HEARINGS WERE SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT 2016 BUT WERE DELAYED BECAUSE OF REQUESTS BY BOTH THE DEFENSE AND THE PROSECUTION.
THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED THE RECENTLY CLOSED LICENSE 2 DRIVE SCHOOL IN LAKE CHARLES ARE EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION, BECAUSE MANY OF THE STUDENTS WERE JUST HOURS AWAY FROM GETTING THEIR LICENSES. THE SCHOOL CHARGED 275 DOLLARS FOR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND EIGHT HOURS OF DRIVING TIME. ACCORDING TO KPLC TV, THE PARENTS ARE HOPING TO GET REFUNDS AND CREDIT FOR THE WORK THEIR CHILDREN COMPLETED. THE SCHOOL LOST ITS LICENSE AFTER THE OWNER WAS ARRESTED ON A D-W-I CHARGE AND LOST HER DRIVING PRIVILIGES.
A PLEA AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED WITH ONE OF THE MEN ACCUSED IN THE KILLING OF VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY ALLEN BARES JUNIOR IN 2014. 21-YEAR-OLD BAYLON TAYLOR PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND WILL SERVE A LIFE SENTENCE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. STATE PROSECUTORS AGREED TO DROP CHARGES OF SIMPLE BURGLARY, ARMED ROBBERY AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. THE OTHER MAN ACCUSED IN THE SHOOTING AND KILLING OF BARES, 23-YEAR-OLD QUINTYLAN RICHARD, PLEADED GUILTY LAST SUMMER AND IS SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE.
TWO EXPERTS DISCUSSED A PROPOSED 50 BILLION DOLLAR COASTAL MASTER PLAN AT AN ACADIANA PRESS CLUB FORUM HELD AT THE NATIONAL WETLANDS RESEARCH CENTER IN LAFAYETTE. BRADY COUVILLION WITH THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WETLAND AND AQUATIC RESEARCH CENTER IN BATON ROUGE SAYS THE STATE HAS LOST MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND SQUARE MILES OF WETLANDS OVER THE LAST 80 YEARS. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GRAND CHENIER PLAIN COASTAL RESTORATION AND PROTECTION AUTHORITY, NEDRA DAVIS, SAYS THE PRIORITY IN THE PLAN IS MARSH CREATION, BUT SHORELINE PROTECTION IS TOP PRIORITY FOR CALCASIEU, CAMERON, AND VERMILLION PARISHES. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO GIVE THEIR INPUT ON THE PLAN THROUGH MARCH 26TH AND THE LOUISIANA COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON IT IN APRIL.
