1-5-23
THE LEFT LANE OF I-TEN EASTBOUND WAS OPENED LAST NIGHT BUT THE RIGHT LANE REMAINS BLOCKED. THE BRIDGE AT THE EVANGELINE THRUWAY WAS DAMAGED TUESDAY WHEN IT WAS HIT BY A NORTHBOUND EIGHTEEN-WHEELER. THERE’S NO WORD ON WHEN THE RIGHT EASTBOUND LANE ON INTERSTATE TEN WILL BE OPENED. D-O-T-D SPOKESPERSON DEIDRA DRUILHET ASKS MOTORISTS TRAVELING EASTBOUND THROUGH LAFAYETTE TO CONSIDER AN ALTERNATE ROUTE TO HELP ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
A MAN WHO ESCAPED FROM THE IBERIA PARISH COURTHOUSE YESTERDAY DURING A COURT PROCEEDING IS STILL ON THE LOOSE. DANIELLE JOHNSON REPORTS.
VOICER J :27
Louisiana’s Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy told supporters on Wednesday that he will not run for governor in October. The 2023 gubernatorial race is expected to attract several strong GOP candidates because term limits prevent current Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards from seeking a third straight term — opening a huge opportunity for Republicans hoping to capture the state’s top government post. But with the election about nine months away, only one person, Attorney General Jeff Landry, has officially launched a gubernatorial bid. It remains unclear who will emerge as a Democratic candidate.
FEMA HAS AWARDED LAKE CHARLES NEARLY THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR GENERATORS TO KEEP WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICES GOING DURING AN EMERGENCY. MAYOR NIC HUNTER TELLS KPLC TV THAT THIS WILL HELP ENSURE DURING A BLCKOUT THAT RESIDENTS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO RUN THE FAUCETS AND FLUSH THE TOILET. CITY UTILITIES MANAGER KEVIN HEISE SAYS GENERATORS WILL BE INSTALLED AT EIGHT WASTEWATER PUMPING STATIONS. IN ADDITION, TWO GENERATORS WILL BE PLACED AT ONE CITY WATER PLANT.
THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT HAS EXTENDED THE TIME FOR NORTH LAFAYETTE RESIDENTS TO COMPLETE A SURVEY ON THE NEEDS OF THE AREA. THE SURVEY WAS SUPPOSED TO END LAST MONTH BUT ONLY SEVEN HUNDRED PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME TO COMPLETE IT OUT OF FIFTY THOUSAND WHO LIVE IN NORTH LAFAYETTE. CHIEF OF MINORITY AFFAIRS CARLOS HARVIN SAYS THEY HAD HOPED TO GET AT LEAST FIVE THOUSAND TO FILL OUT THE ONLINE SURVEY. THE SURVEY DEADLINE WILL NOW BE JANUARY TWENTY-SECOND. IT CAN BE ACCESSED AT LAFAYETTE L-A DOT-CIVIL-SPACE-DOT-I-O.
THERE WAS A FATAL CRASH EARLY THIS MORNING JUST OUTSIDE THE MAURICE CITY LIMITS. THE CRASH, WHICH HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY ONE-SIXTY-SEVEN INVOLVED TWO VEHICLES. POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED DETAILS YET INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES AND INJURIES.
AFTER SIX VOTES IN THE U-S HOUSE, A HOUSE SPEAKER HAS STILL NOT BEEN ELECTED FOR THE NEW SESSION. CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN MCCARTHY HAS FAILED TO CONVINCE A BLOCK OF TWENTY-ONE REPUBLICANS TO VOTE FOR HIM OVER CONCERNS HE IS TOO WILLING TO ACCOMMODATE DEMOCRATS. THE FIVE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN FROM LOUISIANA HAVE ALL VOTED FOR MCCARTHY, INCLUDING CLAY HIGGINS, WHO OPPOSED MCCARTHY IN DECEMBER DURING INTERNAL PARTY VOTES. HIGGINS SAYS IT’S TIME TO ELECT A SPEAKER AND GET ON WITH GOVERNING.
A SAINT LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY HAS RESIGNED AFTER HIS ARREST ON MULTIPLE CHARGES AT A EUNICE BAR ON JANUARY FIRST. JOSHUA COURVILLE WAS ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING A WOMAN MULTIPLE TIMES, STRIKING HER IN THE FACE, AND ATTACKING HIS EX-WIFE WHEN SHE CAME TO CHECK ON HIM. COURVILLE TOLD DEPUTIES HE HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF THE INCIDENTS AND WAS CHARGED WITH SEXUAL BATTERY, SIMPLE BATTERY AND DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY. SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS COURVILLE HAD AN IMPECCABLE WORK RECORD BUT HE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS BEHAVIOR FROM HIS EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THE STRIKING OF A FEMALE.
