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A MOTORCYCLIST WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ON I-49 IN CARENCRO LAST NIGHT. IT HAPPENED JUST AFTER SEVEN AT MILEPOST FOUR AT THE HECTOR CONNOLY EXIT. POLICE CHIEF DAVID ANDERSON DID NOT RELEASE THE NAME OF THE MOTORCYCLIST BECAUSE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO NOTIFY THE FAMILY MEMBERS. SOUTHBOUND I-49 WAS CLOSED FOR AWHILE SO POLICE COULD INVESTIGATE.
CertainTeed’s resin manufacturing plant in southwest Louisiana has closed after more than 40 years of operation. Company officials, in a statement, said the Westlake plant shut down Wednesday. The American Press reports the plant has more than 50 employees, who retain active status through March 2. Lisa Miree-Luke, CertainTeed manager of internal and human resources communications, says high market competition was the main reason the plant was closed.
AUTHORITIES ARRESTED ST. MARTINVILLE MAYOR MELINDA MITCHELL’S HUSBAND FOR VIOLATING A PROTECTIVE ORDER OVER THE WEEKEND. MEGAN KELLY HAS MORE.
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The town of Marksville is reeling after five children on a trip to Walt Disney World were killed in a fiery wreck in Florida. Prayer services and vigils have been held in the town of about 5,500 people. A van from a Pentecostal church in Marksville was traveling outside of Gainesville when it was caught in a fiery crash involving two 18-wheelers Thursday. Rev. Carolyn Fletcher at the Marksville United Methodist Church says they collected money for the families during their Sunday service and prayed for the victims, survivors and their families.
HOME SALES IN ACADIANA FOR 2018 REACHED RECORD LEVELS. THE NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD WAS OVER FIVE THOUSAND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE TOTAL DOLLAR VOLUME IS EXPECTED TO BREAK THE RECORD 970 MILLION SET IN 2015. THE FINAL NUMBERS HAVE YET TO BE TALLIED BY THE REALTOR ASSOCIATION OF ACADIANA’S MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE. THE AVERAGE SALE PRICE FOR A HOME IN LAFAYETTE PARISH WAS JUST UNDER 223 THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH REVERSES A DECLINE FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.
A NEW QUARTER MILE LONG CHILDREN’S TRAIL HAS BEEN OPENED AT SAM HOUSTON JONES STATE PARK IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE WINDING DIRT PATH FEATURES A BRIDGE AND WOODEN ANIMALS AT NEARLY EVERY CURVE WITH FACTS ABOUT THEIR HABITAT. PARK MANAGER JASON GUILLORY SAYS IT TOOK TWO MONTHS TO CREATE THE TRAIL AND HE HOPES TO GET IT PAVED SO THAT IT’S WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. TRAIL MAINTENANCE WORKER MICHAEL DUHON SAYS HE PLANS TO CLEAR AN AREA NEAR THE CENTER OF THE TRAIL AND PUT A SANDBOX AND PICNIC TABLE IN THAT SPACE.
A PEDESTRIAN WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE WHILE TRYING TO CROSS I-TEN NEAR MILE MARKER 79 IN CROWLEY. POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYSTHE PEDESTRIAN, DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MAN IN HIS FIFTIES, WALKED TO THE INTERSTATE FROM THE VFW DRIVE, AN ACCESS ROAD. HE WAS FLOWN TO A REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF HIS INJURIES. I-TEN EASTBOUND WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A TIME LAST NIGHT WHILE POLICE INVESTIGATED THE ACCIDENT.
Louisiana’s Office of Behavioral Health is getting training and technical assistance to help people with serious mental illness find jobs. A news release from the state Department of Health says the federal Labor Department program provides 100 hours of training as well as the technical assistance. The Office of Behavioral Health and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services will develop a collaboration agreement to improve employment outcomes for individuals with a serious mental illness. The assistant secretary in charge of the office, Karen Stubbs, says the work will help identify and overcome barriers faced by people with serious mental illness.
