10-12-17
A GRAND JURY INDICTED 28-YEAR-OLD IAN HOWARD ON ONE COUNT OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER. HOWARD IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING LAFAYETTE POLICE CORPORAL MICHAEL MIDDLEBROOK ON OCTOBER FIRST, WHO WAS RESPONDING TO A CALL ABOUT AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AT A MOSS STREET CONVENIENCE STORE ON OCTOBER FIRST. DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEITH STUTES SAYS HE WILL PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY IF HE GETS A CONVICTION. THE GRAND JURY ALSO INDICTED HOWARD ON ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES FOR WOUNDING TWO CIVILIANS AND SHOOTING AT ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER BEFORE HE WAS ARRESTED.
THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES IS SELLING LIMITED EDITION BRICKS AT VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PARK, WHICH COMMEMORATE THE CITY’S SESQUICENTENNIAL. 150 BRICKS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR 150 DOLLARS EACH AND THEY HAVE THE NAMES OF AREA VETERANS ON THEM. THE MONEY RAISED WILL GO TO THE MAYOR’S ARMED FORCES COMMISSION AND ITS ONGOING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. THE BRICKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER AND WILL BE PLACED IN A 150 YEAR SECTION OF THE PARK.
THIS SATURDAY NEW IBERIA VOTERS WILL BE DECIDING THE FATE OF A HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT WOULD HELP FUND A NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN 2004, THE CITY DISBANDED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HIRED THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO HANDLE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. SUPPORTERS OF THE TAX SAY A POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NECESSARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO STEM A RISING CRIME RATE, BUT CRITICS ARE AGAINST PAYING FOR A NEW TAX WHILE THE CITY ALREADY HAS A ONE CENT TAX FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THE GREATER IBERIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND PUSH, A FAITH COALITION, HAVE DECIDED TO REMAIN OFFICIALLY NEUTRAL ON THE NEW TAX.
Louisiana House lawmakers are planning a closed-door retreat to hash out ideas for closing a looming $1 billion-plus state budget gap. The meeting will be held today at a Baton Rouge catering hall. Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris, head of the House GOP delegation, called the gathering an “educational, bipartisan retreat” aimed at getting the most up-to-date information about the state’s finances and the options for filling the budget hole. Minden Rep. Gene Reynolds, leader of the House Democrats, says 79 of the chamber’s 103 members said they plan to attend.
THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMY HAS IMPROVED ACROSS THE BOARD SINCE LATE LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO GREG GOTHREAUX, THE PRESIDENT AND C-E-O OF THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THERE’S BEEN AN OVERAL OPTIMISM THAT HAS KEPT THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY AFLOAT. HE ALSO SAYS THE RETAIL COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THE AMBASSADOR TOWN CENTER, WHICH HAS PRODUCED A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 132 MILLION DOLLARS WHILE CREATING MORE THAN A THOUSAND JOBS. GOTHREAUX SAYS JOBS ARE EMERGING IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVING BEEN HIRED OVER THE LAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF, AND THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY IS A GOOD PLACE TO FIND A JOB AS WELL.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE PART IN A WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S THIS SATURDAY IN LAKE CHARLES. IT’S ONE OF MORE THAN 600 NATIONWIDE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ALZHEIMER’S CARE, SUPPORT AND RESEARCH. THE WALK IS ABOUT TWO MILES LONG AND TAKES PLACE ON THE CIVIC CENTER GROUNDS. REGISTRATION BEGINS AT NINE A-M AND THE WALK WILL START AT TEN AFTER A CEREMONY.
ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON IS EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS THAT INCLUDE THE EARLY RELEASE OF NEARLY 14-HUNDRED INMATES, WHO ARE IN PRISON FOR NON-VIOLENT, NON-SEXUAL CRIMES. GIBSON SAYS WHEN YOU RELEASE THAT MANY PRISONERS, OVER TIME THE CRIME RATE WILL GO UP. 29 OF THOSE INMATES ARE FROM ACADIA PARISH. GIBSON SAYS LOUISIANA DOES NEED TO REVAMP THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH THIS REFORM PLAN.
Louisiana’s medical marijuana program is edging closer to kickoff, but doctors have been slow to embrace the new medication option. Only two doctors have applied for the permit required to offer medical-grade pot to patients, according to information The Associated Press obtained from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners under a Public Records Law request. One permit application has been approved, while the other is under review. Sen. Fred Mills, the Republican pharmacist who sponsored the laws, still hopes to see an uptick in permit requests from doctors when the drug is closer to release next summer.
