10-18-23
STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN CALCASIEU PARISH THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF A GUEYDAN MAN. FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD ROBERT ALLEN ELLIOTT WAS DRIVING EAST ON L-A FOURTEEN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WHEN, ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE, HE CROSSED THE CENTER LINE. THE DRIVER OF AN EIGHTEEN-WHEELER MOVED INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE TO AVOID ELLIOTT’S TRUCK BUT ELLIOTT MOVED BACK INTO THE EASTBOUND LANE AND STRUCK THE EIGHTEEN-WHEELER. ELLIOTT WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE THE DRIVER OF THE EIGHTEEN-WHEELER DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES.
AN ABANDONED AND CONDEMNED HOTEL ON THE SOUTHEAST EVANGELINE THRUWAY IN LAFAYETTE IS BEING TORN DOWN. KATHY TRAHAN, THE MANAGER OF COMPLIANCE FOR THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT, SAYS IT’S TIME FOR THE STRUCTURES TO BE CLEARED OUT. SHE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THEY WORKED WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET IT TORN DOWN AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO SEE THAT IN PROGRESS. TRAHAN SAYS IT’S BETTER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO CLEAR THE STRUCTURES SO THE PROPERTY CAN POTENTIALLY BE PUT BACK IN COMMERCE.
THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ABBEVILLE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR FOUR VOTING DISTRICTS. THE COUNCIL VOTED TO KEEP THE SAME BOUNDARIES EVEN THOUGH DISTRICT B HAS NINETEEN PERCENT MORE VOTERS THAN DISTRICT A. ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT, A TEN PERCENT OR MORE DEVIATION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT’S REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE EQUAL REPRESENTATION AND VOTING POWER FOR ALL CITIZENS. STAFF ATTORNEY AHMED SOUSSI WITH THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER SAYS ALLOWING DISTRICT B TO OVERPOPULATED DILUTES THE VOTES IN THAT AREA.
TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE NOVEMBER EIGHTEENTH GENERAL ELECTION FOR THOSE REGISTERING AT THE O-M-V OFFICE, BY MAIL OR IN PERSON. HOWEVER THERE’S ANOTHER OCTOBER TWENTY-EIGHTH DEADLINE FOR THOSE USING THE GEAUX VOTE ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM. THERE’S ALSO A GEAUX VOTE SMARTPHONE APP THAT CAN BE DOWNLOADED THAT PROVIDES REGISTRATION INFORMATION SUCH AS VOTING DISTRICTS AND SAMPLE BALLOTS. SEVERAL RUNOFF ELECTIONS WILL BE DECIDED ON NOVEMBER EIGHTEENTH INCLUDING THREE STATEWIDE OFFICE RUNOFFS.
SOME FUNDING ALREADY SET ASIDE FOR A NEW I-TEN BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES IS IN JEOPARDY IF THE STATE JOINT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE DOES NOT APPROVE PLANS FOR THE BRIDGE SOON. THAT’S ACCORDING TO
D-O-T-D SECRETARY ERIC KALIVODA, WHO REQUESTED APPROVAL BY NEXT TUESDAY. HE SAYS IF THE DECISION ISN’T MADE SOON, THEY COULD LOSE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL GRANTS AND ONE HUNDRED MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS. THE PROPOSAL FOR THE NEW BRIDGE WAS SUBMITTED IN JUNE.
LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS GATHERED TUESDAY NIGHT TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD OVERRIDE A VETO BY JOSH GUILLORY ON PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES. DANIELLE DUNCAN HAS MORE.
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AN OPELOUSAS CITY COUNCILWOMAN IS WORKING TO GET IMPROVEMENTS TO NORTH CITY PARK, INCLUDING CREATING A NEW WALKING TRAIL. DELITA BROUSSARD TOLD THE COUNCIL ABOUT A STATE GRANT PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE FUNDING TO BUILD RECREATIONAL WALKWAYS WITH THE CITY PAYING THE REMAINING TWENTY PERCENT. SHE SAYS THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH WORK ON GETTING THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED, WHICH IS DUE BY JULY FIRST. BROUSSARD SAYS SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE PARK’S NEGATIVE REPUTATION WITH CRIME BUT BELIEVES TAKING CARE OF THE PARK AND ADDING PROJECTS LIKE THE WALKING TRAIL WILL BRING FAMILIES BACK AND MAKE IT A HAPPIER PLACE.
FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW, SAINT MARTIN PARISH STUDENTS WERE EVACUATED BECAUSE OF A BOMB THREAT. A BOMB THREAT NOTE WAS FOUND ON A BATHROOM WALL AT SAINT MARTINVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. WHILE STUDENTS AND FACULTY WERE ESCORTED ACROSS THE STREET, A SEARCH TEAM WITH BOMB-SNIFFING DOGS SURVEYED THE SCHOOL BUILDING. SUPERINTENDENT FREDERICK WILTZ SAYS THEY KNEW IT WAS PROBABLY A HOAX BUT THEY WANTED TO BE SAFE.
