10-28-24
ONE PERSON WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN A SHOOTING AT THE SAINT MARTINVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME SHORTLY BEFORE KICKOFF. HE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD DEION DRE BENJAMIN, ACCORDING TO HIS FAMILY, THE FATHER OF A TWO-YEAR-OLD GIRL. A SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN TEXAS, TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD ZACKYRIC GARDNER OF SAINT MARTINVILLE, WHO IS CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE SHOOTING IS ONGOING AND POLICE ANTICIPATE MORE ARRESTS.
A LAFAYETTE WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN DES ALLEMANDS, LOUISIANA FRIDAY MORNING AT AROUND ELEVEN. THIRTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD LAUREN WOMACK WAS TRAVELING EAST ON HIGHWAY NINETY WHEN, FOR REASONS UNDER INVESTIGATION, SHE WENT OFF THE ROADWAY, CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND HIT ANOTHER WESTBOUND VEHICLE. WOMACK WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE THE OTHER DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO AN OUT OF AREA HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. STANDARD TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM BOTH DRIVERS.
MORE THAN FORTY-ONE THOUSAND LOUISIANA STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE COLLEGE COURSES. THAT’S A NEARLY SIXTY PERCENT INCREASE OVER THREE YEARS AGO. THESE PROGRAMS ARE THREATENED BY LOOMING STATE BUDGET CUTS AND RISING COLLEGE COSTS. SOME EDUCATION LEADERS SAY A POTENTIAL TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLAR CUT IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET COULD LEAD COLLEGES TO OFFER FEWER COURSES AND DISCOUNTS FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS.
THE FORMER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR FOR CALCASIEU PARISH DIED SATURDAY NIGHT. SEVENTY-YEAR-OLD DICK GREMILLION RETIRED IN MAY AFTER THIRTY-ONE-YEARS OF SERVICE. HE LED THE PARISH THROUGH TWENTY-FIVE FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS. CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY PRESIDENT ANTHONY BARTIE CITED GREMILLION’S CALM AND STEADY LEADERSHIP THAT LED STAFF AND RESIDENTS TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON FACTS INSTEAD OF FEARS.
AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING A FATAL CRASH THAT HAPPENED THURSDAY NIGHT NEAR MAMOU. THE DRIVER OF A PICKUP, ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF OF HIGHWAY NINETY-FIVE ON TO BRANGUS ROAD, WENT OFF THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TREE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED THE NAME OF THE DRIVER WHO WAS KILLED. STANDARD TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN AND SUBMITTED FOR ANALYSIS.
A TWENTY-ONE MILLION DOLLAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON THE EVANGELINE THRUWAY IN LAFAYETTE IS NEARING COMPLETION. DIEDRE DRUIHET OF THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT SAYS IT SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR. SHE SAYS MOST OF THE WORK IS BEING DONE AT NIGHT AND ON THE WEEKENDS. DRUILHET SAYS THEY ARE CLEANING AND RESEALING SOME JOINTS ALONG THE PAVEMENT AND CONSTRUCTING HANDICAP RAMPS AT THE EDGES OF THE SIDEWALKS WHERE THEY MEET INTERSECTIONS.
STATE SENATOR CLEO FIELDS IS CONSIDERED A HEAVY FAVORITE TO WIN THE NEWLY FORMED BLACK MAJORITY DISTRICT WHICH STRETCHES FROM BATON ROUGE TO SHREVEPORT. THE LEGISLATURE CARVED OUT THE DISTRICT LAST YEAR, SACRIFICING THE SEAT OF CONGRESSMAN GARRETT GRAVES OF BATON ROUGE, WHO HAD ANGERED GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY. FIELDS IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LANDRY DESPITE BEING VERY LIBERAL AND ENDORSED LANDRY WHEN HE RAN FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL. FIELDS HAS RAISED ONE MILLION DOLLARS FOR HIS CAMPAIGN.
THE OPELOUSAS CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HOLDING AN EMERGENCY MEETING REGARDING THE CITY’S WATER SYSTEM AND THEY ARE INVITING THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND. GEORGE FAUSST HAS MORE.
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