10/3/24
A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD DRIVER WAS KILLED WHEN TRYING TO FLEE FROM SUNSET POLICE. A SUNSET POLICE OFFICER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE DRIVER, WHO WAS DRIVING THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE-WAY STREET IN THE OPELOUSAS CITY LIMITS. AFTER A BRIEF PURSUIT, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WAS EJECTED WHEN HE CRASHED. HE DIED AT THE SCENE. THE CAR, A RED HONDA, HAD BEEN REPORTED STOLEN EARLY THAT MORNING FROM THE OWNER’S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD’S INSURANCE PANEL DISCUSSED CHANGES TO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THOUSANDS OF CURRENT AND RETIRED TEACHERS. THE PANEL WAS TOLD BY AN AUDITOR THAT THERE IS AN EIGHT MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT UNDER THE CURRRENT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD PLAN. THE PANEL DISCUSSED MOVING RETIRED TEACHERS TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, BUT SOME WOULD HAVE TO SWITCH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS BECAUSE ABOUT THIRTY PERCENT OF DOCTORS IN LAFAYETTE DO NOT ACCEPT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. SOME RETIRED TEACHERS SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY MORE TO KEEP THEIR CURRENT HEALTH PLAN.
NEARLY TWELVE THOUSAND PEOPLE APPLIED FOR A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE STATE TO FORTIFY THE ROOFS OF THEIR HOMES. THAT PROMPTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF GRANTS AVAILABLE FROM THREE HUNDRED TO SIX HUNDRED. AN OFFICIAL ATTRIBUTES THE LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO THE RISE IN INSURANCE RATES AND THE DISCOUNTS OFFERED FOR HARDENED ROOFS. THE LOUISIANA FORTIFY HOMES PROGRAM REROOFS EXISTING HOMES WITH MORE STURDY ROOFS ABLE TO BETTER WITHSTAND HIGH WINDS.
BIKE SAFETY HAS BEEN OF INCREASING CONCERN IN JENNINGS AFTER TWO BICYCLISTS WERE KILLED IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. LIEUTENANT BEN MATTE OF THE JENNINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN BIKE RIDERS AROUND THE CITY. THOSE WHO REGULARLY RIDE BIKES CAN STOP BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GET A REFLECTIVE VEST FOR FREE. BICYCLES, BY STATE LAW, MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT WHITE LIGHT AND A REAR RED LIGHT THAT IS VISIBLE FROM FIVE HUNDRED FEET.
THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEARCHING FOR A BREAUX BRIDGE MAN WHO HAS BEEN MISSING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. FORTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD TRAVIS THIBODEAUX WAS LAST SEEN BY A FAMILY MEMBER ON SEPTEMBER NINETEENTH. HE IS WHITE, FIVE-TEN, WITH BROWN EYES AND BLACK HAIR, AND MAY HAVE BEEN TRAVELING IN A WHITE TWO THOUSAND FOUR CHEVY TRUCK. ANYONE WHO KNOWS HIS WHEREABOUTS IS ASKED TO CALL THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER A CRASH YESTERDAY IN BROUSSARD. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
VOICER Q :21
LOUISIANA ECONOMIST LOREN SCOTT DISCUSSED HIS ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AT AN EVENT IN LAFAYETTE. HE SAYS IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FORECAST THE FUTURE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. HE SAYS HE ISSUED A MIDLAND FORECAST WHICH IS THE AVERAGE BETWEEN THE EXTREMES OF REALLY BAD AND REALLY, REALLY GOOD. SCOTT SAYS THAT, BECAUSE LAFAYETTE HAS DIVERSIFIED ITS ECONOMY, HE THINKS LAFAYETTE WILL DO FINE.
SOME IBERIA PARISH RESIDENTS ARE CLAIMING THEY NEVER RECEIVED PROPERTY TAX REASSESSMENT LETTERS. ATTORNEY DAVID GRONER, WHO IS RUNNING FOR IBERIA PARISH ASSESSOR, SAYS THIS MEANS PEOPLE ARE PREVENTED FROM THEIR RIGHT TO APPEAL ANY CHANGES TO THEIR TAX PERCENTAGES. ASSESSOR ASHLIE SPIKER SAYS SHE SENT OUT LETTER TO THOSE IN THE PARISH WHO RECEIVED INCREASES EARLIER THIS YEAR. SHE TELLS KLFY TV SHE FOLLOWED THE LAW AND THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A CAMPAIGN TACTIC ORCHESTRATED BY HER CHALLENGERS.
