10-4-17
A LAFAYETTE BUSINESSMAN, ACCUSED OF ARRANGING THE KIDNAPPING OF HIS ESTRANGED WIFE, HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY. LAST MONTH, A GRAND JURY INDICTED 49-YEAR-OLD LAWRENCE MICHAEL HANDLEY ON KIDNAPPING CHARGES AS WELL AS CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT SECOND DEGREE MURDER. HANDLEY IS ACCUSED OF MAKING THE ARRANGEMENTS WITH TWO MISSISSIPPI MEN, WHO CARRIED OUT THE KIDNAPPING. THE MEN LATER DROWNED NEAR BATON ROUGE WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM POLICE.
THE DEQUINCY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SEARCHING FOR AN ATTEMPTED MURDER SUSPECT WHO IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. 32-YEAR-OLD JEREMY RUTLEDGE IS FACING CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER, UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND FALSE IMPRISONMENT. HIS BOND HAS BEEN SET AT 267,500 DOLLARS. IF YOU SEE RUTLEDGE, YOU ARE URGED TO CALL 9-1-1 OR THE DEQUINCY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
A SCHOOL BUS WITH STUDENTS ABOARD IN ABBEVILLE CRASHED INTO TWO HOMES YESTERDAY MORNING. THE BUS, WHICH WAS TRAVELING DOWN FRANK ALLEY, WAS STRUCK BY A CAR AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH YOUNG. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT THE BUS REMAINED STUCK TO IT AS IT HIT TWO HOMES. NOBODY IN THE HOMES RECEIVED ANY INJURIES, BUT BOTH DRIVERS AND THE STUDENTS ON THE SCHOOL BUS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES.
The Trump administration is finalizing a $29 billion disaster aid package that combines $16 billion to shore up the government-backed flood insurance program with almost $13 billion in new relief for hurricane victims. The huge request is expected to be officially sent to Congress on Wednesday, but its outlines were characterized by officials who demanded anonymity because the $29 billion measure is not yet public. The request would pump money into the flood insurance program, which is rapidly running out of cash to pay an influx of claims from victims of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. At the same time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to spend money for disaster relief operations at a high rate and requires more money.
THE COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN ITS SUPPORT FOR CORPORAL MICHAEL MIDDLEBROOK, THE LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED WHILE RESPONDING TO A CALL. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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AN 18-YEAR-OLD JENNINGS MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER FOR THE DEATH OF DEDRICK GANT, WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND FLOATING IN THE JEFF DAVIS CANAL LAST NOVEMBER. RYAN CHRISTOPHER COLE AND HIS FRIEND, 17-YEAR-OLD PARKER GARY, WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER. AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST, THE TWO WERE ALREADY IN JAIL IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROBBERY AND MURDER OF GARY’S GRANDFATHER, WARREN GARY. COLE WILL BE SENTENCED ON OCTOBER 30TH.
THE NEW CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR OPELOUSAS SAYS HE HAS BIG HOPES FOR THE CITY, AND EXPECTS IT TO RISE TO THE TOP. ROD SIAS COMPARED THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE IN OPELOUSAS TO A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY TELLING KATC TV THAT THE WATER SYSTEM WAS BUILT IN THE 1950’S AND HAS NOT BEEN UPGRADED, AND THERE HASN’T BEEN A MAJOR ROAD REPLACEMENT SINCE THE 1980’S. HOWEVER, SIAS SAYS 29 NEW BUSINESSES HAVE OPENED IN OPELOUSAS WHICH WILL HELP IMPROVE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS. HE SAYS WITH THAT AND SEVERAL GRANTS IN PLACE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
Louisiana will receive a more than $55 million federal grant to help improve the reading and writing skills of its students. The state education department announced Tuesday that it is one of 11 states chosen by the U.S. Department of Education to receive the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant. Louisiana will receive $18.5 million a year for three years. Superintendent of Education John White says only 36 percent of Louisiana’s children read and write on grade level by fourth grade.
