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A HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL IN THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE HAS BEEN PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE BECAUSE OF ALLEGATIONS OF PAST SEXUAL ABUSE. MONSIGNOR ROBIE ROBICHEAUX HAS MOST RECENTLY BEEN JUDICIAL VICOR AND HEAD OF THE MARRIAGE TRIBUNAL FOR THE DIOCESE. HE WAS ACCUSED OF ALLEGEDLY ABUSING A TEENAGE GIRL BETWEEN 1979 AND 1981. THE ALLEGED VICTIM FIRST NOTIFIED THE DIOCESE IN 1994, BUT BISHOP DOUGLAS DESHOTEL SAYS HE FIRST LEARNED OF IT ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.
THERE WAS AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT ON THE MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS OVER THE WEEKEND. THAT MAKES THE SECOND SUCH CASE IN 2018 FOR THE UNIVERSITY. PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR CANDACE TOWNSEND SAYS THEY RECEIVED A CALL FROM MEMORIAL HOSPITAL THAT A STUDENT THERE HAD POSSIBLY BEEN THE VICTIM OF AN ASSAULT. SHE SAYS AFTER JUST A FEW HOURS OF AN INVESTIGATION, THE UNIVERSITY POLICE HAS IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT BUT THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN AN ARREST.
THE RECENTLY FORMED NEW IBERIA POLICE DEPARTMENT HELD A TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER. POLICE CHIEF TODD D’ALBOR SAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN THEIR FIRST NINETY DAYS AND HEAR IDEAS FROM RESIDENTS ON WHAT THEY COULD DO BETTER. SEVERAL PEOPLE STOOD AND COMMENDED THE DEPARTMENT ON THE WORK THEY ARE DOING. D’ALBOR SAYS THEY ARE HOPING THAT, WITH EVENTS LIKE THIS, RESIDENTS WILL BE MORE COMPELLED TO BE THE EYES AND EARS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Candidates vying to be Louisiana’s secretary of state say they’re running to restore confidence in an office whose last elected leader resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. Five of the nine contenders on the Nov. 6 ballot faced off Monday.
Republicans were interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud, Rep. Rick Edmonds and Rep. Julie Stokes. The participating Democrat was Renee Fontenot Free, a former top aide to two secretaries of state.
FLAMES ERUPTED FROM A VACANT HOME IN LAFAYETTE PARISH AND FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THEY BELIEVE IT MAY BE ARSON. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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THE LAKE CHARLES MAYOR’S OFFICE HAS STARTED A NEW VENTURE THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE EARNING SOME MONEY. THE CITY IS JOINING WITH CARC IN THE PARK BUDDY PROGRAM, WHERE CARC CLIENTS CAN HELP CLEAN UP CITY PARKS. CARC CLIENTS WORK IN GROUPS OF FOUR FOR TWO HOURS A DAY IN DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO PICK UP LITTER. MAYOR NIC HUNTER HAS MADE IT A PRIORITY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION TO INVEST IN PARK PROGRAMS, WITH MORE THAN 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS SPENT SO FAR.
AN ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SWAT TEAM FOUND COCAINE, MARIJUANA, PILLS AND A STOLEN GUN WHILE EXECUTING A SEARCH WARRANT AT A HOME ON KATHY MEADOWS LANE IN CROWLEY. VARIOUS PARAPHERNALIA USED TO PACKAGE AND SELL NARCOTICS WERE ALSO RECOVERED. THE GUN WAS REPORTED STOLEN IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. 24-YEAR-OLD CHANDLER MOORE OF CROWLEY WAS BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON NUMEROUS CHARGES INCLUDING POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE, OXYCODONE, CRACK COCAINE AND MARIJUANA.
Louisiana officials want a federal appeals court to take another look at a law that would set a minimum age of 21 for exotic dancers. Last month, three judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling blocking enforcement. They agreed that the law making 21 the minimum age was unconstitutionally vague regarding how much of a young dancer must be covered.
Louisiana officials have now asked that the full 16-member court consider the case.
