11-12-25
LAFAYETTE POLICE SAY A WOMAN, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT THE HIMBOLA MANOR APARTMENTS, WAS AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER. TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD OVEYANNA FRANCIS WAS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE OF A SHOOTOUT AND WAS SHOT IN THE TORSO. POLICE ARE ACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR THOSE INVOLVED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS YEAR AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER WAS KILLED IN GUNFIRE IN LAFAYETTE.
STATE POLICE ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN THE INVESTIGATION OF A HIT-AND-RUN ON OCTOBER SEVENTEENTH WHEN FORTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD HARVEY GAUTHIER WAS KILLED. HE FELL FROM HIS MOTORCYCLE ON L-A THREE-FORTY-SEVEN IN SAINT MARTIN PARISHAND WAS STRUCK BY AN EIGHTEEN-WHEELER THAT DIDN’T STOP. STATE POLICE ARE STILL TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE EIGHTEEN-WHEELER AND ITS DRIVER. THEY’VE POSTED PHOTOS OF A LIGHT-COLORED PICKUP TRUCK IN THE AREA THAT IS A VEHICLE OF INTEREST AND THEY ARE HOPING SOMEONE IN THE PUBLIC CAN IDENTIFY IT.
A PLANNED OUTAGE BY JEFF DAVIS ELECTRIC WILL AFFECT CUSTOMERS IN CAMERON PARISH NEXT WEEK. THE JOHNSON BAYOU SUBSTATION WILL BE CONNECTED TO GRID POWER USING A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED LINE, REMOVING THE NEED FOR GENERATOR POWER. THE OUTAGE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AT EIGHT A-M NEXT WEDNESDAY AFFECTING CUSTOMERS IN HOLLY BEACH AND JOHNSON BAYOU. IT’S EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT TEN HOURS BUT IT WILL NOT AFFECT FERRY OPERATIONS.
FIRED L-S-U COACH BRIAN KELLY IS PREPARING A LAWSUIT ASKING A JUDGE TO RULE HE WAS TERMINATED WITHOUT CAUSE AND THE UNIVERSITY OWES HIM HIS FULL BUYOUT OF FIFTY-FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. THE ADVOCATE REPORTS THAT KELLY REJECTED SETTLEMENT OFFERS BY THEN-ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SCOTT WOODWARD. ACCORDING TO HIS PETITION, SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES SAID HE HAD NOT BEEN FORMALLY TERMINATED AND WERE CONSIDERING FIRING HIM FOR CAUSE. KELLY WAS FIRED OCTOBER TWENTY-SIXTH, THE DAY AFTER L-S-U LOST TO TEXAS A-AND-M FORTY-NINE TO TWENTY-SIX.
EARLY VOTING TURNOUT IN LAFAYETTE PARISH HAS BEEN LOWER THAN EXPECTED AND OFFICIALS SAY IT’S A COMMON TREND WHEN ONLY PROPOSITIONS ARE ON THE BALLOT. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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SAINT LANDRY PARISH VOTERS WILL DECIDE THIS SATURDAY WHETHER TO RENEW A SALES TAX FOR FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, THE LARGEST FIRE DISTRICT IN THE PARISH COVERING THREE HUNDRED MILES. FIRE CHIEF MATTHEW RABALAIS SAYS THE TAX PROVIDES THE FUNDING FOR THEIR BUDGET. HE SAYS IT ALSO IS CRUCIAL FOR KEEPING HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE RATES STABLE. THE SALES TAX WENT INTO EFFECT IN THE NINETEEN-NINETIES.
THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES COMMEMMORATED VETERAN’S DAY WITH THE FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL AVENUE OF FLAGS. IT’S BELIEVED TO BE THE LARGEST DISPLAY OF MEMORIAL FLAGS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE DIRECTOR OF THE AVENUE OF FLAGS, TED HARLESS, SAYS THE DISPLAY GETS BIGGER EVERY YEAR, MAKING IT AN EVENT SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA DOESN’T WANT TO MISS. THIS YEAR, THERE WERE ONE THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX FLAGS DISPLAYED, ALL DONATED BY VETERANS.
ACADIA PARISH LEADERS HAVE ASKED FOR STATE HELP TO RECONSTRUCT A TWO MILE SECTION OF HIGHWAY TEN-NINETY-SIX IN RAYNE. THEY SAY IT HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF BEING UNSAFE FOR DRIVERS, WITH SECTIONS MISSING PAVEMENT ENTIRELY. POLICE JURY PRESIDENT BEAU PETITJEAN SENT AN URGENT LETTER TO HOUSE SPEAKER PHILLIP DEVILLIER AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHANCE HENRY FOR STATE ASSISTANCE TO RECONSTRUCT THE SECTION BETWEEN WEST SOLDIER ROAD AND NORTH RICELAND ROAD. PETITJEAN PRAISED THE QUICK RESPONSE AS THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT HAS ASSIGNED AN ENGINEER TO BEGIN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WORK FOR THE PROJECT.
