11-16-16
THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SHOOTING OF A 16-YEAR-OLD NORTHSIDE HIGH STUDENT ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE BELIEVE A FELLOW NORTHSIDE HIGH STUDENT, 18-YEAR-OLD DEJUAN CLAY OF LAFAYETTE, WAS THE SHOOTER, AND HE’S BEEN BOOKED ON ONE COUNT OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY, ACCORDING TO CORPORAL BRIDGET DUGAS OF THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE STUDENT WHO WAS SHOT IS IN STABLE CONDITION AT AN AREA HOSPITAL. TWO OTHER JUVENILES WERE ALSO ARRESTED AFTER THEY WERE FOUND TO BE IN POSSESSION OF THE GUN THAT WAS USED IN THE SHOOTING, AND THEY WERE BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER ON CHARGES OF ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM.
A 77-YEAR-OLD MAN DIED IN A HOUSE FIRE IN WESTLAKE YESTERDAY MORNING BEFORE ELEVEN A-M. EMERGENCY CREWS FOUND THE BODY OF HAROLD DAILEY CORNETT IN THE LIVING AREA OF THE HOME WHILE FIGHTING THE BLAZE. INITIAL FINDINGS BY INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED CORNETT DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION, BUT THE CALCASIEU PARISH CORONER’S OFFICE WILL CONDUCT AN AUTOPSY. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED, BUT IT STARTED IN THE BEDROOM OF THE HOME, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE 800 BLOCK OF BAKER ROAD.
A 52-YEAR-OLD CHURCH POINT MAN WAS KILLED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT SHORTLY AFTER TWO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN EVANGELINE PARISH. STATE POLICE MASTER TROOPER BROOKS DAVID SAYS JEFFERY KYLE WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON L-A TEN NEAR GRETA LANE WHEN HE WENT OFF THE ROAD AT A CURVE, TRAVELED THROUGH A DITCH, AND STRUCK A CULVERT. KYLE, WHO WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT, WAS EJECTED AND LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES AT RAPIDES GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER. DAVID SAYS TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM KYLE TO DETERMINE IF IMPAIRMENT WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Gov. John Bel Edwards says Louisiana risks forcing students out of college or pushing them into greater debt because of upcoming cuts to the TOPS free college tuition program. The Democratic governor issued a statement Tuesday saying that Republican-led efforts to “front-load” the TOPS program — with near full funding in the fall semester and deep cuts to tuition payments in the spring — were a gimmick that gave students “false hope.” Edwards’ comments came as thousands of students have been receiving notifications reminding them the TOPS awards will only cover 42 percent of tuition costs for the spring semester. Republican House leaders pushed for the program payments to be front-loaded in the hopes that more money than expected may arrive from tax hikes passed this year.
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL INTRODUCED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD END A NEW FEE ON HOMES THAT HAVE SOLAR PANELS. THE FEE WAS RECENTLY APPROVED WITH NEW RATE HIKES AS A WAY OF RECOUPING COSTS TO LAFAYETTE UTILITIES SERVICE FOR PROVIDING WIRES, POLES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO PROVIDE ELECTRICTIY WHEN THE SOLAR PANELS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER. THE ACADIA GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB PRESENTED A PETITION WITH 244 SIGNATURES ASKING THAT THE SOLAR METERING FEE BE RESCINDED, OVER CONCERNS THAT IT WILL PUT A STOP TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR IN LAFAYETTE. THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE AT THEIR DECEMBER SIXTH MEETING.
A WELL-KNOWN JENNINGS CITY OFFICIAL WAS FOUND DEAD AND POLICE SAY HIS OWN GRANDSON SHOT HIM INSIDE HIS HOME. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEARCHING FOR A MAN, WHO THEY BELIEVE SHOT A 17-YEAR-OLD MALE IN NEW IBERIA SUNDAY NIGHT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATORS OBTAINED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR COURTNEY DESHAWN WASHINGTON ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER. THEY ALSO SECURED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR AN ASSOCIATE OF WASHINGTON’S, 20-YEAR-OLD BRYAN DUGAS OF NEW IBERIA, FOR ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. WASHINGTON IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS, AND ANYONE WHO KNOWS HIS WHEREABOUTS IS URGED TO CALL THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
The Republican third-place finisher in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race has endorsed his one-time GOP rival for the Dec. 10 runoff. U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany announced Tuesday he’s backing Treasurer John Kennedy, in his one-on-one competition against Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell.
In a short statement, Boustany urged his supporters to vote for Kennedy. Earlier Tuesday, the fourth-place finisher in the race, Democratic lawyer Caroline Fayard announced her backing of Campbell.
