11-21-18
THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE TO SELL THE FORMER FEDERAL COURTHOUSE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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A DOZEN WHOOPING CRANES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE ROCKEFELLER WILDLIFE REFUGE IN CAMERON PARISH. IT’S PART OF A PROJECT BY THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TO REINTRODUCE WHOOPING CRANES TO SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. IT WAS STARTED SEVEN YEARS AGO. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT FIVE CHICKS WERE HATCHED AND FLEDGED IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA LAST SPRING, THE MOST SINCE THE PROJECT BEGAN.
AN IBERIA PARISH MAN WAS SENTENCED TO 36 YEARS IN PRISON YESTERDAY FOR THE BRUTAL ATTACK OF TWO WOMEN, WHO WERE HIS GIRLFRIENDS. LAST JUNE, 27-YEAR-OLD CODY TOUCHEK PLED GUILTY TO ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER, AGGRAVATED BATTERY AND SECOND DEGREE BATTERY. DISTRICT ATTORNEY BO DUHE SAYS TOUCHEK BEAT AND KICKED HIS GIRLFRIEND BACK IN MARCH OF 2016, REQUIRING HER TO HAVE EMERGENCY SURGERY AND HER SPLEEN REMOVED. ONE YEAR LATER, HE ATTACKED ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND WITH A KNIFE, CAUSING MULTIPLE WOUNDS, AND ALSO WOUNDING A MALE FRIEND WHO TRIED TO INTERVENE.
Louisiana’s law banning abortions after 15 weeks remains on hold after a federal judge struck down a similar prohibition in neighboring Mississippi. The law passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards earlier this year contains language that it will only take effect if a federal court upholds the law in Mississippi. And U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves in Mississippi ruled Tuesday that the law there “unequivocally” violates women’s constitutional rights. If it ever took effect, Louisiana’s law would allow the imposition of a prison sentence of up to two years for someone who performs an abortion after 15 weeks.
THE LAFAYETTE TACTICAL NARCOTICS TEAM SEIZED MORE THAN 177 THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF NARCOTICS DURING A DRUG BUST. MEMBERS OF THE NARCOTICS TEAM ALONG WITH THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S SWAT TEAM EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT AT A RESIDENCE IN THE ONE HUNDRED BLOCK OF RUE DU JARDIN. IN ADDITION TO THE DRUGS, THEY ALSO SEIZED THREE FIREARMS AND MORE THAN 24-HUNDRED DOLLARS IN CASH. THEY ARRESTED 42-YEAR-OLD BLAINE DEJEAN, 51-YEAR-OLD PATRICIA FONTENOT, 34-YEAR-OLD HEATHER THIBODEAUX, AND 34-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA DORE.
SOME DRIVERS IN CALCASIEU PARISH PULLED OVER BY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS HAVE RECEIVED A SURPRISE WHEN, INSTEAD OF A TICKET, THEY GOT A FREE TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THE DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN OUT TURKEYS INSTEAD OF TICKETS, WITH A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED TO BE HANDED OUT, DOUBLE LAST YEAR’S AMOUNT. SERGEANT DONALD SHILLOW TELLS KPLC TV THAT THIS EVENT HELPS PEOPLE SEE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. HE SAYS THE TURKEYS AREN’T FOR EVERYONE. HE SAYS THEY STILL CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE DRIVER’S RECORD IS CLEAN.
THE VERMILLION PARISH POLICE JURY HAS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR SOYBEAN FARMERS. MANY SOYBEAN CROPS WERE DESTROYED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF EXTENDED RAINS. POLICE JUROR WAYNE TOUCHET SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HIS 15 YEARS ON THE JURY THAT THEY HAVE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR SOYBEAN FARMERS. HE’S HOPING THAT THE DECLARATION WILL CATCH THE ATTENTION OF THE LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SO THEY CAN GET SOME HELP FOR THE FARMERS.
Louisiana’s Supreme Court won’t hear arguments for a man sentenced two years ago to life in prison for killing his first wife in 1962. Monday’s rejection lets stand the second-degree murder conviction of William Felix Vail, who said Mary Vail fell out of his boat and drowned. Louisiana’s 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal refused earlier to hear the case. Defense arguments included objections to testimony about the disappearances of Vail’s girlfriend in 1973 and his second wife in 1984.
