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11-26-14

An employee of Hess Corporation faces up to 20 years in prison for running up more than $1 million in unauthorized charges to a company credit card.  Monica Causgrove of Lafayette remained free on bond Tuesday pending sentencing next year in Houston. The 43-year-old Causgrove on Monday pleaded guilty to wire fraud.  Investigators say Causgrove used a Hess credit card and her position at the energy company for charges including a stay at a resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE IN LAKE CHARLES WAS EVACUATED YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF A SUSPICIOUS LETTER THAT THEY RECEIVED.  THE ENVELOPE WAS OPENED AT AROUND 1:30 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND A SUSPICIOUS SUBSTANCE FELL OUT.  LAKE CHARLES FIRE FIGHTERS AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE HAZ-MAT UNIT RESPONDED AND SECURED THE BUILDING.  SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON OF THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE WOULD NOT SAY WHAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS, BUT SAID IT WAS SECURED.

CROWLEY POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR TWO MEN, WHO ARE WANTED FOR CRIMINAL ACTS IN CONNECTION WITH GANG ACTIVITY.  POLICE CHIEF K-P GIBSON SAYS 34-YEAR-OLD DAMIEN DESHONE GUIDRY OF WELSH IS WANTED ON TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND HOME INVASION IN CONNECTION WITH A NOVEMBER 16TH SHOOTING THAT LEFT TWO PEOPLE WOUNDED.  GIBSON SAYS THEY ARE ALSO SEEKING TO ARREST 26-YEAR-OLD FRANDON BEVERLY FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN A SECOND UNRELATED SHOOTING.  BEVERLY IS THE BROTHER OF 22-YEAR-OLD TAYLOR BEVERLY, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN OCTOBER.

By lessening the blow of health insurance changes on state workers, school employees and retirees, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration gave itself and school boards a new budget headache.  The administration’s latest plan for the Office of Group Benefits is scheduled to take effect March 1. It reduced intended increases in out-of-pocket costs and deductibles for active employees and did away with those price hikes altogether for retirees.  In exchange, health insurance premium costs will rise by an estimated 11 percent in the budget year that begins July 1.

Premium hikes are shared between employees and employers. That means insurance costs for state agencies and 44 local school boards will grow by $94 million next year.  School boards are seeking help from the state to cover their $38 million projected share.

The federal trial of a Lafayette private investigator, accused of doling out cash and gifts to secure favorable DWI plea deals for his clients, has been delayed to June 8.

The Advocate reports Robert Williamson was set for trial next month, but U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Foote agreed to push back the date because Williamson is scheduled for radiation treatment following a recent surgery related to cancer.

Federal prosecutors allege Williamson took cash fees from his clients and used some of that money to bribe employees of the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to secure DWI plea deals allowing for a speedy disposition and expunging the charges.  Five others who were charged in the bribery scandal have pleaded guilty and are cooperating in the case against Williamson.

 

THE BOAT LAUNCH AT CALCASIEU POINT LANDING WILL BE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BEGINNING DECEMBER 15TH.  WORK CREWS WILL BE REPLACING THE 23 THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT CONCRETE AREA AROUND THE BOAT LAUNCH.  THE CALCASIEU POLICE JURY LAST WEEK APPROVED A LOW BID OF 582 THOUSAND DOLLARS BY K&J DEVELOPMENT TO DO THE WORK.  THE PARISH’S DIRECTOR OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT, KANE WEBB, SAYS THE BOAT LAUNCH SHOULD BE REOPENED IN LATE FEBRUARY OR EARLY MARCH.

A SECTION OF A MAJOR ROAD IN NEW IBERIA WILL BE CLOSED FOR AWHILE.  JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.

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