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11-5-15

The driver of a vehicle that traveled the wrong way down Interstate 10, resulting in a head-on collision in which a Port Arthur man died, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.  KPLC-TV reports state District Judge Ron Ware on Wednesday sentenced 29-year-old Derek Paul Cooper, of Moss Bluff, to a total of 18 years in prison, with three years suspended.  Cooper had a blood alcohol content of .24 — more than three times the legal limit — when he drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-10 in Sulphur on Sept. 27, 2014.  Cooper hit another vehicle head-on, killing 31-year-old Jeremy Olivier, the driver of the other vehicle.

 

PETROQUEST ENERGY OF LAFAYETTE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THEY LOST NEARLY 52 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, OR 80 CENTS PER SHARE.  LAST YEAR IN THE THIRD QUARTER, THE COMPANY MADE 4-POINT-6 MILLION DOLLARS, WHEN OIL PRICES WERE ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT THEY ARE NOW.  THE CHAIRMAN AND C-E-O OF PETROQUEST, CHARLES GOODSON, SAYS THEY BELIEVE THE COMPANY HAS THE ASSETS, EXPERIENCE AND LIQUIDITY IN PLACE TO MAKE IT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CURRENT DOWNTURN.  HE SAYS THEY REMAIN FLEXIBLE TO ADJUST TO CHANGING MARKET CONDITIONS AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO GROW THE COMPANY IN 2016.

 

THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HAS SIDED WITH VERMILLION PARISH IN A DISPUTE THEY HAVE WITH LAFAYETTE PARISH OVER THE BORDER BETWEEN THEM.  THE APPEALS COURT UPHELD A TRIAL JUDGE’S DECISION EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FAVOR OF VERMILLION PARISH.  AT STAKE IS BETWEEN ONE THOUSAND AND 12-HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND.  GARY MCGOFFIGAN, WHO REPRESENTS THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT, TELLS THE ADVOCATE THEY WILL TAKE THE CASE TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT AND ASK THEM TO REVIEW THE ISSUE.

 

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles has cleared more than 41,000 cases of drivers flagged for having lapsed insurance coverage, collecting about $6 million in fines.  That’s the latest data released Wednesday by Col. Mike Edmonson, the state police superintendent who oversees the motor vehicles agency.  Edmonson says in nearly one-third — or 12,800 — of the resolved cases, drivers didn’t pay anything after showing they shouldn’t have been fined. Another 28,500 people paid for violating the state’s insurance coverage requirement.

 

LAST NIGHT THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT “IN GOD WE TRUST” STICKERS ON ALL CITY-OWNED VEHICLES AND BUILDINGS.  MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO VOICED THEIR OPINION AT THE MEETING ALL SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE.  FUNDING FOR THE DECALS WILL COME THROUGH DONATIONS AND NOT TAXPAYER MONEY.  THE SPONSOR OF THE ORDINANCE, COUNCILMAN RODNEY GEYEN, SAYS THE PUBLIC WILL START SEEING THE STICKERS RIGHT AWAY.

LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERING EXTERNAL CAMERAS ON SCHOOL BUSES.  JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.

 

VOICER I :21

 

A BREAUX BRIDGE COUPLE ARE IN JAIL AFTER AGENTS WITH THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOUND DRUGS IN THEIR HOME.  MAJOR GINNY HIGGINS WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE AGENTS WERE EXECUTING A SEARCH WARRANT WHEN THEY FOUND THE DRUGS, INCLUDING METHAMPHETAMINE, AND MATERIALS TO PACKAGE AND SELL DRUGS.  33-YEAR-OLD BRANDON SCRANTZ AND 22-YEAR-OLD JODI LASSEIGNE WERE BOOKED INTO THE ST. MARTIN PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER.  SCRANTZ FACES NUMEROUS CHARGES  INCLUDING POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE.

 

Republican Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has picked up the backing of a group of Democratic state lawmakers for his re-election bid.  The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus announced Wednesday its endorsement of Caldwell in the Nov. 21 runoff against Republican challenger Jeff Landry. Nearly all members of the caucus are Democrats.  In a statement, Rep. Katrina Jackson, chair of the organization, described Caldwell as a candidate with experience, credibility and integrity.