12-10-24
JEANERETTE MAYOR CAROL BOURGEOIS CONFIRMED THAT POLICE CHIEF DUSTY VALLOT RESIGNED FRIDAY. BOURGEOIS SAYS VALLOT INDICATED TO HIM A MONTH OR TWO AGO THAT HE WAS EXPLORING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. THE MAYOR SAYS THE COUNCIL WILL APPOINT AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF. AFTER THAT, THEY WILL BEGIN ADVERTISING FOR A FULL TIME CHIEF.
A TIGHT RACE FOR YOUNGSVILLE POLICE CHIEF LED TO QUESTIONS OF IF A RECOUNT WOULD BE CALLED. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IN LOUISIANA IS DOWN, ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. LAST SCHOOL YEAR, SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-THOUSAND STUDENTS ATTENDED KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, A DECLINE OF FIVE PERCENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS DOWN AS WELL. IT HAS DROPPED BY TEN PERCENT OVER THE PAST DECADE, WITH PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DOWN TO ONE HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND STUDENTS.
A PLANNED POWER OUTAGE GOES INTO EFFECT TODAY IN PARTS OF JEFF DAVIS PARISH. THE OUTAGE WILL ALLOW MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AT THREE SUBSTATIONS. IT BEGINS AT NINE THIS MORNING AND IS EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT SIX HOURS. RESIDENTS IN SOUTH LAKE CHARLES, IOWA, BELL CITY, LACASSINE, MORGANFIELD, MANCHESTER, HOLMWOOD, GRAND LAKE AND SWEET LAKE MAY BE AFFECTED.
A FIFTH PERSON HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A DEADLY SHOOTING IN VILLE PLATTE ON SEPTEMBER FOURTEENTH. NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD TRAYONNA WILLIAMS WAS KILLED WHILE TWO MEN WERE INJURED. POLICE CHIEF PERRY THOMAS SAYS THE FIFTH PERSON, TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD CALEB THOMAS, WAS ARRESTED IN MONROE AND FACE A SECOND-DEGREE MURDER CHARGE AND TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. MORE ARRESTS ARE POSSIBLE AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
A HYDRANT IN BROUSSARD WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE OVER THE WEEKEND. THE BROUSSARD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SAYS WATER PRESSURE IN THE AREA COULD BE AFFECTED UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE. NO TIMELINE WAS GIVEN FOR WHEN THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COMPLETED. THE HYDRANT IS ON SOUTH BERNARD ROAD BETWEEN ALBERTSON PARKWAY AND PINHOOK ROAD.
BLACK BEAR HUNTING SEASON BEGAN SATURDAY IN LOUISIANA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES. BLACK BEARS WERE PUT ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST IN NINETEEN NINETY-TWO BUT IT WAS TAKEN OFF IN TWENTY-SIXTEEN AS THE POPULATION HAS RECOVERED TO AROUND FIFTEEN HUNDRED. GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY SAYS THERE ARE SO MANY BLACK BEARS IN THE STATE THAT THEY ARE GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEER HUNTING. ONLY TEN TAGS WERE RELEASED FOR THIS SEASON’S HUNT AND THEY WERE GIVEN THROUGH A LOTTERY SYSTEM.
THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ALONG WITH THE PARISH GOVERNMENT ARE STARTING A PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE RECOVER FROM ADDICTION TO OPIOIDS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES. IT WAS STARTED WITH THE HELP OF MONEY RECEIVED FROM A NATIONAL OPIOID LAWSUIT AGAINST THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TEAM FOR ADDICTION AND RECOVERY, OR THE STAR PROGRAM, WAS CREATED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF ADDICTION BEFORE LAW ENFORCEMENT GETS INVOLVED. SHERIFFF BECKET BREAUX SAYS THE PROGRAM WILL ALSO HELP LOWER THE CRIME RATE IN THE PARISH.
