12-12-17
The body of a missing woman has been found in a south Louisiana lake, after an angler hooked her purse. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz (GIH’-droze) told news organizations that divers found the body in Lake Dubuisson (DOO’-bih-sawn) early Monday. Authorities are withholding her name until her family can be notified. She was reported to be a 21-year-old woman from Shreveport, who had been reported missing Saturday while visiting Alexandria, where police said she was last seen Friday night.
THE RED CROSS IS OFFERING FREE SMOKE ALARMS TO RESIDENTS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. IT’S PART OF A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND INJURIES FROM HOUSE FIRES BY 25 PERCENT BY 2020. THE U-S FIRE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THE RISK OF DYING FROM A HOUSE FIRE IS CUT IN HALF WHEN THE HOME HAS A WORKING SMOKE ALARM. THE RED CROSS OFFICE AT 35-12 KIRKMAN STREET IN LAKE CHARLES IS GIVING AWAY THE SMOKE ALARMS. YOU CAN STOP BY OR CALL THEM AT 656-0835.
LUS FIBER HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS TO EXPAND THEIR SERVICES INTO BROUSSARD AND YOUNGSVILLE. LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES TERRY HUVAL WOULDN’T SAY HOW MUCH THEY WERE INVESTING IN THE VENTURE, BUT DID SAYS THE COSTS ARE SMALL COMPARED TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS. CURRENTLY LUS FIBER HAS FORTY PERCENT OF THE LAFAYETTE MARKET’S INTERNET, TELEVISION AND TELEPHONE SERVICES AND HUVAL SAYS THEY HOPE TO MAKE SIMILAR GAINS IN BROUSSARD AND YOUNGSVILLE. HE TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT FUTURE EXPANSION ELSEWHERE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH IS LIKELY, THOUGH THEY WILL FIRST EVALUATE THE RETURNS IN BROUSSARD AND YOUNGSVILLE.
Louisiana’s Department of Education says two universities have been chosen to lead a network that will research teacher preparation efforts in the state. Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette will co-chair the Louisiana Educator Research Consortium. The two universities will direct research and seek grants for the consortium. Each institution will receive $25,000 in grant funding to launch the work.
NO FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND MONDAY MORNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARGARET AND MIXON STREETS IN NEW IBERIA. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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IN LAKE CHARLES, THE COAST GUARD, CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND REALTORS WITH MOFFETT, LATTER AND BLUM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FOR SOME FAMILIES IN NEED. BLANCHE LANDRY WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES TELLS KPLC TV THEY ARE GETTING WISH LISTS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND THEN FINDING PEOPLE TO ADOPT THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE SAYS, THEY FOUND A FAMILY OF TEN NEEDING BEDS AND HOOKED THEM UP WITH A DONOR WHO WILL PROVIDE TEN BEDS AND BEDDINGS PLUS FOOD FOR THE FAMILY. REALTOR LU CREAGER SAYS THEY ARE HELPING OVER 175 SENIORS AND CHILDREN AS WELL AS 22 CHENNAULT VETERANS.
A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR IN LAFAYETTE PLED GUILTY TO TRYING TO ACCESS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S TAX RETURNS USING HIS SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER DURING LAST YEAR’S CAMPAIGN. THE TRIAL FOR 32-YEAR-OLD JORDAN HAMLETT WAS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS WEEK, BUT WAS POSTPONED WHEN THE JUDGE ASSIGNED TO THE CASE DIED SATURDAY AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS. HAMLETT’S ATTORNEY SAID THEY DECIDED TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND MOVE FORWARD TO GET CLOSURE RATHER THAN WAIT FOR ANOTHER TRIAL. HAMLETT FACES UP TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE WHEN HE IS SENTENCED.
Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office is raising “concerns” about whether Gov. John Bel Edwards can legally sidestep lawmakers to enact $15 billion in Louisiana Medicaid contracts through an emergency process. The guidance issued to lawmakers by the GOP attorney general suggests that if the Democratic governor’s administration continues services for 1.5 million Medicaid patients by invoking the emergency statute, the contracts could be declared “null and void.” The health department decided to use the emergency approach to retain five managed-care companies for 23 months beyond their current deals’ expiration after House Republicans on the Legislature’s joint budget committee twice blocked the contract extensions. The Edwards administration is relying on a state law that allows for emergency contracting when an imminent threat to public health, welfare or safety exists.
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