12-14-17
LAFAYETTE-BASED KNIGHT ENERGY HOLDINGS HAS EMERGED FROM BANKRUPTCY WITH HELP FROM A CALIFORNIA BASED PRIVATE INVESTMENT FIRM. A REORGANIZATION PLAN HAS WIPED OUT 175 MILLION DOLLARS OF DEBT AND NOW THE CLEARLAKE CAPITAL GROUP IS THE MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER OF KNIGHT. THE COMPANY, WHICH IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST PRIVATELY OWNED OILFIELD RENTAL TOOL COMPANY, WENT INTO CHAPTER ELEVEN BANKRUPTCY IN AUGUST. KNIGHT WAS MIRED IN DEBT AND THE HEAD OF THE COMPANY, MARK KNIGHT, HAD BEEN INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO PLANT DRUGS ON HIS BROTHER’S VEHICLE IN ORDER TO DISCREDIT HIM IN A BATTLE OVER THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY.
A CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BUS CARRYING BARBE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON I-TEN IN RAYNE. POLICE CHIEF CARROL STELLY SAYS AN EASTBOUND VEHICLE CROSSED INTO THE WESTBOUND LANES, HITTING THE SCHOOL BUS. HE SAYS THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THE BUS DRIVER AND THE STUDENTS WERE OK, BUT TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL AS A PRECAUTION. THE STUDENTS WERE RETURNING FROM A FIELD TRIP VISITING KATC TV IN LAFAYETTE.
AN EVANGELINE PARISH GRAND JURY HAS REFUSED TO INDICT A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY, WHO FATALLY SHOT A MAN DURING A TRAFFIC STOP NEAR MAMOU. ACCORDING TO THE ADVOCATE, A STATE POLICE AFFADAVIT INDICATES THE OFFICER, HOLDEN LAFLEUR, SHOT 27-YEAR-OLD DEJUAN GUILLORY, AFTER GETTING INTO A FIGHT WITH HIM AND HIS GIRLFRIEND. DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRENT BRIGNAC TELLS KATC TV THAT THE GRAND JURY RETURNED A “NO TRUE BILL”, MEANING THERE WASN’T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO INDICT. ATTORNEY JOE LONG, WHO REPRESENTS THE FAMILY OF GUILLORY, SAYS HE’S NOT SURPRISED BY THE RESULT AND HE CALLED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN EVANGELINE PARISH BROKEN.
An attorney who once worked for the claims-processing office for the 2010 BP oil spill has agreed to dismiss lawsuits claiming she was defamed and wrongfully fired. Court records show all parties agreed to the dismissal of Christine Reitano’s lawsuits Tuesday, three months after a judge ordered mediation. Reitano had sued BP, claims administrator Patrick Juneau, and court-appointed claims watchdog Louis Freeh, a former FBI director. A statement from Freeh’s risk-management firm said Freeh and his firm “did not agree to any settlement with Ms. Reitano on any of her claims.”
SECURE BOXES ARE BEING SET UP IN LAFAYETTE, ACADIA, ST. LANDRY AND VERMILLION PARISHES WHERE PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF UNWANTED OR UNUSED PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES. IT’S PART OF ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF LANDRY’S CAMPAIGN TO SET UP SECURE BOXES IN EVERY PARISH AS A WAY TO COMBAT OPIOID ABUSE. LAFAYETE PARISH SHERIFF MARK GARBER SAYS THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE CAN BE SEEN IN MANY PROPERTY AND VIOLENT CRIMES. THE BOX IN LAFAYETE IS BEING SET UP NEAR THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
NEXT WEEK, CREWS WILL BEGIN A PROJECT TO REPLACE 900 FEET OF CLAY PIPES BETWEEN RYAN AND LAKE SHORE IN DOWNTOWN LAKE CHARLES. CRACKS IN THE PIPE HAVE CAUSED SINKHOLES IN THE STREET. ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER SHELLEY FONTENOT SAYS IT WILL TAKE THREE TO FOUR WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. CITY ADMINISTRATOR JOHN CARDONE SAYS CONSTRUCTION ON AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT THE SAME TIME, SO THEY WILL COORDINATE TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOWING IN THE AREA.
TWO BREAUX BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE ARRESTED FOR A BOMB THREAT MADE TO THE SCHOOL ON MONDAY. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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A CROWLEY WOMAN WILL BE CELEBRATING HER 103RD BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK. ZENA LEGER ACTUALLY TURNS 103 ON SATURDAY BUT THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY AT THE CAMELOT PLACE NURSING HOME. LEGER HAS ALZHEIMER’S. HER CHILDREN TELL KLFY TV THAT SHE WAS A LOVING MOTHER WHO TOOK GOOD CARE OF THEM AND THEY NOW VISIT HER THREE TIMES A DAY. THEY SAID LONG LIFE IS IN THE FAMILY AND ZENA WAS STILL USING A PUSH LAWN MOWER UNTIL SHE WAS 85 YEARS OLD.
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