12-21-16
BECAUSE OF A BUDGET CUT, THE SCOTT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL NO LONGER RESPOND TO FIRES IN RURAL AREAS NEAR THE CITY LIMITS. THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED COUNCIL CUT 26 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM EACH VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE PARISH FOR THE 2016-17 FISCAL YEAR. STARTING DECEMBER 26TH, THE LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL RESPOND TO FIRES NEAR SCOTT, UNLESS THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AND THE SCOTT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT COME TO AN AGREEMENT. LAFAYETTE FIRE CHIEF ROBERT BENOIT SAYS RESIDENTS IN THOSE AREAS WILL SEE NO DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSE TIMES OR SERVICES.
AT LEAST TWO HOMES IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD THEIR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS STOLEN. MAGGIE WHITE FROM DERIDDER HAD A SET OF LASER LIGHTS STOLEN OUT OF HER FRONT YARD. SHE SAYS SHE DECIDED TO FILE A POLICE REPORT ON THE MATTER BECAUSE IT MAY BE HAPPENING TO OTHERS AS WELL, AND BY HIGHLIGHTING IT, PEOPLE WILL START LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER. JACKIE SCHULDES OF MOSS BLUFF, WHO HAD ABOUT 120 DOLLARS WORTH OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS STOLEN TOLD KPLC SHE DECIDED AGAINST FILING A POLICE REPORT BECAUSE IT WASN’T WORTH THE TIME.
THREE MEN ARE IN CUSTODY AND IBERIA PARISH DEPUTIES ARE SEARCHING FOR A FOURTH SUSPECT AFTER THEY WERE LED ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE THROUGH NEW IBERIA YESTERDAY EVENING, WHICH LASTED ELEVEN MINUTES. THE CHASE BEGAN WHEN DEPUTIES SPOTTED A STOLEN F-150 PICKUP TRUCK AND TRIED TO PULL THE DRIVER OVER. THE CHASE ENDED WHEN THE DRIVER CRASHED THE TRUCK INTO PARKED CARS ON DEARE STREET AND THE FOUR SUSPECTS TRIED TO RUN AWAY ON FOOT. DEPUTIES FOUND TWO LOADED HANDGUNS AND A LOADED SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLE IN THE TRUCK AS WELL AS ILLEGAL NARCOTICS.
A farm association official says farmers have done a great deal to reduce water pollution from farm runoff, but an environmental attorney says levels are about the same as nine years ago. That’s when 11 groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency, demanding federal limits for nitrogen and phosphorus, which are blamed for oxygen-depleted “dead zones” in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. The one that forms each summer in the Gulf of Mexico tends to be about the size of Connecticut. Don Parrish of the American Farm Bureau Federation and Ann Alexander of the Natural Resources Defense Counsel commented Tuesday, after a judge gave EPA more time to work with states on cutting runoff of the chemicals.
A BURNING CAR WAS FOUND TUESDAY MORNING IN YOUNGSVILLE WITH A BODY INSIDE. IT WAS LOCATED INSIDE A SUGARCANE FIELD AND BY THE TIME POLICE ARRIVED, IT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. POLICE CHIEF RICKEY BOUDREAUX SAYS THEY DO NOT SUSPECT FOUL PLAY. HE SAYS IT APPEARS THE PERSON, DROVE INTO THE FIELD BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL CONDITION AND HEAT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSED THE GRASS TO CATCH ON FIRE AND SET THE CAR ABLAZE.
A RECENT CRIME WAVE IS FORCING CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES TO WORK OVERTIME AND CUT SHORT CHRISTMAS VACATION TIME, ACCORDING TO SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO. IT STARTED OVER THE WEEKEND WITH A STRING OF VEHICLE BURGLARIES IN SOUTH LOUISIANA, IN WHICH, LATER, THREE SUSPECTS WERE IDENTIFIED. THEN EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, THREE SUSPECTS ROBBED A CONVENIENCE STORE ON HIGHWAY 171, AND, DEPUTIES BELIEVE, THEY WENT ON TO ROB TWO MORE GAS STATIONS. MANCUSO SAYS THESE KINDS OF CRIMES TEND TO SPIKE WITH THE APPROACHING HOLIDAYS, WHICH MEANS HE AND HIS DEPUTIES HAVE TO PUT IN OVERTIME.
ONE PERSON IS DEAD FOLLOWING AN EARLY MORNING SHOOTING IN CROWLEY. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Tax-free shopping on Amazon for Louisiana residents is ending. The online retail giant will start charging sales taxes on all purchases shipped to destinations in Louisiana starting Jan. 1. NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports that a state revenue department spokesman confirmed Amazon will begin collecting both state and local sales taxes in Louisiana when the new year begins. For Louisiana’s shoppers, they’ll be paying the state’s 5 percent sales tax, along with any local sales taxes they normally pay when they shop in person at retail stores.
