12-27-16
A PEDESTRIAN WAS STRUCK AND KILLED BY A SINGLE VEHICLE LAST NIGHT IN LAFAYETTE. IT HAPPENED AT AROUND 6:30 NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF WEST PINHOOK AND INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY. THE VICTIM HAS NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED. THAT PORTION OF WEST PINHOOK WAS SHUT DOWN FOR PART OF THE EVENING AS POLICE INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT.
A HOUSTON WOMAN WAS ARRESTED FOR LEAVING HER TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILD UNATTENDED WHILE SHE WENT TO THE FLOOR OF THE ISLE OF CAPRI CASINO. WESTLAKE POLICE RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A CRYING CHILD IN A HOTEL ROOM YESTERDAY MORNING. THE CHILD’S MOTHER, 34-YEAR-OLD KATHLEEN THANH LE, WAS FOUND ON THE CASINO FLOOR AND ARRESTED ON CHILD DESERTION CHARGES. THE OFFICE OF CHILD SERVICES TOOK CUSTODY OF THE CHILD.
FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF A JEANERETTE MAN, ACCORDING TO IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL. HE SAYS 75-YEAR-OLD HOWARD POCHE RIDES HIS BIKE TO CHURCH ON SUNDAYS, BUT ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, HE DIDN’T ATTEND CHURCH AND HIS BIKE WAS MISSING. WHEN INVESTIGATORS CHECKED OUT HIS HOME, THEY FOUND A BLOODY KNIFE AND BLOOD IN OTHER AREAS OF THE HOME. SEARCHERS HAVE COMBED THE AREA NORTH OF BAYOU TECHE FROM NEW IBERIA TO ST. MARY PARISH.
The administrator of Calcasieu Parish says the parish is experiencing growth that helps officials meet public service needs. Bryan Beam noted in The American Press that from 2014 to this year, development permits went up 13 percent, rezonings increased by 70 percent, and park facility rentals increased by 22 percent. Meanwhile, a recent report by economist Loren Scott stated that the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area is expected to gain 3,800 jobs next year, largely in part to the $45 billion in industrial projects under construction. The parish’s $223.4 million budget for 2017 includes $61 million in road and bridge improvement work, along with some new facilities and improvements for several departments including Juvenile Justice and the Coroner’s Office.
HOME SALES IN LAFAYETTE ARE DOWN ABOUT FIVE PERCENT THROUGH NOVEMBER, WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THERE WERE 2,902 HOMES SOLD OVER THAT PERIOD, WHICH IS BETTER THAN THE AMOUNT SOLD IN 2012 AND 2013, AND NOT FAR BEHIND 2014, WHICH WAS A RECORD BREAKING YEAR. BILL BACQUE OF VAN EATON AND ROMERO TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT THE DOLLAR VOLUME ON HOME SALES IS DOWN ABOUT EIGHT PERCENT, WHICH IS MOSTLY DUE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION. SALES OF NEW HOMES HAVE DECLINED BY 15 PERCENT, WHILE RESALES INCREASED BY NEARLY EIGHT PERCENT.
LAKE ARTHUR POLICE SAY AN ARGUMENT LED TO A SHOOTING AND THE DEATH OF A JENNINGS MAN ON CHRISTMAS DAY. ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF TERRIE GUILLORY SAYS 41-YEAR-OLD SHAFT FRANCIS WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST, AND WITNESSES POINTED TO HIS COUSIN, 40-YEAR-OLD RAY D. BRISTER JUNIOR. BRISTER REPORTEDLY GAVE A FULL CONFESSION TO POLICE AND HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND POSSESSION OF A WEAPON BY A FELON. GULLORY SAYS THE TWO MEN HAD BEEN ARGUING THE LAST TWO WEEKS ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON TWO FAMILY OWNED VACANT LOTS ON NEW ORLEANS AVENUE.
OPELOUSAS POLICE ARRESTED THREE SUSPECTS IN CONNECTION WITH A STRING OF ARMED ROBBERIES THAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY. TWO OF THE ROBBERIES OCCURRED WITHIN MINUTES OF EACH OTHER IN THE 900 BLOCK OF SOUTH UNION STREET, AND WHILE POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING, A THIRD ROBBERY WAS REPORTED IN THE ONE THOUSAND BLOCK OF EAST LANDRY STREET. AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT ALL THREE WERE RELATED. ON SATURDAY, POLICE ARRESTED 17-YEAR-OLD DA’QUINCY JONES OF OPELOUSAS AND TWO JUVENILES, AGED 16 AND 13, AND THEY HAVE EACH BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE ROBBERY.
NINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION GROUPS HAVE FILED A FORMAL REQUEST ASKING THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO DENY A FEDERAL PERMIT FOR A PROPOSED PIPELINE IN SOUTH LOUISIANA. THE 162 MILE PIPELINE WOULD CUT ACROSS ELEVEN PARISHES FROM CALCASIEU, THROUGH THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN TO ST. JAMES PARISH. IT WOULD LINK LOUISIANA REFINERIES WITH A MAJOR HUB IN TEXAS THAT CONNECTS TO LARGER PIPELINES THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA. A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PERMIT APPLICATION IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY TWELFTH IN BATON ROUGE.
