12-29-23
MAYOR-PRESIDENT ELECT MONIQUE BLANCO BOULET YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF KEY MEMBERS OF HER TEAM INCLUDING KAREN FONTENOT, WHO WILL BE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. FONTENOT IS CURRENTLY THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF BROUSSARD. BOULET SAYS SHE’S EXCITED ABOUT THE TEAM THEY’VE ASSEMBLED BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY AND DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE. THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY FOR BOULET AS WELL AS THE LAFAYETTE CITY AND PARISH COUNCILS WILL TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THREE AT THE CAJUNDOME CONVENTION CENTER.
KATC TV IS REPORTING THAT THE POLICE CHIEF FOR OPELOUSAS AND HIS WIFE, A SAINT LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY, WERE INJURED IN A SHOOTING. HOWEVER, NO ONE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE SHOOTING AND SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS THEY ARE SPEAKING WITH WITNESSES AND CHECKING CAMERA FOOTAGE. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE OPELOUSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS CHIEF GRAIG TWIN LEBLANC WILL ADDRESS THE INVESTIGATION AT A LATER TIME.
A FIERY CRASH IN CALCASIEU PARISH LEFT ONE PERSON DEAD ON WEDNESDAY. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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The Biden administration is granting Louisiana’s request to administer its own permit program for wells that store carbon dioxide. It will be just the third state to take over that job from the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s a win for carbon capture proponents that want projects approved more quickly. The EPA said the Louisiana agreement includes safeguards to protect poorer, often majority-Black communities that live near those facilities — and that those standards will serve as a model for other states.
TO CAP THE YEAR-LONG CELEBRATION OF LAFAYETTE’S BICENTENNIAL, TWO TIME CAPSULES WERE BURIED AT THE CITY PARISH HALL. CITY AND PARISH OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE ON HAND FOR THE BURYING OF THE CAPSULES THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO BE OPENED IN TWENTY-SEVENTY-THREE AND TWENTY-ONE-TWENTY-THREE. ITEMS REPRESENTING THE CULTURY AND HERITAGE OF LAFAYETTE PARISH AND A SNAPSHOT OF LIFE AS IT IS HAPPENING TODAY WERE PUT INTO THE CAPSULES. OUTGOING MAYOR-PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY SAYS THE ITEMS SHOWCASE THE DIVERSITY AND UNIQUENESS OF THE COMMUNITY.
CHURCH POINT POLICE ARE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN IDENTIFYING THE PERSON WHO STOLE A TRAILER FROM A LOT AT THE CORNER OF DAVID STREET AND WEST CANAL. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
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A DISTRICT JUDGE WILL DETERMINE IF A SECOND ATTEMPT TO STOP A RECALL ELECTION OF ELTON MAYOR KESIA LEMOINE CAN GO FORWARD. LEMOINE FILED A LAWSUIT REQUESTING A RESTRAINING ORDER AND AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE RECALL PETITION BUT WAS DENIED BY JUDGE STEVE GUNNELL. HOWEVER, HE SAID SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO FILE A SECOND PETITION WHICH COULD BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST JEFF DAVIS PARISH REGISTRAR OF VOTERS JOANN BLAIR. THE HEARING ON THE SECOND PETITION IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FRIDAY.
A LOUISIANA WOMAN HAS FILED SUIT TO BAR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FROM NEXT YEAR’S PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT. THE PLAINTIFF, ASHLEY REEB, SAYS TRUMP’S ALLEGED ROLE IN THE JANUARY SIXTH, TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE RAID ON THE U-S CAPITOL SHOULD DISQUALIFY HIM. THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER SAYS THE SUIT WILL LIKELY END UP AT THE LOUISIANA STATE SUPREME COURT. THE COLORADO STATE SUPREME COURT DID BAR TRUMP FROM THE BALLOT THERE, BUT THEIR DECISION HAS BEEN APPEALED TO THE U-S SUPREME COURT.
LAFAYETTE-BASED HOME FURNITURE ANNOUCED THAT A NEW LOCATION WILL BE OPENING IN COVINGTON IN TWENTY-TWENTY-FOUR. THIS WILL BE HOME FURNITURE’S NINTH STORE. SEVEN OF THE STORES ARE IN SOUTH LOUISIANA.
