12-30-16
A SECOND ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF 75-YEAR-OLD HOWARD POCHE OF JEANERETTE. ST. MARY PARISH AUTHORITIES ARRESTED 18-YEAR-OLD BRADY ROGERS OF JEANERETTE THURSDAY, WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER. IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES HAD ALREADY ARRESTED 23-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY MARKS OF JEANERETTE, ALSO ON A FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGE. POCHE WAS REPORTED MISSING ON CHRISTMAS MORNING AND A FEW DAYS LATER, HIS BODY WAS FOUND IN A TRASH CAN LOCATED ON HIS BACK PORCH.
THE CAMERON PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS NO LEADS AT THIS POINT IN THE DEATH OF AN EAST TEXAS WOMAN, WHO’S BODY WAS FOUND IN THE PARISH BY STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT WORKERS ALONG HIGHWAY 27 IN HACKBERRY ON DECEMBER FIRST. SHERIFF RON JOHNSON SAYS THE CORONER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE WOMAN, 45-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIE LYNN COMBS, WAS KILLED BY BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA, BUT, BECAUSE OF DECOMPOSITION, THE CORONER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW LONG SHE HAD BEEN DEAD. JOHNSON SAYS THERE ARE NO INDICATORS THAT COMBS WAS KILLED IN THE PARISH, AND SHE WAS LAST SEEN IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. JOHNSON SAYS THEY’VE CHASED DOWN EVERY POSSIBLE LEAD, BUT ARE GOING TO MAKE ONE MORE VISIT TO JEFFERSON COUNTY TO FIND ANYONE WHO MIGHT KNOW SOMETHING.
A NEW ORLEANS MAN HAS PLANS TO TRANSFORM THE OLD WHITNEY BANK BUILDING ON LEE AVENUE IN LAFAYETTE INTO A ONE STOP MUSIC HALL AND BOWLING ALLEY. JOHNNY BLANCHER’S FATHER FOUNDED THE POPULAR ROCK ‘N’ BOWL IN NEW ORLEANS, AND BLANCHER SAYS HE PLANS ON CREATING THE SAME ATMOSPHERE AT THIS NEW BUSINESS. PLANS CALL FOR THE VENUE TO OPEN NEXT DECEMBER AND EMPLOY UP TO 100 PEOPLE. IT WILL OCCUPY THE BOTTOM TWO FLOORS OF THE OLD BANK BUILDING AND THE TOP THREE FLOORS WILL BE RENTED OUT AS OFFICE SPACE.
RESIDENTS OF ARNAUDVILLE ARE UPSET WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE BAYOU PORTAGE BRIDGE, WHICH IS CAUSING A LOT OF INCONVENIENCE FOR THOSE TRYING TO ACCESS THE LEVEE. ST. LANDRY PARISH PRESIDENT BILL FONTENOT SAYS THE AUGUST FLOODS CAUSED EROSION AT THE ENDS OF THE BRIDGE. HE SAYS THEY’VE BEEN ASSURED THAT BY MID JANUARY THEY SHOULD HAVE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REPAIRS. HE EXPECTS THE BRIDGE TO REOPEN BY MID-FEBRUARY.
THE STATE POLICE WILL BE HOLDING A SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE AND D-W-I CHECKPOINT IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE LOCATION HAS NOT BEEN DISCLOSED. IT WILL TAKE PLACE BEGINNING TONIGHT AT 8 P-M AND LAST UNTIL TWO P-M. IF YOU NOTICE AN IMPAIRED DRIVER ON THE ROADWAY, YOU ARE URGED TO CALL STATE POLICE AT STAR-5-7-7.
A LAFAYETTE MAN IS BEHIND BARS ON BURGLARY CHARGES AFTER HE WAS FOUND IN A STOLEN PICKUP TRUCK. JEFF HORCHEK HAS MORE.
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THERE HAS BEEN A BLACK BEAR SIGHTING IN THE BERWICK AREA. THE ST. MARY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS WARNING RESIDENTS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA TO BE ON HIGH ALERT. THEY ARE PUTTING UP BEAR CAUTION SIGNS ALONG HIGHWAY 90 SO MOTORISTS WILL BE AWARE IF THE BEAR ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE ROADWAY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS CONTACTED WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES AND REMINDS RESIDENTS THAT IT’S ILLEGAL TO SHOOT BEARS IN THE STATE.
THE CITY OF DERIDDER WILL BE INSTALLING 500 NEW WATER METERS THIS SPRING. THE CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK APPROVED AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE CITY’S WATER METER. THE ORDINANCE COMES AFTER COMPLAINTS BY RESIDENTS ABOUT HIGH WATER BILLS LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF WATER LEAKS. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TODD SHERMAN SAYS THE NEW METERS WILL PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO ALLOW THEM TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING GIVING ALERTS TO POSSIBLE LEAKS.
