12-4-23
A LAFAYETTE WOMAN WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT AROUND TWO A-M SUNDAY MORNING. FORTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD FREDRICKA STEVENS WAS SHOT IN THE THREE HUNDRED BLOCK OF TENTH STREET AND LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. DETECTIVES WITH THE LAFAYETTE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO DEVELOP LEADS THAT WILL LEAD TO A SUSPECT. ANYONE WHO HAS INFORMATION ON THE SHOOTING IS ASKED TO CALL TWO-THREE-TWO-TIPS.
A BREAUX BRIDGE MAN WAS KILLED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH SATURDAY NIGHT. A PASSING MOTORIST CALLED NINE-ONE-ONE JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT IN REGARD TO A POSSIBLE SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASH ON DOYLE MELANCON EXTENSION IN BREAUX BRIDGE. WHEN POLICE ARRIVED, THEY FOUND A VEHICLE HAD LEFT THE ROADWAY, HITTING A TREE. THE DRIVER, FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD TEDDY LANDRY, WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.
Louisiana lawmakers now have until the end of January to draw and pass new congressional boundaries to replace the current map that a federal judge says dilutes the power of the state’s Black voters. Republican Gov.-elect Jeff Landry has vowed to call a special redistricting session once he is inaugurated Jan. 8. Louisiana is among the list of states still wrangling over congressional districts. Louisiana’s current GOP-drawn map has white majorities in five of six districts — despite Black people accounting for one-third of the state’s population.
A SECOND RECALL PETITION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AGAINST THE MAYOR OF ELTON. THE FIRST RECALL PETITION AGAINST MAYOR KESIA LEMOINE FAILED TO PASS EARLIER THIS YEAR. LEMOINE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE FIRST RECALL PETITION WAS ABOUT ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD, BUT NOW SHE THINKS IT HAS BECOME PERSONAL. THE VICE CHAIR OF THE SECOND PETITION, COUNCIL MEMBER MARILYN GRANGER, SAYS THE FIRST PETITION DIDN’T GO AS HOPED AND SHE’S MAKING SURE TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND ENSURING THE PEOPLE WHO SIGN IT ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AT THEIR PROPER ADDRESSES.
THE HIGHWAY NINETY PROJECT IN BROUSSARD IS UNDERWAY. MAYOR RAY BOURQUE SAYS THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN AN OVERPASS AT ALBERTONS PARKWAY, ON AND OFF RAMPS, AND A SERIES OF SERVICE ROADS. DEIDRA DRUILHET OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT SAYS SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC AT THAT AREA WILL BE SHIFTED TO THE NEW FRONTAGE ROAD. SHE URGES DRIVERS TO BE CAUTIOUS THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION AREA AND ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION.
A MELVILLE MAN WAS KILLED IN A THREE VEHICLE CRASH IN AVOYELLES PARISH FRIDAY MORNING AT AROUND NINE. THIRTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD TIFFANY RENZ OF JENA WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY ONE-OH-SEVEN WHEN SHE SIDE-SWIPED A PICKUP TRUCK THAT WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. IT CAUSED HER TO GO INTO THE NORTHBOUND LANE, WHERE SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, KILLING A PASSENGER IN THAT VEHICLE, EIGHTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD THOMAS WHITTINGTON. STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CRASH AND TOOK TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES.
THE DROUGHT AND HEAT CAUSED ONE-POINT-SIX-NINE BILLION DOLLARS IN LOSSES FOR LOUISIANA AGRICULTURE, ACCORDING TO RESEARCH BY EXPERTS AT THE L-S-U- AGCENTER. THEY SAY THE LOSSES CAME IN THE FORM OF FAILED CROPS, REDUCED YIELDS, REDUCED QUALITY AND THE INABILITY OF FAMRERS TO PLANT CROPS. THE REPORT FOUND THAT THE SOYBEAN AND SUGARCANE INDUSTRIES WERE HIT HARDEST. THEY SAY THIS LAST YEAR’S GROWING AND PRODUCTION SEASON WILL LIKELY GO DOWN AS THE DRIEST AND HOTTEST EVER EXPERIENCED.
OPELOUSAS HIGH SCHOOL HAS MADE THE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR NON-SELECT DIVISION TWO. THEY FACE CECILIA HIGH SCHOOL AT NOON FRIDAY IN THE NEW ORLEANS SUPERDOME. AS A RESULT, THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THIS FRIDAY ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE FEEDER SCHOOLS FOR OPELOUSAS HIGH SCHOOL. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GIVE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO NEW ORLEANS TO SUPPORT THE TEAM.
