12-6-23
THE STATE SUPREME COURT HAS AGREED TO HEAR A SEXUAL ABUSE CASE AGAINST THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE AND SAINT MARTIN DE TOURS CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SAINT MARTINVILLE. A LAWSUIT WAS ORIGINALLY FILED IN TWENTY-EIGHTEEN ALLEGING ABUSE BY REVEREND KENNETH MORVANT. HE WAS ACCUSED OF GIVING ALCOHOL TO ALTAR BOYS AND PREYING ON THEM. MORVANT DIED IN TWO THOUSAND TWO.
THE SECOND-DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF CHRISTOPHER LEDET JUNIOR OF NEW IBERIA HAS BEGUN IN LAFAYETTE. LEDET IS ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND’S TWENTY-TWO-MONTH-OLD SON, KACESTON FREEMAN OF NEW IBERIA, IN JULY OF LAST YEAR. ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANDI LEX SAYS KACESTON DIED FROM BRUTAL INJURIES AND SAID THE CHILD WAS HEALTHY AND HAPPY BEFORE BEING LEFT IN THE CARE OF LEDET. THE ATTORNEY FOR LEDET, BOBBY DUECE DOMENGEAUX, SAYS THE STATE HAS ONLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE AND HE WILL GIVE JURORS SEVERAL REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES AS TO WHAT HAPPENED.
THE BODY OF A MISSING WELSH POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN FOUND. FORTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD STEVEN IGUESS WENT ON A DEER HUNTING TRIP ON THANKSGIVING AND NEVER RETURNED HOME. WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES AGENTS ALONG WITH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES SEARCHED A RIVER IN CAMERON PARISH WHERE HE WAS LAST SEEN ON AN ALUMINUM BOAT. HIS BODY WAS FOUND NEAR WHERE IT WAS BELIEVED HE FELL OUT OF THE BOAT.
SUGARCANE FARMERS HAD LOWER YIELDS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE RECORD-BREAKING DROUGHT, POSSIBLY UP TO A FORTY PERCENT LOSS, ACCORDING TO EDDIE LEWIS THE THIRD, WHO OPERATES A CANE FARM. STUART GAUTHIER, AN AGENT WITH THE L-S-U AG CENTER, SAYS THERE ARE SOME POSITIVES TO HAVING A DRY SEASON. HE SAYS FARMERS WILL OFTEN HAVE A STRONG CROP THE YEAR AFTER A DRY SEASON. GAUTHIER SAYS SUGAR PRICES ARE GOOD, THOUGH NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR THE REDUCTION IN YIELDS.
RAYNE POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE BODY OF A MAN FOUND IN A FIELD MONDAY AFTERNOON. THEY SAY TWENTY-YEAR-OLD DARREN SENEGAL OF RAYNE WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES BY TWO MALES. OFFICIALS ARE WITHHOLDING INFORMATION UNTIL THE TWO ARE LOCATED AND ARRESTED SO AS NOT TO IMPEDE THE INVESTIGATION. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS URGED TO CALL CRIMESTOPPERS AT SEVEN-EIGHT-NINE-TIPS.
POLICE OFFICERS FROM PRECINCT FIVE POURED INTO DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE TUESDAY. DANIELLE DUNCAN EXPLAINS WHY.
VOICER Q :26
A CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY STRUCK A BICYCLIST MONDAY NIGHT. THE DEPUTY WAS TRAVELING ON TOPSY ROAD IN MOSS BLUFF WHEN THE COLLISION HAPPENED. THE BICYCLIST WAS TAKEN TO AN OUT-OF-TOWN HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT.
TEACHERS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND STUDENTS ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT LOW LITERACY RATES IN EVANGELINE PARISH. CURRICULUM SUPERVISOR CHERI FONTENOT SAYS THE LITERACY STATISTICS FROM LAST YEAR LED SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES TO ACT QUICKLY AND DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE. SHE TELLS KATC TV THAT THEY ARE DEDICATING FORTY-FIVE MINUTES EACH DAY FOR SPECIFIC LITERACY INTERVENTIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS. BOARD MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING MID-YEAR DATA TO ASSESS THE STUDENT’S PROGRESS.
