2-1-24
A SECOND ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN THE DEADLY NEW YEAR’S EVE SHOOTING IN RAYNE. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT TO ROLL OUT THE CARES UNIT, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO HELP THEM IN DEALING WITH THE MENTALLY ILL. OFFICERS ARE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH THOSE SUFFERING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS SO THAT THEY CAN DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS THAT COULD GET VIOLENT. CARES OFFICERS WILL BE DRIVING AN UNMARKED VEHICLE AND WEARING MORE RELAXED UNIFORMS SO THEY ARE LESS INTIMIDATING WHEN THEY ARRIVE ON THE SCENE. SERGEANG SCOTT RUMMELL TELLS KADN TV THAT THERE’S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN OFFICERS AND PEOPLE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SO THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
A LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST THE STATE OF LOUISIANA OVER A NEWLY DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP. IN MID-JANUARY, STATE LEGISLATORS HELD A SPECIAL SESSION TO CREATE A SECOND MAJORITY BLACK DISTRICT, WHICH STRETCHES FROM BATON ROUGE TO SHREVEPORT ALONG THE I-FORTY-NINE CORRIDOR. TWELVE NON-AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS ARE PLAINTIFFS IN THE LAWSUIT THAT NAMES SECRETARY OF STATE NANCY LANDRY AS A DEFENDANT. THEY ARGUE THE MAP IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL AND SAID THE STATE ENGAGED IN EXPLICIT, RACIAL SEGREGATION AND INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST VOTERS BASED ON RACE.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT HAS SIGNED ON TO A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REPLACE THE I-TEN BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES, WHICH IS OVER SEVENTY YEARS OLD. THE DEAL INCLUDES A TOLL THAT STARTS IN SEVEN YEARS, ACCORDING TO STATE SENATOR MARK ABRAHAM. HE SAYS THAT GIVES THEM TIME TO NEGOTIATE A CAP SO THAT LOCAL TRUCKING COMPANIES, THAT TRAVEL MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE BRIDGE EACH DAY, WILL NOT GET HIT HARD. THE STATE HAS APPLIED TO GET TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
TWO PEOPLE WERE SHOT IN VILLE PLATTE. IT HAPPENED IN THE SIX HUNDRED BLOCK OF WASHINGTON STREET. THE TWO VICTIMS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEIR CONDITION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AND HAVE MADE NO ARRESTS SO FAR.
LAFAYETTE CITY ATTORNEYS HAVE ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON WHETHER A NEWLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. THE NEW BOARD MEMBER, AMY TRAHAN, TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY AFTER BEING ELECTED TO REPLACE TEHMI CHAISSON IN OCTOBER. BEFORE THE COMMISSION’S JANUARY TWENTY-SECOND MEETING, A DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING STAFF MEMBER BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OVER WHETHER HOLDING THE TWO POSITIONS VIOLATES THE STATE’S DUAL OFFICEHOLDING LAW. AS A PRECAUTION, TRAHAN LEFT AND DID NOT TAKE PART IN DISCUSSIONS OR VOTES.
A NEW NATIONAL REPORT SAYS LOUISIANA IS ONE OF THREE STATES TO REBOUND TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS WHEN IT COMES TO READING. THE ANALYSIS BY HARVARD AND STANFORD RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT MATH LEVELS ARE ABOUT HALFWAY BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE THE YEAR TWENTY-TWENTY. THE RESEARCHERS CALLED IT A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT THAT OUTPACED THE NATIONAL RATE OF RECOVERY. THE REPORT FOUND THAT BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS IN THE STATE MADE LESS PROGRESS, WIDENING RACIAL DISPARITIES.
AUTHORITIES, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SWAT TEAM, ARRESTED TWO TEENAGERS IN MELVILLE ON DRUG AND WEAPONS CHARGES. THE ARRESTS ARE IN CONNECTION TO A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING ON JANUARY TWENTIETH AT A HOME ON HIGHWAY ONE-OH-FIVE IN MELVILLE. DETECTIVES IDENTIFIED A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD AS THE SUSPECT AND ISSUED AN ARREST WARRANT ON FOUR COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. AS THE SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD WAS ARRESTED, THEY FOUND A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD AND TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY AS WELL FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN BY A JUVENILE.
