2-13-23
A LAFAYETTE CHURCH IS LEFT WITH A HOLE IN THEIR BUILDING AFTER SOMEONE DROVE INTO IT AND FLED THE SCENE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. DANIELLE JOHNSON REPORTS.
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SEVERAL MINISTRIES FROM AROUND NEW IBERIA CAME TOGETHER SATURDAY TO HOLD AN EVENT THAT LEADERS CALLED AN EVENING OF CHANGE. THE EVENT WAS PUT TOHETHER BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING VIOLENCE. PASTOR CHESTER HILLS OF NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER SAYS THIS IS ONE STEP IN REACHING THEIR GOAS OF PEACE THROUGHOUT NEW IBERIA. COMMUNITY ACTIVIST DONOVAN DAVIS TELLS KLFY TV THEY ARE READY TO EMBRACE THE CALL OF GOD TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND INTERACT, MAKING A DECIDED DIFFERENCE.
TWO MEN WERE SENTENCED FRIDAY ON WEAPONS CHARGES THAT CAME FROM A TRAFFIC STOP IN LAKE CHARLES ON JANUARY FIFTEENTH. U-S ATTORNEY BRANDON B. BROWN SAYS TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD LEQUENTIN WILLIAMS WAS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON/ON A CHARGE OF FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM. WILLIAMS WAS THE DRIVER IN THE TRAFFIC STOP AND HAD NUMEROUS PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS. A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE, TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD GLENN RAY LASALLE JUNIOR OF NEW ORLEANS, WAS SENTENCHED TO FOUR YEARS AND TWO MONTHS ON THE SAME CHARGE.
BEGINNING IN APRIL, THE STATE OF LOUISIANA WILL CHECK ON MEDICAID ENROLLEES TO MAKE SURE THEY STILL QUALIFY, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE A YEAR-LONG PROCESS. DURING THE COVID-NINETEEN PANDEMIC, SAFEGUARDS EARNED AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF THE PROVERTY LEVEL. THOSE SAFEGUARDS EXPIRE ON APRIL FIRST. IN LOUISIANA, MEDICAID ADDED NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED FORTY-TWO THOUSAND ENROLLEES OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SOME PARENTS OF SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE HOPING THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES FUNDS FOR A NEW FOOTBALL STADIUM. FOR THE PAST SIX SEASONS. SOUTHSIDE ATHLETIC TEAMS HAVE HAD TO TRAVEL TO COMPETITIONS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE THE HOME TEAM. LAST YEAR, THEY HOSTED GAMES IN SAINT MARTINVILLE. PARENTS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT THE NEW STADIUM/ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS A LAREG AREA BESIDE THE SCHOOL THAT IS UNTOUCHED.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BEGUN REPAIRS ON TWO HIGHWAYS IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH. DOTD SECRETARY SHAWN WILSON SAYS THE WORK ON HIGHWAYS THIRTY-ONE/AND THREE-FIFTY-THREE WILL COST APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL. HE SAYS THE REPAIRS WILL INCREASE SAFETY ON THOSE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE OF TRUCKS CROSSING THE CENTERLINE TO AVOID POTHOLES AND RUTS. THE REPAIRS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY IN LAKE CHARLES DIED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A MAIL TRUCK. IT HAPPENED LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOOL ON JOAN STREET. THE DRIVER OF THE MAIL TRUCK WAS TURNING AROUND AT THE END OF A DEAD END STREET AND STRUCK THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD, WHO WAS ON A SCOOTER. THE CHILD WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.
FOUR STUDENTS WERE ARRESTED AFTER A FIGHT AT EUNICE HIGH SCHOOL ON FRIDAY. THE SCHOOL WAS PUT ON LOCKDOWN WHILE POLICE INVESTIGATED. THE SCHOOL WAS THEN DISMISSED EARLY BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. POLICE ARE REVIEWING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AND MORE ARRESTS ARE EXPECTED.
