2-18-19
AN AIDE TO CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS WAS ARRESTED SATURDAY ON TWO CHARGES OF PANDERING. THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE ARREST OF 47-YEAR-OLD JEROD C. PRUNTY WAS CONNECTED TO LAST WEEKS ARREST OF EIGHT OTHERS IN CONNECTION WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING, PANDERING AND PROSTITUTION AT FIVE LAFAYETE PARISH MASSAGE PARLORS. CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS OFFICE RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING SHOCK AND SADNESS AT HIS DEEPLY TROUBLING ARREST. THEY SAID PRUNTY, A FORMER ST. MARTIN PARISH DEPUTY, HAS BEEN PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING THE INVESTIGATION AND ADJUDICATION.
JENNINGS POLICE ARRESTED A WOMAN FOR INTENTIONALLY SETTING A FIRE IN A PARK BATHROOM. POLICE SAYS A TRASH CAN INSIDE A MEN’S ROOM AT THE LADY BUG PARK ON SHANKLAND AVENUE WAS SET ON FIRE, DAMAGING THE CEILING AND WALLS. WITH THE PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE THEY IDENTIFIED JOY POWELL OF JENNINGS AS THE SUSPECT. SHE WAS ARRESTED AND BOOKED ON A CHARGE OF SIMPLE ARSON.
AN OPELOUSAS MAN TRIED TO GET THE CITY TO PAY HIS IMPOUND COSTS AFTER HIS TRUCK’S FRONT WHEEL GOT STUCK IN AN OPEN MANHOLE COVER ON A CITY STREET. HOWEVER, LAST WEEK, THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN VOTED 4-TO-2 AGAINST PAYING THE 240 DOLLARS. JAMES GREEN WAITED TEN DAYS TO GET HIS TRUCK OUT OF IMPOUND BECAUSE HE HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE MONEY. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BRENT AYMOND SAYS WHEN THERE IS SUFFICIENT RAIN, SEVERAL MANHOLE COVERS IN THE CITY BECOME DISLODGED, BUT YOU CAN’T LOCK THEM DOWN BECAUSE THE PRESSURE BUILDS, CAUSING OTHER PROBLEMS.
Sugar cane is on the rise in Louisiana, with a good crop and decent prices encouraging more farmers to plant the tall tropical grass. LSU AgCenter sugar cane expert Kenneth Gravois says the big reasons are that sugar prices have been stable and the crop has been resilient. He says that in spite of a soggy harvest season, 2018 set records for tons of cane sent to mills and tons of sugar produced.
Gravois says he doesn’t know if this year’s increase will be as big as last year’s.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND, LEAVING ONE PERSON INJURED. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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Beauregard parish has temporarily suspended its beaver bounty program. The American Press reports the Beauregard Parish Police Jury halted the program to allow jurors a chance to re-examine its permit and bounty ordinance. The ordinance allows beaver hunters and trappers from outside the parish to obtain permits at no cost to hunt the destructive animals throughout the area. Permit supervisor Dianna Nichols told jurors recently that of the 17 active permits issued, three belong to residents outside of Beauregard.
THE JEANERETTE MUSEUM IS HOSTING AN ART EXHIBIT FROM THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ON WATERWAYS. IT OPENS NEXT SUNDAY AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH APRIL SIXTH. MUSEUM PROJECT DIRECTOR GAIL GARCIA SAYS THEY ARE EXCITED THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS AMAZING SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT FOCUSED ON WATER. SHE SAYS THE EXHIBIT WILL BE HELD FREE OF CHARGE DURING ITS TOUR.
Late to enter the Louisiana governor’s race, Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham has some catching up to do on the fundraising front. Abraham has less personal wealth than his GOP competitor Eddie Rispone and nowhere near the millions that Democratic incumbent John Bel Edwards raised over three years in office. As Friday’s deadline hit to turn in campaign fundraising reports, Abraham’s political consultant Lionel Rainey told The Associated Press the report will show $350,000 in the bank by the end of the 2018 period. That’s compared to Edwards’ $8.4 million and $5.5 million for Rispone, who loaned his campaign $5 million.
