2-21-25
YESTERDAY A LAFAYETTE PARISH JURY FOUND KENDELL LEDET GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. ACCORDING TO TESTIMONY, LEDET SHOT DAMIAN GEORGE SIX TIMES ON SEPTEMBER NINETEENTH, TWENTY-TWENTY AS GEORGE EXITED FROM A CONVENIENCE STORE ON NORTH UNIVERSITY AVENUE. SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE AND INSTAGRAM PHOTOS IMPLICATED LEDET AS THE SHOOTER. LEDET FACES A MANDATORY SENTENCE OF LIFE AT HARD LABOR.
A LAWTELL MAN, ACCUSED OF BURNING A VEHICLE BELONGING TO A MISSING WOMAN WHO WAS FOUND DEAD EARLIER THIS WEEK, NOW FACES A FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CHARGE. TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD IRVING ARGUELLAS WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH ARSON AND HE REPORTEDLY LED SAINT LANDRY PARISH DEPUTIES TO FIND THE BODY OF JORLY BENITEZ, WHICH WAS IN A SHALLOW BODY OF WATER NEAR THE FIELD WHERE THE BURNT VEHICLE WAS LOCATED. INVESTIGATORS LEARNED THAT ARGUELLAS AND BENITIZ ARE COUSINS WHO LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS. INVESTIGATORS SAY MORE ARRESTS ARE POSSIBLE.
THE LANDRY ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING A STANDSTILL BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, KEEPING STATE SPENDING AS CLOSE TO LAST YEAR’S LEVELS AS POSSIBLE. IF APPROVED AS IS, TOTAL SPENDING WOULD DECREASE BY ABOUT ONE PERCENT. THE PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE SOME AGENCY’S BUDGETS REDUCED WHILE OTHERS SEE AN INCREASE. LANDRY SAID IN A VIDEO MESSAGE THIS WEEK THAT THE BUDGET CONTINUES A TREND OF DECREASING THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT, WHICH HE CALLS A TREMENDOUS STEP FORWARD FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
JASON FRENCH IS STEPPING DOWN AS DIRECTOR OF THE L-N-G CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE AT MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY. FRENCH SAYS HE ACCOMPLISHED HIS GOALS OF GETTING THE PROJECT OFF THE GROUND AND RAISING FUNDS FOR IT AND NOW HE’S GOING BACK INTO THE BUSINESS. FRENCH SAYS THE CENTER NOW NEEDS SOMEONE WITH AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND TO HELP MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE GETTING A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. MCNEESE OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE STUDENTS WILL BEGIN USING THE BUILDING FOR L-N-G ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS CLASSES BY THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WARNING RESIDENTS ABOUT AN INFLUX OF POLICE IMPERSONATION SCAM CALLS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THE PERSON CLAIMS TO BE WITH THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE OR ONE OF THE SURROUNDING AGENCIES. SERGEANT ROBIN GREEN SAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WOULD NEVER CALL SOMEONE AND DEMAND MONEY FOR MISSING JURY DUTY, COURT DATES OR ANYTHING DEALING WITH THE COURT SYSTEM. SHE SAYS ONE SCAM VICTIM LOST TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
NEW IBERIA RESIDENTS WILL BE VOTING ON A NEW QUARTER CENT SALES TAX ON THE MARCH TWENTY-NINTH BALLOT. IF APPROVED, IT’S EXPECTED TO RAISE TWO MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO INCREASE FIRE DEPARTMENT SALARIES. FIRE CHIEF GORDON COPELL SAYS THIS WILL HELP THEM ATTRACT MORE DEDICATED FIRE FIGHTERS. HE SAYS THE CURRENT HOURLY RATE IS TEN-DOLLARS-SEVENTY-TWO CENTS, WHICH IT MAKES IT HARD TO COMPETE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS APPOINTED LOUISIANA GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY TO THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS. ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE, THE GROUP IS TASKED WITH STRENGTHENING STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS ON KEY NATIONAL SECURITY, DISASTER RESPONSE AN MILITARY COORDINATION ISSUES. LANDRY SAID LOUISIANA IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DRIVING EFFORTS ON THOSE ISSUES. HE SAYS HE’S HONORED BY THE APPOINTMENT.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SAINT LANDRY PARISH ARE GETTING BODY CAMERAS AND CAR CAMERAS. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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