2-25-16
MORE THAN 80 PEOPLE ATTENDED A PANEL DISCUSSION IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY TO DISCUSS WAYS TO CURB JUVENILE CRIME. ONE THING ALREADY HAPPENING IS THE COURTS ARE SENDING MORE JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO SOCIAL SERVICES OR REHAB INSTEAD OF HARSHER SENTENCES. U-L LAFAYETTE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSOR JESSE LEE WHITE SAYS IT GIVES KIDS A MORE REALISTIC CHANCE OF SURVIVING IN SOCIETY WITHOUT BECOMING A CRIMINAL. THE PANEL FOCUSED ON WAYS OF PREVENTING JUVENILE CRIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
The first international shipment of liquefied natural gas in decades from the lower 48 states is poised to leave for Brazil from Cameron. Cheniere Energy Partners L.P. announced Wednesday that a ship bound for Brazil was being loaded with LNG at its Sabine Pass facility in southwest Louisiana. The shipment is significant because it highlights the strength of U.S. natural gas production, which has surged because of advancements in fracking and shale gas extraction. Cheniere is among several companies developing natural gas exporting facilities.
THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER IS REPORTING THAT FOUR OF THE FIVE CURRENT AND FORMER IBERIA PARISH DEPUTIES, WHO PLEADED GUILTY TUESDAY FOR THEIR ROLES IN INMATE BEATINGS, WERE ALREADY FACING FEDERAL LAWSUITS. 40-YEAR-OLD WADE BERGERON OF MILTON, 35-YEAR-OLD BERT KLEIN BROUSSARD OF BROUSSARD, 36-YEAR-OLD WESLEY HAYES OF ST. MARTINVILLE, AND 34-YEAR-OLD BYRON BENJAMIN LASALLE OF ERATH WERE SUED IN FEDERAL COURT. THE ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING INCLUDE EXCESSIVE FORCE AND ILLEGAL ARREST. EACH OF THE FOUR ARE FACING UP TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON AND A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE WHEN THEY ARE SENTENCED.
LAWMAKERS IN THE HOUSE WILL CONSIDER MAKING 87 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEEPER CUTS TO STATE SPENDING THIS YEAR THAN GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS IS PROPOSING, MORE THAN HALF OF THAT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCING.
VOICER G :30
ABOUT 180 PEOPLE ATTENDED A TOWN HALL MEETING IN LAFAYETTE LAST NIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MAKING THE LAFAYETTE PARISH ANIMAL SHELTER A NO-KILL ZONE FOR DOGS AND CATS. MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX ORGANIZED THE TOWN HALL MEETING AND HIS DESIRE IS THE PARISH ACHIEVE NO-KILL STATUS BY 2020. THE GROUP TARGET ZERO WILL CONDUCT A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND PRESENT THE RESULTS TO ROBIDEAUX. ONE IDEA FOR ACHIEVING TARGET ZERO STATUS IS TO SPAY, NEUTER, AND VACCINATE STRAY CATS INSTEAD OF EUTHANIZING THEM, THEN RELEASE THEM OUTDOORS.
KINDER POLICE HAVE LIFTED A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER THAT HAD GONE INTO EFFECT. A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER MEANS RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA NEED TO TAKE SHELTER IN AN INNER ROOM OF A BUILDING. THE ORDER WAS ISSUED BECAUSE OF A LEAK IN A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE. IT HAPPENED IN THE AREA OF GREEN OAK CEMETARY ROAD.
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT MIKE EDMONSON HAS APPOINTED A CROWLEY NATIVE TO BE THE INTERIM COMMANDER OF TROOP D IN LAKE CHARLES. CAPTAIN BENNY BROUSSARD HAS BEEN WITH THE STATE POLICE SINCE 1995 SERVING IN BOTH TROOP D AND TROOP I IN LAFAYETTE. CAPTAIN BROUSSARD, WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CROWLEY, SAYS HE’S HONORED THAT EDMONDSON SELECTED HIM FOR THE POSITION. TROOP D COVERS THE FIVE PARISHES OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
State regulators have rejected a $5 billion deal to sell power company Cleco to a private investment group, a week after an administrative law judge found that the sale was not in the public’s interest. The Advocate reports that the Louisiana Public Service Commission voted 3-2 on Wednesday to reject the proposed sale. Last week, an administrative law judge charged with vetting the deal found the sale would not be in the best interest of the utility company’s customers. The sale was negotiated, mostly behind closed doors, for the past 17 months.
