2-26-16
A RACKETEERING TRIAL INVOLVING KNIGHT OIL TOOLS WAS POSTPONED TO AUGUST 25TH BECAUSE ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS, FORMER LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY JASON KINCH, DID NOT HAVE AN ATTORNEY. COMPANY EXECUTIVE MARK KNIGHT IS ACCUSED OF PLANTING DRUGS ON HIS BROTHER’S VEHICLE WITH THE HELP OF KINCH AND LOUISIANA STATE TROOPER COREY JACKSON. KNIGHT AND HIS BROTHER, BRIAN, WERE EMBROILED IN A LEGAL BATTLE OVER CONTROL OF THE COMPANY AT THE TIME. JUDGE DAVID SMITH ORDERED THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE TO APPOINT AN ATTORNEY FOR KINCH, BUT THAT WILL TAKE TIME BECAUSE OF A FUNDING CRISIS AFFECTING PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICES ACROSS THE STATE.
MCNEESE STATE STUDENTS RALLIED YESTERDAY TO LET STATE LEGISLATORS KNOW THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE CUTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. THEY GOT STUDENTS TO SIGN A PETITION THAT WILL BE SENT TO THE STATE CAPITAL. STUDENT MARK BAILES SAYS THEY WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE TIRED OF BEING THE FIRST TO GET FUNDING CUTS WHEN THERE’S A FINANCIAL CRISIS. MAYOR RANDY ROACH TOLD THE STUDENTS THAT BECAUSE OF THEM, A CHANGE WILL BE MADE.
A MAN CHARGED WITH THE MURDERS OF A SUNSET POLICE OFFICER AND A SUNSET WOMAN WILL PLEAD GUILTY TO THE CRIMES. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
VOICER H :25
Lawmakers in the Louisiana House agreed Thursday to a short-term state sales tax hike that would raise hundreds of millions of dollars, supporting the centerpiece of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ tax package. But as the special legislative session reached its midpoint, the majority Republican House gave the sales tax measure an 18-month expiration date. And lawmakers there took no action on several other tax increases sought by the Democratic governor to end the boom-and-bust cycles of the state budget. It would begin April 1 on purchases, raising an estimated $200 million-plus for this year’s budget and nearly $900 million for a full year.
LAFAYETTE SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING AT BUILDING A NEW KATHERINE DREXEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT ARCENEAUX PARK IN BROUSSARD. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS ALREADY APPROVED 30 MILLION DOLLARS FOR REPLACING THE SCHOOL. OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY WANT TO PUT THE SCHOOL IN A LOCATION WHERE THERE IS ROOM FOR GROWTH. SUPERINTENDENT DONALD AGUILLARD WILL BE MEETING WITH CITY PARISH OFFICIALS NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS THE ARCENEAUX PARK IDEA.
THREE SEPARATE ACCIDENTS ON I-TEN NEAR THE BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES CAUSED TRAFFIC TO BE AT A STANDSTILL FOR NEARLY FOUR HOURS YESTERDAY EVENING. THE FIRST ACCIDENT AT 5:12 PM INVOLVED THREE VEHICLES WITH NO INJURIES. WESTLAKE POLICE CHIEF CHRIS WILRYE SAYS MINUTES LATER THERE WAS A SIX VEHICLE PILE UP, WITH THREE PEOPLE SUFFERING NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. WILRYE SAYS A THIRD ACCIDENT, WHICH HAPPENED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIDGE, INVOLVED A HIT-AND-RUN, WHERE THE SUSPECT ATTEMPTED TO FLEE ON FOOT TO THE ISLE OF CAPRI CASINO, WHERE HE WAS LATER APPREHENDED BY STATE POLICE.
A SIXTH MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY FOR HIS PART IN THE BEATING OF THREE INMATES AT THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL IN APRIL OF 2011. 36-YEAR-OLD JESSE HAYES PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF DEPRIVATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND IT’S NOT CLEAR WHEN HE’LL BE SENTENCED. THE OTHER FIVE, WHO PLEADED GUILTY ON TUESDAY, WILL BE SENTENCED ON MAY 24TH. THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER SAYS THAT, ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS, THE INMATES WERE BEATEN WITH BATONS IN THE CHAPEL, WHERE THERE ARE NO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
An abortion rights group says abortion services in Louisiana will be restricted to one clinic in New Orleans after a ruling let a law take effect that requires doctors providing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles.
Wednesday’s ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals went into effect the same day. Abortion clinics and their doctors sued Louisiana to block the law. In late January, a federal judge barred the state from enforcing that requirement, but his decision was overturned by the appellate court.
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