2-7-19
CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON A NEW FOUR STORY DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE THAT WILL HAVE THIRTY ONE AND TWO BEDROOM TOWNHOMES. THE BUCHANON HEIGHTS TOWNHOMES IS BEING BUILT WHERE CONGRESS STREET SPLITS INTO SECOND AND THIRD STREETS. ITS PART OF AN INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. LAST MONTH, GROUND WAS BROKEN ON THE 24-UNIT VERMILLION LOFTS AT EAST VERMILLION STREET AND JOHNSTON STREET, AND THERE ARE 68 UNITS PLANNED FOR THE OLD FEDERAL COURTHOUSE.
THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF DERRICK SMALL, WHO SHOT AND KILLED JALEN HANDY IN WESTLAKE AFTER HE WAS ROBBED DURING A DRUG TRANSACTION, HAS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE. SMALL’S ATTORNEYS CLAIMED THE SHOOTING WAS SELF DEFENSE, EVEN THOUGH HANDY WAS RUNNING AWAY AT THE TIME. ASSISTANT D-A CHARLES ROBINSON SAYS IF A PERSON HAS A REASONABLE FEAR OF LOSING LIFE OR LIMB, THEY CAN TAKE ACTION TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. BUT, HE TOLD KPLC TV, YOU DON’T GET TO KILL SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY COMMITTED THEFT OF YOUR MARIJUANA. SMALL WAS CONVICTED BY A JURY AND WILL BE SENTENCED NEXT MONTH.
NEW IBERIA POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING ANOTHER SHOOTING THAT INJURED AT LEAST ONE PERSON. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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Louisiana’s legislative agencies have socked away hefty surpluses, quietly building up $85 million in the bank without mentioning the money in annual budget hearings. The balances aren’t included in the yearly legislative spending plans. Instead, the surplus dollars are buried in the Legislature’s annual financial reports, the latest of which came out Monday. Senate President John Alario told The Associated Press that a constitutionally separate branch of government should have fund balances in case a dispute with a governor stalls the legislative budget bill.
A DRAG QUEEN STORY TIME WAS HELD AT THE LAFAYETTE SOUTH REGIONAL LIBRARY THIS PAST SUNDAY AFTER A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TRYING TO STOP IT WAS DISMISSED LAST WEEK. THREE MEN DRESSED IN DRAG USED A PUBLIC MEETING ROOM AND READ TO DOZENS OF CHILDREN FROM THREE BOOKS INCLUDING ONE ABOUT A BOY WHO DRESSES IN WOMEN’S CLOTHES. THEY WERE ESCORTED BY SIX POLICE OFFICERS WHILE PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE. LAFAYETTE PUBLIC LIBRARY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TERESA ELBERSON SAYS THE LIBRARY WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE STORY TIME BUT LET THEM USE THE MEETING ROOM BECAUSE THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO USE IT.
THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES IS PLANNING SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE ADDING COLORFUL BRICKS AND LINING THE SIDEWALKS WITH PALM TREES AND LAMP POSTS. THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO COST MORE THAN 400 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE BIDS FOR THE WORK. IT’S HOPED THE PROJECT WILL ATTRACT MORE BUSINESSES AND OUT OF TOWN VISITORS.
A BLACK MAN WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AFTER HE ENTERED A CONVENIENCE STORE IN ST. MARTINVILLE MAKING RACIAL THREATS AND ARMED WITH TWO LARGE KITCHEN KNIVES. 27-YEAR-OLD JESSE JUNIOR PATIN ALSO HAD HIS FACE COVERED AND SAID HE WANTED TO KILL WHITE PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO POLICE CHIEF RICKY MARTIN. PATIN WAS ARRESTED BY POLICE AFTER A LENGTHY TUSSLE. MARTIN SAYS AFTER HIS ARREST, PATIN TOLD POLICE HE WANTED TO KILL WHITE PEOPLE AND PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.
CROWLEY POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING LAST NIGHT. ONE PERSON WAS SHOT AND IS IN STABLE CONDITION, ACCORDING TO POLICE. IT HAPPENED AT THE CORNER OF FOURTH STREET AND AVENUE C. POLICE DO NOT HAVE A SUSPECT OR MOTIVE YET. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE CROWLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 783-1234.
TONIGHT, CLECO IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOUTH LOUISIANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE CROWLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL ANNOUNCE THE OFFICIAL START OF THE POWER LINEMAN TRAINING PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WILL BE HOUSED AT S-L-C-C’S CROWLEY CAMPUS.
