2-8-17
HOMES SALES IN ACADIANA ARE OFF TO A RECORD BREAKING START IN 2017. BILL BACQUE OF VAN EATON AND ROMERO REAL ESTATE SAYS 362 HOMES WERE SOLD IN ACADIANA IN JANUARY, WHICH BROKE A RECORD. THE TOTAL VOLUME OF ALL COMPLETED SALES ALSO BROKE A RECORD. THE DOLLAR VOLUME FOR EXISTING HOME SALES WERE UP 21 PERCENT, THOUGH THE DOLLAR VOLUME ON NEW CONSTRUCTION HOMES SALES WERE DOWN 6-POINT-3 PERCENT.
THREE VILLE PLATTE RESIDENTS HAVE FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY. SHAWANNA DEVILLE, SHAQUILLE FREEMAN AND LIL JOHN O’NEAL SAY THEY WERE INVOLUNTARILY DETAINED AS WITNESSES IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE 2014 SHOOTING DEATH OF ANN NGUYEN. DEVILLE SAYS SHE WAS STRIP SEARCHED AND FORCED TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN A CELL. ATTORNEY JACOB FUSELIER TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THE LAWSUIT COULD REACH CLASS ACTION STATUS BECAUSE A FEDERAL PROBE FOUND THAT AS MANY AS 900 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY DETAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
CONSTRUCTION OF A PROPOSED 162 MILE PIPELINE ACROSS SOUTH LOUISIANA WOULD HAVE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEARLY 830 MILLION DOLLARS AND GENERATE MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND DIRECT AND INDIRECT JOBS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO A STUDY BY THE L-S-U CENTER FOR ENERGY STUDIES THAT WAS FUNDED BY ENERGY TRANSFER PARTNERS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN COMPANIES BEHIND THE BAYOU BRIDGE PIPELINE. THE STUDY ALSO DETERMINED IT WOULD GENERATE ABOUT 56 MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAX REVENUE. THE PIPELINE, WHICH WOULD STRETCH FROM LAKE CHARLES TO ST. JAMES PARISH, NEEDS FEDERAL AND STATE PERMITS, BUT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE PUTTING UP STRONG OPPOSITION.
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO BURGLARIZE A VEHICLE ON ORANGEWOOD DRIVE. A RESIDENT, WHO’D HAD HER VEHICLE BURGLARIZED SEVERAL TIMES, GOT THE WOULD-BE BURGLAR ON VIDEO THIS TIME. THE VIDEO SHOWED A MAN APPROACHING A VEHICLE UNDER A CARPORT, AND, WHEN HE REALIZES IT IS LOCKED, MOVES ON. POLICE IDENTIFIED THE MAN AS 19-YEAR-OLD DAVID BROUSSARD, WHO WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH JAIL ON AN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY CHARGE.
IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ARRESTED A MAN BELIEVED TO HAVE COMMITTED A STRING OF ROBBERIES. THE SUSPECT ROBBED SALLY’S BEAUTY SUPPLY ON JEFFERSON TERRACE IN NEW IBERIA MONDAY NIGHT AND, LATER, A CONVENIENCE STORE ON EAST ADMIRAL DOYLE. RESPONDING DEPUTIES SPOTTED THE SUSPECT’S VEHICLE AND ARRESTED 34-YEAR-OLD JACOB KIDD OF ST. MARTINVILLE AND CHARGED HIM WITH ARMED ROBBERY. KIDD IS SUSPECTED OF SEVERAL OTHER ROBBERIES INCLUDING THE DOLLLAR GENERAL STORE ON ALBERTSON PARKWAY IN BROUSSARD LAST WEEK.
REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATORS SAY A PLAN BY GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS TO CLOSE A 304 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT HAS TOO FEW LONG-TERM CUTS AND CONTAINS TOO MANY SHORT TERM FIXES. STATE REPRESENTATIVE LANCE HARRIS SAYS THE PLAN KICKS THE CAN UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND PERPETUATES OVERSPENDING. GOVERNOR EDWARDS SAYS THEY CAN MAKE LONG TERM CHANGES AT ITS REGULAR SESSION, WHICH BEGINS IN APRIL. THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL CONSIDER THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL DURING A TEN DAY SPECIAL SESSION WHICH BEGINS MONDAY.
REGIONAL DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN ACADIANA WERE DISCUSSED IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY. ST. MARTIN PARISH PRESIDENT GUY CORMIER INITIATED A SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS AFTER THE FLOODS IN AUGUST THAT PRODUCED THIRTY INCHES OF RAIN OVER A 48 HOUR PERIOD IN SOME AREAS. CORMIER TOLD THE GROUP YESTERDAY THAT VOTERS IN HIS PARISH APPROVED A 20 MILLION DOLLAR BOND ISSUE TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE. HE SAYS THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE IMPROVEMENTS IN ONE PARISH DO NOT LEAD TO FLOODING PROBLEMS IN A NEIGHBORING PARISH.
CRIME STOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH IS SEEKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN FINDING A WANTED FUGITIVE. AN ARREST WARRANT WAS ISSUED FOR 20-YEAR-OLD QUENTERIUS V. ARCENEAUX OF CROWLEY ON A CHARGE OF FELONY CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF A JUVENILE. HE IS DESCRIBED AS BLACK, FIVE FEET, EIGHT INCHES TALL AND 120 POUNDS. ANYONE WHO KNOW WHERE HE IS LOCATED IS ASKED TO CALL 789-TIPS, WHERE UP TO A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD IS BEING OFFERED.
