2-8-18
TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD FOLLOWING A CAR CRASH IN DUSON. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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SOME PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED A RODEO LAST WEEK AT THE BURTON COLISEUM IN LAKE CHARLES ALLEGE ANIMAL ABUSE WHEN TRAIL RIDERS ENTERED THE ARENA. CHARLOTTE WAYMIRE, WHO TOOK VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT, TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE TROUBLE STARTED WHEN THE WAGONS BEING PULLED BY HORSES HIT UNEXPECTEDLY SOFT SOIL AND THE HORSES HAD TROUBLE PULLING THEM. SHE SAYS MULTIPLE PEOPLE BEAT ON THE HORSES TO MAKE THEM DRAG THE WAGONS OUT OF THE ARENA. THE HEAD OF THE WESTERN HERITAGE TRAIL RIDE, GLENN DAIGLE, SAYS THE WHIPS WERE ACTUALLY ROPES AND NO HORSES WERE HURT. HE SAYS THEY HAVE STRICT RULES AND WOULD NOT INTENTIONALLY HURT A HORSE.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY BO DUHE HAS RULED A SHOOTING BY IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES IN JULY OF 2016 WAS JUSTIFIED. 40-YEAR-OLD SHANNON LABIT, WHO WAS A SUSPECT IN TWO STABBINGS, HELD OFF DEPUTIES FOR TWO HOURS IN THE 600 BLOCK OF MCDONALD STREET IN NEW IBERIA BY HOLDING A KNIFE AND TELLING THEM HE HAD A GUN, WHICH, IT TURNED OUT, HE DID NOT. LABIT WAS SHOT AND KILLED WHEN HE CHARGED AT THE DEPUTIES WITH A CORDLESS DRILL, WHICH THEY MISTOOK FOR A GUN. RELATIVES SAY LABIT WAS MENTALLY ILL.
Cleco is acquiring NRG power plants that serve nine power cooperatives throughout Louisiana. The Advocate reports that under the deal to acquire NRG’s South Central business, the Pineville-based company would get five power generation stations, including Bayou Cove in Jennings. The proposed $1 billion deal is subject to approval by federal and state regulators and set to close before the end of this year. The plants provide power to Louisiana electric cooperatives including the Jeff Davis Electric Co-op; SLEMCO; and the Beauregard Electric Cooperative.
ON TUESDAY NIGHT, THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PENALIZE MOTORISTS WHO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER, CAUSING IT TO ENTER BUILDINGS. THE MAXIMUM FINE WOULD BE 500 DOLLARS OR THE VIOLATER COULD GET UP TO SIX MONTHS IN PRISON. THE SPONSOR OF THE ORDINANCE SAYS IT’S INTENDED TO TARGET JOY RIDERS, SIGHTSEERS AND OTHER NEGLECTFUL DRIVERS, BUT POLICE WILL HAVE DISCRETION OVER ISSUING CITATIONS. POLICE CHIEF TOBY AGUILLARD SAYS CITATIONS WOULD ONLY BE ISSUED IF THE POLICE OFFICER WITNESSES THE VIOLATION.
CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO IS WARNING PEOPLE NOT TO SHARE DISTURBING VIDEO OF A MAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A CHILD. THE VIDEO HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA SINCE LAST WEEK. MANCUSO SAYS THE INTENT OF SOME IS SO THE MAN CAN BE CAUGHT, BUT IT IS STILL THE SAME AS TRANSMITTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, WHICH IS BREAKING THE LAW. THE MAN IN THE VIDEO, 44-YEAR-OLD GERMAINE MOORE, TURNED HIMSELF INTO AUTHORITIES IN ALABAMA ON TUESDAY.
ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT JOHN BOURQE ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT HE’S RETIRING AT THE END OF JUNE. HE HAS SERVED AS SUPERINTENDENT SINCE 2002, BUT HIS CAREER IN EDUCATION BEGAN IN 1965 AT WHAT IS NOW OPELOUSAS CATHOLIC. HE TELLS KATC THE MOST WORTHWHILE THING HE’S DONE IN EDUCATION IS WHEN HE’S HELPED CHANGE A STUDENT’S LIFE. BOURQE SAYS THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS AROUND MARCH FIRST AND HOPE TO HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT HIRED BEFORE HE LEAVES SO HE CAN HELP WITH THE TRANSITION.
Gov. John Bel Edwards says he’s flexible on tax ideas to close a $1 billion budget gap. But he won’t consider one proposal: a long-term renewal of the expiring sales tax causing most of the hole. Lawmakers in 2016 raised Louisiana’s 4-cent state sales tax by another penny for every dollar spent. That sales tax increase, which brings in an estimated $880 million annually, and other temporary taxes expire July 1.
