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AN ERATH WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE TEN IN LAFAYETTE LAST NIGHT SHORTLY BEFORE SEVEN. 21-YEAR-OLD ANGELLE BOURQUE WAS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT LANE OF THE INTERSTATE WHEN, FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, SHE FAILED TO STOP, EVEN THOUGH TRAFFIC AHEAD OF HER WAS AT A STANDSTILL. SHE WAS DRIVING A KIA SOUL, WHICH SLAMMED INTO A TRACTOR TRAILER RIG THAT WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, AND BOURQUE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. IMPAIRMENT IS NOT BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
A LAKE CHARLES MAN, WHO RAPED A WOMAN AT GUNPOINT AND RECORDED IT ON VIDEO, WAS SENTENCED YESTERDAY TO LIFE IN PRISON. JAVONTE HARRISON WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR AGGRAVATED RAPE, 104 YEARS FOR ARMED ROBBERY, AND 30 YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED BATTERY. THE VICTIM, IN A LETTER TO THE COURT, SAID HARRISON WAS THE DEVIL HIMSELF AND THAT HE RUINED HER LIFE. JUDGE GUY BRADBERRY SAID THE VICTIM WAS THE BRAVEST AND MOST COURAGEOUS HE’S SEEN IN COURT AND HE EXPRESSED HOPE SHE WILL FIND PEACE.
A JUDGE HAS RULED THAT AN IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE DEPUTY CANNOT BACK OUT OF A GUILTY PLEA FOR VIOLATING CIVIL RIGHTS. BRET KLEIN BROUSSARD WAS ONE OF TEN DEPUTIES WHO PLED GUILTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR TESTIMONY AGAINST SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL, WHO WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES BY A JURY LAST YEAR. BROUSSARD, WHO IS TO BE SENTENCED MARCH 28TH, ARGUED THAT THE PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN OFF ON THE AGREEMENT. BROUSSARD WAS ACCUSED OF NOT INTERVENING AS OTHER DEPUTIES BEAT INMATES AT THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL WITH BATONS.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF LOUISIANA STATE POLICE HAS ANNOUNCED HE’S STEPPING DOWN. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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THE BROUSSARD CITY COUNCIL HAS BACKED A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A PROPOSED HALF CENT, TEN YEAR SALES TAX. THE TAX, WHICH WOULD RAISE NEARLY 200 MILLION DOLLARS , WILL HELP REPLACE 248 TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ALSO WANTS TO REPLACE THE BUILDINGS AT PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY AND CARENCRO HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY AND PUT UP A 43 MILLION DOLLAR FRESHMAN ACADEMY AT LAFAYETTE HIGH. LAFAYETTE PARISH VOTERS WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF THE TAX ON APRIL 29TH.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QUARTERBACK DREW BREES IS INVESTING TEN MILLION DOLLARS IN A LAKE CHARLES-BASED FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE APP. THE C-E-O OF WAITR, CHRIS MEAUX, SAYS BREES MADE THE INVESTMENT BECAUSE HE SAW HOW THE APP HELPED GROW THE TO-GO BUSINESS AT WALK-ON’S BISTRO, ANOTHER BUSINESS BREES HAS INVESTED IN. MEAUX SAYS THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO HELP EXPAND AND MARKET THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS DEVELOP NEW IMPROVED SERVICES FOR RESTAURANT PARTNERS. MEAUX SAYS THEY WERE ABLE TO BUILD A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA STARTING WITH STUDENTS FROM MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY.
YESTERDAY, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD PRESENTED FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR CHECKS TO BOTH OPELOUSAS TOURISM AND THE LOUISIANA ORPHAN TRAIN SOCIETY. THE GRANT MONEY WILL BE USED TO FURTHER PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND PROJECTS RELATED TO LE VIEUX VILLAGE IN OPELOUSAS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO OPELOUSAS TOURISM DIRECTOR MELANIE LEE LEBOUEF, WHO SUBMITTED THE GRANT APPLICATION. THE VILLAGE HAS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS THAT ARE HOUSED THERE, INCLUDING THE ORPHAN TRAIN MUSEUM.
Louisiana’s credit has taken a hit, with a national rating agency downgrading the state. That makes it more expensive to borrow money for roadwork and construction projects. S&P Global Ratings announced Wednesday it dropped Louisiana’s rating one notch. That’s the third national rating agency to downgrade the state’s credit since February 2016, as Louisiana continues to struggle with financial gaps.
