3-17-15
State police are investigating a traffic accident in St. Mary Parish that left one woman dead and several injured. Troopers say the accident happened on Louisiana Highway 87 about 5 p.m. Sunday near Jeanerette. Master Trooper Brooks David says a car driven by 33-year-old Teala Bernard of Chareton crossed the centerline and hit a pickup driven by 26-year-old Roni Landry of Franklin.
David said Bernard, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
ONE OF THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS, KILLED IN LAST WEEK’S BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER CRASH, WAS ORIGINALLY FROM DERIDDER. FOUR LOUISIANA GUARDSMEN AND SEVEN MARINES DIED IN THE ACCIDENT OFF THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. 26-YEAR-OLD STAFF SERGEANT THOMAS FLORICH WAS LISTED BY THE MILITARY AS FROM FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, BUT HE GRADUATED FROM DERIDDER HIGH SCHOOL. DURING HIS EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE, HE WAS DEPLOYED FOR OPERATION DEEPWATER HORIZON AND FOR HURRICANE ISAAC.
JUDGE EDWARD RUBIN DENIED MOTIONS PRESENTED BY THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE IN THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF SETH FONTENOT OF LAFAYETTE. JURY SELECTION IS SET TO BEGIN TODAY. FONTENOT IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING 15-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN RIVAULT IN FEBRUARY OF 2013, AND WOUNDING TWO OTHER TEENAGERS. JUDGE RUBIN DENIED THE PROSECUTION’S REQUEST TO PRESENT ALLEGATIONS THAT FONTENOT SOLD DRUGS ILLEGALLY.
Concerns that a large number of Louisiana’s public school students would refuse to take the heavily-debated Common Core standardized tests this week appear unfounded. Education Superintendent John White says self-reported numbers from school systems show that 99 percent of students took the exams Monday, the first day of testing. Of those who sat out the tests, roughly half are from Calcasieu Parish, one of the centers of opposition to Common Core. About 320,000 students in grades 3 through 8 are taking the standardized tests over five days.
A FORMER IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY, WHO ALLEGEDLY STRUCK A HANDCUFFED MAN AT A NEW IBERIA STREET PARTY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013, HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. VIDEO OF THE BEATING SURFACED ON YOUTUBE JUST DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, PROMPTING SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL TO FIRE DEPUTY CODY LAPEROUSE. THE VIDEO SHOWED THE HANDCUFFED MAN BEING HIT WITH A BATON SEVERAL TIMES WHILE HE WAS ON HIS STOMACH. THE VICTIM, CHRISTOPHER BUTLER, HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHICH NAMES FOUR DEPUTIES, INCLUDING LAPEROUSE.
THE CALCASIEU POINT BOAT LAUNCH WILL BE REOPENED TOMORROW. IT HAD BEEN CLOSED AS WORKERS REPLACED 23 THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF CONCRETE FOR THE NEW LAUNCH CIRCLE. CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JUROR GUY BRAME TELLS KPLC TV THAT CALCASIEU POINT IS THE PREMIER PARK IN ALL OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. HE EXPRESSED DELIGHT THAT THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED ON TIME.
A LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BUS DRIVER, SUSPECTED OF DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS UNDER THE INFLUENCE, HAS RESIGNED. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Gov. Bobby Jindal’s economic development secretary, Stephen Moret, is leaving the job in May to lead LSU’s chief fundraising organization. The university announced Monday that Moret has been named president and CEO of the LSU Foundation. Jindal hasn’t named a new secretary of the Department of Economic Development. The governor praised Moret’s work, saying he successfully improved Louisiana’s image with business executives around the country.
