3-17-17
VOTERS IN LAFAYETTE, ACADIA AND VERMILLION PARISHES COULD BE ASKED TO APPROVE A PROPERTY TAX TO HELP FUND THE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICES. DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEITH STUTES BROUGHT UP THE IDEA AT A LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY. HE SAYS, UNDER STATE LEGISLATION, A DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S TAXING DISTRICT CAN BE CREATED. HE SAYS VOTERS CAN IMPOSE UP TO A FIVE MILL PROPERTY TAX, THOUGH, HE ACKNOWLEDGES, IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD GET FIVE MILLS.
A WOMAN, WHO WAS ABDUCTED AND HELD CAPTIVE BY HER ABDUCTER FOR 18 YEARS BEFORE BEING RESCUED, WAS IN LAKE CHARLES TO PROVIDE POLICE TRAINING AND SPEAK TO MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS. IT IS BELIEVED JAYCEE DUGARD COULD HAVE BEEN RESCUED EARLIER IF NOT FOR NUMEROUS FAILURES BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PAROLE OFFICERS. DUGARD NOW IS INVOLVED IN HELPING TRAIN OFFICERS AS HER WAY OF HELPING MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. SHE SAYS OFFICERS HAVE A HARD JOB AND SHE TELLS KPLC TV THAT SHARING HER STORY IS NOT ABOUT BLAMING THEM BUT TURNING IT INTO SOMETHING GOOD.
IN JANUARY, MEMBERS OF THE SMILE ADVISORY BOARD ELECTED KENDALL WILTZ PRESIDENT, SO THEY WERE SURPRISED WHEN THEY ATTENDED A MEETING WEDNESDAY AND FOUND THERE WAS A NEW PRESIDENT. IN FEBRUARY, A NEW PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED, JANICE DIXON, BUT SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SAID THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A MEETING SCHEDULED. AL GLAUDE AND SHELTON COBB INDICATED TO THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT THEY WERE DISGUSTED WITH THE POLITICS. SMILE, OR THE ST. MARTIN IBERIA LAFAYETTE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, USES 17 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS TO OPERATE PROGRAMS FOR THE DISADVANTAGED SUCH AS THE HEAD START EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS.
Louisiana’s seat belt usage is at a record rate. According to a new study commissioned by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday that the usage rate for drivers and front-seat passengers is at an all-time high of 87.8 percent. That’s nearly a 2 percentage point increase over the previous year. LHSC Executive Director Dr. Katara Williams is celebrating the record, but says the state will relentlessly pursue the ultimate goal of 100 percent usage.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING ON HANSEL DRIVE THAT LEFT ONE MAN DEAD. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A 16-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN INDICTED ON MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES FOR SHOOTING AND KILLING ANOTHER 16-YEAR-OLD ON RENA STREET IN LAKE CHARLES LAST MONTH. ON FEBRUARY 23RD, CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT WAS KILLED AND THE NEXT DAY, ANOTHER 16-YEAR-OLD WAS ARRESTED. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE TWO BOYS HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN HORSEPLAY WITH TWO LOADED GUNS WHEN WRIGHT WAS SHOT. THE OTHER JUVENILE FLED THE SCENE AND WAS LATER LOCATED AND ARRESTED AFTER A BRIEF FOOT CHASE, DURING WHICH HE ATTEMPTED TO DISCARD A SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL.
OPELOUSAS POLICE ARRESTED A MAN ON DRUG AND WEAPONS CHARGES WEDNESDAY. DARRELL YOUNG WAS PULLED OVER FOR SEVERAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND HE TOLD OFFICERS HE HAD A GUN AND ILLEGAL DRUGS. THEY FOUND MARIJUANA AND CRACK COCAINE AND A GUN THAT HAD BEEN SOTLEN FROM A VEHICLE EARLIER THIS YEAR IN OPELOUSAS. YOUNG WAS BOOKED INTO THE OPELOUSAS CITY JAIL.
Gov. John Bel Edwards plans to have an interim Louisiana State Police superintendent appointed next week, to temporarily replace the agency’s retiring leader. Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said Thursday the governor intends to have that person chosen by March 24. That’s the last workday for retiring Col. Mike Edmonson. Carbo says the governor will choose an interim leader who doesn’t want the job permanently.
