3-19-15
A JURY OF TEN WOMEN AND TWO MEN WERE SELECTED AND SWORN IN YESTERDAY IN THE SETH FONTENOT MURDER TRIAL. FONTENOT AND TWO TEENS, WHO HE SHOT AND WOUNDED, ARE EXPECTED TO TESTIFY DURING THE TRIAL, ACCORDING TO THE ATTORNEYS. FONTENOT ALSO SHOT AND KILLED 15-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN RIVAULT. FONTENOT SAYS HE FIRED SHOTS AT THE TAILLIGHTS OF THE PICKUP TRUCK THE BOYS WERE IN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THEY WERE TRYING TO BREAK INTO HIS TRUCK.
TRAIN TRAFFIC IN LAKE CHARLES IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BEGINNING THIS SUMMER. THAT’S BECAUSE A NEW GRAIN ELEVATOR AT THE PORT OF LAKE CHARLES IS ANTICIPATED TO BE UP AND RUNNING BY MAY OR JULY. PORT DIRECTOR BILL RASE TOLD THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL THAT TRAIN TRAFFIC WILL BE BACK UP THE LEVEL IT WAS SEVEN TO TEN YEARS AGO. HE SAYS THEY PLAN ON TRYING TO OPERATE DURING NON-PEAK VEHICLE TRAFFIC TIMES, IN ORDER TO PREVENT CONGESTION.
LAST NIGHT THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL VOTED 8-TO-2 TO HAVE THEIR ATTORNEY LOOK AT WAYS OF INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR VEHICLES WHICH CAUSE DAMAGE TO PARISH ROADS. COUNCILMAN TIM LEJEUNE SAYS HE HAS HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS, WHO TOLD HIM OF YOUNG DRIVERS WHO USE THEIR PICKUP TRUCKS TO PURPOSELY CREATE LARGE HOLES ON ROADWAYS. THE BOARD’S ATTORNEY, CHAD PITRE, SAYS AN EXISTING PARISH ORDINANCE, THAT IMPOSES FINES ON VEHICLE OWNERS THAT CAUSE ROAD DAMAGE, COULD BE AMENDED TO MAKE THE PENALTIES HARSHER. LEJEUNE SAYS HE’D LIKE TO SEE THE VEHICLES TAKEN AWAY FROM THOSE WHO INTENTIONALLY CAUSE DAMAGE.
Secretary of State Tom Schedler says the governor’s spending proposal for the upcoming budget year doesn’t include money to pay for Louisiana to hold a presidential primary. Schedler told the House Appropriations Committee that Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget also would force him to shutter his voter outreach division and limit the days museums under his control would be open. Wednesday was the first of two days of budget hearings about the agencies managed by Louisiana’s statewide elected officials. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says Jindal’s budget would make it difficult for his department to carry out food inspections and offer assistance programs for farmers.
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS AGREED TO RENAME THE MEDIA CENTER AFTER A SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEE KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO SALVAGE PARTS OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH BUILDING IN WESTLAKE, WHICH WILL BE MOVED TO THE NEW BUILDING, ONCE IT’S CONSTRUCTED. SASOL PURCHASED THE BUILDING FROM FIRST BAPTIST IN DECEMBER FOR FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WILL BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE COMPANY’S HEAVY HAUL ROUTE. SASOL GAVE FIRST BAPTIST UNTIL DECEMBER ELEVENTH OF NEXT YEAR TO VACATE THE BUILDING, AND GAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO REMOVE PARTS OF THE BUILDING BEFORE DEMOLITION. THE CHURCH’S NEW BUILDING WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON 19 ACRES NEXT TO THE NATIONAL GOLF COURSE OF LOUISIANA ON WESTWOOD ROAD.
THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN THE 900 BLOCK OF ANDERSON STREET IN NEW IBERIA. A 26-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS WOUNDED IN THE ARM. SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL SAYS IN A NEWS RELEASE THAT THEY DO HAVE A PERSON OF INTEREST WHO MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHOOTING. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS URGED TO CALL THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AT 369-37-11.
Monsanto says it will pay about $350,000 to settle class action lawsuits brought by farmers in seven states over genetically modified wheat. The St. Louis company said Wednesday it will make donations of $50,000 to agricultural schools at land grant colleges in Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi. It will also reimburse the plaintiffs’ and their counsel for a portion of the costs associated with the case. The lawsuits relate to the discovery of genetically modified wheat on a farm in Oregon in May 2013.
