3-20-26
AN OPELOUSAS TEENAGER HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR MAKING MULTIPLE BOMB THREATS TO NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL. SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS THE THREATS DATE BACK TO JANUARY SIXTEENTH. HE SAYS THEY OBTAINED SUFFICIENT PROBABLE CAUSE TO ARREST EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD LYAM GARCIA. HE IS CHARGED WITH FIVE COUNTS OF TERRORIZING AND FIVE COUNTS OF COMMUNICATING FALSE INFORMATION OF A PLANNED BOMBING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
A MOBILE HOME IN RURAL LAFAYETTE PARISH CAUGHT FIRE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AT THE HOME ON LEBESQUE ROAD NEAR OSSUN, FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT THE BACK BEDROOM. NO ONE WAS AT HOME AT THE TIME FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
A JEFF DAVIS PARISH JUDGE AGREED TO POSTPONE A TRIAL FOR TERENCE DAVIS AFTER HE APPROVED A CHANGE IN THE DEFENSE COUNSEL. IT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR TRIAL TUESDAY AND HAS NOT YET BEEN RESCHEDULED. DAVIS WAS ARRESTED LAST APRIL FOR POSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON AND FACES UP TO TWENTY YEARS IN JAIL IF CONVICTED WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE OR PROBATION. DISTRICT ATTORNEY LAUREN HEINEN CRITICIZED JUDGE STEVE GUNNEL’S DECISION SAYING THE DELAY DISRUPTS THE COURT SYSTEM AND POSTPONES ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE STATE SENATE HAS APPROVED A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CRIME TO FRAUDULENTLY CLAIM MILITARY SERVICE OR HONORS. THE BILL BY STATE SENATOR CALEB KLEINPETER OF PORT ALLEN PROPOSES THAT ANYONE WHO FALSELY CLAIMS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES COULD BE FINED UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND GET JAIL TIME UP TO SIX MONTHS. ALSO, A PERSON WHO FALSELY CLAIMS MILITARY AWARDS COULD BE FINED UP TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND GET UP TO A YEAR IN JAIL. THE BILL NOW GOES TO THE STATE HOUSE.
LEGISLATION SPONSORED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE MIKE ECHOLS OF MONROE SEEKS TO MAKE SURE LOUISIANA’S INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES GET PAID FAIRLY FOR THE DRUGS THEY DISPENSE. ECHOLS SAID IN A PUBLIC HEARING, HIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS REIMBURSE INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES FOR DRUGS AT A MINIMUM RATE SET BY LAW. THOSE OPPOSED TO THE BILL SAY IT WILL DRIVE UP DRUG COSTS AND, IN TURN, HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN AGAINST ECHOL’S BILL, LEADING ECHOLS TO ASK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO LOOK INTO THEIR ADVOCACY.
IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RAYMOND SHOE-DO LEWIS SAYS HE HAS WON A DEFAMATION LAWSUIT HE FILED AGAINST ROSALIND ROBB. HE ACCUSED ROBB OF SPREADING LIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT DAMAGED HIS REPUTATION AS WELL AS THE REPUTATON OF HIS FOUNDATION. LEWIS WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE MISSUSED MONEY FROM HIS FOUNDATION, CLAIMS WHICH HE SAYS WERE FALSE. LEWIS SAYS THAT, AS PART OF A SETTLEMENT, HE RECEIVED HER EIGHTY-TWO CORVETTE, A MOBILE HOME, PROPERTY AND THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT’S DRAINAGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SERIES TOOK PLACE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE SOUTH REGIONAL LIBRARY. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT ONGOING PROJECTS AND OFFER INPUT ON THE PARISH’S LONG-TERM STORMWATER PLAN. MAYOR-PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET SAYS DRAINAGE REMAINS ONE OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES. THE NEXT MEETING TAKES PLACE APRIL NINTH AT SOUTH LOUISIANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH ANOTHER MEETING ON MAY TWELFTH AT THE DUPUIS RECREATION CENTER.
THE GRAVESITE OF DEIONDRE BENJAMIN AT THE QUEEN OF PEACE CEMETARY IN SAINT MARTINVILLE WAS DESECRATED THIS WEEK. BENJAMIN WAS SHOT AND KILLED TWO YEARS AGO AT A HOMECOMING GAME AT SAINT MARTINVILLE SENIOR HIGH. HIS FAMILY SAYS THEY BECAME AWARE OF THE DESECRATION WHEN SOMEONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIMED TO HAVE COMMITTED THE ACT. SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S DETECTIVES WERE CALLED OUT WEDNESDAY TO INVESTIGATE THE DAMAGE.
