3-30-23
PHASE TWO OF THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THE I-TEN OVERPASS AT I-FORTY-NINE IN LAFAYETTE BEGAN LAST NIGHT. THE OVERPASS WAS DAMAGED IN EARLY JANUARY WHEN A TRUCK OWNED BY BEBE THRASHER TRUCKING OF VILLE PLATTE CRASHED INTO IT. THE REPAIRS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT. BECAUSE OF THE REPAIRS, I-FORTY-NINE NORTHBOUND AND I-TEN EASTBOUND AT THE INTERCHANGE WILL BE CLOSED FROM EIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL FIVE FRIDAY MORNING.
AN OPELOUSAS POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. DANIELLE JOHNSON HAS MORE.
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A BILL BY LOUISIANA CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALISE TO DRAMATICALLY ESCALATE ENERGY PRODUCTION AND GRANT LOUISIANA A GREATER PORTION OF OFFSHORE ENERGY REVENUES WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE FULL HOUSE TODAY. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS WARNED THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL VETO THE “LOWER ENERGY COSTS ACT” IF IT CLEARS THE HOUSE AND SENATE AS PRESENTLY WRITTEN. HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY TOLD BIDEN TUESDAY THAT HE WANTS SCALISE’S ENERGY PROPOSALS TO BE PART OF DEBT CEILING NEGOTIATIONS. SCALISE IS OPTIMISTIC AS, HE SAYS, ALMOST EVERY REPUBLICAN IS COMMITTED AND HE’S GOTTEN SOME SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRAT REPRESENTATIVES.
CAMERON PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY TOM BARRETT SAYS THE HOSPITAL BOARD IS WORKING ON EFFORTS TO REBUILD SOUTH CAMERON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, WHICH WAS DESTROYED BY HURRICANE LAURA. CURRENTLY, NO MEDICAL SERVICES ARE BEING OFFERED IN CAMERON. THE BOARD PLANS TO ASK THE POLICE JURY FOR A TEMPORARY FACILITY TO OFFER MEDICAL SERVICES WITH ADDITIONAL PLANS TO OFFER EMERGENCY SERVICES UNTIL THE NEW HOSPITAL IS COMPLETED. BARRET SAYS IF THE POLICE JURY APPROVES, IT WILL BE BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT MONTHS TO REPAIR THE BUILDING AND BE ABLE TO OFFER MEDICAL SERVICES FOR SOUTH CAMERON.
THE YOUNGSVILLE CITY COUNCIL IS HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE ACTIONS OF COUNCILWOMAN KAYLA REAUX AND TO CONSIDER AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF POLICE CHIEF RICKY BOUDREAUX. A REPORT IN THE SUNDAY ADVOCATE SAYS REAUX MAY HAVE SOUGHT SPECIAL TREATMENT AFTER SHE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER. SHE CALLED BOUDREAUX, WHO QUICKLY RESPONDED TO THE SCENE WHERE OFFICERS WERE TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM REAUX. MAYOR KEN RITTER ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING REAUX FOR HER “UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND BEHAVIOR.”
POLICE OFFICERS IN KAPLAN WILL BE GETTING A FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR INCREASE IN THEIR ANNUAL SALARIES. POLICE CHIEF JOSHUA HARDY SAYS THERE WERE TWO POSITIONS THAT HAVEN’T BEEN FILLED, SO HE TOOK THE MONEY FOR THAT AND SPLIT THE MONEY AMONG HIS OFFICERS THAT STAY “FOR THE LONG RUN.” HARDY TELLS KLFY TV THAT HE’S HAD TO DEAL WITH A CHALLENGE OF OFFICERS LEAVING HIS DEPARTMENT FOR MORE PAY. HARDY PRAISED HIS OFFICERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE JOB AND PROTECTING AND SERVING THE PEOPLE OF KAPLAN.
LOUISIANA HAS JOINED TEXAS IN ASKING A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT TO THROW OUT A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PLAN. THE PLAN, FILED MARCH FIFTEENTH, IS AIMED AT REDUCING EMISSIONS IN TWENTY-THREE STATES WHERE THE EMISSIONS CROSS STATE LINES AND CONTRIBUTE TO SMOG. ONE OF THE TARGETS IS WHERE EMISSIONS CROSS FROM LOUISIANA TO GALVESTON COUNTY IN TEXAS. THE PLAN ALSO REJECTS AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FILED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN TWENTY-NINETEEN.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A BURGLARY THAT HAPPENED SOMETIME BETWEEN THE NIGHT OF MARCH NINETEENTH AND THE MORNING OF MARCH TWENTIETH. AN UNKNOWN SUSPECT GAINED ACCESS TO A UTILITY TRAILER ON LESIM DRIVE NEAR EVANGELINE BY CUTTING THE LOCK. SEVERAL CONTRACTER TOOLS VALUED AT OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS WERE STOLEN INCLUDING A TWENTY-INCH STIHL CHAINSAW, A MAKITA SKILL SAW AND A DREMEL TOOL WITH A WHIP ATTACHMENT. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION LEADING TO AN ARREST CAN COLLECT A REWARD OF UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS BY CALLING SEVEN-EIGHT-NINE-TIPS.
