4-11-16
THE LAFAYETTE MUNICIPAL FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS WEDNESDAY ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE NEW POLICE CHIEF. THE CHANGES WERE PROPOSED BY LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX, WHO WANTS TO BROADEN THE FIELD OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION. THE BIGGEST CHANGE WOULD TAKE AWAY THE REQUIREMENT OF A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IF THE CANDIDATE HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EDUCATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. THE NEW CHANGES WOULD ALLOW INTERIM CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS TO APPLY FOR THE POSITION, SINCE HE DOESN’T HAVE A BACHELOR’S DEGREE BUT DOES HAVE AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
A LAKE CHARLES NATIVE IS ONE OF TWO 19-YEAR-OLD SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO WERE SHOT AND KILLED OUTSIDE OF A SOCIAL FUNCTION AT AROUND TWO SUNDAY MORNING. BATON ROUGE POLICE SAY THE TWO, SOPHOMORE LASHUNTAE BENTON OF LAKE CHARLES AND FRESHMAN ANNETTE JANUARY FROM GARY, INDIANA, WERE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE BETWEEN TWO MEN, WHO WERE FIRING SHOTS AT ONE ANOTHER. ONE OF THE MEN, 22-YEAR-OLD EARNEST FELTON, WAS ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND ILLEGAL USE OF A WEAPON. THE OTHER SHOOTER, A 24-YEAR-OLD MAN, WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING WOUNDS.
AN OPELOUSAS MAN WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AFTER HE LED POLICE ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE. COREY LEGER OF THE OPELOUSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS 50-YEAR-OLD JAMES VICTOR BROUSSARD WAS SPOTTED WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC ON HIS MOTORCYCLE AT MORE THAN TWICE THE SPEED LIMIT ON L-A 749. WHEN OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO PULL HIM OVER, HE ATTEMPTED TO ELUDE THEM AND WAS EVENTUALLY APPREHENDED WHEN HE TRIED TO HIDE BEHIND A MOBILE HOME. LEGER SAYS BROUSSARD TOLD POLICE HE WAS IN A HURRY TO GO SEE HIS MOM.
Lawmakers are looking to shape Louisiana’s gun laws with more than 40 firearm-related changes proposed this session. But while proposals have come from lawmakers in both parties, disagreements lie in how to best curb the state’s high incarceration and crime rates while respecting constitutional rights. The proposals have largely originated in the House. Proposed legislation would end concealed carry permit requirements for law-abiding citizens, require installation of metal detectors in movie theaters and limit guns in public parks.
THERE’S A NEW GAS STATION IN LAFAYETTE THAT IS COMPETING FOR THE LOWEST PRICES. ACCORDING TO GAS BUDDY ON FRIDAY, THE NEW COSTCO GAS STATION HAD THE LOWEST PRICE IN TOWN AT A DOLLAR-62 PER GALLON. BY SUNDAY, THE PRICE HAD MOVED UP A PENNY AND THE NEW LEADERS WERE THE TOBACCO PLUS AT EVANGELINE AND PINHOOK AND THE SUPER ONE ON EVANGELINE AND WILLOW. THE AVERAGE PRICE IN LOUISIANA IS A DOLLAR-82, TWENTY-TWO CENTS BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
CALCASIEU PARISH VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED A NEW TEN YEAR, ONE-POINT-5 MILL PROPERTY TAX SATURDAY. THE TAX WOULD HAVE GONE TO HELP FUND THE NEW NATIONAL HURRICANE MUSEUM AND SCIENCE CENTER IN LAKE CHARLES. SO FAR, THE MUSEUM’S BOARD HAS RAISED 42 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE MUSEUM, BUT, THEY SAY, ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO HAVE A HIGH CALIBER, STATE OF THE ART MUSEUM. THE MUSEUM’S BOARD PLANS TO MEET NEXT WEEK TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO NEXT.
CROWLEY’S NEW POLICE CHIEF WILL BE JIMMY BROUSSARD. HE TOOK 55 PERCENT OF THE VOTE IN SATURDAY’S RUN OFF, DEFEATING CHALLENGER SCOTT FOGELMAN. BROUSSARD WILL BE REPLACING K-P GIBSON, WHO WAS ELECTED AS THE NEW SHERIFF FOR ACADIA PARISH. VOTERS IN THE ST. LANDRY PARISH TOWN OF WASHINGTON HAVE RECALLED THEIR POLICE CHIEF. 85 PERCENT VOTED TO RECALL CHIEF BRUCE BROUSSARD, WHO HAS BEEN ON PAID MEDICAL LEAVE FROM THE JOB SINCE FEBRUARY 15TH.
First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending April 2 decreased from the previous week’s total. The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims fell to 2,484 from the previous week’s total of 2,497. For the comparable week a year earlier, there were 2,298.
