4-2-19
CARENCRO POLICE HAVE NOT LEARNED OF A MOTIVE IN A DOUBLE HOMOCIDE SATURDAY NIGHT AND THE SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTINGS IS NOT TALKING. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED DURING A SOCIAL GATHERING AT THE FRENCH COLONY APARTMENT COMPLEX. POLICE CHIEF DAVID ANDERSON SAYS 20-YEAR-OLD JEREMY EDWARDS OF CHURCH POINT, WITHOUT WARNING, PULLED OUT A GUN AND SHOT AND KILLED DUSTIN WILTZ AND ADAM WILLIAMSON, BOTH ALSO 20-YEARS-OLD. EDWARDS WAS LATER CAPTURED AFTER POLICE CHASED HIM IN A STOLEN VEHICLE, WHICH HE TOOK FROM ANOTHER PERSON AT THE PARTY.
A CAR WENT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF TEXTBOOK RENTALS INCORPORATED NEAR MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY WHEN IT WAS CLOSED. CAPTAIN KEVIN KIRKUM WITH LAKE CHARLES POLICE SAYS THE DRIVER PULLED OVER BECAUSE HE AND A PASSENGER WERE IN AN ARGUMENT. BUT IT ESCALATED INTO A FIGHT AT WHICH POINT THE DRIVER HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND DROVE INTO THE BUILDING. MANAGER KIMBERLY LAMBERT SAYS THEY WILL WORK TO GET THE STORE REOPENED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, EVEN IF IT MEANS BRINGING CUSTOMERS IN THROUGH THE BACK DOOR UNTIL THE FRONT CAN BE FIXED.
THE PONTOON BRIDGE NEAR ESTHERWOOD IS CLOSED UNTIL AUGUST FOR REPAIRS. BILL OLIVER OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT SAYS CLOSURE OF THE BRIDGE WAS MADE NECESSARY BECAUSE ANY OPERATION OF THE BRIDGE COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THEY FOUND BEARINGS ON THE TOP OF THE TOWERS THAT FAILED AND SOME PINS NEAR THE PIVOT ARM THAT ARE ALMOST AT THE POINT OF FAILURE. HE SAYS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN FAILURE OF THE STEEL CABLES CAUSING SEVERE PROBLEMS SUCH AS A COUNTERWEIGHT FALLING ON A VEHICLE.
Lawmakers in the Louisiana House are taking a less traditional approach to their budget hearings this year. Typically, the governor’s proposal serves as the starting point to hearings that opened Monday in the House Appropriations Committee. But Republican Committee Chairman Cameron Henry is using a smaller budget proposal for the hearings instead. The decision stems from a dispute between Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and House Republican leaders over Louisiana’s income forecast.
TODAY THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED COUNCIL’S FINANCE LIAISON COMMITTEE WILL DISCUSS PAYING FOR CHECK-IN SECURITY AT THE PARISH COURTHOUSE. COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JARED BELLARD SAYS THE ISSUE CAME UP BECAUSE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF MARK GARBER WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOUR DEPUTIES FOR SECURITY AT CHECK-IN BECAUSE OF SOME CUTS IN HIS DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JARED BELLARD SAYS THE OPTIONS LEFT ARE TO HAVE CITY POLICE PROVIDE SECURITY, HIRE AN OUTSIDE SOURCE OR USE PARISH FUNDS. HE SAYS THE QUESTION IS, IF THE COURTHOUSE CAN AFFORD TO PAY AND, IF NOT, THE ALREADY CASH STRAPPED PARISH WILL HAVE TO COVER IT.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IS INVESTIGATING BLACK SMOKE THAT CAME FROM THE INDORAMA PLANT IN SULPHUR ON SUNDAY. THE DEPARTMENT’S REGIONAL MANAGER BILLY EAKIN SAYS THEY LEARNED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF THE PLANT LOSING A BOILER SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO RELEASE SMOKE FOR TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES. THE PLANT IS ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR THE LEAKAGE OF WASTEWATER WITH BENZENE THAT GOT INTO BAYOU D’INDE IN FEBRUARY. SO FAR THIS YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN FIFTEEN INCIDENTS REPORTED AT THE INDORAMA PLANT, SOME SELF-REPORTED, OTHERS CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
THE NEW IBERIA CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING RENAMING SHOT STREET TO VELMA LEE LANE. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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Louisiana’s governor and attorney general are pushing dueling proposals they say will help protect people with pre-existing health conditions if the federal health care law is overturned. Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry on Monday outlined the broad parameters of the legislation he’s backing, a proposal that will give Louisiana’s insurance commissioner significant sway over the rules. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said Landry is seeking a fix to a problem that he’s helping to create. Landry has joined Louisiana to the federal lawsuit seeking to invalidate the entire federal Affordable Care Act.
