4-20-21
As the search for survivors of a capsized lift boat ends, attentions turn to comforting the loved ones of the dead and missing, a grim hunt for bodies and a painstaking investigation that could take as long as two years. The Seacor Power capsized on April 12. The Coast Guard on Monday said it was suspending the search and rescue for the eight still missing. The president of Seacor Marine, which owned the boat, says they’ll do everything in their power to find the remaining people.
OPELOUSAS POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING THAT LEFT THREE PEOPLE WOUNDED. IT HAPPENED AT AROUND TWELVE FORTY-FIVE THIS MORNING IN THE SIX HUNDRED BLOCK OF PULFORD STREET. ONE PERSON WAS SHOT IN THE WRIST AND REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT WHILE THE OTHER TWO WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE OPELOUSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
Gov. John Bel Edwards says he will oppose legislative proposals to add new medical and sports restrictions on transgender youth in Louisiana. The Democratic governor Monday called the measures “unnecessary and discriminatory.” Lawmakers have introduced bills to ban transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in schools and to restrict transgender youths’ access to medication and other health care used in transitioning. Edwards said he’s hopeful the Legislature will not seek to advance those bills.
THE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA IS OFFERING A FREE WEBINAR TONIGHT FOR THOSE WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH THE FEMA APPEAL PROCESS. TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENING’S FIVE P-M WEBINAR, GO TO UNITED WAY S-W-L-A-DOT-ORG-SLASH-FEMA-WEBINAR. A FOLLOW-UP IN-PERSON CLINIC WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL TWENTY-EIGHTH FROM TEN A-M TO FOUR P-M. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS AS WELL. THE WEBSITE IS UNITED WAY S-W-L-A-DOT-ORG-SLASH-FEMA-CLINIC.
A FORMER BROUSSARD POLICE OFFICER HAS ACCUSED POLICE CHIEF BRANNON DECOU OF SENDING HIM INAPPROPRIATE PICTURES AND REQUESTING “SCANDALOUS PICTURES” IN RETURN. THE FORMER OFFICER, TAYLOR JONES, RESIGNED LAST MONTH AFTER TAKING A NEW JOB. HE HAS ALLEGEDLY COMPILED EVIDENCE INCLUDING THE TEXT MESSAGES AND SHARED IT WITH SUPERVISORS, THE MAYOR OF BROUSSARD AND THE U-S EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION. THE CITY ISSUED A RESPONSE SAYING THEY WILL CONDUCT A THOROUGH, HONEST, COMPREHENSIVE, AND CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATION.
THE ASSIST AGENCY HAS RECEIVED A GRANT TO GIVE FINANCIAL HELP TO RESIDENTS IN ACADIA OR VERMILLION PARISHES WHO ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF THE COVID-NINETEEN PANDEMIC. THE HELP, WHICH COMES FROM CARES ACT FUNDS, IS AVAILABLE TO HELP PAY FOR RENT, THE MORTGAGE, UTILITIES OR OTHER NECESSITES. COVID-NINETEEN MUST HAVE DIRECTLY AFFECTED AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND THERE MUST BE WRITTEN PROOF THAT THE VIRUS CAUSED THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION. TO FIND OUT MORE OR GET AN APPOINTMENT, CALL THE ASSIST AGENCY IN CROWLEY OR ABBEVILLE.
COVID-NINETEEN HOSPITALIZATIONS IN LOUISIANA ARE BACK UP BY TWENTY ACCORDING TO YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WHICH COVERS A THREE DAY PERIOD. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS WAS REDUCED BY THREE. LOUISIANA HAD ONE THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE NEW CONFIRMED COVID-NINETEEN CASES. HOWEVER , THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE OF THEM WERE BACKLOG CASES GOING BACK AS FAR AS LAST MAY. NINE DEATHS WERE REPORTED STATEWIDE.
THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN ACADIANA OVER THE WEEKEND. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD TWO DEATHS, WHICH WERE IN CALCASIEU AND JEFF DAVIS PARISHES. ACADIANA REPORTED THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT NEW CASES. LAFAYETTE PARISH HAD THE MOST OF ANY PARISH WITH NINETY-ONE. SOUTWEST LOUISIANA HAD SEVENTY-TWO NEW CASES, INCLUDING FORTY-TWO IN CALCASIEU PARISH.
