4-20-23
IAN HOWARD, THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING LAFAYETTE POLICE CORPORAL MICHAEL MIDDLE BROOK IN TWENTY-SEVENTEEN, HAS BEEN FOUND COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL, ACCORDING TO MIDDLEBROOK’S MOTHER. SHE POSTED ONE WORD ON FACEBOOK, “COMPETENT.” MIDDLEBROOK’S WIDOW ALSO POSTED ON THE DEVELOPMENT SAYING EVERYTHING IS MOVING FORWARD AND TRIAL DATES WOULD BE SET AT A HEARING ON MAY TWENTY-FOURTH. IN DECEMBER OF TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE, A JUDGE RULED HOWARD WAS NOT COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL BASED ON TESTIMONY FROM DOCTORS AND ORDERED HIM SENT TO A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.
AN S-U-V CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A SCHOOL BUS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN VILLE PLATTE. EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF CHARLES GUILLORY SAYS IT APPEARS THE S-U-V CROSSED THE CENTER LINE, STRIKING THE SCHOOL BUS THAT HAD TWENTY CHILDREN AS PASSENGERS. ONE OF THE CHILDREN WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH MINOR TO MODERATE INJURIES. THE TWO ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN IN THE S-U-V WERE ALSO TREATED FOR MINOR TO MODERATE INJURIES. CHARGES ARE PENDING.
A RUSSIAN TANK CAPTURED IN UKRAINE WAS PARKED AT PETO’S TRUCK STOP IN ROANOKE FOR TWO DAYS. IT WAS BEING TRANSPORTED ALONG I-TEN TO THE ABERDEEN TEST CENTER IN MARYLAND WHEN THE TRUCK BROKE DOWN. A PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE TANK WAS NOT ARMED OR DANGEROUS AND POSED NO THREAT TO THE PUBLIC. THE TANK WAS CAPTURED FROM RUSSIA BY UKRAINE LAST SEPTEMBER.
A STATE HOUSE PANEL HAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A BILL THAT WOULD DIVERT ROUGHLY EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY MILLION DOLLARS FROM A TEMPORARY SALES TAX. THE MONEY WOULD BE USED TO PAY OFF DEBT TIED TO THE TEACHER PENSION SYSTEM. THE BILL’S SPONSOR, RUSTON REPUBLICAN CHRISTOPHER TURNER, SAYS THIS WOULD FREE UP MONEY TO PAY FOR TEACHER PAY RAISES REQUESTED BY GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS. EDWARDS HAD PROPOSED THE STATE COVER THE TWO THOUSAND DOLLAR ANNUAL PAY RAISE OUT OF ITS OWN POCKET, WHICH WOULD COST ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN MILLION ANNUALLY.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE VINCENT PIERRE HAS WEIGHED IN ON THE ONGOING CONVERSATION REGARDING PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK SAFETY SAYING IT IS A MATTER OF ENFORCEMENT. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
VOICER Q :23
HERE’S SYLVIA MASTERS AGAIN WITH NEW INFORMATION ON AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN LAFAYETTE.
VOICER R :35
SAINT MARTIN PARISH PRESIDENT CHESTER CEDARS HAS ANNOUNCED HE WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION. HE BEGAN AS PARISH PRESIDENT IN MARCH OF TWENTY-EIGHTEEN AND WILL FINISH OUT HIS TERM, WHICH EXPIRES IN JANUARY. CEDARS CALLED HIS TENURE IN OFFICE BOTH CHALLENGING AND REWARDING AND EXPRESSED THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. BEFORE HIS TIME IN OFFICE, CEDARS WAS LEAD PROSECUTOR FOR THE PARISH FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS.
FOUR PEOPLE WERE INSIDE A HOUSE ON BUNCHE STREET IN LAFAYETTE WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE BUT ALL GOT OUT SAFELY. FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON ALTON TRAHAN SAYS, WHEN CREWS ARRIVED, FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE ROOF AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO THE ATTIC AND A LARGE SECTION OF THE ROOF. BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DAMAGING ELECTRICAL LINES, L-U-S SHUT OFF POWER, AFFECTING HOMES IN THE AREA, AND IT WAS RESTORED ONCE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. OFFICIALS DETERMINED THE FIRE BEGAN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE BUT THE CAUSE IS STILL BEGIN INVESTIGATED.
THE ANNUAL CROWLEY FLOWER SHOW IS TAKING PLACE TODAY AND TOMORROW AT BANK OF COMMERCE AND TRUST ON EAST THIRD STREET. YOU CAN COME SEE THE EXHIBIT AND PICK UP A FREE PLANTING.
