4-24-25
TWO LOUISIANA MEN WERE KILLED IN A WORK BOAT EXPLOSION AT THE J-D MURPHREE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA IN PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. ANTONIO MITCHELL WITH THE PORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS GAS FUMES IN THE AIR WERE IGNITED, THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED WHAT WAS THE SOURCE OF THE IGNITION. ONE OF THOSE KILLED WAS A FORTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM ABBEVILLE, BUT HIS NAME HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED BECAUSE NEXT OF KIN HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. MITCHELL SAYS THE FOUR MEN CREW IN THE BOAT WERE HEADED OUT TO WORK IN THE LEVEE AND WATER WAYS.
SCOTT FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED TO A FIRE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WEDNESDAY. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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LAKE CHARLES CITY JUDGE RON RICHARD HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT, SAYING A POLICE OFFICER SEVERELY INJURED HIS SON DURING MARDI GRAS LAST YEAR. RICHARD IS UPSET THAT THE OFFICER, MICHAEL CARTWRIGHT, IS STILL EMPLOYED. HE SAYS HIS TEENAGE SON SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY WHEN CARTWRIGHT BROKE UP A FIGHT THAT HIS SON WAS INVOLVED IN. KPLC TV SAYS INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS DETERMINED THE USE OF FORCE BY CARTWRIGHT WAS JUSTIFIED, LAWFUL AND PROPER.
A BILL HAS MADE IT OUT OF THE HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE MORE PROTECTIONS FOR ELDERLY LOUISIANANS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO CRUELTY OR EXPLOITATION. THE PROPOSED LAW TARGETS ANYONE, INCLUDING CARE GIVERS, WHOSE ACTIONS MIGHT CAUSE UNJUSTIFIABLE PAIN, MALNOURISHMENT OR SUFFERING TO AN INFIRMED, DISABLED OR ELDERLY PERSON. IF THE BILL PASSES, THOSE FOUND GUILTY COULD BE FINED UP TO TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND SPEND NOT MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN PRISON AND THEY MUST MAKE RESTITUTION. THE BILL HAD OVERWHELMING SUPPORT WITH THE ONLY OBJECTIONS BEING THE PENALTIES ARE NOT HARSH ENOUGH.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING TWO BILLS THAT WOULD LIMIT KRATOM, AN UNREGULATED HERB SOLD AT CONVENIENCE STORES THAT CAUSES STIMULATING AND SEDATING EFFECTS. A BILL BY REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR JAY MORRIS WOULD MAKE IT A CRIME TO POSSESS OR DISTRIBUTE KRATOM. IT HAS THE BACKING OF MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. ANOTHER BILL BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHAD BOYER OF BREAUX BRIDGE WOULD RESTRICT WHAT TYPES OF KRATOM PRODUCTS COULD BE SOLD TO PREVENT DANGEROUS SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS FROM BEING ON THE MARKET.
HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN ACADIA PARISH, WHO WERE AFFECTED BY FLOODING SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. RAENADA MASON WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SAYS THEY ARE OFFERING LOW INTEREST LOANS TO THOSE IN ACADIA PARISH WHO HAD DAMAGE FROM FLOODING BETWEEN MARCH TWENTY-NINTH AND APRIL SECOND. HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS CAN GET LOANS WITH A TWO-POINT-SEVEN-FIVE PERCENT INTEREST RATE WHILE INTEREST RATES START AT FOUR PERCENT FOR BUSINESS OWNERS. SHE SAYS ECONOMIC INJURY ASSISTANCE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN JEFF DAVIS, VERMILLION, LAFAYETTE, EVANGELINE AND SAINT LANDRY PARISHES.
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET IS INVITING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE PARISH TO APPLY FOR THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. BOULET SAYS THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IS TO EDUCATE THEM ON GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT IMPACTS LIVES. APPLICATIONS CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE AT LAFAYETTE L-A-DOT-GOV. THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS JUNE SIXTEENTH. THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE PLACE IN AUGUST.
CROWLEY POLICE CHIEF TROY HEBERT SAYS THERE WERE FOUR SEPARATE SHOOTINGS OVER THE EASTER HOLIDAY WEEKEND. TWO PEOPLE WERE HIT BY STRAY BULLETS AND A HOME WAS DAMAGED IN TWO OF THE SHOOTINGS ON FRIDAY IN THE WESTWOOD SUBDIVISION. THERE WERE TWO MORE SHOOTINGS SATURDAY, ONE ON WEST FIFTH STREET, IN WHICH A MAN WAS INJURED, AND ANOTHER ON WEST HUTCHINSON, WHERE A VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. POLICE BELIEVE THE SATURDAY SHOOTINGS WERE TARGETED AND POSSIBLY LINKED TO GANG ACTIVITY.
