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AN INITIATIVE TO CLEAN UP AND BEAUTIFY LAFAYETTE PARISH’S GATEWAYS, PUBLIC SPACES AND BUSINESSES IS BEGINNING TO CATCH ON IN OTHER ACADIANA PARISHES. KATHARINE MCCORMICK OF PROJECT FRONT YARD LAFAYETTE TELLS THE ADVERTISER THEY NEVER INTENDED THE CLEAN-UP EFFORT TO BE LAFAYETTE-SPECIFIC. IBERIA PARISH FORMED A GROUP IN FEBRUARY THAT HAS THIRTY SUPPORTERS AND ST. MARTIN PARISH KICKED OFF A BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT TWO WEEKS AGO AT CLAYTON BOUDREAUX MEMORIAL PARK IN CATAHOULA. MCCORMICK SAYS TALKS ARE UNDERWAY TO START FRONT YARD INITIATIVES IN ACADIA AND VERMILLION PARISHES.
A SEMITRAILER TRUCK FELL OFF THE INTERSTATE BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES LATE LAST NIGHT. THE 18-WHEELER SMASHED THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL AND CAUGHT FIRE ON THE GROUND. IT HAPPENED AT AROUND 10:45 LAST NIGHT. THERE IS NO WORD YET ON THE CONDITION OF THE DRIVER.
THREE PEOPLE IN ST. LANDRY PARISH ARE ACCUSED OF LEAVING A MAN TO DIE AFTER HE OVERDOSED ON DRUGS. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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A House committee approved an anti-union bill that would prohibit the automatic deduction of union dues from public employee paychecks. The bill was pushed by business and industry groups, as well as the national conservative organization Americans For Prosperity. It targets teachers, firefighters and police who belong to a union. The measure heads to the House floor, after getting a 9-6 vote Thursday from the labor committee.
A GROUP IN LAFAYETTE IS SEEKING TO RAISE 14,500 DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS TO PAY FOR EIGHT WATER FOUNTAINS. THE GROUP HYDRATE LAFAYETTE WANTS TO PUT THE WATER FOUNTAINS IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THAT JOGGERS WILL HAVE A WATER SOURCE WHILE THEY EXERCISE. FOUNDER MARK LEBLANC TELLS KATC TV THAT THEY HAVE EIGHT HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE AGREED TO ALLOW THE FOUNTAINS TO BE PLACED IN THEIR FRONT YARDS. IF THE GROUP IS ABLE TO RAISE THE FUNDS, THEY WILL PUT UP FOUR BRICK FOUNTAINS AND FOUR FOUNTAINS THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED WORKS OF ART.
A LAKE CHARLES MAN, CHARGED IN A JUNE 2014 ROBBERY, WAS FOUND GUILTY YESTERDAY OF LESSER CHARGES. 26-YEAR-OLD DANIEL RODASTI WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR FOR THE ROBBERY OF LONNIE HARVEY AND FOR SHOOTING HIM IN THE LEG DURING THE ALTERCATION. RODASTI WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED SECOND DEGREE BATTERY, BUT THE JURY CONVICTED HIM OF SIMPLE ROBBERY AND SIMPLE BATTERY. THE JURY ALSO FOUND HIM NOT GUILTY ON COUNTS OF ARMED ROBBERY AND ILLEGAL USE OF WEAPONS.
A FEDERAL GRAND JURY HAS ISSUED A SUBPOENA TO THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE. SPOKESMAN RYAN TURNER OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TOLD THE ADVERTISER HE COULDN’T COMMENT ON WHAT THE GRAND JURY WAS SEEKING AND TO WHAT CASE IT WAS RELATED. THIS WEEK, LOCAL MEDIA HAVE RELEASED VIDEOTAPE OF AN INMATE BEING KICKED AND ATTACKED BY A POLICE DOG AT THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL. MEDIA REPORTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE JURY SUBPOENAED THE VIDEO TAPE AND THAT THE DEPUTY INVOLVED IN THE ALLEGED BEATING WAS FIRED.
A proposal to prohibit hospitals from billing rape victims for medical exams has started advancing in the Louisiana House. Rep. Helena Moreno, a New Orleans Democrat and the measure’s sponsor, said billing rape victims is commonplace in Louisiana, even though it is banned by federal law. Moreno’s bill would direct health care providers to seek payment from a state crime victim’s board. The House Judiciary Committee backed the proposal without objection Thursday, sending it to the full House.
