5-14-19
THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF 23-YEAR-OLD MALIK DAVIS OF LAFAYETTE, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN YESTERDAY, HAS BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF A NEW WITNESS PRODUCED BY THE PROSECUTION. DAVIS IS ACCUSED OF KILLING DAISY LYNN LANDRY WHO DISAPPEARED TWO YEARS AGO, AND WHOSE BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. ASSISTANT D-A ALAN HANEY HAS CONFIRMED TO THE ADVOCATE THAT A MAN WITH A HISTORY OF DRUG POSSESSION CONVICTIONS OVER THE YEARS, 53-YEAR-OLD YANCY TODD SONNIER OF CHURCH POINT, IS THE NEW WITNESS. DAVIS’ ATTORNEY, CLAY LEJEUNE OF CROWLEY, ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE DELAY IN THE TRIAL SO THE DEFENSE TEAM COULD REVIEW THE NEW INFORMATION FROM THE WITNESS.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE IN LOUISIANA TODAY. JEFF HORCHAK HAS THE DETAILS.
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LOWER ST. MARTIN PARISH HAS BEEN DEALING WITH HIGH WATERS FLOODING SOME ROADS. AS A RESULT, STEPHENSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR TODAY AND THEY’LL REEVALUATE WHETHER IT WILL BE OPENED TOMORROW. PARISH PRESIDENT CHESTER CEDARS SAYS SOME PUBLIC WORKS CREW MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO PUMP ROAD AND KEEP WATER FROM HOMES. HE SAYS THEY HAVE DISTRIBUTED ALMOST 75 THOUSAND BAGS OF SAND SINCE MARDI GRAS. RIVERS HAVE BEEN FLOODING BECAUSE OF ICE MELTING IN THE MIDWEST AND THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO HIGH WATERS.
Lawmakers in the Louisiana House have started moving a proposal to phase out the seven-year tax deal enacted last year to stabilize the state’s budget. The House tax committee Monday advanced the measure by House Republican leader Lance Harris without objection. The legislation still remains a long-shot for passage.
Senators have stalled another proposal to rework the 0.45% state sales tax approved last year, saying it was too soon to start tweaking the tax. And Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards opposes any efforts to roll back the tax earlier than its mid-2025 expiration date.
A NEW LIBRARY BRANCH FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH OPENED TO THE PUBLIC YESTERDAY. A GRAND OPENING WAS HELD FOR THE WEST REGIONAL LIBRARY IN SCOTT. THE BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR SEVERAL YEARS, COST 5-POINT-8 MILLION DOLLARS AND IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF OLD SPANISH TRAIL AND APOLLO ROAD. THE NEW LIBRARY WILL BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
MED EXPRESS AMBULANCE SERVICE IS PLANNING TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH BEGINNING ON MAY 27TH. LAST WEEK, THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH POLICE JURY VOTED ELEVEN TO ONE TO APPROVE MED EXPRESS’ AMBULANCE PERMIT APPLICATION. THEY WILL STATION AMBULANCES IN JENNINGS AND ELTON AND THEIR PARTNER, AIR EVAC LIFE TEAM, WILL STATION ITS HELICOPTER IN KINDER. MED EXPRESS IS HIRING AND ORIENTING FIFTEEN EMPLOYEES FOR THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH OPERATIONS, AND MANY OF THEM WILL BE LOCAL.
THIS IS POLICE MEMORIAL WEEK AND YESTERDAY THE CROWLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT HELD THEIR CEREMONY. IT TOOK PLACE AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND WAS PROCEEDED BY A MOTORCADE. FALLEN OFFICERS WERE EULOGIZED DURING THE SERVICE FOR MAKING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD ITS MEMORIAL SERVICE THURSDAY REPRESENTING TWELVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ACADIANA, WITH 22 FALLEN OFFICERS TO BE HONORED. THE SERVICE IS THURSDAY EVENING AT 5:30 AT ST. BARNABAS CHURCH.
The attorney general of Louisiana has joined a federal lawsuit that alleges drug manufacturers conspired to inflate pricing, reduce competition and restrain the trade of generic drugs. Attorney General Jeff Landry issued a statement that said prices were inflated for generic drugs including medication for diabetes, ADHD and cancer. The Advocate reports Landry’s office says the conspiracy led to price hikes of up to 1000% for some drugs. The lawsuit is led by Connecticut AG William Tong and is backed by attorney generals from more than 40 other states.
