5-21-19
A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LOWER ST. MARTIN PARISH BECAUSE OF THE HIGH WATER LEVELS. MEGAN KELLY HAS MORE.
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THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED EIGHT TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN IN SOUTH LOUISIANA SUNDAY MORNING. TWO TORNADOES WERE REPORTED IN EVANGELINE PARISH INCLUDING ONE THAT CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE IN VILLE PLATTE, WHILE THREE HIT BEAUREGARD PARISH AND TWO WERE IN ALLEN PARISH. MOST OF THE TORNADOES WERE E-F-ONES WITH WINDS BETWEEN 95 AND 110 MILES AN HOUR AND, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE IN VILLE PLATTE, THE OTHERS WERE MORE OR LESS IN OPEN COUNTRY. VILLE PLATTE MAYOR JENNIFER VIDRINE SAYS THAT AROUND FIFTY HOMES AND ANOTHER FIFTY STRUCTURES, INCLUDING BUSINESSES, WERE DAMAGED BY SUNDAY MORNING’S TORNADO.
YESTERDAY FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE JOHN TRAHAN SIGNED HIS JUDGEMENT IN FAVOR OF THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT. AN ATTORNEY FOR BUSINESSMAN KEITH KISHBAUGH HAS SAID THAT ONCE THE JUDGEMENT IS SIGNED THEY WILL APPEAL. JUDGE TRAHAN SAYS HE HAS CONTACTED THE APPEALS COURT TO EXPIDITE THE APPEAL SO THAT IT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH ELECTIONS FOR THE NEW CITY COUNCIL COMING THIS FALL. KISHBAUGH IS HOPING TO OVERTURN THE JUDGE’S RULING AND REQUIRE A NEW HOME RULE CHARTER ELECTION WHERE VOTERS WILL DECIDE AGAIN WHETHER TO HAVE NEW CITY AND PARISH COUNCILS INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT CONSOLIDATED COUNCIL.
An industry-backed effort to lessen local government decision-making authority over a lucrative Louisiana property tax program for manufacturers failed to win House support. Republican Rep. Rick Edmonds’ proposed to rework the rules for the 80-year-old Industrial Tax Exemption Program. The program gives approved manufacturing facilities exemptions from paying local property taxes for up to 10 years. Edmonds sought to create a three-person local board to review tax break applications, rather than full school boards and city councils.
House Republicans are pushing ahead with a proposal to undo the seven-year sales tax passed last year to stabilize Louisiana state finances. Controversial efforts to boost the state’s gas tax and to centralize sales tax collections have fizzled. The House Appropriations Committee voted 12-5 to advance GOP leader Lance Harris’ bill to phase out the 0.45% state sales tax over four years, eliminating it by mid-2023. Republicans backed advancing the measure to the House floor while Democrats opposed.
ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON HAS RELEASED THE IDENTITIES OF TWO BICYCLISTS WHO WERE STRUCK BY A HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER AT AROUND TWO A-M FRIDAY MORNING ON STANDARD MILL ROAD. 42-YEAR-OLD ROCKY PAUL RICHARD OF ARNAUDVILLE IS THE MAN WHO WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. 35-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER MELANCON OF DUSON IS IN STABLE CONDITION. DEPUTIES ARRESTED 23-YEAR-OLD ANDREW HOSKIN OF RAYNE WHO IS BEING HELD IN THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON CHARGES OF VEHICULAR HOMOCIDE, VEHICULAR NEGLIGENT INJURY AND HIT AND RUN.
ON MAY 20TH OF 2005, THE BODY OF A WOMAN, LORETTA CHAISSON LEWIS, WAS FOUND BY A FISHERMEN IN A CANAL OFF OF HIGHWAY 11-26 IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. SHE WAS THE FIRST OF EIGHT WOMEN BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM OF A SERIAL KILLER WHO HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. THE LAST BODY TO BE DISCOVERED HAPPENED ON NOVEMBER FIFTEENTH OF 2008, AND JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF IVY WOODS SPECULATES THAT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE IS EITHER DEAD, IN JAIL, OR MOVED. WOODS SAYS THE CASES ARE STILL A TOP PRIORITY AND ANY TIME THEY GET NEW INFORMATION, EVERYBODY GETS TO WORK ON IT TO CONFIRM ITS LEGITIMACY.
LATER THIS WEEK, EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROVIDERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING WORKSHOP. MEGAN KELLY HAS THE DETAILS.
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