5-24-18
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A HOMELESS MAN THAT THEY BELIEVE ROBBED A CHASE BANK BRANCH IN LAFAYETTE ON MAY 16TH. POLICE SAY 57-YEAR-OLD REGINALD MORRIS, ALSO KNOWN AS ABDUL UDIN, WENT INTO THE BANK AND DEMANDED MONEY FROM THE EMPLOYEES. THE POLICE WERE IN THE 900 BLOCK OF GORDON STREET LAST NIGHT TO SHOW PHOTOS OF MORRIS TO RESIDENTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND HIM, WHEN THEY SPOTTED HIM WALKING IN THE AREA. HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY.
THE NEW TEN MILLION DOLLAR JAIL FOR JEFF DAVIS PARISH IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN JULY. IT’S TAKEN ALMOST TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE. CHIEF DEPUTY CHRIS IVEY SAYS THEY WILL GO FROM THE CURRENT 64 BED FACILITY TO ONE THAT HAS NEARLY 200 BEDS. IVEY SAYS THAT MEANS THEY WON’T HAVE TO KEEP PAYING OTHER PARISHES TO HOUSE INMATES BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ROOM. IVEY TELLS KPLC TV THAT HE HOPES THE NEW JAIL WILL MEAN KEEPING THAT MONEY IN THE PARISH AND SPENDING IT TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS.
TWO ST. LANDRY PARISH TEENAGERS ARE ACCUSED OF THEFT AND CRUELTY TO HORSES. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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Negotiations over taxes to fill gaps in Louisiana’s budget have started off tensely between Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration and House lawmakers. The Democratic governor is trying to heighten pressure to win support for $648 million in taxes to replace some temporary taxes that expire when the budget year begins July 1. On Wednesday, he rallied leaders and employees of Louisiana’s safety-net hospitals to buttonhole lawmakers and press for tax votes, saying the facilities are threatened with cuts. But in the House tax committee, Republican lawmakers criticized Edwards’ approach, questioning why he vetoed a budget for next year and whether he’s done enough to find government savings.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed into law Louisiana’s first government-wide policy against sexual harassment. The law requires state and local government agencies to enact anti-sexual-harassment policies that include a process for handling complaints, a ban against retaliation when someone files a complaint and mandatory prevention training each year. The requirements will take effect Jan. 1, though agencies are encouraged to enact them sooner. Agency heads will have to compile annual reports documenting the number of employees who have completed the training requirements and the number of sexual harassment complaints received over the last year.
LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ELROY BROUSSARD SAYS ADMINISTRATORS NEED TO MAKE AN APOLOGY TO LAFAYETTE HIGH STUDENT SKYLAR JOSEPH, WHO WAS DENIED HER DIPLOMA LAST WEEKEND BECAUSE OF UNPAID BAND FEES. WHEN HER FAMILY MEMBERS ARRIVED AT THE SCHOOL WITH RECEIPTS SHOWING NO BALANCE, THEY SAID STAFF MEMBERS WERE VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. JOSEPH’S MOTHER SPOKE WITH PRINCIPAL DR. DONALD THORNTON JUNIOR WHO, SHE SAYS, AGREED ERRORS WERE MADE, BUT OFFERED NO APOLOGY. SKYLAR FINISHED WITH A FOUR-POINT-OH GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND RECEIVED A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP TO XAVIER UNIVERSITY.
YESTERDAY LAKE CHARLES JURORS WATCHED THE VIDEOTAPED CONFESSION OF JOHNNIE HARDMAN, WHO IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING JOSHUA TOUCHET LAST JULY AT THE TWELVE PALMS R-V PARK. HARDMAN WAS SHOWN MAKING NUMEROUS DENIALS BEFORE FINALLY ADMITTING TO THE CRIME. HE SAYS IN THE VIDEO THAT TOUCHET REFUSED TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AS HE TRIED TO ROB HIM, SO HE SHOT HIM. CORONER DR. TERRY WELKE TESTIFIED THAT TOUCHET WAS SHOT IN THE SHOULDER BUT THE BULLET TRAVELED THROUGH HIS BODY, DAMAGING THE HEART AND LIVER, WHICH CAUSED HIS DEATH.
THE VERMILLION PARISH LIBRARY’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM IS SET TO BEGIN ON JUNE FIRST AND CONTINUE THROUGH JULY 13TH. THEY WILL BE HOSTING NEARLY FIFTY PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO KEEP CHILDREN ACTIVE AND READING DURING THE SUMMER. DR. NATHAN ROBERTS OF THE U-L COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SAYS THAT PART OF THE BRAIN THAT GROWS BASED ON READING WILL START TO SHRINK IF STUDENTS DON’T KEEP IT ACTIVE, JUST LIKE MUSCLES SHRINK WITHOUT EXERCISE. THE SUMMER READING PREREGISTRATION BEGAN THIS PAST MONDAY.
