5-29-18
STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED AT AROUND 12:30 THIS MORNING IN LAFAYETTE. IT TOOK PLACE AT THE SUPER SEVEN MOTEL ON THE EVANGELINE THRUWAY, JUST SOUTH OF I-TEN. NO POLICE OFFICER WAS INJURED AND A SUSPECT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONDITION OF THE SUSPECT IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME.
CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN LAKE CHARLES, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE MORE THAN ELEVEN THOUSAND CRIMINAL OFFENSES IN LAKE CHARLES IN 2017, AN EIGHT-POINT-ONE PERCENT INCREASE OVER 2016. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN MURDERS, RAPES, ROBBERIES, BURGLARIES, THEFTS AND ARSONS. THE AREA OF TOWN WITH THE MOST CRIME IS CENTRAL LAKE CHARLES.
POLICE IN OPELOUSAS ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR TWO MALE SUSPECTS WHO WERE IN A VEHICLE WITH ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD BRYLA BELL, WHO DIED WHEN SHE CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A TREE WHILE FLEEING FROM POLICE ON SUNDAY. THE TWO MALES JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS MOVING WHEN POLICE APPROACHED AND BRYLA TOOK CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO FLEE. BRYLA’S AUNT, ROBBIN GRADNIGO, TELLS KATC TV THAT THEY DON’T KNOW THE TWO MEN OR HOW THEY KNEW BRYLA. SHE SAYS THEY PICKED UP BRYLA AT HER MOTHER’S HOUSE IN LAWTELL.
The Louisiana House ended its gridlock over taxes, but moved into a new dispute over how to advance a budget spending the money. Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed a $28.5 billion budget for the year that begins July 1 that he said cut too deeply. He expected lawmakers to write a larger spending plan during the special session as they agreed to taxes. But House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says the veto requires lawmakers to start the budget process from scratch. He hasn’t introduced a budget bill. Instead, he asked lawmakers to override the governor’s veto, but that failed in a 52-48 vote Monday. The Appropriations Committee will start budget hearings today, with less than a week to go in the special session that must end by June 4. The House passed a bill with a one-third cent sales tax and the elimination of some sales tax breaks for businesses.
PARK PLACE SURGICAL HOSPITAL IN LAFAYETTE HAS A NEW ROBOT SYSTEM THAT PERFORMS SPINAL SURGERIES, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN LOUISIANA. THE SURGEONS DETERMINE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE SURGERY, AND A RIGID ROBOTIC ARM FOLLOWS THAT PLAN. THE C-E-O OF PARK PLACE HOSPITAL, BRANDON MOORE, SAYS IT’S BRINGING WORLD CLASS HEALTH CARE TO THE PATIENTS OF ACADIANA. SURGEONS SAYS THE ROBOT WILL HELP CUT DOWN ON THE PATIENT’S STAY IN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL AS THEIR RECOVERY, IMPROVING THEIR OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
A SIX VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 171 AND FRUGE STREET IN LAKE CHARLES YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WAS CAUSED BY A PERSON FLEEING WESTLAKE POLICE. ACCORDING TO WESTLAKE POLICE CHIEF CHRIS WILRYE, ONE OF HIS OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER 24-YEAR-OLD JAMES CHRISTIN ANDERSON ON I-TEN BECAUSE HE WAS TRAVELING AT 92 MILES AN HOUR. HE SAYS HE REACHED SPEEDS OF 126 MILES AN HOUR IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE FROM THE POLICE. ANDERSON WAS NOT HURT IN THE ACCIDENT, BUT THREE PEOPLE IN THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITALS.
MOSQUITO NUMBERS ARE LOWER THAN USUSAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. GLENN STOKES OF MOSQUITO CONTROL CONTRACTORS IN NEW IBERIA SAYS HE IS GETTING FIVE TO SIX CALLS A DAY FOR SPRAYING, WHICH IS LOW. HE CREDITS THE DRY WEATHER AND THE FREEZING COLD WEATHER THIS PAST WINTER. HOWEVER, HE SAYS MOSQUITO LEVELS SHOULD GET BACK TO NORMAL QUICKLY ONCE THE SUMMER RAINS RETURN.
