5-29-26
A SEARCH FOR A LAFAYETTE WOMAN IN AN AREA ALONG HIGHWAY ONE-NINETY NEAR LAWTELL HAS ENTERED ITS SECOND DAY. DONNA MARIE GONZALES WAS LAST SEEN IN RAYNE IN APRIL OF NINETEEN-NINETY-TWO. AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THEIR OPERATION, BUT GONZALES’ FAMILY HAS BEEN IN FREQUENT CONTACT WITH ACADIA AND LAFAYETTE PARISH INVESTIGATORS. LAFAYETTE POLICE DETECTIVE ADAM LAFORT SAYS THEY REOPENED THE CASE AFTER THEY FELT THEY HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME LEADS.
U-S CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS HAS COME OUT IN OPPOSITION TO A PROPOSED NEW LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT MAP. THE NEW MAP IS NEARING FINAL APPROVAL IN THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE. HIGGINS SAID ON FACEBOOK THE MAP IS THE WORST HE’S SEEN YET OUT OF MANY HE’S VIEWED AND NO ONE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS “INSANELY BAD MAP.” HIGGINS DID NOT GIVE SPECIFIC REASONS FOR HIS OPPOSITION TO THE MAP.
A HIGH-SPEED CHASE IN SAINT MARTIN AND SAINT LANDRY PARISHES ENDED WITH A CRASH AND THE DRIVER ARRESTED. IT BEGAN AT A SAFETY CHECK POINT THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAD SET UP ON MILLS AVENUE IN BREAUX BRIDGE. DEPUTIES PURSUED AFTER THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVER DIDN’T STOP AND THE CHASE ENDED WITH A CRASH INTO A DITCH IN SAINT LANDRY PARISH. STATE POLICE SAYS THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.
A COUPLE FROM SULPHUR HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER THEIR THREE YOUNG CHILDREN TESTED POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE. THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER ROMERO AND TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD VERONICA ANCELET WERE EACH CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF CRUELTY TO JUVENILES. THEIR BONDS WERE SET AT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE CHILDREN, WHO WERE EACH UNDER SIX-YEARS-OLD, WERE REMOVED FROM THE HOME BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES PRIOR TO THE COUPLE’S ARREST.
FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX TONS OF LITTER WERE REMOVED BY TWENTY-EIGHT THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS IN OUR STATE DURING THIS YEAR’S LOVE THE BOOT WEEK. LAYNE MILLER HAS MORE.
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THE CAUSE OF A BACKYARD SHED FIRE IN LAFAYETTE WAS DETERMINED TO BE ACCIDENTAL. THE FIRE AT THE SHED ON JAPONICA DRIVE WAS EXTINGUISHED BEFORE IT REACHED THE HOME BUT THE SHED HAD HEAVY DAMAGE. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY UNATTENDED LIT CANDLES IN THE SHED IGNITED COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL.
GRAND COTEAU HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR’S NONCOMPLIANCE LIST, WHICH PREVENTS THE TOWN FROM RECEIVING STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS. THE TOWN WAS PLACED ON THE LIST FOR FAILURE TO FILE ITS REQUIRED ANNUAL AUDIT BY THE STATE DEADLINE OF DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST. THIS IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR GRAND COTEAU FAILED TO FILE BY THE DEADLINE. MAYOR PATRICK RICHARD TELLS KLFY TV THEY ARE WORKING TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE.
OPELOUSAS POLICE HAVE ADDRESSED SOCIAL MEDIA RUMORS OF AN EXPECTED GANG WAR IN THE CITY. THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY CREDIBLE INFORMATION OF ANY ORGANIZED OR COORDINATED RETALIATORY VIOLENCE TARGETING THE CITY OF OPELOUSAS. POLICE CHIEF GRAIG LEBLANC SAYS INVESTIGATORS HAVE FOUND NO EVIDENCE INDICATING OPELOUSAS IS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED OR THAT THERE IS ANY ORGANIZED CONFLICT WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF. HE SAYS UNVERIFIED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HAVE CAUSED UNNECESSARY PANIC AND CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNITY.
