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A fire has broken out at a Louisiana chemical plant, sending massive smoke plumes in the air and prompting an evacuation for a mile all around. Louisiana State Police say no injuries have been reported from the fire at FlowChem Technologies in Rayne. There was no immediate report of what caused the fire at the specialty chemical complex, which provides products and services to the oil and gas industry. Police say Interstate 10 was closed for a stretch between Lafayette and Crowley as a precaution, backing up traffic for miles as drivers sought to detour.
SULPHUR POLICE SAY A MAN WHO WAS SHOT BY A POLICE OFFICER ON WEDNESDAY WAS IN THE MIDST OF A CRIME SPREE INVOLVING NUMEROUS OFFENSES INCLUDING STEALING MULTIPLE CARS AND BREAKING INTO HOMES. YESTERDAY THEY GAVE A TIMELINE OF THE EVENTS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE THAT ENDED WITH A CONFRONTATION BETWEEN CODY LIGHT AND A POLICE OFFICER. POLICE CHIEF LEWIS COATS SAYS THE OFFICER GAVE THE APPROPRIATE COMMANDS BUT WHEN LIGHT RAISED HIS GUN, THE OFFICER HAD TO DEFEND HIMSELF. HE SAYS LIGHT IS OUT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND IS BEING MONITORED BY SULPHUR POLICE OFFICERS.
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO NEARLY TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. UNDER THE PLAN, EACH HIGH SCHOOL WOULD HAVE TWO OFFICERS AND ONE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER WOULD BE AT EACH OF THE REMAINING SCHOOLS, A TOTAL OF NEARLY 70 OFFICERS. CURRENTLY THERE ARE ONLY 24 OFFICERS IN THE DISTRICT AND THEY ARE ONLY AT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. THE BOARD HAS AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS WITH AGENCIES FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
Lawyers for the state of Louisiana have asked a federal appeals court to uphold a law requiring that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. A federal judge blocked enforcement of the law. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar Texas law. A state attorney told a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Thursday that the Louisiana and Texas cases are different.
DELCAMBRE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING THAT SENT ONE MAN TO THE HOSPITAL THURSDAY EVENING. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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CALCASIEU PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN DEROSIER IS PREPARING FORMAL CHARGES AGAINST FORMER STATE TROOPER JIMMY ROGERS. ROGERS WAS ARRESTED EARLIER THIS WEEK ON 74 COUNTS OF INJURING PUBLIC RECORDS AND ONE COUNT OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE. DEROSIER SAYS INJURING PUBLIC RECORDS HAS TO DO WITH PUTTING INACCURATE TIMES ON TICKETS THAT WERE LEGITIMATELY ISSUED. DEROSIER TELLS KPLC TV THAT HE ASSUMES THERE IS A FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THAT.
A DUSON MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED FOR THE BEATING DEATH OF HIS ROOMATE IN OCTOBER OF 2015. LAST NOVEMBER, CALVIN GABRIEL JUNIOR WAS CONVICTED FOR BEATING 35-YEAR-OLD KENNY DUFFY AND THEN SETTING HIS REMAINS ON FIRE. HIS CHARRED BODY WAS FOUND ON CAMP ROAD IN DUSON. ON FRIDAY, JUDGE PATRICK MICHOT SENTENCED DUFFY TO 40 YEARS OF HARD LABOR.
THE STATE HOUSE HAS PASSED A BILL 59-30 THAT IS DESIGNED TO CATCH MEDICAID CHEATS. THE BILL WOULD AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR TO AUDIT THE INCOME TAX RETURNS OF MEDICAID RECIPIENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE MEDICAID INSURANCE. THE BILL’S SPONSOR, REPUBLICAN TONY BACALA OF PRAIRIEVILLE, SAYS THERE IS DATA THAT SHOWS AS MANY AS 25 PERCENT OF THOSE ON MEDICAID MISREPRESENTED THEIR INCOME BY TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE. MOST DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST THE BILL, CALLING IT AN ATTACK ON POOR PEOPLE AND A VIOLATION OF PRIVACY.
