5-8-24
YEAR-OLD JOHN DAVIS, WHO WAS FOUND SHOT AND KILLED IN HIS HOME ON RAILROAD AVENUE IN OPELOUSAS ON DECEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH. EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD MARTIN BENJAMIN OF OPELOUSAS WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY ON CHARGES OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND ILLEGAL USE OF WEAPONS. THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF DAVIS SAY HE HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM JAIL THE WEEK BEFORE HE WAS MURDERED. THE FIRST SUSPECT, EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD ABRAHAM GOODLEY, IS IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL FOR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
TONIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL VOTE ON WHETHER TO SUPPORT THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S LAWSUIT AGAINST THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER CHANGES TO TITLE NINE. STATE OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW RULES, WHICH TAKE EFFECT ON AUGUST FIRST, WOULD HARM GIRLS AT THE EXPENSE OF TRYING TO AID TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. LAFAYETTE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER JEREMY HIDALGO AND BOARD VICE PRESIDENT HANNAH SMITH TELL KLFY TV THEY SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION. EIGHTEEN SCHOOL BOARDS FROM ACROSS THE STATE HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN THE LAWSUIT INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARDS IN ACADIA, VERMILLION, JEFF DAVIS AND ALLEN PARISHES.
A panel of federal judges say the Louisiana Legislature must pass a new election map by June 3 or face having the court impose one on the state. The order on Tuesday came from a panel that recently threw out a congressional election map giving the state a second mostly Black district. Lawmakers are meeting in Baton Rouge, in a regular session that will end by June 3. Voting rights advocates and the state attorney general said they would appeal the latest orders.
A SHELTER FOR DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE VICTIMS IN LAKE CHARLES IS REOPENING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HURRICANE LAURA. A LARGE CROWD GATHERED YESTERDAY FOR A RIBBON CUTTING AHEAD OF THE REOPENING ON MONDAY FOR OASIS, A SAFE HAVEN. EXECUITVE DIRECTOR KATHY MANUEL SAYS FOR THE PAST THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS, THEY HAVE BEEN SENDING SURVIVORS TO OTHER SHELTERS OR HOUSING THEM IN HOTELS. SHE SAYS EVERYTHING AT THE SHELTER IS COMPLETELY NEW FROM THE FLOORS TO THE WALLS, INCLUDING THE CAMERA AND PHONE SYSTEM, PLUS THERE’S A NEW AFTER-SCHOOL CARE CENTER.
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WITH LOUISIANA FISH AND WILDLIFE CITED TWO TEXAS MEN FOR OYSTER VIOLATIONS IN IBERIA PARISH. AGENTS ON PATROL SPOTTED A VESSEL OFF OF MARSH ISLAND DELIVERING OYSTERS TO A LARGER CARGO VESSEL. ONE OF THE MEN DID NOT HAVE AN OYSTER CARGO VESSEL PERMIT AND THE TWO FAILED TO COMPLETE TRIP TICKETS FOR TRANSFERRING OYSTERS TO THE CARGO VESSEL. THE AGENTS SEIZED ONE HUNDRED FIFTY SACKS OF OYSTERS AND RETURNED THEM TO THE WATERS WHERE THEY WERE HARVESTED.
SOME SLEMCO CUSTOMERS IN YOUNGSVILLE WILL BE WITHOUT POWER FOR A FEW HOURS TODAY DUE TO A PLANNED POWER OUTAGE. GERALD GRUENIG HAS THE DETAILS.
VOICER J :18
A GOP-controlled legislative committee rejected a bill that would have added cases of rape and incest as exceptions to Louisiana’s abortion ban. Adding exceptions to Louisiana’s strict law has been an ongoing battle for abortion advocates — with a similar measure failing last year. Currently, of the 14 states with abortion bans at all stages of pregnancy, six have exceptions in cases of rape and five have exceptions for incest.
THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THE DEATH OF A BELOVED DEPUTY WHO PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY. A FUNERAL MASS TAKES PLACE FOR JOSEPH FILER WILTZ ON SATURDAY AT TEN-THIRTY A-M AT THE SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH IN BREAUX BRIDGE. WILTZ WAS A FRONT LOBBY DEPUTY AT THE MAIN OFFICE IN SAINT MARTINVILLE. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOTED WILTZ’ FRIENDLINESS, GREETING PEOPLE WITH A SMILE, ASKING ABOUT THE PERSON’S FAMILY AND MAKING SURE THEY WERE OKAY.
