6-1-17
TOM CARROLL RETIRED YESTERDAY AS LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. CARROLL WAS THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FROM 2004 TO 2014, THEN RETIRED BRIEFLY BEFORE JOINING MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX’S ADMINISTRATION IN LATE 2015. ROBIDEAUX SAYS CARROLL’S EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION WERE INVALUABLE DURING THE FIRST YEAR-AND-A-HALF OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR TERRY CORDICK WILL TAKE CARROLL’S PLACE UNTIL A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT IS SELECTED.
A FIRE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON DESTROYED 80 PERCENT OF OAKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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AUTHORITIES ARE SEARCHING FOR SIX JUVENILES, WHO SET FIRE TO AN R-C COLA VENDING MACHINE OUTSIDE A ST. MARY PARISH FIRE SUBSTATION AT AROUND 1:20 SATURDAY MORNING. DISTRICT ELEVEN FIRE CHIEF CLARENCE CLARK SAYS THE SIX WERE SEEN ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO WALKING TO THE FIRE SUBSTATION, LOCATED IN THE SORRELL AREA. CLARK SAYS VENDING MACHINES ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC AND METAL AND POURING GASOLINE OR LIGHTER FLUID ON THEM AND LIGHTING A MATCH COULD CAUSE A LARGE EXPLOSION. CLARK SAYS THE JUVENILES, IF CAUGHT, WILL FACE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY ALLOWED BY LAW.
The Republican lawmaker who sought to raise Louisiana’s gas tax to increase spending on roadwork lashed out at the state GOP and a conservative organization for working to defeat his proposal. Baton Rouge Rep. Steve Carter says he’s frustrated by his party and by the out-of-state group Americans for Prosperity. He says the opposition “scared people from doing the right thing.” Carter shelved the gas tax hike, saying he couldn’t reach the two-thirds vote needed for passage.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is calling a special legislative session to start next week, a precaution for the possibility he won’t reach agreement with lawmakers on Louisiana’s budget. The session begins 30 minutes after the regular legislative session wraps up June 8 and could run through June 19. If the budget deals already have been reached, lawmakers could immediately adjourn. The Democratic governor has threatened to veto the operating budget if lawmakers pass the version crafted by House Republicans, which leaves $206 million unspent.
A LAFAYETTE PARISH GRAND JURY ON WEDNESDAY INDICTED TWO MEN ON SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGES. 31-YEAR-OLD AMANDUES ALEX WAS INDICTED FOR THE MARCH 18TH SHOOTING DEATH OF 33-YEAR-OLD DESMOND GRAYDON, WHO WAS SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES ON EAST SIMCOE STREET. HE IS BEING HELD IN THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND. IN A SEPARATE CASE, 27-YEAR-OLD QUINTON BENJAMIN OF CARENCRO WAS INDICTED ON CHARGES OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND POSSESSION OF A FIREARM FOR THE SHOOTING DEATH OF 42-YEAR-OLD RAY CUDGES OF DUSON, WHO WAS KILLED ON EAST PINHOOK ROAD ON APRIL 25TH.
SULPHUR POLICE WERE INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED PURSUIT ON INTERSTATE TEN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WITH SPEEDS REACHING MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR AT TIMES. OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER A VEHICLE FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CHASE ENDED JUST NORTH OF I-TEN ON SOUTH CITIES SERVICE HIGHWAY AND TWO PEOPLE WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. POLICE SPOKESMAN MEL ESTESS SAYS THE IDENTIES OF THE TWO AND THE CHARGES HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED PENDING AN INVESTIGATION.
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ROBBERIES THIS WEEK IN VILLE PLATTE. ON TUESDAY MORNING, A WOMAN HAD HER PURSE TAKEN AT GUNPOINT ON EAST COTTON STREET BY TWO SUSPECTS. THE SUSPECTS WERE LATER ARRESTED…A JUVENILE, WHO WAS RELEASED TO A GUARDIAN UNTIL HIS COURT DATE, AND ANTHONY VOORHIES OF VILLE PLATTE, WHO FACES CHARGES OF ARMED ROBBERY AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A MINOR. YESTERDAY A WOMAN WAS ROBBED AT GUNPOINT AS SHE ARRIVED AT HER JOB BY A MAN DESCRIBED AS SLIM AND BLACK AND DRESSED IN ALL BLACK.
