6-13-24
TWO WOMEN AT THE GREEN SPA ON CRESSWELL LANE IN OPELOUSAS WERE ARRESTED AFTER THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT. SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS THEY HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT WOMEN AT THE BUSINESS ENGAGING IN PROSTITUTION. THE TWO WOMEN WERE NOT COOPERATIVE WITH DEPUTIES AND CLAIMED TO SPEAK VERY LITTLE ENGLISH. THEY HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MONEY LAUNDERING, OPERATION OF PLACES OF PROSTITUTION AND SOLICITING PROSTITUTION, AND BONDED OUT AFTER THEIR ARRESTS.
STARTING TODAY, DRIVERS WILL HAVE TO TAKE DETOURS AS THE WEST CONGRESS STREET BRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
VOICER V :24
Louisiana’s highest court is giving childhood victims of sexual abuse a renewed opportunity to file damage lawsuits. The state Supreme Court issued a 5-2 ruling Wednesday upholding a so-called look-back law that was passed in 2021 and amended in 2022. The law gave victims of past abuse, whose deadlines for filing civil lawsuits had expired, renewed opportunities to file lawsuits. The court had ruled 4-3 in March that the law couldn’t stand because it conflicted with due process rights in the state constitution, but the court agreed last month to reconsider the case.
LAST NIGHT THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH POLICE JURY AGREED TO HIRE BEAZLEY AND LONGO SHELTER DESIGN FOR THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN OF A NEW PARISH-WIDE ANIMAL SHELTER. POLICE JURY PRESIDENT STEVE EASTMAN SAYS THE COMPANY HAS AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PARISH WANTS IN A SHELTER THAT WILL PROBABLY HAVE BETWEEN SEVENTY AND ONE HUNDRED PENS FOR THE ANIMALS. HE’S HOPING THE DESIGN ELEMENT WILL BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. EASTMAN SAYS THEY ARE CONSIDERING A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR THE SHELTER, INCLUDING THE CURRENT PARISH JAIL.
AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY MARSHAL’S OFFICE IN JEANERETTE HAS COME TO AN END. THAT AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN IN FEBRUARY WHEN THERE WERE TWO OR THREE OFFICERS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. POLICE CHIEF DUSTY VALLOT SAYS THE AGREEMENT IS NO LONGER NEEDED BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE SIX OFFICERS IN THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDING HIMSELF. THE CHIEF AND CITY MARSHALL SAID AT THE RECENT BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING THAT THEY WERE HAPPY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND LOOKED FORWARD TO ANY ADDITIONAL WORK IN THE FUTURE.
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL PAY LESS IN DAMAGES TO THE PARENTS OF A STUDENT AT L-J ALLEMAN WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY MOLESTED BY ANOTHER STUDENT. A TRIAL COURT HAD ORDERED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PAY FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. YESTERDAY, AN APPEALS COURT CUT THAT AMOUNT BY SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR’S OFFICE WILL BE CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF THE WORKPLACE CULTURE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. SEVERAL HIGH LEVEL EMPLOYEES AT THE AGENCY QUIT IN JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER AURELIA GIACOMETTO TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP AFTER HER APPOINTMENT BY GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY. THE NEW SECRETARY HAS COME UNDER HARSH CRITICISM BY THOSE WHO WERE WITH THE AGENCY IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. THE LANDRY ADMINISTRATION DEFENDED GIACOMETTO SAYING THE NEEDED CHANGE IN THE DEPARTMENT WAS BOUND TO STIR UP OPPOSITION.
SOME RESIDENTS OF ERATH ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF A WINDSTORM THAT HAPPENED ON JUNE SECOND. JOEY AND HARLEY DARBY ARE STILL NOT SURE IF THEIR MOBILE HOME IS SALVAGEABLE AFTER A LARGE TREE FELL ON IT. HARLEY SAYS THEY ARE HOPING FEMA WILL DECLARE IT A DISASTER SO THEY CAN GET HELP SINCE THEY HAD NO INSURANCE. SHE SAYS THAT THEY HAD INVESTED MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO IMPROVE THEIR HOME.
