6-20-24
A STANDOFF IN RAYNE WITH ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ENDED WITH AN ARREST YESTERDAY. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER B :27
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE WORKED WITH THE IBERIA, VERMILLION AND ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICES TO CAPTURE A MAN WANTED FOR ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST A JUVENILE. THIRTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DAMONE CAMPBELL WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. THE DETAILS OF THE CRIME WERE NOT RELEASED DUE TO THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE INVESTIGATION. LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF MARK GARBER SAYS THE ARREST WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE THOROUGH INVESTIGATIVE LEG WORK AND EVIDENCE GATHERING OF IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DETECTIVES.
Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday signed the bill mandating the displays. The GOP-drafted legislation requires a poster of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities. Classrooms must display the Ten Commandments by the start of 2025.
AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY, GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY SIGNED A PACKAGE OF EDUCATION BILLS, WHICH HE SAYS FULFILLS HIS PROMISE OF DRASTIC REFORM TO THE STATE’S EDUCATION SYSTEM. HE SIGNED THE L-A GATOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM INTO LAW, WHICH PROVIDES THE USE OF TAX DOLLARS TO HELP PAY FOR A STUDENT TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE, INCLUDING PRIVATE SCHOOL. ANOTHER BILL LANDRY SIGNED MANDATES SCHOOLS NOT ADOPT POLICIES REQUIRING THE USE OF NAMES AND PRONOUNS THAT DON’T MATCH THE GENDER ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. LANDRY ALSO SIGNED H-B-THREE-THREE-FOUR, ALLOWING SCHOOL BOARDS TO ACCEPT VOLUNTEER CHAPLAINS INTO SCHOOLS.
SOWELA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS BRINGING ONE OF ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS TO ITS JENNINGS CAMPUS. THE CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT TRAINING PROGRAM STARTS IN AUGUST. STUDENTS CAN EARN THEIR CERTIFICATION IN JUST FIVE MONTHS. THE PROGRAM COST FOR STUDENTS IS JUST UNDER FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT THE SCHOOL OFFERS MULTIPLE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
TWO PEOPLE, INCLUDING A TEENAGER, WERE VICTIMS OF A SHOOTING LAST NIGHT IN OPELOUSAS. POLICE RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF SHOTS FIRED ON KIM DRIVE JUST BEFORE NINE P-M. THE TWO VICTIMS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE SHOOTING IS URGED TO CALL NINE-FOUR-EIGHT-TIPS. UP TO A TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR CASH REWARD IS BEING OFFERED FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO AN ARREST.
MEMBERS OF THE LGBT-PLUS COMMUNITY AND THEIR ALLIES HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO GET THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION DECLARING JUNE AS PRIDE MONTH. MAYOR-PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET AND HER ADMINISTRATION HAD NOT RESPONDED TO EMAILS FROM P-FLAG LAFAYETTE MEMBERS SO THEY SHOWED UP AT TUESDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING TO ASK IN PERSON. THE ADVOCATE REPORTS THAT BOULET AND COUNCIL MEMBERS DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE REQUESTS AND BOULET DECLINED COMMENT AFTER THE MEETING. BOULET’S PREDECESSOR, JOSH GUILLORY, REFUSED TO SIGN PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATIONS BUT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS ISSUED THEIR OWN PROCLAMATIONS.
IT’S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE SEVENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD ALBERT WILLIS JUNIOR OF SAINT MARTINVILLE DISAPPEARRED. MULTIPLE SEARCH PARTIES ATTEMPTED TO FIND WILLIS BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL OVER A YEAR LATER THAT HIS BODY WAS FOUND BY HUNTERS IN THE WOODS NEAR WHERE HE WAS LAST SEEN. SAINT MARTINVILLE POLICE CHIEF RICKY MARTIN SAYS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE INDICATING HOW WILLIS DIED AND HOW HE GOT TO WHERE HE WAS FOUND. MARTIN SAYS THE CASE REMAINS OPEN AND WILLIS’ BROTHER, DAVID, IS URGING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CONTACT CHIEF MARTIN.
