6-26-26
LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES HAVE MADE AN ARREST IN A FATAL HIT-AND-RUN THAT HAPPENED EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING ON MARTEAU ROAD. TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD BRETT BRIGNAC WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A CHARGE OF FELONY HIT-AND-RUN INVOLVING A FATALITY. THE VICTIM WAS IDENTIFIED AS CHARLES KOUNTZ THE SECOND. MULTIPLE AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION THAT LED TO IDENTIFYING THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AND SUSPECT.
RESIDENTS NEAR BAYOU COURTABLEU ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO PREPARE FOR FLOODING. GEOREGE FAUST REPORTS.
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GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY SAYS LOUISIANA IS POSITIONING ITSELF TO COMPETE FOR MORE DATA CENTERS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROJECTS. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
VOICER H :28
SOWELA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS BEEN RANKED THE NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE NATION BY WALLETHUB. THIS IS THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR SOWELA HAS TAKEN THE TOP SPOT. CHANCELLOR DOCTOR NEIL ASPINWALL SAYS IT’S A DISTINCTION THE COLLEGE HAS WORKED HARD TO ACHIEVE. HE SAYS SOWELA HAS DEVELOPED A REPUTATION AS A STRONG WORKFORCE PROVIDER FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA REGION.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY DON LANDRY SAYS HE IS INVESTIGATING A COMPLAINT ALLEGING THE LAFAYETTE SCHOOL BOARD VIOLATED ITS OWN POLICY WHEN IT VOTED THIS MONTH TO CLOSE COMEAUX HIGH SCHOOL. THE COMPLAINT COMES FROM FORMER BOARD MEMBER RICKEY HARDY, WHO HAND-DELIVERED THE COMPLAINT WEDNESDAY MORNING. HE SAYS THE BOARD VIOLATED A POLICY THAT SAYS A MATTER VOTED ON BY THE BOARD SHALL NOT BE BROUGHT UP FOR RECONSIDERATION IN THE SAME CALENDAR YEAR EXCEPT BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE BOARD. HE CLAIMS THE VOTE THIS MONTH WAS IMPROPER BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A TWO-THIRDS VOTE TO PUT THE MATTER ON THE AGENDA.
NEW IBERIA CITY LEADERS ARE CONSIDERING A ONE PERCENT SALES TAX TO FUND IMPROVEMENTS AT LAGNIAPPE VILLAGE. THOSE OPPOSED TO THE TAX ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC FUNDS BEING USED FOR A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. CITY LEAERS HOWEVER BELIEVE THE TAX WILL HELP THEM IN COMPETING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES FOR NEW BUSINESS. ON JULY SEVENTH, CITY LEADERS WILL VOTE ON THE PROPOSED TAX.
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE RELEASED THE IDENTITY OF A PERSON KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. FIFTY-YEAR-OLD JOLENE WHEELOCK OF ABBEVILLE WAS A PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE. THE MOTORCYCLE COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK IN THE SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED BLOCK OF JOHNSTON STREET. WHEELOCK WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.
A CONTRACTOR WILL BE CONDUCTING FIRE HYDRANT TESTS ALL NEXT WEEK THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF RAYNE. OFFICIALS WITH THE RAYNE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT SAY RESIDENTS MAY EXPERIENCE TEMPORARY CLOUDY, RUSTY, OR DISCOLORED WATER BECAUSE OF THE TESTING. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE TESTING IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT’S PROPERTY INSURANCE ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA RATING. THEY CALL THE TESTING IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ENSURES THE RELIABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CITY’S FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM.
