6-29-25
THE DRIVER OF A MOTORIZED BIKE WAS KILLED IN A HIT-AND-RUN IN MAMOU AT AROUND SEVEN-THIRTY YESTERDAY MORNING. FIFTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD ERROL DEVILLE OF EUNICE WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON L-A THIRTY-ONE-FORTY-NINE, WHEN HE WAS REAR-ENDED BY AN UNKNOWN VEHICLE THAT DID NOT STOP. DEVILLE, WHO WASN’T WEARING A HELMET, WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE CRASH IS URGED TO CALL LOUISIANA STATE POLICE.
YOUNGSVILLE CITY OFFICIALS BROKE GROUND ON AN EIGHT-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE OF SOUTH LARRIVIERE ROAD. MAYOR KEN RITTER SAYS THE STATE GRANT IS COVERING EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE COST WHILE THE LOCAL SHARE IS TWENTY PERCENT. HE SAYS SOUTH LARRIVIERE ROAD IS A MAJOR NORTH-SOUTH ARTERY AND ONE OF THE MAIN ROADS TO SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. RITTER SAYS THE BENEFITS OF THE UPGRADE INCLUDE PROVIDING A SAFER ROUTE FOR STUDENTS, IMPROVING COMMUNITY ACCESS, AND ENHANCING EVACUATION ROUTES.
LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL LIZ MURRILL FILED AN APPEAL YESTERDAY WITH THE FULL FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT SEEKING A FULL REVIEW OF THE STATE’S TEN COMMANDMENTS LAW. THE COURT LAST FRIDAY RULED THE LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE LAW WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. MURRILL SAYS THE FIFTH CIRCUIT, IN ISSUING THEIR RULING, IGNORED THEIR OWN PRECENDENTS AND THE PRECEDENTS OF THE SUPREME COURT.
AN ESCAPED INMATE FROM THE PHELPS CORRECTIONAL CENTER WAS CAPTURED AFTER CRASHING A VEHICLE INTO A TREE IN LAKE CHARLES ON JUNE SEVENTEENTH. FIFTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD JAMES MCKEEHAN JUNIOR STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE PRIORING TO HITTING THE TREE. CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES SUSPECTED MCKEEHAN OF DRUNK DRIVING AND BROUGHT HIM TO A HOSPITAL FOR A BLOOD TEST. ABOUT SIX HOURS AFTER THE CRASH, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE LEARNED ABOUT A WORK RELEASE INMATE WALKING OFF A JOB AT A LAKE CHARLES RESTAURANT AND THAT’S WHEN DEPUTIES REALIZED THEY HAD HIM IN CUSTODY.
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING IN VILLE PLATTE. GEORGE FAUST REPORTS.
VOICER A :20
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM CLOSED A MORE THAN SIXTY-ONE MILLION DOLLAR BOND SALE TO FUND RENOVATION AND EXPANSION PROJECTS. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED APRIL TENTH TO SEEK UP TO SEVENTY MILLION DOLLARS IN BONDS. THE RENOVATIONS AND WING ADDITIONS ARE FOR JUDICE MIDDLE SCHOOL, ACADIANA HIGH SCHOOL, AND L-J ALLEMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL. ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIMES FOR THE PROJECTS RANGE FROM THE SPRING OF TWENTY-TWENTY-SIX TO THE SPRING OF TWENTY-TWENTY-SEVEN.
Louisiana is the latest state to redefine natural gas as green energy. This week, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill similar to legislation already in place in Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. These laws have been shaped and influenced by advocacy groups with ties to the oil and gas industry, records show. Industry leaders argue natural gas improves grid reliability, but consumer advocates say that wind, solar and renewables are essential for addressing the climate crisis.
A NEW IBERIA SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, WHO WAS ARRESTED LAST MONTH FOR ALLEGEDLY HAVING AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A STUDENT, NOW FACES MORE CHARGES IN THE CASE. NEW IBERIA POLICE HAVE ADDED CHARGES OF FIRST-DEGREE RAPE, CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF A JUVENILE AND COMPUTER-AIDED SOLICITATION OF A MINOR. THIRTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD HAILEY MARIE GROS WAS INITIALLY ARRESTED ON MAY SEVENTEENTH. SHE WAS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AT DASPIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NEW IBERIA.
