7-1-22
NEW IBERIA POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A MAN WANTED FOR THE FEBRUARY FIRST HOMOCIDE OF A TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD MAN. THIS WEEK THE POLICE OBTAINED A SECOND-DEGREE MURDER WARRANT FOR TWENTY-YEAR-OLD JARASON JOSEPH PROVOST. ON WEDNESDAY, THEY ARRESTED TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD KYSHION DREKVANT VITAL FOR PRINCIPAL TO SECOND DEGREE MURDER. ANYONE WHO KNOWS THE WHEREABOUTS OF PROVOST IS ASKED TO CALL NEW IBERIA POLICE OR THREE-SIX-FOUR-TIPS.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO SUSPECTS THEY SAY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS IN THE CITY. GERALD GRUENIG REPORTS.
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LOUISIANA’S ECONOMY SHRANK DRAMATICALLY FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE STATE’S GROSS DOMESTIC ECONOMY DROPPED BY FOUR-POINT-THREE PERCENT, WHICH IS AN ALMOST THREE TIMES SHARPER DECREASE THAN THE U-S ECONOMY AND ONLY FIVE STATES HAD A WORSE DECREASE. U-L LAFAYETTE ECONOMIST GARY WAGNER TELLS THE ADVOCATE IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE A WORSE REPORT, AND HE CALLED IT A FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE LOUISIANA’S IN A RECESSION. HE SAYS THE SECTOR WITH THE BIGGEST DECREASE IN THE STATE WAS THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, SUGGESTING RISING ENERGY PRICES AND FALLING DEMAND ARE STARTING TO HAVE AN EFFECT.
THE SULPHUR CITY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT APPROVED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR THE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLANT THAT SUSTAINED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE LAURA. MAYOR MIKE DANAHAY SAYS THEY ARE GOING TO REFURBISH THE CURRENT SYSTEM, WHICH SHOULD COST AROUND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. HE SAYS THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION WILL ALLOW THEM TO EXPEDITE THE BIDDING PROCESS FROM WHICH THEY WILL CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR. DANAHAY SAYS THE REPAIRS ARE NEEDED TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
A FIRE FROM A NATURAL GAS WELL BLOWOUT IN ARNAUDVILLE CONTINUES TO BURN. A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IS IN PLACE AND STATE TROOPERS CONTINUE TO BLOCK OFF TRAFFIC ON JOE KIDDER AND LEE ROY BOURQUE ROADS. THE CAUSE OF THE BLOWOUT IS NOT YET KNOWN AND FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ON HAND TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. TROOPER DEREK SENEGAL TELLS KATC TV THAT THE FIRE COULD LAST SEVERAL DAYS OR A WEEK, AND IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW IT IS GOING TO TURN OUT.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A NEW INTEGRATED SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM THAT USES A RANGE OF VIDEO SOURCES ALLOWING THEM TO SPEED INVESTIGATIONS AND GATHER REAL TIME INFORMATION WHILE RESPONDING TO CALLS. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEGAN TESTING THE SYSTEM IN DECEMBER AND HAS ONBOARDED BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX HUNDRED CAMERAS INTO THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING FROM PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR PERMISSION. SERGEANT BRAD ROBIN SAYS THE CAMERAS SERVE AS TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS. HE SAYS THE SYSTEM COSTS ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS SENDING OUT A WARNING AFTER RECENT SAMPLES HAVE SHOWN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE WEST NILE VIRUS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. GERALD GRUENIG HAS MORE.
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SAINT LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF BOBBY GUIDROZ SAYS HE WANTS TO TRAIN STUDENTS AS WELL AS TEACHERS AND STAFF ON HOW TO DEAL WITH A CRISIS MANAGEMENT SITUATION. IT’S PART OF HIS SAFETY PLAN THAT HE’S FINALIZING AHEAD OF THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. GUIDROZ TELLS KLFY TV THAT HE MAY RECEIVE PUSHBACK ON THE IDEA OF TRAINING STUDENTS BUT HE WANTS TO KEEP EVERYONE INVOLVED AND SAFE SHOULD A SITUATION ARISE. HE SAYS THE TRAINING WOULD COME AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE SCHOOLS.
