7-10-25
AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE BODY FOUND FLOATING IN A POND NEAR THE I-TEN OFF RAMP IN RAYNE. GEORGE FAUST REPORTS.
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THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT SAYS IT’S READY AND PREPARED FOR A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT WITH A NEWLY RELEASED PLAN. CHAD SONNIER, DIRECTOR OF THE LAFAYETTTE PARISH OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, SAYS A FLASH FLOOD EVENT, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY, IS LESS LIKELY TO HAPPEN HERE. HE SAYS THE VERMILLION RIVER IS FLATTER AND THE WATER DOESN’T GATHER MOMENTUM LIKE IT DOES IN THE HILL COUNTRY. SONNIER SAYS THEY HAVE FLOOD GUAGES IN THE VERMILLION TO ALERT THEM WHEN IT GETS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL AND THEY CAN SHUT DOWN GATES ON THE RIVER TO DIVERT IT TO THE BASIN.
GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY VETOED A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE BANNED BALLOON RELEASES. HE SAID THE BILL WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE OR IMPRACTICAL TO EXECUTE. SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL SAID IT WOULD PROTECT WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITAT. THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL, REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ILLG, SAYS THE RELEASE OF BALLOONS IS THE SAME AS THE RELEASE OF LITTER INTO THE AIR AND WHO KNOWS WHERE IT WILL COME DOWN.
THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS DISMISSED A SEXUAL BATTERY CHARGE AGAINST DOCTOR BEN SABBAGHIAN. THE CHARGE CAME FROM A COMPLAINT LODGED BY A PATIENT WHO CLAIMED INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING DURING A MEDICAL EXAM BY THE ACADIANA SURGEON. NO REASON WAS GIVEN FOR DROPPING THE CHARGE. SABBAGHIAN WILL STILL HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE STATE MEDICAL BOARD TO FACE AN INQUIRY CONCERNING THE COMPLAINT.
THE OPELOUSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ASSISTING MADISON PARISH DEPUTIES IN LOCATING AN ESCAPED INMATE. THIRTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD RAYMOND HOWARD WAS BEING TAKEN FROM THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH COURTHOUSE BY MADISON PARISH DEPUTIES WHEN HE ESCAPED CUSTODY ON WALLIOR STREET. HE WAS LAST SEEN HEADED INTO A WOODED AREA. OPELOUSAS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER JOSEPH ANDERSON SAYS HOWARD IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
FORMER LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHALL BRIAN POPE HAS HAD HIS PROBATION REVOKED AFTER APPEARING IN COURT LAST MONTH. THE PROBATION WAS FOR MALFEASANCE AND PERJURY CHARGES. ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS, POPE ADMITTED THAT HE DIDN’T COMPLY WITH THE RULES OF HIS PROBATION. IT’S NOT BEEN REVEALED HOW MUCH TIME HE WILL HAVE TO SERVE AND HE HAS BEEN ORDERED TO PAY RESTITUTION.
HURRICANE RESEARCHERS AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF EXPECTED STORMS FOR THIS YEAR’S SEASON. THEY’VE GONE FROM A PREDICTION OF ABOVE AVERAGE TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE. THE RESEARCHERS ARE NOW PREDICTED SIXTEEN NAMED STORMS, INCLUDING EIGHT HURRICANES AND THREE MAJOR HURRICANES. THEY ALSO SAY THERE’S A THIRTY-ONE PERCENT CHANCE OF A MAJOR HURRICANE HITTING LANDFALL BETWEEN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS.
CROWLEY MAIN STREET IS WARNING OF A SCAM PIGGYBACKING OFF OF AN UPCOMING DOWNTOWN PROMOTION. THEY’VE ISSUED AN OPEN LETTER ABOUT THE EMAIL SCAM USING THE CHRISTMAS IN JULY EVENT COMING UP ON JULY NINETEENTH. THEY SAY THE EMAIL IS FROM A MADY ALVAREZ ABOUT VENDOR REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT. CROWLEY MAIN STREET SAYS THIS PERSON IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THEM AND THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTING VENDORS BUT IT’S AN ATTEMPT TO SCAM INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES.
