7-16-25
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED A PEDESTRIAN, WHO WAS KILLED IN A CRASH YESTERDAY MORNING, AS TWENTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD BYRON STARKS JUNIOR. GEORGE FAUST REPORTS.
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THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ACTIVELY WORKING COLD CASES BUT THEY NEED TIPS FROM THE PUBLIC TO HELP SOLVE THEM. SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS THAT’S WHY THEY RUN COLD CASES ON CRIMESTOPPERS FROM TIME TO TIME. HE SAYS THE OLDEST COLD CASE THEIR WORKING COMES FROM TWO THOUSAND ONE WHEN A BAR IN BRANCH CAUGHT FIRE AND THE OWNER’S BODY WAS FOUND INSIDE. GIBSON SAYS THEY CONTINUE WORKING THE COLD CASES IN HOPES OF BRINGING CLOSURE TO THE VICTIM’S FAMILIES.
A MAJOR DRUG DEALER IN JENNINGS HAS PLED GUILTY TO MULTIPLE FELONIES. FORTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD ROBERT MOORE PLED GUILTY TO POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METH, FENTANYL, COCAINE, OXYCODONE, HYDROCODONE, AMPHETAMINE, CLONAZEPAM (kloh NA zuh pam) AND ALPRAZOLAM (al PRAY zuh lam) AS WELL AS RESISTING AN OFFICER WITH FORCE OR VIOLENCE. HE’LL BE SENTENCED ON OCTOBER FIFTEENTH. DISTRICT ATTORNEY LAUREN HEINEN SAYS THE AMOUNT OF FENTANYL MOORE HAD COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR HARM TO THE COMMUNITY.
FEDERAL AND STATE AUTHORITIES CONDUCTED RAIDS ACROSS THE STATE TARGETING SOME POLICE CHIEFS. FOUR POLICE CHIEFS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED INCLUDING VILLE PLATTE POLICE CHIEF A. PERRY THOMAS AND OAKDALE POLICE CHIEF CHAD DOYLE. THE CHARGES REPORTEDLY INCLUDE MONEY LAUNDERING AND FILING FALSE POLICE REPORTS TO PREVENT THE DEPORTATION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. THE U-S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA PLANS A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY IN LAFAYETTE TO ANNOUNCE THE UNSEALING OF AN INDICTMENT AND THE RECENT ARRESTS.
A TROPICAL DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF HAS PROMPTED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO ISSUE A FLOOD WATCH FOR ACADIANA. IT BEGINS TOMORROW MORNING AT SEVEN AND CONCLUDES AT SEVEN SATURDAY NIGHT. THEY WARN THAT THERE COULD BE UP TO FIFTEEN INCHES OF RAIN IN PARTS OF THE WATCH AREA. SANDBAG LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN LAFAYETTE, IBERIA, SAINT LANDRY, AND SAINT MARTIN PARISHES.
THE VERMILLION PARISH N-DOUBLE-A-C-P AND THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER MET WITH THE ABBEVILLE CITY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT OVER REDISTRICTING. A LAWSUIT FILED IN TWENTY-TWENTY-THREE CLAIMS THEIR DISTRICT MAP DENIES EQUAL REPRESENTATION TO VOTERS, VIOLATING THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT OF THE U-S CONSTITUTION. ATTORNEY AHMED SOUSSI OF THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER SAYS THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED AGAINST REDISTRICTING. HE SAYS THE VERMILLION N-DOUBLE-A-C-P PROPOSED AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT MAPS WITH EXACTLY PROPORTIONAL DISTRICTS FOR ITS FOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM SAW A FIFTEEN PERCENT INCREASE IN STUDENTS SCORING A THREE OR HIGHER ON A-P EXAMS. THE ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR OF ADVANCED STUDIES, LORRI CALDWELL, SAYS MAKING A THREE OR HIGHER ON THE EXAMS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. THE SCHOOL BOARD SAYS EIGHTY MORE STUDENTS TOOK A-P COURSES COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. CALDWELL SAYS ABOUT SEVENTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE GETTING COLLEGE CREDIT.
THE OPELOUSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ITS FIRST FEMALE K-NINE OFFICER. GRACE HADLEY AND HER DOG, KOBRA, WENT THROUGH A ONE HUNDRED SIXTY HOUR TRAINING PROGRAM IN ORDER TO EARN THE DISTINCTION OF K-NINE OFFICER. HADLEY SAYS IT MEANS A LOT TO HER TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. POLICE CHIEF GRAIG LEBLANC SAYS WOMEN ARE STEPPING UP TO THE CALL AND HADLEY DEFINITELY STEPPED UP.
