7-2-24
A BODY WAS FOUND ON UNION STREET IN OPELOUSAS MONDAY. SYVLIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT MONIQUE BLANCO WANTS TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR THE PARISH. ONE DIRECTOR AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICER WOULD RUN THE OFFICE UNDER HER PROPOSAL. SHE IS ASKING FOR ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THE HIRES. AN INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCE WILL BE CONSIDERED AT TONIGHT’S PARISH COUNCIL MEETING.
A federal judge out of Lake Charles says the Biden administration can’t delay consideration of projects aimed at exporting liquefied natural gas while a legal challenge plays out in federal court. U.S. District Judge James Cain, Jr. issued his ruling Monday, granting a preliminary injunction that puts the Biden administration’s delay on hold. He sided with Louisiana and fifteen other states that sued the federal government earlier this year, saying the states will likely succeed in their case. He cited evidence submitted by the plaintiffs that showed loss of revenues and deferred investments in natural gas projects.
KYLE MIERS WAS SWORN IN LAST NIGHT AS THE NEW SHERIFF OF JEFF DAVIS PARISH. HE SAYS THAT, SINCE HE WAS ELECTED LAST NOVEMBER, HE’S BEEN MAKING PROGRESS ON THE THINGS HE WANTS TO DO. THAT INCLUDES TALKING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AS HE WORKS TO ESTABLISH A FEDERAL DRUG TASK FORCE. MIERS SAYS HE’S ALSO TALKED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
THE SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS MADE THE BIGGEST DRUG BUST IN ITS HISTORY. A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DRUGS, INCLUDING FENTANYL AND HEROIN, WERE SEIZED AND THREE SUSPECTED DRUG DEALERS WERE ARRESTED. THE THREE ARE ACCUSED OF DEALING THE DRUGS IN SAINT MARTINVILLE AND BREAUX BRIDGE. SHERIFF BECKET BREAUX CREDITED A SPECIAL TASK FORCE INVOLVING SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE PARISH, WHICH HE SAYS HAS DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WORKING VIOLENT CRIMES AND DRUG APPREHENSION.
SLEMCO CUSTOMERS WILL SOON SEE A SMALL DECREASE IN THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS BEGINNING WITH THIS MONTH’S BILLING PERIOD. A STORM RIDER, WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT IN AUGUST OF TWENTY-TWENTY-TWO, WILL BE COMING OFF THE MONTHLY BILLS. THE COST DECREASE WILL BE ABOUT A DOLLAR-NINETY FOR HOMES USING FIFTEEN-HUNDRED-KILOWATT HOURS PER MONTH AND THREE-SEVENTY-FIVE LESS FOR HOMES USING AROUND THREE THOUSAND KILOWATT HOURS PER MONTH. THE STORM RIDER WAS PUT ON TO COVER COSTS FROM HURRICANES LAURA, DELTA AND IDA.
TWO NEW STATE LAWS THAT WENT INTO EFFECT YESTERDAY HELP SEX ASSAULT VICTIMS IN THE TRACKING OF THEIR KITS. SURVIVORS ARE ALLOWED TO TRACK THEIR SEX ASSAULT KITS THROUGH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM THE TIME IT IS COLLECTED AND TESTED UNTIL IT’S BACK IN THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. SURVIVORS WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK THEM ANONYMOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE NEW LAWS, AND NO PERSONAL INFORMATION WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE KITS REVEALING THEIR IDENTITIES. A SURVIVOR’S BILL OF RIGHTS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED REQUIRING AGENCIES TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE KITS WITHIN SEVENTY-TWO HOURS OF COLLECTION AND THEY MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR FORENSIC ANALYSIS WITHIN THIRTY DAYS.
A MOBILE HOME ON BOBBY GENE DRIVE IN MIRE WAS DAMAGED BY FIRE SATURDAY. LIGHT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE HOME AND FIREFIGHTERS FOUND THE FIRE IN A BACK BEDROOM, WHICH THEY EXTINGUISHED QUICKLY. THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS IN THE BEDROOM ONLY AND THERE WAS LIGHT SMOKE DAMAGE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS STARTED ACCIDENTALLY.
