7-3-17
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEARCHING FOR TWO MEN CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO STEALING MONEY FROM A CASH REGISTER AT A LOCAL WALMART. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A SULPHUR TEACHER IS ONE OF SIX EDUCATORS CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EXPLORATION OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN OFF OF CALIFORNIA. KATHERINE GERTZ FROM E-K KEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS SELECTED AS A 2017 CITGO NAUTILUS AMBASSADOR. SHE WILL BOARD THE NAUTILUS EXPLORATION VESSEL LATER THIS MONTH AND WILL SPEND FIVE DAYS LEARNING FIRST HAND HOW DEEP SEA EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED. SHE TELLS KPLC TV THAT IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE FOR HER AND SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO SHARING THE NEW INFORMATION SHE LEARNS WITH STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
A VILLE PLATTE MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR HITTING HIS SON IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER AFTER GETTING INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH HIM. BESIDES A CONCUSSION AND BLEEDING ON THE HEAD, THE SON, WHO IS IN HIS TWENTIES, ALSO SUFFERED CUTS AND BRUISING TO HIS HAND AND ARM WHEN IT WENT THROUGH A WINDOW AS HE WAS TRYING TO STOP HIS FALL. 44-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH SHAWN FONTENOT WAS BOOKED INTO THE VILLE PLATTE CITY JAIL ON A CHARGE OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY. HIS BOND WAS SET AT 35 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
A federal appeals court ruling that saved Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood in Louisiana stands, but it’s no longer unanimous. Last September, a three-judge 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld an injunction preventing the state from cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The ruling by judges Jacques Wiener, Priscilla Owen and Edward Prado said cutting the money would deny low-income women access to a medical provider — and their right to choose their provider. The ruling was re-issued Thursday with Owen dissenting.
EIGHT HUNDRED JOBS WERE CREATED IN LAFAYETTE LAST MONTH. THAT’S THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME THAT JOB GROWTH IS LOOKING UP, ACCORDING TO TINA JOHNSTON OF THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION. SHE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED IS STILL BEHIND THE 24-HUNDRED JOBS LOST FOR THE YEAR, BUT THEY’RE SEEING A GLIMMER OF HOPE. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS AT 6-POINT-2 PERCENT FOR LAFAYETTE.
FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES WERE KICKED OFF IN LAKE CHARLES LAST NIGHT WITH THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL RED, WHITE, BLUE AND YOU PATRIOT’S BALL AT THE CIVIC CENTER. BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY PATRIOTS WERE HONORED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. THE NEW MAYOR OF LAKE CHARLES, NIC HUNTER, SPOKE, HONORING FORMER MAYOR RANDY ROACH FOR HIS SERVICE. RETIRED MARINE CORPS CAPTAIN AND VIETNAM VETERAN LEE PERKINS TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE BALL HELPS BRING THE MILITARY COMMUNITY IN LAKE CHARLES TOGETHER.
AN ARNAUDVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED SATURDAY IN CONNECTION WITH REPORTS OF VEHICLE BURGLARIES IN THE CECILIA AREA LAST WEEK. A ST. MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY OBSERVED 48-YEAR-OLD MARK JOURNET IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE NEAR CECILIA AND INITIATED A TRAFFIC STOP. JOURNET WAS ARRESTED ON TEN FELONY WARRANTS. HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE ST. MARTIN PRISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON BURGLARY AND ATTEMPTED BURGLARY CHARGES.
Louisiana has started a new tax-free savings account program that will let families set aside money to help children with disabilities pay for expenses. Treasurer Ron Henson and the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance announced the program ‘s launch. The program is tied to a 2016 state law called the Louisiana Achieving a better Life Experience Act — or the Louisiana ABLE Act. Henson says that people struggling to provide for their family members with disabilities will be able to deposit dollars tax-free into an ABLE account for qualified expenses like education, housing, transportation, employment training, health care and other items.
