7-5-24
THE EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ARRESTED A VILLE PLATTE MAN ON MULTIPLE CHARGES INCLUDING FIVE COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE RAPE. TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD JORDAN VIDRINE IS ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A GIRL UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTEEN, WHO IS RELATED TO HIM. HE WAS ARRESTED ON JUNE TWENTY-FOURTH AND IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND. THE INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WITH THE JUVENILE HAPPENED OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
A FIVE MILLION DOLLAR DREDGING PROJECT BEGINS MONDAY ALONG THE VERMILLION RIVER IN LAFAYETTE. CREWS WILL BEGIN DIGGING OUT SHALLOW SECTIONS OF BAYOU VERMILLION. RESIDENTS ALONG THE RIVER HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR SPOT DREDGING TO REDUCE FLOOD RISKS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. MAYOR-PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET SAYS THIS PROJECT IS CRUCIAL FOR MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING LAFAYETTE’S WATERWAYS.
FEWER LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES APPLIED FOR COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID, RAISING CONCERNS THAT FEWER STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK FOR COLLEGE OR TRADE SCHOOL. LAST YEAR SIXTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FILLED OUT THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID. AS OF JUNE TWENTY-FIRST THIS YEAR, FIFTY-SIX PERCENT HAD FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION, WHICH TRANSLATES TO ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND FEWER STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO EBONY HOLMES OF THE LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. LOUISIANA IS STILL WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL RATE OF FORTY-FIVE PERCENT.
A SIDE-BY-SIDE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WEDNESDAY NIGHT SOUTH OF REEVES BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED. ALLEN PARISH FIRE DISTRICT TWO RESPONDED TO THE FIRE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY BURNT WHEN THEY ARRIVED. IT HAPPENED ON ALLEN COLE ROAD. FIREFIGHTERS SAID THE FIRE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED AND ADVISED OWNERS OF ANY VEHICLE TO KEEP A SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON BOARD.
TWO MEN WERE KILLED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING IN A HEAD-ON CRASH IN AVOYELLES PARISH. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER S :23
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET HAS APPOINTED THREE NEW MEMBERS TO THE FIVE PERSON HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD. THE BOARD IS DEALING WITH A HEAVY DEMAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR HELP. BOULET SAYS THE NEW APPOINTEES BRING A TON OF EXPERIENCE TO THE BOARD. SHE SAYS THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YESTERDAY, LOUISIANA BECAME THE TWENTY-EIGHTH STATE TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO CARRY A CONCEALED FIREARM WITHOUT A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. STATE LAWMAKERS PASSED THE LEGISLATION SPONSORED BY STATE SENATOR BLAKE MIGUEZ OF NEW IBERIA. PAST EFFORTS WERE VETOED BY FORMER GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS BUT THE NEW GOVERNOR, JEFF LANDRY, SUPPORTED AND SIGNED THE NEW LAW. GUNS WILL STILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN PROHIBITED AREAS.
ON TUESDAY, THE PORT BARRE TOWN COUNCIL REJECTED AN ATTEMPT BY MAYOR JOHNNY ARDOIN TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS. THE COUNCIL VOTED FOUR-TO-ZERO AGAINST THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD HAVE CAPPED THE POLICE FORCE SIZE AT EIGHT OFFICERS. SOME POLICE OFFICERS AND RESIDENTS SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE ORDINANCE OVER CONCERNS THAT IT WOULD HURT THE COMMUNITY AND CREATE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. POLICE CHIEF DEON BOUDREAUX CALLED THE ORDINANCE UNNECCESARY BECAUSE, AS IT IS, ANY NEW HIRES HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
