10-17-17
THE MAN CHARGED IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICER WAS TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER. 28-YEAR-OLD IAN HOWARD OF LAFAYETTE IS NOW IN THE ELAYN HUNT CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN ST. GABRIEL. HOWARD WAS HELD IN THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER DUE TO HIS IMMEDIATE NEEDS FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TO GET LEGAL REPRESENTATION. JOHN MOWELL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE, SAYS THAT, SINCE HOWARD’S IMMEDIATE NEEDS WERE ADDRESSED, THEY FELT IT WAS IN HIS BEST INTEREST TO TRANSFER HIM.
A man accused of shooting a pastor who was preaching in his southwest Louisiana church is pleading not guilty to manslaughter. KPLC-TV reports that Woodrow Karey entered the plea Monday. Karey had been charged with second-degree murder in the September 2013 shooting of Lake Charles pastor Ronald Harris during a revival service. But the Louisiana Supreme Court threw out that charge, leaving only the manslaughter charge standing.
NEW IBERIA VOTERS GAVE MAYOR FREDDIE DECOURT A MAJOR VICTORY IN HIS PUSH FOR A NEW HALF CENT SALES TAX. 63 PERCENT APPROVED THE TAX THAT WILL HELP FUND A NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT. DECOURT HAS UNTIL JUNE 30TH TO ESTABLISH A NEW FORCE, BECAUSE A CONTRACT WITH THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO PATROL THE CITY EXPIRES THEN. THE CITY PAYS 6-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND, WHEN THAT EXPIRES, SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL IS EXPECTED TO LAY OFF SOME DEPUTIES.
The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the man who was unaccounted for after an explosion on an oil platform in Lake Pontchartrain near Kenner. Forty-four-year-old contractor Timothy Morrison of Katy, Texas, was still missing after the Sunday night explosion. Seven other people were injured, three critically.
The fire on the platform, which is owned by Clovelly Oil Co., was extinguished Monday morning.
A SPECIAL LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW TO VOTE ON A FEW CHANGES TO THE SCHOOLS OF CHOICE PROGRAM. THEY ARE LOOKING AT A CHANGE TO A PROVISION THAT GIVES STUDENTS PRIORITY IF THEY HAVE A SIBLING ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM. UNDER THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION, SIBLING PRIORITY WOULD STILL BE ALLOWED UP TO THIRTY PERCENT OF WHAT’S AVAILABLE, BUT AT LEAST 70 PERCENT OF ENROLLMENT IN THE SCHOOLS OF CHOICE WOULD BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM LOTTERY. THE BOARD WILL ALSO VOTE ON CHANGING THE NAMES OF THE SCHOOLS OF CHOICE TO MAGNET ACADEMIES.
THE CITY OF SULPHUR IS REINTRODUCING FLUORIDE INTO THE CITY’S WATER SUPPLY, WHICH SOME RESIDENTS ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR MIKE DAIGLE SAYS THEY AGREED TO ADD THE FLUORIDE IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE LOANS AND GRANTS FROM THE E-P-A AND THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. HE SAYS IT’S ABOUT THREE-FOURTHS OF A GALLON OF FLUORIDE PER ONE MILLION GALLONS OF WATER, WHICH IS A SAFE LEVEL RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE. THE CITY WILL TEST THE WATER SUPPLY TWICE DAILY TO MAKE SURE THE PROPER FLUORIDE FEED RATE IS MAINTAINED.
AN IOTA WOMAN CELEBRATED HER 106TH BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY AT THE ACADIA PARISH COURTHOUSE. CECILIA MILLER YOUNG WAS BORN IN 1911 AND OUTLIVED HER HUSBAND, WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2000, AND HER ONLY DAUGHTER, WHO DIED FOUR YEARS LATER. YOUNG RETIRED IN 1969 FROM THE ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AFTER 26 YEARS AS A CAFETERIA WORKER. SHE HAS THREE GRANDCHILDREN AND 13 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
Louisiana has been approved to receive federal assistance to help with recovery from Hurricane Harvey. Gov. John Bel Edwards and members of the state’s congressional delegation announced Monday that President Donald Trump signed off on the FEMA aid request. Five days after striking Texas as a Category 4 hurricane in August, Harvey hit southwest Louisiana as a tropical storm. The Edwards administration says FEMA assistance for government agencies and certain nonprofits will be available in 20 of the state’s parishes.
