1-19-18
THE WINTER WEATHER HAS HELPED CREATE A SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF BLOOD DONATIONS AT UNITED BLOOD SERVICES IN LAFAYETTE. THEY HAD TO CANCEL MOBILE DRIVES AND DONOR CENTERS WERE CLOSED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF MORE THAN 800 BLOOD DONATIONS. THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME FLU SEASON, WHICH HAS LED TO A LOWER DONOR TURNOUT. UNITED BLOOD SERVICES RESUMED NORMAL OPERATING HOURS YESTERDAY AND ARE ACCEPTING WALK-INS, BUT DONORS CAN SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT BLOOD HERO-DOT-COM.
AN OUTBUILDING AT A CHURCH IN MOSS BLUFF CAUGHT FIRE YESTERDAY. A BARBEQUE PIT IS BEING BLAMED FOR STARTING THE FIRE AT THE FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH LATE YESTERDAY. THERE’S NO WORD YET ON WHAT IGNITED THE FIRE IN THE BARBEQUE PIT. THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE CHURCH BUILDING ITSELF WAS NOT DAMAGED.
AUTHORITIES RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF AN EXPLOSION AT A HOME IN IBERIA PARISH. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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A dispute over whether Gov. John Bel Edwards or Attorney General Jeff Landry should have control over Louisiana’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturers is going before a state judge. The Democratic governor and Republican attorney general have been unable to mediate a compromise on their own over how to handle litigation accusing drug companies of worsening opioid abuse in Louisiana. The Edwards administration filed a lawsuit in September through the state health department against more than a dozen drug companies. A month later, Landry filed a request to yank the litigation from the Edwards administration, saying its scope should be broadened to include the impacts to other agencies.
A Louisiana tax preparer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for falsifying tax returns and causing the IRS to pay out more than $105,000. U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, in a news release Thursday, said 44-year-old Vida Prejean Thomas, of Scott, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false documents. Thomas was also sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $105,813 restitution. The IRS interviewed nine of her customers and found that 2010 through 2013 personal income tax returns contained false information put there without their knowledge or authorization.
THE LAKE ARTHUR REGATTA FESTIVAL IS BEING CANCELED. IN A LETTER FROM THE FESTIVAL’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THEY CITED POOR ATTENDANCE AND PROFITS AND A LACK OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR DECISION. THE REGATTA FESTIVAL WAS THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE SUMMER FOR LAKE ARTHUR FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. THE BOARD SAYS THEY WANT TO INVEST THEIR REMAINING MONEY INTO ONE MORE GREAT PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE BEAUTIFICATION AND TOURISM.
CROWLEY POLICE BELIEVE THE DEATH OF A 56-YEAR-OLD MAN COULD BE WEATHER-RELATED. THE BODY OF JOHNSON LEWIS JUNIOR WAS FOUND IN FRONT OF HIS HOME IN THE 300 BLOCK OF ROSS AVENUE WEDNESDAY MORNING. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY AND HIS BODY HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED TO THE CALCASIEU FORENSIC LAB FOR AN AUTOPSY. CROWLEY POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD TELLS KLFY THAT THEY ARE ASSUMING HYPOTHERMIA PLAYED SOME PART IN HIS DEATH.
ON MONDAY, GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS WILL PRESENT HIS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE 2018-19 FISCAL YEAR, AND HE SAYS IT WILL NOT BE PRETTY. THAT’S BECAUSE OF THE EXPIRATION OF TEMPORARY TAXES ENACTED TWO YEARS AGO, SO THE BUDGET INCLUDES ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN CUTS. EDWARDS SAYS THE CUTS WILL BE DEVASTATING AND IT’S NOT ONE THAT HE WANTS TO SEE IMPLEMENTED. EDWARDS HAS PROPOSED A COMBINATION OF INCOME AND SALES TAX INCREASES AND PLANS TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION BEFORE OR AFTER THE REGULAR SESSION TO DEAL WITH THAT.
