8-10-16
THE LAFAYETTE PUBLIC TRUST AUTHORITY BOARD LAST NIGHT DISCUSSED BUILDING CONDOMINIUMS ADJACENT TO THE AUTHORITY’S UPTOWN LOFTS DEVELOPMENT. DESIGNERS HAVE DRAWN UP A THREE STORY BRICK BUILDING THAT WOULD GO UP AT THE CORNER OF MONROE AND OLIVIER STREETS. BOARD CHAIRMAN JOHN ARCENEAUX SAYS THEY HAVE TO DECIDE IF THE CONDOMINIUMS WOULD BE FOR THE POOR, MIDDLE CLASS, OR FOR THOSE WHO COULD AFFORD TO PURCHASE CONDOS AT MARKET RATES. HE SAYS HE’S LEANING TO SELLING THEM AT MARKET RATES, BUT IT WILL BE THE BOARD’S DECISION.
THE FIRST PERSON TO TESTIFY IN THE TRIAL OF FELIX VAIL YESTERDAY WAS CALCASIEU PARISH CORONER DR. TERRY WELKE, WHO SAYS HE’S 100 PERCENT POSITIVE THAT MARY HORTON VAIL WAS MURDERED. DR. WELKE MADE HIS STATEMENTS BASED ON PHOTOS HE SAW OF MARY’S BODY. WELKE SAYS THE CORONER IN 1962, WHEN SHE DIED, DID NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE, WHICH LED TO A RULING OF ACCIDENTAL DROWNING. THE DEFENSE WILL CROSS EXAMINE WELKE AS THE TRIAL CONTINUES TODAY.
A MAN FROM HOUSTON WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY FOR HIS SUSPECTED INVOLVEMENT IN A COUNTERFEIT CHECK RING IN ST. LANDRY PARISH. 32-YEAR-OLD CORDY BROWN IS THE 14TH PERSON ARRESTED IN THE CASE SINCE MAY. HE’S ACCUSED OF CASHING TWO COUNTEREIT CHECKS WORTH TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS AT SEPARATE BUSINESSES. THE COUNTERFEIT CHECK RING DEFRAUDED ST. LANDRY BUSINESSES OF MORE THAN FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, ACCORDING TO THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
State health officials say Louisiana has received a $19.5 million federal grant to help communities that are still recovering from devastating floods this past spring.
The Disaster Case Management grant is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will fund work for about 1,575 families in 36 parishes, including Allen, Beauregard, and Calcasieu parishes. Disaster case management is a process where a qualified individual serves as a single point of contact for individuals or families impacted by the floods.
MidSouth Bank President Troy Cloutier will assume the additional responsibilities of chief executive officer effective Nov. 1. The Advocate reports Cloutier has served as president for the past year. As president and CEO, he assumes more responsibility for managing the daily operations of the Lafayette-based bank’s two-state franchise. The bank has operations in Louisiana and Texas. Troy Cloutier previously held the position of chief banking officer and senior executive vice president since January 2011 and before that was regional president for more than eight years.
HERE’S A TRAFFIC ALERT FOR SULPHUR RESIDENTS. THE RAILROAD CROSSING AT L-A 27 AND BEGLIS PARKWAY IS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. IT WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETED. DETOUR ROUTES WILL BE POSTED ON THE ROADWAY.
A SUSPECT WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH A JULY FIRST MURDER IN TURKEY CREEK HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN OKLAHOMA. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Louisiana’s oil industry is hailing a state judge’s dismissal of Jefferson Parish’s lawsuit against oil companies it blames for contributing to coastal damage.
Meanwhile, an attorney handling the litigation for the parish says papers will be filed in court soon to address the judge’s ruling. Judge Stephen Enright agreed with oil industry lawyers who said the state must first pursue administrative remedies over the alleged damage before going to court. Similar suits are pending in Cameron, Vermilion and Plaquemines parishes.
