8-10-21
Louisiana hospitalizations for COVID-19 have hit a record high again. They are up to 2,720. That’s 299 more than were reported Friday. Ninety-one percent of those currently hospitalized had not been fully vaccinated. Monday’s report from state officials says there have been 16,541 new infections reported since Friday, including more than 3,000 children.
AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE MAN KILLED SUNDAY MORNING NEAR A LAFAYETTE NIGHTCLUB AS TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD DESHAWN BATISTE OF BREAUX BRIDGE. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
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THE DUSON POLICE CHIEF SAYS THEIR AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION SYSTEM HELPED THEM NAB A WOMAN WHO WAS TRANSPORTING DRUGS. THIRTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD PAIGE ARNAUD OF LAWTELL WAS COMING OFF I-TEN INTO DUSON SUNDAY WHEN THE SYSTEM FOUND HER VEHICLE HAD A SWITCHED LICENSE PLATE. WHEN SHE WAS PULLED OVER BY AN OFFICER, SHE ADMITTED HAVING DRUGS IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH INCLUDED AROUND SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF METHAMPHETAMINE. ARNAUD WAS BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING POSSESSION OF METH WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, WHICH WAS THE LICENSE PLATE.
JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ARE INVESTIGATING A BREAK IN AT COASTAL KING CLAY ON HIGHWAY NINETY-NINE IN WELSH LAST THURSDAY. THE COMPANY SUFFERED MORE THAN TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THEFTS, INCLUDING A BLUE POLARIS RANGER EIGHT HUNDRED THAT WAS STOLEN. COASTAL KING CLAY IS OFFERING A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST OR THE STOLEN ITEMS. THOSE WITH INFORMATION ARE URGED TO CALL THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
Some Louisiana education leaders are calling to scrap this year’s letter grades for K-12 public schools after student scores on standardized tests plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic. The letter grades are a key benchmark in Louisiana’s accountability system. They’re typically announced in November and are aimed at showing taxpayers how schools are performing, but The Advocate reports that low scores on the LEAP 2025 standardized exams are renewing the calls to avoid public school letter grades that could be heavily affected by the falling scores. Shelving the grades would require the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education.
OVER THE WEEKEND, BROUSSARD POLICE PULLED OVER A DRIVER FOR SPEEDING, WHO TOOK OFF RUNNING ON FOOT. AFTER THE POLICE CAPTURED THE DRIVER, IDENTIFIED AS BILLY JOSEPH OF LAFAYETTE, THEY FOUND FIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS IN HIS VEHICLE, WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM VEHICLES, ALONG WITH A POWER SAW AND SEVERAL CUTTING BLADES. BROUSSARD POLICE CHIEF VANCE OLIVIER SAYS CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS ARE BECOMING A PROBLEM, NOT ONLY IN BROUSSARD, BUT THE SURROUNDING CITIES AND PARISHES. HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT IT’S PRETTY EASY TO GET THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS OFF THE VEHICLES AND THE THIEFS CAN SELL THEM FOR A PRETTY GOOD PRICE.
AN ABBEVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED SUNDAY NIGHT. FORTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD TROY ANTHONY LANDRY WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER. VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES FOUND A GUNSHOT VICTIM IN A DITCH ALONG SOUTH AIRPORT ROAD AT AROUND ELEVEN THIRTY SUNDAY NIGHT. EDDIE LANGLINAIS OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL AND IS IN STABLE CONDITION.
A EUNICE MAN WAS ARRESTED LAST FRIDAY FOR AN ALLEGED CARJACKING THAT HAPPENED ON JULY FOURTEENTH. EUNICE POLICE CHIEF RANDY FONTENOT SAYS TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD CALEB EDWARDS ALLEGEDLY POINTED A GUN AT A WOMAN AND DEMANDED SHE GET OUT OF HER VEHICLE, WHICH HE PROCEEDED TO STEAL, WITH THE WOMAN’S ONE-YEAR-OLD SON IN THE BACK SEAT. EDWARDS THEN CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AND FLED ON FOOT LEAVING THE CHILD IN THE VEHICLE, WHO WAS NOT INJURED. EDWARDS FACES SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING AND ARMED ROBBERY.
