8-15-18
AT A BUDGET HEARING YESTERDAY, LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX DEFENDED HIS PLAN TO HIRE SEPARATE DIRECTORS FOR LAFAYETTE UTILITIES SYSTEM AND L-U-S FIBER. ONE COUNCILMAN WHO WAS CRITICAL OF THE PLAN, BRUCE CONQUE, WAS NOT READY TO COMMIT TO IT, BUT HE SAID ROBIDEAUX WENT A LONG WAY IN CONVINCING HIM. COUNCILMAN KENNETH BOUDREAUX SAYS L-U-S AND L-U-S FIBER ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN THE HANDS OF ONE PERSON. TERRY HUVAL HEADED UP BOTH DEPARTMENTS UNTIL HIS RECENT RETIREMENT.
A 19-year-old Jennings man has pleaded guilty to killing his grandfather and another man. Jefferson Davis Parish District Attorney Michael Cassidy tells the American Press that Parker Gary was sentenced to 55 years in prison on two manslaughter charges. Gary received the maximum 40 years for shooting 60-year-old Warren Gary while he slept. Investigators said theft was the apparent motive in Gary’s death and that of 40-year-old Dedrick Gant of Jennings, whose body was found in a ditch.
EUNICE ELEMENTARY WILL BE CLOSED AGAIN TODAY. JEFF HORCHAK EXPLAINS WHY.
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Louisiana’s first medical marijuana crop will take longer than expected to reach patients. GB Sciences, the marijuana grower for the LSU AgCenter, had hoped to provide product to Louisiana’s nine licensed medical marijuana pharmacies by September. But the company tells The News-Star the earliest harvest likely will be in November. John Davis, GB Sciences president, says his company is waiting for the state agriculture department to sign off on the plans.
AN APPEALS COURT HAS RULED THAT LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GIVEN A JAIL SENTENCE FOR FAILING TO FOLLOW A JUDGE’S ORDER ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE. IN FEBRUARY, FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE JULES EDWARDS REVOKED POPE’S PROBATION AND ORDERED HIM TO SERVE THE REMAINING SEVEN DAYS OF A THIRTY DAY SENTENCE FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT IN THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY’S LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM. POPE APPEALED EDWARD’S RULING AND ON THURSDAY, THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS SAID EDWARD’S MADE A MISTAKE BECAUSE COMMUNITY SERVICE WASN’T A CONDITION OF POPE’S PROBATION. THEY ALSO RULED THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE IS NOT AN AUTHORIZED PENALTY FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
THE VEHICLE OF A MAN WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH A HOMOCIDE IN TOPSY LAST FRIDAY HAS BEEN LOCATED IN LAKE CHARLES. LAKE CHARLES POLICE FOUND THE TRUCK BELONGING TO 28-YEAR-OLD DAVID WADE CLARK IN THE BIG LOTS PARKING LOT ON HIGHWAY 14. CLARK IS WANTED FOR QUESTIONING CONCERNING THE DEATH OF DEVIN MARC SANDERS. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE CLARK IS STILL IN THE LAKE CHARLES AREA.
A FRANKLIN MAN, WHO LOST HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN A FATAL CRASH ON AUGUST SEVENTH, SAYS THE MAN WHO CAUSED THE CRASH HAD BEEN THROWN OUT OF A BAR AT ONE O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON. 25-YEAR-OLD DYLAN LEBLANC OF YOUNGSVILLE FACES SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING VEHICULAR HOMOCIDE AFTER HE CROSSED THE CENTER LANE OF HIGHWAY 90 AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE DRIVEN BY ABBIE SINITIERE. ABBY, HER 23-MONTH-OLD SON, MAX, AND HER UNBORN BABY WERE KILLED, WHILE THREE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE SUFFERED CRITICAL INJURIES. HER HUSBAND, CHRISTOPHER, TELLS KLFY TV THAT BAR ROOMS NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS OR MORE PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES.
LOUISIANA MAY BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO RID ITS RESIDENTS OF HEPATITIS C, THE NATION’S MOST DEADLY INFECTIOUS DISEASE. CURRENTLY THE COSTS OF THE MEDICINE THAT CURES HEPATITIS C IS SO EXPENSIVE THAT IT IS UNAFFORDABLE TO THOUSANDS OF LOUISIANANS WHO RELY ON THE STATE FOR MEDICAL COVERAGE. STATE HEALTH SECRETARY REBEKAH GEE SAYS THE STATE HAS COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT SHE THINKS WILL WIN THE SUPPORT OF BOTH FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. SHE SAYS THERE IS A REALISTIC GOAL OF HAVING AFFORDABLE HEPATITIS C DRUGS BY NEXT YEAR.
