8-15-24
AT A SPECIAL MEETING YESTERDAY, THE LAFAYETTE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD VOTED TO REHIRE DANNY GILLANE AS THE PERMANENT DIRECTOR AFTER THE OTHER SEMIFINALIST WITHDREW HER APPLICATION. A YEAR AGO, GILLANE WAS FIRED BY THE BOARD BUT IN APRIL HE WAS REHIRED AS INTERIM DIRECTOR. GILLANE THANKED THE BOARD FOR BRINGING HIM BACK ON A PERMANENT BASIS. GILLANE’S SALARY, STARTING WITH THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING NOVEMBER FIRST, WILL BE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
TWO-YEAR-OLD KAISOR LOUIS HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE AFTER HE WAS ALLEGEDLY ABDUCTED BY HIS NONCUSTODIAL MOTHER FROM A DAYCARE ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. ACCORDING TO SAINT MARTINVILLE POLICE, THE MOTHER, MESHAYA JOHNSON, WEARING A DISGUISE, CAME UP FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED THE GRANDMOTHER DOWN BEFORE TAKING THE CHILD. POLICE CHIEF RICKEY MARTIN SAYS THE DAYCARE WORKERS TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO STOP JOHNSON. MARTIN SAYS SHE COULD FACE CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING AND SIMPLE BATTERY.
A BABY IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER BEING LEFT IN A HOT CAR TUESDAY AFTERNOON. JENNINGS POLICE CHIEF DANNY SEMMES SAYS THE BABY HAD BEEN IN THE HOT CAR FOR AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF WHEN SHE WAS FOUND. THE MOTHER TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT SHE HAD BEEN CALLED INTO WORK AND INADVERTENTLY LEFT THE GIRL IN THE CAR. AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
LOUISIANA’S JUVENILE INCARCERATION RATE IS NEARLY DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ACCORDING TO STUDIES. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
VOICER Q :18
A MURDER INVESTIGATION IN LAFAYETTE RESULTED IN DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING A CASE OF CRUELTY TO THE INFIRMED. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER R :32
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS GATHERED IN VILLE PLATTE YESTERDAY TO DISCUSS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE JUVENILE CRIME. MAYOR RYAN LEDAY WILLIAMS SAYS THEY ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO FIND EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF BUSINESSES WHILE PROVIDING YOUTHS WITH OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED TO CHOOSE A POSITIVE PATH FORWARD. POLICE CHIEF PERRY THOMAS HIGHLIGHTED A SHOOTING MONDAY AFTERNOON AT THE GABRIEL VILLA APARTMENT COMPLEX IN WHICH A JUVENILE SHOT AND WOUNDED A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD MAN. BILL MOORE WITH THE STATE POLICE SAYS THEY ARE SEEING A LOT OF YOUTHS INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD GANGS THAT ARE VERY TERRITORIAL.
A CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY HAS BEEN FIRED AND ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY BRINGING CONTRABAND INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER. TWENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER RYAN OF LAKE CHARLES, WHO HAS BEEN A DEPUTY FOR ONE YEAR, WAS CHARGED WITH MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE AND PROHIBITED CONTRABAND IN A PENAL INSTITUTION. SHERIFF STITCH GUILLORY DID NOT SAY SPECIFICALLY WHAT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE PRISON, BUT RYAN IS ACCUSED OF RECEIVING PAYMENT FOR THE CONTRABAND. GUILLORY SAYS THEY LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AFTER RECEIVING A TIP.
A WASHINGTON MAN WAS ARRESTED BY SAINT LANDRY PARISH DEPUTIES FOR ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING AT A TRUCK ON HIS PROPERTY WITH FOUR YOUTHS IN IT. AUTHORITIES SAY THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK WAS SPEEDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD AND DOING DONUTS NEAR POINTE VERDE ROAD IN THE WASHINGTON AREA. THIRTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CARROLL SOILEAU JUNIOR IS ACCUSED OF SHINING A LIGHT AT THE TRUCK TWICE AND, ON THE THIRD TIME, SHOOTING AT THE VEHICLE, HITTING ONE OF THE YOUTHS IN THE LEG. SOILEAU HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A FIREARM AND AGGRAVATED SECOND-DEGREE BATTERY.
