8-18-23
A FORMER SAINT THOMAS MORE HIGH TEACHER WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY FOR CRIMES INVOLVING MINORS. ANGEL RAFAEL CARDONA FACES TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED PRODUCTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONE COUNT OF ENTICING A MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY. CARDONA WAS ARRESTED IN JULY. HE WAS HIRED TO START TEACHING THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BUT HIS ARREST CAME BEFORE HE EVER SET FOOT IN A CLASSROOM.
A BREAUX BRIDGE WOMAN IS IN STABLE CONDITION AT A HOSPITAL AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY FOUR PIT BULLS. THE ATTACK ON BERTHA ANDRUS HAPPENED AT THE CORNER OF LANDRY AND BABINEAUX STREET. HER SISTER, PRANELLA ANDRUS, TELLS KLFY TV THAT BERTHA WAS HELPING A FRIEND, WHO WAS HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, WHEN THE DOGS ATTACKED. PRANELLA SAYS SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE DOGS ARE STILL WITH THEIR OWNER AND HAVE NOT BEEN CONFISCATED.
THERE WERE MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE WILDFIRES THAT BURNED IN LOUISIANA OVER THE PAST WEEK. NEARLY TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED ACRES WERE DAMAGED BY THE FIRE SINCE THE MIDDLE OF LAST WEEK, WHICH IS AS MUCH LAND AS BURNED IN ALL OF LOUISIANA IN TWENTY-NINETEEN. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY SAYS THE RECENT FIRES CAUSED AN ESTIMATED THREE-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO CROPS, WOODLANDS AND BUILDINGS. THE STATE ISSUED A BURN BAN ON AUGUST SEVENTH.
LAST NIGHT THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A ONE-TIME PAY SUPPLEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES. CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS WHILE SUPPORT STAFF GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE MONEY IS COMING FROM THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, WHICH WAS SET UP DURING THE PANDEMIC. ONCE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVES THE PAY SUPPLEMENT, IT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH.
YOUNGSVILLE POLICE CHIEF RICKEY BOUDREAUX ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK HIS RETIREMENT DUE TO MEDICAL ISSUES, WHICH TAKES EFFECT MONDAY. TWO SOURCES TELL THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE INTERVIEWED TWO CANDIDATES FOR INTERIM CHIEF WHO ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED WITH THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE. THIRTY-THREE OF THE THIRTY-EIGHT EMPLOYEES IN THE YOUNGSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE SIGNED A PETITION URGING THE COUNCIL TO APPOINT DEPUTY CHIEF GABRIEL THOMPSON TO THE POSITION. MAYOR KEN RITTER SAYS THE PROBLEM IS CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM ENDORSING OR SUPPORTING CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
TODD MCKELLAR OF GLENMORA WAS DISQUALIFIED TO RUN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT THIRTY-EIGHT. THAT MEANS INCUMBENT RHONDA BUTLER OF VILLE PLATTE HAS NO CHALLENGERS AND WILL SERVE A SECOND TERM. MCKELLAR’S DISQUALIFICATION CAME BECAUSE HE HAD NOT LIVED IN THE DISTRICT LONG ENOUGH. TWO EVANGELINE PARISH VOTERS CHALLENGED MCKELLAR’S ELIGIBILITY AND IT WAS UPHELD WEDNESDAY BY THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT.
SEVERAL CHANGES ARE COMING TO SNAP BENEFITS BEGINNING NEXT MONTH. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS THE DETAILS.
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HERE’S SYLVIA MASTERS AGAIN WITH A TRAVEL ALERT FOR DRIVERS WHO TRAVEL ON I-TEN BETWEEN LAFAYETTE AND BATON ROUGE.
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