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8-19-19

Even after Hurricane Katrina ended her political career and cancer robbed her of her strength, former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco still described her life as “charmed.” The state’s first elected female governor refused again and again to wallow in disappointment or disaster.  A pioneering woman in Louisiana politics, Blanco died Sunday at age 76 in hospice care in Lafayette after battling an incurable cancer.  A Democrat, Blanco held Louisiana’s top elected job from 2004 to 2008.

 

A LAFAYETTE MAN WAS KILLED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH BEFORE ONE A-M SUNDAY MORNING.  STATE POLICE SAY THAT 23-YEAR-OLD RONQUAIL OLLISON WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON L-A 357 IN ST. LANDRY PARISH WHEN HE STARTED TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND OVER-CORRECTED, CAUSING HIS CAR TO OVERTURN.  OLLISON, WHO WASN’T WEARING A SEATBELT, WAS EJECTED.  HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.  STANDARD TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN TO DETERMINE IF OLLISON WAS IMPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

 

ONE OF THE STALWARTS IN CAJUN MUSIC PASSED AWAY SATURDAY MORNING.  LESA CORMIER OF THE BAND THE SUNDOWN PLAYBOYS WAS 88 YEARS OLD.  HE WAS BORN IN LAFAYETTE BUT SPENT MUCH OF HIS LIFE IN LAKE CHARLES.  CORMIER’S FUNERAL WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT TWO AT CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAKE CHARLES.

 

THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS BEGUN AN INVESTIGATION AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND IN THE BEGGS AREA.  GERALD GRUENIG HAS MORE.

 

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Four Louisiana men say they’ll plead guilty to charges that they tried to bribe a Mississippi sheriff with $2,000 in casino chips, seeking lucrative jail contracts.

Michael LeBlanc Sr. of Baton Rouge, Michael LeBlanc Jr. of Prairieville, Tawasky Ventroy of Opelousas and Jacque Jones of LaPlace have filed notices saying they will change their pleas.  All are accused of scheming to win contracts to sell inmates phone service and commissary goods at a jail in Mississippi’s Kemper County. The indictment also says the men paid former Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps $2,000 for help in getting contracts.

 

A BOUNCER AT A LAFAYETTE NIGHTCLUB IS IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER BEING SHOT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.  CORPORAL BRIDGETTE DUGAS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT LED TO THE SHOOTING, WHICH HAPPENED AT AROUND 1:26 A-M SUNDAY.  SHE SAYS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CLUB BEGAN RUNNING OUT OF THE BUILDING WHEN THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AND THE SUSPECT GOT AWAY BY BLENDING IN WITH THE CROWD AS THEY RAN OUT.  POLICE HAVE INTERVIEWED SEVERAL PEOPLE BUT HAVE NOT YET IDENTIFIED THE SHOOTER.

 

The Louisiana National Guard’s newest general is a high school assistant principal and sports coach in daily life.  A news release says Damian “Keith” Waddell of Lake Charles was promoted to brigadier general recently at Camp Beauregard in Pineville.  His new rank makes the New Roads native the adjutant general’s principal adviser, responsible for helping deploy and coordinate programs, policies and plans for the Louisiana Army and Air National Guard.  In civilian life Waddell’s an assistant principal at Westlake High School. He was named state High School Coach of the Year in baseball in 2003 and basketball in 2005.

 

THE SON OF AN IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WAS SHOT AND KILLED INSIDE HIS CAR FRIDAY NIGHT.  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RAYMOND “SHOE-DO” LEWIS SAYS HIS 17-YEAR-OLD SON, GARRON, WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN HIS SENIOR YEAR AT NEW IBERIA HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS GOING TO PLAY QUARTERBACK FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM.  LEWIS SAYS HIS FAMILY IS IN A STATE OF SHOCK.  HE TELLS KATC-TV HE BELIEVES HIS SON WAS SET UP BECAUSE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED ON RENE STREET, AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE THERE.