8-24-15
The head of the Louisiana State Police says a man accused of shooting a state trooper with a sawed-off shotgun told him afterward, “You’re lucky — you’re going to die soon.” Col. Mike Edmonson said Sunday night that 43-year-old Senior Trooper Steven Vincent was fighting for his life after being shot in the head by a man whose pickup truck was stuck sideways in a ditch. Edmonson says 54-year-old Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles, was under arrest at a hospital where he was taken after other motorists saw the fallen policeman and wrestled Daigle to the ground. Edmonson says police video showed Vincent professionally trying to talk a man out of the truck.
CONFIDENCE IN THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMY BY LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS IS AT RECORD LOWS, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY A LOCAL U-L LAFAYETTE ASSOCIATE PROFESSER. LINUS WILSON OF THE B-I MOODY THE THIRD COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A QUARTERLY SURVEY OF ABOUT THIRTY LOCAL COMPANY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS WHO BELONG TO THE ACADIANA C-F-O ROUNDTABLE. HIS LATEST SURVEY FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, CALLED THE MOODY COLLEGE BUSINESS SENTIMENT INDEX, SAW A RECORD LOW RESULT OF 34-POINT-8 OUT OF A POSSIBLE ONE HUNDRED. BACK IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, THE INDEX WAS AT 67, A RECORD HIGH.
UNUSUALLY HIGH AMOUNTS OF RAIN IN THE SPRING FOLLOWED BY AN EXCESSIVE DRY SPELL HAS LED TO POOR SOYBEAN CROPS IN ACADIANA. LAST YEAR, LOUISIANA SOYBEAN FARMERS LED THE NATION WITH RECORD CROPS OF 57 BUSHELS OF SOYBEANS PER ACRE. EUNICE AGRONOMIST ANDRE FABACHER OF THE SANDERS SEED SUPPLY COMPANY TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT GENERAOUS ESTIMATES SHOW POTENTIAL YIELDS THIS YEAR OF BETWEEN TWENTY TO 25 BUSHELS OF SOYBEANS PER ACRES. HE SAYS MANY SOYBEAN FARMERS WILL EITHER HAVE TO MAKE INSURANCE CLAIMS, ACCEPT GOVERNMENT AID, OR FIND WAYS TO FILL ORDERS OR EXTEND CROPS THAT DIDN’T PRODUCE.
A Maryland firm that lost a $200 million Louisiana state contract to process Medicaid claims has sued a whistleblower, accusing him of making false statements that resulted in the cancellation of the contract. The Advocate reports that Client Network Services Inc. is seeking more than $30 million in damages from Stephen Smith, the company’s former senior vice president. Smith cooperated with a state grand jury probe that led to the 2014 indictment of Louisiana’s health secretary, Bruce Greenstein, on charges related to the contract’s award. Meanwhile, Louisiana Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell said the state investigation continues into potential wrongdoing by CNSI.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN EARLY MORNING SHOOTING THAT LEFT ONE PERSON IN CRITICAL CONDITION. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A LAKE ARTHUR MAN COULD BE CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMOCIDE FOR AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF A FORT POLK SOLDIER. THE SOLDIER, 22-YEAR-OLD DEVIN LEE OLMOS OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS WAS WALKING ALONG L-A 385 SOUTH OF LAKE CHARLES AT AROUND 3:55 SUNDAY MORNING WHEN HE WAS HIT BY A PASSING VEHICLE AND LATER DIED AT A LAKE CHARLES HOSPITAL. STATE POLICE SPOKESMAN SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON SAYS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FAILED AN ALCOHOL BREATH TEST. THE DRIVER, 37-YEAR-OLD MARCUS DEVIN PETTIFIELD, WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO IN OPELOUSAS IS SHUTTING DOWN. MANAGER BILLY MOBLY IS BEGINNING A GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE TODAY, AND EXPECTS TO CLOSE IN ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. HE SAYS SUMMER IS USUALLY THE BUSIEST TIME, BUT SALES WERE DOWN THIRTY PERCENT OVER LAST YEAR. MOBLEY OWNED THE STORE AS AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY BECAUSE BLOCKBUSTER’S PARENT COMPANY SHUT DOWN THEIR REMAINING STORES IN JANUARY.
Three state officials are on the witness list of former Lafayette Parish Superintendent Pat Cooper, who sued after his firing in 2014. Cooper’s wrongful termination lawsuit against the Lafayette Parish School Board is slated to go to trial on Sept. 21 before District Judge Patrick Michot, barring a settlement. The Advertiser reports) Cooper’s witness list includes State Education Superintendent John White, State Sen. Elbert Guillory and State Rep. Steve Carter, according to court documents filed by Cooper’s attorney, Lane Roy. The board fired Cooper in November 2014 following months of strife over personnel and budget issues.
