8-25-15
OFFICIALS SAY THE ROOMATE OF A MAN ARRESTED IN A LOUISIANA STATE TROOPER’S DEATH WAS FOUND DEAD MONDAY, AND THE SUSPECT IN THE TROOPER SLAYING IS ALSO THE SUSPECT IN THAT DEATH. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
VOICER F :28
In honor of fallen Louisiana State Trooper Steven Vincent, Gov. Bobby Jindal has ordered flags on all state and parish buildings to be lowered to half-staff and continue to be flown in that manner until sunset Friday. Jindal’s executive order describes Vincent as “an honorable man who proudly served on the Louisiana State Police for 13 years.” He said both men and women in law enforcement risk their lives every day to protect Louisiana’s communities and “we are all extremely grateful for their dedicated service.”
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT IS RECOMMENDING THAT A PROPERTY TAX THAT GOES TO BOTH THE COURTHOUSE AND JAIL BE SEPERATED. THE TAX WAS ENACTED MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN THE JAIL WAS IN THE COURTHOUSE, BUT IT MOVED OUT IN 1984. HE SAYS, OVER THE YEARS, MORE AND MORE OF THE MONEY COLLECTED FOR THAT TAX HAS GONE TO THE JAIL, AND THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW COURTHOUSE. HE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE FUTURE NEEDS FUNDING SOURCES COMMITTEE, WHICH ADVISES THE CITY PARISH COUNCIL ON FUNDING MATTERS.
A MANHUNT IN EVANGELINE PARISH IS OVER. STATE POLICE SAY 28-YEAR-OLD BRANDON MESSER TURNED HIMSELF IN LAST NIGHT. HE’S ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING A DOG, AND THREATENING A PASTOR, CHURCH MEMBERS AND COPS. THE EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS MESSER WAS ARMED WITH, WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE, AN ASSAULT RIFLE AND FIRED MULTIPLE ROUNDS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH PARKING LOT, KILLING A DOG.
Calcasieu Parish schools will offer six credit hours of dual enrollment with McNeese State University to high school seniors interested in pursuing a degree in education. There will be a three-credit-hour course offered online in both the fall and spring semesters, and all expenses, including registration fees, will be paid by the school system. The courses will count as both high school and college credit. To be eligible, seniors must have a 2.75 GPA and ACT scores of 19 for math, 18 for English and 18 composite.
IT’S BEEN MORE THAN ONE MONTH SINCE JOHN RUSSEL HOUSER SHOT AND KILLED TWO PEOPLE AND INJURED NINE OTHERS BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF AT THE GRAND THEATRE IN LAFAYETTE. SINCE THEN, THE THEATRE HAS BEEN CLOSED AND BARRICADED. SOUTHERN THEATRES, THE OWNER OF THE GRAND THEATRE, HAS STILL ISSUED NO STATEMENTS ON WHETHER IT WILL BE REOPENED. WHEN TWELVE PEOPLE WERE SHOT AND KILLED AT THE CENTURY AURORA THEATRE IN COLORADO, IT WAS SIX MONTHS LATER BEFORE THEY REOPENED, INCLUDING A ONE MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION.
A NEW CRIME TASK FORCE HAS BEEN FORMED IN VERMILLION PARISH. IT HAS SIX MEMBERS FROM THE VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE ABBEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE F-B-I, AND STATE POLICE. SHERIFF MIKE COUVILLION SAYS THE IMPETUS FOR THE NEW TASK FORCE CAME BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN HOMOCIDES AND SHOOTINGS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. HE SAYS ABBEVILLE CITY LEADERS REACHED OUT TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR HELP.
The Louisiana Department of the Treasury has returned $150,506 in unclaimed money to hundreds of residents during an event in Baton Rouge. State Treasurer John Kennedy, in a statement Monday, said one lady found $20,000 during Saturday’s Unclaimed Property event at the Mall of Louisiana. Kennedy says a person has a better chance of finding unclaimed property than of winning the lottery. Those who missed the event are encouraged to search for missing money online at L-A Treasury.com or call toll-free at 1-888-925-4127 Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
