8-30-19
A PRETRIAL HEARING IN A 17 COUNT MALFEASANCE CASE AGAINST SUSPENDED LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE WAS HELD YESTERDAY IN LAFAYETTE. POPE IS ACCUSED OF USING 85 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CITY COURT FEES FOR PERSONAL USE. YESTERDAY JUDGE PATRICK MICHOT CONSOLIDATED THE 17 COUNTS WITH TWO OTHER MALFEASANCE CHARGES AGAINST POPE THAT STEM FROM HIS TRAVEL IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY. THE CONSOLIDATED CASE WILL GO TO TRIAL BEFORE JUDGE JOHN TRAHAN ON DECEMBER SECOND WITH ANOTHER PRETRIAL HEARING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER SEVENTH.
A Beauregard Parish school bus driver is accused of driving students to school while under the influence. The American Press reports 60-year-old Tammy Gibson, of DeRidder, faces charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless operation of a vehicle after authorities said they received numerous complaints of her driving recklessly with students in her care. Deputy Police Chief Christopher Rudy says the department first received a 911 call at about 7 a.m. Tuesday from a 15-year-old student who reported the bus driver was “swerving and running stop signs.” Police Chief Craig Richard says Gibson submitted to an alcohol test that indicated no alcohol was present.
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS GATHERED IN THE NEW IBERIA SENIOR HIGH GYM TO REMEMBER 17-YEAR-OLD GARON LEWIS. THE SENIOR WAS SHOT AND KILLED EARLIER THIS MONTH AND HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN A VEHICLE NEAR AUDRY AND RENE STREETS. HIS FATHER, IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT RAYMOND “SHOE-DO” LEWIS, SAID THAT HE’S CONFIDENT THE NEW IBERIA POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS LEADS AND THAT THE LAW AND JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL. HE TOLD THE STUDENTS THAT GUN VIOLENCE IS PLAGUING THE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY SHOULD DEMAND AN END TO VIOLENCE.
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration is working on emergency contracting plans to maintain health services for 1.5 million Louisiana Medicaid patients, while a legal dispute rages over new deals for the work. The health department’s announcement Thursday comes after Louisiana’s chief procurement officer, Paula Tregre(TRAYG), refused to let the agency work on plans to switch some Medicaid contractors in January. Five companies currently manage care for most Medicaid patients. The Edwards administration chose four companies for multibillion-dollar contracts slated to start in 2020. Two losing bidders are formally protesting that decision.
FAMILY MEMBERS OF A WOMAN SHOT AND KILLED OVER A YEAR AGO IN LAFAYETTE SAY THEY STILL DON’T HAVE CLOSURE. GERALD GRUENIG HAS MORE.
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AN INVESTIGATION INTO A DOUBLE HOMOCIDE ON JUNE 14TH IN LAKE CHARLES HAS LED TO THE ARREST OF 17-YEAR-OLD CHARLES DEVONTE MOORE. POLICE LEARNED THAT MOORE ALLEGEDLY SHOT AND KILLED 28-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN RAY CITIZEN OF LAKE CHARLES WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ROB HIM. THEY ALSO BELIEVE CITIZEN SHOT AND KILLED A SECOND TEENAGER, 16-YEAR-OLD ZACHARY DEJUAN REED OF LAKE CHARLES, WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY WITH MOORE AND TRYING TO ROB CITIZEN. MOORE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
THE CROWLEY CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON A NEW BUDGET PROPOSAL AT A SPECIAL MEETING AT FOUR THIS AFTERNOON. THE COUNCIL REJECTED MAYOR TIM MONCEAUX’S FIRST BUDGET PROPOSAL WHICH ADDRESSED A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR DEFICIT. COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED THAT CITY WORKERS WOULD FACE A PAY CUT. IF THIS NEW PROPOSAL DOESN’T PASS, THE CITY WILL BE OPERATING ON FIFTY PERCENT OF LAST YEAR’S BUDGET BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER FIRST UNTIL A NEW BUDGET IS APPROVED.
All K-12 teachers in Louisiana will have access to an app allowing them to press a panic button that immediately calls 911 in the case of an emergency. News outlets report Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Kevin Reeves introduced the app Thursday in Monroe. Edwards says the goal is to increase response time in the event of a shooting, fire, or other health or safety emergency. The state’s 2020 fiscal year budget included $4 million to pay for all public and charter schools to use the Rave Mobile Safety app.
