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THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAS DISTRIBUTED 322 MILLION DOLLARS TO HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE STATE THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE RECENT FLOODS. IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, THEY’VE DISTRIBUTED 14-POINT-9 MILLION. 79-HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS REGISTERED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM FEMA IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. FEMA COORDINATING OFFICER CHRIS VAN ALSTYNE SAYS THAT ANYBODY WHO GOT A REJECTION LETTER SHOULD READ IT CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT MAY BE SOMETHING SIMPLE THAT LED TO THE DENIAL, WHICH COULD EASILY BE CORRECTED.
STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO FEMA ABOUT THE SPEED WITH WHICH FLOODING VICTIMS ARE BEING GIVEN TEMPORARY SHELTER. SO FAR, ONLY ONE MOBILE HOME HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE THREE WEEKS AFTER THE FLOODING BEGAN. GERARD STOLER OF FEMA SAYS THE PROBLEM IS THE PROCESS OF SECURING MOBILE HOME SITES IS COMPLICATED. HE SAYS HE HOPES MORE VICTIMS APPLY FOR THE SHELTER AT HOME PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES UP TO 15 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MAKE HOMES LIVEABLE WHILE MORE PERMANENT REPAIRS ARE MADE.
FLOOD VICTIMS STAYING AT THE RED CROSS SHELTER AT THE HEYMANN CENTER IN LAFAYETTE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IN A MATTER OF DAYS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A LAKE CHARLES RESIDENT HAS A SINKHOLE THAT’S THREE FEET DEEP AND GROWING IN HER BACKYARD. HOLLY LEGGETT TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE HOLE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR FOUR YEARS AND SHE HAS BEEN ASKING THE CITY FOR HELP FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IN THE MEANTIME, SHE’S PUT A FENCE AROUND IT TO KEEP PETS AND PEOPLE FROM FALLING IN IT. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR MISTER EDWARDS SAYS THEY HAVE SCHEDULED A REMOVAL OF A TREE ON THE PROPERTY AND, ONCE THAT’S DONE, THEY’LL RESEAL THE HOLE AND PUT TOPSOIL OVER IT.
A federal prosecutor says a Patterson man has been sentenced to five years in prison in a tax fraud case. U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley’s news release says 37-year-old Louis W. Carbins was sentenced Monday on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, theft of government money and aggravated identity theft. The release says Carbins and a co-defendant allowed people overseas to use stolen identities to file phony tax returns. The resulting fraudulent refunds were directed to accounts of Carbins and 40-year-old Laphrida Watts of Morgan City, who pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy and identity theft charges.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS HAS RECEIVED CRITICISM FOR BRINGING IN LAWYERS ON A CONTROVERSIAL LAWSUIT AGAINST OIL AND GAS COMPANIES WHO WERE TOP DONORS FOR HIS CAMPAIGN. THE TEAM OF ATTORNEYS COMBINED TO CONTRIBUTE 130 THOUSAND DOLLARS LAST YEAR TO HIS CAMPAIGN AND TRANSITION TEAM. MELISSA LANDRY OF THE GROUP LOUISIANA LAWSUIT ABUSE WATCH TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THERE’S A PERCEPTION THE GOVERNOR IS TURNING HIS OFFICE INTO A PRIVATE LAW FIRM. EDWARD’S EXECUTIVE COUNSEL MATTHEW BLOCK SAYS EDWARD IS A LAWYER AND WAS MERELY BRINGING IN PEOPLE THAT HE TRUSTS.
THE SECOND DEGREE MURDER TRIAL OF WOODROW KAREY OF LAKE CHARLES IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 12TH. KAREY IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING PASTOR RONALD HARRIS NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO IN THE MIDDLE OF A REVIVAL SERVICE AT THE TABERNACLE OF PRAISE WORSHIP CENTER. YESTERDAY A COURT HEARING WAS HELD TO DETERMINE THE RULES FOR THE TRIAL. JUDGE CLAYTON DAVIS SAYS HE WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSE TO ONLY PRESENT INFORMATION THAT’S RELEVANT TO THEIR CASE AND NOT TO DEVOLVE INTO VICTIM BASHING.
THREE PEOPLE FROM ST. LANDRY PARISH ARE ACCUSED OF HOLDING A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL JAMBOREE AFTER PARTY IN WHICH BEER WAS SOLD. INVESTIGATORS WITH THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN 250 GUESTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 23 AT THE PARTY HOSTED AT THE HOME OF BOBBY AND CONNIE JOHNSON OF LEONVILLE. A BRAWL BROKE OUT AT THE PARTY AT AROUND 1:30 A-M SATURDAY, AND TWO PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR INJURIES. THE JOHNSONS FACE FIVE COUNTS OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A JUVENILE AND FIVE COUNTS OF UNLAWFUL SALES OF ALCOHOL TO UNDERAGE PERSONS, WHILE ADAM MECHE OF ARNAUDVILLE, WHO COLLECTED AN ENTRY FEE FROM EACH DRIVER, FACES THREE COUNTS OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A JUVENILE.
