9-1-25
A NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD MAN, WHO SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES IN A CRASH LAST TUESDAY IN IBERIA PARISH, HAS DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD COLBI BLANCHARD OF THIBODAUX WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF A FORD FUSION RAN INTO AN INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED IN THE PAINTED GORE AREA OF AN OFF RAMP FROM HIGHWAY NINETY TO L-A SIX-SEVENTY-FIVE. STATE POLICE BELIEVE DRIVER FATIGUE PLAYED A FACTOR IN THE CRASH.
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET’S NEWLY ESTABLISHED VETERAN’S AFFAIR COMMISSION HELD ITS FIRST MEETING. LAYNE MILLER HAS MORE.
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THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAS ISSUED A FINAL EXPORT AUTHORIZATION TO COMMONWEALTH L-N-G FOR A LARGE LIQUFIED NATURAL GAS PROJECT IN CAMERON PARISH. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED TO EXPORT UP TO ONE POINT-TWO-ONE BILLION CUBIC FEET PER DAY OF NATURAL GAS AS L-N-G TO COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT HAVE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH THE U-S. D-O-E SECRETARY CHRIS WRIGHT SAYS THAT FINALIZING THE AUTHORIZATION MOVES THE U-S CLOSER TO DELIVERING MORE LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS TO THE WORLD. THE PROJECT WILL BE BUILT ON THE WEST BANK OF THE CALCASIEU SHIP CHANNEL NEAR CAMERON.
LOUISIANA CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS SENT A LETTER TO HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON LETTING HIM KNOW HE INTENDS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE. IN A LETTER, HIGGINS SAYS HE’S LEAVING DUE TO DIFFERING PRINCIPLES FROM OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS. HIGGINS SAYS HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HAVE CHOSEN AN ALTERNATE PATH FOR THE COMMITTEE THAT’S MORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LESS CONSERVATIVE FACTIONS OF THE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE. HE SAYS THOSE FACTIONS CORE PRINCIPLES ARE QUITE VARIANT FROM HIS OWN CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON KEY ISSUES LIKE AMNESY, ICE OPERATIONS AND OPPOSITION TO A SURVEILLANCE STATE.
THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAVE IMPLEMENTED NEW SAFETY MEASURES TO ALL SCHOOL CAMERAS TO ENHANCE SECURITY. IT’S CALLED THE RAPTOR APP AND SUPERINTENDENT TOMMY BYLER SAYS IT PROVIDES REAL-TIME ALERTS AND LOCKDOWN CAPABILITIES, SO SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN BE NOTIFIED OF A THREAT IMMEDIATELY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE NOW HAS ACCESS TO SCHOOL CAMERAS ALLOWING THEM TO MONITOR CAMPUSES IN REAL TIME. SHERIFF EDDIE LANGLINAIS SAYS HE’S EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE SAFETY PROVIDED TO STUDENTS AND FACULTY.
A FORMER LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICER, ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING A MAN AT A LAFAYETTE HOTEL, HAS MADE HIS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE. NO TRIAL DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THIRTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD KYLE JAGNEAUX, WHO FACES A CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. HE ALLEGEDLY SHOT AND KILLED FORTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD PHILLIP FRANCIS JUNIOR OF LAFAYETTE IN THE LOBBY OF THE WOODSPRING SUITES ON HUGH WALLIS ROAD ON FRIDAY, AUGUST TWENTY-SECOND. A VIGIL WAS HELD THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY FOR FRANCIS AT DEBAILLON PARK IN LAFAYETTE, WHERE GUNFIRE ERUPTED AND A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL WAS WOUNDED.
A NATIVE OF NATCHITOCHES HAS MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF TRAVELING THE COUNTRY PAINTING MURALS TO SPOTLIGHT CITIES. MATTHEW YERBY, WHO NOW LIVES IN LOS ANGELES, MADE HIS LATEST STOP IN DERIDDER, WHERE HE’S PAINTED A NEW MURAL ON THE SIDE OF THE DANCE STOP ON FIRST STREET. CITY OFFICIALS GAVE YERBY A FEW IDEAS THEY WANTED TO DISPLAY. THIS IS THE FIRST MURAL DURING THE TERM OF MAYOR MICHAEL HARRIS, WHO SAYS HE WANTS TO ADD MORE ART TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE.
THE CITY OF OPELOUSAS IS PREPARING TO OPEN ITS FIRST ANIMAL SHELTER. THE CITY IS TURNING A VACANT BUILDING ON CROSS STREET INTO THE SHELTER, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO OPEN LATE THIS FALL. PLANS FOR THE SHELTER INCLUDES AREAS FOR DOG WALKING AND PLAYTIME AND A WELCOMING SPACE FOR POTENTIAL ADOPTERS TO MEET THE ANIMALS. CURRENTLY ALL CALLS FOR STRAY AND ABANDONED ANIMALS HAS FALLEN TO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER JOEY STELLY, WHO OPERATES A MAKESHIFT SHELTER AT THE CITY WORK YARD.
