9-12-18
A SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY AFTER A STANDOFF WITH AUTHORITIES IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
VOICER C :21
A DRIVER CRASHED HIS CAR INTO A UTILITY POLE AT THE CORNER OF PRIEN LAKE ROAD AND COMMON STREET THIS MORNING IN LAKE CHARLES. THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE LAKE CHARLES FIRE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT THE BLAZE UNDER CONTROL. POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE DRIVER, WHO FLED THE SCENE.
THE CITY OF NEW IBERIA HAS HAD NINE HOMOCIDES THIS YEAR, BUT NONE SINCE THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS RE-ESTABLISHED IN JULY. COUNCILWOMAN SHERRY GUIDRY, WHOSE DISTRICT HAD THE LAST HOMOCIDE, TELLS KLFY TV THAT CRIME HAS DROPPED IN HER DISTRICT AND THE POLICE AND CITY ADMINISTRATION HAVE FOCUSED ON CLEARING BLIGHTED HOMES. COUNCILMAN MARLON LEWIS, WHO REPRESENTS A HIGH CRIME DISTRICT, SAYS THINGS HAVE CALMED DOWN WITH LESS GUN VIOLENCE AND GUN ACTIVITY. ON OCTOBER EIGHTH, NINETY DAYS AFTER THE REOPENING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, A TOWN HALL MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE M-L-K CENTER TO DISCUSS ANY CONCERNS RESIDENTS HAVE.
Louisiana is sending nearly 100 emergency personnel to the Carolinas ahead of Hurricane Florence’s landfall. The state emergency preparedness office announced Tuesday that Louisiana will help support North Carolina’s and South Carolina’s storm response efforts. The Louisiana fire marshal’s office is sending a water-rescue team and an urban search-and-rescue team to South Carolina, along with other emergency workers. Louisiana’s emergency preparedness office says other agencies are working to fill additional Florence-related requests as well, because of their extensive experience dealing with storms.
A ROAD PROJECT TO EXPAND KALISTE SALOOM IN LAFAYETTE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE UP TO THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR MARK DUBROC, WHO ALONG WITH MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX, GAVE AN UPDATE TO MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE AT A MEETING MONDAY AT WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY. ROBIDEAUX SAYS THE PROJECT HAS BEEN DELAYED FOR YEARS BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING RIGHTS OF WAYS AND FUNDING PROBLEMS. PLANS CALL FOR WIDENING TWO-POINT-TWO MILES OF KALISTE SALOOM BETWEEN E BROUSSARD TO NEAR CUE ROAD, ADDING TWO TRAVEL LANES AND A TURN LANE, WITH A ROUNDABOUT AT KALISTE SALOOM AND E BROUSSARD.
A LAKE CHARLES RESTAURANT HAS MADE THE SWITCH FROM PLASTIC TO PAPER STRAWS. SUSAN LALONDE, THE OWNER OF TIA JUANITA’S FISH CAMP, SAYS SHE MADE THE SWITCH TO HELP REDUCE WASTE IN THE LAKE AREA. SHE SAYS CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN POSITIVE ABOUT THE CHANGE AND SHE’S HOPING TO INSPIRE OTHER BUSINESSES TO DO THE SAME. LALONDE SAYS PAPER STRAWS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE BUT THE BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT ARE WORTH THE COST.
THE THREAT OF A LAWSUIT BY RECENTLY FIRED SUPERINTENDENT LOTTIE BEEBE LED THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD TO MEET IN SPECIAL SESSION YESTERDAY. BY A SIX-TO FOUR VOTE LAST WEDNESDAY, THE SCHOOL BOARD TERMINATED THE CONTRACT OF BEEBE, BUT SHE’S CONTINUED TO GO TO WORK EACH DAY ON THE ADVICE OF HER LAWYER, LANE ROY. DURING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION YESTERDAY, THE BOARD AND BEEBE DECIDED TO TRY AND RESOLVE HER TERMINATION WITHOUT A LAWSUIT. ROY SAYS HE EXPECTS A SOLUTION BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
LAST NIGHT THE OPELOUSAS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE 2018-19 BUDGET BY A 5-TO-ONE VOTE. THE COUNCIL HAS HAD TROUBLES IN THE PAST GETTING BUDGETS APPROVED INCLUDING LAST YEAR WHEN THE COUNCIL DIDN’T APPROVE A BUDGET UNTIL OCTOBER AND, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, IN FEBRUARY. MAYOR REGGIE TATUM ANNOUNCED THAT THE BUDGET IS SET AND EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT APPROVED FOR LAST YEAR’S BUDGET. THE OPELOUSAS CITY GOVERNMENT’S FISCAL YEAR BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER FIRST.
