9-14-16
A MAN WHO WAS SHOT BY A LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICER ONE YEAR AGO HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT. 24-YEAR-OLD TEVIN LEWIS WAS SHOT IN THE BACK BY CORPORAL DWIGHT HUVAL AS HE REFUSED ORDERS TO STAY PUT AND TO DROP A GUN THAT HE HAD IN HIS HAND, ACCORDING TO THEN POLICE CHIEF JIM CRAFT. THE CASE WAS REVIEWED BY THE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AND A GRAND JURY DECLINED TO INDICT HUVAL. LEWIS IS SEEKING UNSPECIFIED DAMAGES IN HIS LAWSUIT.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED NOT TO HIRE A BUILDING CONSULTANT TO HELP WITH A MASTER PLAN FOR FACILITIES. THE MOVE WOULD HAVE COST AS MUCH AS 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS. BOARD MEMBER BILLY BREAUX ARGUED FOR GETTING EXPERTISE FROM LOCAL ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS INSTEAD. HE SAYS THEY WOULD GET PAID WHEN A BOND PASSES.
ALL BOATERS WILL BE ALLOWED ON LAKE MARTIN BEGINNING TODAY, ACCORDING TO ST. MARTIN PARISH PRESIDENT GUY CORMIER. BECAUSE OF THE RECENT FLOODING, ONLY CANOES AND KAYAKS WITH TROLLING MOTORS WERE ALLOWED ON THE LAKE. REPAIRS TO ROOKERY ROAD, WHICH ENCIRLES THE LAKE AND CYPRESS ISLAND RESERVE, IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TODAY. CORMIER SAYS IT SHOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS TO COMPLETE, AND ACCESS TO THE ROOKERY ROAD FROM L-A 353 WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL THEN.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is heading back to Washington to push for federal disaster aid for Louisiana, as he establishes a task force charged with overseeing recovery efforts from the August flooding. The Democratic governor will meet with President Barack Obama and congressional leaders during his Wednesday through Friday visit. He’s seeking a $2.8 billion recovery package that Edwards says is crucial to Louisiana’s rebuilding. The governor acknowledged getting the aid through Congress this month will be “a hard nut to crack.”
A new study says the mid-August flooding’s wreckage of south Louisiana crops and farmland caused an estimated $277 million in damage. The estimate released Tuesday by LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry is more than twice his original damage assessment of what farmers lost in crops, livestock, equipment and increased production costs. The largest August flooding damage hit Louisiana’s soybean and rice crops, estimated at losses of $69 million each. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is traveling to Washington on Wednesday, along with the governor, seeking aid for farmers in the package of disaster recovery requests pending with Congress.
A Lafayette woman has pleaded guilty to stealing mail while she worked as a contract postal carrier. U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley says 72-year-old Helen J. Nelson pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to one count of theft of mail matter by a postal service employee. Nelson faces five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution when sentenced Dec. 15. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General hotline received a complaint in May that a mailed $250 gift card was never received, which led to Nelson’s arrest.
KPLC TV IS REPORTING THAT GUARDS AT THE ALLEN CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN KINDER DON’T FEEL SAFE. TWO GUARDS, WHO SPOKE TO THE TV STATION ANONYMOUSLY, SAY THEY ARE OUTNUMBERED AND ILL EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE INMATES. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT BOOKS ARE IMPROPERLY KEPT DETAILING WHERE INMATES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AND THEY SAY THE PRISON IS A CORRUPT ENVIRONMENT WHERE FEW ARE WILLING TO WORK. LAST MONTH, BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS, EIGHTY EMPLOYEES WERE LAID OFF AS THE FACILITY IS BEING TRANSITIONED FROM A PRISON TO A JAIL.
AUTHORITIES IN ST. LANDRY PARISH ARE INVESTIGATING THE MURDER OF AN ARNAUDVILLE MAN. JULIE DARCE REPORTS.
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