9-18-23
THE U-S MARSHAL’S OFFICE HAS MADE AN ARREST IN THE MURDER OF YOUNGSVILLE TEENAGER JAVION BATISTE. NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD JODY W. VITAL (VEE tal) OF BROUSSARD HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, FALSE IMPRISONMENT AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. HIS BOND WAS SET AT THREE MILLION DOLLARS. IN JULY, BATISTE WAS REPORTED MISSING AND A WEEK LATER, HIS BODY WAS FOUND IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD OFF OF LANDRY ROAD IN IBERIA PARISH.
ABOUT NINE THOUSAND L-U-S CUSTOMERS ARE UNDER A BOIL WATER ADVISORY BECAUSE OF A WATER MAIN BREAK THAT WAS CAUSED BY CONTRACTORS WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE AREA. THE AREAS AFFECTED ARE NORTH OF SOUTH COLLEGE ROAD, SOUTH OF WILLOW STREET, WEST OF EAST PINHOOK ROAD AND EAST OF BERTRAND DRIVE. CUSTOMERS NEED TO BOIL THEIR WATER VIGOROUSLY FOR AT LEAST ONE FULL MINUTE PRIOR TO DRINKING, BRUSHING TEETH, USING FOR FOOD PREP OR RINSING FOOD. MYRTLE PLACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLOSED EARLY YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THE WATERLINE BREAK, BUT SCHOOL WILL RESUME TODAY.
Attorneys for 10 states and some Louisiana local governments hope a federal judge will block a new system for calculating rates for federal flood insurance. Arguments were being heard Thursday in New Orleans federal court over rates that the government began phasing in in 2021. Annual increases are limited to 18%, and the government says the new rate-computing method has led to reductions or little to no increase for most policy holders. But the figures also show increases over the years in some areas will surpass 700%.
A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD WAS ARRESTED BY CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES FOR A HIT-AND-RUN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THAT LEFT A BICYCLIST WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. A MAN WAS TRAVELING ON A BIKE ON CLAIBORNE STREET IN SULPHUR AT AROUND NINE P-M WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE THAT LEFT THE SCENE. AUTHORITIES MADE CONTACT WITH THE JUVENILE DRIVER, AND THEY DETECTED SIGNS OF IMPAIRMENT WHEN TALKING WITH HIM. HE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH HIT-AND-RUN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND D-W-I FIRST OFFENSE.
A CRUCIFIX WAS STOLEN SOMETIME LAST WEEK FROM THE HEADSTONE OF CHARLENE RICHARD IN CHURCH POINT. RICHARD HAS COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE LITTLE CAJUN SAINT AFTER HER COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH LEUKEMIA BACK IN NINETEEN-FIFTY-NINE. THE PASTOR OF SAINT EDWARD CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHURCH POINT SAYS RICHARD CLUNG TO THE CRUCIFIX IN HER LAST MOMENTS. HE SAYS HE HOPES IT IS RETURNED AND IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ON THE CROSS, IT CAN BE RETURNED WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
THE NAMESAKE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS DIED WEDNESDAY AT THE AGE OF NINETY-SEVEN. BRAXTON B-I MOODY THE THIRD WAS A GRADUATE OF RAYNE HIGH SCHOOL THEN HE WENT TO U-L, THEN KNOWN AS S-L-I, OFTEN HITCHHIKING TO GET TO SCHOOL FROM RAYNE, WHERE HE EARNED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. MOODY WAS THE FOUNDING PARTNER OF THE C-P-A FIRM MOODY, BROUSSARD, POCHE AND GUIDRY. MOODY AND HIS WIFE, THELMA HEBERT OF RAYNE, WERE MARRIED SEVENTY YEARS BEFORE HER DEATH IN TWENTY-SEVENTEEN.
A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a judge’s order to remove juvenile detainees by Friday from a former death row building at an adult penitentiary in Louisiana. Attorneys for the youths have until noon Friday to file any opposition to the stay request. Last week, a federal judge ordered the Sept. 15 deadline for the removal of the youths temporarily housed at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Juvenile detainees and their advocates allege that youths have been held in harmful conditions at the maximum-security prison, while proponents argue the space is needed to house “high-risk” aggressive youths.
THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH GOVERNMENT IS THE LATEST VICTIM OF A FALSE JOB POSTING. DANIELLE DUNCAN HAS MORE.
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