9-19-19
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS A BODY FOUND IN A DITCH IN THE BEGGS AREA ON AUGUST 18TH IS THAT OF A WOMAN FROM HOUSTON WHO HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE AUGUST 16TH. SHE IS 44-YEAR-OLD DEMTRIS LINCOLN AND AN AUTOPSY DID NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE OF DEATH, ACCORDING TO DEPUTY CHIEF EDDIE THIBODEAUX. HE SAYS THAT HER BODY WAS MOVED AFTER SHE DIED SO THEY DO SUSPECT FOUL PLAY. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE CASE IS ASKED TO CALL ST. LANDRY CRIME STOPPERS AT 948-TIPS.
A 32-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS EXTRADITED THIS WEEK FROM FORT BEND TEXAS TO LAKE CHARLES TO FACE A CHARGE OF FELONY SEXUAL BATTERY. THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO BARRY VEALE LAST YEAR AFTER HE WAS ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD. A CALCASIEU PARISH GRAND JURY INDICTED VEALE ON AUGUST 22ND AND AN ARREST WARRANT WAS ISSUED THE SAME DAY. VEALE WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON TUESDAY AND WAS OUT ON BOND LATER THAT DAY.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and his leading Republican opponent Ralph Abraham each have picked up high-profile endorsements. Abraham, a third-term congressman, won the support Wednesday of U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins.
Edwards again won the backing of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, which supported him in 2015. The first debate ahead of the Oct. 12 election is tonight and it will be aired live here on KAJN beginning at seven p-m.
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL VOTED 5-TO-4 TO ROLL FORWARD A LIBRARY PROPERTY TAX FROM TWO-POINT-6-8 MILLS TO TWO-POINT-9-1, WHICH WAS THE AMOUNT APPROVED BY VOTERS WHEN THE PROPERTY TAX WAS UP FOR ELECTION. LIBRARY DIRECTOR TERESA ELBERSON SAYS THAT WILL PREVENT THEM FROM HAVING TO DIP INTO THEIR FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. THE COUNCIL, ALSO BY A 5-TO-4 VOTE, DECIDED AGAINST ROLLING FORWARD ANOTHER LIBRARY PROPERTY TAX FROM ONE-POINT-8-4 TO TWO MILLS. ON OCTOBER TWELFTH, LAFAYETTE PARISH VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO TAKE TEN MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE LIBRARY FUND BALANCE TO USE FOR ROADS, DRAINAGE AND FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX VETOED A DECISION BY THE COUNCIL TO SPEND SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS TO EXTEND LOUISIANA AVENUE FROM BUTCHER SWITCH TO GLORIA SWITCH ROADS. ROBIDEAUX WANTS TO USE THE MONEY FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS. HE SAYS HE THINKS IT’S GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE CITY TO BUILD, OWN AND MAINTAIN A ROAD THAT COULD BE ANNEXED BY ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY. IN ORDER TO KEEP THE ROAD EXTENSION FUNDED, THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO VOTE 6-TO-3 TO OVERRIDE THE VETO.
THE LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES HAS ADDED THE I-TEN PARK IN JENNINGS TO THEIR GET OUT AND FISH PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO RECRUIT NEW PEOPLE TO THE SPORT OF FISHING AND PROMOTE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW FISHING SITE, A GET OUT AND FISH EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE I-TEN PARK ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER SECOND FROM SEVEN A-M TO NOON. THE EVENT INCLUDES A FISHING TOURNAMENT AND THE POND WILL BE STOCKED WITH A THOUSAND POUNDS OF CATFISH PRIOR TO THE TOURNAMENT.
THIS WEEK THE RAYNE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A TWENTY-TWO-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. MAYOR CHUCK ROBICHEAUX SAYS HE’S RECEIVED LOTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE REPAVING OF THE BOULEVARD FROM I-TEN TO THE POLICE STATION. PHASE TWO, WHICH SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY NEXT YEAR, WILL CONTINUE THE PROJECT ALL THE WAY TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE CITY WILL ALSO BE GETTING A NEW MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER, WHICH WILL BE BUILT ACROSS FROM THE CURRENT ONE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE 1950’S.
The federal government has declared Vermillion Parish an agricultural disasters because of floods from June fifth to the fifteenth. Adjacent parishes under that declaration are Acadia, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, and Lafayette. A news release emailed Wednesday says farmers in those parishes can also apply for low-interest emergency loans. FSA emergency loans can be used to replace essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganize a farming operation or refinancing some debts.
