9-9-25
A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL, WHO WAS SHOT DURING A VIGIL AT DEBAILLON PARK IN LAFAYETTE AUGUST TWENTY-FOURTH, HAS DIED, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES. RILEY FRANCIS HAD BEEN IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT A BATON ROUGE HOSPITAL. A GOFUNDME ACCOUNT HAS BEEN SET UP ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY. FOUR MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO THE SHOOTING AND THEIR CHARGES HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
ROBERT LEE WILTZ APPEARED IN COURT IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH YESTERDAY AS HE FACES A CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. HE’S ACCUSED OF THE KILLING AMY LOUVIERE. DISTURBING IMAGES WERE SHOWN DURING THE HEARING HIGHLIGHTING THE SEVERITY OF LOUVIERE’S INJURIES. THE JUDGE RULED THAT WILTZ WILL BE HELD IN A SAINT MARTIN PARISH JAIL WITHOUT BOND.
AN AUDIT BY THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR’S OFFICE FOUND THE POTENTIAL MISUSE OF STATE MONEY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES’ PREGNANCY AND BABY CARE INITIATIVE. IT WAS LAUNCHED A YEAR AGO TO PROMOTE CHILDBIRTH OVER ABORTION BY FUNDING PREGNANCY CENTERS TO OFFER COUNSELING AND SUPPORT SERVICES. AUDITORS FLAGGED CURRENT DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS THAT ALLOWED PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES NOT AUTHORIZED UNDER STATE LAW, WHICH MEANS THE FUNDS MAY HAVE BEEN USED INAPPROPRIATELY. THE
D-C-F-S PLANS TO IMPLEMENT A NEW PAYMENT POLICY REQUIRING PREGNANCY CENTERS TO DOCUMENT WHICH SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO EACH CLIENT.
THE FAMILY OF FIFTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD BONNIE FONTENOT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD LEAD TO THE IDENTITY OF A DRIVER INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN THAT KILLED HER. FONTENOT WAS REPORTED MISSING BY HER FAMILY ON AUGUST TWENTY-SECOND AND HER BODY WAS FOUND FIVE DAYS LATER OFF OF THE I-TEN NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. STATE POLICE BELIEVE THE SUSPECT VEHICLE WAS A GREEN OR TURQUOISE S-U-V OR PICKUP TRUCK WITH FRONT-END DAMAGE. FONTENOT’S MOTHER, FAY ISTRE, TELLS KLFY TV SHE WANTS JUSTICE FOR HER DAUGHTER, WHO, SHE SAYS, DIDN’T DESERVE TO GO OUT LIKE SHE DID.
THE LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL’S OFFICE IS TEAMING UP WITH THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO END PROSTITUTION AND DRUG ACTIVITY IN CITY PARKS. MARSHALL REGGIE THOMAS SAYS THEY’VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS FROM PEOPLE SAYING MEN ARE COMING UP TO THEM AT BEAVER PARK AND SOLICITING FOR SEX. THOMAS SAYS THAT’S A FORM OF PROSTITUTION AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN ON HIS WATCH. THE MARSHALL’S OFFICE AND LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE CONDUCTING UNDERCOVER STING OPERATIONS TO CATCH THE SUSPECTS.
THE LOUISIANA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SAYS THEY’VE ARRESTED A CROWLEY MAN ACCUSED OF FAKING AN INJURY AND COLLECTING OVER SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN WORKER’S COMPENSATION. GEORGE FAUST HAS MORE.
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THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IS COLLABORATING WITH THE NEWLY CREATED OFFICE OF LOUISIANA HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION TO ACCELERATE THE STATE’S BRIDGE BUNDLING PROGRAM. SIXTY-TWO AGING BRIDGES IN THE STATE WILL BE REPLACED OR REHABILITATED. THE PARTNERSHIP USES A STREAMLINED APPROACH GROUPING MULTIPLE BRIDGES INTO COORDINATED CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES THAT IS DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE COSTS, AND ACCELERATE PROJECT DELIVERY. THE FIRST SEVEN BRIDGES TO BE REHABILITATED OR REPLACED INCLUDES THE L-A EIGHTY-TWO CANAL BRIDGE IN VERMILLION PARISH.
GAJAN STREET IN NEW IBERIA WAS CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC YESTERDAY BETWEEN SAINT PETER AND BERNARD STREETS. THE CLOSURE WILL ALLOW STREET IMPROVEMENTS TO BEGIN. THE PROJECT TO REMOVE AND RECONSTRUCT THE STREET IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT THREE WEEKS. ROAD CLOSURE SIGNS, BARRICADES AND DETOUR SIGNS ARE IN PLACE TO WARN AND DIRECT TRAFFIC.
