7-20-21
SAINT MARTINVILLE MAYOR MELINDA MITCHELL WANTED TO ADD JUNETEENTH AS A HOLIDAY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, MAYOR PRO TEM CRAIG PROSPER POINTED OUT THAT ADDING A PAID HOLIDAY COSTS THOUSANDS, SO HE PROPOSED REMOVING TWO OTHER HOLIDAYS. MITCHELL CHOSE REMOVING THE MARDI GRAS AND ALL SAINTS HOLIDAYS. MITCHELL SAYS SHE FELT IF THE CITY OBSERVED INDEPENDENCE DAY, IT SHOULD ALSO OBSERVE THE JUNETEENTH INDEPENDENCE DAY.
HOSPITAL VISITATION POLICIES ARE BEING MODIFIED WITH INCREASING AMOUNTS OF DELTA VARIANT CASES. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
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Louisiana lawmakers are entering uncharted territory. On Tuesday at noon they’re opening their first-ever veto override session under the nearly five-decades-old state constitution. The majority-Republican House and Senate decided to return largely because of two bills rejected by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. Those include a measure banning transgender athletes from competing on school sports teams of their identified gender, and legislation allowing people 21 and older to carry a concealed handgun without needing a permit, but they also can consider other measures among the 28 Edwards rejected.
A CAJUN NAVY GROUND FORCE VOLUNTEER IN LAKE CHARLES HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY FILING A FALSE REPORT. LAST MONTH, FORTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD REBECCA JOHNSON SAYS SHE WAS PULLED FROM HER CAR, BEATEN AND SUBJECTED TO AN ATTEMPTED RAPE. LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPUTY CHIEF FRANKLIN FONDEL SAYS THEY WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A TIMELINE OF JOHNSON’S MOVEMENTS THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND FOUND MULTIPLE INCONSISTENCIES IN JOHNSON’S VICTIM’S STATEMENT AND IN FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS. POLICE CHIEF SHAWN CALDWELL SAYS HER STORY WASN’T COMPLETELY MADE UP SINCE SHE WAS INDEED INJURED, BUT HER ACCOUNT DID NOT LINE UP WITH THE EVIDENCE THEY FOUND.
A NEW IBERIA MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY RAPING A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL. DETECTIVES WITH THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVED A REPORT OF THE MOLESTATION OF A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD, WHO WAS FORENSICALLY INTERVIEWED AT HEARTS OF HOPE, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFECTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE. AFTER THE INTERVIEW, AN ARREST WARRANT WAS ISSUED AND FORTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD JESSE HIGGINS WAS ARRESTED AT HIS HOME AND BOOKED INTO THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL. HE FACES SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING SECOND DEGREE RAPE AND MOLESTATION OF A JUVENILE, AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE CONFEDERATE GENERAL ALFRED MOUTON STATUE WAS REMOVED FROM DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE ON SATURDAY. NOW THE QUESTION IS WHERE WILL IT BE MOVED TO. THE UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE NEW LOCATION WILL BE DISCLOSED IN THE FUTURE. FOR NOW THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE IS STORING THE STATUE IN AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION FOR SECURITY REASONS.
The commissioner of Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles is encouraging people who come into OMV facilities to use masks as the state reports a surge in COVID-19 infections. Karen St. Germain says in a news release that masks aren’t required but mask-wearing is encouraged and, she says, the offices are enforcing social distancing protocols. St. Germain also is encouraging people to look into using the OMV’s online services at expresslane-dot-org. State officials last week expressed concerns about a new surge in cases of the coronavirus illness, primarily among the unvaccinated.
DELCAMBRE RESIDENTS WILL NO LONGER PAY A FLAT RATE ON THEIR WATER BILL BUT INSTEAD WILL PAY BASED ON THEIR WATER USAGE. MAYOR PAM BLAKELY SAYS IT WAS NOT FAIR THAT SOME PEOPLE USED WAY MORE WATER THAN OTHER RESIDENTS YET PAYED THE SAME FEE. UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM, RESIDENTS WILL PAY TWENTY-TWO-FIFTY FOR UP TO THREE THOUSAND GALLONS OF WATER AND THEN INCREASE IN FIVE DOLLAR INCREMENTS FOR EACH EXTRA THOUSAND GALLONS. RESIDENTS WILL ALSO HAVE TO PAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS IF THEY BREAK THE WATER METER AND WILL HAVE TO COVER THE COSTS OF LEAKS OF WATER, COSTS WHICH USED TO BE ASSUMED BY THE TOWN.
