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A PEDESTRIAN, WHO WAS KILLED MONDAY ON AMBASSADOR CAFFERY NEAR THE ACADIANA MALL, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SIXTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD WILTON MILLER OF ALEXANDRIA. HE WAS STRUCK BY A PICKUP TRUCK WHILE PUSHING A HOME DEPOT CART ON THE INSIDE NORTHBOUND LANE. LAFAYETTE POLICE SAY IT’S NOT CLEAR WHY HE WAS WALKING IN A BUSY ROADWAY. THIS IS THE THIRD PEDESTRIAN STRUCK AND KILLED IN LAFAYETTE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
A VILLE PLATTE POLICE OFFICER HAS FILED A RECALL PETITION AGAINST POLICE CHIEF AL PERRY THOMAS. IN TWENTY-TWENTY-TWO, AN APPEALS COURT RULED THAT FORMER CHIEF NEIL LARTIGUE, WHO WAS RUNNING FOR REELECTION, WAS LIVING OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND THOMAS WAS GRANTED AS THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF. OFFICER MALCOLM MCKINNEY SAYS HE FILED THE RECALL BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WAS DENIED THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE THEIR VOTE. THE PETITION, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE ONE WEEK AGO, ACCUSES THOMAS OF LEAKING CASE INFORMATION, AND SAYS THE PUBLIC DOES NOT FEEL SAFE WITH HIM IN OFFICE AND OFFICERS DON’T WANT TO WORK WITH HIM.
LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL LIZ MURRILL HAS JOINED TWENTY-TWO OTHER STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS IN OPPOSING PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PAUSE ON LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS EXPORT PROJECTS. THE A-G’S SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BLANKET DENIALS FOR EXPORT PERMITS WITHOUT AN ACT OF CONGRESS. MURRILL SAYS IT’S TIME FOR BIDEN TO END HIS ASSAULT ON LOUISIANA ENERGY. SHE CALLED THE PAUSE UNLAWFUL AND SAID IT DAMAGES THE ECONOMY AND HURTS NATIONAL SECURITY.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FORD PICKUP TRUCKS STOLEN IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA RECENTLY. SEVEN HAVE BEEN REPORTED STOLEN IN CALCASIEU PARISH SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR. BEAUREGARD PARISH HAS SEEN SEVEN STOLEN SINCE LATE TWENTY-TWENTY-THREE. CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF ELECT STITCH GUILLORY SAYS EVERY VEHICLE REPORTED STOLEN TO HIS OFFICE HAD A KEY LEFT IN THE VEHICLE.
LAFAYETTE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE CRACKING DOWN ON EXCESSIVE ABSENTEEISM. DANIELLE DUNCAN HAS MORE.
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THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS INCREASED THE PAY FOR SHORT-TERM SUBSTITUTES. THE DAILY PAY WILL GO FROM SEVENTY TO NINETY DOLLARS. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ANTHONY STANDBERRY SAYS IT’S HARD TO FIND SUBSTITUTES AND THEY ARE HOPING THE INCREASE WILL ATTRACT CERTIFIED TEACHERS. THE INCREASE WILL GO INTO EFFECT MARCH FIRST AND DOES NOT AFFECT LONG TERM SUBSTITUTE TEACHER PAY.
GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY PROMISED A BUSINESS-FRIENDLY SHIFT IN THE STATE’S INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM GIVES MANUFACTURERS AN EIGHTY PERCENT PROPERTY TAX BREAK FOR UP TO A DECADE IF APPROVED BY LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. LANDRY TOLD THE JEFFERSON PARISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE YESTERDAY THAT APPLICANTS ARE NEEDLESSLY FORCED TO DETAIL HOW MANY WORKERS THEY WILL EMPLOY. HIS ANNOUNCEMENT DREW CRITICISM FROM SOME WHO SAY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GET SOMETHING IN RETURN FOR GIVING UP TAX REVENUE.
A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY IN ACADIA PARISH AND WILL BE TRIED AS AN ADULT IN THE ARMED ROBBERY AND MURDER OF THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD HARRY RICHARD JUNIOR OF RAYNE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE. RAYNE POLICE CHIEF CARROLL STELLY SAYS JARVION CHARLES OF DUSON WAS BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON CHARGES OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. CHARLES IS THE THIRD PERSON ARRESTED AS A RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION. THE OTHER TWO ARE NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD TAY’VION WILLIAMS OF LAFAYETTE AND SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD DAMYRION WILLIAMS.
