10-26-19
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE A SHOOTING IN THE EARLY HOURS OF SUNDAY MORNING THAT LEFT ONE PERSON INJURED. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
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STATE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED IN TO INVESTIGATE A SHOOTING BY A LAKE CHARLES POLICE OFFICER AT AROUND NOON SATURDAY. POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING A SHOOTING AT A HOME ON TULIP STREET WHEN 45-YEAR-OLD KERRY VAN BUREN ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE SCENE IN HIS VEHICLE AND STRUCK A POLICE PATROL CAR. A POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND INJURED VAN BUREN, WHO WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. WHEN HE WAS RELEASED, VAN BUREN WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON CHARGES RELATED TO THE INCIDENT.
HEAVY WINDS EARLY SATURDAY MORNING KNOCKED A MOBILE HOME IN ABBEVILLE OFF ITS CONCRETE PILLARS. TONY BROUSSARD TOLD KATC TV THAT HE HAD JUST LEVELED AND STRAPPED HIS HOME AND HE CREDITED THAT WITH KEEPING IT FROM FLIPPING. THE TRAILER WASN’T INSURED AND IS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. BROUSSARD’S DAUGHTER, CHASTITY, WHO ALSO LIVED AT THE HOME, HAS SET UP A FUNDRAISER ONLINE AT GO FUND ME-DOT-COM.
Louisiana’s education board has approved a set of courses for high school students who want to be teachers. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education says the program is called the “Pre-Educator Pathway.” Spokeswoman Sydni Dunn says the West Baton Rouge Parish school system is the first to commit to offering the program. A news release says students may also get 30 to 40 hours observing and helping teachers in grades K-12.
THE PROSPECTS OF A DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO RUN-OFF CANDIDATES FOR LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS POINT. CARLEE ALM LABAR IS CRITICAL OF JOSH GUILLORY FOR DECLINING FOUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEBATES OR FORUMS, SAYING SHE IS WILLING TO ADJUST HER SCHEDULE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. GUILLORY SAYS THAT HE IS STILL AN ACTIVE LAWYER WHILE RUNNING THE CAMPAIGN, AND HE WAS QUOTED BY THE ADVOCATE AS SAYING HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT ONE MORE HOUR OF CANNED ANSWERS CAN GIVE VOTERS. PEARSON CROSS OF U-L LAFAYETTE, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, SAYS GUILLORY IS CONSIDERED THE FRONT RUNNER AND FRONT RUNNERS ARE MORE WARY OF DEBATES BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE TO LOSE.
What used to be Louisiana’s largest state wildlife refuge is celebrating its centennial. The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in southwest Louisiana was 86,000 acres when the land was bought in 1914 and donated to Louisiana in December 1919. Officials say it’s now down to about 71,500 acres, about a 17% loss.
The refuge has been a site for research to reduce coastal erosion, such as finding ways to build stone breakwaters light enough not to sink in the soft silt near what remains of the shore.
THE CITY OF CROWLEY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH CONDEMNING BLIGHTED PROPERTIES. MAYOR TIM MONCEAUX AND THE CITY COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FRIDAY TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CONDEMNATION OF PROPERTIES IN CROWLEY AND ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 22ND TO CONDEMN OTHER BLIGHTED PROPERTIES. MONCEAUX SAYS CITY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS ON THIS. HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT HE’S HOPING CLEANING UP AN ALREADY BEAUTIFUL CITY WILL HELP WITH ECONOMIC VALUE, ENTICING PEOPLE TO WANT TO MOVE TO CROWLEY.
The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal says it’s been selected as a federal Fire Prevention and Safety Grant award recipient. The award, totaling $55,000, will allow the state fire marshal to boost its smoke alarm inventory for Operation Save-A-Life efforts by 5,000 units. Operation Save-A-Life partners the agency with local fire departments and districts to provide free smoke alarm installations for families who need them. State Fire Marshal Chief H. “Butch” Browning, in a statement Friday, said the grant will help continue to back their number one fire safety message about the life-and-death difference smoke alarms can make when faced with a fire emergency.
