KAJN Jesus FM 102.9

YESTERDAY A DISTRICT JUDGE SENTENCED LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE TO HIS TWENTY-EIGHTEEN ORIGINAL SENTENCE, WHICH IS THREE CONCURRENT YEARS FOR THREE FELONY CONVICTIONS WITH ALL BUT ONE YEAR SUSPENDED.  POPE SPENT AN HOUR IN THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER YESTERDAY BEFORE BEING RELEASED.  HIS ATTORNEY TELLS KATC TV THAT POPE IS OUT ON HIS ORIGINAL TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND UNTIL HE REPORTS BACK TO THE JAIL ON NOVEMBER FOURTH TO SERVE HIS SENTENCE.  A LAFAYETTE PARISH JURY FOUND POPE GUILTY IN TWENTY-EIGHTEEN OF USING CITY MARSHAL FUNDS FOR HIS PERSONAL BENEFIT.

A CROWLEY WOMAN WAS KILLED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH ON HIGHWAY THIRTEEN.  STATE POLICE SAY SIXTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD PAULINE MARTHA FAULK FAILED TO YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON TO HIGHWAY THIRTEEN FROM A PRIVATE LOT.  HER CHEVY PRISM WAS STRUCK BY A MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS, AND FAULK, WHO WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, WAS KILLED.  THE DRIVER OF THE MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS SUBMITTED A BREATH SAMPLE AND WAS FOUND NOT TO HAVE ALCOHOL IN HIS SYSTEM.

THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS DECIDED NOT TO PRODUCE A REPORT CARD FOR STUDENTS ON THEIR FIRST NINE WEEKS OF SCHOOL.  THAT’S BECAUSE OF ALL THE DISRUPTIONS WITH HURRICANES AND THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.  INSTEAD THEY WILL ISSUE A REPORT CARD COVERING THE FIRST EIGHTEEN WEEKS COMBINED.  STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO DROP THE  TWO LOWEST GRADES ON THEIR REPORT CARD WITH THE REMAINING GRADES USED TO DETERMINE THE SEMESTER GRADE.

Louisiana lawmakers have agreed to steer $20 million in state cash to local pet projects through a list crafted behind closed doors that received little public discussion and followed no specific vetting process. The spending plans were given final passage Thursday in a special session called to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The earmarks ran into criticism from rank-and-file House lawmakers Wednesday night. But those complaints evaporated, at least publicly, by Thursday after behind-the-scenes negotiations and a slight reworking of the list.

A ONE-YEAR-OLD CHILD WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE LAST NIGHT AT AROUND NINE IN THE ILLE DE CANNE AREA OF LAFAYETTE.  CAPTAIN JOHN MOWELL OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE CHILD WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.  MOWELL SAYS THE DRIVER, JOSEPH BROUSSARD, HAS BEEN ARRESTED.  HE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST OFFENSE O-W-I, FELONY HIT AND RUN, AND FIRST DEGREE NEGLIGENT INJURING.

TWO MEN, ACCUSED OF A DRIVE BY SHOOTING IN ABBEVILLE, WERE ARRESTED AFTER POLICE CHASED THEM THROUGH SEVERAL PARISHES.  MULTIPLE SHOTS WERE FIRED FROM A VEHICLE IN THE SEVEN HUNDRED BLOCK OF GRACELAND AVENUE IN ABBEVILLE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND POLICE LEARNED ONE MAN WAS TREATED FOR A GUNSHOT WOUND AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.  THE SUSPECT VEHICLE WAS LATER SPOTTED ON THE I-TEN ATCHAFALAYA BRIDGE AND THE DRIVER LED OFFICERS ON A CHASE THAT WENT THROUGH WEST BATON ROUGE, EAST BATON ROUGE, LIVINGSTON, AND TANGIPAHOA PARISHES BEFORE CRASHING THROUGH A FENCE ON I-TWELVE.  TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AND ARE IN JAIL IN TANGIPAHOA PARISH ON CHARGES RELATED TO THE PURSUIT.

THERE ARE TWENTY MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN IN LOUISIANA, ACCORDING TO TODAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.  SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR NEW CASES WERE REPORTED IN THE STATE, MOVING THE TOTAL PAST ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR THOUSAND.  HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR COVID-NINETEEN WERE DOWN BY NINE WHILE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECREASED BY ONE.

ACADIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EACH HAD ONE MORE COVID-NINETEEN DEATH.  THEY WERE IN ST. LANDRY AND ALLEN PARISHES.  ACADIANA HAD FORTY-EIGHT NEW CASES, INCLUDING TWENTY-NINE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH.  THE OVERALL TOTAL HAS ECLIPSED TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD THIRTY-TWO NEW CASES.  THERE WERE FORTY TOTAL IN CALCASIEU AND ALLEN PARISHES, BUT THE NUMBERS WERE ADJUSTED LOWER IN JEFF DAVIS AND CAMERON PARISHES.  THE TOTAL IS NOW OVER TWELVE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED.

HURRICANES LAURA AND DELTA ARE HELPING HOTELS IN THE AREA THAT WERE ON THE VERGE OF SHUTTING DOWN.  LESA JAMES, THE OWNER OF THE JULIET HOTEL IN LAFAYETTE, SAYS SHE HAD TO LAY OFF ALMOST HALF HER STAFF AFTER CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS WENT INTO EFFECT.  SHE TELLS KLFY TV THEY WENT FROM RENTING ONE ROOM A NIGHT TO RENTING SIXTEEN OR SEVENTEEN ROOMS TO FAMILIES THAT LOST EVERYTHING IN THE HURRICANES.  JAMES SAYS THAT AFTER THE FAMILIES RETURN TO THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS, SHE’S UNSURE WHETHER THE HOTELS WILL REMAIN BUSY.

MOST SCHOOLS IN CALCASIEU PARISH WILL BE REOPENING ON MONDAY, BUT SOME WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED.  THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SAYS SCHOOLS THERE WILL ALSO BE OPEN ON MONDAY.  THEY ARE CLOSED FOR THE WEEK DUE TO REPAIRS BEING MADE BECAUSE OF HURRICANE DELTA.  ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SCOTT RICHARD SAYS THEY ARE WAITING UNTIL MONDAY AS WELL TO REOPEN, WHICH GIVES THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TIME TO GET POWER RESTORED AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE FROM THE STORM.

CHILI WILL BE PROVIDED IN LAFAYETTE TOMORROW BEGINNING AT ELEVEN THIRTY A-M AT HAND UP THRIFT, OR HUT, WHICH IS LOCATED AT ONE-OH-FIVE LEONIE STREET.  FAMILY PROMISE OF ACADIANA, HAND UP THRIFT, G-M-F-S MORTGAGE, THE ROTARY CLUB OF LAFAYETTE AND SHARE CARE U-S-A WILL BE SERVING THE CHILI TO THOSE DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE DELTA.  ON SATURDAY, THE RAYNE TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST ON HOLT AVENUE WILL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY FEEDING.  IT WILL BEGIN AT TEN A-M AND LAST UNTIL THE FOOD AND DRINKS RUN OUT.  IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP OUT, CALL 514-82-86.

A Youngsville man, convicted of killing a 22-year-old pregnant woman and her 1-year-old child in a car crash, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. The 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office says Dylan Leblanc received his prison sentence Tuesday in New Iberia. He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in the August 2018 deaths of Abby Suire Sinitiere of  Franklin and her son, Maxxon, as well as feticide in the death of the unborn child, and vehicular negligent injury for wounding three other children in Sinitiere’s car and a passenger in his own. Prosecutors said there was alcohol in Leblanc’s system and alleged he was driving at speeds of about 100 mph.

Louisiana’s early voting period for the Nov. 3 presidential and congressional election opens tomorrow. Early voting is three days longer for this election because a federal judge forced Louisiana to add extra days and lengthen the hours amid the coronavirus pandemic. Top of the ballot is the presidential contest between Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden. Louisiana voters also will be deciding a U.S. Senate seat, six U.S. House seats, a statewide referendum on sports gambling, seven constitutional amendments, judges’ jobs and other municipal elections.

A MAN FROM ACADIA PARISH IS FACING CHARGES AFTER HITTING A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD ACADIANA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHILE SHE WAS GETTING ON THE SCHOOL BUS.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

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THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTED TWELVE MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE FROM COVID-NINETEEN TODAY. THERE ARE SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-THREE MORE CASES IN LOUISIANA, MOVING THE TOTAL TO ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR.  HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DOWN BY SIXTEEN. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECREASED BY THREE.

THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.  ACADIANA HAD THREE MORE DEATHS, ONE IN EACH OF EVANGELINE, IBERIA AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES.  ACADIANA HAD FORTY-SEVEN NEW CASES, INCLUDING TWENTY-ONE IN ACADIA PARISH.  THE TOTAL IS NOW TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVEN.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD THIRTY-EIGHT NEW CASES, MOVING THE TOTAL TO TWELVE THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE.  ALLEN AND CALCASIEU PARISHES BOTH ADDED ELEVEN NEW CASES AND BEAUREGARD AND JEFF DAVIS PARISHES ADDED EIGHT NEW CASES EACH.

HOME AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, WHOSE PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE DELTA, ARE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR A BUILDING PERMIT TO MAKE REPAIRS.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

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VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY WITH B-DAY STUDENTS RESUMING CLASSES TOMORROW AND A-DAY STUDENTS REPORTING ON FRIDAY.  ACADIA PARISH AND JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH FRIDAY.  MOST OF THE SCHOOLS IN OPELOUSAS ARE CLOSED TODAY EXCEPT THE MAGNET ACADEMY FOR CULTURE ARTS AND SLATS WILL BE OPEN.  ALSO CANKTON AND GRAND COTEAU ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND SUNSET MIDDLE IN ST. LANDRY PARISH WILL REMAIN CLOSED.

CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY OFFICES AND FACILITIES WILL REOPEN TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HURRICANE DELTA MADE LANDFALL ON FRIDAY.  DUE TO STORM DAMAGE AND COVID-NINETEEN, SOME SERVICES MAY BE LIMITED.  PARISH PARKS WILL BE REOPENING BUT LIMITED FACILITIES WILL BE AVAILABLE.  CALCASIEU PARISH ANIMAL SERVICES AND ADOPTION CENTER SUFFERED DAMAGE FROM THE STORM, SO THEY ARE MEETING WITH RESIDENTS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

POWER IS BEING RESTORED IN OPELOUSAS, WHICH WAS HIT HARD BY HURRICANE DELTA.  ONE BUSINESS, CARY IRON WORKS, HAD THE ROOF COMPLETELY TORN OFF OF THEIR BUILDING, LEAVING AT LEAST TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.  A PREGNANT WOMAN HAD TWO TREES LAND ON HER HOME.  MAYOR JULIUS ALSANDOR SAYS THE COMMUNITY WILL GET PAST THIS BUT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW PATIENCE.

Louisiana state senators want to ensure a person’s pastor or priest can visit in the hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility during the current coronavirus pandemic or any future public health emergency. A bill by Republican Sen. Robert Mills would require Louisiana’s Health Department to create rules requiring inpatient health care facilities to allow members of the clergy to visit patients during such an emergency — if the patient asks for the visit. The health care facility would receive immunity from most civil lawsuits for injury or death if the clergy member gets infected. The Senate voted 34-0 Tuesday for the measure, sending it to the House for debate.

THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTED TEN MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE FROM COVID-NINETEEN YESTERDAY.  THERE ARE SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO MORE CASES IN LOUISIANA.  HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DOWN SLIGHTLY, BY FOUR, AND THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECREASED BY TWO.

ACADIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EACH HAD ONE MORE DEATH.  THEY WERE IN LAFAYETTE AND CALCASIEU PARISHES.  THERE ARE EIGHTEEN NEW CASES IN ACADIANA, INCLUDING TEN IN EVANGELINE PARISH.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA RECORDED TWENTY MORE.  THERE WERE TWENTY-FOUR NEW CASES IN CALCASIEU PARISH BUT THREE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA PARISHES HAD THEIR TOTAL NUMBERS ADJUSTED LOWER.

THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A FATAL SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY EVENING IN AN APARTMENT LOCATED IN THE ONE HUNDRED BLOCK OF NORTH MARIGNY CIRCLE NEAR COLORADO STREET.  THE GIRLFRIEND OF THE VICTIM TELLS KLFY TV THAT HE IS LOVELESS WILLIS.  SHE SAYS HE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD SO THE PERSON WHO SHOT HIM WANTED HIM DEAD.  THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD INCLUDING A WOMAN AND A MAN IN A COMPACT CAR WHO MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST TO SEE THE VICTIM ALIVE.

MANY SCHOOLS IN ACADIANA WILL REMAIN CLOSED TODAY.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS THE DETAILS.

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EUNICE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE REMAINDER OF OCTOBER AFTER MOLD WAS FOUND IN SEVERAL CLASSROOMS.  SUPERINTENDENT PATRICK JENKINS SAYS POWER OUTAGES ALONG WITH PERIODS OF OCCUPANCY FOLLOWED BY NO OCCUPANCY MADE MANAGING THE INDOOR SPACES MORE DIFFICULT.  HE SAYS ELEVATED HUMIDITY AND EXCESSIVE MOISTURE LED TO THE MOLD, WHICH WAS NOT BLACK MOLD.  A CERTIFIED MOLD REMOVAL AND RESTORATION COMPANY WILL CLEAN THE SCHOOL FOLLOWED BY VISUAL INSPECTIONS AND AIR TESTING.

AS OF LATE THIS MORNING, CLECO STILL HAD MORE THAN NINE THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER.  MOST OF THAT IS IN ACADIA AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES.  SLEMCO HAS MORE THAN TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.  THAT INCLUDES MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND IN LAFAYETTE PARISH AND MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND IN ACADIA PARISH.  ENTERGY IS STILL TRYING TO RESTORE POWER TO MORE THAN THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND CUSTOMERS IN LOUISIANA, INCLUDING NEARLY SIX THOUSAND IN CALCASIEU PARISH AND ALMOST FOUR THOUSAND IN ACADIA PARISH.  LAFAYETTE UTILITIES SERVICE ESTIMATED SEVEN HUNDRED CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT POWER AS OF SIX LAST NIGHT.

The future is uncertain for the coastal Louisiana region where two hurricanes made landfall six weeks apart. Cameron parish had about 9,800 residents when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. The next census, in 2010, found about 6,800 people. A local official, Scott Trahan, says he doesn’t know what will happen after the hits by Laura in August and then Delta on Friday.

ONE PERSON WAS KILLED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN LAFAYETTE LAST NIGHT.  SHORTLY AFTER SIX, THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE TRAVELING IN THE SIXTEEN HUNDRED BLOCK OF LOUISIANA AVENUE VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.  ONE PERSON IN THAT VEHICLE, NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD CARRIE GUIDROZ OF LAFAYETTE, WHO WAS A PASSENGER, WAS KILLED.  THREE OTHER PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.  POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH.

THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTED TEN MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE FROM COVID-NINETEEN TODAY.  THERE ARE SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO MORE CASES IN LOUISIANA.  HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DOWN SLIGHTLY, BY FOUR, AND THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECREASED BY TWO.

ACADIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EACH HAD ONE MORE DEATH.  THEY WERE IN LAFAYETTE AND CALCASIEU PARISHES.  THERE ARE EIGHTEEN NEW CASES IN ACADIANA, INCLUDING TEN IN EVANGELINE PARISH.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA RECORDED TWENTY MORE.  THERE WERE TWENTY-FOUR NEW CASES IN CALCASIEU PARISH BUT THREE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA PARISHES HAD THEIR TOTAL NUMBERS ADJUSTED LOWER.

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR THE NOVEMBER THIRD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE AT GEAUX VOTE-DOT-COM. GEAUX IS SPELLED G-E-A-U-X.  YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE GEAUX VOTE MOBILE SMARTPHONE APP TO GET VOTING DISTRICTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, POLLING PLACE INFORMATION AND ELECTION RESULTS.  EARLY VOTING FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION BEGINS THIS FRIDAY.

Category three Hurricane Delta is spinning across the Gulf of Mexico toward an expected landfall late this afternoon or early this evening in Cameron or Vermillion parishes. The dangerous storm is apparently set to target the same area of southwest Louisiana battered by Hurricane Laura six weeks ago. Businesses have already boarded up and people have rushed to stock up on last-minute supplies or leave for safety elsewhere. Devastation is still widely evident from Laura, a late August hurricane blamed for more than 30 deaths.

WITH THE APPROACH OF HURRICANE DELTA, MANY CITIES AND PARISHES HAVE SET UP CURFEWS.  LAFAYETTE PARISH’S CURFEW BEGINS AT FOUR THIS AFTERNOON AND LASTS UNTIL EIGHT A-M TOMORROW.  THE CURFEW IN NEW IBERIA IS FROM TEN TONIGHT UNTIL SIX A-M.  ST. LANDRY AND ST. MARTIN PARISH’S CURFEWS STARTS AT NOON TODAY AND WILL END AT EIGHT A-M.  A DUSK TO DAWN CURFEW IS IN PLACE FOR ACADIA PARISH.  JEFF DAVIS PARISH’S CURFEW IS FROM TEN P-M TO SUNRISE EACH DAY A MANDATORY EVACUATION IS IN PLACE.  VILLE PLATTE’S CURFEW STARTS AT MIDNIGHT AND LASTS THROUGH EIGHT A-M.  THE CURFEW BEGINS AT FOUR P-M IN MAURICE  UNTIL SIX A-M.

CITIES AND PARISH’S THROUGHOUT ACADIANA HAVE SANDBAGS AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

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CHURCH POINT POLICE CHIEF DALE THIBODEAUX IS WARNING RESIDENTS THEY MAY NOT GET HELP IN AN EMERGENCY DURING THE STORM.  HE SAYS HE TELLS ALL POLICE UNITS TO GO TO THE STATIONARY POSITION WHEN WINDS GET ABOVE FORTY- MILES AN HOUR.  THIBODEAUX SAYS HE DOESN’T WANT THEM ROLLING WHEN OBJECTS ARE FLYING AROUND.  HE ADVISES PEOPLE IN UNSTABLE STRUCTURES AND LOWLYING AREAS TO MOVE TO SAFER PLACES.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is keeping Louisiana’s current coronavirus restrictions on businesses and activities in place for another month. Those rules have provoked the ire of Republican lawmakers who have convened a monthlong special session hoping to undo many or all of them. The Democratic governor announced Thursday he’s renewing the terms of his pandemic emergency order with few changes and maintaining the statewide mask mandate through Nov. 6. The rules were enacted in September and were loosened from previous orders.

LOUISIANA HAD JUST FIVE MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN IN YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.  THAT’S THE LOWEST ONE DAY TOTAL IN MONTHS.  THERE ARE FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR NEW CASES IN THE STATE.  HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE GONE UP BY TWELVE.  THERE IS ONE MORE PATIENT ON A VENTILATOR IN LOUISIANA.

OF THE FIVE STATEWIDE DEATHS YESTERDAY, TWO CAME FROM ACADIANA.  ONE WAS IN ST. MARY PARISH AND THE OTHER WAS IN ST. LANDRY PARISH.  THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.  ACADIANA HAD FIFTY-NINE NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  IBERIA PARISH HAD THE MOST WITH SEVENTEEN, MOVING THAT PARISH’S TOTAL OVER THREE THOUSAND.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA SAW TWENTY-THREE NEW CASES, INCLUDING NINETEEN IN CALCASIEU PARISH.  THE TOTAL FOR CALCASIEU PARISH HAS NOW EXCEEDED EIGHT THOUSAND.

A SHOOTING IN SUNSET SHORTLY BEFORE NOON YESTERDAY LEFT ONE VICTIM IN CRITICAL CONDITION.  AN ARREST WARRANT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MICHAEL BALONEY, WHO IS WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER.  BALONEY IS THE UNCLE OF THE VICTIM.  HE IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.  ANYONE WHO KNOWS HIS LOCATION IS ASKED TO CALL SUNSET POLICE OR YOUR LOCAL AGENCY.

Louisiana is bracing for a possible hurricane for the sixth time of the unprecedented 2020 season. Forecasters say Hurricane Delta should make landfall in the state sometime Friday and could bring winds of over 100 miles per hour. People prepared Wednesday to once again flee the state’s barrier islands and moved boats to safe harbor while emergency officials considered ordering evacuations. Category 4 Hurricane Laura devastated Lake Charles in late August, and Louisiana saw heavy flooding from Tropical Storm Cristobal in June.

MANY PARISHES HAVE ORDERED EVACUATIONS.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS THE DETAILS ABOUT VERMILLION PARISH.

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JEFF DAVIS PARISH HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY EVACUATION AND HAS SET UP BUSES TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED TRANSPORTATION TO SHELTERS.  MANDATORY EVACUATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN ORDERED IN CALCASIEU PARISH, MOST OF CAMERON PARISH AND AREAS SOUTH OF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY.  VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR ACADIA, LAFAYETTE, LOWER ST. MARTIN, IBERIA, ST. LANDRY AND BEAUREGARD PARISHES.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT ACADIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ARE CLOSED TODAY AND TOMORROW BECAUSE OF HURRICANE DELTA.  SOME CURFEWS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED.  LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY SAYS THEY WILL HAVE A CURFEW THAT WILL LAST FROM NOON FRIDAY UNTIL SIX SATURDAY MORNING.  NEW IBERIA’S CURFEW WILL TAKE PLACE FROM TEN P-M TO SIX A-M BOTH TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT.  ST. LANDRY PARISH WILL IMPLEMENT A CURFEW THAT WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM NOON FRIDAY UNTIL EIGHT A-M SATURDAY.

CLECO IS MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE DELTA.  THEY HAVE HIRED MORE THAN EIGHTEEN HUNDRED CONTRACT WORKERS TO AID THEIR CREWS TO RESTORE POWER ONCE THE HURRICANE HAS PASSED.  CLECO JUST WRAPPED UP RESTORATION WORK FROM HURRICANE LAURA IN MID-SEPTEMBER.  JAMES LASS, THE DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR CLECO, SAYS DEALING WITH BACK-TO-BACK HURRICANES IS A BIG CHALLENGE BUT THEY ARE READY TO RESPOND.

LOUISIANA ADDED ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-THREE NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN YESTERDAY.  HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS FOUR HUNDRED SIX OF THEM ARE BACKLOG CASES FROM BEFORE SEPTEMBER SIXTEENTH.  THERE ARE NINE MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE.  AFTER TWO DAYS OF GOING UP, HOSPITALIZATIONS DECREASED YESTERDAY BY FIFTEEN.  THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS ROSE BY SEVEN.

FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW, ACADIANA HAD FIFTY-SIX NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  LAFAYETTE PARISH HAD THE MOST WITH TWENTY-FOUR.  THE OVERALL TOTAL HAS NOW SURPASSED TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED FIFTY-FOUR MORE CASES, MOVING THAT REGION’S TOTAL PAST TWELVE THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED.  THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN ACADIANA.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED ONE, WHICH WAS IN BEAUREGARD PARISH.

LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH ATTORNEY GREG LOGAN HAS FILED A PETITION ASKING A COURT TO REQUIRE AN ATTORNEY HIRED BY THE CITY COUNCIL SHOW BY WHAT AUTHORITY SHE WAS HIRED.  LOGAN SAYS THE ATTORNEY HIRED BY THE COUNCIL, LEA ANNE BATSON OF BATON ROUGE, IS ACTING WITHOUT AUTHORITY AND USURPING THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY PARISH ATTORNEY.  THE COUNCIL HIRED BATSON ONE MONTH AGO TO REPRESENT THEM IN DISPUTES OVER THE BUDGET AND HOME RULE CHARTER.  CITY COUNCIL CHAIR PAT LEWIS TOLD THE ADVOCATE HE WAS UNAWARE OF LOGAN’S PETITION AND DID NOT COMMENT.

STATE POLICE ANNOUNCED THAT TWO CHURCH POINT MEN WERE KILLED MONDAY MORNING IN A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 190 IN ST. LANDRY PARISH.  THEY SAY SEVENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD RAY DUPLECHAIN, WHO WAS DRIVING A PICKUP TRUCK, ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY ONE NINETY ONTO L-A SEVEN-FIFTY-TWO, AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER PICKUP TRUCK, CAUSING BOTH VEHICLES TO GO OFF THE ROAD.  DUPLECHAIN AND HIS PASSENGER, SIXTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD PAUL YOUNG, BOTH NOT WEARING SEATBELTS, WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD, WHILE THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE, WHO WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT, WAS UNINJURED.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Delta. The storm is on track to hit his state later this week. The Democratic governor called Delta an “incredibly dangerous storm” that threatens to bring heavy wind, rain and flooding to coastal Louisiana. He urged south Louisiana residents to closely monitor the weather, heed the advice of their local officials, stock needed supplies and make preparations for Delta’s impacts, which could begin as early as Friday.

WITH THE APPROACH OF HURRICANE DELTA, SEVERAL ACADIANA PARISHES ARE SETTING UP SANDBAG LOCATIONS.  THERE SANDBAG SITES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT LAFAYETTE, ST. MARTIN, IBERIA AND ST. MARY PARISHES.  MOST SITES PROVIDE THE SAND BUT RESIDENTS MUST BRING THEIR OWN SHOVEL AND MANPOWER.   KAJN-DOT-COM HAS A LIST OF THE SITES.  JUST CLICK ON THE STORM PREPAREDNESS LINK.

OFFICIALS IN ST. MARY PARISH SAY RIGHT NOW THEIR EXPECTING TO GET LOTS OF WIND, RAIN AND STORM SURGE FROM HURRICANE DELTA.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

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A South African energy and chemical company has announced it’s selling a 50% stake in three of its plants in Louisiana to another company. Sasol said in a news release that it has entered into an agreement to form the joint venture with Houston-based LyondellBasell for $2 billion. LyondellBasell will acquire the stakes into Sasol’s units in Lake Charles. LyondellBasell is expected to operate the units on behalf of the joint venture.

LOUISIANA ADDED ONE THOUSAND FIFTY-THREE NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN TODAY.  HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS FOUR HUNDRED SIX OF THEM ARE BACKLOG CASES FROM BEFORE SEPTEMBER SIXTEENTH.  THERE ARE NINE MORE DEATHS IN THE STATE.  AFTER TWO DAYS OF GOING UP, HOSPITALIZATIONS DECREASED TODAY BY FIFTEEN.  THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS ROSE BY SEVEN.

FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW, ACADIANA HAD FIFTY-SIX NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  LAFAYETTE PARISH HAD THE MOST WITH TWENTY-FOUR.  THE OVERALL TOTAL HAS NOW SURPASSED TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED FIFTY-FOUR MORE CASES, MOVING THAT REGION’S TOTAL PAST TWELVE THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED.  THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN ACADIANA.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED ONE, WHICH WAS IN BEAUREGARD PARISH.

THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT HAS DECLINED TO HEAR AN APPEAL FROM SUSPENDED LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE.  HE WAS CONVICTED TWO YEARS AGO ON THREE COUNTS OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE AND ONE PERJURY CHARGE.  MORE THAN A DOZEN MALFEASANCE CHARGES AGAINST POPE HAVE YET TO BE TRIED.  TWO DISTRICT COURT JUDGES EARLIER THIS YEAR DISQUALIFIED POPE FROM RUNNING FOR REELECTION ON NOVEMBER THIRD.

AN IOTA MAN WAS KILLED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION TUESDAY MORNING IN ACADIA PARISH.  THIRTY-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER GUILLORY WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON HIGHWAY THIRTY-SEVENTY WHEN, ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE, HE DRIFTED ACROSS THE CENTER LINE.  HIS FORD F-ONE-FIFTY COLLIDED WITH AN ONCOMING TOYOTA TACOMA.  BOTH DRIVERS, WHO WERE UNRESTRAINED, WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION.  GUILLORY LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.

ALL LANES OF I-FORTY-NINE ARE OPEN AT THE GRAND COTEAU/SUNSET EXIT FOLLOWING A CRASH LATE LAST NIGHT NEAR MILE MARKER EIGHT.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

VOICER V :18

THE FAMILY OF THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD KAO WOKOMA OF LAFAYETTE ARE OFFERING A  FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP POLICE SOLVE HIS MURDER.  THE BODY OF WOKOMA WAS FOUND IN A COULEE FRIDAY BY WORK CREWS THAT WERE CLEANING THE AREA ALONG HILLSIDE DRIVE.  THE CORONER’S OFFICE DETERMINED WOKOMA WAS KILLED BY A GUNSHOT WOUND.  HIS FAMILY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY TO ANNOUNCE THE REWARD AND WILL HOLD A BALLOON RELEASE THIS EVENING AT FIVE AT GIRARD PARK.

A proposal advancing in the Louisiana House would leave municipalities at risk of losing state construction dollars if they move to “defund the police.” Republican lawmakers pushed ahead with the measure Monday even as the bill sponsor acknowledged no local government around Louisiana is proposing a defunding effort. Alexandria Republican Rep. Lance Harris is running for Congress in the Nov. 3 election. He says he’s sponsoring the bill to protect public safety.

A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON CLAIMED THE LIFE OF SIXTY-YEAR-OLD THELMA BREAUX HUVAL OF LAKE CHARLES.  STATE POLICE SAY THE DRIVER OF A NORTH BOUND VEHICLE ON L-A THREE NINETY-FIVE TRIED TO PASS ANOTHER NORTH BOUND VEHICLE AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE AHEAD OF THEM MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO PECAN ORCHARD ROAD.  BOTH VEHICLES WENT INTO THE DITCH AND HUVAL, WHO WAS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE MAKING THE LEFT TURN, WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, WHERE SHE DIED.  THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

THE POLICE CHIEF FOR IOTA HAS ADMITTED HE IS THE PERSON WHO WROTE A NAME CALLING POST ON FACEBOOK, IN WHICH HE USED ANOTHER IDENTITY, WHICH HE CALLS HIS ALTERNATE EGO.  DAMON DAIGLE APOLOGIZED IN AN INTERVIEW WITH KLFY TV AND SAID HE’S NOT TRYING TO DIVIDE THE TOWN.  DAIGLE SAYS HE WROTE THE POST OUT OF FRUSTRATION WITH DRIVERS BLOCKING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF IOTA ELEMENTARY WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS.  SOME ANGRY RESIDENTS IN IOTA HAVE BEEN SHARING THE POST.

A TWO PERCENT PAY INCREASE FOR LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES COULD BE REINSTATED.  THE CITY HAS RECEIVED THIRTEEN MILLION DOLLARS IN CARES ACT FEDERAL RELIEF MONEY, AND MAYOR PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY HAS THREE PROPOSALS FOR SPENDING IT THAT HE WILL PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.  ONE OF THOSE IS TO GIVE EMPLOYEES A TWO PERCENT PAY RAISE THAT WAS SUSPENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR.  HIS OTHER PROPOSALS INCLUDE FUNDING CRISIS MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR POLICE AND SETTING UP A POLICE AND FIRE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY FUND.

LOUISIANA RECORDED FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN STATEWIDE, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THERE ARE SIX NEW DEATHS. HOWEVER HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP WITH TWENTY MORE COVID-NINETEEN PATIENTS.  THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS REMAINS THE SAME AT SEVENTY-ONE.

ACADIANA HAS FIFTY-SIX NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  ST.LANDRY PARISH HAS THE MOST WITH THIRTEEN. EVANGELINE, IBERIA AND LAFAYETTE PARISHES HAVE NINE EACH. VERMILLION PARISH IS THE ONLY PARISH WITH ONE DEATH, WHICH BRINGS A TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR THE REGION TO SIX HUNDRED NINETY-ONE. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAS EIGHTEEN NEW CASES, INCLUDING ALLEN PARISH WITH TEN, CALCASIEU PARISH WITH SEVEN AND JEFF DAVIS PARISH WITH FIVE NEW CASES. BEAUREGARD AND CAMERON PARISHES SAW AN ADJUSTMENT DOWN BY TWO IN EACH PARISH. THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

Former Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, who pushed major changes in education policy and lawsuit rules through an increasingly conservative state Legislature in the 1990s, has died. He was 90. Marsanne Golsby, who was Foster’s press secretary when he was governor, said that Foster died Sunday at his home in Franklin, surrounded by relatives. The bald and burly millionaire businessman was a state senator from south Louisiana when he switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in 1995 and launched what many considered a longshot bid to succeed four-term Gov. Edwin Edwards.

Louisiana officials say Hurricane Laura damaged nearly 1,900 graves, but they’ve received fewer than 25 requests for help with them. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is taking the lead in finding and identifying displaced caskets, vaults, and remains, and returning them to their proper places. A spokesman says the office has found 1,880 damaged graves in 89 cemeteries, including about 50 caskets swept from their tombs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Oct. 27 is the deadline for applying for its federal disaster assistance, which can include help fixing graves and returning caskets.

THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE NEEDS YOUR HELP IN IDENTIFYING A SUSPECT IN AN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

VOICER U :15

ENROLLMENT IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE’S GRADUATE PROGRAM IS UP, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.  FALL ENROLLMENT IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS INCREASED BY ONE HUNDRED TO TWO THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY.  IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, ENROLLMENT ROSE BY FORTY-SIX PERCENT.  GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN MARY FARMER-KAISER TELLS THE ADVOCATE NEW ENROLLMENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ONLINE MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS AND NEW PROGRAMS LIKE THE MASTERS IN ACCOUNTING.

LOUISIANA RECORDED THE LOWEST TOTAL OF NEW CASES IN MONTHS WITH TWO HUNDRED EIGHTEEN, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.  THERE ARE NINE NEW DEATHS. HOWEVER HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP WITH TWENTY-NINE MORE COVID-NINETEEN PATIENTS.  THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS INCREASED BY THREE.

ACADIANA HAD ONLY SIXTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  IBERIA PARISH HAD THE MOST WITH TEN.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD JUST TEN, INCLUDING SIX IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH.  THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, WHILE ACADIANA HAD ONE MORE DEATH, WHICH WAS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, WHICH NOW HAS A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE.  THE REGION HAS SIX HUNDRED NINETY.

A LAFAYETTE MAN IS FACING THREE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER AFTER A SHOOTING LAST NIGHT AT A HOTEL LOCATED IN THE TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED BLOCK OF THE NORTHE EAST EVANGELINE THRUWAY.  THE VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND IS IN STABLE CONDITION.  IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT THE PERSON WHO TRANSPORTED THE VICTIM WAS THE ALLEGED SHOOTER, COREY ETTIENE, WHO WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND.  SERGEANT WAYNE GRIFFIN FROM THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS A VERBAL ALTERCATION LED TO THE SHOOTING.

NEW IBERIA POLICE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO VANDALIZED THE SUGAR CANE FESTIVAL BUILDING.  IT HAPPENED SOMETIME BETWEEN AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH AND SEPTEMBER FOURTEENTH.  PARISH PRESIDENT LARRY RICHARD SAYS ONCE POLICE COMPLETE THEIR INVESTIGATION, THEY’LL BE ABLE TO GO IN AND ESTIMATE THE DAMAGE.  HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THIS IS A SETBACK TO THE CITY BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME RENTALS FOR THE BUILDING.

Former Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, who pushed major changes in education policy and lawsuit rules through an increasingly conservative state Legislature in the 1990s, has died. He was 90. Marsanne Golsby, who was Foster’s press secretary when he was governor, said that Foster died Sunday at his home in Franklin, surrounded by relatives. The bald and burly millionaire businessman was a state senator from south Louisiana when he switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in 1995 and launched what many considered a longshot bid to succeed four-term Gov. Edwin Edwards.

Louisiana officials say Hurricane Laura damaged nearly 1,900 graves, but they’ve received fewer than 25 requests for help with them. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is taking the lead in finding and identifying displaced caskets, vaults, and remains, and returning them to their proper places. A spokesman says the office has found 1,880 damaged graves in 89 cemeteries, including about 50 caskets swept from their tombs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Oct. 27 is the deadline for applying for its federal disaster assistance, which can include help fixing graves and returning caskets.

THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE NEEDS YOUR HELP IN IDENTIFYING A SUSPECT IN AN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY.  CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.

VOICER U :15

ENROLLMENT IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE’S GRADUATE PROGRAM IS UP, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.  FALL ENROLLMENT IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS INCREASED BY ONE HUNDRED TO TWO THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY.  IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, ENROLLMENT ROSE BY FORTY-SIX PERCENT.  GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN MARY FARMER-KAISER TELLS THE ADVOCATE NEW ENROLLMENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ONLINE MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS AND NEW PROGRAMS LIKE THE MASTERS IN ACCOUNTING.

LOUISIANA RECORDED THE LOWEST TOTAL OF NEW CASES IN MONTHS WITH TWO HUNDRED EIGHTEEN, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.  THERE ARE NINE NEW DEATHS. HOWEVER HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP WITH TWENTY-NINE MORE COVID-NINETEEN PATIENTS.  THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS INCREASED BY THREE.

ACADIANA HAD ONLY SIXTEEN NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN.  IBERIA PARISH HAD THE MOST WITH TEN.  SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD JUST TEN, INCLUDING SIX IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH.  THERE WERE NO NEW DEATHS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, WHILE ACADIANA HAD ONE MORE DEATH, WHICH WAS IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, WHICH NOW HAS A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE.  THE REGION HAS SIX HUNDRED NINETY.

A LAFAYETTE MAN IS FACING THREE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER AFTER A SHOOTING LAST NIGHT AT A HOTEL LOCATED IN THE TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED BLOCK OF THE NORTHE EAST EVANGELINE THRUWAY.  THE VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND IS IN STABLE CONDITION.  IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT THE PERSON WHO TRANSPORTED THE VICTIM WAS THE ALLEGED SHOOTER, COREY ETTIENE, WHO WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND.  SERGEANT WAYNE GRIFFIN FROM THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS A VERBAL ALTERCATION LED TO THE SHOOTING.

NEW IBERIA POLICE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO VANDALIZED THE SUGAR CANE FESTIVAL BUILDING.  IT HAPPENED SOMETIME BETWEEN AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH AND SEPTEMBER FOURTEENTH.  PARISH PRESIDENT LARRY RICHARD SAYS ONCE POLICE COMPLETE THEIR INVESTIGATION, THEY’LL BE ABLE TO GO IN AND ESTIMATE THE DAMAGE.  HE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THIS IS A SETBACK TO THE CITY BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME RENTALS FOR THE BUILDING.