News

Public safety tax passes

The turnout was only 11.9 percent, but voters approved a 0.25 percent sales for public safety salary increases in Saturday’s election. The tax passed with 78 percent approval.

House panel seeks protection for deceased

By James A. Smith LSU Manship News Service BATON ROUGE — A House committee approved a bill that would enact the Allen Toussaint Legacy Act, outlawing the use of a deceased individual’s name, image and likeness without the consent of the individual’s family or representative.

Barnes named director of Blanco Public Policy Center at UL Lafayette

LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has named Dr. Stephen R. Barnes founding director of the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center. Barnes directs LSU’s Economics and Policy Research Group, the state’s largest university-based economics research center.

Central Middle School teacher is a semi-finalist for state’s top award

Staff Report Lauren Schoeffler, fifth-grade math teacher at Central Middle School in Eunice, is one of 24 semi-finalist for middle school Louisiana Teacher of the Year. The Louisiana Teacher of the Year is the highest honor the state can bestow upon a teacher.

First-ever Collegiate Technical Academy in state launched

Staff Report OPELOUSAS — A-first-of-its-kind-partnership in Louisiana between South Louisiana Community College and St. Landry Parish Schools will offer dually-enrolled students the opportunity to earn college technical diplomas in a variety of programs while on a high school campus.

National Day of Prayer observed in Eunice

The 68th annual National Day of Prayer was observed Thursday evening at the Liberty Theater. Local ministers led the audience in prayer for neighbors, families, to end abortion, to end racism, schools, policemen and firefighters, community, and against violence.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff Office reports arrests

The following are arrests reported by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office. May 3 Lawrence B. Leger, Jr., 53, 100 block of Beauxis Drive, Port Barre. Domestic abuse battery. Arrested by Port Barre Police Department. Ashley Thomas Haynes, 31, 700 block of W. Cherry Street, Opelousas.

Eunice Police Arrests

The following are arrests by Eunice Police. May 2 Chad Alleman, 49, 1500 block of W. Gum, Eunice. Bench warrant. Joseph D. Bertrand, 59, 100 block of W. Bacciochi, Eunice. No insurance, driver’s license suspension, license plate improper display, bench warrant.

Eunice Police Radio Logs

The following are excerpts from the Eunice Police Department radio dispatch logs. May 2 01:08 Woman passed out in vehicle on Acadia near College. 06:51 Report from a subject at Westgate ATM advised that a subject was pointing a gun at him. 06:52 Disturbance reported at 200 block of S. Mallet.

Former Lafayette Diocese priest Michael Guidry sentenced to 7 years for abusing altar boy

By Ben Myers bmyers@theadvocate.com A former priest in the Lafayette Diocese was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison after pleading guilty last month to sexually abusing a 16-year-old altar boy four years ago. Michael Guidry, the 76-year-old former pastor of St.