State

Metal Shark delivers patrol boat to Puerto Rican police

Jeanerette-based shipbuilder Metal Shark has delivered a new 36-foot welded-aluminum patrol boat to the Policia Municipal de San Juan (San Juan Police Department), its newest customer on the island of Puerto Rico, the company said in a press release.

Auditor: Financial issues at Caddo school board, Jeanerette

Weak internal controls allowed cyber thieves to steal almost $1 million from the Caddo Parish School Board, though much of the money has been recovered, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor says in a report made public Monday.

La. auditor questions contract enforcement with private contractors

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor says the state’s economic development department isn’t doing enough to monitor its agreements with private contractors. Louisiana Economic Development’s top official defended his agency’s monitoring process, suggesting auditor staff misunderstood how it works.

Shrimp and Petroleum Fest begins today in Morgan City

Louisiana’s oldest chartered harvest festival is scheduled to celebrate 84 years of tradition and family fun this upcoming Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29 to Monday, in downtown Morgan City. Most festivities are held within the Downtown Historic District and are free to the general public.

AgCenter ribbon officially cut in Abbeville

On Thursday morning, Vermilion Parish officials cut the ribbon on the new LSU AgCenter Extension office building in Abbeville, more than two-and-a-half years after the old building became a casualty of historic flooding.

(Updated) Officials: La. 182 bridge safe for traffic after tugboat hits it

Authorities say the La. 182 bridge over Berwick Bay sustained no significant damage after a tugboat struck it Tuesday night and is safe for motor vehicle traffic. A tugboat pushing six barges struck the bridge’s west stanchion, according a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office news release.

Police: Five students arrested after fight at Central Catholic

Five students at Central Catholic High School were charged with disturbing the peace fighting after Morgan City police responded to a Thursday incident, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release. —Khyre Jamaal Wills, 17, of 10th Street in Patterson, was arrested at 1:41 p.m.

VP council discusses ways to stop loitering at gas stations

After all the pomp and circumstance of the swearing-in ceremony Tuesday afternoon, the mayor and city council of Ville Platte got to work and discussed options of curtailing the loitering problem at two of the city’s gas stations.