The historic rain event on June 18th may be long gone in Avoyelles Parish, but the painstaking task of recovery is just getting underway. Joey Frank, the director of the Avoyelles Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says many people in the parish lost everything.
Cut 3 (08) “…just thrown away.”
Baton Rouge officials are partnering with the FBI to recover the remains of missing 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather, which are believed to be in the Baton Rouge North Landfill. Police Chief T.J. Morse says it is an active solid waste landfill covering over 400 acres that receives around 16-hundred tons of waste each day.
Police believe Minnieweather was beaten to death and picked up on a routine collection route to the landfill. 51-year-old Maurice Parms was arrested and is charged with first-degree murder.
Julia Letlow rode President Trump’s endorsement all the way to the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Letlow was the last to enter the race, only doing so in January after Trump endorsed her. That proved to be the game-changer, as her entry thinned the field, allowing her to easily beat John Fleming and incumbent Bill Cassidy. Letlow says Trump reached out to her after she was projected to be the winner.
Cut 8 (07) “…the Senate side.”
So, what’s next for Fleming? LSU Shreveport Political Science Professor Jeffrey Sadow says the 74-year-old will continue working as State Treasurer and will likely seek re-election next year.
So Julia Letlow moves on to the general election, where her Democratic opponent is Jamie Davis. The Tensas Parish farmer and former police juror easily beat Gary Crockett to gain the Democratic nod.