The state transportation department announces Louisiana is receiving 36-million in federal dollars to help improve airports across the state. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”
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A Vernon Parish woman is dead after she threaten to kill deputies and then herself when officers responded to the call. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (33)…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The infrastructure bill approved last month will mean 36-million dollars to improve 51 of Louisiana’s airports. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says Louis Armstrong International Airport will get 14 million, while small airports in Minden and Eunice will receive 159-thousand dollars…
The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals 43-billion. So Wilson says this money is much needed…
Wilson says the federal government’s goal is that this investment will help backlogged projects take off. He says the F-A-A encourages airports to prioritize projects that increase safety and sustainability.
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Things ended tragically for 44-year-old Chantel Myers when she threatened to kill law enforcement and then herself. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says when officers responded to a home in Pitkin Tuesday night, they tried to build a rapport with Meyers but her hostile behavior placed a deputy in peril.
Craft says a man in the home, located in the Larry Cook Road area, initially called them about Myers and when he left the residence, he handed them a suicide note the victim had written. He says Myers was also on the phone with a friend discussing her intentions.
Craft says when a person is suicidal they are also a danger to others and deputies were forced to take action and shoot Myers. Craft says they’ve received criticism from some on social media saying law enforcement should have left the scene.
Cut 8 (11) “…get is resolved.”
Craft says the victim had a history of mental illness and drug abuse.
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The holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is underway. State Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman says federal dollars are paying for dozens of extra state and local LEO’s to patrol highways; seeking out impaired drivers…:
Coming off a very deadly Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Freeman hopes the campaign will discourage impaired or distracted driving this holiday. She says they do worry when the holiday falls over an actual weekend…:.
Cut 10 (09) “…that time as well.”
(Last Christmas holiday, 181 people were killed or injured in traffic crashes in Louisiana.)
“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” will mean increased police presence on the roads and a number of sobriety checkpoints at random locations. Freeman says this is the worst time of year to lose a loved one in a crash, and even worse if one is the cause of a fatal crash…:
Cut 11 (08) “…from the roadway.”
(Freeman says the goal is not money from fines or putting people in jail…but to save lives.)
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State police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Pointe Coupee Wednesday night after an Opelousas man drove his vehicle into a home in Fordoche and threatened officers. Trooper Taylor Scrantz says a Pointe Coupee Parish Deputy and a Livonia PD officer were forced to shoot 48-year-old Jessie Lee Gaither, who first pulled a knife on them…
Scrantz says they are still investigating why Gaither crashed into the particular home and attempted to set it on fire.
The incident remains under investigation and Scrantz says they are awaiting Gaither’s toxicology results.