Five Louisiana children from the Marksville area, on their way to Disney World, were killed in a fiery crash in Florida. The drivers of two big rigs also died in the massive wreck on I-75 near Gainesville. The children that died were among 12 traveling in a van that belonged to the Avoyelles House of Mercy a pentecostal church. Florida Highway Patrol Lt Patrick Riordan expects a lengthy investigation into the cause of the crash…
cut 4 (13) “….this magnitude”
Riordan says the tragic chain of events started when a passenger car and a semi-truck collided and then went through the guard rails into the southbound lanes, hitting the church van.

The United Pentecostal Church says four children survived the crash and so did three adults, including a pregnant woman, who had to give birth to a child. Mom and newborn are said to be ok.

Lafayette Public Library officials are no longer requiring the public to fill out a form pledging they will not use their meeting rooms for drag queen story time events. The library implemented the form policy after hit with a federal lawsuit that sought to prevent the library from sanctioning a Drag Queen story time event, like the one they tried to hold in October. ACLU Louisiana legal director Katie Schwartzmann says the library’s policy is now back to its former, pre-story time state…
cut 11 (11) “…the room”

The St. Landry’s Veterans Memorial in Opelousas has been defaced by vandals and investigators are looking for the culprits. Project organizer of the memorial, Pat Mason-Guillory says the area is covered in racial slurs, other derogatory language, as well as damaged lighting and signs.
Cut 6 (12) “…loss for words.”
The St. Landry’s Sheriff’s office says they are actively working the case.