Holden Matthews was sentenced to 25 years on state charges in connection with burning three black churched St. Landry Parishes in addition to 25 years of Federal charges. State Fire Marsal Butch Browning on how the case changed the community.
Cut 1 (30) “ I’m Brooke Thorington”
________________________________
A “furious” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell blasts organizers of a Christian concert held in the French Quarter, involving one of Lafayette’s favorite daughters…
__________________________________________
The 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard is deploying to the Middle East for about the next year. Matt Doyle has the story.
_______________________________
Tropical Storm Eta is in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico but does not pose a threat to Louisiana.
Currently, the cone of uncertainly only extends as far west as the Mississippi-Alabama line. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
Zeta has taken a bizarre path into the Gulf of Mexico, after slamming into Nicaragua last Tuesday as a Category Four before zig-zagging back into the Caribbean and over Cuba, and into the Gulf…
Keim says it’s late in the season, but still not too late for hurricanes, singling out Hurricane Kate, which hit Florida as a category two on November 22nd in 1985.
Another Tropical Storm, the bizarre “Groundhog Day Storm” hit Florida in 1952 in February.
_____________________________
23-year old Holden Matthews was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison on state charges for the arson of three historically black churches in St. Landry Parish. Matthews was already sentenced to twenty-five years on federal charges and the two sentences will be served simultaneously. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning feels justice has been served the best it can be.
Browning says his office worked closely with the St Landry Sheriff’s Office, ATF, FBI, and State Police on the case and credits church members and their assistance with solving this case so quickly.
Cut 8 (09) “…protect the public”
Browning says he speaks with church leaders on a regular basis and plans to visit the churches when they have completed construction. Browning says a silver lining of the church burnings is that it unified the community and…
Browning says Louisiana has one of the best arson clearance rates at 30-percent, the national average is 10-percent, because of that Browning says if you’re going to commit arson in the state you’re more likely to get caught.
_____________________________
An unpermitted Christian music concert held in the French Quarter featuring Lafayette star Lauren Daigle provokes a “furious” response from New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell.
An estimated 400 people packed shoulder to shoulder on the steps across from Lafayette Square Saturday. Cantrell says the organizers were told the event would not be allowed beforehand…
After the concert was initially denied by the city the organizers reportedly continued planning it out “underground.”
Christian rock artist Sean Feucht organized the event, one in a series of other concerts he’s hosted recently, and he was joined by the Grammy winner Daigle.
Pictures and video from the event show little social distancing or mask-wearing.
New Orleans Police and Cantrell have come under fire from local musicians who decried the double standard of barring them from playing but allowing the concert. Cantrell says they did what they could under the law…
Reports show NOPD closed off traffic to the area but did not intervene in the gathering.
__________________________________
The 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Louisiana National Guard is shipping out for a nearly year-long deployment to the Middle East over the next eight days.
Col. Scott Desormeaux says because of the pandemic the departure ceremonies will be closed to soldiers only. Friends and family are encouraged to either watch online or…
The events will be staggered across the next eight days depending on when a regiment is scheduled to fly out.
Desormeaux says the mission will be the continued fight against ISIS as well as the transfer of obligations for the fight against ISIS in Iraq.
The roughly 4,000 soldier Brigade has been active in Louisiana’s COVID response, but Desormeaux says their deployment has been planned for a while will not impact the state pandemic capabilities.
It’s the 256th’s third overseas deployment since 9/11
____________________________
After picking up two more sacks in the blow out win over the Buccaneers, Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson has 7.5 sacks on the year, which ranks third in the NFL behind Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald. Hendrickson says the season is only halfway through…
After the Saints week one win over the Bucs, Tampa Bay Coach Brucia Arians said Hendrickson was the easiest guy to block on the New Orleans defensive line. Hendrickson says he didn’t use that statement as bulletin board material for his big game on Sunday night
______________________________________
LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says several players are in quarantine as the Tigers are a few days away from taking on top-ranked Alabama on Saturday in Baton Rouge. Orgeron would not identify which players have tested positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine, but the Tigers are reportedly down to one quarterback, freshman TJ Finley. Orgeron says this latest COVID outbreak is another challenge for his team
Even if LSU was at full strength, they would go into the game as huge underdogs. Orgeron says his players have no plans on backing down…
The other major story involving LSU football is freshman wide receiver Koy Moore, who claims he was violated by a Baton Rouge officers who thought he was in possession of a gun and drugs. Three B-R-P-D cops have been placed on administrative leave. Athletics Director Scott Woodward calls it a troubling encounter, while Orgeron says there’s no place for racism or social injustice