Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue reports multiple arrests for narcotics, fighting, theft and a shooting. 

On September 18, 2012 in the area of East Pine Street an argument that began between two females later turned into an argument between two males that resulted in one male pulling out a handgun and shooting the other male in the abdomen.  Arrested was TC Charles 34, 1525 Carl Street, Ville Platte.  Charles turned himself in at the Ville Platte Police Department and was charged and booked with disturbing the peace, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, illegal use of a dangerous weapon and attempted 2^nd degree murder.  Charles was transferred to the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office where he remains incarcerated on a $125,000.00 bond set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

A local business reported an employee stealing money on September 25, 2012. The business reported that the employee had been taking small amounts of money from the register that added up to over five hundred dollars.  Lindsey Murphy 27, of 720 West Magnolia, Ville Platte was arrested and charged with felony theft over $500.00.  Murphy was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail where she remains incarcerated.  No bond information was available at press time.

Hilton Wilson 31, of 128 East Pine Street Ville Platte was arrested on September 18, 2012 and charged with disturbing the peace, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal use of a dangerous weapon,  and aggravated battery.  The arrest stems from a fight that took place in front of a local business on Tate Cove Road.  Wilson was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail and was later transferred to the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office in a $7,500.00 bond set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

A large fight was reported at a local bar on September 16, 2012.  Officers responded to the scene and advised that there was a large amount of people fighting in the parking lot.  Multiple injuries were reported with some seeking medical attention at Mercy Regional Medical Center.  Arrested were the following:

Savannah Wilson 25, 612 N. Fontenot Street, Ville Platte was arrested and charged with 3 counts of 2^nd degree battery, 1 count inciting a riot.  Wilson was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a bond of $30,000.00 set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Trevin Williams 18, 617 Fontenot Street Ville Platte, was arrested at charged with simple criminal damage to property, 2 counts of 2^nd degree battery and inciting a riot.  Willaims was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a bond of $45,000.00 set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Hilton Wilson 31, of 128 East Pine Street Ville Platte was arrested and charged with 3 counts of 2^nd degree battery and inciting a riot.  Wilson was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a $45,000.00 set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Reokenski Thomas 28, 710 North West Rail Road, Ville Platte was arrested and charged with 3 counts of 2^nd degree battery and inciting a riot.  Thomas was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a $75,000.00 bond set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Vandrecus Wilson 27, of 920 North Chataignier was arrested and charged with 2 counts of 2^nd degree battery, aggravated battery, inciting a riot. Wilson was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a $30,000.00 bond set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

A report of stolen property was received by the Ville Platte Police Department on July 30 in the area of Washington Street in Ville Platte.  The homeowner reported a laptop was stolen from the residence. The investigation led to the arrest of Savannah Maricle 21, of 1984 L’anse Aux Pailles Road in Ville Platte.  Maricle was charged and booked on charges of simple burglary and theft.  Maricle remains incarcerated on a $15,000.00 bond set by Judge John Larry Vidrine.

In the last week multiple narcotics arrests were made using anonymous tips to follow leads.  Arrested in the last week were the following:

Jermain williams36, 306 North Chataignier in Ville Platte was arrested and charged with possession of a schedule II narcotic (crack cocaine), obstruction of justice and no light on license plate.  Williams was booked into the Ville Platte Police Department on a $12, 500 bond set by Judge Jonhn Larry Vidrine.

Jerome O’Neal 37 from Washington, La was arrested and charged with possession of schedule II narcotic (pcp).  Washington was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a bond of $ 7,500.00 set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Lenten Gallow 42, 502 St. Mitchell Street, Opelousas, was arrested and charged with driving under suspension, and possession of schedule II narcotic. (pcp).  Gallow was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a bond of $ 8,000.00 set by Judge Thomas Fuselier.

Erica Ardoin 25, of 129 West Magnolia Street was arrested and charged with possession of schedule II (crack cocaine) and possession of a schedule II narcotic in the presence of a juvenile.  Ardoin was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail on a bond of $ 5,000.00 set by Judge John Larry Vidrine.

Pamela Mickens 32, of 514 South Railroad, Opelousas was arrested and charged possession of schedule II narcotic (pcp).  Mickens was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail. Bond information not available but Mickens remains incarcerated with a hold for Probation and Parole and a second hold for the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Lartigue commends Officers and Detectives for their hard work on these cases.  If you have information on illegal activity you are asked to call the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313.  Your call will remain anonymous.

        Ville Platte-  Redistricting was the main item of business Wednesday by the Evangeline Parish School Board. The school board held its first meeting with demographer Mike Heffner of Lafayette.

         Heffner had a power point presentation detailing each of the 13 member districts. Based on the 2010 census figures, the ideal district population is 2539. However, each district cannot deviate more or less than 5% of the mean population level. 

        The districts with the highest deviations are: District 5 in the Turkey Creek/Bayou Chicot area  with is  19 percent high and District 13 in the Ville Platte area which is 14% low.

         Heffner remarked that District 10 represented by Board member Arthur Savoy needs to be more compact in size. The current district stretches from Pine Prairie on the west all the way to Ville Platte to the south and St. Landry to the east.

          In addition, Heffner reminded school board members must approve a plan that maintains current minority voting strength. The school board has three minority majority districts in Districts 8, 12 and 13 primarily in the Ville Platte area.

          Heffner plans to submit maps with suggested changes to each individual board member for their review and consideration in the few weeks.

          The school board will need to adopt a plan by the end of the year and submit it to U.S. Department of Justice  for review.  The new plan will be used for the next school board elections in 2014.

         In other action, the school board:

--was notified that Assistant Principal Liz Chatelain has been named Acting Principal at Mamou High while School Principal Charles Hazard is out on medical leave;

--approved the lone quote of Lemoine Insurance Agency for general liability, errors and omissions and automobile liability insurance coverage in the amount of $162,494;

--approved the following meeting dates for the holidays: one meeting in November (November 14), December 5 and 19  and one meeting in January (Jan. 16).

VILLE PLATTE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

     The Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce met today (Monday) and installed their new officers and board members. Dr. Kirk Soileau was installed as new Chamber President receiving the gavel from outgoing President Brenda Saucier who has served for the past three years. Angie Rozas was installed as First Vice President while Mark Buller was installed as Second Vice President. Five New board members were installed: Renee Brown, Mable Forman, Larry Lachney, Vic Slaven and  Patrick Nero.

    Paula Devalcourt, supervisor and business representative with Acadiana Works,  spoke to the Chamber announcing their new location in downtown Ville Platte. They moved from their previous location at the industrial Park to their new site in the Chamber of Commerce building. Their entrance faces Ace Hardware on the west side of the Chamber building.

   Joyce Latigue reminded Chamber members that October is Cancer Awareness month . She is asking the city to paint the city pink.

   In other action the chamber of commerce:

--heard from the Evangeline Bank asking for suggestions and ideas for community development in the Ville Platte-Evangeline Parish. All ideas should be given to the chamber to be forwarded to the Evangeline Bank;

--received news that there are only two seats remaining for the bus trip to see the “Jersey Boys” musical in New Orleans in January;

--heard from Mable Forman report that the Tee Cotton Bowl game was a big success last Friday;

--received a report from Dr. Tojo Ward on economic development in connection with the Industrial Park;

--heard from Chamber Director Camille Fontenot report that the Rendezvous Club, formerly the Jungle Dinner Club, will have an invitation only opening on Sept. 29 and open to the general public on October 3;

--announced that the Chamber of Commerce will have a holiday open house at the Cock’s Tail restaurant on Dec. 5.

At approximately 2:30 on Friday September 14, 2012 the Ville Platte Police Department received a call of a possible armed robbery in progress at a local bank.  Officers and Detectives responded to the scene and were assisted by Deputies from the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

Derrick Shane Miller 37, of 3291 Tiger Lane, Ville Platte was arrested and charged with  attempted simple robbery and terrorizing.  Miller was booked into the Ville Platte City Jail without incident.  No bond information was available at press time.

This incident is still under investigation.  If you have any information about this or any other crimes please contact the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313.

         On September 7, 2012 the Ville Platte Police Department received a complaint regarding counterfeit bills being used at a local business.  Upon investigation it was learned that a female was using two juveniles to go into a local business with the counterfeit one hundred dollar bills and exchange it for change with a cashier that was also aware that the money was counterfeit and participated in exchanging the counterfeit money for real money.

            Ethel Lashonda Tezeno Williams 31, of 123 Peak Run, Youngsville was arrested and charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, monetary instrument abuse and theft.  Tezeno was arrested in Youngsville without incident and booked into the Ville Platte City Jail where she remains incarcerated on two bonds totaling $20,000.00 set by Judge John Larry Vidrine.

           Lacrease Carter Arvie 20, of 706 Harvey Lebas Dr. Ville Platte was arrested and charged with monetary instrument abuse and theft and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.  Arvie was arrested and booked into the Ville Platte City Jail where she remains has since bonded out on a $10,000.00 bond set by Judge John Larry Vidrine.

          Chief Lartigue reminds everyone to be careful and make sure to check the bills before accepting them.  If you think you have a counterfeit bill please contact the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313.

      Representatives of the Pine Prairie Energy Center were at Monday’s meeting of the Evangeline Parish Police Jury to protest  action by the assessor’s office to tax property that belongs to the Industrial Development Board.
      During the meeting, the jury recessed and became a  board of review to review protests from property owners over their tax bills.
       Kimberly Robinson representing Plains Marketing and Pine Prairie Energy Center addressed the police jury to protest being taxed for property such as pipeline and equipment  that was transferred to the Parish Industrial Development Board. Robinson said that  court and attorney general opinions show that such property should not be subject to ad valorum taxes. The companies have filed claims asking for a refund in back taxes they have paid under protest.
      Robinson said the companies agreed to pilot payments in lieu of property taxes with the parish industrial development board.
      Jury legal advisor Marcus Fontenot advised Robinson that the police jury cannot address her complaints. The jury can only review complaints from property owners over their assessments not over whether they should be exempt from the tax rolls.
      The jury approved the tax rolls and its assessments by a vote of 8-1 with only juror Lamar Johnson voting no.
      In other business, the police jury approved raising sewer rates by $5 a month to some 400 customers of its sewer systems in the parish effective in November. Customers are currently paying $20 a month. The last time sewer rates have increased was 20 years ago. Beginning in November, sewer customers will see a 2 percent increase in rates every year for the next five years.
    Also the jury is considering trying a chemical company to help control road side vegetation and road side mowing. Joe Doles with Nature Chem made a proposal to the police jury of $6800 for at least 100 miles of chemical spraying . He said all of the herbicide chemicals are EPA and state approved.
    The police jury is applying for a $100,000 LGAP state grant to help for the cost of adding security measures to  the courthouse facility. Sal Militello with Homeland Security Safety Systems presented a proposal to beef up security measures at the courthouse  at a cost of $75,000.
     In other action the police jury:
–asked the public to report those who are throwing trash and litter on Duos Road and St. John road;
–approved the appointment of Michelle Messer and Roger Fontenot to the Ward Four Fire District Board.

    

        The Evangeline Parish School Board got some good news from their business manager Wednesday.
        Business Manager Amy Lafleur said the board’s revised general fund balance for 2011-2012 was $55,356. She reported that due to actions taken two years ago such as adjusting pupil-teacher ratios helped the school board end the budget in the black. She said “All in all, we did exceptionally well,” said Lafleur.
        The board also adopted its new fiscal year budget for 2012-2013. The 45.4 million dollar general fund budget will show a balance of $42,900.
         Also on the subject of finances, Superintendent of Schools Toni Hamlin informed the school board of the need to find $2 million dollars to fund mandated new technology in school classrooms in the next two years.
        Hamlin said by 2014-2015, the state will be requiring school districts to provide on line testing for students in grades 3-11. It is estimated that it will cost the school board about $2 million dollars to implement the necessary technology. The executive committee will have that issue on their agenda later this month.
        Also, Superintendent Hamlin announced that the school district had a good start. She said there are about 100 more students enrolled this year than last year. There are over 6200 students enrolled parish wide.
       In other action, the school board:
–recognized Renee Fruge, teacher at W.W. Stewart Elementary School, a three year grant recipient from Smart Technologies;
–recognized Basile High School, W.W. Stewart Elementary and James Stephens Montessori School for their designation as a High Poverty/ High Performance School;
–received news that sales tax collections for the month of August was $274,806 better than August of 2011.