Louisiana news briefs

2 teens killed, 1 hurt
while walking to school
BREAUX BRIDGE (AP) — State Police say two teenage girls died and a third was seriously injured when a pickup truck hit them while they walked to school.
Trooper Brooks David said the driver, 32-year-old Jeremy Abraham of Breaux Bridge, is in critical condition.
He says Abraham’s truck hit the girls from behind Thursday in the eastbound lane of a Breaux Bridge street. The truck then swerved down the road, hitting a utility pole and two culverts.
David says a 15-year-old and a 14-year-old died, and a 13-year-old is hospitalized in Baton Rouge.
He says Breaux Bridge police arrested Abraham.
The truck was heavily damaged.
Troopers have not released the girls’ names.
A candlelight vigil was scheduled at a city park and trick-or-treating Thursday night was canceled on several streets.

Seatbelt check leads to pot bust in Lafourche
THIBODAUX (AP) — Authorities in Lafourche Parish say a search of a car stopped at a seatbelt checkpoint resulted in the discovery of more than $2,000 worth of marijuana.
Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre says in a news release that the seatbelt checks were conducted Wednesday on Louisiana Highway 316. He says that when officers stopped a van in which a child was not properly restrained, they smelled marijuana.
Deputies searched the vehicle and allegedly found bags of high-grade marijuana, a handgun and other drugs.
The release says 24-year-old Vahn Butler of Houma was booked with a variety of charges, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Charges against 24-year-old Tonia Parfait of Bayou Blue include using a controlled dangerous substance in front of a child.

Suspect in St. Mary Parish fatal shooting arrested
FRANKLIN (AP) — Authorities say the suspect wanted in the Oct. 8 shooting death of a Four Corners man has been arrested in Port Arthur, Texas.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Traci Landry said Henderson Wesley was arrested Thursday on a warrant and is being held on a count of second-degree murder in the death of 32-year-old Ronald Chillis Jr., who was shot in the chest several times
Landry says Wesley was located following investigations by the U.S. Marshal’s Office in Lafayette and Beaumont, Texas.

Baton Rouge man arrested
in Port Allen shooting
PORT ALLEN (AP) — Police have arrested a Baton Rouge man and are trying to determine whether a second person was involved in a fatal shooting Monday night in Port Allen.
Police Chief Esdron Brown says 19-year-old Javonte T. Morgan was arrested Thursday on counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and armed robbery.
Police believe 30-year-old Major Carter and 25-year-old Ashton Taylor, both of Baton Rouge, were in Port Allen Monday night to buy drugs. But, instead, Brown says Morgan tried to rob the two men.
Brown says Carter was shot in the back and later died from his injury. Taylor was shot in the buttocks.

La. 1st lady, businessman giving 8,500 books to kids
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana’s first lady and a Baton Rouge businessman are giving a picture book to kindergarten students all around the state.
A news release says the Supriya Jindal Foundation for Louisiana’s Children and Todd Graves — owner of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers — are donating 8,500 copies of the book “Corduroy.”
Jindal said in a news release Thursday that the goal is to encourage all children to read a little every day. She says reading is the foundation of critical thinking and enriches the imagination.

Bookkeeper gets 14 months for stealing $255,000
LAKE CHARLES (AP) — U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley says a Lake Charles bookkeeper has been sentenced to 14 months in prison and ordered to repay $255,300 to the rental company she worked for.
Finley said in a news release Thursday that 47-year-old Kristen Brady pleaded guilty in July to one count of bank fraud.
She says Brady was fired last November after working 12 years for the rental company. She says federal and Calcasieu Parish investigators learned that she had forged more than 200 checks to herself, totaling $255,324.04.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi also ordered Brady to serve 50 hours of community service.

Landrieu embraces bringing federal dollars to state
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Trying to combat the national undertones of Louisiana’s Senate race, Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu is traveling the state this week on a sort of pork celebration tour. She’s telling voters about the projects and aid she’s delivered to Louisiana.
The retail style of politicking has been Landrieu’s hallmark in office and on the campaign trail. She talks of her clout and describes part of her job as getting federal tax dollars back into Louisiana.

Sen. Landrieu’s remarks
on race anger Republicans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Republicans are calling on Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu to apologize after she suggested Thursday that President Barack Obama’s deep unpopularity in the South is partly tied to race.
In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Landrieu was quoted as saying that the South “has not always been the friendliest place for African-Americans.”
The comments came after an NBC reporter asked the senator why Obama has such low approval ratings in Louisiana. Landrieu’s first response was that the president’s energy policies are deeply disliked by residents of the oil and gas-rich state.
She then added, “I’ll be very, very honest with you. The South has not always been the friendliest place for African-Americans. It’s been a difficult time for the president to present himself in a very positive light as a leader.”
Landrieu is locked in a tight re-election battle with Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy and is targeted by Republicans nationally in their efforts to retake control of the Senate. Republican and tea-party favorite Rob Maness is polling in a distant third place.
State Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere issued a statement late Thursday calling Landrieu’s remarks “insulting to me and to every other Louisianian.”
“Louisiana deserves better than a senator who denigrates her own people by questioning and projecting insidious motives on the very people she claims to represent,” he said. “Senator Landrieu and President Obama are unpopular for no other reason than the fact the policies they advance are wrong for Louisiana and wrong for America.”
Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal issued a statement calling Landrieu’s comments “remarkably divisive” and Maness issued a statement calling on the senator to apologize.
Landrieu’s campaign declined to comment Thursday night.