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The Crowley City Council’s Public Safety Committee took an unusual turn Wednesday night when members voted to recommend that the full council deny beer and liquor license applications for four local businesses.
Those four businesses are City Bar of Crowley, Fat Boy’s Grocery, K&L Grocery and Korky’s Food Mart. The remaining approximately 45 applications will be recommended for approval by the full council Wednesday, Dec. 8.
The committee voted unanimously in all respects, with Chairperson Brad Core, Vice Chairperson Byron Wilridge and Kim Stringfellow in attendance. Neither Vernon Martin nor Steven Premeaux was in attendance.
Discussion surrounding the decision to recommend denial of the licenses was focused generally on the amount of criminal activity that has required police intervention and whether the businesses were permitting criminal activity on their premises.
Of the four business owners, only Chad Monceaux of City Bar was on hand to address the council’s concerns, which he was allowed to do subsequent to the committee’s vote to recommend that the council deny his license application.
Monceaux, who has owned the bar for approximately six years, pointed out that there are four bars in the two-block radius in which City Bar is located and five in a three-block radius, with patrons walking back and forth between them. He indicated that a number of calls to the police were made by him for incidents such as vehicle crashes and disturbances on streets and in parking lots that are not owned or controlled by City Bar.
Monceaux told the council that he has added signage to the premises with plans for more and has ordered a wand-type metal detector to screen those entering the bar. He also told the council that he was open to any other suggestions.
In other business, the committee heard a routine report from Police Chief Jimmy Broussard, who told the committee that the Crowley Police Department had responded to 931 calls for service during the month of November. Included in that number were three accidents with serious injuries and one with a fatality, seven attempted burglaries, eight auto thefts; two cyberbullying and two cyberstalking complaints, 15 domestic abuse complaints, eight hit and run accidents, 116 disturbance calls, 49 suspicious persons calls, 68 suspicious circumstances calls, two open container violations, 20 incidents of simple criminal damage to property, three simple batteries and 11 calls for illegal use of a weapon.
Additionally he reported that:
• The Narcotics Division had executed one search warrant on a known house where illegal narcotics were being used and sold;
• Citations issued during the month of November included 63 in the city and 203 on TED detail;
• The department is processing one candidate to fill a patrol position, which will leave two patrol openings and one dispatcher opening as a dispatcher recently had resigned; and
• There are no remaining storage areas for old files that must be retained and that some of those files will need to be moved at the beginning of 2022.
As to the last item, Mayor Tim Monceaux commented that with regard to the CPD’s storage space at the Enterprise Center, which had sustained significant hurricane damage, he could not provide an exact date when the repairs would occur but could confirm that the materials had been ordered.
Neither Fire Chief Louis Romero nor Tony Duhon of Code Enforcement were present with reports.
In closing, the committee approved a routine resolution for certain law enforcement-related items to be declared as surplus junk equipment and either sold or donated to other law enforcement agencies or, in the alternative, destroyed and sold as scrap metal.
The full council will meet at Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Louisiana’s “Shot For $100” vaccine incentive program is being extended through the end of the year, giving residents another chance to get their shots throughout the holiday season.
Louisiana residents now have until Dec. 31 to get their vaccine at a participating community-based site as listed on ShotFor100.com. As of Nov. 29, more than 34,300 debit cards have been distributed through Shot For 100.
Who is eligible?
• General public: Anyone receiving their first shot is eligible.
• College students: Anyone receiving their first or second shots is eligible and may only participate once. (The deadline for college students remains Dec. 10.)
“With the holiday season upon us and the emergence of the new Omicron variant, there is a new sense of urgency around getting your vaccine,” said State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter.
“We want to do everything we can to prevent another surge in infections, so I’m encouraging everyone to get themselves, their children and their loved ones protected as soon as possible.”
More than 2.5 million Louisianans have gone Sleeves Up in the fight against COVID-19. However, with children ages 5 to 11 now eligible, there are still many more people who need the vaccine’s protection. During the last surge, 9 children died of COVID and 18 children have died since the pandemic began.
To learn more about Shot For 100, visit ShotFor100.com or call Louisiana’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-453-0774. In addition to learning more about Shot For 100, the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline can answer questions about the vaccines and connect callers to medical professionals

Deputies with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office have continued to fight illegal drug activity.
Recent arrests include:
• Shawn Bourgeois, 33, Church Point: Possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm with a controlled dangerous substance.
• April Clark, 42, Hessmer: Possession of alprazolam, possession of a legend drug (quetiapine fumate a/k/a Seroquel), possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia
• Michael Dupre, 37, Mermentau: Dist. of methamphetamine.
• Aaron Gautreaux, 44, Crowley: Dist. of methamphetamine, violation of controlled dangerous substance laws.
• Emily Istre, 38, Morse: Possession of heroin.
• Tregg Istre, 42, Mermentau: Possession of alprazolam, possession of Adderall 20 mg, possession of Adderall 30 mg, possession of THC pods.
• Brandy Lejeune, 52, Church Point: Possession of alprazolam, possession of Ecstasy;
• Dylan Meaux, 24, Carencro: Possession of codeine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of legend drug without prescription.
• Tedrick Onezine, 39, Crowley: Distribution of methamphetamine, violation of controlled dangerous substance laws, obstruction of justice, proceeds from controlled dangerous substance transactions.
• Jeremy Royer, 45, Rayne: Distribution of methamphetamine, violation of controlled dangerous substance law.
• Aaron Schexnayder, 44, Crowley: Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Daniel Thibodeaux, 39, Crowley: Disribution of methamphetamine, violation of controlled dangerous substance law.

Once again it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in downtown Crowley, and a lot of that is thanks in part to Crowley Main Street.
This year’s winners were:
First place - First National Bank - $500;
Second place - Crowley City Hall;
Third place - The Balcony - $100; and
Honorable mention - Echelon Salon.
In order to further spread Christmas cheer, First National Bank decided to donate its winnings to two animal rescue organizations – Precious Paws and Second Chance Paws.
And, although they were unable to accept the $300 prize money designated for second place, Crowley’s City Hall employees worked hard to create a prize-winning display for the community.
“Our Downtown businesses have let their competitive and creative spirits shine. I am glad that everyone got in the Christmas spirit and helped to brighten up our Downtown,” said Crowley Main Street Director Janie Morrison.
The event was judged by Gerald Gruenig, Adrian Leonards, Geronna Leonards and Elizabeth Miller, and the criteria included design cohesiveness, traditional Christmas aspects and “Wow! factor.”
Morrison said she would like to thank all of the judges and would specially like to thank Carla Lambousy, who chaired the Deck the Streets committee. “It was her baby,” said Morrison.
Other participating merchants, civic organizations and building owners included Adam’s Apple, Aesthetics Lab, Acadia Parish Police Jury, Acadia Parish Courtyard/Acadia Parish Tourist Commission, American Legion Post 15, Cramer Equipment, Edward Jones, Plant and Pray Garden Club, Poise and Personality, Professional Home Health, Puddles and Lace, Red Bird Vintage, Sam’s Place, Shop Rite, Sweet and Sassy on the Boulevard, The Vanilla Bean and Thrive Physical Therapy.