Posted
2011-07-14 05:39:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 071411
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
A PUBLIC MEETING IS SET FOR TODAY IN THE ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO DISCUSS THE PROS AND CONS OF EXPANDING THE CITY'S CURRENT SMOKING ORDINANCE. CONCERNED CITIZENS, AS WELL AS OWNERS OF ALL BUSINESSES WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE ORDINANCE CHANGE, HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND. ACCORDING TO CITY ATTORNEY CHUCK JOHNSON, NOT BE A VOTE TAKEN AT THIS MEETING. NO WORD AS TO WHEN AN ACTUAL VOTE WILL BE TAKEN.
THOUGH THEY WILL NOT BE GETTING A MONTHLY OPERATING FEE, IT APPEARS NOW THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA WILL PAY NOBLE HOSPITALITY INC. A "START-UP FEE" OF $15,000 AS WELL AS PROVIDE UTILITY INCENTIVES TO MANAGE THE DOWNTOWN ALEXANDER FULTON HOTEL. IN EXCHANGE, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE A PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND 25 PERCENT OF THE PROFITS THAT NOBLE EARNS WHILE IT MANAGES THE PROPERTY. THE INITIAL AGREEMENT IS NOT LONG TERM, THE GROUP WILL MANAGE THE HOTEL BEGINNING FRIDAY AND THROUGH OCT. 31, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ITS CONTRACT BEING EXTENDED BY THREE MONTHS.
IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WILL CONDUCT AN EXERCISE TODAY TO HELP EMERGENCY OFFICIALS PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EARTHQUAKE DISASTER. LOUISIANA'S EARTHQUAKE RISK STEMS FROM THE NEW MADRID FAULT, THE MOST SEISMICALLY ACTIVE AREA OF THE UNITED STATES EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. RISK TO LOUISIANA IS LOW, COMPARED TO OTHER SOUTHERN AND MIDWESTERN STATES
A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE STATE TODAY AS DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO HIT THE CENTURY MARK AND HEAT INDICIES COULD REACH 110-DEGREES. GARY CHATELIN WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT, SAYS THE DRY GROUND IS HELPING TO PRODUCE THE INTENSE HEAT. THE BOSSIER PARISH CORONER'S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A POSSIBLE HEAT DEATH. THE PERSON DIED ON TUESDAY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 102-DEGREES IN BOSSIER CITY. CHATELIN SAYS THERE'S NO RELIEF IN SIGHT.
37 YEAR OLD ERIC DOUZART OF MONTGOMERY HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE THEFT OF COPPER AND OTHER METALS FROM BUSINESSES IN GRANT AND RAPIDES PARISHES. AUTHORITIES SAY DOUZART TRIED TO SELL MATERIALS. THE THEFTS OCCURRED BETWEEN JUNE 23 AND THIS PAST MONDAY. TOTAL COSTS TO REPAIR DAMAGE FROM THE THEFTS IS MORE THAN $20,000.
FLORIDA AUTHORITIES SAY THE MAN ACCUSED OF ROBBING AND KILLING A HAMMOND PRIEST, PLANNED TO USE THE STOLEN MONEY FOR A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD WITH HIS FAMILY. POLK COUNTY SHERIFF GRADY JUDD SAYS WHEN THEY ARRESTED 31-YEAR-OLD JEREMY MAINERI TUESDAY, THEY RECOVERED THREE-DAY PASSES TO DISNEY, FATHER ED EVERITT'S WALLET, HIS PICKUP TRUCK AND A GUN. JUDD BELIEVES MANIERI TOOK FATHER ED EVERITT'S WALLET AND VEHICLE, KILLED HIM AND THEN WENT TO PICK UP HIS EX WIFE AND KIDS.
THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES HAS LAUNCHED A NEW TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT. SPOKESPERSON TREY WILLIAMS SAYS THE NUMBER IS 1-855-4LA-KIDS. WILLIAMS SAYS UNDER THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM, THERE WERE 25 REGIONAL NUMBERS AROUND THE STATE THAT CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAD TO FIND TO MAKE A REPORT. WILLIAMS SAYS THE NEW SINGLE STATE-WIDE NUMBER WILL ALLOW CITIZENS TO REPORT TO A CENTRAL SYSTEM THAT WILL ENSURE EVERY CASE IS DEALT WITH PROMPTLY. AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IS 1-855-4LA-KIDS. YOU CAN ALSO FIND IT AT KSYL.COM
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL IS INSERTING HIMSELF INTO THE FALL ELECTIONS FOR STATE HOUSE AND SENATE SEATS. JINDAL HAS ASKED THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO ESTABLISH A VICTORY FUND WITH A GOAL OF RAISING OVER 2-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. U-L MONROE POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR JOSHUA STOCKLEY SAYS ITS A GREAT IDEA. STOCKLEY SAYS THE GOVERNOR HAS A MIXED TRACK RECORD OF ENDORSING INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES IN THE PAST. HE SAYS BACKING A FUND RAISING EFFORT TO HELP ALL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IS EASIER THAN PICKING PARTICULAR CANDIDATES TO BACK. ACCORDING TO THE PRESS RELEASE, JINDAL SAYS THE VICTORY FUND ALREADY HAS 700-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE LIVINGSTON PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING A SUSPECTED MURDER/SUICIDE. LIVING PARISH SHERIFF'S CHIEF DEPUTY JASON ARD SAYS THEY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT BUT SO FAR EVERYTHING POINTS TO ONE CONCLUSION. ARD SAYS HIS OFFICE IS NOT RELEASING ANY DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT AND THEY ARE WAITING ON THE RESULTS OF AN AUTOPSY. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SECOND MURDER SUICIDE IN THE STATE THIS WEEK.
STATE FIRE MARSHALS FROM ALL ACROSS THE NATION WILL BE GATHERING IN NEW ORLEANS TODAY FOR THEIR ANNUAL MEETING. LOUISIANA FIRE MARSHAL BUTCH BROWNING SAYS THE MEETING IS HELD EACH YEAR IN ORDER TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING SESSIONS. BROWNING SAYS LOUISIANA WAS UNANIMOUSLY CHOSEN TO HOST THIS YEAR'S EVENT.
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL SIGNS A NEW PACKAGE OF LAWS CRIMINALIZING SO CALLED BATH SALTS AND SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA. A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE LAW LET DRUG MAKERS CHANGE THEIR FORMULA AND PUT PRODUCT BACK ON THE STREET. GRETNA REPRESENTATIVE RICKY TEMPLET SAYS LEGISLATORS CONSULTED WITH EXPERTS TO MAKE SURE THAT LOOPHOLE IS CLOSED. THE LAW TAKES EFFECT TOMORROW.
AUTHORITIES IN JEFFERSON PARISH MEANWHILE ARE INVESTIGATING WHAT APPEARS TO BE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING A 10-YEAR OLD BOY. INVESTIGATORS FROM THE JEFFERSON PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAY JACOB WILLIAMS APPARENTLY JUMPED ON THE TOP OF A SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE DRIVEN BY 34-YEAR OLD SHAUNTELLE MITCHELL. THE YOUNGSTER FELL OFF THE SUV, WAS RUSHED TO THE WEST JEFFERSON MEDICAL CENTER WHERE HE LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.
THE HOUSTON TEXANS AND NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WILL NOT HOLD THREE JOINT PRACTICES LEADING UP TO THEIR AUG. 20 PRESEASON GAMES, WHILE THEY AWAIT THE END OF THE LOCKOUT. THE TEAMS HAVE PRACTICED TOGETHER IN THE PREVIOUS THREE TRAINING CAMPS, LEADING UP TO THEIR PRESEASON GAME. IT'S BECOME A POPULAR EVENT AMONG FANS IN THE CITIES, SEPARATED BY ONLY 350 MILES. LAST YEAR, THE TEAMS PRACTICED IN NEW ORLEANS BEFORE PLAYING AT THE SUPERDOME. THE LOCKOUT IS INTO ITS FOURTH MONTH. NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN PLAYERS AND OWNERS CONTINUED WEDNESDAY IN NEW YORK CITY.
CENTURYLINK OF MONROE EXPECTS TO CLOSE A DEAL FRIDAY TO BUY THE CLOUD COMPUTING COMPANY SAVVIS INC. FOR $2.5 MILLION AFTER SAVVIS SHAREHOLDERS AND THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION APPROVED THE MERGER THIS WEEK.
CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES INVOLVES STORAGE OF DIGITAL INFORMATION AND LAUNCH OF SOFTWARE SERVICES OVER THE INTERNET INSTEAD OF THROUGH COMPUTER AND DATA CENTERS.
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