Posted
2011-07-29 05:39:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR MONDAY 072911
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
CLECO CUSTOMERS WILL BE GETTING AN AVERAGE OF 21-DOLLARS REFUNDED ON THE BILLS FOR AUGUST. CLECO'S ARRANGEMENT WITH THE LOUISIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION CALLS FOR THE REFUND AFTER A BIG JUMP IN THEIR REVENUES LAST YEAR. THE AMOUNT OF THE REFUND WILL DEPEND ON YOUR ENERGY USAGE.
AS KIDS GET READY TO HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL, THE RAPIDES PARISH HEALTH UNIT IS HOSTING A BACK TO SCHOOL VACCINATION BLITZ TODAY. THE EVENT IS BEING HELD AT THE RAPIDES PARISH HEALTH UNIT ON COLISEUM BLVD. IN ALEXANDRIA FROM 8:30 A.M. TO NOON. IMMUNIZATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN ATTENDING DAY-CARE CENTERS AND HEAD START CENTERS AND FOR CHILDREN GOING INTO THE SIXTH GRADE. TODAY’S EVENT FEATURES NO OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES TO PARTICIPANTS.
BACK IN APRIL, THE ALEXANDRIA HOUSING AUTHORITY UNVEILED A NEW THE 64-UNIT, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR LOW INCOME APARTMENT COMPLEX. IT WAS EXPECTED THEN RESIDENTS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO MOVE INTO THEIR NEW HOMES SHORTLY THERE AFTER. BUT THE COMPLEX HAS SAT VACANT SINCE THEN AS AHA OFFICIALS HAVE WAITED FOR A CHECK FROM HUD TO PAY VENDORS AND HELP RELOCATE RESIDENTS. TODAY AHA OFFICIALS WILL SUBMIT A REPORT TO HUD ON ALL OF THE EXPENSES AT LEGACY HEIGHTS. THE QUESTION FOR MANY IS, WHAT TOOK SO LONG. IT’S HOPED HUD WILL, UPON RECEIVING THE REPORT, RELEASE THE FUNDS.
48 YEAR OLD JOHNNY MATHIS OF LECOMPTE PLEADED GUILTY IN APRIL TO FIRING THREE SHOTS AT THE HOME OF HIS NEIGHBORS AND THEN SETTING FIRE TO THEIR HOUSE. THE JUNE 15, 2008, INCIDENT SENT THREE ILLEGAL RESIDENTS FROM MEXICO FLEEING FROM THEIR HOME AS THEY THEN WATCHED IT BURN. YESTERDAY, MATHIS WAS SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON. HIS ATTORNEY SAID THE SENTENCE WAS THE BEST THEY COULD HOPE FOR. MATHIS, AS YOU MAY SUSPECT, WAS DRUNK AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
TWO OFFICERS AT THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH DETENTION CENTER HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF PROVIDING ILLEGAL DRUGS TO INMATES. 23-YEAR-OLD DEMETRUS LEWIS AND 33-YEAR-OLD GARY FONTENOT ARE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES AT THE JAIL. AUTHORITIES ACCUSED THEM OF SMUGGLING NARCOTICS AND CONTRABAND TO PRISONERS. LEWIS HAS BEEN BOOKED WITH CONSPIRING TO INTRODUCE CONTRABAND INTO A DETENTION CENTER, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE, POSSESSION OF ECSTASY WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESSION OF HYDROCODONE. FONTENOT HAS BEEN BOOKED WITH CONSPIRING TO INTRODUCE CONTRABAND INTO THE JAIL. EACH WAS HELD IN THE PARISH JAIL, PENDING BOND. BOTH MEN HAVE BEEN FIRED.
SPECIALTY BAG MAKER RONPAK INC. SAID THURSDAY THAT IT WILL SPEND $16.8 MILLION TO BUILD A MANUFACTURING PLANT AT THE PORT OF SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER, CREATING 175 JOBS. THE PROJECT WILL BE THE THIRD MANUFACTURING PLANT FOR RONPAK, WHICH IS BASED IN SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. GOV. BOBBY JINDAL SAID LOUISIANA WON A SITE SELECTION COMPETITION WITH THREE OTHER STATES. UNDER A DEAL WITH THE STATE, RONPAK WILL RECEIVE A $3.55 MILLION PERFORMANCE-BASED GRANT FOR EQUIPMENT PURCHASES AS THE COMPANY MEETS PAYROLL TARGETS. THE COMPANY ALSO IS ELIGIBLE FOR REBATES FOR CREATING NEW JOBS AND STATE-SUPPORTED TRAINING FOR ITS WORKERS. HIRING IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER WITH PLANT COMPLETION SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF 2012.
A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COMBINED WITH OTHER WEATHER FACTORS IS PUSHING TROPICAL STORM DON AWAY FROM LOUISIANA AND TOWARD A LANDFALL SOMEWHERE ON THE TEXAS COAST EARLY THIS WEEKEND. COASTAL AREAS OF LOUISIANA, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, MAY SEE SOME EFFECTS FROM THE STORM. FORECASTERS SAY IT COULD BE A RAIN MAKER.
SHELL AND EXXON ARE EVACUATING RIGS IN THE GULF IN ANTICIPATION OF TROPICAL STORM DON. AAA FUEL ANALYST DON REDMAN SAYS THERE MAY BE SOME LOCALIZED FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PRICE OF GAS. BUT, HE DOESN’T EXPECT THAT.
THE BATTLE OVER RAISING THE DEBT CEILING CONTINUES AS THE AUGUST SECOND DEADLINE LOOMS OVER CAPITOL HILL. METAIRIE CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALISE SAYS UNTIL DEMOCRATS ARE READY TO CONFRONT THE SPENDING PROBLEM AND WORK TOWARD A BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION HE DOESN'T SEE AN END TO THE CRISIS. US SENATOR MARY LANDRIEU WAS A MEMBER OF THE GANG OF SIX; THE BIPARTISAN GROUP THAT OFFERED A PLAN THAT HAD SUPPORT FROM MEMBERS OF BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES. SHE BACKS A PLAN THAT CALLS FOR A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO REDUCE THE DEBT BY AS MUCH A 4-TRILLION DOLLARS. IT APPEARS NOW, THAT PLAN MAY BE DEAD.
A STATE WIDE PUSH IS ON TO CUT HOUSE FIRE DEATHS, BY GETTING WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS INTO AS MANY LOUISIANA HOMES AS POSSIBLE. STATE FIRE MARSHAL BUTCH BROWNING SAYS "OPERATION SAVE A LIFE" WAS BORN OUT OF NECESSITY. BROWNING SAYS "OPERATION SAVE A LIFE" PROMOTES THE USE OF SMOKE DETECTORS WITH THE NEW TEN-YEAR LITHIUM POWER PACK. BROWNING SAYS A SERIES OF EVENTS WILL BE HELD SATURDAY AT HOME DEPOT STORES ACROSS THE STATE, WHERE LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS, PROVIDE INSTALLATION TIPS AND MORE. MORE INFO IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT "SFM.DPS.LOUISIANA.GOV"
POLITICAL POLLSTER BERNIE PINSONAT SAYS IF FORMER GOVERNOR EDWIN EDWARDS WAS ABLE TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR THIS FALL HE WOULD HAVE NO LACK OF SUPPORT. PINSONAT OF SOUTHERN MEDIA AND OPINION RESEARCH HAS NOT CONDUCTED A POLL ON THE QUESTION OF AN EDWARDS VS. JINDAL CONTEST HE SAYS HE HAS ENCOUNTERED PLENTY OF PRO EDWARDS SENTIMENT. HE SAYS MR. EDWARDS CAN DRAW A BIGGER CROWD THAN JINDAL.
AS THE SAINTS REPORT TO TRAINING CAMP, THEY’RE DOING SO WITHOUT REGGIE BUSH WHO WAS TRADED TO THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. BUSH HAS AGREED TO A TWO YEAR DEAL WITH HIS NEW TEAM. BUSH WAS SET TO MAKE NEARLY 12-MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR WITH THE SAINTS AND TRADING THE FORMER U-S-C STAR WILL GIVE THE SAINTS THE MONEY THEY NEED TO SIGN SOME OF THEIR OTHER FREE AGENTS.
ELLE MAGAZINE HAS RELEASED "THE LOVELIEST CELEBRITY NATIVE OF EACH STATE" AND FOR LOUISIANA, REESE WITHERSPOON WAS SELECTED. ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, WITHERSPOON WAS BORN AT THE FORMER SOUTHERN BAPTIST HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS.
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