Posted
2011-08-05 05:38:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR FRIDAY 080511
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
THE WALL BETWEEN THE ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR JACQUES ROY GOT A BIT HIGHER YESTERDAY AS THE MAYOR LASHED OUT AT THE COUNCIL DURING HIS BI-MONTHLY PRE-COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEFING. THE MAYOR CRITICIZED THE EFFORTS OF CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT JOHNSON AND VICE PRESIDENT ED LARVADAIN III AS WELL AS WHAT HE SEES AS THEIR LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ROY AND MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION ON KEY PROJECTS. THE MAYOR ALSO ALLEGED CONTINUED VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY CHARTER, ADDING THAT HE PLANS TO BRING FORTH EXAMPLES OF THOSE VIOLATIONS NEXT WEEK. DESPITE HIS HARSH WORDS, MAYOR ROY EXPRESSED HOPE THAT HE CAN GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS ON THE COUNCIL AND WORK ON POSITIVE PROJECTS THAT BOTH SIDES AGREE ARE IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST.
WINN PARISH SHERIFF "BODIE" LITTLE IS OUT OD A JOB AND UNDER HOUSE ARREST AS A RESULT OF A HEARING IN SHREVEPORT YESTERDAY. A FEDERAL MAGISTRATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON LISTENED TO TESTIMONY OUTLINING ALLEGATIONS THE FIRST-TERM SHERIFF FACILITATED DRUG DEALS FOR A WOMAN WITH WHOM HE WAS HAVING A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP. LITTLE'S APPEARANCE BEFORE FEDERAL MAGISTRATE MARK HORNSBY WAS TO DETERMINE IF HE SHOULD BE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY. LITTLE WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY AT HIS WINNFIELD HOME IN CONNECTION WITH FEDERAL INDICTMENTS ACCUSING HIM AND 10 OTHERS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES IN THE WINN PARISH AND SHREVEPORT AREAS. LITTLE PLEADED NOT GUILTY . THE JUDGE TOLD LITTLE HE IS TO HAVE NO CONTACT WITH THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WHILE UNDER HOUSE ARREST.
SHREVEPORT IS HOSTING THE THREE-DAY LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE. GUEST SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL, AG COMMISSIONER MIKE STRAIN AND HOUSE SPEAKER JIM TUCKER. LMA PRESIDENT BOBBY WASHINGTON SAYS THE CONVENTION PUTS ALL MAYORS ON EQUAL FOOTING, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THEIR CITY. THE CONFERENCE WILL FEATURE WORKSHOPS ON ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOSURE.
THE ANNUAL LOUISIANA SALES TAX HOLIDAY IS TODAY AND TOMORROW. CONSUMERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY THE FOUR-PERCENT STATE SALES TAX ON THE FIRST 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS OF ELIGIBLE ITEMS SUCH AS CLOTHES, FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES, COMPUTERS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE REMINDS RESIDENTS THE EXEMPTIONS DOES NOT APPLY TO LOCAL SALES TAXES. ALSO REMEMBER TO SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS ON SCHOOL RELATED ITEMS, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM CAN BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR 2011 STATE INCOME TAX.
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL TRAVELED TO FLORIDA AND GEORGIA YESTERDAY TO BRING IN NEW DONATIONS FOR HIS CAMPAIGN WARCHEST. SO FAR, JINDAL IS SAID TO HAVE OVER $9 MILLION IN HIS CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT FOR THE OCTOBER 22ND PRIMARY. JINDAL HAS NO MAJOR ANNOUNCED COMPETITORS SO FAR.
THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS QUICKLY CLOSING FOR ANYONE TO MOUNT A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO INCUMBENT GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTION THIS OCTOBER. THAT'S ACCORDING TO LSU MASS COMMUNICATION PROFESSOR BOB MANN, WHO SAYS TEN WEEKS DOESN'T GIVE A CANDIDATE MUCH TIME. MANN SAYS IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT TOGETHER A CHALLENGE BUT EVEN IF SOMEONE SHOULD STEP FORWARD WITH THE NAME RECOGNITION IT WOULD BE HARD TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO THE VOTERS.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SAYS A COMPUTER FOUL-UP CAUSED LOUISIANA CAR AND TRUCK OWNERS TO BE CHARGED LATE FEES THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE PAID FOR THEIR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS. AFTER STATE SEN. JOE MCPHERSON RAISED COMPLAINTS THURSDAY, THE JINDAL ADMINISTRATION SAID ANY LATE PENALTIES PAID ERRONEOUSLY WOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY REFUNDED. A COMPUTER PROBLEM CAUSED SNAGS IN VERIFYING VEHICLE OWNERS' ADDRESSES. AS A RESULT, MCPHERSON SAYS AS MANY AS 40 PERCENT OF VEHICLE OWNERS DIDN'T GET THE 60-DAY NOTIFICATIONS. OMV COMMISSIONER NICK GAUTREAUX SAID IF THEY COULDN'T VALIDATE AN ADDRESS, THE NOTICE WASN'T SENT IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT DRIVERS' PERSONAL INFORMATION.
ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE YEAR, 1700 SWEPCO CUSTOMERS IN BOSSIER PARISH WERE WITHOUT POWER MUCH OF THE DAY YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF A BLOWN TRANSFORMER. SWEPCO SPOKESPERSON SCOTT MCCLOUD SAYS THE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFORMER WAS EXTENSIVE. COOLING CENTERS WERE SET UP FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER.
THE LSU AGCENTER WILL NOT HAVE TO DECLARE A FINANCIAL EMERGENCY AT THIS TIME. CHANCELLOR BILL RICHARDSON SAYS THEY FOUND WAYS TO ABSORB SOME BUDGET CUTS BY REDUCING PROGRAMS AND EXPENSES THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
A LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS TERMINAL IN LOUISIANA HAS BEEN APPROVED TO EXPORT NATURAL GAS. FEDERAL ENERGY DEPARTMENT RECORDS SHOW THAT LAKE CHARLES EXPORTS LLC WAS GRANTED AUTHORITY ON JULY 22 TO EXPORT DOMESTIC NATURAL GAS FROM ITS LAKE CHARLES TERMINAL TO COUNTRIES THAT THE U.S. HAS FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS FOR GAS. THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT IS STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER TO ALLOW EXPORTS TO COUNTRIES NOT COVERED BY THE PACTS.
JURY DELIBERATIONS WILL RESUME FRIDAY IN THE TRIAL OF FIVE CURRENT OR FORMER POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED IN DEADLY SHOOTINGS ON A NEW ORLEANS BRIDGE AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA. JURORS CONCLUDED A SECOND DAY OF DELIBERATIONS THURSDAY WITHOUT REACHING A VERDICT. THEY HEARD FIVE WEEKS OF TESTIMONY BEFORE GETTING THE CASE ON WEDNESDAY.
COACH LES MILES ANNOUNCES STEVE KRAGTHORPE IS STEPPING DOWN AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BECAUSE HE'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON’S. MILES SAYS KRAGTHORPE WILL REMAIN ON STAFF AS THE QUARTERBACKS COACH AND WILL STILL BE VERY MUCH A PART OF THE GAMES. MILES SAYS OFFENSIVE LINE COACH GREG STUDRAWA WILL TAKE OVER AS OC.
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