Posted
2011-08-10 06:23:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY 081011
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
FORMER LOUISIANA GOV. EDWIN EDWARDS, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE TRINA, PAID TWO VISITS TO CENTRAL LOUISIANA YESTERDAY. FIRST IT WAS A LUNCHTIME MEETING AND THEN IT WAS ON TO MARKSVILLE AND THE PARAGON CASINO. AT BOTH VISITS, HUNDREDS SHOWED UP TO HAVE EDWARDS SIGN COPIES OF HIS BOOK. THE CAJUN PRINCE LOOKED GREAT AND WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED, WITH MANY IN THE CROWD SAYING THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN SOMEDAY. THE FORMER GOVERNOR SAYS HE WILL SOON BE WRITING ANOTHER BOOK. THIS BOOK IS EXPECTED TO BE A TELL ALL. EDWARDS ALSO TOLD THE CROWD HE WILL ADDRESS, WHAT HE BELIEVES TO BE, HIS UNJUST RECENT INCARCERATION.
THE COLLEGE HAS BEEN ELUDING TO A DELAY FOR A WHILE. BUT, IT IS NOW OFFICIAL, LOUISIANA COLLEGE HAS DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE FALL OF 2013 TO OPEN ITS NEW LAW SCHOOL IN SHREVEPORT J. MICHAEL JOHNSON, THE FOUNDING DEAN OF LC'S PRESSLER SCHOOL OF LAW, SAID LAST MONTH, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. YESTERDAY, OFFICIALS WITH THE SCHOOL ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD WAIT UNTIL 2013 TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE DELAY WILL GIVE LC MORE TIME TO RENOVATE THE JOE D. WAGGONNER FEDERAL BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN SHREVEPORT TO HOUSE THE LAW SCHOOL
TENSIONS CONTINUE TO GROW BETWEEN SOME MEMBERS OF THE ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR JACQUES ROY. THE COUNCIL'S FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS DEBATING A $140,000 EXPENDITURE TO MAKE REPAIRS AT THE CITY-OWNED ALEXANDER FULTON HOTEL YESTERDAY WHEN MAYOR ROY ENTERED THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DISCUSSION, INCLUDING SOME SHARP EXCHANGES WITH COUNCILMAN ED LARVADAIN, THE MAYOR LEFT. SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ACCUSED THE MAYOR OF SIMPLY WANTING TO DISRUPT THE MEETING. SOMETHING THE MAYOR DENIES. COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT JOHNSON SAID NO ONE WILL COME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AND DISRESPECT THIS COUNCIL.
A CEREMONY WILL BE HELD TODAY ON THE FIELD OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED SUPERDOME TO KICK OFF THE SAINTS FOOTBALL SEASON. THE CEREMONY ALSO MARKS THE CONCLUSION OF $85 MILLION IN STATE-FUNDED UPGRADES TO THE SUPERDOME. THE SAINTS WILL FACE OFF AGAINST THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS IN THE SUPERDOME THIS FRIDAY NIGHT. SUPERDOME COMMISSION CHAIRMAN RON FORMAN SAYS WHEN FANS WALK INTO THE BLACK AND GOLD FACILITY, THEY WILL FEEL LIKE THEY ARE IN AN ENTIRELY NEW STADIUM. THE SUPERDOME UPGRADES INCLUDE A RECONFIGURED LOWER BOWL WITH 3,400 ADDITIONAL NEW SEATS, TWO NEW PREMIUM CLUB LOUNGES, A WIDE PLAZA LEVEL CONCOURSE AND NEW CONCESSION AND RESTROOM FACILITIES.
A NUMBER OF FORMER LAWMAKERS, WHO WERE TERM LIMITED FOUR YEARS AGO, ARE MAKING COMEBACKS IN THE OCTOBER 22ND PRIMARY. AFTER SITTING OUT AS AS LITTLE AS FOUR YEARS, EX-LEGISLATORS ARE MOUNTING CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE CURRENT INCUMBENTS WHO TOOK OVER THEIR LEGISLATIVE SEATS. JAMES DAVID CAIN OF DRY CREEK WANTS HIS OLD SENATE SEAT BACK FROM CURRENT INCUMBENT JOHN SMITH OF LEESVILLE. GREG TARVER IS CHALLENGING LYDIA JACKSON FOR HIS OLD SHREVEPORT SENATE SEAT. IN OPELOUSAS, MAYOR DON CRAVENS SR. IS CONSIDERING A RUN AGAINST LONG TIME POLITICAL RIVAL, SENATOR ELBERT GUILLORY AND CLEO FIELDS MAY RUN FOR HIS FORMER SENATE SEAT.
THE SHAKY ECONOMIC NEWS HAS CAUSED CRUDE OIL PRICES TO PLUMMET--MEANING WE SHOULD SEE MUCH LOWER GASOLINE PRICES SOON. LOUISIANA AAA FUEL ANALYST DON REDMAN SAYS PUMP PRICES ARE ALREADY STARTING TO DROP, WITH THE CURRENT STATEWIDE AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR GASOLINE AT $3.55. REDMAN SAYS SOME ANALYSTS ARE PREDICTING THE PRICE OF CRUDE COULD FALL AS LOW AS $50 A BARREL.
A NEW REPORT BY THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION GIVES LOUISIANA HIGH MARKS FOR IT'S ONGOING PRISON REFORM EFFORTS. LOUISIANA ACLU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARJORIE ESMAN SAYS LOUISIANA HAS TAKEN LEGISLATIVE STEPS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CERTAIN INMATES TO EARN THE RIGHT TO PAROLE. SHE SAYS THE STATE COULD GIVE SHORTER SENTENCES TO NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS. SHE SAYS THE MONEY SAVED COULD GO BACK INTO PAROLE AND PROBATION SYSTEMS. ESMAN SAYS THE STATE STILL HAS MILES TO GO IN ACHIEVING REAL PRISON REFORM.
STATE AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS SAY SIX LOUISIANA PARISHES HAVE BEEN DECLARED DISASTER AREAS BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THIS PAST GROWING SEASON. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY COMMISSIONER MIKE STRAIN SAID TUESDAY THAT THE AFFECTED PARISHES ARE: CONCORDIA, EAST CARROLL, MADISON, TENSAS, EAST FELICIANA AND WEST FELICIANA. STRAIN SAYS THE DESIGNATION MAKES AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IN THOSE PARISHES ELIGIBLE FOR FARM SERVICE AGENCY EMERGENCY LOANS AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS PROGRAM.
A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY POLICE OFFICER HAS DIED IN AN ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 12 NEAR ALBANY. AUTHORITIES SAY CPL. JOHN KENDALL WAS HEADING HOME FROM WORK TUESDAY WHEN HE CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND SIDESWIPED AN 18-WHEELER BEFORE COLLIDING WITH A WESTBOUND PICKUP TRUCK. THE LIVINGSTON PARISH CORONER'S OFFICE PRONOUNCED HIM DEAD AT THE SCENE.
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