Posted
2011-09-08 05:30:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 090811
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
STATE POLICE SAY 17-YEAR-OLD DRIVER AND HIS 9-YEAR-OLD PASSENGER DIED IN A TWO VEHICLE CRASH NEAR LEESVILLE. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED SHORTLY BEFORE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ON LA. HIGHWAY 28 AT HIGHWAY 121. TROOPERS SAY A CAR BEING DRIVEN CODY J. MARSHALL COLLIDED WITH AN 18-WHEELER. MARSHALL AND A PASSENGER IN HIS CAR, JADEN MARSHALL, DIED IN THE CRASH. CODY MARSHALL'S ONLY OTHER PASSENGER WAS A 15-YEAR-OLD, WHO RECEIVED MODERATE INJURIES. THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED.
ALEXANDRIA BUSINESSMAN LANCE HARRIS QUALIFIED WEDNESDAY TO RUN FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 25, A SEAT HELD BY ATTORNEY REP. CHRIS ROY JR., WHO CHOSE NOT TO SEEK RE-ELECTION. HARRIS ALSO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE ENGLAND ECONOMIC & INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, COMMONLY CALLED THE ENGLAND AUTHORITY. HARRIS WILL RUN AGAINST AT LEAST ONE OTHER CANDIDATE, FELLOW REPUBLICAN BARETT BYRD OF WOODWORTH.
TONY VETS, A COLFAX REPUBLICAN, FILED WEDNESDAY TO RUN IN THE MINORITY SENATE DISTRICT 29. AS OF NOW, HE'LL FACE REP. RICK GALLOT, D-RUSTON. IN HOUSE DISTRICT 27, INCUMBENT CHRIS HAZEL OF BALL QUALIFIED WEDNESDAY TO DEFEND THE SEAT HE WON FOUR YEARS AGO. FORMER LEGISLATOR RANDY WIGGINS OF PINEVILLE ALSO HAS QUALIFIED TO RUN AGAINST HIM. BOTH ARE REPUBLICANS.
IN RAPIDES PARISH POLICE JURY DISTRICT C, JOHN PATTERSON II HAS QUALIFIED TO RUN. THE INCUMBENT, JAMIE FLOYD, IS RUNNING FOR RAPIDES PARISH CLERK OF COURT. IN POLICE JURY DISTRICT E IN RAPIDES PARISH, JOSH PACE SIGNED UP TO CHALLENGE INCUMBENT RICHARD VANDERLICK.
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL NOW HAS FIVE CHALLENGERS FOR HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE, AS TWO DEMOCRATS ENTERED THE RACE WEDNESDAY. ONE IS CLAIBORNE PARISH EDUCATOR TARA HOLLIS, WHO SAYS SHE VOTED FOR JINDAL IN 2007 BUT NOW FEELS HE'S FAILED TO LIVE UP TO HIS PROMISES. METAIRIE ATTORNEY CARY DEATON ALSO QUALIFIED TO RUN AGAINST JINDAL WEDNESDAY. THE DEMOCRAT SAYS HE'S RUNNING BECAUSE HE'S DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT A NATIONAL ISSUE; PRESERVING THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY. QUALIFYING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR ENDS TODAY, AND ONE NAME RUMORED TO BE GETTING INTO THE RACE IS NEW ORLEANS BUSINESSMAN JOHN GEORGES. GEORGES RAN UNSUCCESSFULLY AGAINST BOBBY JINDAL IN 2007, AS AN INDEPENDENT.
TROPICAL STORM NATE HAS FORMED IN THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO NEAR THE BAY OF CAMPECHE. NATE IS PACKING MAXIMUM WINDS AT 45 MILES AN HOUR, AND IS CURRENTLY MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT JUST 2 MILES AN HOUR. COMPUTER MODELS VARY WIDELY ON WHERE NATE WILL GO, BUT MOST HAVE THE STORM HEADED INLAND ALONG MEXICO'S COAST. ONE MODEL HAS NATE MOVING MORE TOWARD TEXAS.
A STATE JUDGE HAS ISSUED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER BLOCKING THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS FROM IMPLEMENTING ITS PLAN TO SHIFT MORE THAN 800,000 MEDICAID RECIPIENTS AND THEIR $2.2 BILLION IN CLAIMS TO PRIVATE INSURERS. DISTRICT JUDGE JUDGE JANICE CLARK ON TUESDAY GRANTED AETNA INC.'S REQUEST TO BLOCK THE PLAN. AETNA IS PROTESTING THE STATE'S SELECTION OF THREE FIRMS TO RUN NETWORKS THAT WILL BE PAID A MONTHLY FEE FOR EACH MEDICAID RECIPIENT, AND WILL NEGOTIATE PAYMENTS WITH HEALTH PROVIDERS. AS YOU MAY SUSPECT, AETNA WAS NOT ONE OF THE THREE SELECTED.
A NEW WILDFIRE IN CADDO PARISH HAS OFFICIALS ASKING SOME RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES. THE FIRE IS CONSUMING PASTURE AND NEARBY WOODS NEAR THE TOWN OF VIVIAN; ABOUT 26 ACRES SO FAR. THIS NEW FIRE COMES JUST HOURS AFTER FIREFIGHTERS GOT BLAZES NEAR IDA AND OIL CITY UNDER CONTROL.
FIRST LADY SUPRIYA JINDAL IS ENCOURAGING ALL LOUISIANIANS TO DONATE NON PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS. JINDAL SAYS SUPPLIES IN FOOD BANKS ARE CURRENTLY VERY LOW. SHE URGES US TO CONTACT OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN GET INVOLVED IN HELPING TO STOP HUNGER. JINDAL SAYS THE STRAIN ON FOOD BANKS GETS PARTICULARLY TOUGH DURING HURRICANE SEASON. MS. JINDAL WILL BE IN TOWN TO VISIT THE FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA TODAY.
THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE HAS ACCEPTED TEXAS A-AND-M AS THE LEAGUE'S 13TH MEMBER, BUT THE MOVE HAS BEEN DELAYED BY THE POTENTIAL THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION. BAYLOR IS REPORTEDLY NOT OKAY WITH A-AND-M LEAVING THE BIG 12. LSU CHANCELLOR MIKE MARTIN SAYS ADDING A POSSIBLE 14TH SCHOOL TO THE SEC IS BEING DISCUSSED. HE SAYS A 14-TEAM CONFERENCE WILL LIKELY MEAN THAT LSU WILL NO LONGER PLAY FLORIDA IN FOOTBALL EVERY SEASON.
LSU WILL UNVEIL A STATUE TONIGHT OF ONE OF ITS MOST FAMOUS ALUMNUS, WHO
IS ALSO A FUTURE NBA HALL OF FAMER. THE SHAQUILLE O' NEAL STATUE WILL BE LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE LSU BASKETBALL PRACTICE FACILITY. THE 900-POUND BRONZE STATUE FEATURES SHAQ DOING ONE OF HIS POWERFUL DUNKS IN AN LSU UNIFORM.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL IS BACKING A NEW CONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR A NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC HOSPITAL THAT WOULDN'T REQUIRE STATE-BACKED BORROWING, BUT WOULD REMAIN LARGER IN SIZE AND PRICE TAG THAN AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL PUSHED BY U.S. SEN. DAVID VITTER. THE $1.1 BILLION PROPOSAL, TO BE PRESENTED TO THE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER GOVERNING BOARD TODAY, ASSUMES $156 MILLION MORE IN FEDERAL HURRICANE RECOVERY FUNDING THAN THE STATE HAS IN HAND. IT ALSO WOULD REQUIRE AN LSU FOUNDATION OR THIRD-PARTY ENTITY TO FINANCE $157 MILLION OF THE COST, FOR THE PARKING STRUCTURE AND PHYSICIANS TOWER.
SPEAKING OF THE GOVERNOR, GOV. BOBBY JINDAL HAS ORDERED ALL FLAGS AT STATE BUILDING TO BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF UNTIL SUNSET ON SEPT. 11.
JINDAL'S EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYS THE MOVE IS AN EXPRESSION OF RESPECT FOR LOUISIANA CIVILIANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPT. 11, 2001 — AND THE WARS THAT FOLLOWED.
A TEXAS COMPANY THAT OWNS A REFINERY IN SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA WAS CHARGED WEDNESDAY WITH CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL ANTI-POLLUTION LAWS AND OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE. PROSECUTORS FILED A THREE-COUNT CHARGE DIRECTLY IN COURT WEDNESDAY AGAINST HOUSTON-BASED PELICAN REFINING CO. LLC. THE COMPANY IS ACCUSED OF OPERATING THE PELICAN REFINERY IN LAKE CHARLES WITHOUT FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION FROM ESCAPING, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY DEADLY HYDROGEN SULFIDE, IN VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT. THE COMPANY FACES UP TO $500,000 IN FINES FOR EACH COUNT OR UP TO TWICE THE FINANCIAL GAIN OR LOSS TO VICTIMS FROM THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS.
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