Posted
2011-09-22 07:16:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 092211
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
SIX OF THE 32 CANDIDATES WHO APPLIED FOR THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT JOB DIDN’T MEET STATE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION. THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE’S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION STAFF VETTED THE 32 APPLICATIONS FOR SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION AND SUBMITTED 26 NAMES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD LATE TUESDAY. THE SIX APPLICANTS WHO DIDN’T MEET THE MINIMUM CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS WON’T BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. THE BOARD PLANS TO SELECT ONLY 10 PEOPLE FROM THE 26 APPLICANTS FOR INTERVIEWS, TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED OCT. 19-OCT. 28. RAPIDES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SUPT. GARY JONES HAS MADE THE LATEST CUT.
ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY THE VIOLENCE POLICY CENTER, LOUISIANA RANKS THIRD IN THE NATION IN THE RATE OF WOMEN KILLED BY MEN. THE REPORT SAYS 46 FEMALES WERE MURDERED BY MALES IN LOUISIANA IN 2009. VPC LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR KRISTEN RAND SAYS 70% OF THE WOMEN WERE SHOT AND KILLED WITH GUNS---AND GUN AVAILABILITY IS ALSO A FACTOR IN THE RANKING. RAND SAYS POLICY MAKERS CAN ALSO ASSURE THAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO COUNSEL MEN AND WOMEN INVOLVED IN POTENTIALLY VOLATILE RELATIONSHIPS OR SITUATIONS. RAND SAYS 98% OF FEMALE VICTIMS WERE MURDERED BY A MALE THAT THEY KNEW.
GAS PRICES IN LOUISIANA CONTINUE TO FALL. THE CURRENT STATEWIDE AVERAGE FOR REGULAR GAS IS $3.40 A GALLON; DOWN A PENNY FROM YESTERDAY AND DOWN EIGHT CENTS IN THE LAST WEEK. AAA FUEL ANALYST DON REDMAN SAYS A WEAK ECONOMY HAS COMBINED WITH GREATER FUEL
EFFICIENCY TO DRIVE THE PRICE DOWN.
WITH THE INFLUENZA SEASON RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, MANY LOUISIANA RESIDENTS ARE CONSIDERING GETTING A FLU SHOT. FLU BUG EXPERT DR. FRANK WELCH SAYS THIS YEAR A HIGHER DOSE FLU SHOT IS BEING OFFERED FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. HE SAYS THAT FLU SHOT IS ALMOST DOUBLE THE STRENGTH OF A REGULAR FLU SHOT. LAST YEAR WAS A VERY ACTIVE FLU SEASON IN LOUISIANA. WELCH SAYS IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL WHETHER WE'LL SEE ANOTHER BUSY FLU SEASON THIS YEAR.
IN A SIDE NOTE.. FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR, THE FEDERAL CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL GIVE LOUISIANA A PERFECT SCORE FOR PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO HEALTH EMERGENCIES. DR. JIMMY GUIDRY, WITH THE STATE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH,
SAYS THAT MAY BE BECAUSE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GET SO MUCH PRACTICE IN
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS.
STATE SENATE CANDIDATE HARRIS BROWN HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE DISTRICT 35 RACE RATHER THAN GO THROUGH WITH A TRIAL CHALLENGING HIS RESIDENCY QUALIFICATIONS.
BROWN'S EXIT LEAVES INCUMBENT SEN. BOB KOSTELKA, R-MONROE, AND ATTORNEY JEFF GUERRIERO, R-MONROE, AS THE ONLY CANDIDATES IN THE RACE. SENATE DISTRICT 35 NOW DIPS SOUTH INTO NORTHERN RAPIDES PARISH. KOSTELKA AND LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL BUDDY CALDWELL FILED LAWSUITS LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON CHALLENGING BROWN'S CANDIDACY, CLAIMING BROWN DIDN'T LIVE IN DISTRICT 35 FOR THE REQUIRED YEAR BEFORE QUALIFYING FOR THE OCT. 22 ELECTION.
A U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE HAS PASSED A BILL CO-SPONSORED BY MARY LANDRIEU THAT WOULD DEDICATE ANY FINES BP PAYS FOR THE GULF OIL SPILL TO RESTORING THE COAST. THE BILL HAS THE SUPPORT OF OUR OTHER SENATOR, DAVID VITTER, WHO SAYS THE BILLIONS THAT COULD MEAN FOR LOUISIANA COULD HELP RESTORE LOCAL ECONOMIES, OR GO TO LONG-AWAITED ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS. VITTER AND LANDRIEU WILL WORK TOGETHER TO GET FINAL PASSAGE ON THE SENATE FLOOR.
LINCOLN PARISH RESIDENTS WHO WERE EVACUATED AFTER A FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILMENT MONDAY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. CLEANUP OF THE MATERIALS SPILLED IN THE TRAIN WRECK CONTINUES NEAR THE OUACHITA PARISH LINE.
BASS PRO SHOPS HAS BEEN SUED BY THE FEDERAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION FOR ALLEGED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING AT LOCATIONS IN HOUSTON AND IN LOUISIANA. BASS PRO SAYS NO COMMENT UNTIL THEY REVIEW THE LAWSUIT.
A LAKE ARTHUR TEEN WILL SPEND TWO YEARS ON PROBATION, AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO FALSELY ACCUSING A POLICE OFFICER OF RAPE. 18-YEAR-OLD MEGHAN FRANKS MUST ALSO SERVE 90 DAYS IN JAIL AND PAY FINES. THE DA'S OFFICE SAYS FRANKS ADMITTED HER ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE OFFICER WERE NOT TRUE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE REPORTS ITS LARGEST INCOMING FRESHMAN CLASS SINCE 1999. THE 2,966 NEW STUDENTS TOPPED LAST YEAR BY ONLY 11 STUDENTS BUT REPRESENTS THE LARGEST CLASS SINCE SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS WAS IMPLEMENTED. ULL PRESIDENT JOE SAVOIE CREDITS AGGRESSIVE RECRUITMENT OF TOP STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY'S GROWING REPUTATION FOR DELIVERING A QUALITY EDUCATION.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, LSU WILL TRAVEL TO MORGANTOWN TO FACE WEST VIRGINIA THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7PM. LSU ALUMNI RELATIONS VICE PRESIDENT JASON RAMEZAN SAYS PURPLE & GOLD FANS TRAVELING TO THE NEW PLACE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE TRIP AND THE GAME. ABC WILL BROADCAST THE GAME, AND ESPN'S COLLEGE GAME DAY WILL BE THERE. RAMEZAN IS EXPECTING A GREAT ATMOSPHERE IN MORGANTOWN.
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