Posted
2011-11-03 07:09:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 110311
DAVE GRAICHEN
HERE'S AN ALARMING STATISTIC FROM THE USDA; ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE LOUISIANANS IS ON FOOD STAMPS. STATE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES SPOKESMAN TREY WILLIAMS CONFIRMS THAT ABOUT 907-THOUSAND STATE RESIDENTS WERE RECEIVING FEDERALLY-FUNDED SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE AS OF AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. HE SAYS THE SLUGGISH ECONOMY IS LARGELY THE REASON, BUT IT'S HOPED THAT NUMBER WILL LEVEL OFF AND DROP OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
LOUISIANA SEAFOOD PROCESSORS, FORESTERS AND OTHERS WHO USE IMMIGRANT WORKERS SAID IN FEDERAL COURT WEDNESDAY THAT GOVERNMENT-MANDATED WAGE HIKES FOR FOREIGN WORKERS COULD PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS EMPLOYERS TO RAISE THE WAGES OF SEASONAL WORKERS TO $11.03 AN HOUR BY NOVEMBER 30. EMPLOYERS WHO USE THE H-2B VISA PROGRAM ARE ASKING U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE DEE DRELL IN ALEXANDRIA TO POSTPONE THE WAGE INCREASES AND ATTORNEYS FOR THE GOVERNMENT WANT DRELL TO TRANSFER THE CASE FILED IN HIS COURT TO A FEDERAL COURT IN PENNSYLVANIA. DRELL DID NOT RULE WEDNESDAY ON TRANSFERRING THE CASE OR POSTPONING THE NOV. 30 IMPLEMENTATION.
IT’S BACK TO SQUARE ONE FOR TIFFANY SANDERS, AS HER FATE AS A MEMBER OF THE ALEXANDRIA CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION IS HEADED BACK TO DISTRICT COURT. A THREE-JUDGE PANEL WITH THE 3RD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL OVERTURNED A PREVIOUS DECISION BY 9TH DISTRICT JUDGE GEORGE METOYER THAT THREW OUT TWO CASES RELATED TO SANDERS' APPOINTMENT AND ALLOWED FOR THE ALEXANDRIA ATTORNEY TO BE SEATED ON THE COMMISSION. ON JAN. 14, METOYER ORDERED THAT LAWSUITS FILED BY ALEXANDRIA MAYOR JACQUES ROY AGAINST ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT JOHNSON AND FILED BY SANDERS AGAINST THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION BOTH BE DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE AND THAT THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING A COMMISSIONER START ANEW. THE APPELLATE PANEL, HOWEVER, SAID METOYER DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RESTART THE PROCESS.
THEY WORKED ALL DAY. BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE JURY IN THE FEDERAL BRIBERY TRIAL OF FORMER RAPIDES PARISH POLICE JUROR STEVE BORDELON DELIBERATED ALL DAY WEDNESDAY WITHOUT REACHING A VERDICT. IT WILL RETURN AT 9 A.M. TODAY TO TRY AGAIN. THE 72 YEAR OLD BORDELON WAS INDICTED IN APRIL 2010 ON ONE COUNT OF BRIBERY CONNECTED TO THE PURCHASE OF TWO RESIDENTIAL LOTS OUTSIDE PINEVILLE.
A RECENTLY FIRED DEPARTMENT HEAD AT UL-LAFAYETTE HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD IN A BATON ROUGE HOTEL ROOM, AN APPARENT SUICIDE. SIMON BROUSSARD OVERSAW TRANSIT AND PARKING AT THE UNIVERSITY UNTIL LAST THURSDAY. BATON ROUGE POLICE SAY A SUICIDE NOTE WAS FOUND NEXT TO HIS BODY. BROUSSARD'S OFFICE WAS UNDER INTERNAL INVESTIGATION FOR THEFT ALLEGATIONS, BUT IT'S UNKNOWN IF HE WAS SUSPECTED OF ANY WRONGDOING.
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT AT THE STATE FAIR IN SHREVEPORT HAS LEFT A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY CRITICALLY INJURED. LITTLE SHELDON LEWIS, OF COUSHATTA, WAS PART OF A SCHOOL FIELD TRIP TO THE FAIR WHEN HE BECAME STUCK UNDER A RIDE CALLED THE DEMOLITION DERBY. JAWS OF LIFE WERE NEEDED TO GET HIM OUT, WHICH TOOK ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THE ACCIDENT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. SHELDON'S CONDITION REMAINS
CRITICAL.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARREST THE MAN THEY SAY ROBBED A MANDEVILLE BANK ON MONDAY, AFTER A DYE BOMB IN THE SACK OF CASH HE STOLE WENT OFF. A LOCAL BUSINESS CALLED TO REPORT A CUSTOMER TRYING TO MAKE A TRANSACTION WITH CASH COVERED IN RED DYE; HIS HANDS ALSO COVERED WITH DYE. 36-YEAR-OLD LORENZO LOMAX IS BEHIND BARS AFTER BEING - LITERALLY - CAUGHT RED-HANDED.
VILLE PLATTE POLICE ARREST A WOMAN AND CHARGE HER WITH SECOND-DEGREE FETICIDE AFTER SHE ALLEGEDLY BEAT-UP A PREGNANT WOMAN AT A GAS STATION. AUTHORITIES SAY THE VICTIM WAS TWO MONTHS PREGNANT AND HAD A MISCARRIAGE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK. NO WORD ON WHY RACHEAL BELLARD ALLEGEDLY BEAT UP THE WOMAN.
A STATE JUDGE IN BATON ROUGE HAS REVOKED A PERMIT THAT ALLOWED A TRUCK STOP OWNER TO KEEP A LIVE TIGER ON DISPLAY ALONG I-10 IN IBERVILLE PARISH. THE ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND FILED A LAWSUIT IN ORDER TO SHUT DOWN THE EXHIBIT, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE TIGER SHOULD LIVE IN A MORE NATURAL SETTING. NO WORD ON IF THE TRUCK STOP OWNER WILL APPEAL THE RULING.
PHONE COMPANY CENTURYLINK INC. SAYS ITS THIRD-QUARTER NET INCOME FELL AS RISING OPERATING EXPENSES RELATED TO ITS APRIL ACQUISITION OF LARGER PHONE COMPANY QWEST OVERSHADOWED INCREASED REVENUE. IN THE JULY-SEPTEMBER QUARTER, CENTURYLINK EARNED $140 MILLION, OR 23 CENTS PER SHARE. THIS IS 40 PERCENT LOWER THAN THE $232 MILLION, OR 76 CENTS PER SHARE, A YEAR EARLIER. EXCLUDING ONE-TIME ITEMS, THE COMPANY EARNED 34 CENTS PER SHARE, MATCHING ESTIMATES OF ANALYSTS POLLED BY FACTSET.
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