Posted
2011-11-16 16:59:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT 11/16/11
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WEDNESDAY IN RESPONSE TO THE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF BOYS INVOLVING A FORMER PENN STATE UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH. JINDAL'S ORDER REQUIRES ANYONE WORKING AT A PUBLIC LOUISIANA COLLEGE WHO HAS WITNESSED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO REPORT IT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN 24 HOURS. CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ALREADY WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT ANY ABUSE OR NEGLECT THEY SEE, BUT THE LAW DIDN'T EXTEND TO COLLEGE PROFESSORS, ADMINISTRATORS, COACHES OR COLLEGE STAFF MEMBERS.
LAFAYETTE POLICE NAB A SUSPECT IN THE TUESDAY MURDER OF AN ELDERLY MAN--FOUND STABBED TO DEATH INSIDE A LOCAL COBBLER'S SHOP. POLICE BELIEVE 36-YEAR-OLD DEITRICK HARRIS IS THE PERSON WHO KILLED 83-YEAR-OLD JAMES BUNN, HIS BOSS AT LAFAYETTE SHOE REPAIR.
A SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED BETWEEN A MAJOR MANUFACTURER OF CHINESE-MADE DRYWALL AND HOMEBUILDERS WHO USED THE TAINTED PRODUCT IN ABOUT 1,500 GULF COAST HOMES. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS TO THE SETTLEMENT IN COURT WEDNESDAY IN NEW ORLEANS. PLAINTIFFS' LAWYER BRUCE STECKLER SAYS HE EXPECTS APPROVAL BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT.
THE WAVE OF HISPANICS WHO FLOODED THE GULF COAST AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE DAMPENED LOUISIANA FAMILIES' DEMAND FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GET A FRENCH EDUCATION. THERE'S A WAITING LIST AT ALL 29 OF THE STATE'S PUBLIC FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAMS.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF'S INVESTIGATORS BLAME AN ARGUMENT ABOUT HOUSEHOLD CHORES FOR THE BLOODY BEATING DEATHS OF A SLIDELL COUPLE. SHERIFF JACK STRAIN SAID WEDNESDAY THAT 25-YEAR-OLD JOHN WILLIS WAS ARRESTED ON TWO COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. STRAIN SAID A FRIEND OF JOHN WILLIS CALLED 911 TUESDAY NIGHT SAYING HE AND ARRIVED AT THE FAMILY'S HOME AND FOUND THE COUPLE DEAD. THE SHERIFF SAID WILLIS LATER CONFESSED TO THE MURDERS. BASED ON WILLIS' ADMISSION AND EVIDENCE COLLECTED AT THE SCENE, INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE WILLIS STRUCK HIS PARENTS IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER, CAUSING THEIR DEATHS.
THE OWNERS OF FIVE BARS IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE HAVE LOST APPEALS ASKING THE CITY-PARISH COUNCIL TO OVERTURN THREE-DAY LIQUOR LICENSE SUSPENSIONS IMPOSED FOR REFUSING TO PAY A SPECIAL LAW-ENFORCEMENT LEVY. THE BAR OWNERS WILL NOW TAKE THE BATTLE TO DISTRICT COURT IN AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTURN THE ORDINANCE REQUIRING THE BARS TO PAY THE SPECIAL LEVY.
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT LAST
NIGHT LEFT A SWATH OF DAMAGE ON THEIR WAKE. IN TANGIPHAOA PARISH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR DAWSON PRIMES SAYS A CONFIRMED EF-1 TWISTER IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PARISH BLEW A TWO-STORY HOUSE RIGHT OFF ITS FOUNDATION. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED IN THE EARLY MORNING SQUALL. IN TERREBONNE PARISH, A SUSPECTED TORNADO DAMAGED SEVERAL BUILDINGS AND HOMES. MOST POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED AND THERE ARE NO REPORTED SERIOUS INJURIES.
A DESOTO PARISH JUDGE RULES THAT EVIDENCE COLLECTED FROM THE TAXICAB DRIVEN BY ACCUSED CHILD KILLER BRIAN HORN CAN BE USED IN HIS 1ST-DEGREE MURDER TRIAL. HORN'S ACCUSED OF ABDUCTING AND KILLING 12-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN BLOXOM OF STONEWALL IN MARCH 2010. PROSECUTORS SAY HORN, A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER, POSED AS A GIRL AND TEXTED THE TEEN TO LURE HIM INTO HIS TAXI. JUSTIN'S BODY WAS FOUND LATER NEAR HIGHWAY 171.
THE FIVE PARISHES THAT MAKE UP THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AREA, ARE FINALLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL OZONE STANDARDS. BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS RAISED THE COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AREA. RODNEY MALLETT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SAYS REACHING THE GOAL OF ATTAINMENT SHOULD BOOST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. MALLETT SAYS DEQ DID STUDIES TO PINPOINT THE SOURCES OF OZONE. HE
SAYS IT TOOK HARD WORK AND COOPERATION TO REACH THE GOAL, BUT NOW THE ENTIRE STATE IS IN COMPLIANCE.
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