Posted
2011-12-22 07:22:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 122211
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
A STORMY DAY IS AHEAD FOR MOST ALL OF LOUISIANA TODAY. STATE CLIMATOLOGIST BARRY KEIM SAYS THE FRONT THAT BROUGHT US RAIN TUESDAY NIGHT HAS STALLED OUT OVER THE COAST, AND ISN'T DONE WITH US YET. KEIM SAYS MOST OF THE STATE WILL GET AN INCH OF RAIN OR PERHAPS MORE DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS, WITH THE CHANCE OF SOME SEVERE WEATHER. THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE RAIN SHOULD END THIS EVENING, WITH CLEARING SKIES AND SOMEWHAT COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR FRIDAY. RAIN WILL RETURN AGAIN ON SATURDAY.
A PINEVILLE MAN WAS SHOT BY POLICE AND A PINEVILLE POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AFTER OFFICERS LOOKING INTO A REPORT OF A STOLEN VEHICLE, GOT INTO A CHASE WITH 19 YEAR OLD COREY CHEEK. WHEN SPOTTED BY THE OFFICERS, CHEEK TOOK OFF DOWN DONAHUE FERRY ROAD. AT ONE POINT IN THE CHASE CHEEK TRAVELED THROUGH THE YARD OF A HOME TO ELUDE THE OFFICERS, ONLY TO DRIVE HEAD ON INTO ONE OF THE POLICE CARS. CHEEK WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. HIS CONDITION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. THE PLACEMENT OF THE OFFICER ON LEAVE IS SIMPLE PROCEDURE WHEN EVER A FIRE ARM IS FIRED AND THE OFFICER IS EXPECTED TO BE BACK AT WORK SHORTLY.
LOUISIANA COLLEGE IS IN HOT WATER WITH S.A.C.S. AGAIN OVER THE ISSUE OF ACCREDITATION. ACCORDING TO SACS, LOUISIANA COLLEGE WAS DENIED REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION AND PLACED ON WARNING UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2012 BECAUSE THE COMMISSION’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES DETERMINED THAT, AT THE TIME OF THE INSTITUTION’S LAST REVIEW, IT HAD FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH A LONG LIST OF ISSUES. IN RESPONSE TO THE DECISION ANNOUNCED BY SACS, LC PRESIDENT DR. JOE AGUILLARD AND VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, DR. TIM SEARCY SAID THAT LC HAS ALREADY BEGUN THE PROCESS OF ANSWERING ALL THE FINDINGS OF THE SACS REPORT, BUT ALSO NOTED THAT LC REMAINS FULLY ACCREDITED DURING THE CONTINUED EVALUATION PROCESS.
LEGISLATION IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW SOON THAT WOULD PREVENT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FROM INSTITUTING WAGE HIKES FOR SEASONAL IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN 2012. VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING SEAFOOD PROCESSING AND FORESTRY IN LOUISIANA AND ELSEWHERE, HAVE BEEN WORRIED THAT THE WAGE HIKES WOULD DRIVE UP COSTS SO MUCH THAT SOME COMPANIES WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS. U.S. SEN. MARY LANDRIEU, D-NEW ORLEANS, AND A U.S. SENATOR FROM MARYLAND INSERTED LANGUAGE IN THE RECENTLY PASSED FISCAL YEAR 2012 MEGA-APPROPRIATIONS BILL IN WASHINGTON THAT PREVENTS THE LABOR DEPARTMENT FROM PROCEEDING WITH THE WAGE HIKES IN 2012. PRESIDENT OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE LEGISLATION.
NEW U.S. CENSUS BUREAU DATA SHOWS LOUISIANA RANKED 15TH OF 50 STATES FOR POPULATION GROWTH SINCE APRIL 2010. NEW ORLEANS AREA DEMOGRAPHER GREG RIGAMER SAYS THE STATE POPULATION IS OVER 41-THOUSAND PERSONS HIGHER, HE
CREDITS THE STATE'S IMPROVED ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS RELOCATION, AND CONTINUING REBUILDING.
A HOLLYWOOD FILM TRADE PUBLICATION NAMES LOUISIANA THE TOP STATE FOR FILM & TV PRODUCTION WORK. THE MAGAZINE "P3 UPDATE" SAYS LOUISIANA'S PRODUCTION TAX INCENTIVES, BURGEONING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAN-DO ATTITUDE MAKE IT A WINNER. LA ENTERTAINMENT OFFICE DIRECTOR CHRIS STELLY SAYS ONLY CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK STATE HAVE MORE ANNUAL FILM & TV PROJECTS. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TEN FILM OR TV PRODUCTIONS UNDERWAY IN LOUISIANA; AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 400% FROM 2002. STELLY SAYS 2011 IS ON TRACK TO SURPASS 2010, WHEN OVER 100 PRODUCTIONS WERE FILMED HERE.
THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS SUING THE FEDERAL INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OVER THE REDRAWING OF BOUNDARIES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO THAT DETERMINE HOW STATES RECEIVE PETROLEUM ROYALTIES. ATTORNEY GENERAL BUDDY CALDWELL SAID WEDNESDAY THAT THE PROPOSED REALLOCATION WOULD RESULT IN LOUISIANA HAVING TO SHARE SOME OF ITS ROYALTIES FROM THE PAST 25 YEARS WITH TEXAS AND MISSISSIPPI. THE SUIT, FILED IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., SAYS THAT COULD TOTAL $2.8 MILLION IMMEDIATELY AND REDUCE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS. IN LOUISIANA, THE FUNDS ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY DEDICATED TO SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, AND COASTAL RESTORATION. THEY COME FROM MINERAL ROYALTIES IN A THREE-MILE ZONE BEYOND THE STATES' IMMEDIATE WATERS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.
LOUISIANA IS DEMANDING NEARLY $10 MILLION FROM THE FORMER CONTRACTOR OF THE ROAD HOME PROGRAM FOR ALLEGED OVERPAYMENTS TO HOMEOWNERS. THE STATE SAYS DEMAND LETTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO ICF INTERNATIONAL, WHICH ADMINISTERED THE HOUSING RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THREE YEARS AFTER HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA.
PAT FORBES OF THE STATE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SAID WEDNESDAY THAT THE STATE IS SEEKING THE MONEY FROM THE COMPANY, RATHER THAN HOMEOWNERS, BECAUSE THE ALLEGED IMPROPER PAYMENTS WOULD VIOLATE ITS CONTRACT. THE ROAD HOME PROGRAM IS FUNDED WITH FEDERAL MONEY.
CONGRESS IS SENDING LOUISIANA A CHRISTMAS PRESENT; ABOUT $500-MILLION IN FUNDING FOR A NUMBER OF PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR THE STATE. SENATOR MARY LANDRIEU SAYS THE $915-BILLION SPENDING BILL INCLUDES $66-MILLION TO DREDGE THE MISSISIPPI RIVER FROM BATON ROUGE TO THE GULF, AS WELL AS CASH FOR NEW MEDICAL FACILITIES. LANDRIEU SAYS ANOTHER $358-MILLION IN THAT BILL GOES TO A LOUISIANA DEFENSE CONTRACTOR.
POLICE IN WALKER ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO DESTROYED THE TOWNS "WALKER WONDERLAND" CHRISTMAS DISPLAY TUESDAY NIGHT. MAYOR BOBBY FONT SAYS A PUBLIC BATHROOM AT THE PARK WAS ALSO SMASHED UP. HE SAYS THE VANDALS SLASHED EVERY ONE OF THE INFLATABLES WITH A RAZOR. THE NICE THING ABOUT LIFE IN A SMALL TOWN, WHEN RESIDENTS HEARD OF THE VANDALISM, THEY CHIPPED IN TO REPLACE THE DISPLAY WITHOUT MISSING A NIGHT.
RIVER BEND NUCLEAR POWER STATION OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY FINDING ELEVATED LEVELS OF TRITIUM IN A GROUNDWATER SAMPLE TAKEN ON PLANT PROPERTY. ACCORDING TO PLANT OFFICIALS THE FINDING DOES NOT INDICATE ANY HEALTH THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY. THE SAMPLE WAS COLLECTED NEAR THE PLANT IN A GROUNDWATER WELL, NOT A DRINKING WELL.
MOST EVERYONE IS IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WITH JUST A FEW MORE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BUT THERE ARE SOME WHO GET VERY DEPRESSED AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. DR. HOWARD OSOFSKY, PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF PSYCHIATRY AT THE LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO LOOK FOR LOVED ONES WHO SEEM WITHDRAWN OR DOWN IN THE DUMPS. THE LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER CRISIS HOTLINE AT (504) 568-8772 WILL BE MANNED OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO HAVE OYSTERS AS PART OF YOUR FEAST THIS CHRISTMAS, THEY WON'T BE HARD TO FIND BUT THEY'LL BE MORE EXPENSIVE. MIKE VOISIN IS ON THE GOVERNOR'S OYSTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. HE SAYS CONSUMERS WILL PAY BETWEEN 10 TO 15-PERCENT MORE FOR OYSTERS THIS YEAR. VOISIN SAYS THERE'S A HIGH DEMAND FOR OYSTERS IN THE GULF SOUTH. VOISIN SAYS DESPITE THE HIGH PRICE, THE OYSTERS THIS YEAR ARE BIG, SALTY AND DELICIOUS.
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