Posted
2012-01-05 07:05:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 010512
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE DEE DRELL HAS ORDERED THE CITY OF PINEVILLE TO PAY A $15,000 FINE STEMMING FROM THE ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID FROM A PUMPING STATION. THE JUDGE ALSO ORDERED THE CITY TO PUBLISH AN APOLOGY IN THE TOWN TALK AND TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO PREVENT SIMILAR POLLUTION PROBLEMS. DURING HEAVY RAINFALL FROM HURRICANE GUSTAV IN SEPTEMBER 2008, A CITY PUMPING STATION ALLEGEDLY DISCHARGED HYDRAULIC FLUID OVER A LEVEE AND INTO A BAYOU THAT EMPTIED INTO THE RED RIVER. DEQ SAYS CITY EMPLOYEES KNEW THE PUMPS WEREN'T PROPERLY WORKING AND WERE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL AND HYDRAULIC FLUID.
A THROUGH INVESTIGATION HAS CLEARED TWO LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE SHOOTING OF A PINEVILLE MAN AFTER HE RAMMED A POLICE CAR WITH HIS VEHICLE DURING A CHASE IN DECEMBER. A PINEVILLE POLICE OFFICER AND A RAPIDES PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTY FIRED AT 19-YEAR-OLD COREY CHEEK AFTER CHEEK'S VEHICLE RAMMED A PINEVILLE POLICE CAR. CHEEK WAS WOUNDED BY THE GUNFIRE, BUT NOT CRITICALLY. BOTH OFFICERS ARE BACK ON DUTY.
INFO IS SKETCHY AT THIS TIME BUT, ALEXANDRIA POLICE OFFICERS ARE SAID BE INVESTIGATING A POSSIBLE HOMICIDE IN THE CITY. SHORTLY AFTER 4 P.M. WEDNESDAY, POLICE WENT TO A HOUSE ON 15TH STREET WHERE A WOMAN WAS FOUND DEAD.
OTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE DEATH AND THE NAME OF THE VICTIM ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
LAKE CHARLES POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF TWO WOMEN FOUND AT A RESIDENCE EARLY WEDNESDAY. AUTHORITIES SAY ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS FOUND OUTSIDE THE HOUSE ABOUT 5:30 A.M., BUT WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY FOUND A SECOND VICTIM INSIDE THE HOME. POLICE ARE WITHHOLDING THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS AT THIS TIME AND ARE ALSO NOT RELEASING HOW THE WOMEN DIED.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL SAYS HE'S NOT GIVING UP ON RICK PERRY AS A CONTENDER FOR THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, DESPITE PERRY'S POOR SHOWING IN THE IOWA CAUCUSES. JINDAL SAID WEDNESDAY THAT HE STILL BELIEVES IN THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S VIABILITY AND STANDS BY HIS ENDORSEMENT. JINDAL CAMPAIGNED WITH PERRY IN THE FINAL DAYS LEADING TO THE IOWA CAUCUS VOTING. PERRY CAME IN FIFTH, WITH 10 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, BUT HE'S SAID HE'S NOT ENDING HIS CAMPAIGN.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL SAYS HE'LL OPPOSE ANY EFFORTS TO LIMIT GRANTS IN THE STATE'S FREE COLLEGE TUITION PROGRAM, A RECOMMENDATION BACKED BY A HIGHER EDUCATION STUDY PANEL EARLIER THIS WEEK. THE GOVERNANCE COMMISSION SUGGESTED A RESTRUCTURING OF TOPS, TO GIVE ALL STUDENTS A FLAT GRANT AMOUNT, CAPPED AT THE SAME LEVEL FOR EVERYONE, RATHER THAN TIED TO THE COST OF TUITION AT AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL. JINDAL SAID WEDNESDAY THAT TOPS IS TOO SUCCESSFUL TO PUT A CAP ON THE AWARDS. GOVERNANCE COMMISSION MEMBERS SAID THAT "DECOUPLING" WOULD GIVE THE STATE MORE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE COSTS OF TOPS, AND COULD GIVE SOME STUDENTS MONEY TO COVER COSTS BEYOND TUITION, LIKE BOOKS. THE COMMISSION SAID TOPS AWARDS COULD BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OR SOME OTHER INFLATIONARY MEASURE.
THE LSU PUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEM IS CUTTING MORE THAN $29 MILLION IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR TO COPE WITH BUDGET REDUCTIONS MADE BY GOV. BOBBY JINDAL'S ADMINISTRATION. LSU SYSTEM VICE PRESIDENT FRED CERISE SAYS THAT CUTS WILL CAUSE EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS, FEWER AVAILABLE HOSPITAL BEDS AND PROGRAM ELIMINATIONS AT THE SEVEN HOSPITALS IN LSU'S HEALTH CARE SERVICES DIVISION, WHICH HAS A $780 MILLION ANNUAL BUDGET.
IS THIS SCALING BACK?? ON A BLUFF OVERLOOKING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, GOV. BOBBY JINDAL WILL BE FETED WITH CANNON FIRE, AN F-15 FLYOVER AND DEACON JOHN'S RENDITION OF "GOD BLESS AMERICA" WHEN HE IS SWORN IN FOR A SECOND TERM AT THE OLD STATE CAPITOL NEXT WEEK. THOUGH A JINDAL SPOKESMAN SAYS THE EVENTS HAVE BEEN SCALED BACK, THE INAUGURATION MONDAY WILL FEATURE THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE OF PREVIOUS SWEARING-IN CEREMONIES, WITH A SCHEDULE SHUFFLED TO AVOID CONFLICTS WITH FOOTBALL'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE RECEIVED INVITATIONS TO WATCH JINDAL PUT HIS HAND ON THE FAMILY BIBLE AND TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED BY LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE CATHERINE "KITTY" KIMBALL. MY INVITE MUST HAVE GOTTEN LOST IN THE MAIL.
MANY LOUISIANA RESIDENTS ARE FINDING THAT THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS ARE NO LONGER COVERED IF THEY ARE GETTING FILLED AT A WALGREENS. EXPRESS SCRIPTS CONTRACTS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES INCLUDING BLUE CROSS, AND FAILED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH WALGREENS IN 2012. BUT EXPRESS SCRIPTS SPOKESMAN BRIAN HENRY SAYS A NEW PHARMACY WON'T BE HARD TO FIND, SINCE MANY ACROSS THE STATE ARE RUNNING PROMOTIONS TO LURE IN NEW CUSTOMERS. WALGREENS IS TRYING NOT TO LOSE ITS THOUSANDS OF LOUISIANA CUSTOMERS. CEO KERMIT CRAWFORD SAYS THEY'VE LAUNCHED A PLAN FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE COVERED BY EXPRESS SCRIPTS BUT STILL WANT TO USE WALGREENS. HE SAYS THE PLAN INCLUDES A SPECIAL DISCOUNT THIS MONTH ON ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FOR THE WALGREENS PRESCRIPTIONS SAVINGS CLUB.
RESEARCHERS FROM TULANE, LSU AND UNO HAVE DISCOVERED A NATURALLY-OCCURRING COMPOUND IN CHOCOLATE THAT WILL BE USED IN TOOTHPASTE AS A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO FLUORIDE. THE TOOTHPASTE WILL BE CALLED THODENT, AND CEO ARMAN SADEGHPOUR SAYS THE FORMULA IN THEODENT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY IN THE ORAL CARE INDUSTRY SINCE FLUORIDE WAS FIRST ADDED TO TOOTHPASTE IN 1914. HE SAYS NOT ONLY WILL THEODENT BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN FLOURIDE, IS ALSO SAFER. THEODENT IS BEING SOLD IN WHOLE FOODS MARKETS AND ONLINE AT THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE, THEODENT.COM. AS YOU MAY SUSPECT, THE BREAKTHROUGH TOOTHPASTE IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN TRADITIONAL TOOTHPASTE.
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