Posted
2012-01-06 07:15:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR FRIDAY 010612
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
IN WINFIELD AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED A MAN THEY BELIEVE KILLED HIS EX-WIFE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. GREGORY WASHINGTON HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. HE IS ACCUSED OF KILLING JACQUELYN WASHINGTON AFTER A DOMESTIC ARGUMENT GOT OUT OF CONTROL. THE VICTIM WAS FOUND SHOT AND STABBED MULTIPLE TIMES IN HER HOME.
HERE IN ALEXANDRIA, POLICE DETECTIVES ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECT OR SUSPECTS IN THE DEATH OF 42 YEAR OLD JACQUELINE BAZERT. BAZERT WAS FOUND IN HER 15TH ST. HOME WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. HER DEATH HAS BEEN RULED A HOMICIDE.
BUCKEYE WATER DISTRICT NO. 50 HAS ISSUED A WATER BOIL ADVISORY FOR THE HICKORY GROVE COMMUNITY, EXCLUDING GENE GUNTER ROAD. THE ADVISORY FOLLOWS A LEAK IN A MAIN WATER LINE AT THE INTERSECTION OF HICKORY GROVE ROAD AND LILLY LANE. THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
GAS PRICES REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE OVER THE FALL, BUT THEY'RE ABOUT TO SHOOT UP AGAIN. AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION FUEL ANALYST DON REDMAN SAYS THE POTENTIAL FOR DISRUPTION OF OIL DISTRIBUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE LIKELY CAUSE OF A SPIKE IN THE PRICE OF CRUDE OIL. HE ALSO SAYS THAT CONSUMER CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN RISING WHICH MEANS DEMAND HAS GONE UP. THE CURRENT STATEWIDE AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR GASOLINE IS UP FOUR CENTS FROM YESTERDAY TO $3.20.
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL CONTINUES TO MEET WITH EDUCATORS, AND STATE LAWMAKERS, AS HE FORMULATES HIS 2012 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR FURTHER EDUCATION REFORMS. MR. JINDAL SAYS HE HAS ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE FROM SOME TO THE IDEAS HE'S PUTTING FORTH...FOR TEACHER MERIT PAY, TEACHER EVALUATIONS AND MORE SCHOOL CHOICES FOR PARENTS. HE SAYS HIS EDUCATION PLAN, WHEN HE REVEALS IT LATER THIS MONTH, WON'T ENTAIL AN OVERALL NEW SYSTEM. BUT, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE WILL NOT TOLERATE "THOSE THAT WANT TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO”.
TODAY IS TWELFTH NIGHT; 12 DAYS AFTER DECEMBER 25TH AND THE OFFICIAL END OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. MARDI GRAS EXPERT ARTHUR HARDY SAYS TODAY IS ALSO THE DAY MANY LOUISIANANS KICK OFF THE CARNIVAL SEASON. HARDY SAYS THE CARNIVAL SEASON LASTS UNTIL FAT TUESDAY WHICH FALLS ON FEBRUARY 21ST THIS YEAR. HE SAYS ANOTHER CUSTOM OF 12TH NIGHT IS TO TAKE THE CHRISTMAS TREE DOWN WHICH IS A TRADITION DATING BACK TO THE 1800S AND OF COURSE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRADITIONS OF 12TH NIGHT WILL BE FOR REVELERS TO ENJOY THEIR FIRST SLICE OF KING CAKE
THE OUTLOOK FOR LOUISIANA'S JOBS MARKET FOR 2012 IS GOOD, ACCORDING TO STATE OFFICIALS. LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CURT EYSINK SAYS JOBS GROWTH IN 2011 WAS GOOD, AND THE FUTURE LOOKS EVEN BETTER. EYSINK SAYS INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION JOBS SHOULD BE IN ABUNDANCE, AS NUMEROUS PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY...OR SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SOON. EYSINK SAYS THE STATE SHOULD SEE GROWTH IN SKILLED MEDICAL & MEDICAL RESEARCH JOBS. HE SAYS THERE WILL ALSO BE OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD SERVICE AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. ALL-IN-ALL, EYSINK SAYS THE JOBS OUTLOOK IS GOOD!
THE STATE REVENUE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING 2011 LOUISIANA INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE INCOME TAX RETURNS ON JAN. 17. THAT INCLUDES ELECTRONIC RETURNS FILED WITH COMMERCIAL TAX PREPARATION SOFTWARE AND THE AGENCY'S ELECTRONIC TAX FILING APPLICATIONS. THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT SAID THURSDAY THAT THE AVERAGE REFUND PROCESSING TIME FOR ELECTRONIC RETURNS IS 10 BUSINESS DAYS. IT TAKES 12 TO 16 WEEKS TO PROCESS PAPER RETURNS.
A WORD OF WARNING TO MOTORISTS: KEEP RIGHT ON MULTI-LANE HIGHWAYS, UNLESS YOU'RE PASSING. STATE POLICE ARE CONDUCTING LANE-ENFORCEMENT DETAILS ON INTERSTATES AND OTHER MAJOR ROADWAYS. SPOKESMAN SGT. JAMES ANDERSON SAYS IT'S APPARENT THAT TOO FEW LOUISIANA DRIVERS ARE AWARE OF THE STATE'S "KEEP RIGHT" LAW. ANDERSON SAYS STATE LAW HAS REQUIRED SLOWER MOVING TRAFFIC TO KEEP RIGHT FOR MANY YEARS, BUT STILL MOTORISTS TEND TO HOG THE "FAST LANE". TROOPERS ARE NOW HANDING OUT TICKETS TO OFFENDERS.
IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SEIZED MORE THAN $650-THOUSAND WORTH OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA DURING A RAID TUESDAY AT A NEW IBERIA BUSINESS. IPSO CAPTAIN RYAN TURNER SAYS THE PRODUCT IS A BLEND OF INGESTIBLE HERBS, SPRAYED WITH SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS THAT APPROXIMATE THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA. TURNER SAYS THE ILLEGAL PRODUCTS WERE FOUND ON SALE AT A SHOP CALLED SINSATIONS. HE SAYS ARRESTS ARE LIKELY SOON IN THE CASE.
A CADDO-SHREVEPORT NARCOTICS AGENT WAS SHOT DURING A RAID WEDNESDAY NIGHT
LEADING TO THE ARREST OF FIVE PEOPLE. SHREVEPORT POLICE SAYS OFFICERS WERE EXECUTING A SEARCH WARRANT AT A HOTEL ROOM AFTER CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRIMINAL DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS AT THAT LOCATION. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE OFFICER WAS WEARING A BULLET PROOF VEST AND SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. $10,000 WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ROOM AND SIX POUND OF MARIJUANA.
TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN WEST FELICIANA PARISH ACCUSED OF STEALING ABOUT 60 STREET SIGNS OVER NEW YEARS. OFFICIALS SAY 20 OF THE SIGNS WERE RECOVERED IN A PASTURE AND THE OTHERS THROWN INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S CURFEW LAW. THE CHANGE WOULD BAR THOSE 16 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER FROM THE FRENCH QUARTER AND MARIGNY (MARE-IH-NEE) AFTER 8 P.M. ON WEEKENDS. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT TO KEEP KIDS OFF OF FRENCH QUARTER STREETS TO HELP CURB CRIME AND UNDERAGE DRINKING. LAST YEAR, POLICE SAY, THERE WERE ALMOST 800 ARRESTS OF JUVENILES IN THE QUARTER. THE CURFEW ORDINANCE WILL HAVE SEVERAL EXCEPTIONS, INCLUDING MINORS WHO ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN, AND THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELING TO AND FROM WORK.
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