Posted
2012-02-22 05:35:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY 022212
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCILMAN JERRY W. JONES JR. DEFENDED HIMSELF YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AGAINST AN ETHICS COMPLAINT THAT WAS FILED AGAINST HIM EARLIER THIS MONTH. THE COMPLAINT, FILED BY ALEXANDRIA ATTORNEY GREG AYMOND ON BEHALF OF TWO CITIZENS ALLEGES THAT JONES UNETHICALLY VOTED IN FAVOR OF A RESOLUTION THAT APPLIED TO HIMSELF. IN ADDITION, THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THAT JONES, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO THE DISTRICT 3 COUNCIL SEAT ON DEC. 13, HAD AN UNETHICAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT HARRY SILVER. JONES SAID HE HAD MADE NO DEALS WITH SILVER, WHO VOTED IN FAVOR OF JONES BEING NAMED TO REPLACE JONATHAN GOINS AS DISTRICT 3 COUNCILMAN. GOINS RESIGNED FROM THE COUNCIL ON DEC. 3 OF LAST YEAR. AFTER JOINING THE COUNCIL, JONES VOTED TO ELECT SILVER AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
FORMER WINN PARISH SHERIFF JAMES EDWARD "BUDDY" JORDAN HAS DIED.JORDAN DIED TUESDAY AT HIS HOME IN WINNFIELD. JORDAN SERVED AS SHERIFF FROM 1992 TO 2008. HE HAD SERVED AS CHIEF DEPUTY UNDER SHERIFF DAN PAGE FROM 1976-1988. HE ALSO RETIRED FROM THE LOUISIANA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AFTER 22 YEARS OF SERVICE. FUNERAL SERVICES ARE SET FOR 2 P.M. FRIDAY, AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF WINNFIELD. BUDDY JORDAN WAS 69
TODAY IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND BE ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT IN THE STATE'S MARCH 24TH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. THE SAME DEADLINE APPLIES IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION. MOST REGISTRARS OFFICES CLOSE AT 4:30..
GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL IS THROWING HIS SUPPORT BEHIND LEGISLATION THAT WILL RAISE $325-MILLION TO FIX RURAL ROADS AND HIGHWAYS THAT HAVEN'T SEEN ANY KIND OF MAINTENANCE IN DECADES. THE PLAN WOULD FINANCE A BOND SALE WITH A SPECIAL RURAL HIGHWAYS FUND, TO RAISE THE $325-MILLION FOR THE ROAD PROJECTS.
A NEW SURVEY BY AAA SHOWS MOTORISTS FEEL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO SPEND MORE ON HIGHWAY UPKEEP, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TOLL ROADS TO PAY FOR IT. LOUISIANA AAA'S DON REDMAN SAYS THE IDEA OF MAKING A PUBLIC ROAD INTO A TOLLWAY, AS A HIGHWAY FUNDING SOURCE, IS PRETTY UNPOPULAR. 82% OPPOSE THE IDEA. THOUGH THEY'RE OPPOSED TO TOLL ROADS, REDMAN SAYS 70% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS FEEL MORE MONEY NEEDS TO BE INVESTED IN LOUISIANA'S HIGHWAYS. SURPRISINGLY THEY FAVOR PAYING A BIT MORE AT THE PUMP.
GASOLINE CONTINUES TO RISE FOR LOUISIANA DRIVERS. LOUISIANA AA'S WEBSITE REPORTS THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE PRICE OF REGULAR IS $3.50 TODAY; UP ALMOST A PENNY FROM YESTERDAY...UP A NICKEL FROM A WEEK AGO...UP 20 CENTS FROM A MONTH AGO. .AND UP 47 CENTS FROM A YEAR AGO.
A NEW ORLEANS LAWMAKER PRE-FILES A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW POLITICAL "ROBOCALLS" TO BE ADDED TO THE "DO NOT CALL LIST." REPRESENTATIVE CAMERON HENRY SAYS MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED HIM WHY THEY KEEP GETTING NUMEROUS POLITICAL CALLS AROUND ELECTION TIME WHEN THEY ARE ON THE DO NOT CALL LIST. HENRY SAYS HE CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE OPPOSING HIS LEGISLATION. HE SAYS POLITICIANS WOULDN'T BE BANNED FROM USING THE ROBOCALL SERVICE TO CAMPAIGN, BUT THE CALLS WOULDN'T COME TO PEOPLE ON THE "DO NOT CALL LIST." THE BILL WILL BE DEBATED DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT BEGINS IN MARCH
STATE POLICE SAY A SULPHUR MAN WAS ARRESTED TWICE MONDAY FOR DWI--BOTH TIMES WHILE HE HAD KIDS IN THE CAR. LSP SPOKESMAN SGT. JAMES ANDERSON SAYS 23-YEAR-OLD ZACH PARKER WAS PULLED OVER BY SULPHUR POLICE, BUT NOT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. LATER HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH IN MOSS BLUFF. ANDERSON SAYS HE'S NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED DURING PARKER'S FIRST ARREST. SULPHUR PD HAS NO COMMENT ON THE MATTER.
AUTHORITIES SAY TWO CHILDREN WERE KILLED WHEN THE CAR THEY WERE IN WENT OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A BAYOU IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. LOUISIANA STATE POLICE SAY THE DRIVER AND TWO OTHER CHILDREN IN THE CAR WERE ABLE TO SWIM TO SAFETY IN THE CRASH THAT HAPPENED SHORTLY BEFORE 10 P.M. TUESDAY IN ASCENSION PARISH.
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES WHO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE JUMPED INTO THE BAYOU AND TRIED TO SAVE THE TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE TRAPPED BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR. EVENTUALLY, RESCUE DIVERS PULLED THE TWO CHILDREN — AGES 9 AND 7 — FROM THE CAR, BUT THEY DID NOT SURVIVE. THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT AUTHORITIES SAY THEY DON'T THINK THE DRIVER WAS IMPAIRED.
A WEST MONROE MAN IS APPEALING HIS SIX-MONTH PRISON SENTENCE FOR HIS ROLE IN A HATE CRIME AT A SCHOOL. A COURT FILING TUESDAY BY 30-YEAR-OLD TONY L. JOHNSON'S ATTORNEY ASKS U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ROBERT JAMES IN MONROE TO REVIEW THE FEB. 7 SENTENCE HANDED DOWN BY U.S. MAGISTRATE KAREN HAYES. JOHNSON IS ONE OF THREE MEN WHO PLEADED GUILTY LAST YEAR TO TYING A NOOSE AROUND A DEAD RACCOON'S NECK AND HANGING IT FROM A FLAGPOLE OUTSIDE BEEKMAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN MOREHOUSE PARISH IN 2007. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAID THE MEN WERE ANGRY THAT THE SCHOOL'S NEW BUSING POLICY HAD INCREASED THE NUMBER OF BLACK STUDENTS.
HAYES ALSO SENTENCED JAMES LEE WALLIS JR. TO EIGHT MONTHS IN PRISON AND SENTENCED HIS BROTHER, BRIAN WALLIS, TO FIVE MONTHS IN PRISON.
FOLLOWING A THREE-MONTH INVESTIGATION, 44 YEAR OLD WENDELL MASON OF OPELOUSAS WAS BOOKED INTO THE OPELOUSAS CITY JAIL ON CHARGES OF 58 COUNTS OF THEFT AND 53 COUNTS OF FELONY THEFT. ACCORDING TO DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION, MASON ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $120,000 OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD FROM THE UNIDENTIFIED OPELOUSAS MAN. MASON HAD CONVINCED THE VICTIM TO INVEST IN AND HELP ESTABLISH A CRAWFISH COMPANY, ACCORDING TO POLICE. AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS, NO CRAWFISH. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE MASON HAD DEPOSITED THE MONEY INTO HIS PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT.
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