Posted
2012-06-08 05:20:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR FRIDAY 060812
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
A FEDERAL MAGISTRATE HAS ORDERED THE GARNISHMENT OF MONEY FROM A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY OWNED BY FORMER BALL MAYOR ROY HEBRON, WHO IS SERVING A FOUR-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR DEFRAUDING A FEDERAL AGENCY. U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE JAMES D. KIRK SIGNED THE ORDER TUESDAY TO CASH IN $32,429, THE SURRENDER VALUE OF THE INSURANCE POLICY, TO HELP PAY RESTITUTION TO F.E.M.A. IN EARLY 2011, HEBRON PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF DEFRAUDING FEMA BY OVERBILLING FOR HURRICANE GUSTAV CLEANUP IN 2008. HE WAS SENTENCED IN MAY 2011 AND ORDERED TO PAY FEMA ALMOST $131,000 IN RESTITUTION.
HEAVY STORMS ARE LIKELY OVER PARTS OF THE STATE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. STATE CLIMATOLOGIST BARRY KEIM SAYS A STALLED OUT FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS SETTING UP VERY UNSTABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT COULD WASH OUT OUR WEEKEND PLANS. THE SILVER LINING ON THIS WEATHER SYSTEM IS THE DOSE OF RAIN ITS BROUGHT TO SOUTH LOUISIANA AND THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL IN VERY DRY AREAS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. KEIM SAYS WE WERE RUNNING AHEAD OF OUR ANNUAL RAINFALL AVERAGES EARLY IN THE YEAR BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED LATELY.
THE UNUSUAL HEAT THAT ENVELOPED MUCH OF THE USA THIS SPRING TURNED OUT TO BE A RECORD BREAKER: FEDERAL SCIENTISTS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THE SPRING WAS THE WARMEST EVER RECORDED IN U.S. HISTORY. CLIMATOLOGISTS DEFINE SPRING AS THE MONTHS OF MARCH, APRIL AND MAY; WEATHER RECORDS GO BACK TO 1895.
17 YEAR OLD NICHOLAS WALKER OF QUITMAN WAS NAMED THIS YEAR'S STATE STAR FARMER AT THE FFA'S "STARS OVER LOUISIANA" LUNCHEON WEDNESDAY AT ALEXANDRIA CONVENTION HALL. THE LUNCHEON WAS PART OF THIS YEAR'S 83RD ANNUAL FFA STATE CONVENTION IN ALEXANDRIA. THE CONVENTION WRAPS UP TODAY..
U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY RAY LAHOOD ON THURSDAY ANNOUNCED A NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING INITIATIVE THAT PUSHES 11 STATES WITHOUT LAWS AGAINST THE DEADLY PRACTICE OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, TO ENACT SUCH LAWS TO ELIMINATE THE PRACTICE. HE ALSO URGED CONGRESS TO ADOPT A NATIONAL BAN ON USING CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING. LOUISIANA HAS A TEXTING LAW IN PLACE. HOWEVER, IT IS SELDOM ENFORCED.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL NAMED A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND A LONGTIME CAMPAIGN SUPPORTER THURSDAY AS THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, GIVING THE GOVERNOR A SUPER-MAJORITY ON THE PANEL AS IT BEGINS SEARCHING FOR NEW LEADERSHIP. JINDAL'S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNOR TAPPED BATON ROUGE-BASED PUBLISHER ROLFE MCCOLLISTER AND FORMER STATE SEN. ANN DUPLESSIS OF NEW ORLEANS FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD AND REAPPOINTED TWO EXISTING MEMBERS. DUPLESSIS, A DEPUTY NEW ORLEANS MAYOR, WAS PREVIOUSLY NAMED TO THE BOARD BY JINDAL BUT FAILED TO GAIN SENATE CONFIRMATION FOR THE SEAT IN 2011. JINDAL WAITED UNTIL THE END OF THE SENATE CONFIRMATION CYCLE THIS YEAR BEFORE NAMING HER AGAIN.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL IS BACK ON THE ROAD FOR GOP CAUSES, WITH SCHEDULED STOPS INCLUDING A MITT ROMNEY FUNDRAISER IN CHICAGO. THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAID THURSDAY THAT JINDAL IS ATTENDING A FUNDRAISER TODAY FOR VIRGINIA GOV. BOB MCDONNELL'S POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE. LATER TODAY, HE'S HEADED TO CHICAGO TO SPEAK TO THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ACTION CONFERENCE AND TO ATTEND A FUNDRAISER FOR ROMNEY'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. JINDAL'S OFFICE SAID THE GOVERNOR WOULD RETURN TO LOUISIANA LATE TONIGHT.
A FEDERAL JUDGE IMPROPERLY BARRED TEXAS FROM ENFORCING A NEW RULE THAT EXCLUDES PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS FROM PARTICIPATING IN A TAXPAYER-FUNDED PROGRAM PROVIDING HEALTH CARE AND CONTRACEPTION TO LOW-INCOME WOMEN, AN ATTORNEY FOR THE STATE ARGUED THURSDAY. TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL GREG ABBOTT'S OFFICE ASKED THE 5TH U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS IN NEW ORLEANS TO LIFT AN INJUNCTION THAT BARS THE STATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FROM ENFORCING THE RULE. A THREE-JUDGE PANEL, WHICH HEARD ARGUMENTS FROM LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CASE, DIDN'T INDICATE WHEN IT WOULD RULE. ABBOTT'S OFFICE ARGUES THE STATE IS ENTITLED TO EXCLUDE GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH ABORTION PROVIDERS FROM ITS FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED WOMEN'S HEALTH PROGRAM
A LOUISIANA TEACHERS UNION ASKED A STATE COURT THURSDAY TO THROW OUT A SET OF SWEEPING EDUCATION CHANGES PUSHED BY GOV. BOBBY JINDAL AND PASSED BY LAWMAKERS IN THE JUST-ENDED LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AT ISSUE ARE CHANGES TO THE STATE'S ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA THAT WILL PAY FOR A STATEWIDE VOUCHER PROGRAM, ONLINE SCHOOLS, COLLEGE TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AND AN EXPANSION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. ALSO TARGETED ARE CHANGES MADE TO TEACHER TENURE AND SALARY LAW, TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR TEACHERS TO REACH THE JOB PROTECTION STATUS AND TO GET RID OF STATEWIDE PAY SCALES FOR TEACHERS.
THE LOUISIANA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS FILED TWO LAWSUITS IN BATON ROUGE DISTRICT COURT.
THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY IS A FREE FISHING WEEKEND AS PROCLAIMED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES. THE TWO DAY EVENT IS AN EFFORT TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN RECREATIONAL FISHING IN THE STATE. LDWF SPOKESPERSON BO BOEHRINGER SAYS THIS WEEKEND RESIDENTS AND VISITORS DON'T NEED A LICENSE TO GO FISHING. THERE WILL BE ORGANIZED EVENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE WISHING WEEKEND.
GOVERNOR JINDAL HAS SIGNED INTO LAW LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES THAT PREGNANT MOTHERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AN ULTRASOUND AND HEAR THE HEARTBEAT OF THEIR UNBORN CHILD BEFORE THEY MAY HAVE AN ABORTION. UNDER THE LAW, ABORTION CLINICS WOULD HAVE TO OFFER THE ULTRASOUND IMAGES AND THE AUDIBLE HEARTBEAT, BUT WOMEN CAN REFUSE TO SEE OR HEAR THEM. SIMILAR LAWS HAVE BEEN PASSED IN OTHER STATES.
THE MOTHER OF TWO TEENS INJURED LAST YEAR ON A CARNIVAL RIDE IN GREENSBURG IS SUING THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE FAILED TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE RIDE PRIOR TO IT BEING USED AT A CARNIVAL ON THE GROUNDS OF ST. HELENA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. THE MOTHER FILED A LAWSUIT ON OCT. 7, 2011, BUT AMENDED ON MAY 4 TO ADD THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS AS DEFENDANTS.
THE ADDITIONS WERE MADE A DAY BEFORE BUTCH BROWNING RESUMED HIS POST AS STATE FIRE MARSHAL. BROWNING HAD RETIRED LESS THAN A MONTH EARLIER AMID ALLEGATIONS THAT HE SUPPRESSED INFORMATION ABOUT HIS OFFICE'S INVESTIGATION INTO THE CARNIVAL RIDE ACCIDENT.
THE NFL TENTATIVELY HAS SCHEDULED JUNE 18 FOR NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL TO HEAR THE APPEALS OF FOUR PLAYERS SUSPENDED FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE SAINTS' BOUNTY PROGRAM. A PERSON WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLANNED HEARING, SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE NO DATE OFFICIALLY HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, SAID THE DATE IS NOT FIRM. THE LEAGUE AND THE PLAYERS' UNION ARE AWAITING AN ARBITRATOR'S DECISION ON WHO SHOULD HEAR THE APPEALS BY JONATHAN VILMA, WILL SMITH, ANTHONY HARGROVE AND SCOTT FUJITA. THAT DECISION COULD DETERMINE IF THE JUNE 18 HEARING IS HELD.
IBERVILLE PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SAY A 67-YEAR-OLD MAN AND HIS FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON WERE KILLED AFTER THE PICKUP THEY WERE IN RAN OFF A ROAD AND FLIPPED OVER IN A CANAL. THE IBERVILLE PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARRIVED AT THE SCENE SHORTLY BEFORE NOON WEDNESDAY, THE TRUCK WAS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE CANAL AND BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE DEAD.
A THREE-YEAR-OLD SHREVEPORT GIRL IS RECOVERING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND AFTER SHE WAS HIT BY A STRAY BULLET WHILE SLEEPING ON THE SOFA IN HER HOME. SERGEANT BILL GOODIN SAYS THEY BELIEVE THE BULLET CAME FROM AN ALLEYWAY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HOME. GOODIN SAYS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY, BUT NO ONE HAS BEEN ARRESTED YET...
SPORTS..
FRESHMAN AARON NOLA WILL START ON THE MOUND TODAY WHEN THE LSU TIGERS BEGIN THEIR SUPER REGIONAL SERIES AGAINST STONY BROOK. THE WINNER OF THIS BEST OUT OF THREE SERIES WILL GO TO OMAHA AND COMPETE IN THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES. FIRST PITCH 11AM.. AIRTIME 10:30 IN 970 KSYL.
WWL RADIO AND SAINTS SIDELINE REPORTER KRISTIAN GARIC IS REPORTING A NEW FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT FOR QUARTERBACK DREW BREES IS VERY CLOSE TO GETTING DONE. GARIC SAYS BREES' AND THE SAINTS HAVE MADE PROGRESS AND A DEAL COULD BE DONE AS SOON AS TODAY. GARIC SAYS THE PROPOSED CONTRACT FOR BREES WOULD MAKE HIM ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYERS IN THE NFL. HE SAYS CONTRACT TALKS HAVE PROGRESSED, BECAUSE BREES IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT MISSING OFFSEASON WORKOUTS AND THE SAINTS WANT THEIR LEADER BACK IN THE LOCKER ROOM..
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