Posted
2012-07-20 05:32:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR FRIDAY 072012
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
A FEDERAL JUDGE THURSDAY AWARDED TWO ATTORNEYS IN THE ALEXANDRIA-CLECO COURT FIGHT A TOTAL OF $2 MILLION, BUT RULED ALEXANDRIA ATTORNEY BRIDGETT BROWN WILL GET NOTHING. U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE DEE DRELL IN A LONG-AWAITED RULING SAID THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA SHOULD PAY BATON ROUGE ATTORNEY CRAIG DAVIDSON $1.3 MILLION, AND THAT DISBARRED ATTORNEY JOHN SHARP, ALSO FROM BATON ROUGE, SHOULD GET $700,000. .JUDGE DRELL WAS BLUNT IN HIS ASSESSMENT THAT ATTORNEY BRIDGET BROWN SHOULD GET NOTHING. THE JUDGE SAYING CITY ATTORNEY CHARLES "CHUCK" JOHNSON HAD GOOD REASONS TO FIRE BROWN EARLY ON IN THE CITY'S LEGAL FIGHT WITH CLECO, AND THAT SHE CONTRIBUTED NEXT TO NOTHING AS AN ATTORNEY. IT’S EXPECTED THE CITY WILL PAY THE ATTORNEYS AND CLOSE THE BOOKS ON THE MATTER.
THE TERREBONNE PARISH MAN ARRESTED THIS WEEK FOR ASSISTING HIS WIFE'S SUICIDE BACK IN MAY HAS, HIMSELF, COMMITTED SUICIDE. DEPUTIES SAYS 69-YEAR-OLD CHARLES FANGUY, OF BAYOU BLUE, HAD JUST POSTED BAIL YESTERDAY FOR A CHARGE OF ASSISTING IN A SUICIDE. HE WAS FOUND TODAY ON THE SIDE OF A LOCAL ROAD; DEAD FROM A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT. FANGUY WAS ACCUSED OF HELPING HIS WIFE BETTY TO KILL HERSELF IN MID-MAY..
THE CLAIBORNE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS A 7-YEAR-OLD CHILD IS DEAD AFTER BEING SHOT WEDNESDAY NIGHT BY ANOTHER CHILD; A 12-YEAR-OLD. SHERIFF KEN BAILEY SAYS THE OLDER CHILD WAS SHOOTING AT TURTLES WITH A .22 RIFLE IN THE BACKYARD NEAR THE TOWN OF ATHENS. WHEN HE LAID THE RIFLE DOWN IT WENT OFF--HITTING THE SMALLER CHILD IN THE HEAD. BAILEY SAYS THE CASE IS CLOSED AS THE INCIDENT IS BEING RULED AN ACCIDENT.
A FRESHMAN STUDENT AT DUTCHTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, IN ASCENSION PARISH, COLLAPSED AND DIED THURSDAY IN THE SCHOOL GYM. HE'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS JAMES COBB--CALLED BURKE BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY HE'D FINISHED FOOTBALL PRACTICE AND WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL WITH SOME OTHER STUDENTS, WHEN HE SUDDENLY COLLAPSED. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A NEARBY HOSPITAL. THE CAUSE OF DEATH HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR TIPS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT COULD LEAD TO THE ARREST OF THE PERSON OR PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF AN ALEXANDRIA MAN. DEMETRIUS MCGHEE WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE 500 BLOCK OF BROWN'S BEND ROAD ON JULY 11. HIS BODY WAS FOUND IN A VEHICLE, DISCOVERED BY A PASSING MOTORIST. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL THE CRIMESTOPPERS LINE OR THE APD. A REWARD IS BEING OFFERED.
THE EVANGELINE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD HAS CALLED A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NOV. 6 TO REPLACE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DAN HOFFPAUIR, WHO DIED TUESDAY AFTER A LENGTHY ILLNESS. HOFFPAUIR, WHO WAS 73, HELD THE MAMOU AREA BOARD SEAT FOR 24 YEARS AND OPERATED A WESTERN AUTO STORE IN MAMOU FOR 28 YEARS. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING AT 6 P.M. TUESDAY TO APPOINT AN INTERIM MEMBER UNTIL THE ELECTION.
LSU SYSTEM PRESIDENT WILLIAM JENKINS WENT BEFORE A JOINT PANEL OF STATE HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS TO DISCUSS CUTS TO LSU HOSPITALS. THE CUTS ARE DUE TO A FEDERAL REDUCTION IN MEDICAID MATCHING FUNDS FOR LOUISIANA OF OVER $850-MILLION. HEALTH & HOSPITALS SECRETARY BRUCE GREENSTEIN SAYS ANY ADDITIONAL CUTS NEEDED WOULD FALL PRIMARILY ON LSU HOSPITALS. DR. JENKINS SAYS, AT THIS TIME, NO ONE IS DISCUSSING SHUTTERING LSU HOSPITALS OR CLINICS...DESPITE WHAT "WORD ON THE STREET" MAY BE.
THE STATE BOND COMMISSION GAVE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL THURSDAY TO A $75-MILLION BORROWING PLAN FOR ANOTHER BIG EXPANSION OF TIGER STADIUM IN BATON ROUGE. THE PLAN WILL PUSH SEATING CAPACITY TO NEARLY 100-THOUSAND, AND INCLUDE 60 NEW SUITES.
A POPULAR BUSINESS PROFESSOR AT LSU-SHREVEPORT SAYS HE WAS SACKED IN RETALIATION FOR SUPPORTING THE PROPOSED MERGER OF LSUS AND LA TECH IN RUSTON. THAT INITIATIVE FAILED, BUT PROFESSOR WAYNE HOGUE SAYS HIS POSITION MADE HIM UNPOPULAR WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND COLLEAGUES. HOGUE WAS VOTED "PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR" FOR THE PAST THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS AT LSUS. HE WAS INFORMED HIS CONTRACT WON'T BE RENEWED FOR NEXT YEAR. THE PROFESSOR HAS ALREADY HAD SEVERAL JOB OFFERS.
THE LSU FOOTBALL TEAM HAS BEEN PICKED TO REPEAT AS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS IN A POLL OF MEDIA ATTENDING SEC MEDIA DAYS. THE TIGERS GOT 139 FIRST PLACE VOTES OF A POSSIBLE 222, FINISHING AHEAD OF ALABAMA, AND ARKANSAS IN THE WESTERN DIVISION AND GEORGIA IN THE EAST.
DETECTIVES WITH THE OUACHITA PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE INVESTIGATING WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE A MURDER-SUICIDE. THE BODIES WERE DISCOVERED WHEN EMERGENCY OFFICIALS RESPONDED TO A HOUSE FIRE EARLY WEDNESDAY. IT IS THE SECOND REPORTED MURDER-SUICIDE IN OUACHITA PARISH THIS SUMMER. ANOTHER HAPPENED IN JUNE AT A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT.
THE STAR OF THE A&E REALITY TV SHOW "BILLY THE EXTERMINATOR" HAS PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGES. WILLIAM BRETHERTON AND HIS WIFE WERE ARRESTED WITH ONE COUNT EACH OF POSSESSION OF SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. EACH HAVE ENTERED PLEAS OF NOT GUILTY IN STATE DISTRICT COURT IN BOSSIER PARISH.
THE CITY OF GRAMBLING FILES A REQUEST WITH THE NCAA ASKING THE GOVERNING BODY TO VACATE SOME OF JOE PATERNO'S 409 DIVISION 1 VICTORIES. PATERNO'S LAST WIN AT PENN STATE MOVED HIM PAST LEGENDARY GRAMBLING COACH EDDIE ROBINSON ON THE ALL-TIME WINS LIST. GRAMBLING CITY ATTY PAMELA BREEDLOVE SAYS THE RECORD SHOULD BE HELD BY SOMEONE WITH HIGH CHARACTER. ROBINSON WON 408 GAMES DURING HIS 57-YEAR CAREER AT GRAMBLING STATE. GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY SAYS THE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE REQUEST TO VACATE SOME OF PATERNO'S VICTORIES.
MUCH OF THE U.S. IS SUFFERING UNDER DROUGHT AND NEAR-DROUGHT CONDITIONS, BUT NOT LOUISIANA. LACK OF SIGNIFICANT RAIN THREATENS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK ACROSS THE FRUITED PLAIN, BUT STATE CLIMATOLOGIST BARRY KEIM SAYS THE STATE HAS RECEIVED ABUNDANT RAINFALL SO FAR THIS YEAR. KEIM SAYS A NUMBER OF PARISHES, ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN LOUISIANA, HAVE ALREADY RECORDED MORE RAINFALL SO FAR IN 2012, THAN FOR ALL OF 2011. HE SAYS VERNON PARISH AND THE LEESVILLE AREA ARE A PRIME EXAMPLE.
OUACHITA PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARE INVESTIGATING THE THEFT OF ABOUT 10,000 WATER METERS BELONGING TO THE CITY OF MONROE. THE METERS WERE STOLEN FROM A WAREHOUSE AND ARE VALUED AT ABOUT $75,000. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR.
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