Posted
2012-09-06 05:37:00
by
Dave Graichen
NEWS FOR THURSDAY 090612
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
PINEVILLE POLICE ARE ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE PUBLIC IN FINDING A HIT-AND-RUN SUSPECT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE COTTINGHAM EXPRESSWAY THAT INJURED A MOTORCYCLIST TUESDAY. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 4:30 P.M. IN THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF THE EXPRESSWAY. THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE HIT THE MOTORCYCLIST, BUT LEFT BEFORE OFFICERS ARRIVED, POLICE SAID. THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE RECEIVED MODERATE INJURIES. POLICE SAID THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A MID-SIZED BLACK CAR THAT MAY HAVE DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
TONIGHT IS THE FIRST OF THREE FORUMS IN WHICH THE PUBLIC WILL GET ITS CHANCE TO SAY WHAT IT WANTS IN THE NEXT RAPIDES PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT. THE FORUM IS TONIGHT AT 6 AT TIOGA HIGH SCHOOL. A CONSULTANT WILL LEAD THE FORUM. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THERE TO GREET THE PUBLIC, BUT HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO ATTEND THE FORUM IT SELF. THE CONSULTANT WANTS PEOPLE ATTENDING TO FEEL COMFORTABLE VOICING THEIR OPINIONS. THE FIRM WILL COMPILE A REPORT BASED ON THE THREE FORUMS AND PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD. THE REPORT ALSO WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
HUNTERS AND CAMPERS WILL PAY NO SALES TAX ON FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND HUNTING AND FISHING SUPPLIES DURING THIS WEEKEND'S LOUISIANA SECOND AMENDMENT SALES TAX HOLIDAY. UNLIKE THE BACK TO SCHOOL AND HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TAX FREE HOLIDAYS, ELIGIBLE PURCHASES ARE EXEMPT FROM THE 4 PERCENT STATE SALES TAX AND ALL LOCAL SALES TAXES AS WELL. THE EXEMPTION STARTS FRIDAY AND RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY.
THE BEGINNING OF AUTUMN IS A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY, BUT A HEAT ADVISORY WAS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE STATE YESTERDAY. MIKE BERRY WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, SAYS HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GET CLOSE TO TRIPLE DIGITS THROUGH FRIDAY, PLUS COUPLE THAT WITH THE HUMIDITY AND HEAT INDEXES WILL BE ABOVE 100. THE GOOD NEWS.. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BRING SOME RELIEF THIS WEEKEND.
THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION SAYS AS FALL APPROACHES, THE PRICE AT THE PUMP SHOULD START TO FALL. AAA FUEL ANALYST DON REDMAN SAYS THE CURRENT STATEWIDE AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF GASOLINE IS $3.69 AND IT COULD DROP AS MUCH AS 25 CENTS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. HE SAYS THIS IS TYPICAL FOR SEPTEMBER. REDMAN SAYS HURRICANE ISAAC HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON GAS PRICES BUT ANOTHER HURRICANE COULD DISRUPT THE FALLING GAS PRICE.
SPEAKING OF HURRICANE'S, AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE GULF COULD DEVELOP INTO ANOTHER TROPICAL SYSTEM. METEOROLOGISTS SAYS THE BLOB OF CLOUDS IS A REMNANT OF HURRICANE ISAAC THAT, KIND OF, LINGERED THERE. RIGHT NOW THEY
GIVE IT A 40% CHANCE OF DEVELOPING TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS WITHIN THE NEXT TWO DAYS. IT'S PROJECTED MOVEMENT WOULD BE NORTHEAST, AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT COMING THIS WEEKEND.
AS THE STATE MOVES INTO HURRICANE RECOVERY MODE, LT. GOVERNOR JAY DARDENNE SAYS THERE IS STILL AN URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT. HE SAYS THE WEBSITE, "VOLUNTEERLOUISIANA.GOV" HAS BEEN ACTIVATED WHERE YOU CAN GO AND REGISTER FOR SPECIFIC "INTEREST AREAS". DARDENNE SAYS THEY HAVE NEEDS IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.
ANOTHER TOP LEADER OF LSU'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS BEING REPLACED, AS REPUBLICAN GOV. BOBBY JINDAL'S ADMINISTRATION PUSHES THE UNIVERSITY-RUN NETWORK OF HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO CHANGE ITS APPROACH TO PROVIDING SERVICES AMID SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS. ROXANE TOWNSEND WILL NO LONGER WORK AS CEO OF THE LSU HEALTH CARE SERVICES DIVISION, WHICH RUNS SEVEN OF THE 10 PUBLIC HOSPITALS OVERSEEN BY THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE LARGEST FACILITY IN NEW ORLEANS. LSU ANNOUNCED THE LEADERSHIP CHANGE WEDNESDAY BY NAMING TOWNSEND'S REPLACEMENT, WITHOUT EXPLANATION. THE MOVE COMES FEWER THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE LSU SYSTEM'S TOP HEALTH CARE LEADER, FRED CERISE, WAS OUSTED FROM HIS JOB.
BP CONFIRMS THAT OILY SHEEN AND TAR BALLS TURNING UP ON LOUISIANA BEACHES AND MARSHES IS PROBABLY LEFT OVER FROM THE 2010 MACONDO WELL SPILL. BP OFFICIALS SAY THE HURRICANE DREDGED UP OIL AND TAR AS IT CAME ASHORE. BP SAYS IT'S WORKING WITH STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS TO GET THE NEW MESS CLEANED UP.
GRAND ISLE MAYOR DAVID CARMARDELLE SAYS THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE ISAAC IS DESTROYING WHAT IS LEFT OF THE FISHING COMMUNITY THERE. IN THE MIDST OF CLEANUP FROM THE HURRICANE, OIL AND OTHER DEBRIS FROM THE 2010 B-P OIL SPILL CHURNED UP BY THE STORM IS NOW BEING BLAMED FOR SHRINKING FISH CATCHES.
RAIN FROM THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC COULD HELP THE DROUGHT-STRICKEN MISSISSIPPI RIVER, BUT EXPERTS SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR LONG-TERM RELIEF FOR THE VITAL WATERWAY THAT IS AT ITS LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1988.
THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS EXPERIENCING
THE WORST OUTBREAK OF WEST NILE EVER FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND THE FLOODING FROM ISAAC IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE MOSQUITO POPULATION IN LOUISIANA. LSU AG CENTER ENTOMOLOGIST DENNIS RING SAYS THAT MEANS THE RISK OF CONTRACTING WEST NILE WILL GO UP. RING SAYS SINCE MANY AREAS HAVE HAD STANDING WATER WHERE IT WASN'T PREVIOUSLY, THE MOSQUITO POPULATION IS IN PRIME SHAPE TO REPRODUCE
RAPIDLY. HE ALSO SAYS THE WARM WEATHER ISN'T HELPING EITHER
RECORD RAINS FROM HURRICANE ISAAC COULD IMPACT NEXT SEASONS CRAWFISH
HARVEST. RAINS THAT FELL ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA HAVE FILLED CRAWFISH PONDS AHEAD OF THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULE. DR. GREG LUTZ, AN AQUACULTURE SPECIALIST WITH THE LSU AGCENTER, SAYS HIGH WATER NOW CAN SPOIL NEXT YEAR'S CRAWFISH HARVEST. LUTZ SAYS ISAAC STRUCK THE AREA JUST AS MANY FEMALE CRAWFISH WERE LAYING EGGS IN THEIR BURROWS. HE SAYS MOST OF THEM WILL STAY WITH THEIR EGGS BUT SOME WILL RESPOND BY EMERGING EARLY AND THOSE CRAWFISH COULD BE LOST.
ST. MARY PARISH DEPUTIES ARE SEEKING THREE MEN WHO ROBBED A GROUP OF ALLIGATOR BUYERS THIS WEEK. DEPUTIES SAY THE BUYERS WERE WRAPPING UP A DAY'S BUSINESS, WHEN THREE MEN PULLED UP IN A DARK GRAY SEDAN, GOT OUT AND ROBBED THEM AT GUNPOINT. THE THIEVES TOOK CELL PHONES AND BRIEFCASE CONTAINING OVER $6000. THEY LEFT THE GATORS. DEPUTIES ASK ANYONE WITH USEFUL INFO TO CALL THEM.
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