Posted
2012-10-10 06:32:00
NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY 100912
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
ALTHOUGH THE RAPIDES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL NOT IMPLEMENT A HIRING FREEZE, IT APPEARS OVERSTAFFING WILL RESULT IN CURRENT FACULTY BEING USED TO FILL POSITIONS LEFT VACANT BY THOSE RETIRING OR LEAVING FOR ANY REASON NEXT YEAR. ACCORDING TO INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT GERALD WOODARD THERE ARE 1,733 POSITIONS FILLED IN THE DISTRICT FOR THE 2012-13 SCHOOL YEAR -- 32 MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S TOTAL. THE 32 ADDED POSITIONS INCLUDE SIX CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS FUNDED BY TITLE I AND 14 POSITIONS FOR THE NEWLY BUILT CAROLINE DORMON JR. HIGH IN WOODWORTH. THAT LEAVES AN INCREASE OF 12 OTHER NEW POSITIONS. ALTHOUGH THE DISTRICT SAYS IT IS OVERSTAFFED, SOME HIRING FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR REMAINS UNDERWAY. THE DISTRICT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING TEACHERS FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNDERSTAFFED.
A STATE APPELLATE COURT HAS UPHELD THE RAPIDES PARISH CONVICTION OF A DRIVER WHO RAN A STOP SIGN ON HORSESHOE DRIVE IN 2008, HITTING ANOTHER CAR AND KILLING A WOMAN AND HER UNBORN BABY. 58 YEAR OLD PAUL HEIDER FROM ALEXANDRIA, WAS CONVICTED IN A BENCH TRIAL OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE. HEIDER APPEALED. HE CONTENDED THAT THE EXPERT WITNESS WHO TESTIFIED HEIDER WAS HIGH ON MARIJUANA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT , WAS WRONG. HEIDER REASONED THAT BECAUSE HE WAS A CHRONIC MARIJUANA SMOKER, "THE LEVEL IN HIS BLOOD COULD BE PRESENT FROM PAST USE WITHOUT THE DEFENDANT BEING PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED ... AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE APPEALS JUDGES REJECTED THAT ARGUMENT.
STATE TREASURER JOHN KENNEDY SAYS HE CANNOT COMPLY WITH GOVERNOR JINDAL'S PLAN TO USE SURPLUS REVENUE FROM THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED JUNE 30TH TO HELP FILL A HUGE HEALTH CARE BUDGET GAP. KENNEDY SAYS STATE LAW REQUIRES THE SURPLUS CASH BE PUT BACK INTO THE STATE'S RAINY DAY FUND. COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION PAUL RAINWATER SAYS KENNEDY MISINTERPRETS THE LAW, AND THE LANGUAGE THEREIN APPLYING TO THE RAINY DAY FUND HAS EXPIRED. KENNEDY SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE INDICATES AN EXPIRATION DATE. THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WANTS TO SHIFT $94-MILLION IN TO THE HEALTH CARE BUDGET, TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER MID-YEAR BUDGET CUTS.
STATE HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS SAY THERE IS NO NEED FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS RECENT MID-YEAR BUDGET CUTS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. THE CALL FOR A SPECIAL COMES FROM THIBODAUX REP. DEE RICHARD, WHO'S UPSET ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF A CALCASIEU PARISH PRISON AND DEEP CUTS TO LSU HOSPITALS--ALL WITH NO APPARENT INPUT FROM LAWMAKERS. BUT SENATE PRESIDENT JOHN ALARIO SAYS RICHARD HAS NO ALTERNATIVES TO OFFER, WHERE THE BUDGET COULD BE CUT. BOTH ALARIO AND HOUSE SPEAKER CHUCK KLECKLY FEEL A SPECIAL SESSION COULD LEAD TO NEW TAXES AND THAT THERE'S NO NEED OF A SPECIAL SESSION.
THE SINKHOLE IN ASSUMPTION PARISH IS STILL GROWING. A 10 BY 50-FOOT CHUNK SLOUGHED OFF INTO THE HOLE TUESDAY MORNING. 150 HOMES HAVE BEEN EVACUATED SINCE AUGUST 3RD, WHEN THE SINKHOLE FIRST APPEARED. THE HOLE SITS ATOP A SALT DOME DEEP UNDERGROUND. DRILLERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO RELIEVE PRESSURE FROM GASSES WITHIN THAT CAVERN.
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS SAYS SEPTEMBER WAS ANOTHER MONTH OF LOW EXPECTATIONS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES. RENEE AMAR IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE NFIB OF LOUISIANA. SHE BELIEVES THAT LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE RELUCTANT TO HIRE OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. AMAR SAYS SINCE SMALL BUSINESSES DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE ELECTION, THEY AREN'T SPENDING MONEY UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
MIDSOUTH BANK OF LAFAYETTE HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL MERGE WITH PEOPLES STATE BANK, BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. OFFICIALS SAY THE MERGER WILL GIVE CUSTOMERS OF BOTH BANKS BETTER SERVICE AND MORE LOCATION OPTIONS.
A THREATENING PHONE CALL TO THE THIBODAUX POLICE DEPARTMENT LEAD TO THE EARLY CLOSE OF SCHOOL IN LAFOURCHE PARISH AND THE EVACUATION OF STUDENTS AND SEVERAL PARISH GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. AN ANONYMOUS MALE CALLER MADE THE THREAT AROUND 8:45 YESTERDAY MORNING. ONCE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS NOTIFIED SCHOOLS WERE LOCKED DOWN AND EVENTUALLY STUDENTS WERE SENT HOME. THIBODAUX POLICE DETECTIVE DAVID MELANCON SAYS THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT THE MAN WHO CALLED IN THE THREAT ACTUALLY PLANNED TO CARRY OUT AN ATTACK ON A SCHOOL OR GOVERNMENT BUILDING. THE SEARCH IS NOW ON FOR THAT MAN.
A BOIL WATER ADVISORY IS OUT FOR ...NEW ORLEANS. THAT MEANS ABOUT 300-THOUSAND PEOPLE ON THE CITY'S "EAST BANK" MUST BOIL WATER BEFORE DRINKING OR COOKING WITH IT. THE ORDER IS DUE TO A PROBLEM AT THE CITY'S MAIN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT.
A WESTLAKE WOMAN ACCUSED OF SEDUCING A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY DURING SUMMER CHURCH CAMP HAS PLEADED GUILTY IN CALCASIEU AND BEAUREGARD PARISHES TO FELONY CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF A JUVENILE. 29-YEAR-OLD HEATHER DAUGHDRILL WILL SERVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR IN PRISON AND HAVE NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH ANYONE UNDER 17. SHE MUST ALSO PAY RESTITUTION TO THE BOYS FAMILY.
CAJUN & CREOLE FOODMAKER TONY CHACHERE'S ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST NEW SEASONING BLEND IN OVER TWENTY YEARS. CELESTE CHACHERE IS ONE OF THE FAMILY, AND MARKETING DIRECTOR. SHE SAYS THE NEW BOLD SEASONING WAS A RESPONSE TO FANS WHO TOLD THEM THEY'D LIKE SOMETHING EVEN SPICIER THAN TRADITIONAL TONY’S
CAJUN AND CREOLE SEASONING. BOLD WILL BE IN MOST SUPERMARKETS BY LATER
THIS MONTH, BUT THOSE WHO CANNOT WAIT CAN ORDER IT ONLINE AT "TONYCHACHERE.COM".
THE BEARDS ARE BACK. THE SECOND SEASON OF A&E'S DUCK DYNASTY FEATURING THE WEST MONROE ROBERTSON FAMILY BEGINS TONIGHT AT 9PM. SHELIA SNOW FROM THE MONROE-WEST MONROE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU SAYS IT ALL STARTED WITH PHIL "THE DUCK COMMANDER" ROBERTSON AND HIS FAMOUS DUCK CALL EMPIRE THAT HE'S GROWN WITH HIS SON AND CEO WILLIE. SNOW SAYS THE POPULARITY OF THE SHOW, AND THE DUCK CALL, HAS SHINED A HUGE SPOTLIGHT ON WEST MONROE. SHE SAYS SINCE THE SHOW STARTING AIRING LAST SPRING, PEOPLE STOP IN TO THEIR OFFICE ALMOST DAILY LOOKING FOR THE DUCK COMMANDER...:
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