news for tuesday 101612
by dave graichen
Four people are in custody after a Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office School Resource Officer at Acadian Elementary New Vision Academy in Alexandria heard what sounded like gunshots near the school yesterday afternoon. The incident did not happen on Acadian's grounds, but officials from the Rapides Parish School District are working with law enforcement to piece together what happened. School officials delayed the release of Acadian's students because of the shooting. No firearm has been discovered, and the investigation is ongoing.
A 12-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fire at Martin Park elementary school friday that forced the closure of the facility and the relocation of students and staff. The juvenile, a student at Martin Park, was charged with one count of simple arson. fire officials do not expect to be making any more arrests in the case. after a busy few day of preparation, students will start classes today at the former Hadnot-Hayes Elementary. Martin Park staff spent Monday cleaning the building on Lincoln Road, moving desks, addressing wiring for technology and sorting school supplies among classrooms.
A state district judge Monday sentenced a Deville man to three years supervised probation for killing his male companion in 2007 and hiding the body in a box until it was found the following year. But Rapides Parish prosecutor Thomas "Rocky" Wilson said Monday afternoon that Judge Thomas Yeager was reconsidering the sentencing he meted out to Bobby Christopher Lucas, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in June for killing Kerry anthony Lane. the 39 year old Lucas sat in the rear of the court gallery with his wife yesterday. his attorney telling the judge "He's married. He's changed his lifestyle" and he's a manager at an Alexandria fast food restaurant. Lucas could have received up to 40 years in prison at hard labor. judge Yeager said he reviewed Lucas' case and the circumstances of the killing. He sentenced Lucas to 10 years at hard labor, then suspended the sentence and imposed probation.
President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney meet tonight for the second Presidential Debate. Many felt that, during their first debate two weeks ago, the President was subdued.. and handed in a lackluster performance. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says expect to see a different Barack Obama tonight. Tonight's debate is in a "town hall" format, with a number of undecided voters posing questions of the two candidates. Hogan says both should do just fine in this less formal debate setting.
State Education Superintendent John White is proposing new rules for private schools who want to take on public school students via the new vouchers program. Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE) President Penny Dastugue says schools recognized for their excellence would be readily approved to receive the vouchers. BESE will consider Superintendent White's proposal during its meeting today. Dastugue says the plan puts private and religious schools in the voucher program under a microscope, to assure state education dollars are wisely spent.
Two people on a MOTORCYCLE were killed early Sunday morning, in an accident on US 190 in St. Landry Parish. State Police Trooper Stephen Hammons says 52-year-old Ronald Bellard of Eunice and his passenger died in the wreck. Hammons says they were on a three-wheeled motorcycle that hit a truck pulling a horse trailer that apparently pulled out in front of them. The truck driver is not hurt. Hammons says an investigation is underway.
it’s sorta like that movie “the Blob”, The giant sinkhole in Assumption Parish continues to grow. The hole full of muddy slurry is now about 4 acres in area. Nearby residents have been evacuated from their homes since August 3rd, when the hole first appeared--taking land and trees with it.
they may have gotten away with it in “porky’s” but not at tiger stadium. Baton Rouge Police arrested a South Caroline Gamecocks fan for allegedly mooning LSU fans during saturday’s game. the man was spotted with his pants down below his knees and uttering loud vulgarities. Officers took 34-year-old charles Hattaway in for obscenity. He later posted bail.
New Orleans Police arrest a woman for child desertion, after her twin 6-year-old girls were left home alone while the mother went to work. fire fighters were able to rescue the girls after their apartment caught fire. however, they had to use CPR to revive the girls. it’s believed The fire started as a result of the girls playing with matches.
Voters in all but two parishes will see an item on the November 6th election ballots, asking their preference in imposing term limits on local school board members. The vote is a parish-by-parish referendum, and will not mean such limits imposed on a statewide basis. Jefferson and Lafayette parishes already have school board term limits. early voting starts this saturday.
A Bossier City accountant is charged with stealing from the Minden construction company where he worked, and blowing the money on strippers. Webster Parish Sheriff's detective Scott Tucker says 36-year old Murlin Graham is suspected of taking at least $360-thousand from his employer and living it up with the cash. Tucker says Graham was an accountant with the construction company, and was creating phony supplier and vendor companies, whose names closely resemble those of his company's actual suppliers and vendors. Graham's been booked with four counts of felony theft by fraud
The LSU football team's first trip to College Station, Texas, since 1995 is more challenging for the fans because of the 11 A-M kick-off this Saturday. LSU Travel Expert Jim Dumigan says many Tiger fans are staying in the Houston Area on Friday, which means an early wake-up call is needed to get to Kyle Field in time for kick-off. Dumigan says the Tiger Athletic Foundation travel party is at the same hotel where the team will stay, which is in Montgomery, Texas. He says they will leave before the sun rises.
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