News For Thursday 110112

By Dave Graichen

As expected, LSUA chancellor Dr. David Manuel has been chosen to be the new President of Drury University in Springfield, Mo. Manuel said he will work with William Jenkins the interim president of the LSU System, and the LSU Board of Supervisors to welcome new leadership at LSUA. Manuel’s last day will be May 31^st. He will start his new job the following day.  

The Young Professionals Group of Central Louisiana is hosting a debate today between the six  candidates vying for an at-large seat on the Alexandria City Council.  The debate is from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center in downtown Alexandria. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office is searching for a missing girl who last was seen Tuesday at Tioga High School. Cherneva Anderson was last seen at the school around 2:30 p.m., wearing a white polo shirt, khaki pants and red Adidas shoes, deputies said. She may be with a man known only as "Possum." Cherneva stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.She may be in the Alexandria area, possibly in the Kelleyland subdivision. Anyone who knows anything about Cherneva Anderson or "Possum" is asked to call the office at (318) 473-6700.

The official numbers are in. Early voting for the November 6th election drew record high numbers in

Louisiana. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says a record-high 340,653  voters cast early ballots with more democrats the republicans making it to the polls. Based on early voting, Schedler expects to see a total voter turnout for  this election of just over 70-percent.

The state department of education is working on a new letter grading system  for  all  publicly funded pre-K  schools  and  centers.  The department plans to  phase  in  the system over the next three years

and  have  it fully in place by the  2015-2016  school  year.  State Superintendent  of  Education  John  White  says the goal is to have 70-percent of all four-year-olds kindergarten  ready. White says the

new grading standards would provide tax credits  for  those day care centers   who   perform   well,  while  cutting  off  state  aid  to low-performing centers. He  says  this  new  grading  system will be similar to one already in place for public schools. Currently the numbers of kindergarten ready four-year-olds is around 54-percent.

Donnie Lee Roberts Jr., a Natchitoches native convicted in his girlfriend's 2003 slaying in Texas, was executed Wednesday for fatally shooting the woman and taking items from her home to sell or trade to support his drug habit. The 41 year old Roberts became the 12th inmate to be put to death this year in the nation's most active capital punishment state. His lethal injection came after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review his case earlier this week, and no additional appeals were filed to try to block the execution.

Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson was released from jail  yesterday, after he pleaded "no contest" on a simple battery  charge from the infamous Shady's bar fight.  As a result of the plea, Jefferson was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to perform 30 hours of community service. The former LSU football player still faces a charge for marijuana  possession as a result of his arrest last week.

LSU is advising its fans that are coming to the big game on Saturday to  arrive early, because well over 100-thousand people are expected to be  on campus. Associate Athletic Director Herb Vincent says fans who sit in the south end should plan on walking into  Tiger Stadium earlier than normal. Construction has already started on  the expansion of Tiger Stadium and Vincent says it makes it more difficult for those seat holders to get into Death Valley. Vincent also had some other advice, if you are buying tickets be aware of  counterfeit tickets and oh ya,  carpool if  possible.

Now that Halloween is over retailers can put their full attention  towards the Christmas shopping season. Retail analyst Jim Rutledge says  merchants have been gearing up and consumers have already starting

buying gifts.  On-line shopping has been a growing trend for a number of years, and the  numbers continue to grow. Rutledge says a number of brick-and-mortar  merchants are taking steps to keep pace with the deals offered by on-line sellers.

A special committee meets today to go over applicants to be the next  president of the University of Louisiana System. UL System Board  chairman Wayne Parker says 14 highly qualified individuals have submitted applications  for the position. He says the committee will meet  today to discuss each one.

Parker says it's possible the committee could announce the new UL System President at its November 9th meeting.

A Napoleonville man,  who lives about 4 miles from the sinkhole near Bayou Corne, says his tap  water  is  flammable.  The  man says he'd noticed his tap water was more bubbly since the sinkhole  developed.

DEQ checked and found increased levels of naturally-occuring methane gas. However, they say it's NOT connected to the sinkhole,  but  has more to do with where his well was located.