News for Wednesday 121912

By Dave Graichen

A state district judge has upheld most of Governor Jindal's education  reform law targeting teachers, but has ruled against part of the law  that addresses the authority of school boards. Baton Rouge Rep. Steve Carter sponsored the so-called Talent Act. He says Judge Michael  Caldwell ruled in favor of the most important parts of the new law. The judge upheld parts of the law relating to teacher tenure and pay based on performance, instead of seniority. He struck down parts  addressing powers of school boards and superintendents.

The Pineville PD believes 55 year old Carolyn Farr stole more than $25,000 from an elderly woman she was caring for. The investigation began back in October after a complaint was filed with police. As a result of their  investigation, Farr was charged with unauthorized use of an access card over $500, forgery and exploitation of the infirmed.

A special meeting of the Alexandria City Council will be held at 3 p.m. today in City Council chambers at city hall to swear in two newly-elected council members, Lee Rubin, at-large representative, and Jules Green, District 3 representative. Also on the agenda is recognition of outgoing council members Roosevelt L. Johnson and Jerry W. Jones Jr. The new council will then elect a president and vice president to serve in 2013. A reception with light refreshments will follow.

The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's office arrests an 18-year-old Belle  Chasse High School student for threatening to shoot up the school and  kill a teacher. Sheriff's office spokesperson Eric Becnel says Leonard  Jourdan was arrested Monday and admitted to making the threats. The man was charged with terrorizing

Two elementary school  principals in Ponchatoula received threatening letters. Police chief Bry

Layrisson says the two letters were handwritten and due to the nature of  the text could be from the same person. The chief says the letters are  vague but do refer to the recent school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Layrisson says the Ponchatoula P-D is working with the Louisiana State  Police crime lab, checking handwriting samples and D-N-A as well...

It's one of the most popular reality shows being talked about in Louisiana, but A&E's Duck Dynasty is making major waves throughout the  country. The reality series profiles the regular 'ole "redneck" Robertson  family, who became millionaires after creating a new efficient duck  call. Robertson's wife, Miss Kay, says she's always been madly in love  with her husband, but life is much better with him now that they're  rich. New episodes for the show begin airing next year.

It all started with two suspected shoplifters and it ended with 2 people dead. State police report a high-speed police chase results in two fatalities. State Police Trooper Jared Sandifer says Gonzales Police pursued two suspected  shoplifters from an outlet mall in Ascension Parish on Tuesday. Sandifer says the chase continued into Iberville Parish where the driver began  driving recklessly, eventually crashing the vehicle.  The two suspects were killed in the wreck.

Remote operated vehicles, seeking a possible oil leak from the shuttered  BP Macondo well, have found nothing. After four days of searching, no  evidence was found to link a surface sheen in the area to the well.  State Coastal Affairs director Garrett Graves says the ROV mission  results are unsatisfactory to him. The sheen could possibly be the result of natural seeps from the sea  floor. Graves says relief well drilling could have somehow caused a seep  as well. He says the state will keep pressure on the Coast Guard and BP to continue their search for the leak.

A 4-year-old boy has been stabbed to death and a 25-year-old DeRidder man, believed to be the child's uncle, has been arrested. Beaureard Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Joe Toler said authorities received a call around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon about a child being stabbed in the chest at a residence west of DeRidder.  John W. Hatfield III, who was at the scene, was taken into custody without incident. Authorities are not saying what if any charges will be filed against the man.