News for Thursday 012413

By Dave Graichen

A Rapides Parish teacher is facing more sex-related charges after first being arrested in December on two counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Heather Michelle Cooksey of  Pineville was arrested again Tuesday and charged with two more counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, four counts of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and student, two counts of sexual battery by fondling and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile. When Cooksey was arrested in December, she was a teacher at Tioga High School. Cooksey was released on a $35,000 bond.

How Louisiana prepares teachers for the classroom got a C letter grade Wednesday in a national report, the same rating as last year. The state was criticized for what the report called, Lax admission rules to enter teacher training programs. Inadequate preparation for elementary school teachers to give instruction in more rigorous courses starting in 2014. Student teaching programs that fail to ensure a quality experience. On the plus side, the report cited Louisiana as one of just two states that has top-flight ways of rating teacher preparation programs. The report said that no state earned a grade higher than a B-minus. Texas got a C-plus and Arkansas and Mississippi each got a C.

The Louisiana Department  of  Health and Hospitals announces hospice care for Medicaid patients will continue and not end as scheduled on February first. In a statement,  DHH Secretary Bruce Greenstein says they plan to use money from existing  grants to support the Medicaid Hospice program for the time being.

Governor Bobby Jindal is the headline speaker tonight at the Republican  National Committee winter meeting in Charlotte. U-L Lafayette Political  Science Professor Pearson Cross says this is a big event for the  governor, who many believe will be a Presidential contender in 2016. Cross says if Jindal is truly considering a run for the oval office in  2016, he needs to perform well tonight in front of the R-N-C.

In  his  first  public  comments after being reinstated by the  NFL, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton  admits  it was difficult to watch the Black  and  Gold during his suspension. He  says  he'd  see  certain

things during  the  games and would become frustrated, but he had to  realize the coaches and  players  were  dealing with a unprecedented situation. Payton says he met with NFL Commissioner  Roger  Gooddell for nearly four hours Monday and was asked by reporters if the Bounty situation came up...Payton replied that it's time to move on.

A recent study from the LSU Center for Energy Studies shows that the  abundant supply of natural gas in Louisiana has resulted in 62-billion  dollars in capital investments for the state over the next five to eight

years. Associate Executive Director for the Center, David Dismukes,  says these natural gas projects will result in thousands of jobs. Dismukes says manufacturers are benefiting from the low price of  natural gas, while natural gas production is also up, which creates  another set of jobs.  Dismukes says this study shows that Louisiana is on the verge of a  manufacturing renaissance and natural gas is driving the train.

Is the NBA team in the Big Easy going to be called  the  New Orleans Pelicans. Earlier reports indicate that's going to be the  new  name and  the  new  colors  will  be navy blue, gold and red. The Hornets

issued a press release yesterday saying a special announcement is going to be made this  afternoon.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Department announced  an  arrest yesterday in  last  November's  triple   homicide  that took place  in Lockport.  Sheriff  Craig  Webre says David Brown stabbed  to  death

29-year-old Jacquelin Nieves  and  her two daughters, who were seven years  old  and 20-months old at this  of  the  murders.  Brown  was arrested on separate charges, shortly after the triple homicide.

Here's an  interesting  mix of music. Journey and Rascal Flatts will headline the Super Bowl 47  CMT Crossroads Concert Saturday February 2nd at the Sugar Mill in New  Orleans.  The  show will air on CMT at 11pm the night before the big game between the Ravens and the 49ers.

The   Louisiana  Department  of  Wildlife  and  Fisheries   says   a 26-year-old  man from Carencro was shot in the foot during a hunting trip...allegedly  by  his  friend's dog. Spokesman Travis Huval says

the men had a loaded gun in  the boat and the dog discharged it with his  paw  and  the man was shot.  He  says  this  is  considered  an accidental shooting.

In  the  wake  of the Friday morning  abduction  and  assault  of  a University of Louisiana-Monroe  student,  university police say they are increasing patrols on campus. Lt. Steve  Mahon,  acting director

of the U-L-M police department, says all officers have been assigned 24-hour  patrol  responsibilities,  focusing mainly on areas  around dorms and classrooms.

Should   public   and   private high  schools  compete  in  separate playoffs?  That's   the   major   topic   of   discussion   at   the L-H-S-A-A's  annual convention  which  got   underway  today.  Under

the new proposal, schools would compete against  each  other  during the  regular  season,  but then separate for the playoffs. The  vote on  this controversial proposal will take place on Friday, the final

day of the convention.

An Ascension Parish jury has convicted a Gonzales man on a sixth charge of driving while intoxicated.

There was a problem with charging the man, it seems that state law does not list fifth- or sixth-offense DWI. In the end, 48 year old Paul Naquin Jr. was convicted on a count of fourth- or subsequent-offense DWI. He is being held on 100 thousand dollars bond pending sentencing.