News for Friday 030813

By Dave Graichen

Some state tax filers are concerned  about  their  tax refunds. Many says  it's  been  several  weeks and still no refund. Department  of Revenue   spokesman   Byron  Henderson   says   installing   a   new anti-identity theft system  slowed  processing  down...but that pace should be picking up now. He says filing electronically will always get you your money faster.

Despite fervent opposition from special education advocates, Louisiana’s top school board Thursday approved a $3.5 billion spending request for public schools. The vote was 8-3 and followed six hours of testimony. A final tally by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is set for Friday but no change is expected. The plan would then go to the Legislature, which begins its 2013 regular session on April 8. The proposal, which is called the Minimum Foundation Program, or MFP, would freeze state aid per student for the fifth consecutive year.

Michael Jenkins is ready to move forward with work on the Hotel Bentley and hopes are the hotel will be open by mid-summer. Jenkins, a  local entrepreneur and preservationist who bought the Bentley in October  told members of the Alexandria Exchange Club on Thursday that he’s totally committed to getting it going. Jenkins plans to keep the original part of the building as a hotel with nearly 100 rooms. The tower portion, which was added in the 1930s, is being converted to condominiums.

Chanting “enough is enough” some 300 people showed up last at Huey p. Long hospital in Pineville to protest budget cutbacks at the facility. Volunteers with the Coalition to Save Our State passed petitions through the crowd, and more than a dozen spiritual leaders and elected officials spoke out against the governor’s  plans to close or privatize the facility. Jindal's proposed budget released last month for the fiscal year that begins July 1 does not include funding for Huey P. Long.

With the Legislative session set to begin a month from today, Governor  Jindal says the details of his tax reform plan are still a week off. Mr.  Jindal says he is still meeting with state lawmakers and other stake- holders, to help formulate the tax swap plan. The Governor seeks to eliminate corporate and personal state income  taxes, and replace the nearly $3-billion that brings in annual revenue  with higher sales taxes. He says he will unveil the plan a week from today.

According  to  a  report  by  24/7  Wall  Street, Baton Rouge is the 4th-worst paying city for women. The report  indicates  men  in  the capitol  city  get paid an average of $51,000 while women an average of $35,000. That  puts women's pay in Baton Rouge as a percentage of men's pay at just 69.3 percent.

Louisiana motorists have seen some small relief from the recent surge in  gasoline prices. Louisiana AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says the  statewide average price of regular gas is now $3.59; down 5 cents from a  week ago, but still over 20-cents higher than one month ago. Redman says some gas stations have lowered their priced by as much as  ten cents a gallon in the past week.

A  Concordia Parish prison corrections officer has been arrested for alleged  inappropriate  sexual  contact  with an inmate at the jail. Chief  Deputy  David  Hedrick  says  a routine  check  of  telephone communications at the jail led to the arrest of a 48-year-old female officer. Hedrick says Watts was allegedly engaged  in  phone  sex with a male inmate at the Concordia jail.

Police in East Baton Rouge Parish say a 16-year-old student is under arrest  for  threatening to bring a gun to school and shoot  several students. They  say  the  teen  told officers she felt threatened by other students at the school and  told  them  she was going to shoot them. She is charged with disturbing the peace and terrorizing.

Deputies  in  Natchitoches Parish say a man is under arrest after he put a variety of  drugs  on  a  counter  as he was walking through a security checkpoint at the parish courthouse.  They  say 50-year-old Walter Parker Jr. of Marthaville allegedly placed meth,  pot,  pills and  drug paraphernalia on a table in front of security officers  on his way to get a birth certificate. He's booked on a variety of drug

charges.

She should have seen this coming.. Police  in  Kenner  arrest  a  psychic for conning a client  out  of thousands  in  cash.  Police  spokesman  Sgt.  Brian  McGregor  says 20-year-old April Stevens told  her  emotional customer that she was cursed and that $10,000 had to be taken away and "cleansed".  Stevens  is charged with theft

Sports..

The NO. 3 LSU Baseball team begins a three game series against  Washington tonight at Alex Box. It's the first meeting ever between LSU  and the Huskies in baseball and the first-ever action for Washington against SEC competition during the regular season.