News for Monday 031113

By Dave Graichen

Much of the budget savings associated with the Jindal administration’s privatization of LSU public hospitals comes from a $400 million reduction in funding for employee pay and benefits as hospital workers lose their state jobs across south Louisiana. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed $24.7 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, strips funding for hospitals in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Houma, Bogalusa and Lake Charles, impacting potentially about 5,000 employee jobs.

A Lafourche Parish House member files legislation that would prevent  lawmakers from earning a fat state paycheck immediately after leaving  the legislature. Thibodaux Rep. Dee Richard says his bill would prohibit  any House or Senate member from taking another job with the state for  two years after leaving the legislature.  A number of state lawmakers have been appointed to high-paying jobs with  agencies, immediately after the end of their last term at the Capitol.  In some cases, their qualifications for those jobs have been questioned.

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich told a group of Bayou Corne residents on Saturday that standing up and taking legal action against the company that owns a failed salt dome cavern believed to have caused the Assumption Parish sinkhole is the only way they will find relief from the emergency.

The sinkhole was discovered Aug. 3 in a swampland area between Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou. About 350 residents nearby remain under evacuation orders.

Assumption Parish officials are in Baton Rouge today to meet with  Governor Bobby Jindal to discuss the sinkhole in Bayou Corne. Assumption  Office of Emergency Preparedness Director John Boudreaux says they plan  to outline in detail what is needed from the state to mitigate the  situation that's left hundreds of residents under an evacuation order:

33-year  old  Jeremy  Pierce  is behind bars in Caddo Parish and his troubles with the law are starting  to  pile up.  He was in jail for allegedly molesting a student at the school  where  he  taught.   But now, says Caddo Parish sheriff's office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick, says  he'  suspected  of molesting at least one other student at the school.  Chadwick says Pierce is still in the parish jail, pending a 750-thousand dollar bond.

A  Port  Allen state Senator proposes legislation establishing  some rules and  regulations  for  small  business bakers, who work out of their own home. Senator Rick Ward says  current  state  law  doesn't

really recognize such home-based bakeries as businesses. Ward  says  bakers  who  gross  over $50-k yearly would have  to  be recognized  by  the  Department  of  Revenue   and   be  subject  to inspections and regulation by the Department of Health & Hospitals.

Two Ascension Parish businessmen embark on a mission to produce the  first-ever flour and corn tortillas made in Louisiana. Rod Olson and his  partner, Kevin Holden, are former executives with Zapp's Chips. He says  they call their product "Hola Nola" tortillas. Olson says they broke ground last week on the 12-thousand square foot  bakery in Geismar. Once they're up & running, He anticipates having up to 50 employees.

Many farmers are having a difficult time planting their crop, because of  the wet winter Louisiana has experienced. That's according to LSU  AgCenter weed scientist Jim Griffin. He says all of the wet weather has  made it difficult for producers to rid their fields of weeds, before  they plant. Griffin says many fields are too soggy to use a tractor to spray for  weeds, so some farmers are using planes to spray the anti-weed chemicals.  Farmers are starting to plant corn. Soybeans and cotton will follow. Griffin says at least commodity prices are high, which will help offset  the costs of using planes to spray fields.

Sports..

The third ranked LSU Baseball swung the bats well this past weekend and  it resulted in a three-game sweep over Washington. . Coach Paul Mainieri says Washington provided  a good test for his team heading into Friday's SEC opener.