News for Tuesday 031213

By Dave Graichen

Police in Pineville are investigating six separate vehicle burglaries that happened Saturday  in an 8 hour period,  all of which involved windows being shattered and purses being stolen. According to the police all of the purses that were stolen were in plain sight and easily accessible.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission launches a new and improved web-based  service, to help the unemployed find better jobs, faster. It's called  "HIRE" which stands for Helping Individuals Reach Employment. LWC  Executive Director Curt Eysink says the site offers jobless filing and benefits claims, and job  seeking services, integrated together in one easy-to-use web tool. "HIRE" can be found on the LWC's website, "laworks.net".

Parents interested in their children taking classes not currently offered at their schools or courses that earn college credits or professional training can begin enrolling now. State education Superintendent John White announced Monday that the Course Choice program is now enrolling students for next school year. Under the plan, Hundreds of courses previously not available to every child will be available.

For the second year in a row, the Baton Rouge metropolitan area has the highest per capita rate of new AIDS cases in the nation, that according to a just released report from the CDC. Baton Rouge has a rate of 29, which means 29 people out of every 100,000 of population were diagnosed with AIDS .  Miami was ranked second with a rate of 28; Atlanta was ranked third with a rate of 27; New Orleans was ranked fourth with a rate of 25 and Baltimore was ranked fifth with a rate of 24. The Baton Rouge metro area ranked first in the country last year with a rate of 33 and second in the nation the year before that with a rate of 30

Senator  David  Vitter  will  host  a "virtual  town  hall  meeting" tomorrow night at 6:30. The senator says  the  event  will introduce his new website, and give him a chance to get valuable feedback from

voters.  The  new  website  gives  the  town hall a video conference aspect. Find it online at Vitter.senate.gov

A  Church  Point  man  faces numerous charges - including  vehicular homicide - after allegedly  causing a three-vehicle fatal crash Sunday night in Acadia parish. State  Police  say the man was intoxicated when he  rear-ended  one vehicle on state  Highway 95, then crossed the center line and hit a another. Eight people were injured in that crash; one died.

Sentencing is scheduled today for the Greensburg man accused of killing  seven people in a drunk driving crash last May. Brett Gerald pleaded  guilty in December to seven counts of vehicular homicide. Gerald's blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit on the night of May 30, 2012,  when his pickup crossed the center line and  ran into the sedan carrying members of Two families on their way home from church. Gerald could get up to 210 years for the  seven deaths.

Governor Jindal met with officials from Assumption Parish Monday, to  talk about the Bayou Corne sinkhole. Assumption Parish President Martin  Triche (trish) says it was a good meeting, and he's pleased the Governor  will step in to help expedite buyouts for resident who've been evacuated  from their homes since last August.  Mr. Jindal will personally travel to Bayou Corne next week to see the  disaster for himself. In the meantime, he'll meet with officials from  Texas Brine, who own the underground salt cavern believed to be causing  the sinkhole, tomorrow.

Police in Slidell arrest a local man for using an "online bakery" to lure  a  young  girl  into  a sexual relationship. Authorities  say he enticed a 15 year old girl into meeting with him, after having online contact on his Facebook page. They also report he met  up with the girl on at least seven  occasions  for sex. He faces seven counts  of  felony  carnal knowledge of a juvenile  and  one  count  of  stalking. Police believe more victims may come forward.

A Napoleonville state lawmaker proposes legislation that would bring  tolls back to the Sunshine Bridge over the Mississippi River. State  Senator Troy Brown says his proposal would bring needed revenue for

 highway upkeep in St. James, Ascension and Assumption parishes.  Senator Brown's bill would recommend returning to the 50-cent toll for  using the Sunshine Bridge that was in place up until 2001.

Houma  Police  arrest  16  men  they  say  used a website to arrange meetings with prostitutes. Officers used a sting  to catch men using the website Backpage.com to hire sex for money. They  say  more such stings are planned, and other such websites users will be targeted.