News for Monday 052013

By Dave Graichen

The Jindal  administration  has  proposed  privatization  deals with eight LSU hospitals, but lawmakers have learned there's only  enough money  in next year's budget to fully fund three of them. Department of Health  and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips says they are aware of the  problem  and  they  believe  there may be other funding

sources out there to get these deals done.

He doesn’t officially start his new job until June 1^st. but, Incoming Rapides Parish schools Superintendent Nason “Tony” Authement is planning to create four “school turnaround teams” as part of a restructuring of the school district’s central office.

The School Board will consider Authement’s restructuring plan Tuesday at a special meeting, which will begin after the regularly scheduled committee meetings that start at 5 p.m. The school turnaround will be charged with helping to improve the district’s 17 schools that were graded as a D or F by the state Department of Education.

The state Senate settles in this week to begin its work with the  proposed $24-billion budget for the fiscal year that starts in July. The  House passed that bill out over a week ago. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne,  who is a veteran of the legislature, says he's pleased with how the  House handled tax incentives for the film & TV industry. Dardenne says the budget bill passed by the House makes some cuts to the  departments he oversees,  tourism, culture, state parks and most museums  but they are cuts he feels he can work with.

Business as usual? State ethics officials pushed a limited legislative agenda this year, but even that scaled-down approach got nowhere. No bills were filed, although Louisiana Ethics Board members says they sought legislative fixes from the Legislature’s leaders and from Gov. Bobby Jindal. Some of the measures that did get filed in the 2013 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature are contrary to the recommendations the Ethics Board had established. The Ethics Board asked for help with a handful of challenges it continues to encounter in enforcement of conflict of interest, nepotism and campaign finance laws. Some of the disputes have led to lawsuits and others concern about creating some big holes that could allow ethical misconduct.

A new report on poverty shows that the number of poor people living in the Baton Rouge suburbs increased by 31.8 percent from 2000 to 2011. But, the good news in the report is that 31.8 percent figure is less than half of the average percentage change reported for the nation’s largest cities. Nationally, the number of poor people living in suburban areas in the 100 largest cities went up 63.6 percent from 2000 to 2011, from just over 10 million to nearly 16.4 million.

The Calcasieu Parish  Sheriff's  office announces an arrest has been made in a murder that happened in 1962. Seventy-three-year-old Felix Vail  was  arrested  in  Canyon Lake,  Texas  and  booked  into  the Calcasieu Parish jail last  night. Investigators believe Vail killed his wife Mary Horton Vail, who  was  found  dead  in  the  Calcasieu

River.  Felix  claimed  it  was  a boating accident. The Mississippi native is also a suspect in the deaths  of  a girlfriend and another wife.

Marksville police  captured  an  inmate  from  the  Avoyelles Parish Detention  Center  who  was on the run. Authorities say  21-year-old Christopher Roy escaped while  on  work  detail.  He was found early Saturday  morning  at a home in Marksville. Roy has been  in  prison since November and he was scheduled for release in 2015.

Congratulations to Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson. Who on Saturday received the Buford Pusser National Law Enforcement Award for his efforts to promote partnerships among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The award is given annually to “deserving officers who have exhibited both heroism and leadership in law  enforcement.

A state lawmaker will look into whether legislation is needed to allow  parents track their children with G-P-S devices while at school.  Mandeville Representative Tim Burns says there's rules on the books  against electronic devices in the classroom like phones, so legislation  might be needed for parents to track their kids at school. Burns says he's asking the state legislature to approve a study  resolution this year to get a better idea on what schools have to say  about GPS devices in the classroom. He says they'll also look into the available technology and possibly propose legislation next year.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is seeking new  foster families. The state currently has about two-thousand foster homes  that serve four-thousand foster children. But D-C-F-S Secretary Suzy  Sonnier (SAHN-yay) says they are in need of families willing to take  large sibling groups or children with special needs.  Sonnier says parents can learn more about becoming a foster parent by  visiting the department of children and family services website.  Sonnier says foster parents take in children who had to leave their  family because of abuse or neglect.  She says the goal is to eventually reunite those children with their birth parents, relatives or family members.

Whitney and Hancock banks, which operate some 250 full-service bank branches in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are expected to close 40-45 area branches this year in all five states in which they operate, including Louisiana. The specific branches that will be closed — and how many employees might be laid off — will not be released until later. Most of the closings will occur Aug. 30 and all closings will be completed by year’s end.

Sports….After a record-breaking regular season, the second ranked LSU baseball  team can focus on the postseason. The Tigers will begin play in the SEC  Tournament in Hoover, Alabama on Wednesday. LSU will play Against the  winner of Tuesday's game between 10th seeded Auburn and seventh seeded  Alabama. The Tigers will need to win four games this week to win the SEC  Tournament. Hear Those Games On 970AM KSYL.

News for Thursday 051613

By Dave Graichen

Residents in the city of Pineville could, in the not  too distant future, have a chance to  give a yea or a nay to the sale of alcohol in restaurants in the dry city. With a unanimous vote the House judiciary committee Wednesday morning sent Sen. Rick Gallot’s Senate Bill 116 to the House floor for a final vote.

New Orleans Police late Wednesday arrested 19-year-old Akein Scott, the alleged gunman in a Mother’s Day shooting that injured 19 people Sunday. Four people remain hospitalized, three in critical condition and one in stable condition. Scott has a long criminal record.

A state Senate panel Wednesday rejected a $3.5 billion funding request for public schools, further muddling an already confused picture on how classrooms will be funded. The Senate Education Committee approved a resolution, without objection, that asks the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to submit a new request in light of last week’s ruling by the state Supreme Court. The court’s 6-1 decision held that the state cannot use the Minimum Foundation Program,  the key source of state aid for public schools,  to also finance vouchers for some students to attend private and parochial schools. Gov. Bobby Jindal has said state aid for vouchers will continue but exactly how remains unclear.

Louisiana Education Superintendent John White said Wednesday that a court ruling throwing out funding vouchers through the public school funding formula will result in school systems receiving a $12 million refund for loss of the local shares contributed to vouchers. Local school officials have complained that the department was essentially using local funds to pay for vouchers because it deducted from each district's state allotment an amount equal to what local governments pay to educate students.

The $12 million is part of a $30 million payment that White said will have to be refunded to schools.

The state construction budget zipped through the Louisiana House Wednesday after millions of dollars were added for maintenance projects on public college and university campuses across the state. The House voted 100-0 in favor of advancing House Bill 2, the capital outlay budget, to the state Senate. House Bill 3, the spending engine for the construction budget, also cleared the House chamber.

Louisiana   lawmakers  learned  yesterday  they'll  have  an  additional 155-million  dollars  to spend in the fiscal year budget that starts July 1st. It's the result  of higher than expected individual income tax collections. The Senate  finance  committee  will  begin  its  examination of the House-approved budget next week.

The Louisiana Senate on Wednesday narrowly rejected an “Equal Pay for Women” law.

The Senate voted 19-18 for the measure, one vote shy of the 20 needed for passage.

A bill that would allow colleges and universities to impose a host of new fees onto students, including one that could cost up to $2,500 per semester for LSU’s digital media students, easily advanced in the Louisiana House Wednesday on an 80-18 vote.

Most of the discussion on the House floor centered on a provision within House Bill 671 that would allow public institutions around the state to charge a fee of up to $48 to help schools keep up with building maintenance.

An effort to delay implementing Gov. Bobby Jindal’s 401(k)-type pension plan for new state government hires is one step away from final legislative passage. The House Retirement Committee on Wednesday approved a Senate-passed resolution  suspending the “cash balance” law until July 1, 2014. The law has been challenged in the Louisiana Supreme Court and an IRS ruling is pending that could prove costly. If the IRS decide Jindal’s fails to provide a benefit equal to Social Security, both the state and the employee would have to pay more. A state Senate panel passed a similar House-passed resolution. Now, all that’s needed is for either chamber to pass one of the instruments that would suspend the law until 2014. Suspension resolutions cannot be vetoed by the governor.

Legislation that would create a Department of Elderly Affairs in state government cleared the Louisiana House Wednesday. The House voted 102-0 in favor of House Bill 352 , Which would abolish the Office of Elderly Affairs within the governor’s office and create a new state department devoted to senior citizen issues, such as funding for councils on aging, senior centers and meals on wheels. The bill now moves to the state Senate.

Minden Congressman John Fleming is calling on Congress to audit the  Internal Revenue Service, after alleged misconduct by the tax agency  surfaced. Fleming says he's filing legislation this week; calling first  for a Congressional audit of the IRS. Yesterday, President Obama announced he's accepted the resignation of  acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, after it came to light the agency  had targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny in their  applications for tax-exempt status.

The National  Hurricane  Center  has  released its list of names for Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms this season. The list starts with Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin  and  Fernand. One name we won't  see again is Sandy. That name was retired after  last  year's east coast disaster.

The Louisiana House on Wednesday approved legislation aimed at protecting public employees from retaliation if they provide information requested by a legislator or legislative committee. The House voted 100-0 for House Bill 387, which is opposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Administration officials testified in committee that they found the bill was too broad and could have unintended consequences. State Rep. John Schroder, R-Mandeville the sponsor of the bill, said public employees could wage complaints with the Louisiana Board of Ethics, which would investigate and “offer its remedy.” The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved U.S. Sen. David Vitter’s waterway resources bill that is intended to expedite U.S. Army Corps of Engineers processes, set aside more dollars for river dredging and speed up flood-protection projects like southern Louisiana’s Morganza to the Gulf plan in Terrebonne Parish. The bipartisan Water Resources Development Act, sponsored by Vitter  and U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer won out with an 83-14 vote.  The legislation, a version of which has not passed Congress since 2007, next moves to the U.S. House for consideration, although House members are currently working on their own version of the bill.

The state Department of  Ag  and  Forestry says Louisiana is at less risk for wildfires this year than other  states who are dealing with serious drought conditions. The US Drought  Monitor shows that as of last week, there were no drought conditions in 93% of the state.

The story of the case of a white family who was allegedly beat up by black suspects for  "being in the wrong neighborhood" in Baton Rouge is receiving national  attention  --  and  now BRPD says the FBI may step  in. They say currently the incident does  not  meet  the  hate crime statute but federal laws could be different.

Legislation  that  would  add an amendment to the state constitution that removes the mandatory  retirement age for judges clears another committee. Currently the constitution  states a judge cannot remain in office past the age of 70 unless they  are severing a term. The  proposed  amendment by Ville Platte Senator  Eric  LaFleur  has

already made it through the upper chamber and now heads to the House Floor for final  passage.  If  passed,  the matter would head to the voters for the November 4th, 2014 election.

The House Bill that would require dogs to be crated in truck beds on  Interstates cleared Senate Transportation and now heads to full Senate  for possible final legislative passage. Tthe primary purpose of the bill is to reduce the number of  accidents caused by dogs who jump out of truck beds. The fine for  violating the proposed law would be $150 plus $50 for each additional  dog.

Sports..

Today marks the beginning of the final three game series for the second- ranked LSU baseball team. The Tigers host the Ole Miss Rebels, with the  team celebrating senior day this weekend.

News for Thursday 050913

By Dave Graichen

The Louisiana House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on a  24-billion dollar budget for next fiscal year. Many lawmakers do not like the governor's budget because of the  use of one-time dollars, but insiders say the votes are not there for an alternative  plan that would reduce state tax credits as a way to raise revenues. A group of republican lawmakers known as "fiscal hawks" were working  with democrats on a proposed budget that the Jindal administration  criticized as a tax increase on businesses. But that  plan fell apart when the governor put pressure on republican legislators.

Senator David Vitter has introduced legislation to end the free cell  phone program for the poor. The Senator says the  Lifeline Program, introduced in 1984, was originally about expanding  land line phone service to rural areas and low income households--at a  relatively low cost to taxpayers. But, the Lifeline Program has somehow become a dispensary of free  cell phones that currently costs taxpayers over $2-billion a year.

According to a new survey, Louisiana is the second best state in the nation to retire. The  study  by  Bankrate.com says besides jazz and beignets, our state offers retirees  an excellent combination of low taxes and balmy weather. Analyst Chris  Kahn  says  people  like  to retire in places where it's warm. Kahn  says popular places with warm weather, beaches and other major attractions  are  great  places  to  visit, but they don't make good places to retire due to overall tax rates and high cost of living.

The  House  Health  and Welfare Committee has approved a bill to tap into federal dollars  available  to expand Medicaid coverage to more of Louisiana's working poor. Testifying  before  the  panel,  former state  Health  and  Hospitals  Secretary  David  Hood says the state should take the federal money. Also testifying on the bill, acting Health and Hospitals  head Kathy Kliebert   who   says   the   expansion   will   eventually   become unsustainable. The  Jindal Administration has resisted the Medicaid expansion.  The committee passed the measure by a close 10-9 vote, sending it to the House floor.

A bill to increase student fees  at  LSU advances in House Education today. The bill by Baton Rouge Representative  Franklin  Foil  would implement  a  $60  a  year  fee  to  go  towards  campus maintenance projects. If passed it would go into effect this fall  and could top out at $300 a year by fall of 2017. It now heads to the House floor.

A  USA  Today  report  shows  LSU's  athletic department took in 114 million dollars in revenues in 2012 which  is  the  seventh  highest figure  among  public universities. LSU Associate athletics director Herb Vincent says  the  report  is accurate and the study also shows LSU's athletic department is one of the few in the country that does not rely on subsidies. Ticket sales, contributions and right  licensing  help  make  up the

revenue  totals. Vincent says LSU expects to see its revenue numbers continue to  grow  with  the  launch of the SEC Television Network in August 2014.

The  House  has  passed West Monroe Rep.  Frank  Hoffman's  bill  to prohibit smoking within  25  feet  of state-owned buildings. Hoffman amended  his bill to make it apply only  to  office  buildings,  the Capitol and nothing else. Hoffman's legislation passed the House by 84-11 vote. It now goes to the Senate for committee review in that chamber.

A Senate committee has approved a House-passed bill that would place criminal  penalties  on  anyone  who  makes  public  information  on Louisiana's holders of concealed weapon carry permits. That bill now goes to the full Senate, where it will be up for final passage.

The  "I'm  a  Cajun"  license  plate  bill  has made it another step further.  The  legislation by State Senator Fred  Mills  that  would start offering the  specialty  plate passes the Senate and now heads to the House for further consideration.

An  Abbeville man has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge in the  death  of  his girlfriend's 3-month-old daughter. Police say 25-year-old  Shane  Jude  Vincent  was  arrested  without  incident. Vincent was also charged  with  tampering with evidence in the death of Jayla Broussard last November.

Federal regulators are investigating whether workers at the Shaw Modular Solutions facility in Lake Charles, which supplies parts to nuclear plants, broke quality control rules and falsified records. CB&I, which acquired the facility’s owner, Baton Rouge-based Shaw Group, in February, said it is cooperating in the probe and has turned over all the requested documents.

The Louisiana House on Wednesday voted 99-0 to allow public high school students with disabilities to avoid taking the ACT and other standardized tests.

State Rep. John Bel Edwards, D-Amite and sponsor of the plan, said the exclusion would apply to students who are not pursuing a high school diploma and who have an exceptionality listed in state law. The proposal does not cover gifted and talented students. The legislation, which next faces action in the state Senate, is the latest move aimed at revamping rules of the state Department of Education.

A state Senate-passed bill that would spell out details of a 2012 law to overhaul early childhood education in Louisiana cleared the House Education Committee on Wednesday. The measure, Senate Bill 130, next faces action on the Louisiana House floor. Last year’s law calls for early learning performance guidelines for those from zero to age 3 and academic standards for 3- and 4-year-olds. In addition, pre-kindergarten centers and schools will get letter grades, and state aid will be linked to how the centers perform. The changes take effect in the 2015-16 school year.

Sports..

The number three LSU baseball team is in College Station, Texas,  preparing for a three-game series that starts tonight against the Texas  A-and-M Aggies. Head coach Paul Mainieri says he's excited about the  opportunity to play on the road in a new environment and in front of a  raucous crowd. You can hear all three games of that series on 970 KSYL.

News for Tuesday 050713

By Dave Graichen

The House Ways and Means  committee  advances  several  bills to the House floor that limit the amount of tax breaks Louisiana doles out. These  measures  will  be  used  in a budget deal House members  are working to approve later this week.  One  bill  heading to the House floor  will  cut  tax  credit programs by 5-percent,  raising  state

revenues by an estimated  47-million  dollars.  Governor Jindal held a press conference after the committee meeting say what the state reps were doing was sneaky and he believes all they want to do is raise taxes.

An audit on Louisiana's food stamps program shows about two-million  dollars in benefits went to ineligible residents, including prisoners.  Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera says one-point-one million dollars in  food stamp benefits went to over 17-hundred incarcerated participants  during fiscal years 2011 and 2012. The audit also shows that about 300 participants spent 100-percent of their  benefits at a single retailer. Purpera says it's an indication the food  stamp recipient used their benefit card to possibly by liquor or tobacco. Something not allowed under the program.

The  House  has  passed  a bill that will exempt Louisiana-based gun manufacturers from federal  gun  regulations.  The bill, by Metairie Rep. Joe Lopinto, provides for a license for in-state  made firearms and  that  the  making  and  selling of said guns is not subject  to federal laws. The measure passed by a wide margin.

A  House bill that would loosen restrictions on who can carry a gun into  a restaurant that sells alcohol will be heard in a Senate committee  today. The legislation by Haughton representative Henry Burns was  originally written to allow off-duty police officers into bars and  restaurants.  Burns believes his bill was amended to include ALL permit holders in a  effort by opponents to kill it, but that backfired and it passed. It

also passed on the House Floor despite confusion over who the bill  applied to.

In an effort to help traditional retailers and financially strapped state and local governments, the US Senate Monday passed a bill that would allow for the charging of state sales taxes on most purchases made over the internet. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 69-27, getting support from Republicans and Democrats alike. But opposition from some conservatives who view it as a tax increase will make it a tougher sell in the House. President Barack Obama has expressed his support.

Louisiana judges would no longer be subject to a mandatory age 70 retirement under a proposition endorsed Monday evening by the state Senate.The Senate voted 33-2 for a proposed constitutional amendment contained in Senate Bill 5 , which  now moves to the House for debate. The proposition must receive a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber before it goes to voters at the next statewide election which is in 2014.

Gas  prices continue to slide in  Louisiana.  The  current  statewide average  for a gallon of regular is $3.27 which is down a penny from yesterday.  Some  analysts  from the American Automobile Association say it's very possible prices  could  be  $3  a  gallon  by the time summer rolls around. A year ago at this time the price was $3.63.

A  proposal  to  help  state  road and bridge funding keep pace with inflation was rejected in a House  committee  Monday.  The bill would have indexed the gasoline tax to the Consumer Price Index.

A state audit shows that more than 44 percent of the Louisiana students who received scholarships from the state's TOPS program over a seven-year period had their awards canceled for one reason or another. The audit says the state spent $165 million in TOPS awards for the more than 42,000 students whose awards were eventually canceled. In response, TOPS administrators said more than 80 percent of money paid for TOPS awards went to students who completed the program. And they said most of the canceled awards were lost by students who failed to maintain enough credit hours but still had good grades.

The Iberia Parish Sheriff's office is investigating  the  death of a 3-year-old  child. Capt Ryan Turner says no charges have been  filed in the death  of  the  child because cause of death has not yet been determined. However he says  they  did  arrest  the four adults that were in the home that day after drugs were found during the investigation.

A  16-year Baton Rouge boy was  killed  when  the   car  he  was   a passenger  in  ran  off  I-10 in Ascension Parish and crashed into a line  of  trees.  The non-licensed  16-year-old driver and two other passengers in  the  vehicle were wearing  seatbelts  at  the time of the  wreck  and  suffered  only  minor  injuries.  An  investigation continues.

Legislation  that  would  prohibit  drivers  from  posting  on their Facebook  or  tweeting  while driving moves one step closer to final legislative approval. Livingston  Senator  Dale  Erdey says his bill calls  for  a  fine  of  up  to  175-dollars for the first  offense,

500-dollars for subsequent violations. The bill now heads to the House Floor, it's already been approved by the Senate.

News for Friday 050213

By Dave Graichen

What is up with the weather? Over the next couple of days, Louisiana is expected  to  set new records  for  low  temperatures. State climatologist Barry Keim says these chilly temperatures  are  the result of a late Spring cold air mass.

Next week, Louisiana's House of Representatives will debate the  24-billion dollar state operating budget for  the  fiscal  year that goes  into effect July 1st. Thursday, House Speaker Chuck Kleckley gave a strong indication the House will vote on a spending plan that does not include  the  patchwork  financing  recommended by Governor

Jindal.  Kleckley  told  lawmakers  Thursday  that a reworked  proposed budget could be unveiled on Monday. It's been reported  the  House  is  working  on  a budget that would

contain  spending  cuts,  while also reducing or eliminating certain tax breaks to raise revenue.

Former Governor  Edwin  Edwards spoke for about seven minutes on the Senate  floor  Wednesday  then  received  a  standing  ovation  from members. The expectant father  reminisced  about  working  with  the legislature  during  his four terms in office and told Senators that never more than now does  Louisiana  need leaders who are willing to

set aside personal interests.

Officials in 63 of Louisiana’s 70 school districts have submitted new salary schedules that will reward teachers for effectiveness and other areas, the state Department of Education announced Thursday. The new pay plans stem from a 2012 state law aimed in part at giving local school officials more flexibility in how educators are paid. The law has been declared unconstitutional by a 19th Judicial District Court, in Baton Rouge, but remains in effect while attorneys for the state appeal.

The   Southeastern  Conference  along with  its  primary  television rights  provider,  ESPN,  announced the start  of  the  SEC  network which  will televise  more   than   one-thousand  events  each year. The   network  will  broadcast  24-7  starting   in   August   2014. Commissioner  Mike  Slive  says the  SEC Network will televise three

SEC football games each week.  The new network will also televise 75 college baseball games a year.

A West Monroe newspaper reports the  sponsor of a controversial bill that  would  allow  optometrists  to  perform   eye   surgeries   is withdrawing  the  bill from consideration. Rep. Frank Hoffman's bill met fierce opposition  from ophthalmologists, who feel eye surgeries should only be done by medical  doctors.  Optometrists  are not MDs. Hoffman told the Ouachita Citizen he's reconsidered the wisdom of the bill.

A bill to allow voters to decide  if  they  want  traffic cameras in their area was killed in a House committee Thursday today. Bill  sponsor Jeff Arnold  says  his  bill would prohibit using the cams to levy  fines unless voters approved them. Opposition came from representatives of local governments, who  say  the  cams reduce accidents and generate revenue. The committee rejected Arnold's bill by a 5-to-10 vote.

In  a meeting that went into the evening hours, the Senate Education Committee  once  again  rejected  an  effort  to  repeal Louisiana's Science Education act, which allows discussion of alternate theories to  mainstream science. Chief among them the theory  of  Intelligent Design  creation  of  the  universe--as  opposed  to  the  Big Bang. Critics,  like New Orleans Senator Karen Peterson says the 2008  law is nothing less than sneaking religion into public school classrooms through the  back  door.  The committee deferred the bill--ending its progress for another year.

A proposal to increase certain fees the Secretary of State can collect failed to pass in the state House Thursday. House Bill 430 sponsored by state Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, got a favorable vote — 48 to 35 — but failed to meet the 53 vote majority to advance out of the House. The law would have authorized the Secretary of State to raise fees for filing and recording articles of incorporation for businesses from $60 to $75 among other fee increases.

An 82-year-old Jennings woman jumped to her death off the U.S. 90 Mermentau River Bridge Thursday morning. Deputies recovered the body of Irene Jeanise a short time later.

News for Wednesday 050113

By Dave Graichen

It took a daylong meeting, but the Louisiana College Board Of Trustees exonerated Dr. Joe Aguillard of all allegations that were made by several whistleblower complaints. The board was considering competing motions, one that would terminate Aguillard and another that would that would affirm him as president. They opted for the latter.

Much of the state is under a flash flood watch through Thursday.  Forecaster Robert Ricks, with the National Weather Service in Slidell,  says the problem is a slow moving low pressure system that's stalled  over southeastern Texas and Louisiana.  Ricks says we can expect periods of heavy rainfall, lightning and  possible severe thunderstorms. He says it comes on the heels of an April  with almost 10 inches of rainfall, bringing the risk of flash flooding  in low-lying areas. The rain should begin to move out tomorrow, with fair & cool  weather behind it...:

John Georges, who took over a small family company and transformed it into a billion-dollar business, completed a deal Tuesday to buy The Advocate, the largest daily newspaper in Louisiana. The Advocate, which dates back 171 years and serves readers from Lafayette to New Orleans, is one of the few newspapers in the United States whose print circulation is growing. It was owned by the descendants of Charles P. Manship Sr., who have been newspaper proprietors in Baton Rouge since 1909.

Georges said he will meet today with the newspaper’s 450 employees. He said he has been negotiating with the Manships for nearly two years.

Legislation that would double the amount of time a parent would have to  give up their newborn, no questions asked, advances in House Health and  Welfare. The proposal, by Pineville Rep Chris Hazel, would amend the "Safe Haven"  law to say a person could give up their baby within 60 days. Wade Bond with the Rapides Children's Advocacy  Center  supports the extension  of  the Safe Haven law. He believes it would help  assist

parents who feel the only answer is to murder their children. That bill now also heads for the House floor.

Two bills that take away the legislature's authority over the setting of  college tuition rates are moving through the Louisiana House of  Representatives. The House Education Committee approved a measure which gives the management boards of the state's 4  public college systems the power to set tuition rates. A similar piece of legislation passed out of the House Governmental  Affairs Committee. That Bill is proposing  a change to the state constitution, so that a two-thirds vote of the  legislature is no longer needed to raise tuition.

A bill that  would  prohibit  outdoor smoking within 25 feet of most state buildings passed in the House  Health  and  Welfare Committee. The  bill  by  West  Monroe  Representative Frank Hoffman  says  the penalties for those who violate  this  law  are  minimal  with first offense being a $25 fine, second offense a $50 fine and any  offense

after $100. Hoffman admits enforcement could be difficult. The vote was 15-1 and now heads to House floor.

A state Senate panel late Tuesday narrowly endorsed a revamped Medicaid expansion plan that would use the private insurance market place to provide health care coverage to Louisiana low-income adults. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted 4-3 for what state Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, called “a Louisiana solution” for state participation in the Medicaid expansion called for in federal law. The bill now heads to the full Senate.

A state Senate judiciary committee backed a proposal that would remove a requirement that judges retire after reaching age 70 and completing their current terms. Senate Bill 5 heads next to the full Senate for debate. If approved by the House and Senate, the constitutional change also would require approval from voters in a statewide election.

The House Governmental Affairs committee killed a measure that would have opened more of Governor Bobby Jindal's office to more scrutiny. The  committee voted 6-3 to back the governor's effort to keep  most of his records away from public view.

The   University   of   Louisiana   Board   of  Supervisors approves U-L-L's  request   to  move  forward  with  the school’s  115-million dollar  athletic facilities  master plan.  The  plan  includes  major renovations to the football stadium, Cajun Field.

Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne announces 2012 was a record-setting  year for tourism. Dardenne says a record number of visitors came to the state last year. Based on statistics from a U-N-O study, Louisiana attracted 26-point-3  million tourists last year, which resulted in more than 10-billion  dollars in total visitor spending.

The  full  House  has passed a bill that requires that dogs must  be secured in cages or  kennels,  while  the trucks or trailers they're being carried in are on Interstate highways. Kenner Rep. Tom Wilmott brought the legislation out of concern for the number of dogs killed when thrown out of moving trucks, and for the safety of motorists as well.

A Louisiana House committee rejected a bill that would have allowed convicted felons to vote if they were out of prison but still on probation or parole. Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, said current law disenfranchises people who pay taxes. She said her house Bill 175 would encourage people to participate in society and would support re-entry programs designed to ensure people don’t reoffend. A victim rights’ organization opposed the measure, saying convicted felons shouldn’t be allowed to vote until they’ve completed their entire sentence.The House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 5-2 against the bill.

A wreck involving two big rigs on  I-20 in Caddo Parish has left one of the two truck drivers dead. Caddo  Sheriff's  office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says it happened shortly after midnight  last  night, with  one  18-wheeler running into the back of another

Ouachita  Parish  deputies  report a homeowner shot a suspected home invasion robber yesterday afternoon. They say the resident confronted the alleged thief and the suspect  tried  to run the homeowner over with his vehicle. The homeowner fired--hitting  the suspect at least once. He  was airlifted to a Shreveport hospital where  his  condition  is

unknown.

BP agrees to pay about $340-million to fund coastal restoration projects  for Louisiana. It's part of $1-billion the oil company will invest in  areas damaged by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. David Cresson is  CEO of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana. He says this  is good news that's been a long time coming. The state has been requesting BP make a down payment on the billion  dollars promised the state for coastal rebuilding, and they're now  making good on the promise. Cresson says the lion's share of the money  will go to barrier island projects.

Lake  Charles  annual  Contraband Days pirate festival begins today. The 54th annual event features pirates forcing the Mayor to walk the plank, a car show, live  music.  midway  rides, fireworks and a boat parade. The vent wraps up on May 12th.

News for Monday 042913

By Dave Graichen

Nearly $500 million likely will melt away when legislators start making changes to the proposed state spending plan today. The Louisiana House Appropriations Committee will start tackling the $24.7 billion state operating budget that Gov. Bobby Jindal  presented for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The committee will make changes after weeks of testimony that raised concerns about the amount of one-time, or nonrecurring, money piled into the budget. Some changes are certain to please both legislators and the public. The Jindal administration, for example, agreed last week to rethink planned cuts to battered women’s shelters, cancer screenings and a program that helps senior citizens find free or discount prescriptions.

At the State Capitol, the House Appropriations Committee will begin work  on the annual state budget by trying to trim a half-a-billion dollars  from Governor Jindal's proposed budget plan. House Speaker Chuck  Kleckley says the issue is about $500-million of what's proposed by the  Governor, that being non-recurring revenue. Last Spring the House adopted the Geymann Rule, authored by Lake Charles  Rep. Brett Geymann, which mandates NO use of one-time money on recurring  expenditures. Kleckley says that leaves the Appropriations Committee  with the unenviable task of finding where to cut the budget to meet the  new rule. It may all be for nothing though since the Senate has no Geymann Rule, and could add the one- time money back into the budget bill.

Food banks around  the  state  are  lobbying  lawmakers  to  include $5-million  in  next  fiscal year's budget to help their efforts  to feed the needy. The Food Bank of Central Louisiana, says hunger is a real issue in our state  and state Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain agrees. He'd like to  see  that  $5-million in the budget, to help  food  banks  buy  and  distribute  food to  the  thousands  of Louisiana  residents who have trouble putting  food  on  the  dinner plate. The  House  Appropriations Committee begins its work  on  the  state budget today. Currently there is nothing in there for Food Banks.

Legislators who have tried and failed to pass laws that would rein in the runaway costs of TOPS, the state’s merit-based college scholarship, could find broader support by focusing on the program’s academic requirements rather than its financial cost to the state. A survey of nearly 1,000 Louisiana residents has been noticed by officials. Part of the 2013 Louisiana Survey, conducted by the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, reported that 78 percent of respondents are against reducing the total amount of money students receive from the program. Another majority, 57 percent of the survey’s respondents,  support increasing the academic requirements for the Tops program.

Former  state  Department  of Health and Hospitals  Secretary  Bruce Greenstein exchanged "hundreds  of  telephone calls and thousands of text messages" with a former employer  who  was  bidding on a claims processing contract with the agency, according to  a letter released by the state Division of Administration. Greenstein  worked for CNSI before  working  for the state. The contract was worth $200-million,

but was abruptly cancelled  when  the  seeming  impropriety  came to light. Greenstein's last day on the job is Wednesday.

A bill to require Internet vendors to charge to all applicable state and local sales taxes on your purchases is moving  through  the U.S. Senate.  Senator  Mary  Landrieu  is  in support. She says Louisiana loses out on hundreds of millions in tax revenue yearly. Republicans say   this  represents  a  new  tax  on  consumers,   but   Landrieu

Disagrees, saying it simply enforces collection of a tax already on the books.

LSU running back Jeremy Hill faces an uncertain future after he was  arrested outside of a nightclub near campus. Hill faces a simple battery  charge after he allegedly punched a victim outside of Reggie's Bar. East  Baton Rouge D-A Hillar Moore says Hill may have violated his probation  stemming from a previous arrest. The former prep star at Redemptorist in Baton Rouge, pleaded guilty in  January 2012 for engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old girl in the  school locker room. Hill received a suspended six-month prison sentence  and placed on probation for 2 years. Moore says Judge Bonnie Jackson  will determine if Hill violated his probation.  Moore says that could mean ordering Hill to serve his six-month prison .

A new survey report ranks Louisiana among America's Top Five Least- Stressed States. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index report ranks us  #2, behind only Hawaii for average stress levels of our citizens. You can read the whole report online at "well-beingindex.com

Preliminary data by the Department of Health and Hospital's Birth  Outcomes Initiative indicates babies born in Louisiana are spending  fewer days in intensive care. DHH Medicaid Medical Director Dr. Rebecca  Gee says this shows the efforts of the 58 birthing hospitals in the  state's pledge to end elective deliveries before 39 weeks, is working.  Gee says from the time they began in Births Outcomes Initiative in 2010

to 2012, Louisiana's babies have spent 20,000 fewer days in the NICU.

A Lake Charles man known for organizing "Just  For Jesus" rallies is facing  drug  charges.  Calcasieu  Parish deputies  arrested  James Bertrand Jr. last  week for possession  of  crack  cocaine  and  drug distribution.  Bertrand  has  been  arrested  four  times  before on various charges; one of those was less than two weeks ago at a local casino--for possessing cocaine.

It was a tough weekend for the LSU baseball team. They lost 2 of 3 to South Carolina. Up next, the Tigers welcome McNeese to the box Tuesday night.

News for Thursday 042513

By Dave Graichen

An independent investigation, conducted by a new Orleans law firm, looking into the actions of Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard, found he “engaged in falsehoods and misrepresented material information to the Board of Trustees on countless occasions.” However,  A special committee of the LC board found Aguillard “has not acted improperly.” That committee is due to report back to the board at a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday on the LC Pineville campus .

Central Louisiana community leaders spent Tuesday and Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon making the case with the U.S. Army for the sustained viability of Fort Polk and its multibillion-dollar annual impact in the state. Baton Rouge economist Loren Scott estimated that Fort Polk has an annual $1.86 billion economic impact, including a $980 million payroll, which makes Fort Polk the largest federal employer in the state. (Scott calculated that a reduction of 5,300 troops would result in an annual loss to the state government of more than $24 million and more than $7 million in local government revenues. Counting families, contractors and more, the troop reduction would mean a total population of more than 20,700 people.)

LSU System President Dr. William L. Jenkins has named a 20-member search committee of faculty, staff and students, as well as community leaders to help select the next chancellor for LSU-Alexandria. The panel that will recommend finalists for the post to the LSU Board of Supervisors, who will ultimately choose the new chancellor to succeed David P. Manuel, who is set to begin serving as chancellor of Drury University in Springfield, Mo., in May.

The House Health  and  Welfare  committee votes down a proposal that would  require Louisiana to cover  more uninsured people through the state's Medicaid program. An expansion  of  the  Medicaid program is part  of  the federal health care reforms. Governor  Jindal  lobbied against it.  Supporters  of  the Medicaid expansion say it will help cover 400-thousand Louisiana residents  who  currently  lack  health insurance.  But Jindal says the Medicaid Program is inefficient  and outdated and it doesn't make sense to expand it.. A  Medicaid  expansion  bill  was  also heard in Senate  Health  and

Welfare but was deferred one week.

The  controversial  bill  to  allow  optometrists   to  perform  eye procedures  currently  only allowed to ophthalmologists  was  pulled from House debate today,  by  its  author  Monroe  area  Rep.  Frank Hoffman. Hoffman asked to return the bill to the calendar, while  he worked   on  some  amendments  that  would  make  the  measure  more

acceptable   to   ophthalmologists.   Ophthalmologists  are  medical doctors; most optometrists are not.

A proposal seeking to create a seamless network of early childhood education programs and standards for kindergarten readiness cleared the Senate without opposition. Under Senate Bill 130 the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education would oversee all publicly-funded programs that provide education services to children from birth to age 5. The bill would require BESE to establish and implement common standards for kindergarten readiness, assessment and accountability. The system would be in place by the 2015-2016 school year. The bill now moves to the house.

Another  attempt  to place a cap on TOPS performance  based  college tuition  grants  is scheduled  in  the  Senate  Education  Committee tomorrow. Jennings  Senator Blade Moorish is the sponsor. He says he supports TOPS, but it's  becoming  unsustainable. His bill would cap it at its current level plus ten percent. TOPS costs taxpayers about

$168-million a year, and it's projected to double in cost by 2017.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would allow  residents to apply for a lifetime permit to carry a concealed weapon.  The bill is sponsored by freshman Rep. Barry Ivey, of Baton Rouge, who  says the measure is simply an option for approved CCP holders at a $500  cost. The House passed the  bill by 64-19 vote; sending it over to the Senate.

Attorney  General  Buddy  Caldwell  announces  9  people  have  been arrested  in  the  latest undercover investigation  targeting  child predators across Southern  Louisiana. HE says the Louisiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force works tirelessly to pursue people who exploit and victimize children  online.  Additional  arrests are

possible as the investigations continue.

According to a report by the Council For A Better  Louisiana, public schools  are  still  facing "chronic challenges." CABL's  review  is called the Louisiana Report  Card  on  Major  Education Initiatives. CABLE  President  Barry  Erwin  says  72.3  percent of  high  school students graduated on time last year and the  number of dropouts has

dramatically declined in recent years. He hopes  that  policy makers will  use  the report to understand the urgency in keeping  momentum going.

Pointe Copuee Parish deputies  are  investigating  the  murder  of a 92-year-old woman inside her New Roads home. Sheriff Bud Torres says Buelleur  Morris  was found beaten to death yesterday by her family. He says whoever killed  the elderly woman was let into the home, and did not force entry.

On the heels  of  last week's tragedy in Boston, a Vermillion Parish company has seen a  high  demand  from  law enforcement agencies for their  trained  bomb-sniffing  dogs.  US  K9 Unlimited  owner  Roger Abshire says his dogs have been in demand across  the  country, even locally here in Louisiana.

Legislation aimed at ensuring that women and men are compensated equally for doing the same work stalled Wednesday in the state Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee. The panel deadlocked in a 4-4 vote for Senate Bill 153 by state Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans. Murray could try to revive the measure at another meeting.

News for Tuesday 042313

By Dave Graichen

The effort to prevent a troop drawdown at Fort Polk continues today in  Washington D-C. Seventeen Fort Polk Progress members are in the nation's  capitol to make the case the military base should be strengthened. The  Department of the Army is considering whether to add or reduce troops at  Fort Polk.

Opposition from lobbyists  and  not  enough "Yes" votes on the House Ways and Means committee puts a halt on  an  attempt  to  raise  the state cigarette tax. Four  bills  that sought to raise the state tax on cigarettes do not make it out of the House Ways and Means Committee Monday. They only debated one of the measures and  that  was a  proposal to raise the tax on cigarettes from 36-cents a pack to $1.41, but the votes were not there. Governor  Jindal  said  he would veto any  cigarette  tax  increase, unless  lawmakers  pass another  measure  that  would  reduce  taxes elsewhere.

A new poll from LSU shows nearly two-thirds of Louisiana feel the big  cuts being made to state health care are unnecessary, and that Governor  Jindal should accept federal money to expand Medicaid. LSU Public Policy  Research Lab Director Kirby Goidel (goy-DEL) says almost 2 out of 3  don't want to see further health care cuts. The House Health & Welfare Committee is scheduled this week to hear  three bills pertaining to taking the federal Medicaid expansion money  that's part of the President's health care reforms. Goidel says 70% of  Louisianans polled say "take the money".

For the 3rd year in a row Louisiana has once again ranked highest in the nation for car insurance rates. Insure.com notes a variety of factors make up the ranking. Including

the number uninsured drivers  as  well  as  the  number  of  insurers competing  for  business,  driving  conditions,  and  the  way state insurance systems are set up.

The Louisiana Senate has overwhelmingly agreed to a new abortion restriction that would require doctors to be present when the abortion pill is administered. Senators voted 32-2 Monday for Senate Bill 90, which would prohibit doctors from remotely administering the pill via video hookup, a process criticized as “telemedicine abortion.”

The abortion pill works during the first nine weeks of pregnancy, causing an embryo to detach from the uterine wall.

A Senate panel Monday killed legislation that would have reduced the pension benefits of many current state employees, teachers and others in some state or statewide system retirement systems. The Senate Retirement Committee voted 4-2 against passage of the legislation which state Sen. Barrow Peacock said he sponsored to improve the financial health of the pension plans. Opponents said the legislation had the same constitutional problem as pension revamp efforts Gov. Bobby Jindal failed to pass last year changing current employee’s contracts with their employers.

The fiscal hawks, a group of Louisiana House Republicans, take flight this week with a package of bills aimed at changing the state budget process. With income tax repeal likely dead for the session, the focus shifts to a state operating budget that funds health care, education and other public services. The hawks want to rein in the use of one-time, or nonrecurring, dollars for expenses that must be met year after year. Gov. Bobby Jindal did little to appease their concerns by proposing a $24.7 billion state spending plan that relies on more than $400 million in one-time money to fund the state’s public colleges and universities.

A  bill  that  would ban employers from demanding access to personal social media and  email  accounts of potential employees or students passed in House Commerce and  is  now  headed  to the full House for further debate. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James  says under his bill an employee who refused to show their boss their Facebook Page couldn't be punished unless the information could harm the employer.

The  Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office says 5 people, three children and two  women,  were  shot  this  Monday morning  in  Harvey. They say the shooting happened around 4:30 while all the victims  were  sleeping. Four suspects were arrested. Four of the victims injuries appear  to be non-life threatening and one child is in critical condition.

The gas prices continue to drop. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular  in  Louisiana is $3.30 according to the American Automobile Association. That's  down  22  cents  from a month ago.

The  Mississippi  River  at  Vicksburg  has been re-opened to vessel traffic  after  barges  hit  the  U-S 80 railroad  bridge  yesterday morning. Lt. Ryan Gomez, with the US  Coast  Guard says a barge sank into the river as a result of the collision but it's been determined other vessels can still safely pass through. Gomez says the barges contained petroleum coke,  but  there  are  no environmental concerns at this time.

Trial  begins  today  in Lafayette for a man accused  of  a  1989 murder. In 2006, DNA evidence  connected  Daniel  Harmon to the rape and  murder  of Christina Wood. Jury selection in his  trial  starts tomorrow. Harmon  was  tried previously, but a mistrial was declared on a technicality.

Shreveport   Police  are,  again  this  year,   cracking   down   on cruising--which  they  define as large groups of vehicles driving up and down local streets very  slowly,  and  parking  and loitering in parks   and  parking  lots.  Complaints  about  cruisers  run   from obstructed  traffic  flow,  to  loud  music  and  noise,  to public intoxication  &  underage  drinking,  to  suspected  drug  activity. Cruising patrols lasted well into summer last year in Shreveport.

A House committee  has  found favorable a bill that would let parish governments choose if they wish to post bilingual traffic signs. The bill is aimed for areas of  Louisiana  where folks still speak Cajun French. That bill will go forward to the House floor for debate.

Hundreds of public school teachers are expected at the State Capitol on Wednesday as lawmakers renew arguments over the same education changes that sparked bitter debates last year. The focus is the Louisiana House Education Committee, which meets at 9 a.m. and is set to consider three overhaul bills that are already state law but also the subject of a court challenge. Backers contend the bills will serve as insurance if the Supreme Court strikes down a 2012 law that trimmed the authority of local school boards, removed seniority as the key factor in teacher layoff decisions and revamps salary schedules.

State Senate President Pro tem Sharon Broome said she will seek funding for  demolition of LSU’s Earl K. Long Medical Center during the current legislative session .

Broome said the hospital is antiquated and there are not many options available for its continued use because of its age and deterioration. The north Baton Rouge hospital  closed April 15.

Three years after the nation’s worst offshore oil disaster, Baton Rouge wants more than $35 million in lost taxes and other expenses the city alleges are the responsibility of oil giant BP and several of its contractors. The city’s civil suit was filed late last week.