News for Friday 113012

By Dave Graichen

State Police is advising residents in the Doyline area to leave  their homes and businesses for safety reasons a massive clean-up at  Camp Minden. State Police Captain Doug Cain  says about a million pounds of improperly stored black powder explosive,  though stable, has to be moved. Cain says this evacuation is not mandatory, but residents who choose  to evacuate will need to be out by Saturday morning when they begin  moving the product. The cleanup could take as long as 48 hours. Schools in Doyline will be closed Monday.

Early voting for the December 8th runoff elections ends tomorrow. Voters  are asked to decide a number of local issues, a Supreme Court judgeship  and who will be Louisiana's next congressman for District 3. In Alexandria, Two seats on the city council will be decided.  Early voting runs today and tomorrow, 8:30 am to 6 pm. The runoff  election is next Saturday.

Another active and memorable hurricane season ends today. The 2012  hurricane season, which saw 19 named storms, including Hurricane Isaac,  which made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River on August  28th. State Climatologist Barry Keim says 2012 goes down as a tie for  the third busiest season in recorded history. Keim says this is the third straight hurricane season with 19 named  storms. But he says there has not been a U-S landfall of a major  hurricane in seven years, which is unprecedented. Keim says Isaac and  Hurricane Sandy were very destructive, despite being classified as  Category one storms.

The search committee in charge of seeking a new president for Louisiana  Tech University has named Doctor Leslie Guice as the sole finalist.  Guice is currently the school's executive vice president and V-P for  research and development. U-L System board chairman Wayne Parker calls  Guice a strong higher education leader.  Parker says the University of Louisiana system board will have the final  say on whether to appoint Guice as Tech's next president. The U-L system board will consider Guice's appointment next Tuesday.

Former LSU football star Tyrann Mathieu released a statement to ESPN  he's turning pro today. Mathieu's stellar career at LSU ended in August  after he reportedly failed multiple drug tests. He was also arrested in  August on a simple marijuana possession charge. Draft analyst Mike  Detillier says teams will be interested in Mathieu, despite his troubles.  Detillier says because of Mathieu's off-the field problems, the Honey  Badger has gone from a sure-fire second round pick to a fourth or fifth  round selection.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries seeks the public's  help in locating the person responsible for illegally killing a black  bear in Avoyelles Parish.L-D-W-F spokesperson Adam Einck says a hunter  found the dead black bear laying on an all-terrain vehicle trail 20  miles northwest of Marksville. A reward of six-thousand dollars is being offered for any information  leading to the arrest of the person responsible.

The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of  non-fatal workplace injuries and illness cases in Louisiana is  ranked second lowest in the nation. Louisiana Workforce Commission  Office Workers Compensation Director Wes Hataway says the key component for cost containment in workers

compensation is to make sure employees don't get injured in the  first place. He says these improving numbers mean employers are  doing a good job of teaching safety in the workplace.

News for Wednesday 112812

By Dave Graichen

A 20-year-old Reginald Harrison of Colfax  faces theft and extortion charges after an investigation by the Grant Parish Sheriff's Office and Colfax Police Department. Authorities were investigating a report of two stolen ATV’s and arrested Harrison after finding the two plus one more ATV in his possession. All of the ATVs have been returned to their rightful owners.  Harrison was on probation at the time of his arrest and is being held in the parish jail.

Governor Jindal's new private school vouchers program, known as Act 2 of  the 2012 Legislature, goes before a Baton Rouge judge today, as a state  teachers union challenges the law. Louisiana Federation of Teachers  president Steve Monaghan says the "omnibus" nature of the bill - doing multiple actions within a single instrument - violates the state Constitution. He says  the LFT also objects to the law's use of public school funding to pay  private and parochial school tuitions.

Have you  bought  your  Powerball  ticket  yet?  Tonight’s estimated  jackpot  was  raised  to $500 million earlier today. That puts the cash value at $327.4 million.  Also  keep in mind Powerball  tickets are now $2 as the rules changed earlier this year. By the way, the odds of winning tonight are about one in about 175-million

First time unemployment claims in Louisiana  for last week were down from  previous  weeks;  from  over  3000  new claims  to  just  over 28-hundred. By comparison, jobless claims for  the same week of last year were over 45-hundred. Continuing claims are  also down by about a thousand from the previous week.

Rumors are running ramped that  Arkansas has an  offer of five-years, 27.5 million dollars on the table for Les Miles to  become the next head coach of the Razorbacks. Tiger Rag Editor Cody  Worsham says Arkansas may be interested in Miles, but Les is likely not  interested in Arkansas. Miles is making three-point-eight million dollars and has not received a  raise since after the 2007 national championship season. Worsham says  Miles could use this offer from Arkansas as leverage.

The Alexandria City Council voted Tuesday to support with up to $50,000 idea from local actress Faith Ford and her director/screenwriter husband Campion Murphy, which the pair said would add a new dimension to their studio and turn their productions into a place where locals can get on-the-job training learning skills needed to work on movie production crews. Ford and Murphy, who live and work here through most of the year now, told the council that they want to provide training to local people. Ford said her ultimate goal is to bring a television series to the area.

A Washington DC think tank says Louisiana tax payers could see their bill  go  up as much as five-percent if Congress and  the  President can't pass legislation by the end of the year to avoid the so-called

fiscal cliff.  Tax  Foundation economist Will MC Bride says tax cuts enacted by Presidents  Bush  and  Obama  are  set to expire December 31st.

A recent survey by State Farm shows an alarming number of people are  surfing the internet while driving. Spokesperson Gary Stephenson  says in a July 2012 survey of 1000 motorists, nearly half of drivers  between 18-29 years old admit to using the internet on their phone  while driving. He says that's startling.

Two semi-finalists in the search for Louisiana Tech's new president will  be interviewed today by the search committee. Search Committee Chairman  and UL System Board Chair Wayne Parker says semi-finalists Dr. Leslie  Guice (GICE) and Dr. Duane Hrncir (HUN-ser) are both well-qualified for  the job.

State  Police and the Webster  Parish  Sheriff's  Office  are  still trying to  figure  out  what  to  do  with  thousands  of  pounds of improperly  stored  explosive powder.  State Police Lt. Julie  Lewis says the explosives were  found   during  a  routine  inspection  of property leased by Explo Systems. Lewis say there is no danger to the public.

The  U.S.  Coast Guard reports a man's body was recovered  from  the Gulf of Mexico  yesterday,  about  three  miles  off  the  coast  of Lafourche  Parish.  The  man was found about 25 miles from the Black

Elk  Energy offshore rig which  exploded  and  burned  earlier  this month. Authorities cannot yet say if the body is that of the missing rig worker, but  they  say  it is possible. A medical examiner will make a positive ID of the remains

The Louisiana  Department of  Wildlife and Fisheries is embarking on an aerial spraying campaign  to  control  an invasive alien water plant  called Giant Salvinia. Aerial spraying  begins today at

Lake Bistineau and Thursday at Toledo Bend where the invasive  plant is  becoming  a  threat.  Giant  Salvinia  was  discovered  in  Lake Bistineau in 2006.

The 2013 talent lineup for the fourth annual Bayou Country Superfest in baton rouge has been revealed.  The  headliners  for the May 25th and 26th shows next  year  are  Lady  Antebellum, Zac Brown,  Luke  Bryan,  Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker and The Band Perry.

News for Monday 112612

By Dave Graichen

Pineville police report a 23-year-old Pineville woman died late Saturday afternoon when she was struck  by a vehicle while trying to cross Highway 28 East, near red river bank.  23-year-old Asala Nidal Suleiman was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. 71-year-old Donald Laborde, also of Pineville, was driving the vehicle that struck Suleiman. The accident is under investigation and routine toxicology reports are pending.

Beauregard parish officials report the pilot of a small plane was seriously injured  when he crashed just south of DeRidder, Sunday afternoon shortly before 4. FAA  officials have been notified of the crash. The cause of which is unknown at this time.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission will hold four orientation sessions Monday at the Central Louisiana Business Incubator in Alexandria for Hostess Brands employees being laid off in the company's  liquidation. Commission staff members will familiarize workers with free re-employment services available, as well as to explain unemployment insurance benefits and eligibility. No reservations are required, and employees may attend the session of their choice. The sessions will be at 8:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Lottery officials say nobody won Saturday's Powerball jackpot and the top prize will now increase to about $425 million for the next drawing, the largest jackpot ever for the game. The next drawing is Wednesday night.

Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are followed by Cyber Monday; the day when many shoppers turn to on-line merchants to fill out their  Christmas lists. Byron Henderson with the Louisiana Department of  Revenue reminds on-line shoppers that on-line doesn't mean tax-free. The state's consumer use tax is on the honor system, leaving it up to  customers to keep up with and pay the tax.  On-line vendors who don't  have a physical presence in Louisiana are not required by law to charge  sales tax. Henderson says the consumer use tax was designed to level the  retail playing field.

Early voting is underway in runoff elections and tax ballots across Central Louisiana and will stretch through next Saturday Dec. 1. In Alexandria, two City Council seats are up for grabs. In Boyce, voters will decide if the Mayor can appoint a police chief, or if town residents will continue to elect the chief .Early voting in Rapides Parish will take place in the Registrar of Voters office at the state courthouse on Murray Street. For a list of early voting locations in other parishes, go to geauxvote.com Election Day is Dec. 8.

A Baton Rouge judge will hear arguments starting Wednesday over whether Gov. Bobby Jindal's statewide voucher program and other sweeping education changes were properly created by lawmakers. After months of behind-the-scenes legal haggling since a lawsuit was filed in June, the court hearing is set for Wednesday. District Judge Tim Kelley set aside three days for the case. Two statewide teacher unions and dozens of local school boards say the voucher program that is using tax dollars to send children to private schools and other new education funding plans are unconstitutional.

A free "Head to Toe" clinic for patients with diabetes will be offered from 8 to 11 a.m. Tomorrow in Alexandria. The program, presented by the Rapides Wound Healing Center and Alexandria Eye and Laser, will include eye screenings, foot exams, blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c tests and nutrition education. The program will be at the center at Rapides Regional Medical Center in downtown Alexandria

The program is free, but advance registration is required. To register, call 769-4440.

In New Orleans’s north end, firefighters battled a six-alarm fire Saturday afternoon that destroyed a block of homes and several vehicles. Thirty-four units and 100 fire personnel responded to the blaze. Authorities report no residents or fire personal were injured.

Through the miracle of modern science a much loved pet dog from West  Monroe has been cloned. Dr. Clark Cooper says they had tried everything  possible through conventional means to have his beloved 13-year-old blue  tick hound, Gator, reproduce. But without success. Coopers says then

someone had the wild idea. A pair of researchers in South Korea are the only scientist who have, so

far, succeeded in cloning dogs. Cooper's new 16 week-old puppy came home  about a month ago. He says the process is important, not only to  preserve his cherished pet, but to preserve a rare blood line.

The cost for the cloned puppy was a staggering 100-thousand dollars.

Sports..

The Saints had a chance to take control of its playoff destiny, but they  ran into really good team on Sunday and lost to the 49ers 31 to 21. It  was a rough day for New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who was sacked  5 times and threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. The loss drops the Saints record to 5-and-6. They don't have much time  to recover from this physical loss. They visit the 10-and-1 Falcons on  Thursday night.

The Ragin Cajuns football team is heading back to the New Orleans Bowl.  U-L Lafayette accepted an invitation to the bowl game following their 52  to 30 win over South Alabama on Saturday. Coach Mark Hudspeth has led  the Cajuns to two consecutive bowl appearances in his two seasons in Lafayette...

News For Tuesday 112012

By Dave Graichen

Many are wondering, what next? Hostess Brands Inc. and its second largest union agreed on Monday to go into mediation to try to resolve their differences after a bankruptcy court judge noted that the parties hadn’t gone through the critical step. That means Hostess isn’t out of business yet. The news comes after the company last week moved to liquidate and sell off its assets in bankruptcy court. Hostess cited a crippling strike started on Nov. 9^th by a union, that represents about 30 percent of Hostess workers. Hostess, which had been contributing $100 million a year in pension costs for workers, offered workers a new contract that would’ve slashed that to $25 million a year, in addition to wage cuts and a 17 percent reduction in health benefits. The baker’s union rejected the offer and decided to strike. The mediation talks are expected to begin Today, with the liquidation hearing set to resume tomorrow.

Nineteen members of the Louisiana House, nearly all Republicans, are asking the attorney general whether the state's budget uses unconstitutional sources of financing. The request, sent Monday to Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, challenges GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal's continuing use of one-time money not certain to appear each year to pay for continuing programs. A group of conservative House Republicans have criticized the tactic as inappropriate, but they have been unsuccessful in blocking use of the money in legislative sessions. The request for an attorney general's opinion was made by Rep. Kirk Talbot, a Republican from River Ridge who had been a Jindal ally. Talbot's letter says the budget spends money above what was recognized by the state's income estimating panel, and he claims that's a violation of state law.

Under Louisiana's Constitution, any nonpublic school getting state money must be certified as providing a curriculum or specialized course of study at least equal to those required for similar public schools. But it's questionable whether that requirement is being met for the 377 schools in the state voucher program. Under the Constitution and a court ruling, their certification must come from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. However A public records request to view curricula submitted by nonpublic schools found that neither BESE nor the Department of Education requires them to submit copies of their curricula or copies of the books they use.

A federal judge on Friday temporarily prevented the Obama administration from forcing a Christian publishing company to provide its employees with certain contraceptives under the new health-care law. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton granted a preliminary injunction sought by Tyndale House Publishers, which doesn't want to provide employees with contraceptives that it equates with abortion. Louisiana College in Pineville has filed a similar lawsuit. The judge's order does not apply to the LC case.

State Police report a 32-year-old Winnsboro man died Monday morning in a single-vehicle crash  on La. Highway 8 near Rhinehart. Troopers say  Charles  Rose lost control and drove off the right side of the road, causing his truck to overturn. Rose was not wearing his seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Routine toxicology tests are pending.

Pineville PD have two charged local men with committing nine vehicle burglaries in that city over the weekend. Charged were 19 year old Ray Ashlock and 18 year old Jacobe Smalding, both of Pineville. Police report the burglaries took place late Saturday and early Sunday along La. Highway 28 East and Pinehurst Drive. Most of the property was recovered when a deputy found two men sleeping in a vehicle in an Exxon gas station in Tioga.

A Monday morning fire at a mobile home in  Krotz Springs has claimed the  life  of  an elderly man who was a double-amputee.  State  Fire Marshal Butch Browning  says 73-year-old Floyd Mason was not able to escape the blaze in time  and  his  remains were found near the exit door. The investigation revealed Mason  was  a  smoker  who had been known  to smoke while using oxygen. Fire officials also confirmed  a space heater was in the living  room where they believe the fire started.

Motorists  in  Louisiana  are  getting  an early holiday gift as the price  at  the  pump continues to fall. According  to  The  American Automobile Association,  the  price  of a gallon of regular today is

$3.21. Patrick DeHaan with Gas Buddy dot  com  says  prices stand at just three cents above where they were last year at the  same  time. He says plenty of analysts are giving lots of different opinions why the  price  is falling so quickly but he believes a matter of supply and demand.

Looks  like  Governor  Bobby  Jindal  is  staying  out  of  the  3^rd Congressional  District battle between Republican's Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry.  Apparently  Jindal  has  said  he  won't endorse a

candidate in the Dec 8th runoff.

A Baton Rouge businessman launches an organization called "Louisiana Truth,"  which will fact-check Governor Bobby Jindal's comments made to the national  media.  Joe  Traigle  says Jindal is not practicing what he says and they have about 30 volunteers who will research the governor's comments to make sure they are accurate. No comment from the Governor's Office on the organization.

State health officials confirm another death from the West Nile virus,  bringing this year's total to 16. Secretary of Health & Hospitals Bruce  Greenstein says another 15 people were diagnosed with the virus last  week, for a total of 371. Of the 371 cases of West Nile in the state, 152 have had the neuro- invasive form of the disease, called West Nile Encephalitis. According to Greenstein,  weather conditions have stacked up to make this a bad year for West Nile infections.  The good news is, with the arrival of cooler temps, we should also see the end of the west Nile season.

Fire  officials  are still trying to figure out how exactly  a  huge chemical fire started in Slaughter causing the temporary evacuations of hundreds of homes.  They  say  it  happened  around  2am  Monday morning at  the Monolyte Lab. They say no one was on-site at the time.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association says the trend of people eating out on Thanksgiving continues  to  rise  and now is the time to make your  reservations. Spokesperson Erica Papillion  says  many  people still like  the  convenience  of  not  having to cook a big meal, or clean up afterwards, especially if it’s only two people.

News for Friday 111612

By Dave Graichen

Pineville police say a call to their office yesterday morning  of a shooting led to the discovery of a dead 29 year old man in a Madison street home. Pineville PD have Id’s the man as Troy Wilson. Police say several people were at the home at the time of the shooting, all were interviewed, but no arrest has been made. The department is waiting for autopsy results to compare with findings at the scene and witness statements.

The Christmas season officially kicks off in Natchitoches this weekend  with the 86th annual Festival of Lights. Lisa Cooley is the Main  Street Coordinator for the city. She says  the lighting ceremony is at 6:30 Saturday night and the  lights will be turned at 7pm following a spectacular fireworks show.  She says Saturday is a day-long party with activities starting at 8am.

29 year old Tanya LaPrairie of Vidalia  was seriously injured yesterday afternoon when she lost control of her vehicle on highway 84 and ran off the road, flipping the vehicle several times. State police say LaPrairie was wearing a seatbelt . the crash remains under investigation.

Governor Jindal is criticizing GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney for  claiming he lost the election because of President Barack Obama's  "gifts" to minorities and young voters. Romney told donors the President  used financial incentives to get people to vote. Jindal appeared with C-N-N's Wolf Blitzer after he was elected as  chairman of the Republican Governor's Association. Jindal says the  Presidential election showed the republican party that if it wants to  win elections on the national stage, it needs to do a better job of  showing their policies will benefit every American. Jindal says the republican party needs to look forward and not back after Mitt Romney's loss.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has agreed to redo  the  vote  to merge the   positions   of  president  and  chancellor.  The  board  voted unanimously October  26th to combine the positions, but the Attorney General’s office has serious concerns that the vote may have violated the state's open meetings law.

Three criminal indictments were announced against BP officials today for their role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon  explosion  that killed eleven  men.  Two  BP  employees,  who were well site leaders,  were indicted on manslaughter charges, Robert  Kaluza and Donald Vidrine. Assistant US Attorney General Lanny Bruer says  a third BP official, David  Rainey  was charged with obstruction for allegedly  lying  to Congress about how  fast  the  oil  was  spilling  out of the broken well. BP will settle with federal authorities for $4.5-billion. About half of that will come to Gulf state for coastal rebuilding.

Louisiana's two U.S. Senators react to yesterday's $4.5-billion criminal  settlement between the Justice Department and BP. Sen. Vitter wants the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to push for fines against BP via the National Resources Damage Assessment (NeRDA) for violating the federal Clean Water Act. He says  mechanisms already in place, like the RESTORE Act passed earlier this  year, would send those dollars to coastal states for restoration.  Vitter says he hopes Holder didn't trade off potential civil fines and penalties for BP, just to "nail a criminal scalp to the wall". Democrat  Senator Mary Landrieu says Mr. Vitter made his statements before  Holder's Thursday afternoon press conference started. Holder says negotiations of civil damages for BP continue, but a satisfactory sum hasn't yet been agreed upon. Landrieu says Louisiana  and coastal neighbors will get nearly half of BP's $4.5-billion settlement sum for coastal restoration.

The Public service commission split 2-2 with one abstention on Chairman Foster Campbell’s effort to impose new regulations on prison phones and setting a base rate to be used in parish jails and state prisons. After the vote, Campbell said it was “just raw hard Louisiana politics”. Campbell said he believes that the sheriffs’ plan is to delay any vote until January when Field would no longer be on the commission and his replacement, former Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle, might be more agreeable to the sheriffs keeping the current rate. The issue is expected to come up again at the PSC meeting in December.

As another area of the state opens up for deer season today, State  wildlife officials are urging hunters not to overlook basic tree stand  safety. LDWF spokesman John Sturgis says 1/3 of tree stand hunters will  fall from a tree stand during their lifetime and require medical  treatment

Lawyers for convicted  Baton  Rouge  serial  killer Derrick Todd Lee were denied their request for evidence in his  trial  to  be  handed over  to  them. Lee's attorneys wanted the original DNA swabs taken, plus victim  Charlotte  Murray  Pace's blouse and bra from the night she was murdered. They also asked  for a telephone cord, used in the murder. The DA's office argued there  was  no good reason to request those  items and defense lawyers hadn't made  their  reasons  clear. Lee's lawyers  are  appealing  his  death sentence--trying to get it commuted to a life sentence. They have until February to go over the evidence, but it will remain with the court.

A Lake Charles man accused of killing his grandmother back  in  2009 has  been  declared  mentally  competent to stand trial. 35-year-old Carl  Webb  is  charged with 1st-degree  murder  for  the  death  ofthen-75-year-old  Helen  Webb.  Webb claimed to have hallucinations, but psychiatrists say he can tell right from wrong.

Someone shot and killed nearly 20 stray cats at a home in Ethel. The homeowner  moved  away, leaving the cats  to  fend  for  themselves. Concerned citizens  had  been feeding the cats. They discovered most of them dead or dying of gunshots  this  week.  Sheriff's deputies are  seeking  the  persons responsible.

News for Wednesday 111412

By Dave Graichen

The Rapides Parish School Board  was scheduled to select 10 semifinalists for the position of superintendent  at a special meeting Tuesday night, but, as in the past, the board decided to not decide and  instead voted to continue accepting applications until May 15, shortly before the end of the school year. The Board discussed the candidates in executive session for about 90 minutes. When the Board returned to open session, member Steve Berry made a motion to extend the search. The board unanimously approved the extension without explanation. Board President Wilton Barrios said no reason could be given for the extension as it was discussed in executive session. Barrios said interim Superintendent Gerald Woodard will remain in his post as long as needed.

They don’t have the money yet, but they are a major step closer to getting it. Louisiana College was granted approval Tuesday from the Louisiana Baptist Convention to ask for $12 million from member churches. LC President Joe Aguillard formally requested permission to make direct appeals to Baptist churches to raise a portion of a capital campaign to renovate facilities Monday night at the LBC annual state meeting. He said the college has grown by 50 percent since 2006 and that the $12 million would go toward improving student housing.

It’s all over but approval from the feds. The Pineville City Council unanimously approved its new reapportioned districts Tuesday, one of the final steps in a process that Rapides Area Planning Commission Executive Director John Miller said was the easiest among local government entities. The new map can be viewed at RAPC's website (www.rapc.info) or at locations including City Hall and Kees Park. The reapportionment plan must still be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Congratulations to Alexandria Senior High. The students and faculty were congratulated yesterday for earning the school's first A rating from the state with its school performance score of 120. ASH was one of five schools in the Rapides Parish school district to receive an A and one of 22 high schools in the state, putting it in the top six percent of high school scores in Louisiana.

Nearly 1,000 rank-and-file state employees have lost their jobs since July, bringing the total to nearly 3,200 since Gov. Bobby Jindal took office in 2008, according to a just released Civil Service report. The State Civil Service on Tuesday reported 967 state employee layoffs for the first four months of the state fiscal year. The number exceeds the 957 employees losing their jobs in all of fiscal year 2010-11, according to the report. The Civil Service totals do not include the announced reduction of 1,500 state employees planned for Jan. 21 throughout the LSU public hospital system. The report only reflects state employees who are in the classified service. They are rank-and-file workers who have Civil Service job protection from political interference. Civil Service does not track layoffs involving unclassified employees, who are subject to hiring and firing at will.

Governor Jindal calls on Republicans to try to reach out to more voters, and to "stop being the stupid party". In a Politico.com interview,  Jindal says the image of the GOP being the "party of the rich" needs to  go.  In the interview with Politico, Jindal says Republicans must speak up  when party members make offensive comments like Missouri Rep. Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comment. Jindal calls on Republicans to NOT be the "party that simply protects  the rich, so they get to keep their toys".  He calls for the GOP to  offer real, detailed policy solutions, rather than criticizing the  political opposition. Jindal takes over as head of the Republican Governors Assn this week.

There's been another dip  in  the  price  at  the  pump.  As most of Louisiana  woke  up  to  temperatures in the 30's this morning,  the American Automobile Association's prediction the price would fall as

the temperatures did, is holding  up.  The current statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.25  down  from  $3.60  just a month ago.

The Rev. Allen Gintz  is scheduled to report to prison on Nov. 26, that after a state district judge in Avoyelles Parish has sentenced a preacher to at least five years in prison for sexual molestation of a child. Gintz was pastor of the Abundant Life Church outside Marksville at the time of his Oct. 21, 2010 arrest. He has been under court-ordered home incarceration since then.

It looks like Louisiana can expect a direct response from  the White House to a petition asking that the state be allowed to secede  from the  Union.  The  President  says he'll respond to any petition that

gets  over  25-thousand  signatures   within  30  days.  Louisiana's secession petition has gotten over 29-thousand signatures in a week. McNeese State University Politics & Government professor Henry Sirgo

says such a petition will never lead to actual secession. Dr. Sirgo says a two-thirds majority  of Congress would have to vote approval of a state leaving the Union, and that, according to Sirgo, is not going to happen.

United States Attorney Stephanie  Finley announced today that former Ouachita Parish Sheriff Royce Toney  will not have to go to jail for his unauthorized access of a protected  computer. Toney plead guilty

to  eight counts of fraud and related activity  in  connection  with computers.  He  was  sentenced today to six months home confinement, four years of supervised release and a $15,000 fine.

Police in Broussard says  they  have  found  the body of a woman who went missing last Wednesday. 45-year-old Paulette  Thibodeaux walked out  of  her  home  that day, leaving her car, wallet and  cellphone

behind. Her roommate called  police Friday, after she was missing for just over a whole day. Thibodeaux  was  found  yesterday in  a  densely wooded area; dead from an apparently self-inflicted fatal wound.

A state inspector general's report released yesterday says the State Fire  Marshal's office failed to report major mechanical problems with a  carnival ride where two teenagers were severely injured in St. Helena Parish last year. Inspector General Stephen Street says the inspector  should have shut the ride down. the accident happened in May of 2011 in Greensburg. A 13-year-old girl  and a 15-year-old boy were severely injured when they were thrown from  a ride.  The inspector general's report also criticizes State Fire Marshal Butch  Browning for failing to include in his report that mechanical defects  caused the accident. Browning's supervisor, State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson, says there was no wrong doing by the fire marshal's office.

Louisiana's Department of Children and Family Services has deployed  personnel to New Jersey to assist in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. DCFS spokesman Trey Williams says a team is in the Garden State now;  helping with sheltering operations. Williams says the federal government has asked DCFS to consult with New  Jersey and New York in setting up a disaster food stamp program, like  the ones implemented here after recent hurricanes.

The March of Dimes has given Louisiana an "F" grade for number of  premature births in the state. A pre-term birth is defined as one  occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy. March of Dimes Spokesperson Karen Moreau says in order to fix this problem, women need to be  better educated on ways to reduce the risk of premature birth. DHH Secretary Bruce Greenstein says Louisiana was the first state to accept the March of Dimes' challenge to reduce premature births 8% by  2014. He says its up to ALL Louisianians to make healthy lifestyle changes and bring these numbers down.

State Wildlife & Fisheries agents remind you to be watchful for wild animals in the roadway, after a female black bear was hit by traffic and killed on US 90 in St.  Mary  Parish.  LDWF  big predator expert

Maria Davidson, says this is the time of year when  there  are  more animal-vehicle accidents.

Hunters and land managers are reporting an increase in the number of  dead deer found in the Florida parishes of Louisiana. Officials say a  lot of the deer died from hemorrhagic disease, a virus transmitted by a  small biting fly. LSU Ag Center entomologist Lane Foil says hemorrhagic  disease can produce local and intense outbreaks. Hemorrhagic (hem-or-rag-ic) disease in deer is recognized as a fall  disease. Foil says a more widespread outbreak in the Florida parishes  could be the result of Hurricane Isaac and the flooding it produced,  which forced a large number of deer into a small area, allowing for an  easier transmission by the insects that carry the disease.

News for Monday 111212

By Dave Graichen

The coldest air of the season is moving into Louisiana. State  Climatologist Barry Keim says we'll only see high temperatures in the  60s today for most of the state as a result of a strong cold front pushing through Louisiana. Keim says low temperatures for the next few days will range from the mid 30s to low 40s.

State Treasurer John Kennedy is upset over the Citizens Insurance  board's decision to give its top executive a 50-thousand dollar raise,  while the state-run property insurance company faces a 56-million dollar  shortfall. Kennedy says how can you raise Richard Robertson's annual salary to $290,000, while the company is reporting record losses. Kennedy is asking Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon not to approve  the pay raise. Kennedy says Citizens board members voted for it, because Robertson  hasn't received a pay raise in three years and his salary is lower  compared to others who have a similar responsibility. But Kennedy says  announcing a 56-million dollar deficit and giving out a hefty raise on the same day is poor judgment.

It’s now official, The University of Louisiana System has named its next System President. She is Sandra Woodley - currently the vice-chancellor for strategic  initiative with the University of Texas System.  Woodley replaces former ULL System President Randy Moffett, who retired  back in September. She'll start her new position right after the  holidays. Woodley says she'll put her skills to work; analyzing data and  strategizing on how to best move the universities forward, while coping  with recent deep state cuts to higher education.

Louisiana's energy industry has worries about another four years of  Obama Administration oil & gas policies. Don Briggs is president of the  Louisiana OIl & Gas Association. He says the Mr. Obama is NOT friendly  to the domestic energy industry. Briggs says Obama's Environmental Protection Agency over-reacted to the  2010 BP oil spill and shut down all Gulf drilling for over 6 months. He  worries that the EPA will turn similar attention on hydraulic well fracking during the President's 2nd term. The White House says domestic energy exploration has grown during Mr.  Obama's first term. Briggs says that IS true, but it's been in spite of the President's energy policies.

Louisiana has once again enacted a rule to ban a deadly synthetic drug  --- the latest one is known as "25-I". Department of Health and  Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein says "25-I" is similar to bath salts and its chemical makeup is highly potent, very toxic and any dose can be dangerous. Slidell Representative Kevin Pearson proposed criminalizing this drug  after an Arkansas man died in New Orleans after overdosing on 25-I at  Voo Doo Fest. Greenstein says they took swift action to add this drug

to the Louisiana list of Schedule I narcotics. Schedule I legal  penalties could mean serving up to 30 years in prison. Greenstein says this year 25-I is responsible for at least five deaths nationwide including the one in Louisiana.

Rival Republican congressmen Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry are  prepping for an intense month of campaigning--leading to their December  8th runoff election for "all the marbles". U.L.-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says he expects spending for the runoff  to top $5-million. Dr. Cross says both candidates will be in full-blown fundraising mode.  Here’s something you may not have known, campaign donors, who had reached the legal limit for contributions prior to the November 6^th election, may now contribute to their candidate again.

USA Today names Lake Charles as one of the Top 10 places to spend a  winter vacation. That's impressive when you take a look at other  places that made the list like Hawaii, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and  Puerto Rico. The article boasts the good food, beautiful scenery and marshland exploring at makes the southwest Louisiana city so attractive.  The article was in Friday's Travel section of USA today and you can  also read it on their website, usatoday.com.

Sports..

LSU's offense was sharp again on Saturday night in the Tigers 37-17  homecoming win over Mississippi State. The victory improved the Tigers record to 8-and-2. LSU has a chance at playing in a BCS Bowl, if they can win their remaining two games and  Florida losses once. LSU hosts Ole Miss this Saturday.

What a game! There is no longer an undefeated team in the NFL after  the New Orleans Saints knock off the Atlanta Falcons 31-27. It's the  fourth win in five games for the Black and Gold who rushed for 148 yards Sunday with the Saints defense holding Atlanta to just 46 yards.

Congratulations to Louisiana College, who will make its first appearance in the NCAA football playoffs this week when the 8 and 2 Wildcats play at American Southwest Conference rival, undefeated Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday. The game will take place in Belton, Texas.

News for Thursday 110812

By Dave Graichen

It was unanimous across the state, Louisiana voters decided Tuesday to limit school board members to three  four-year terms. Each individual school district had the local option  vote, after legislation to add the measure to Fall ballots was passed  last Spring. This means that any school board member elected after January of 2013  will be limited to 12 years in office. Those who've already served for  several years will have the limits engage with their next elected term.

Reactions  are coming in, from both sides of the political spectrum, to President  Obama's  win  over  republican  hopeful  Mitt Romney . Stephen  Handwerk,  executive  director  of the Louisiana democratic

Party, says Mr. Obama's re-election is a sign  the  American  people are happy with the direction the nation is headed. Senator  David  Vitter  also  chimed  in  on last night's  election, representing the other side of the aisle. Vitter  says he knew there was  always  a  very  real  possibility  President  Obama  would  be re-elected.  He  says  losing  seats  in  the  U-S  Senate though,  was  not expected.

Governor  Bobby  Jindal  has  issued  a  statement  in  response  to President  Barack Obama being re-elected. He congratulates  the  Mr. Obama and says that in Louisiana we will continue to do what we have always done...which means doing what we think is right no matter who is President.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department reports a burglary victim is offering a $5,000 reward for information regarding the theft of cash, jewelry and financial documents from their home earlier this month in the 1700 block of Tumminello Drive in Pineville. The burglary was reported last Sunday, when the victim returned home from an out-of-town trip to find that an outer door had been pried open. The victim offered the reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Alexandria Police report charges are pending against two juveniles after a vehicle pursuit and foot chase Tuesday in the Lakeside Drive area of the city. The case began around with a report of an unauthorized use of a vehicle in the Lee Street area. The vehicle was spotted, but when officers tried to stop it, the driver sped off. The driver and a passenger, both juveniles, later fled the vehicle, but were caught a short time later.

State Police are investigating a crash yesterday morning on highway 71 south of Clarence, where a man struck the back of a farm tractor. According to police a truck, driven by 40-year-old Jerry. Coutee, had been northbound on U.S. 71 when it hit a tractor driven by 53 year old L.D. McDaniel of Natchez. After hitting the tractor, the truck went into a ditch and then hit a tree. Coutee, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. McDaniel was not injured.

Voters in Rapides Parish approved a proposal Tuesday to spend $23 million to upgrade and renovate the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria. But, it will likely take several months to a year to finalize planning and design, take legal steps to structure and sell bonds and go through the permitting and bidding processes, before work can begin. Construction could take up to two years. The anticipated completion date is sometime in 2015. Jimbo Thiels, a member of the Coliseum Authority, says they are working now with ongoing event organizers to find temporary venues for their events while the facility is under construction.  

Temperatures are in the low 40s this morning, which is another sign  winter is right around the corner. But there's some good news when it  comes to home heating costs. Atmos Energy Spokesperson Ann Hayward says  natural gas supplies are higher than normal, which should keep natural  gas prices relatively low. Hayward says even though natural gas prices are predicted to be low this  winter, customers can still do their part to reduce energy bills. She  says a programmable thermostat is a wise investment and there's  additional tips on the Atmos website. That link can be found in the “You heard it here” at ksyl.com.

As people are spending more time  outside enjoying the fall weather, the cases of West Nile in Louisiana  continue  to  be  reported. The state  confirms six new cases of the virus this week. Department  of

Health and  Hospitals  Chief  Medical Officer Takeisha Davis says it does, however, look like the number  of cases is starting to decline the colder it gets.

Louisiana appears to be winning the war against auto thefts. The numbers  of stolen vehicles statewide has fallen steadily from 15,640 in 2006 to  9,123 in 2011. Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon credits the drop to  advances in  technology. Donelon says the Louisiana Department of Insurance is embarking on a campaign to  educate drivers on steps they can take to avoid making their vehicle an  attractive target for thieves.

The  Governor's   Office   of   Homeland   Security   and  Emergency Preparedness  sent off another team of Louisiana emergency  managers to New York state  to  assist  local  officials  there responding to

Hurricane Sandy. Other GOHSEP staffers have already  been working in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to assist emergency managers there.

Nucor Steel is set to start  hiring  for  phase two of it's plant in St.   James   Parish.   Nucor   is   ending  its  first   round   of employee-training and will start hiring  Monday.  They hope to bring on  about  150  workers.  The  facility  is looking to start  up  in mid-2013.

Two men working a drilling  rig  in  Tensas  Parish  were  seriously burned yesterday, when vapors from the rig were on ignited by the  motor of  a  pumper  truck,  and a vat of drilling mud nearby caught fire.

Both men were flown to a  hospital  in Jackson, Mississippi. The men have  not  been identified yet. Authorities  want  to  inform  their families first.  The accident happened in the Buckhorn Wildlife Area  near St. Joseph.

Lake Charles Police arrest a DeQuincy cop for DWI, reckless operation and hit & run--in a DeQuincy squad car.  Officers  found the cop car stuck in some woods off the roadway and arrested 30-year-old Matthew Sollay. DeQuincy Police say he was off-duty at the time.

News for Tuesday 110612

By Dave Graichen

Today is election day, and Secretary of State Tom Schedler says  Louisiana is as ready for it as can be. Schedler says voting machines  are in place at precincts across the state, and he urges voters to be prepared for some long lines.  Schedler says he anticipates a total voter turnout today of about 70 to

 72% of Louisiana's registered voters. He says he bases his expectation on the huge numbers that showed  up to early vote for this election. Schedler reminds you only three minutes are allowed in the voting  booth, and he recommends you familiarize yourself with the ballot  beforehand.

The polls in Louisiana  opened at six A-M and will close at eight  o'  clock  tonight. Just a reminder, You can view sample  ballot  for  your voting precinct at cenlabroadcasting.com and ksyl.com. And this programming note, non-stop election coverage begins tonight at 6 on 970am KSYL.

Parish board of election supervisors have been notified that military and overseas ballots will continue be accepted as long as they are received by Wednesday, Nov. 7. Secretary of State Tom Schedler announcing yesterday that Louisiana has extended the deadline by one day for receipt of military and overseas ballots because of conditions in the Northeast caused by Hurricane Sandy. State statute requires the secretary to take all actions reasonably necessary to allow members of the military and U.S. citizens residing overseas to vote during a period of declared emergency. The Federal Voter Assistance Program officially notified Louisiana that military and overseas ballots were delayed due to the closure of JFK Airport in New York after Hurricane Sandy hit the region last week.

The Rapides Parish School Board voted  5-4  Monday night to approve one of three reapportionment plans presented to them last month by John Miller, executive director of the Rapides Area Planning Commission. Miller returned Monday for the board's final vote. Since the board approved a  reapportionment plan, that being SB 2010, Miller will continue to work with the Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office to complete the correct paperwork for the Justice Department. According to DA James Downs, no other formal action is required by the board.

Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain was in town yesterday speaking to  members of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. His message,  demand for quality agricultural products worldwide is going to explode in the coming decades. A fast growing global population and rising income levels in developing countries such as China and India will create the demand. , Strain says It will be up to U.S. producers to meet it.

A Slidell Representative is asking the state House to being crafting a  bill  to  add a new substance to the state's  list  of  scheduled drugs. Kevin Pearson  says  the  new synthetic drug is called "25-I"

and "N-Bomb" may be responsible for  the  death  of  one  man in New Orleans  and  the  hospitalization  of  two others after taking  the substance. Pearson requested research from  House staff earlier this

week.

The "Spirit of Louisiana" is heading back to the northeast.  If  you recall  that's the fire truck the residents of Louisiana paid for to help New  York  after Nine-Eleven. The New York Fire Department gave

the truck back to  Louisiana  after  Hurricane  Katrina,  but  State Police  Colonel  Mike  Edmonson  says it's needed in New York again, because of Hurricane Sandy. The truck was originally built to New York city specifications.

The lack of a new farm bill from Congress is combining with the  economic factors to push many Louisiana dairy farmers out of the milk  producing business. The last federal farm bill, passed in 2008, expired  last September 30th. LSU AgCenter researcher Mike McCormick says that  loss is hitting the state's dairy farmers hard. McCormick says rapidly rising feed costs and the lack of  price supports could see up to a quarter of the remaining dairy farms in  Louisiana go out of business. Louisiana has lost at least half of its dairy farms in the last decade.

A long, contentious campaign between two seated congressmen, each  running for the same U.S. House seat, could come to an end today. Voters will decide which of 5 candidates will be Louisiana's next District 3  Congressman.  Redistricting in 2011 left the state with one less congressional  district, so Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry must compete for re-election.

LSU Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope on Monday accused the LSU Board of Supervisors of knowingly deceiving the public on a vote taken last month that changed the top hierarchy of a university system that includes colleges, professional schools and public hospitals. Cope called for Louisiana Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell to investigate whether LSU’s management board violated state open meeting laws on Oct. 26 when members voted to merge the system president and Baton Rouge chancellor positions without telling the public that specific issue would be discussed. Caldwell declined to comment Monday. The LSU board member who called for the vote and a lawyer representing the university denied the allegation.

A 34-year-old Houma man has been named a suspect in the weekend stabbing deaths of a woman and her two young daughters, who were inside an apartment that was then set ablaze. Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre says David Brown invoked his right to counsel when deputies began to question him about the triple homicides. Brown was booked and is being held on $110,000 bond and under an additional hold placed by the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole. Webre said Monday that the investigation continues into the early Sunday deaths of the woman and her two young children.

Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes, extending his NFL record streak to 51 games, and Patrick Robinson returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown to lead the New Orleans Saints to a 28-13 victory over Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night football.

News For Friday 110212

By Dave Graichen

After 54 years in operation the C. Paul Phelps  Correctional  Center in  Dequincy has closed its doors for good. Dequincy Mayor Lawrence Henagan  says  the real economic impact of the closure has yet to be felt. He says the  loss  of  260 jobs in his town is like a city the size of Lake Charles losing a  thousand.  Henagan  complains he was never contacted by Governor Jindal or anyone from his administration before the decision was handed down.

Authorities  in  the  St. Landry Parish area are searching  for  the person or persons who reportedly  fired  several  gun  shots  on the LSU-Eunice campus.  There have been no reports of any injuries  from the   gunfire.    Officers   stopped  a  vehicle  in  a  residential neighborhood, but the driver  fled  on  foot.   No  weapon  has been recovered  and the suspect is still at large.

The University of Louisiana System Board says they've narrowed their search  for  a  new system president down to  one  name.  Sandra  K. Woodley is currently  a vice-chancellor with the University of Texas System. She's emerged as  the  lone  candidate  among a field of 16. Woodley will have another lengthy interview on the  9th, after which an official announcement may be coming. U.L. System President  Randy Moffett retired in September.

Gov. Bobby Jindal's top budget adviser scrapped a legislative vote Thursday on the governor's proposal to outsource a state employee health insurance plan, when it became clear the contract didn't have enough support to win approval. Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols pulled the proposed contract between the Office of Group Benefits and Blue Cross/Blue Shield from consideration after four hours of discussion. Her decision sidetracked an attempt by House opponents to vote on rejecting the proposal outright. Nichols did say the matter will be brought up again at a later date.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission unveils a new web-based tool to help  folks find and apply for jobs. LWC executive director Curt Eysink  (eye-sink) says you can link to Louisiana Star Jobs from the LWC website  "LAWorks.net". He says Louisiana Star Jobs is an intuitive & interactive tool that quickly displays available jobs; searchable by trade, salary level,  qualification requirements and other criteria.The web address is the same, but the content is new; online at  "laworks.net".

With  the  arrival  of November, State Climatologist Barry Keim says we're pretty much clear  of  the  2012  Hurricane  Season.  He  says Louisiana   has  not  had  a named storm make a November landfall in over  160  years  of  record-keeping.  Keim  says  the  tropics  are currently quiet, and he feels our state is safe for the rest of this year

Army Corps of Engineers personnel from  New  Orleans  are now in New York City and New Jersey, to help them with getting the  millions of gallons  of  water pushed inland by Superstorm Sandy OUT. They  took with them 25 6-inch and 8-inch heavy duty pumps.

Shreveport  Police  say  one  of their officers struck and injured a little girl yesterday morning. The girl was standing in the road, and the officer says he couldn't avoid  hitting  her.  An investigation into WHY  she  was  in  the  street  is  underway. The child  is  in  LSU Shreveport Hospital, with serious injuries.

The state Office of Motor Vehicles will host a special event Saturday from 8 to noon to sign up men and women who've served in the military for the state's new  Veterans' Driver’s License.  The new Veterans DL is the result of legislation passed last Spring. Veterans can swap their existing license for one of the new ones, free of charge.

Deputies in St. Mary Parish have nabbed a man accused of kidnapping &  robbing an Amelia woman. Sheriff's  spokesperson Traci Landry says 25-year-old Israel Garza forced the female acquaintance into a car, drove her  some distance...then beat her, took her cell phone and left her on the  Garza was  apprehended later at his home. She says he now faces a "laundry list" of  criminal charges.

President Barack Obama is the winner in a "mock election" that involved  public, private and home school students. About 88-thousand K-through-12  students voted and the President won by a 51-to-49-percent margin over  Republican Mitt Romney. The Secretary of State's Office and Cox Communications held the mock  election. The President was also successful in getting support of younger voters four years ago.

The architects of a proposed class-action settlement of claims spawned by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are confident it won't be derailed by thousands of businesses and individuals opting out of the deal. Thursday is the deadline for claimants to postmark written requests to opt out of the multibillion-dollar pact between BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys. Patrick Juneau, administrator of the court-supervised claims process, said roughly 2,300 potential plaintiffs had asked to opt out as of Wednesday. But Juneau said a final number won't be known until early next week.