News for Wednesday 041713

By Dave Graichen

 

State Sen. Rick Gallot sid yesterday Residents of the City of Pineville should be allowed to decide whether they want restaurants to serve alcohol. The Senate Judiciary B Committee agreed Tuesday and unanimously sent SB116 sponsored by Gallot, to the full Senate for a vote. The Pineville City Council voted unanimously on April 9 to pursue an election. Residents defeated a 1981 proposal to open the sale of alcoholic beverages but that included more than restaurants. If Gallott’s bill passes the full Senate it would go to the House for consideration. It is not expected to receive much opposition in the Legislature.

 

The Alexandria City Council gave the go ahead to Mayor Jacques Roy on Tuesday to execute agreements with vendors and bands participating in the upcoming AlexRiverFête. The event, scheduled for  May 9-11, is actually a combination of several existing events — including Louisiana Dragon Boat Races, Dinner on the Bricks and ArtWalk — with some live entertainment as well. City officials hope it will grow into the signature event for the city.

 

Central Louisiana officials believe  they  made a good impression in front  of  U-S  Army  decision  makers,  who  were  here  to  gather information  about  Fort  Polk. The Army is considering  whether  to reduce  or increase the number  of  troops  at  the  military  base. Central Louisiana  Chamber  of  Commerce  President Deborah Randolph says the Army officials took an impressive tour of Ft. Polk. Randolph  says political and community leaders  also  addressed  the department  of  the  Army  officials  at  a  church  in Leesville. A decision on Fort Polk's future could come as early as May.

 

Gas  prices  have  dropped  another  penny  overnight.  The American Automobile  Association  says  the current statewide average  for  a gallon of regular is $3.34 which  is also six cents less than it was last month.

 

The House Committee on Criminal Justice will spend much of today hearing  proposed gun bills. Committee Chairman Joe Lopinto, of Metairie, says  twelve bills providing for gun ownership or gun carrying are scheduled  for his group. But the bottom line, Lopinto says the committee isn't likely  to support stricter gun ownership legislation.

 

The Louisiana Senate approved a resolution Tuesday afternoon requiring deals for private operation of LSU hospitals to receive the blessing of its budget panel. The Senate approved, without discussion, a resolution bestowing the authority on the Senate Finance Committee. The resolution’s passage came as the LSU Board of Supervisors prepared to vote Today on cooperative endeavor agreements involving LSU hospitals in New Orleans and Lafayette.

 

The  full House has approved legislation that will lower the monthly fee all  home  and  business  phone customers pay for communications services for the deaf and speech  impaired.  The  same bill places a small  fee to cent monthly fee on  every cell phone account as well. Baton  Rouge  Rep. Patricia Smith says it will raise about a million bucks yearly to pay for  special technology to allow hearing and speech impaired people to use phones to communicate. The bill  passed   by a unanimous vote.

 

The US Marshal's Office says Acadiana's Most Wanted Man, Wade Lohse, was  arrested  in  Philadelphia at approximately 1:10pm central time today. They say the  man  who  walked  out of his vehicular homicide trial in March was spotted walking out of  a  bar.  He  will  face a judge there then be extradited back to Lafayette.

 

Shreveport's  Elio  Motors clears a legal hurdle  in  marketing  its low-cost, high mileage  three-wheeled  car.  A House committee today approved a bill that would exempt drivers of the  three-wheeler from the state's mandatory helmet law. Elio's car has a  full cabin, with roll cage and air bags.

 

A House committee has advanced a bill that will require pickup truck drivers  to  have  any  pets in the truck bed secured in kennels  or cages while on busy Interstate  highways.  Kenner  Rep.  Tom Wilmott sponsors  the  legislation  aimed  at reducing the number of animals killed when they're thrown from the  backs  of moving vehicles. That

bill now goes to the House floor for debate.

 

Police in Slidell say a man who auditioned  for  the X-Factor in New Orleans on Sunday, stole a car at a gas station Monday because he said  he  needed  to get back home to Florida. They say  20-year-old Orrion  Wilson  led  police  on  a  high-speed  chase  before  being apprehended. He faces many charges.

 

A Monroe lawmaker Tuesday temporarily shelved his proposal to ban the state’s social services department from trying to collect child support from people who haven’t been proven to be parents through a paternity test.

 

State Rep. Marcus Hunter, D-Monroe, said he’d continue to discuss the idea with the Department of Children and Family Services, which raised concerns about House Bill 459. He agreed to defer his proposal in the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee for at least a week while the two sides talk. But it’s unclear if they can reach a compromise. State Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier said Hunter’s proposal would put Louisiana in direct conflict with federal law and could jeopardize the state’s ability to receive more than $200 million in federal social services money annually.

 

Sports..

 

The L-S-U baseball team is back in action tonight, seeking their second  straight win, as they host Grambling State. Airtime 6pm on 970 KSYL..

 

The New Orleans Hornets finish out their season tonight in Dallas. Airtime 7p on Alexandria’s ESPN 1410.