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.