News for Friday 102513

By Dave Graichen

 

School  performance scores released today by the state department of education shows a record 43% of Louisiana public schools received an "A" or "B"  under  a new accountability system. State Superintendent of Education John White  was  happy  to share the good news during a conference call with reporters this afternoon. The number of failing schools is at an all time low, decreasing from

12 to 8 percent. Parents can see how  their  child's school is performing by going to Louisiana believes dot com.

 

An Alexandria woman wanted in a fatal shooting Monday on Lee Street has been captured, along with four others who are accused of helping her elude authorities.  21-year-old Stormy Cofer was found in a house in the 1700 block of Beatrice Street. She was arrested, booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center and charged with second-degree murder and a warrant for failure to pay a fine. Four other Alexandria residents werealso were arrested and all charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder.

 

Two  years from today it will be election day in Louisiana as voters will be  choosing a new governor. A large field is anticipated since Governor Bobby  JIndal is not allowed to run for a third consecutive

term.  Political  Analyst   Clancy  Dubos  says  several  well-known republicans could enter the race. Lt.  Governor  Jay  Dardenne,  state  treasurer  John  Kennedy,  PSC Commissioner Scott Angelle and former  Congressman  Rodney Alexander have made their expectations to run known.

 

A man from Jackson is suing  the  East Feliciana Parish Sheriff amid claims he was wrongly arrested for  rape  last year. George Sheppard reportedly  held  in prison for 6 months before  a  judge  ruled  no probable cause of prosecution.

 

 If you've ever wanted a little Duck Dynasty in your gumbo, Willie  Robertson has that on the menu at his new restaurant opening today in  West Monroe. Courtney Hornsby is the president of the West

 Monroe/West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce. She says "Willie's Duck  Diner" is sure to attract Duck Dynasty lovers far and wide.  Hornsby says the menu features great southern home cooking comfort  foods like chicken-fried steak, pork chops, meatloaf, biscuits, frog  legs and of course duck --- served up fried or in gumbo. She also  says there are pictures, both new and old, of the family on the walls  of the restaurant.

 

US Senator David Vitter has support from 29 other senators as he seeks  an explanation regarding the US Justice Department's lawsuit against  Louisiana's voucher program. Attorney General Eric Holder says it upsets  the racial balance of students in districts under federal desegregation

orders. Vitter says that civil rights argument doesn't make sense..  A letter signed by Vitter and 29 other senators seeks answers on why the  federal government filed this lawsuit. Vitter wonders why Holder is more  concerned about a quota than the type of education a child receives. Vitter says the lawsuit will return 570 voucher students to public  schools so that it can preserve a school's racial make-up.

 

46-year old Gregory Walker of Baton Rouge has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges after he admitted receiving almost one million dollars in bogus state film tax credits. Walker is facing  up to 20 years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine.

 

First-offense DWI pleas arranged in a bribery scheme at the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office could be called into question in a lawsuit planned by a Lafayette defense attorney. At issue are plea deals in Lafayette Parish allegedly arranged by private investigator Robert Williamson, who is under federal indictment in an investigation of bribes paid to employees of the District Attorney’s Office in return for favorable treatment in DWI cases. Meanwhile, some DWI defendants who made the special plea have since been arrested again on new DWI charges. At least five of those defendants now say they should not face more severe penalties for second-offense DWI, arguing that their first DWI pleas are not valid because they were effectively denied the right to an attorney and were represented instead by Williamson, a private investigator.

 

The reality TV show starring Former Governor Edwin Edwards and his  young wife will hit the airwaves for the first time on Sunday. The  show "The Governor's Wife" centers around the family life of Trina  Scott Edwards and her 86 year old husband. Trina says the entire  filming experience was surreal.  The A&E show was originally scheduled to air over the summer but  Edwards says a difficult pregnancy put things on hold. She says the  thing she's looking forward to the most on the show is the final  episode...:(The series premiere episde entitled, "Happy Birthday Mr..  Governor" is on Sunday at 9 on A&E.)

 

The Lafayette Fire Department says a 64 year old man is under arrest for allegedly setting a mobile home  on  fire  because he thought it was  ugly.  They say William Riley is booked on a  count  of  simple arson. The home  was  vacant  and  Riley  indicated  to officials he didn't  like  the  tall  grass and the abandoned appearance  of  the trailer in his neighborhood.

 

The  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries  says  they  are actively  investigating  the  shooting  death  of a black bear which occurred earlier this month. They've determined  the  bear, which is on the threatened and endangered species list, was shot in the head. An  $8000  cash  reward is being offered for information that  would lead to an arrest.

 

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who was indicted in  January  on charges  relating  to  accepting  free  trips  and  over $200,000 in bribes,  has had his trial delayed. A federal judge Thursday  set  a new trial date of January 27th.