News for Tuesday 073013

By Dave Graichen

State Treasurer John Kennedy says he's seriously considering a run for  the governor of Louisiana in 2015. Kennedy, who has been a vocal  critic of fellow Republican Governor Bobby Jindal, says he believes  that the state's future can he much better than it is right now. Kennedy feels Louisiana needs a Governor with knowledge and wisdom who  believes higher education is sacred and not line items on a budget. There's been chatter that Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne also intends to  run in two years and possibly US Senator David Vitter.  State  Representative John Bel Edwards has already announced his candidacy. 

State Treasurer John Kennedy threatened Monday to forward files on 36 community groups, including one with ties to a state legislator, to a new state debt collection unit. The groups on Kennedy’s list include a New Orleans area housing organization, a Baton Rouge social club, an alumni association, a health care center and an organization affiliated with a Boy Scouts troop.

Kennedy said the groups either ignored or failed to fully comply with requests for details on how $4.5 million in taxpayer money was spent. He said certified letters and emails have been sent and personal calls have been made for years to the groups without resolution.

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Louisiana among the  few states with more jobs now than it had before the recession.  Louisiana Workforce Commission executive director Curt Eysink says the  net increase is not huge, 15,000 jobs,  but it's still good news.  Eysink says the future looks bright for employment in Louisiana, as  existing industries expand here, and new businesses - like IBM – plan  multi-billion dollar investments in our state.

Six people charged with unlawfully and improperly storing explosives at Camp Minden have pleaded "not guilty". The men are all with Explo Systems,  where  over  10-million pounds of M-6 propellant was found stored unsafely. You may  remember  the  whole  town  of Doyline was evacuated  for  several days in December while those munitions  were moved. The men go to trail in November.

The Jefferson Parish  Coroner's Office says famous radio personality David  "Kidd" Kraddick died  from  complications  related  to  heart disease.  The  53-year-old  radio  host  was in New Orleans over the weekend  for  his  "Kidd's  Kids" charity golf  tournament  when  he suddenly became ill Saturday. The coroner went on to say Kraddick died quickly and most likely felt little pain.

Senators David Vitter and Mary Landrieu are urging President Obama to  hold FEMA chief David Fugate's promotion to head the Department of  Homeland Security, until problems with the National Flood Insurance  Program are addressed. Vitter says Louisianans face crippling flood  insurance premiums hikes if something isn't done. Vitter says FEMA is using flawed flood maps to predict future flood  insurance rates in Louisiana.  Vitter says he and Landrieu just sent the letter Monday, so there's been  no response yet from the White House.

The  state  auditor’s office says former  Terrebonne  Parish  Sheriff Vernon Bourgeouis  owes  $19,000  for  allegedly  improperly  paying officers  during  the  time  they  were  being  filmed  on  the  A&E relativity  show  Cajun Justice. The report says Bourgeouis is going to pay the money but he is protesting the claim.

Two Baton Rouge cops are on administrative leave after they shot and killed a 32-year-old man who they say tried  to  run  them over. The officers   were  trying  to  stop  Tyris  Wilkerson  for  a  traffic

violation, when the incident occurred. It's now under investigation.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux apologized Monday for several arrests his deputies have made of men who agreed to have consensual sex with undercover agents. The deputies used an unconstitutional anti-sodomy law that Gautreaux is now seeking to get repealed. None of the arrests was prosecuted because the District Attorney’s Office determined the men had not committed a crime. The law had been invalidated a decade ago by a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Say it ain't so....The Duck Commander himself, Phil Robertson,  says he  may  be  leaving  the  top-rated  show  "Duck Dynasty" Robertson doesn't say when, but feels the show can easily  go  on without him. Robertson founded the West Monroe duck call business that  blossomed

into  a  multi-million dollar venture for his sons. Season 4,  which features Phil quite a bit, debuts next month on A&E.

State Police say a man from Dehli died Sunday night after his  motorcycle hit a deer. Trooper albert Paxton says 67-year-old Bobby  Davis was traveling on Highway 134 when he was unable to avoid a deer  that was crossing the road. He says his passenger, 66-year-old Mary  Davis was taken to a local hospital with moderate injuries..

News for Friday 072613

By Dave Graichen

Federal regulators  say  natural gas has stopped flowing from a well that has been ablaze in the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  remaining  small flames  are  from  gas  still  in  the pipe. The Bureau of Safety and

Environmental Enforcement says the well  "bridged over" meaning sand and  sediment collapsed into the area being  drilled,  blocking  the line.

An update on Tropical  Storm  Dorian;  still  in  the  mid-Atlantic, moving  west-northwest  at  17  miles  an  hour,  it’s strength decreased slightly over night. Maximum winds  50. Forecaster  (LIX-ee-on uh-VEE-uh) Lixion Avila, with the National Hurricane  Center,  says it's still too  early  to tell if Dorian will threaten US Shores. Computer models do NOT predict the storm entering the Gulf.

State Police say a Lafayette  woman is charged with aggravated rape, incest and human trafficking. 48-year-old Lorrie Anderson is accused of selling kids under 16 for sex.  She's  alleged  to  have sexually assaulted  them  as well. If convicted, she could face 50  years  in prison.

The  Allen  Parish  Sheriff's  Office  say  a man is behind bars for robbing a bank -- but he did this during a casino trip with his mom. They  say  31-year-old  Justin  Schill  was  booked  Wednesday  with first-degree robbery and felony theft for robbing the Iberia Bank in Kinder.

Two  Port  Barre  teens are in critical condition after the ATV they were riding was hit  by a car on a local St. Landry Parish road. The boys  are  in  a  Lafayette   area  hospital.  The  crash  is  under

investigation. Riding ATVs on the highway IS illegal in the state.

Three  people  have died in motorcycle crashes on Louisiana roadways since last weekend,  bringing  the  total to seven deaths since June 1st. The most recent motorcycle-related death was Tuesday,  when  a Houma man crossed the center line and ran into oncoming traffic. LSP  says the victim was not wearing an approved helmet at the time.

Monroe Police say a young man  is  dead following a bizarre incident at the Motel 6 on US 165. Sgt. Mark  Johnson says officers responded to several 911 calls from people reporting  a  person  was under the influence of PCP in the hotel parking lot -- trying to get into cars and jumping on top of cars.

Johnson  says an ambulance arrived to treat Christopher Livingston's injuries and  during  that  time  the man stopped breathing. He says Livingston was pronounced dead at a  local  hospital.  An  autopsy is pending.

The remains of a U.S. soldier from Baton Rouge, that have been missing  since the Korean War, will be returned home today for burial with full  military honors. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David  Lacerte says 18 year old Army Sgt. Clement Thibodeaux Jr was part of  the 25th Infantry Division fighting the Chinese in North Korea. Thibodeaux died in a North Korean POW camp known as "Death Valley". Returning soldiers told officials  he died of malnutrition and pneumonia in 1951.

Governor Jindal has been on the road this  week.  Mr. Jindal is in Colorado for more Republican Governors Association events. He serves as chairman of the group this year. He spoke Thursday as  part  of  GOP governors  panel  at  the Aspen Institute. The Governor returns home

sometime today.

Hollywood insiders report that a big budget super hero film is switching  production locations, from Canada to Baton Rouge. The website  "TheWrap.com" says the rebooted "Fantastic Four" feature is choosing  Louisiana for its film tax incentives. LA Film Office director Chris  Stelly says that is unconfirmed as yet, but if it’s true, it’s great news.

State Police say  an  18  year  old  died in a crash yesterday morning in Livingston  Parish, but the infant inside  her  car  sustained  only minor injuries. Police say the young woman turned into the path of an 18 wheeler and her car was smashed on the driver’s side. She suffered fatal injuries in the crash.

Two   former   LSU-Eunice   employees   are   accused    of   taking tens-of-thousands  of dollars from the college. Defendants  Marvette Thomas and Carra Sergeant  allegedly used the money to buy stuff for themselves.

News for Tuesday 072313

By Dave Graichen

State Wildlife & Fisheries agents report a happy ending to the case of  a man who went missing in the wilds of LaSalle Parish over the weekend.  LDWF spokesman Adam Einck says 29-year-old John Paul, Jr. was reported  missing Saturday evening after he took his dog for a run in the Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Area.  Einck says Paul got disoriented as the sun went down, and became lost. He says the man decided to sit in one spot, near a well-traveled  waterway and wait to be found--which is exactly what happened. Einck says LDWF agents and  deputies from both LaSalle and Rapides parishes were involved in the search.

25 year old Jaclynn White of Pineville was killed Sunday night when she walked into the path of an oncoming car on third street. The accident took place shortly after 9 in the evening. Medical personnel responded, but White was pronounced death at the scene. No charges have been filed against the driver of the vehicle. The investigation is continuing, and an autopsy and toxicology tests are pending.

The Louisiana National Guard marked the 20th anniversary of its Youth  Challenge Program, which helps high school dropouts put their lives on  a more positive course. Senator Mary Landrieu is an Honorary Co-Chair  of the LNG's Youth Foundation, says the program  helps kids turn their lives around.  Landrieu says 1400 Louisiana kids have graduated from the LNG Youth  Challenger this year, but over 16-thousand have been helped over the  program's 20-year history. She says she's proud to be a part of it.

Baton Rouge Police say a man who hit a police car and caused another woman  to  be  injured in the accident then  drove  off  is  now  in custody. They say  37-year-old  Ronald  Byrd  of  Baton  Rouge faces felony  hit  and  run and other charges. He turned himself into authorities Monday. The officer and woman  were seriously injured but are expected to survive.

The  Lafayette  Parish Sheriff's office releases the identity of the five-year-old girl who was killed in a two-car wreck Sunday afternoon.  Her name is Alajah Davis of Lafayette. Captain Kip Judice says Davis was  a  front  seat  passenger  in a vehicle  that  crossed  the  center of the road and slammed  into  a pickup truck. Judice says the five year old  victim  should  not  have been in the front seat to start with.

Louisiana’s Secretary of State office has won a top national award for its “Geaux Vote Mobile” application and website that helps people navigate elections. Secretary of State Tom Schedler picked up the IDEAS award that recognizes innovation and achievement at the National Association of Secretaries of State annual summer conference in Anchorage, Alaska over the weekend.

Several  cast  members of Duck Dynasty helped raise nearly  $300,000 for a Children's  Home  near Hattiesburg Mississippi Saturday night. Dr. Michael Garrett is the  executive  director at Homes of Hope, he  says his annual  budget  for Homes of Hope, which is privately funded, is about $560,000, so the  Duck  Dynasty  fundraiser was a huge success for them.

A 19-year-old man was arrested for his second DWI after he allegedly caused  a  crash  on  I-10, fled the scene, and allegedly  tried  to outrun police. The person  that Darin Terrell allegedly hit followed

him; calling police. A breathalyzer revealed Terrell's blood alcohol content was .10; well over the legal limit.

Shreveport Police detectives  are  still  developing leads from last week's triple homicide that took place at a  home  in  the Mooretown neighborhood.   The   coroner   says   78-year-old   Irene  Ellison, 41-year-old Carise Ellison and 58-year-old Brian Wilson were stabbed to death. Assistant Police Chief Bill Goodin says investigators have gathered  evidence from the crime scene that will hopefully  provide clues as to who is responsible. Goodin says they're working 'round-the-clock to make an arrest.

The man charged with the drunk driving death of a Lafayette woman in 2012, who made  more  headlines  by  walking  out  of  his trial and fleeing the state, will serve 20 years in prison. Wade Lohse pleaded no contest today, to the death of Cacie Barras McGrew last year.

News for Friday 071913

By Dave Graichen

State funeral directors are appealing lower court  rulings  in favor of  a  group  of  Covington monks who make and sell caskets. Federal district and appeals  courts  found  no  reasonable  grounds  for  a regulation  that  only  state-licensed  funeral  directors  may sell coffins in Louisiana. The monks says they'll keep fighting for their

right to make and sell the coffins.

The state laid off over 3800 employees  during the fiscal year that ended  June  30th.  Some  1900  of those were workers  at  four  LSU hospitals and outpatient clinics  that  have  been privatized by the Jindal administration. The Governor's Office says  a  good number of that  1900  have  been  hired by the private companies who've  taken

those facilities over.

Deputies in Morehouse Parish report two people dead in a plane crash near  Oak  Ridge.  The  small  aircraft  was  from the Flying Tigers Aviation  School, and the company says a pilot and  a  student  were killed in the  crash.  The  victims'  names are being withheld until their families are notified. Flying Tigers  says they've never had a

single  injury  or  fatality  until  today.  The  crash   is   under investigation.

Three  Henderson  Police officers including the Chief, Leroy Guidry, are  facing a number  of  charges  from fraud to malfeasance over an alleged ticket-quota scheme along I-10.  Lafayette TV station KATC is reporting that court records showed the officer's pay was tied  to  the number of tickets they issued. An arraignment is expected on August 12th.

Average gasoline prices across Louisiana are expected to hit or exceed  $3.50 a gallon today, as crude oil prices continue to rise. Louisiana  AAA's Don Redman says gas prices are high, and they're going to get  higher. His prediction, between $3.50 & $3.75 a gallon through the fall. Redman says troubles in Egypt and Libya are one reason for the sharp  rise in crude oil prices. Crude traded at $108 a barrel yesterday.

Governor  Bobby  Jindal  is  in  Washington  DC  attending a meeting of the Republican Governor's Association. Jindal serves as the leader of that group. U.L. Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it's a post that gives  the  governor a chance to be influential on the national scene. Cross says leading the RGA means a lot to Jindal's  possible  future political ambitions on a national stage.

 Louisiana has reached a new all-time high in national business rankings  for its climate for business. Economic Development Secretary Stephen  Moret says the good news comes from the Pollina Corporate Real Estate  annual pro-business state rankings.  Moret says Louisiana is rated the 14th-best business environment out of  50 states. He says the state was 40th in 2008; jumping 26 spots in just  5 years.

The Louisiana Republican Party is planning a statewide tour to get  people involved in an effort to defeat democratic senator Mary Landrieu  next year. The "Red to the Roots" 100-city tour will begin Aug. 16 in  Winnsboro. Louisiana GOP Executive Director Jason Dore says this is the  start of their grassroots campaign against Landrieu.  Dore says the tour stops are designed to look for individuals who want  to get involved with next year's election.

A Lafayette man is wanted for allegedly kidnapping his own grandson. Deputies  say  54-year-old  Monty  Wilson is "knowingly decoying and keeping away" his grandson, 3-year-old  Joshua  Lowe, from the state Department  of  Children & Family Services, who were  granted  legal custody of the boy  earlier  this  month.  Deputies  don't think the

child is in any danger, but they do want to catch up to  Wilson  and the  boy. Wilson could be driving a silver Kia Sedona minivan. Plate number: WGS 269.

Agriculture  Commissioner  Mike  Strain is urging  horse  owners  to vaccinate  their  animals against mosquito  borne  diseases.  That's because  a  two-year-old   horse   in  Livingston  Parish  has  been euthanized after reportedly testing  positive for both West Nile and Eastern Equine encephalitis.  It's the first case of this summer.

LSU  Coach  Les  Miles  says  star  running back Jeremy Hill remains suspended following his guilty plea to  a misdemeanor simple battery charge. Hill was arrested last April after he punched another man in the head in a parking lot outside of an off-campus bar. Hill goes before a judge in August, who will  determine  whether the

running back should go to jail for violating his probation.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's deputies arrest a Sulphur man on multiple accounts  of aggravated incest.  Deputies  allege  that  50-year-old Perry Arnold  molested  a  family member numerous times, starting in 2002, when the victim was just  6 years old. Arnold's bond is set at $3-million.

News For Wednesday 071713

By Dave Graichen

Six-year-old  Ahlittia  North  was  last  seen Friday night when her parents put her to bed. Her step father says  the  next morning they found she was missing. Tragically  after  a massive search  her  body  was  discovered  early  yesterday morning in a dumpster near the end of the apartment complex where  she lived. Authorities have made an arrest.  His name is 20-year-old Matthew Flugence, the nephew of the young girl's stepfather. The coroner’s office says the girl was stabbed to death.  The investigation continues.

LSU announced Tuesday morning a $2 million private donation that should put them a step closer to finishing renovations to the university’s Patrick F. Taylor Hall. The family of Board of Regents member Roy O. Martin donated the money. Gov. Bobby Jindal last year threw his support behind a $100 million public-private partnership to turn the building into a state-of-the-art engineering facility.

U.S. News and World Report’s 24th annual Best Hospitals report was released yesterday. On that list, Louisiana’s best hospitals. As you may suspect  the top hospitals were in the state’s biggest cities. #1 was Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. #2 the Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport. But, the number three hospital came as a surprise to even the publisher of the report. Rapides Regional Medical Center here in Alexandria was ranked No. 3 among all Louisiana hospitals. 

Cleco is warning its customers across Louisiana to beware of a scam  wherein callers impersonate Cleco employees. Spokeswoman Robbyn Cooper  says the con artists are threatening to disconnect power unless you wire  them money. Cooper says the callers will demand immediate payment be made, using  a particular money transfer agency, or the customer's power will be cut  off. She wants consumers to know that Cleco may occasionally call  customers to remind them of an overdue bill, but they never discuss nor  dictate payment method within those calls.

Another   State   lawmaker  switches  from  the  democratic  to  the republican party.  Port  Allen  Senator  Rick  ward  joins Opelousas Senator Elbert Guillory and Jonesboro Representative Jim  Fannin  as legislators  who  swapped  parties in the last two months. Word is he plans to run for Louisiana's  sixth  congressional district  seat, which   will become  open  in  2014 as Baton Rouge Congressman Bill Cassidy challenges democrat Mary Landrieu for senate.

Imagine not only surviving being struck by lightning  but  having it happen to you while you were inside a building. That's exactly  what happened  to and unidentified woman, yesterday, who was checking out her groceries at a Supermarket in Houma. Authorities think the lightning  was  most  likely  transmitted  through  the  store's electrical  system.  A  foot-wide  blackened  tile  marks  the spot but thankfully the woman appears to be OK.

Police  say  a woman from Franklin is dead and her son  in  critical condition after the two got into a fight. They say 60-year-old Hazel Charles died from  trauma to the head and her son, Jeremiah Penns is fighting for his life  with  multiple  stab  wounds.  The  situation remains under investigation.

The president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers fell off a ladder last weekend and will need up to eight weeks to recover. Steve Monaghan, veteran leader of the teachers’ union, is expected to make a full recovery.  Monaghan fractured two vertebrae in his back.

East Baton Rouge Parish authorities say a  25-year-old  Baton  Rouge man drowned in the Amite River Monday night after jumping from a dock. They  say  Jason  Hamilton  was drinking all day and swimming in the river with some friends at a  camp and when he jumped into the water and screamed for help, his friends  thought  he  was  joking. He wasn’t.  Divers recovered his body around 7pm.

A 20 year old Sunset man is in the St. Landry Parish  jail  after he allegedly  raped  a  4 year old girl. Sheriff's Office Captain Megan Vizena  says  Nathaniel  Monroe  was  taken  into  custody  after  a complaint came  in  from  the  little  girls mother. She says Monroe admitted to it and was charged with one count of aggravated rape.

Summer  travel budgets may need to be adjusted  after  this  massive spike in the gas price recently. The current statewide average for a gallon of  regular  according to AAA is currently 14 cents more than it was this time last week.

SEC Media Days continue in Birmingham today and the conduct of football  players away from the field is a hot topic. LSU has its issues in this  area involving former players Jordan Jefferson and Tyrann Mathieu and  now suspended running back Jeremy Hill. Commissioner Mike Slive says the  league can't ignore the recent off-the-field incidents.

News for Monday 071513

By Dave Graichen

The state Legislature will not call its members into a special session  to consider overriding Governor Jindal's veto decisions. The Senate  voted 26-13 against the session, despite calls from Democrat leaders to  undo cuts to programs for disabled persons.  In the House, only 39 of 105 members voted against the session, but state law says if a majority of members in EITHER chamber vote "no", the  veto session is cancelled.  Louisiana hasn't had a veto override session in modern times.

Pleading guilty to simple battery, LSU running back Jeremy  Hill has been  given  a  six-month  suspended  prison  sentence, two years of probation and ordered to pay 375-dollars in restitution  for hitting another  man  outside  a  Baton  Rouge  bar  last April. Hill still may have his probation from a previous crime revoked.

Louisiana's  unclaimed  property   program   distributed   a  record 31-million  dollars  in  checks to residents during the fiscal  year that ended June 30th. The  money  comes  from old checking accounts, CDs, insurance proceeds and utility deposits. When a business cannot locate the person the money belongs to, they  turn  it  over  to the

state.  State  Treasurer John Kennedy says there's still 575-million dollars that needs  to  be  claimed  by  over 500-thousand Louisiana residents. Kennedy says you can check to see if Louisiana has any of your money by going to latreasury.com.

Could Opelousas state Senator Elbert Guillory be thinking of running for  U.S. Senate against Mary Landrieu? Guillory recently switched parties,  becoming the state legislature's only black Republican. Guillory posted a YouTube video last month explaining why he left the  Democrats to join the GOP. It's been viewed nearly 800-thousand times.  Since then he's appeared on numerous national radio and cable TV talks  shows. It's been suggested that, as a republican in the Senate race he

 could draw black votes that another GOP candidate probably wouldn't

A Harvey family woke up to every parent’s worst nightmare Saturday morning: their child missing without a trace. Six-year-old Ahlitta North disappeared from her mother’s home sometime between 11 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday. Authorities say there were no signs of forced entry and that the front door was ajar. Family members said a handful of the girl’s possessions, a toothbrush, blanket and toothpaste, also were missing.

LSU's chief of Health Care Services is resigning. Dr. Michael Kaiser says  he'll  exit  his  $350-thousand  a year position at the end of August. Kaiser began the job last fall as  the Jindal administration worked toward privatization of six of the seven charity hospitals in south Louisiana under the umbrella of the LSU  Health Care Services. He's  presided over the layoffs of thousands of state  employees  at LSU medical facilities statewide.

A new ranking by financial website Kiplinger.com rates Louisiana  America's Most Disaster-Prone State. State Insurance Commissioner Jim  Donelon says this comes as little surprise, based on how the report's  data was collected. The Kiplinger report covers a period from 2003 through 2012, and shows  Louisiana had 7 hurricanes, 2 tropical storms and 20 other severe  weather incidents during that time. Estimated insured property losses over $32-billion. Donelon says  Florida was Number Two on the Kiplinger "Disaster-Prone List", followed by Texas, Mississippi then New York at Number Five--due to huge losses from Superstorm Sandy.

News for Thursday 071113

By Dave Graichen

Governor  Jindal  announces  a  Russian company called Eurochem will build a fertilizer plant in either  St.  John  or  Iberville Parish. Jindal  says  the facility will take three to four years  to  build, creating two-thousand  construction  jobs.  The plant is expected to

employ 15-hundred workers.

State lawmakers have until midnight tonight to vote to call off a  mandatorily scheduled veto override session. House Democratic Caucus  leader John Bel Edwards, of Amite, wants legislators to convene the  special session. He says Governor Jindal's vetoes were too harsh this  year. State law says a session to consider overturning any of the Governor's  vetoes is automatically slated, unless a majority vote it un-necessary.

To cope with ongoing budget troubles, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration has steadily depleted a trust fund for elderly services created with an infusion of federal cash a decade ago. When Jindal took office, the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly contained more than $830 million. Today, according to the state treasurer’s office, the balance has dropped to $410 million. By the end of the current fiscal year, it is projected to sink to $250 million or less. Officials involved with creating the fund expected the state to use largely the interest and investment earnings and leave the principal alone, so the fund would be available for decades.

The latest on Chantal; the system is now a tropical  wave  -  a  bit south  of  Haiti,  but some computer models show the storm regaining strength and turning  to  the  north, toward the Florida east coast. Another model predicts the system will proceed west into the Gulf.

The Louisiana National Guard's Counterdrug  Task Force announces the seizure of about  ten million dollars in marijuana plants growing in Vernon Parish. Counterdrug Task Force coordinator Lieutenant Colonel Ray Schindler says their high-tech aerial equipment  helped  uncover thousands of pot plants on a three acre plot. Schindler says this is the  largest  marijuana  eradication  seizure the Louisiana National Guard has ever participated in. Schindler  says  no  arrests  have  yet been made related to the pot

crop.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, predicts one-third of its  customers who purchase their own policies will see their premiums  decrease under the new federal health care law. However, Senior Economist Michael  Bertaut says policy holders who receive insurance through their  workplace could see their premiums rise.  About 175-thousand Blue Cross customers pay for their own insurance.  Bertaut says fortunatly two-thirds of those policyholders will continue  to pay the same premiums or even less when the health care changes take  effect in 2014.

According to a  report  by  Kiplinger,  Louisiana  is the state most disaster prone state in the nation. The study was put together based on which state has suffered the biggest property loss.  The  Pelican State got the No. 1 spot, mostly because of Hurricane Katrina – the costliest disaster in US history.

Police  in  Baton  Rouge  arrest  a  man  and his wife  for  running prostitution  in  their home, in a quiet neighborhood.  Charles  and Kaelice Smith have  been taken into custody. Officers say Mrs. Smith was selling herself for  sex  in  the home; using an Internet add to solicit business. Mr. Smith would take the couple's two children for

a ride when clients came by. The kids have been placed with a family relative.

The annual Manning Passing Academy starts today at Nicholls State  University. The traditional summer camp helps hundreds of young players  from around the country build up their football skills. The camp is in its  eighth year in Thibodeaux

The  company  responsible  for the 4-mile wide rainbow sheen visible from the natural gas leak of  a  well southwest of Port Fourchon has had problems before. The leak started  Tuesday but Energy Resource Technology-Gulf of Mexico LLC has been cited  for  problems  in 2007 and  2008.  They  have  also been investigated for several accidents since 2005 that included three fatalities.

Police in Zachary say a man  is  under  arrest for beating up his 88 year old grandmother -- breaking her eye  socket  and nose. They say 31-year-old  Keon  Brown  told  family  members his grandmother  had actually  fallen. The man was booked on counts  of  cruelty  to  the infirmed and second-degree battery involving domestic violence.

Research  done  by a doctor at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans has found  people  can  become  very  ill  and even die from eating a raw crawfish. Doctor James Diaz says he's found 16 cases in the US where people consumed a parasite from eating  a  raw crawfish and it developed into a serious lung infection. Diaz says the infection is not possible when eating boiled crawfish.

Convicted  killer  Brandon Lavergne has kept busy while serving life in Angola for the murders  of Mickey Shunick and Lisa Pate. Lavergne has filed lawsuits against dozens  of  individuals,  law enforcement agencies  and  media - alleging slander, libel, false reporting  and theft of his personal  property.  Lavergne's  suits  may never see a

courtroom  if  he  cannot  raise  the money needed for filing  fees. Remember, Lavergne confessed to the murders and pleaded guilty.

News for Tuesday 070913

By Dave Graichen

The  season's  third named storm, Tropical Storm Chantal, has formed in the mid-Atlantic,  with  a  course  predicted  to take it towards Florida's  east  coast. That's where most computer models  show  the storm heading, but  there  ARE  a few that forecast a track into the Gulf of Mexico. Chantal is still several days from any possible U.S. landfall. We'll keep an eye on it for you.

State  Police  say  a  20-year-old  Marksville   man   died   in   a single-vehicle  crash in Avoyelles Parish. They say Christian C Cole lost control of his  truck  and  drove  off  Highway  107  hitting a culvert then a tree. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A  $5,000 reward is being offered for  information  leading  to  the arrest  and conviction of the hit-and-run driver responsible for the death of  an  off-duty  New  Orleans  police officer. Officer Rodney Thomas  was involved in a minor accident  at  about  1  a.m.  Sunday morning on  I-10.  He was struck when he got out of his car to check on the other person  in  the  wreck.  Police  are looking for a late model white Porsche with possible damage to its right front side.

Shreveport Police identify the three-year-old who died last week, after  being left unattended inside a hot car. They say Seriah Delafosse (sur-  EYE-uh DEL-uh-foss) died from heat stroke after almost 19 hours in the  vehicle.  The child's mother, Krystal Delafosse, told officers she forgot the  child in the car when she got home on the evening of July 4th, and  didn't discover the girl until 4:30 the next afternoon. The Child’s  death is still under investigation, and charges against the  child's mom are possible.

The  U.S.  Coast  Guard has re-opened the Mississippi River near its mouth, after a tug boat sank there Saturday. Spokesman Petty Officer Carlos Vega says efforts  to find the sunken vessel have so far been unsuccessful, but that tells  them  it's  not  in  the way of, and a threat to shipping traffic.He  says  shallow  draft vessels may proceed at a slow,  safe  pace. Meanwhile the search for the sunken 48-foot tug "C Pec" continues.

The Coast Guard continues  searching  for  man who fell overboard in the Gulf of Mexico south of Port Fourchon. 36-year-old  Hung  Nguyen was  on  a  commercial  dive boat when he went missing. The ship and crew conducted an extensive  search,  Now  the  Coast  Guard  has  2 helicopters  and three fixed-wing aircraft scanning the area for any sign of the man,  who's  been  in  the  water  since  early Saturday

morning.

State Police  report a total of five fatal crashes over the July 4^th weekend, resulting  in  6  deaths.  Three  of  the  victims were not wearing  seat  belts.  One  of  the  wrecks  is  known to have  been alcohol-related.

East  Baton  Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar more has formally charged LSU running back Jeremy Hill with simple battery in the case of the bar fight  outside  Reggie's  in  April.  The 20 year old was suspended  by  Coach  Les Miles in May when the Mad Hatter  said  he would wait for the legal  process  to  carry  out before he made any further action against Hill.

Governor Bobby Jindal announced a Baton Rouge Company, CB&I will be adding 400 jobs from out-of-state locations to the company's  Baton  Rouge  location. The new  direct jobs will pay salaries averaging $68,000 to $78,000  per year plus benefits.

Governor Bobby Jindal confirms he has no plans to run for U.S. Senate  against incumbent Mary Landrieu in the fall of 2014. Though a Jindal  advisor two weeks ago said the Governor has "no interest", reporters at  a Jindal press conference Monday heard it from the Governor himself.

Bossier  City Police say a suspected  drunk  driver  is  accused  of trying to  kill a police officer, by ramming his patrol car with his pickup truck.  41-year-old  Robert  Abraham led officers on a chase, when they attempted to stop him. He slammed his vehicle into a squad car twice before losing control, taking out a gas meter and crashing

into  a house. He faces a slew of charges  including  attempted  1^st degree murder of an officer and 4th offense DWI.

News for Wednesday 070313

By Dave Graichen

The news came as a bit of a shock to many yesterday, Rapides schools Superintendent Nason Authement  underwent triple-bypass surgery yesterday after being taken to the hospital Monday by his wife. Authement , an avid exerciser, had been experiencing chest pains. Doctors say the surgery went well and the Superintendent is recovering nicely. It’s not know at this time how long Authement will be out of the office. An  executive assistant superintendent  is taking over Authement’s responsibilities in the interim.

The Downtown Alexandria Revitalization Effort of d.a.r.e. was introduced to the public Tuesday. The newly formed nonprofit held its coming out party in the space above Sentry Drug. The group, headed up by Tobias Wilhelm, hopes to become a clearinghouse on downtown properties.

The  Louisiana  State  Police will hold a training academy  for  new troopers for the first time  in  5 years. In 2009 there were over 11 hundred troopers statewide; now there are just 960.

Speaking of more troopers, you can expect to see them throughout the fourth of July holiday weekend. Officials  say  extra  man power has been  funded  by  the  Louisiana  Highway Safety Commission who  say aggressive  drivers,  impaired  drivers   and   those  not  properly restrained will be targeted.

State Police say they've investigated  four motorcycle fatal crashes in less than a week across south Louisiana. Trooper Nick Manale  says  this  is a popular time of the year

for motorcyclists to highway and the public  needs  to  be  vigilant while driving.

He says man reason fatal motorcycle crashes occur because a motorist fails to see a bike and react in time.

Authorities in Grant Parish report an investigation into the vandalism of some farm equipment near Colfax resulted in the apprehension of four children, ages 8 to 12. One piece of equipment that was destroyed was valued at $275,000. A spokesperson for the Grant parish sheriff’s office say, investigators had the suspects in custody within two hours.

The  State  Fire  Marshal's  Office  and  the  Department  of Ag and Forestry  held a  memorial  yesterday afternoon  to  honor the 19 firefights  who  perished in the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona.  Fire Marshal Butch Browning  says  these  19  firefighters  represent the largest single incident losses to life since 9/11 when 343  New York

City Firefighters died. Browning says we  owe a great  deal  to  those  who  selflessly put themselves in harm's way every day to protect us.

According to the American Automobile Association, fewer people plan to  travel this 4th of July Holiday than last year at this time. AAA  Spokesman Don Redman says about 40-million Americans will journey  50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday, which  is down slightly from last year. Redman says 84% of those traveling over the next few days will be driving.

Because of the blasts at two plants in Ascension Parish, that killed three  and  sent  near  100  to the hospital last month, they remain closed. The Occupational Safety  and Health Administration, or OSHA, has  six  months to complete an investigation  into  both  explosion sites. One  worker  from  each  blast  remains in the hospital being

treated for injuries.

Thibodaux  police  arrest a homeless man who allegedly raped a child on two separate occasions.  Police  spokesman  David  Melancon  says 49-year-old  Brian Stickel is accused of assaulting the child in the woods and once  inside the child's home. Stickel faces two counts of aggravated rape. Until his arrest, Stickel was friendly with the boy's family.

A 12-year-old  Sabine  Parish  boy  faces  criminal charges after he reportedly  poured a pot of boiling water on  a  6-month  old  stray puppy.  The  dog  suffered  serious  burns  and  runs  the  risk  of infection. The  boy,  who  says he did it to keep the dog out of the

family's garbage cans, is charged with cruelty to animals, and could face up to six months behind bars. Meanwhile a number of people have offered to adopt the female Labrador pup, nicknamed "Amazing Grace".

Slidell Police say a 16-year-old faces attempted  murder charges for hacking  off  another  man's  earlobe  with  a  machete.  The   teen reportedly  told  officers he tried to kill the man, but missed. The victim is recovering  in  a Slidell hospital. The teen recently came to the area from Los Angeles  and  is  believed  to be member of the

vicious MS13 street gang.

State Wildlife & Fisheries  have closed an area off East Grand Terre Island, along the Louisiana coast,  to  commercial  fishing,  due to large  tar  mats  that  turned  up,  and  were cleaned up last week. Secretary Bob Barham says it's residual mess  from  the  2010 BP oil spill. He says seafood in that area will be tested again,  to assure it is safe to eat, before the area is reopened.

News for Monday 070113

By Dave Graichen

Another of the governor’s plans has gone down in flames, The Louisiana  Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Bobby Jindal's plan to  shift future  rank-and-file  state  workers  to  a  401(k)-style retirement  plan  is  unconstitutional.  The state seeks to cut it's retirement debt by making the move. The High Court ruled the law was unconstitutional  because it didn't receive  a  two-thirds  majority from lawmakers. In  a  written  statement,  the  Governor says he'll "work with lawmakers on the best way to proceed".

Louisiana  Department  of  Wildlife  and  Fisheries  Law Enforcement Agents  are  participating  in  Operation  Dry  Water  thru the 4^th of July weekend.  Wildlife agents are increasing patrols,  looking for boaters operating or driving a boat while intoxicated. Boat operators whose blood alcohol content exceeds the state limit of  .08  percent  will  be  charged  with a DWI. Meaning you COULD lose your driver’s license.

State Health officials say mosquito-borne West Nile virus activity has  been slow so far, a good indicator of a low-infection season. State  Epidemiologist Dr. Raoul Ratard  says a long, cool  Spring has kept mosquito activity and West Nile cases very low.  Last year, about 160 were infected with West Nile, and 18 died from  the neuroinvasive form of the disease. State officials say the best way to avoid getting the virus, it to avoid being bitten my mosquitoes.

The most sweeping changes to America's health care system in 50 years  takes effect in just 90 days. The changes are the main part of the  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2009, also called  Obamacare. John Maginnis, with the Louisiana Healthcare Education  Coalition, says the  Coalition's website has lots of information to help you understand what may change for you, under the  health care reforms. Maginnis says, under healthcare reform, persons under the federal poverty level will  get free health care under Medicaid. Those earning from 100% to 400% of  poverty level will be eligible for health care premium subsidies. That website: LHEC.net

We are now one month into the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and have already seen two named storms. State Climatologist Barry Keim says, Warm sea surface temperatures and the absence of a Pacific El Nino, or  La Nina - which can mitigate Atlantic storm formation - are behind  forecasts of between 18 to 20 named storms this year. Keim feels the  predictions are valid, and advises having your hurricane "game plan"  ready for whatever comes.

Louisiana Tech athletics becomes an official member of Conference USA  today, after a 12-year run in the Western Athletic Conference. Sports  Information Director Malcolm Butler says instead of playing schools way  out west, Tech will go up against nearby schools like Southern Miss, North Texas and U-A-B. Butler says Conference USA allows Tech to have regional rivalries, which  should lead to greater interest in Bulldog athletics and more money  coming into the athletic program.

Drug  enforcement  cops in Natchitoches have busted four people  for allegedly distributing  crystal  meth and for cruelty to juveniles - via exposing them to the dangerous  drug.  Police Chief Roger Henson says a search warrant for the Natchitoches home  turned  up meth and other  drugs  and  paraphernalia, and three kids living amongst  all that. Two of the kids  tested  positive  for  meth  in  routine drug

screenings. The  kids are now in protective custody. Three men and one  woman,  ll between 25 and 32 years of age have been arrested.

A tow truck driver died Sunday morning, about seven hours after he was struck by an alleged drunken driver while trying to move a disabled vehicle on the side of Interstate 10. 25 year old Blaze Louviere of Breaux Bridge, was standing on the shoulder of the interstate when a 2000 GMC Yukon driven by a 25 year old Texas man struck him and continued driving. Other drivers and witnesses to the accident followed the man into the Breaux Bridge city limits where Breaux Bridge police stopped and held him until State Police arrived to arrest him. Louviere was taken to a hospital in critical condition where he later died.