News for Thursday 082913

By Dave Graichen

State police have arrested a Zwolle Police Officer and charged him with inappropriate behavior with a minor. Arrested was 33 year old Calvin Aaron Jr. An investigation revealed that Aaron and a 16 year old female were using cell phones to transmit sexually explicit and/or lewd images of each other to one another.  The investigation also revealed that Aaron had attempted to destroy evidence of their activities after knowing that an investigation into the matter had begun.

Authorities  in  Jackson  Parish  confirm  one person dead  and  two injured in an accident at the Rock-Tenn paper  mill  in Hodge. We're told  the  accident happened inside a storage tank as the men  were cleaning it. A company official says  one  was  able to get out with only minor burns, and was released from the hospital.  He  says attempts to get the other man out weren't successful and he died as a result. A third man, was airlifted  to  a  burn  center  in  Shreveport. His condition is unknown at this time.

The LaSalle Parish Sheriff's office  says  a  juvenile is recovering after  being  shot by a relative who then shot and  killed  himself. They say Tuesday,  63-year-old  Elton Ray Phelps, was intoxicated at the time of the alleged shooting  and turned the gun on himself once he  realized  he'd shot the juvenile.  The  victim  is  expected  to  recover from his injuries and the case remains under investigation.

Today marks the eight year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The monster  storm killed over 15-hundred people in Louisiana and left 80-percent of  New Orleans under water for several days. US Army Corps of Engineers  spokesperson Ricky Boyett says since Katrina 14-and-half-billion dollars have been spent to reduce the storm surge risk. Boyett says the 133-mile flood protection system that's been  strengthened in the greater New Orleans area can now withstand a 100- year storm surge. Today also marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Isaac which  caused major flooding in Plaquemines and St. John the Baptist Parishes.

The state's oldest chartered harvest festival begins tonight in Morgan  City. The 78th annual Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival will run  through Monday. The festival started in 1936

State Police and local lawmen will team up for beefed up patrols along  Interstates 10 and 12 through the Labor Day Weekend, in an effort to  decrease accidents, injuries and fatalities. LSP Colonel Mike Edmonson  says "Operation: Safe Corridor" is a cooperative effort of eight states  along I-10...:

The Livingston Parish Sheriff's  office  says  the  Water  Park near Denham  Springs  where  a  teenager  drowned  has  been  cleared  of wrong-doing.  They  say an investigation did not reveal the park was breaking any law when  the  tragic  drowning occurred. The father of 14-year-old Nick Kissner of Port Allen  reportedly  says the park is too dangerous and wants to see it shut down.

State  Treasurer  John  Kennedy  is warning residents about an email scam that is charging a fee in order  to  make an unclaimed property claim. He says this happens every now and then but he wants citizens to  be aware that these scammers are getting  information  that  you could  get for yourself for free through the department's website or toll free hotline.

Be  prepared  for  an  increase  in gas prices as a result of rising crude oil prices. American Automobile  Association  Fuel Analyst Don Redman says the possibility of US military action against  Syria has led  to  a  sharp  increase in the price of oil. He says the current statewide average for  a  gallon  of  regular  gasoline is $3.41 but motorists should budget for a price of at least $3.50.

New data from the non-partisan Tax Foundation lists Louisiana among the  top five highest combined state sales taxes in the nation. Our state  ranks 3rd, with consumers paying an average 8.89-percent in state and  local sales tax. The Tax Foundation report shows only Tennessee (9.44%) and Arkansas  (9.18%) collect more sales tax. Washington and Oklahoma come in behind  Louisiana, to round out the Top 5.

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's office says a hospice nurse is under arrest  after  he stole medicine from one of his patients  that  had just died. They  say  the family saw 65-year-old William Simm Jr. of

Thibodaux take morphine,  oxycodone  and  hydrocodone  in his pocket with  him  when  he  left the house. He is charged with theft  of  a schedule II control dangerous substance.

Opelousas Police have ruled the  shooting  death of  teenage earlier this month to be an accident. 15-year-old Jaylin  Levier died, after days on life support, after he was found in his home on August 16th,

with a gunshot to the head. Police say Levier and some  friends were playing  with  a  gun when it went off. One of the teens is  charged with illegal possession of a gun by a juvenile.

Los  Angeles  mayor  Eric  Garcetti  tells "Variety"  magazine  he's calling a state of emergency due to movie  &  TV productions leaving his  city  to  shoot  in Louisiana and other states  who  offer  tax

incentives. Garcetti  says  he'll  lobby  California  lawmakers to improve  that state's tax incentives to boost film & TV productions there.

Authorities on Wednesday located an LSU senior from Ascension Parish whose family had not heard from him since early Tuesday. St. Gabriel Police Chief Kevin Ambeau said a Baton Rouge police helicopter scanning the area for Christopher Broussard located his 2004 Nissan Frontier just after 7 p.m. lying in a bayou in Iberville Parish. With the help of Broussard’s family, authorities were able to identify the lone body found inside the truck as Broussard. Christopher Broussard was 22.

New Orleans  Police  seek  a trio of men for the brutal beating of a couple in the French Quarter  last weekend. The man required surgery to repair his three-times broken  jaw.  The men sought are all young black  men.  The  victims were white. New Orleans  Crimestoppers  is offering a reward.

Police in Mandeville,  in  St. Tammany Parish, are seeking a man who tried to abduct a girl as she  got off her school bus yesterday. The man offered the girl a ride home;  she instead ran to her house, but her ran after her. The child told her  father,  who ran outside, but the suspect had already fled. He's described as Hispanic,  heavy-set with short dark hair and a moustache.

News for Tuesday 082713 5:25a

By Dave Graichen

Tony Procell, the man allegedly killed by a Natchitoches police officer,  died as a result of significant injuries to his head. That's according  to a preliminary autopsy report done by the Sabine Parish Coroner's  office. Deputy coroner Ron Rivers. There's a report that says 34-year-old Robert Barthelemy allegedly used  a baseball bat to kill Procell after abducting him from his Many home by gunpoint last Tuesday. Barthelemy has been in police custody since Wednesday morning. He's facing a charge of first-degree murder. Procell's body was found on  Sunday in a shallow grave in Winn Parish. Rivers says a forensic  anthropologist expert from LSU is assisting in the investigation.

The Secretary of State is teaming with registrars' offices across the  state to push for voter registrations this week. Secretary Tom Schedler  says the effort is in cooperation with National Voter Registration Week;  now through this Friday. Schedler says Louisiana ranks 3rd in the country for the percentage of eligible voters that are registered to do so; 85%. Registrars offices will hold voter registration events at  select locations all across the state this week. Remember, you can always register to vote at the Office of Motor Vehicles, also at libraries,  public schools and colleges and even by U.S. Mail.. Register online anytime at  "GeauxVote.com"

A survey conducted by the U-S Census Bureau finds that one-third of  Louisiana residents do not have the ability to access the Internet at  all. Public Service Commission member Foster Campbell many of those people live in rural areas. Campbell says  companies who offer broadband internet connection services are not  doing business in rural areas, because it’s not profitable for them. The Census Bureau says Louisiana ranks as the 11th worst connected  state. Mississippi is the least connected, while Washington is the most  connected state.

According to rankings released Monday by Washington Monthly Magazine, Louisiana colleges, both public and private, aren’t very good in contributing to the overall public well-being. They also don’t provide that much value, according to another list. Of the four Louisiana universities on the National Rankings list, Tulane University had the highest placement coming in at 100, while LSU had the second poorest showing with a 178. State officials say the lists used flawed data.

Search teams located the body of a 46-year-old Shreveport man Monday morning in Cross Lake in Caddo Parish. Robby Weems had been missing  since Saturday night. Adam Einck, with the Louisiana Department of  Wildlife and Fisheries, says Weems was on a boat with his brothers that broke down when he jumped into the lake as it was being towed. He went under and didn’t resurface. Einck says alcohol may have played a role in the incident.

New Orleans could be one of several cities that will put in a bid to  host the 2016 Republican National Convention. Jason Dore', executive  director of the Louisiana Republican Party, says it will take millions  of dollars to bring the G-O-P Convention back to the Big Easy for the  first time since 1988. Dore says the national republican party has indicated they would like to  hold the convention in June or July, which would avoid any conflicts  with the Saints.

Even though investigators with the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's  office believe an 8-year-old boy intentionally shot a 90-year-old  Slaughter woman Thursday evening in her home, under Louisiana law the  child cannot be charged. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the boy is  too young to be prosecuted in the juvenile criminal justice system. The law states anyone who has not reached the age of 10 years are exempt from  criminal responsibility.   The parents of the by say the shooting was not intentional.

The former LSU student who fatally shot two hostages in a bank standoff in northeast Louisiana had drawn attention from federal authorities earlier this year after he was photographed holding an assault rifle while visiting Yemen. Fuaed Abdo Ahmed had not been under investigation before the standoff, but LSU Police, who were briefed by the FBI, issued a bulletin to Louisiana law enforcement agencies regarding statements he made. The FBI said Friday that agents interviewed Ahmed in Yemen in April after his family reported him missing, and possibly kidnapped,  and again in June upon his return to the United States. The second interview was prompted by a report “about a Facebook photo of Ahmed holding an AK-47 while he was visiting Yemen

The  lack  of any measureable rain has led to a burn ban  in  Sabine Parish. Extreme drought conditions plague the area, meaning resident cannot   burn    anything   outdoors.   Not   trash,   leaves,   cut brush...nothing. The ban is in effect for at least 30 days, possibly longer if some rain doesn't fall soon.

A Belle Chasse woman was arrested after she allegedly  threatened  a 6th  grade  student who had a dispute with her daughter. 34-year-old Sayra Smith reportedly  got  on the bus and in the child's face. The bus driver intervened, and was  verbally  attacked by Smith...all of this  caught  on  the  bus's  video  recorder.  She's  charged  with trespassing and disturbing the peace.

News for Thursday 082213

By Dave Graichen

Saying something stinks about the way a special election for the 5th Congressional District seat developed, Public Service Commissioner Clyde Holloway joined the crowded race Wednesday. Fourteen people, including four legislators, a mayor, a former legislator and political newcomers, are now on the ballot for the Oct. 19 open primary special election to replace U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander. Holloway, a Republican from Forest Hill, said his decision to run stems from suspicions that Gov. Bobby Jindal and Alexander, R-Quitman, orchestrated a plan to slide state Sen. Neil Riser into the seat.

The LSU Tigers haven't  played  a  game yet this season, but already talk  is centered around NEXT year's  schedule  which  was  released yesterday.   LSU  will  close  out  the  2014 season in College Station  taking  on  Texas  A&M in a Thanksgiving night  game.   The Tigers usually play Arkansas  as the last game of the season the day after Thanksgiving, but next year,  the  Tigers  and Razorbacks will take on each other earlier in the season.

A Natchitoches Police officer is in custody for allegedly kidnapping another  man  Tuesday  night and holding him at gunpoint. DeSoto Parish Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle  says  officer  Robert  Barthelemy was taken into  custody  after  almost a 2 hour standoff  with  law enforcement who feared the suspect was  going  to commit suicide in his car. He ended up being taken into custody without  incident. The dispute between the two men was reportedly over a woman. The victim, Tony Procell is still missing.an active search continues for him today.

State  Attorney General Buddy Caldwell spent some time in a  Madison Parish hospital,  after  a  single vehicle crash. State Police Trooper Albert Paxton  says the accident happened at around 7 yesterday morning, not far from Tallulah. Caldwell  told troopers he was fatigued  and  felt  nauseated  while driving,  and   apparently  blacked  out.  He  suffered  only  minor injuries. Paxton  says  impairment  is  not  suspected in Caldwell's crash.

Former chief of staff to Governor Bobby  Jindal Steven Waguespack is reportedly  in  line  to  become  the next president  of  LABI,  the Louisiana Association of Business and  Industry. This is interesting news, as Waguespack is loyal to the Governor's  Office, and LABI was instrumental  in  nixing  Mr. Jindal's tax swap proposal  this  past Spring. The plan would have  ended  state  income  taxes and shifted more  of the tax burden to business. With Waguespack  at  the  helm, political insiders are saying, Jindal's tax swap could have a very different fate next Spring.

Four people were seriously hurt Wednesday afternoon, in a crash near I-49 in  Carencro  that  slowed traffic to a crawl. Police  say  a  woman driving a vehicle with  three  kids  inside  was  attempting  a lane change,  when  she  hit a truck, lost control and rolled her vehicle several times. One child  was  ejected  from  the  car. All four are being treated for severe, but non-life-threatening injuries. Traffic

backup due to this crash - plus rubbernecking - led to several other smaller accidents, in which no one was seriously hurt.

New LSU President and Chancellor F. King Alexander will be among  volunteers helping freshman students move into their campus housing  today. It's the annual Move-In Day at LSU, and Alexander says he's not  alone; about 700 faculty, staff and student athletes will take part.

Residents in central and northern Louisiana will soon have access to the  fastest wireless phone & device technology, as AT&T announces it's  rolling out 4G LTE service in Alexandria and points north. AT&T  spokesperson Sue Sperry says 4G LTE provides upload and download speeds  far superior to current mobile technologies.  Sperry says the Alexandria area should have the new wireless tech fully in place before the year's end. Now, if we can only get a signal on Jackson Street Ext….

A  West  Baton  Rouge  18-year-old,  Daryl  Tillman,  and an unnamed teenager face battery charges for shooting a girl at Plaquemine High school with a paintball gun. Investigators said their prank happened as the girl was leaving an after school event.

Dressed  as  a  Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Deputy, 26-year-old  Gary Robertson of Westlake,  apparently  stole  two flat-screen TV's from Walmart, Tuesday after noon. Authorities say  Robertson stole the uniform from a relative. He now faces several charges  and the investigation continues into whether he used the uniform in any other situations.

New  Orleans  Police  say  a  local  taxi  driver was arrested after allegedly using his cellphone to record video  underneath  a woman's skirt without her permission, then using the footage to try  to  get money  from  her.  Metairie resident Hervey Farrell was charged with extortion and video  voyeurism  for  the  April  2012  incident.  He allegedly  sent the victim a copy of the video and demanded $1000 to make it "disappear". Something he will probably be doing soon.

Deputies in Tangipahoa  Parish  have  recovered  two  guns that were stolen  from a Hammond City Police vehicle last week, but  they  are still seeking  the thief or thieves who took them. The Chevy SUV was burglarized last  Friday  during  the  overnight  hours. The weapons stolen  were  a  Glock  semi-automatic  pistol  and  Remington  pump shotgun.

The  ACLU  has sent Slidell Police a letter warning  them  they  are violating the  Constitution  every  time  they  arrest  a person for begging  money  from  citizens.  Louisiana  American Civil Liberties

Union director Marjorie Esman says Slidell cops  have arrested about 6  people for panhandling so far this year. The police  say  they've passed her letter on to their lawyers for review.

News for Tuesday 082013

By Dave Graichen

Police in Lafayette are investigating Sunday's early  morning murder of  a Pineville woman. Cpl Paul Mouton says 51-year-old Connie  Burch was found  dead  by  officers  lying  on  a  sidewalk with a single gunshot wound. He says they are seeking a person  of interest in the shooting.  Mouton says a potential witness,  saw  a  man leaving the scene on a bike. He's described as a thin build black  male,  with  dreadlocks, wearing a white muscle shirt and red shorts. They are asking anyone with information to please contact the authorities.

A new poll on the October special election to replace outgoing  Congressman Rodney Alexander shows Columbia GOP State Senator Neil Riser  in the lead. The independent poll was done by pollster John Couvillon,  with JMC Analytics. He says his survey of over 750 likely voters shows

nearly 30% support Riser. The poll shows Riser leads with 29%. Democratic Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo  has 11%, and  Marksville Democrat State Rep. Robert Johnson with 11%.  29% are undecided.  In yesterday's first day of qualifying for the race, Riser, Johnson and  Monroe state Rep. Marcus Hunter signed up. Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo is also expected to qualify

A crowded field is expected in two years when the gubernatorial election  takes place. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, Congressman Rodney Alexander,  state treasurer John Kennedy, state representative John Bel Edwards are  potential candidates. Senator David Vitter could also get into the race, but, Vitter says his focus is on his work in Washington and not a  gubernatorial campaign.

A mayor from a small town in Lincoln Parish plans on running for  governor in 2015. Sixty-year-old Willie Hendricks has been the mayor  of Simsboro since 2006 and he would like to live in the governor's  mansion one day. Hendricks says if he's elected as our next governor,  public education would be his number one priority.

Governor Bobby Jindal  is  in Alberta  Canada  today.  Today, the governor  will  address the Canadian  Oilmen's  Business  Forum  Luncheon  to make the case  for building  the  Keystone  XL  Pipeline  because of its  benefits  for Louisiana, Gulf States and the US economy.

Remember Governor Jindal's ill-fated  plan to end state income taxes while raising some sales taxes and fees?  It  was dead on arrival in the 2013 Legislative session. A Baton Rouge newspaper  reports  that development  and  promotion  of that plan will cost taxpayers almost $800-thousand. That money was spent on consultants, media marketing, PR and website design.

Residents in Crowley have been reporting sightings of the extremely  venomous coral snakes in their yards. Biologist Jeff Boundy with the  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries believes the snakes  are making their way to subdivisions from the wooded areas along the  Mermentau River. Boundy says coral snakes are highly secretive and they are likely to  move around in pine mulch or leaf litter. He says if you happen to  see one, leave it alone. The usually will only bite if you try to pick them up. If you get bit, seek medical care at once.

Residents  of Mossville want the Sasol energy company to answer some of their questions  before  they sell their homes to them. The South African company plans to build  a  $14.5  billion  complex near Lake Charles. The residents been asking for a higher price  or  a mineral lease  in  addition.  A company spokesperson says the buyout offers are generous and the company will only respond to written questions.

There  will  be  a  Memorial  Prayer  Service  Today for the three hotages  taken last week at a bank in St. Joseph.  LaDean  McDaniel, Jay Warbington  (who  both  died),  Patricia  White the survivor and their families will all be lifted up in prayer.  The  entire  public is  invited  to  attend  at  the Tensas State Bank tonight at 6pm .

Police  say  Troy  Broussard  of  Swamp People was  involved  in  an accident in Shreveport when an airboat  he  was hauling was hit from behind. They say around 9 yesterday  morning, a Ford Expedition struck the trailer  on  a  truck driven by Broussard sending  the  boat  flying through the air and  even  knocking  down a power line. The driver of the SUV was taken to a hospital but her injuries are unknown at this time.

Due to the discovery of additional waste material including asbestos completion  of  the  waste  removal from the St. Mary Parish' Marine Shale Processors has been pushed  back  from  this  past June to the 23rd    of   this  month  according  to  the  state's  environmental department. The company had once burned hazardous materials.

Kleinpeter  Farms Dairy, which produces milk and ice  cream  out  of Baton Rouge, is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.  It's rare to find any business that has stayed in the hands of one family for so long,  and President Jeff Kleinpeter says they are very proud of that. He feels  the  key  to  their  success  has  been  passion, dedication and the willingness to do things right.

State Police say a  driver  is  under  arrest in a fatal hit and run crash in Terrebonne Parish that claimed  the  life  of a pedestrian. They say 40-year-old Sandy Carlisle of Schriever veered off the road for  unknown reasons and ran over 24-year-old Taja Wilson.  Carlisle initially  fled the scene, but as officers were working the accident the suspect later returned and was arrested.

Officials in  St. John the Baptist Parish say coyotes are becoming a problem.  They say  packs  have  been  spotted  around  schools  and subdivisions  and  pets have gone missing. The Parish Council thinks the coyotes were driver  out  of  the  swampy  habitat  by Hurricane Isaac.

Deputies in Tangipahoa Parish arrest  a  Loranger  man for allegedly soliciting sex from two juveniles...at a church. 53-year-old  Robert Elie, Jr. is charged with indecent behavior with a minor and remains in  the  parish  jail. Deputies say the children were not harmed and managed to get away  from  Elie.  An  investigation  into the Sunday incident is underway.

News for Thursday 081513

By Dave Graichen

State Rep. Robert Johnson, a democrat from Marksville, said Wednesday he will run for the 5th congressional district seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander. Johnson, who will discuss his plans Thursday at Marksville High School, becomes the first announced Democrat in the race who could receive support from the Louisiana Democratic Party as the party seeks to claim another seat in Congress.

There was a shooting in Alexandria yesterday afternoon. The APD reports the shooting took place just before 1:30 in the 1300 block of Fenner Street. The unidentified victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but no information about the victim was released.

Forecasters are keeping an eye on two tropical waves, one of them is  approaching the Gulf of Mexico. State Climatologist Barry Keim says  there's a good chance both of these systems will turn into a named  storm. The broad area of low pressure in the northwestern Caribbean Sea is

moving west-northwest at ten to 15 miles per hour and it’s expected to  make its way into the gulf of Mexico. But the good news according to Keim is conditions over the  gulf are not very supportive for tropical storm or hurricane development right now. However, it does appear that hurricane season is starting to warm up.

The town of St. Joseph in Tensas (Ten-Saw) Parish is coming together  today as they move forward from Tuesday's hostage incident where a  crazed gunman shot two employees at Tensas State Bank, killing one of  them.  The 20-year-old shooter was gunned down by troopers just before  midnight Tuesday after he shot the two remaining victims in the  chest -- one of them died the other rushed to the hospital and is still in critical condition.

State Treasurer John Kennedy said Wednesday that 19 community organizations have three weeks to detail how they spent taxpayer dollars. The groups in Kennedy’s crosshairs include groups in New Orleans and Lafayette with ties to current and former legislators. Kennedy threatened last month to forward files on 34 community groups to a new state debt collection unit unless they explained how $4.5 million in taxpayer money was spent. The groups, called nongovernmental organizations, or ngos, are supposed to file paperwork after receiving money from the state.

A state judge has found the LSU Board of Supervisors in contempt of court for not complying with her April 30 order to turn over to The Advocate and The Times-Picayune newspapers records related to the university’s search for a new president. District Judge Janice Clark on Wednesday fined LSU $500 a day for each day the school fails to comply with her order. LSU’s attorney says the school will continue to appeal Clark’s ruling as well as the contempt citation.

The governor's coastal adviser tells lawmakers he's not happy the  Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority filed suit against the  oil and gas industry. The levee board alleges nearly 100 oil and gas  companies are responsible for damage done to Louisiana's coast. But  Garret Graves, says the levee board is not looking at the big picture. Graves says the Army Corps of Engineers is the bigger culprit when it  comes to coastal land loss.

The owner of the Southwest Rice Mill in Crowley pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal environmental charge in a deal that calls for his company to pay $1 million to reimburse federal and state agencies for cleaning up an estimated 266 barrels of waste oil that leaked from a damaged tank near the mill. The owner of the mill was accused of not alerting authorities to the spilled oil, which flowed down a drainage ditch and then into Bayou Blanc in Crowley.

Here's one that you don't see every day. Police  in Scott say a very intoxicated  man  rode  his  horse  into a bar called Cowboy's  last night, causing a major disturbance. Chief  of Police Chad Leger says

26-year-old Jeremy Mouton was asked to leave  the  bar by management and he wasn't happy about it. He  says the suspect lassoed a man and then drug him  around  behind the horse  in  the  parking  lot.  He is charged with a long list of crimes, including disturbing the peace,  second-degree  battery  and public intimidation.

The St.  Bernard  Parish Sheriff's office says a man is under arrest after deputies found over 30 dead dogs, including 29 puppies, in his refrigerator. They  say  they  received  a tip from 52-year-old Juan

Toledo's  girlfriend.  He's  been charged with  a  count  of  animal cruelty for each dog.

News for Tuesday 081213

By Dave Graichen

It looks like the renovation of the Rapides parish Coliseum may soon be back on track.  The Rapides Parish Police Jury turned the $23 million project over to Alliance Design Group LLC Monday. The jury voted to hire Alliance moments after terminating its contract with Barron, Heinberg & Brocato, which recently told the jury it could not complete its design for a renovated coliseum within the agreed upon budget. After hearing from BH&B two weeks ago, jury members met with Bill Tudor of Alliance who assured them his design will work within the construction budget.

The Washington Examiner reports some within the republican party want  Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertston to run for US Representative Rodney  Alexander's congressional seat. Alexander is stepping down and an  election for his seat will be held in October. ULM Political Science  Professor Joshua Stockley says  the odds of Willie Robertson running for Congress are low,  but if he wants to get into politics, now would be a great time. The fourth season of Duck Dynasty debuts tomorrow night on A-and-E.

The Louisiana Lottery announces they've transferred over $160  million to the state treasury for K-12 public education after making  more than $447.3 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2013.  Spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin that's $26.2 million more than the state  expected mostly due to the two record Powerball jackpots. Chopin says 35 percent of all Lottery proceeds in Louisiana is transferred to the state treasury and dedicated for K-12 public  education. According to Chopin, no other lottery jurisdiction in the US contributes a  greater percentage of revenue to its government.

House Speaker Chuck Kleckley calls on higher education leaders to come  together and present the legislature with ways to adequately fund public  colleges and universities. Since 2008, higher education has seen nearly  a 700-million dollar cut in state funding, which has led to budget cuts on campuses. Kleckley says he's open to any ideas. However, Higher education leaders have been asking for greater control over  tuition costs, but that idea has been rejected by the legislature. Kleckley says state lawmakers are not going to grant that request,  unless they know graduation and retention rates will improve..

State police are investigating a crash on I-20 just east of Gibsland early yesterday morning. Bienville Parish authorities say a family of five where pulled over to the side of  the  road as the father helped the seven-year-old son out because he was not  feeling  well.  It was at that moment an 18-wheeler drove off the road crashing into their van killing the boy, his dad, and the semi driver.

An  ordinance  is  being considered by the Terrebonne Parish Council that would make it illegal for anyone to sleep in public.  Officials there say they're getting  a  lot of complaints about parks becoming bedrooms for homeless people. But  the  executive  director  of  the Louisiana  American  Civil Liberties Union Marjorie Esman says a law like this is no way to  go  about  solving the problem. She says the parish should bring on new programs  that  would  help assist people who don't have a place to live or a bed to sleep in.  She calls such an ordinance bad public policy..

The  crazy ants have finally been confirmed in Louisiana.  In  fact, the  folks   in   north   Baton  Rouge  around  Central,  Baker  and Scotlandville  have  been inundated  by  the  small,  reddish  brown insects.  They're called  crazy  ants because they simply run around in patterns that make no sense. They  form  huge mounds with several queens.  The good news if there is any good news is they don't sting, rarely bite and if they  do,  their  bite isn't really  felt  by too many folks.  And when you spray them, they  die.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of man who died after he was shocked with a Taser stun gun in 2010. The 28-year-old man was tased twice after he allegedly became uncooperative when approached for questioning about a suspected drug deal . the coroner’s report said he died from complications of bronchial asthma, but also found that “the stress resulting from the physical altercation with the police and the use of a Taser device were also contributing factors.

 It's been a slight change, but the gas prices in Louisiana have been  dropping over the past several days as the summer travel season  winds down. Don Redman with the American Automobile Association says  the current statewide average for a gallon of regular is about 5 cents less than it was this time last week and  about 12 cents cheaper than it was at this time last year. He says they feel the drop will continue  but that could change at a moment's notice if problems arise in the middle east.

The ongoing federal budget stalemate that led to the so-called “sequester” also could affect more than $1 billion in anticipated coastal restoration funds for Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states. The sequester, which began in March its across-the-board spending reductions, is holding back 5 percent of the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund and that increases to 7.2 percent beginning Oct. 1 for the 2014 fiscal year. The federal government is estimating setting aside $23 million in the fund for the upcoming fiscal year. But the concern is that if the sequester continues, well more than $1 billion could be halted from going to the affected Gulf Coast states once all of the BP civil penalties are determined. The next phase of the BP oil leak trial begins on Sept. 30, and the outcome could determine how much Louisiana and four other states get.

News for Friday 080913

By Dave Graichen

Governor Bobby Jindal has issued an executive order, setting dates for  special elections to replace 5th District Congressman Rodney Alexander.  A primary is set for October 19th, with a November 16th general  election. Supporters are already falling behind Columbia state Senator  Neil Riser. Congressman Charles Boustany has endorsed Riser, and there  are reports that Congressman John Fleming backs him too.  Word is, Ruston Democrat state Senator Rick Gallot is likely to get in

the race, as is Monroe Democrat Rep. Marcus Hunter.

The Saints kick-off the preseason tonight against the Kansas City  Chiefs. The starters will be on the field for just a few plays, but  Saints radio color analyst Hokie Gajan says he hopes Charles Brown gets  a long look at left tackle.  The Saints will also show off their new 3-4 defense tonight and tonight is also the first time Coach Sean Payton will be on the  sidelines for the Saints, since the playoff loss to San Francisco in  January 2012. Hear the game on 96.9 KZMZ.

New  research  from  Stanford  University shows Louisiana leads  the nation in student achievement at  charter  schools; ranking near the top  in  reading and math. Governor Bobby Jindal  proudly  made  the announcement yesterday at a charter school in New Orleans. There  are  over  100 charter schools in our state;  educating  some 60-thousand kids. Jindal  says  charter  schools  can  be especially helpful to kids from low-income homes and kids with disabilities.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has followed the lead of Colorado  state  University  hurricane  researchers  and has revised  its  forecast  for  the  remainder of the 2013 storm Season downward slightly. NOAA now expects  no  more  than 19 named storms, but they've trimmed the number expected to become hurricanes down to between 6 and 9.

All  the  remaining  evacuees  from  Sunday's  train  derailment  in Lawtell, in St. Landry Parish, have been  allowed  to  return  home. Cleanup of debris and wrecked train cars is in its final stages, but

any hazardous materials being hauled have been safely moved from the area.  Highway 190 is reopened, but State Police ask you still avoid the area  if  possible.  The cost of that train wreck is still being calculated.

The pot has officially  been stirred for LSU's season opener against TCU on August 31st -- but  this  is  between coaches. TCU Coach Gary Patterson is criticizing Coach Les Miles for allowing the players to vote on Jeremy Hill's reinstatement. Patterson  said  the  way  Miles  handled   the situation  doesn't teach life lessons.

Vanity Fair magazine  places  Louisiana First Lady Supriya Jindal in the Top Ten of its Best Dressed  political  wives  list. The article praises  Mrs.  Jindal's  style  sense,  and choice of "body-slimming

suits and lots of Republican-approved red".

The  town of Gibsland in Bienville Parish is under investigation  by several  agencies  for  more than $80,000 in missing funds. They are also having troubles paying  their  bills.  Entergy  has warned they

will be shutting power off to them and the Red River Pump Specialist is suing them for nearly $20,000 in unpaid fees. On the  15th  state officials  will determine if a fiscal administrator needs to take over

the towns finances.

Officials  say  a  27-year-old woman will get 150 days in  jail  for coming to court drunk with her kids. They say Jessica Wood of Larose came to the Lafourche Parish court house on traffic charges, and the staff said they could  smell  alcohol.  Apparently  Wood also argued with  the  judge  who then held her in contempt. The young  children were put into the custody of the state.

The  Terrebonne  Parish Sheriff's office announces an arrest in last weekend's triple shooting  in  the  parking  lot  of a Waffle House. Captain  Dawn  Foret says they booked 22-year-old Larry  Chatman  of Thibodaux  and  charged   him   with   three   counts  of  attempted second-degree murder. Foret says Chatman's bond has also been set at one-million dollars. The three people shot in the Waffle House parking lot are recovering from their injuries.

AT&T  announces  it  will  hold a job fair Saturday  in  Houma.  The company  is  looking for technicians  to  work  inside  and  outside testing equipment  and  services.  The  event will take place at the Holiday Inn on Martin Luther King Blvd from 9am-3pm.

Police  in  Gonzales, in Ascension Parish, seek a man dressed  as  a woman, who allegedly  tried  to  rob  a Capital One Bank branch, but  apparently lost his nerve and left. Police  Sgt.  Steve Nethken says the  suspect  entered the bank wearing a wig, a woman's  hat,  black scrubs and carrying a purse. He wrote something on a deposit slip; presumably a hold-up note, but left before his turn in line came up.  Nethken  says  they intend to charge the man with attempted robbery, once he's caught.

More than 700 men and women donning caps and gowns will leave their seats at LSU’s basketball arena Friday, shake hands with university bigwigs and then walk across the stage into their new lives as college graduates. Among the 715 graduates who will pack the arena will be students from 43 Louisiana parishes, 33 states and 32 foreign countries. Their ages range from 66 to 20.

News for Wednesday 080713

By Dave Graichen

Six term 5th District U.S. Congressman Rodney Alexander says he will not  seek  another  term  in  the 2014 Fall election. The Republican from Quitman says he's not getting any younger and he's grown tired of brutal party politics in Washington and fund-raising. U.L._Monroe  political science professor  Joshua  Stockley says Alexander's decision is a huge loss for the state. This, of course, makes the  5th  District  race next year wide open. Louisiana's 6th District will also be an open  race,  as Congressman Bill Cassidy intends to run for U.S. Senate against Mary Landrieu.

The announcement was made yesterday, A preliminary plan has been agreed on for Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital and Rapides Regional Medical Center to take over services currently provided by Huey P. Long Medical Center in Pineville. The two hospitals have been in talks for months to take over the services as part of the state’s push to privatize its LSU-run hospitals. According to LSU Health Shreveport, which manages Huey P,  services will be fully transferred on July 1, 2014.  Under the proposed model, Cabrini will handle inpatient psychiatric care, while urgent care and other inpatient care will be shared by the two hospitals. Outpatient care will be provided by clinics throughout the community. Huey P. Long will continue to operate until the takeover next year.

Some evacuees began returning home Tuesday, almost two days after a Union Pacific train carrying dangerous chemicals derailed east of Lawtell in St. Landry Parish forced residents within a mile of the wreck to leave quickly. State Police Col. Mike Edmonson said the evacuation area was reduced Tuesday to a quarter-mile from where 27 tank cars came off the tracks Sunday afternoon. It had been a mile. Highway 190 though, remains closed. State police hope to have it back open sometime on Thursday.

A large crowd was on hand in Marksville yesterday to say good by to Earl Joseph Barbry Sr. The Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe for the past 35 years. Barbry, was instrumental in getting the tribe recognized by the federal government and for the vision of the tribe’s Marksville casino. Barbry passed away last Wednesday. A Christian wake service was held Monday at the Mari Center, followed by a funeral service Tuesday morning. He was entombed at the St. Paul Catholic Mausoleum in Mansura. Earl Joseph Barbry Sr. was only 62

There's  been  another  ATV  fatality  in the state and this time  a 12-year-old boy has lost his life. State  Police  say it happened in Natchitoches  Parish  Monday  afternoon  when Hunter  Cason  lost

control  of  the four wheeler, left the road and  smashed  into  two trees. The boy  was  not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene.

McDermott International has announced it will close it's Morgan City fabrication  facility  and  marine base, which is located in Amelia. The yard will be shuttered late  this  year  or early next year. St.

Mary Parish President Paul Naquin Junior says  McDermott's  decision will put about five-hundred people out of work.

Tonight's Powerball jackpot is up to an estimated $425 million dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kimberly Chopin says the jackpot is set to be the third largest in Powerball history. The lucky winner can choose a lump sum cash payment of $244 million.

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne is visiting Canada this week meeting  with several officials to tout Louisiana and promote travel to our state. Dardenne  says  Canada  is our biggest international market not only from an economic standpoint, but also for tourism. He says they hope the result  of  this  trip  will  be  more  out-of country visitors to Louisiana.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office says a  Lake  Charles woman is behind  bars  accused  of kidnapping, molestation and cruelty  to  a juvenile. They say 30-year-old  Lacey  Dronet is accused of holding a 14  year  old against her will, encouraging  her  to  do  drugs  and engaging in inappropriate contact with her several days in July.

The man accused of a racially-charged attack on a family  at a Baton Rouge  gas  station  in May pleads not guilty. The District Attorney seeks to put Donald Dickerson  away  as an habitual offender. During the attack, Dickerson told the victims,  who  were  white, that they were in the wrong neighborhood and weren't getting out.

Just one week after becoming a new father, former Governor Edwin Edwards  celebrates his 86th birthday today. Edwards' 34-year-old wife Trina gave  birth to the couple's first baby together on August 1st. Edwards  says he comes from a long line of people who lived into their 80s  and 90s and he feels great.  Baby Eli Wallace is Edwards' fifth child and Trina's third. The  couple celebrated their 2 year wedding anniversary on July 29th. Edwards says they are all still busy working on their new reality  show, "The Governor's Wife" which was supposed to air this summer.  But A&E decided to wait till Eli was born so they could get video of  the baby -- and they hope the premier will hit A&E this fall.

Volunteers recovered the body of a Denham Springs woman Tuesday afternoon from a deep hole in the Amite River in the northeastern part of East Feliciana Parish. Authorities say the body of 38 year old Martha Dartt was pulled from the river shortly before 5 p.m.  Witnesses say  Dartt was swimming with her three children and friends in a shallow area off a sandbar when one of the children got too close to a deep area of water and began having trouble. Dartt, who reportedly could not swim, pushed the child toward the bank but went under herself.

News for Monday 080513

By Dave Graichen

Baton Rouge is ranked at the top of a list of American cities with great  economic growth potential. The ranking is from "Business Facilities", a  trade publication. Adam Knapp is president of the Baton Rouge Area  Chamber (of commerce). He says it's nice to see the hard work that's been done to attract  quality business and industry investments to Baton Rouge paying off.  Shreveport ranked 9th highest for economic growth potential in the  report. Business Facilities" has been a major source of information for folks  in the business of project site selection since 1968.

State Police said Union Pacific Railroad crews continue to work at the scene of a train derailment in Lawtell.  26 cars jumped the tracks Sunday afternoon near the small, St. Landry Parish town. State police say There was a possibility that two of the overturned tank cars that contained vinyl chloride were leaking. About 100 residents were evacuated from about 50 homes within a mile of the wreck as a precaution and highway 190 is closed in both direction, is expected to stay that way for another day or so. No one knows what caused the derailment but Mark Davis, a spokesman for Union Pacific, said crews had been working on the track shortly before the derailment. The Union Pacific train, which was coming from Lake Charles and headed to Livonia, had 76 cars.

The long-range hurricane forecast team at Colorado State has reduced its  its forecast numbers slightly, but they still predict an above-average  season with 18 named storms. Phil Klotzbach says their revised forecast  calls for eight hurricanes and three of those will be major storms,  which is a slight reduction from their June forecast.  Four named storms have formed this year, so based on the Colorado State  Forecast team, we'll see 14 more storms. Klotzbach says there's a 40- percent chance a major hurricane will hit the Gulf Coast this year.

State Wildlife & Fisheries are concerned that an invasive species of  shrimp could hurt Louisiana's white & brown shrimp populations. LDWF  biologist Robert Bourgeois says Asian tiger prawns are easy to spot;  some up to a foot long and darker with "tiger stripes." He urges  shrimpers to report any catches of these non-native shellfish. However, There is no evidence that tiger prawns EAT our native shrimp species.

The 13th ranked LSU football team is on the practice field for the first  time today. The season opener against TCU is still over 3 weeks away and  Coach Les Miles will use this time prior to the season opener to  experiment a little bit. The mad hatter says that means some players  will get looks at different positions.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office says a man who stepped out of his  truck along a road to search for his wife's glasses, was struck and  killed by a hit and run vehicle. Col John Fortunato says 46-year-old  Edward James of Harvey died at the scene. The hit and run driver later turned himself into authorities.

Fire investigators say the  blaze that killed 19 thoroughbred horses at a Haughton stables Thursday  night  was  likely not the result of foul play. Preliminary investigation results  point to an electrical

problem as the source of the fire. The owners and trainers of the 19 horses  that  died  are  devastated  at  the loss of  their  beloved animals.

The town of Clinton in East Feliciana Parish decides to end an adult  curfew that was in place every night from 11 PM to 6 AM. When the curfew  was in place, residents were not allowed outside after eleven o' clock.  The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed suit and executive  director Marjorie Esman is glad the curfew has been repealed. Esman says this is the second time the ACLU has filed suit against a Louisiana town for imposing a curfew that's not needed.

On Friday, the eve of the  one-year anniversary of Texas Brine's failed salt cavern in Bayou Corne  that  caused  a  massive 20+ acre sinkhole in Assumption  Parish, Governor Bobby Jindal  announces  the  state  is suing  Texas Brine  LLC  for  environmental  damage  caused  by  the collapse.  Jindal  says  they are staying committed to holding Texas Brine accountable for the  damage  they've caused to Bayou Corne and Louisiana.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's  Office  says  the  body  of a 17-year-old boy was has been found in a shallow grave and two people have  been  arrested in connection with the death. Mikivion Anderson went  missing  on  March  24th  and  was  last  seen  in  Garyville.  Authorities  confirm  the  victim was shot to death. Two 18 year olds have been  booked  with  second-degree  murder.

News for Thursday 080113

By Dave Graichen

Earl Barbry Sr., the chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana who was instrumental in getting federal recognition for the tribe and in bringing the Paragon Casino & Resort to Marksville, passed away Wednesday here in Alexandria, after a long battle with cancer. . Barbry was raised on the Tunica-Biloxi Reservation in Marksville. He was elected the tribe’s chairman in 1978 and was still chairman at his death. Barbry is survived by his wife, two sons and two granddaughters. Earl Barbry was 62

It’s a boy for former Gov. Edwin Edwards and his wife, Trina. The couple welcomed Eli Wallace Edwards in Baton Rouge early Thursday morning just three days after celebrating their second wedding anniversary. Trina Scott Edwards posted the announcement on her Facebook page early Thursday.

Plans to renovation of the Rapides Coliseum are being temporarily put on hold. The Rapides Parish Police Jury met in executive session for about an hour-and-a-half Wednesday with the chosen to design the project, Barron, Heinberg and Brocato.  At issue is whether the design BH&B submitted for a “new” coliseum can fit into the construction budget. Word is, the design is several million  over the $23 million voters approved. One option presented was a scaled-down version of the original design that would still require significant amount of additional funds. Something the parish could only do by  borrowing the money.

A number of new state laws take effect today; among them a ban on using  a  pad or smartphone to view or post to  social  media  while driving. In  addition,  publishing  the names or addresses of person who have or have applied for concealed  weapon carry permits can now get you a $10-thousand fine. Some other new  laws; residents can now get lifetime concealed handgun permits, and public  schools must now have  annual safety drills for possible shooter emergencies  and  go over the success or failure of those drills with local lawmen.

Funeral services will be held today for former Congresswoman  and Louisiana  political icon Lindy Boggs, who died last Saturday at age 97. She was the state's first woman to serve in Congress, succeeding husband Hale Boggs who vanished in Alaska in 1972. She was also the first woman  to  be U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. Her funeral will be held at the St.  Louis  Cathedral in New Orleans' Jackson Square. She'll be buried  in  her hometown of New Roads in Pointe

Coupee Parish.

State Police say a teen from Coushatta  was  killed  in a tragic ATV accident  Wednesday.  They  say  16-year-old  Dakotta  Huckabay  was driving on LA highway 507 in Red River Parish when he left the road, hit  a dirt embankment then overturned. Huckabay was not  wearing  a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene.

State Police are investigating an ATV accident that caused the death of a 20-year-old man in St. John the Baptist  Parish.  Trooper  Evan Harrell says Ronnie Brown of Luling was not wearing a helmet when he struck a tree and was ejected from the four-wheeler. Brown was later pronounced  dead  at a local hospital. Harrell says they later found out the ATV Brown was driving was not his. It was stolen.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is in Washington D-C today,  participating in a flood insurance reform discussion. Flood insurance  rates will rise as the federal government is requiring policy holders to  pay more for coverage. Donelon says today's meeting examines whether a

system can be set up so private companies can offer flood insurance.  There are 484-thousand flood insurance policies in Louisiana, which is  about nine percent of the total nationally.

A St. Martin Parish grand jury on Wednesday chose not to indict Breaux Bridge police officer Travis Guillot in the Dec. 2, 2012, shooting death of a teenager who drove her car into a police cruiser and a pedestrian as she apparently tried to escape a fight. The grand jury reached its decision not to charge the officer after two days of evidence put on by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office

Wednesday was the final day of the LA-Swift Service between  Baton  Rouge and  New  Orleans.  The  bus  service  started  in  the aftermath of Hurricane  Katrina  to  help  displaced  residents  commute  to  New Orleans.  But  the  state  no  longer has the money to continue  the

transportation  service. LA Swift transports more  than  12-thousand riders  a month.  A  recent survey says 51-percent of the riders use the service to get to work.

An 85-year-old Lake Charles  woman is charged with attempted murder, arson and domestic abuse battery for an unsuccessful attempt to kill a man. Officers went to the woman's  home  Tuesday  night  answering  a domestic  dispute  call to find the victim with non-life-threatening injuries. Ida Meche  reportedly also tried to set the house on fire. She was taken into custody. Bond has not yet been set.