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Louisiana at 12 p.m. on Thursday
Good afternoon, Louisiana editors.
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TOP STORIES
XGR-RETIREMENT DEBT
BATON ROUGE — Lawmakers are considering proposals that would steer dollars that were slated to pay for cost of living adjustments to the pension payments for retired state workers and school employees to instead cut down the multibillion-dollar debt of the systems. The House Retirement Committee was voting on the package of bills Thursday. By Melinda Deslatte. UPCOMING: 475 words by about 3 p.m.
LIVINGSTON-GUSTAV CLEANUP
LIVINGSTON — Attorneys say the Federal Emergency Management Agency's threat to have Livingston Parish's Hurricane Gustav debris removal monitors investigated for fraud is "gratuitous" and "improper." FEMA has alleged that monitors hired by the parish to oversee the removal of leaning trees and hanging limbs from parish rights of way were inexperienced, poorly trained and submitted fraudulent claims. The parish's attorneys said in the latest motion filed in the case that the accusations of misconduct are "unfounded" and fail to explain how FEMA's own personnel on the ground could have missed such widespread fraud. At issue is the nearly $59 million Livingston Parish is seeking from FEMA in unpaid cleanup costs stemming from the 2008 storm. The dispute is before the U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. SENT: 255 words.
SHREVEPORT MEDICAL SCHOOL
SHREVEPORT — LSU Medical School in Shreveport could add up to 32 new spots for potential doctors in the next five years. Administrators are weighing expansion plans even as the school maps out a relationship with the privately managed Shreveport and Monroe hospitals it once operated. They estimate service contracts with the hospitals will yield up to $48 million in the 2014-15 budget year. Dr. Hugh Mighty, vice chancellor for clinical affairs, said the estimate includes $16 million for faculty members teaching work and supervision of residents. Another $30 million could come from payments to the medical school for faculty members' care of patients. He said the actual amounts could vary because of patient volumes at the hospitals and outpatient clinics. SENT: 235 words.
LAFAYETTE SCHOOLS-ATTORNEY
LAFAYETTE — The Lafayette Parish School Board has officially named a private law firm as its interim legal counsel. The board voted 6-3 Wednesday to award the temporary contract to Hammonds, Sills, Adkins and Guice. The board previously voted to discontinue using the district attorney's office. Superintendent Pat Cooper said several times at the meeting that he will sign the contract for the firm, despite his concerns that the board has possibly violated state law and its own policies during the entire process. The board did not take any action on formally addressing Cooper's concerns. However, the superintendent said he felt he had made his issues known and that they had been entered into the public record. SENT: 231 words.
ST LANDRY LIBRARIES
OPELOUSAS — A proposed ordinance establishing an East St. Landry Library District has been delayed indefinitely by the St. Landry Parish Council. That proposed ordinance was introduced at a Feb. 19 meeting even though all but three council members said they did not support the concept. Prior to Wednesday's vote, Bruce Gaudin, chairman of the St. Landry Library Coalition, asked the council to hold off on the parish-wide library issue until coalition members could discuss the matter further with council members and municipal officials. Gaudin said the coalition needs more time to do its homework and possibly draft a new version of an ordinance. SENT: 276 words.
ST JAMES-LAND USE PLAN
VACHERIE — Half a dozen residents voiced support at a public hearing Wednesday for the St. James Parish government's proposed land use plan. The land use plan, which would be used in conjunction with the parish's comprehensive master plan, divides the parish into categories such as residential/future industrial; residential growth; commercial; commercial/residential mixed; industrial; agriculture; recreation; schools; fire department; water and wetlands. Two other categories make up Lutcher and Gramercy, two municipalities governed by their own ordinances. Officials have said the proposed plan seeks to direct the parish's growth over the next two decades by encouraging economic development and improving infrastructure, reducing land use conflicts between residents and industry, promoting affordable housing and preserving historic sites. SENT: 220 words.
SHAW HOUSE
OXFORD, Miss. — The Oxford Board of Aldermen has reversed a decision to allow the demolition of a cabin and three other outbuildings on the historic Shaw property. The Historic Preservation Commission's 5-2 decision from last week would have allowed the destruction of a cabin and other outbuildings sharing the property with the Shaw House, a deteriorating home built before the Civil War. The board of aldermen voted 7-0 Tuesday to reverse the decision. The Shaw house was built by brick maker Dave Kennedy and has been in the Shaw family since 1929. Louisiana-based Brian Development had proposed buying the property, restoring the house and building from 12 to 18 townhouses and free-standing condominiums on the remainder of the property. SENT: 244 words.
CAREGIVER ARRESTED
PINEVILLE — Police say a Dry Prong woman who had been a caretaker for a Pineville woman is facing charges after allegedly forging checks and refusing to return the woman's vehicle. Venessa Ann Gauthier, 35, was arrested this week and booked with forgery, theft of the assets of a disabled person and unauthorized use of a movable. Police say Gauthier allegedly cashed multiple checks for $750 and then refused to return the victim's vehicle after she'd been allowed to use it. Gauthier was released from jail on a $3,250 bond. SENT: 167 words.
LOUISIANA IN BRIEF
Editors: The following brief items moved Thursday on AP's Louisiana wire and may be of interest for your Friday editions.
EDUCATION LAWSUIT
HARVEY — The Jefferson Parish School Board has voted 6-3 to join a lawsuit filed by St. John the Baptist Parish, along with 47 other parishes, challenging the state's funding formula to local school districts. The lawsuit alleges that the state owes local school districts money through its Minimum Foundation Program formula. SENT: 118 words.
HOUSING GRANTS
NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $37.6 million to 102 Louisiana public housing authorities to make major large-scale improvements. The grants, announced Wednesday, are provided through HUD's Capital Fund Program, which provides annual funding to about 3,100 public housing authorities to build, repair, renovate and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. SENT: 116 words.
ONLINE SEX
MINDEN — A 23-year-old Springhill man could be looking at a lengthy prison sentence following his conviction 26th Judicial District Court for trying to arrange a sexual liaison with a juvenile. Following a bench trial on Wednesday, Justin Green was found guilty by state District Judge John Robinson of computer solicitation of a minor. SENT: 128 words.
CHILD PORN-GUILTY PLEA
NEW ORLEANS — A 24-year-old New Orleans man has pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans says Christopher M. Schwab entered the plea Wednesday. SENT: 114 words.
MONROE SLAYING
MONROE — An Oak Grove man has been found guilty of second-degree murder and seven other drug-related counts in 4th Judicial Court. Dveil Freeman, 37, was convicted on Wednesday for the March 2010 death of David Green, who was found with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, face down in the doorway of his apartment in Monroe. SENT: 96 words.
CHILD ASSAULT ARREST
LAKE CHARLES — A 25-year-old Sulphur man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office says its deputies were dispatched Feb. 14 to a local hospital after receiving a complaint regarding a child's assault. Deputies were told a family acquaintance of the victim had inappropriate sexual contact with the child. SENT: 98 words.
VIDEO VOYEURISM
LAFAYETTE — Police say a 57-year-old Lafayette man has been booked on one count of video voyeurism after a hidden camera was discovered at someone else's home. Lafayette Police Cpl. Paul Mouton says Michael Keith Hensgens was arrested by state police in Acadia Parish on Tuesday. SENT: 52 words.
COLD CASE TRIAL
LAKE CHARLES — A state district court judge has ruled that evidence related to two missing women is admissible in Felix Vail's second-degree murder trial. The 74-year-old Vail is charged in the death of his wife, Mary Horton Vail, in October 1962. He is also alleged to be the last person to see two other women who were reported missing. Sharon Hensley, a girlfriend, is believed to have been missing since 1973, and Annette Craver Vail, another wife, was reported missing in 1984. SENT: 129 words.
SOUTHERN U-ARRESTS
BATON ROUGE — Southern University Police arrested a fifth student accused in an attempted dorm room robbery in late February. Demarco Jamar Diamond, 19, of Kentwood, was booked into Parish Prison this week on counts of attempted armed robbery and home invasion. SENT: 84 words.
CADDO DEPUTIES
SHREVEPORT — The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office is accepting applications for persons interested in becoming a reserve deputy. Reserve deputies are volunteers who complete state-required training similar to the training of full-time sheriff's deputies. They are used to supplement full-time law enforcement officers and are subject to the same rules and regulations as full-time sheriff's office employees. SENT: 113 words.
LOTTERY RESULTS
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Lottery officials say one ticket won the $310,000 Easy 5 drawing Wednesday night. It was purchased in Covington. There were no winners Wednesday in the multistate Powerball jackpot or the Louisiana Lotto. SENT: 78 words.
BUSINESS
BATON ROUGE SPENDING
BATON ROUGE — Despite severe winter storms that shut down some local stores and kept shoppers away from others for several days, spending in East Baton Rouge Parish by consumers and businesses was basically unchanged in January from a year ago. Sales tax collection figures released by the city-parish Finance Department show businesses and consumers spent $602 million in January. That compares with nearly $603.4 million in spending in January 2013. Sales were down in most categories, including retail trade and food stores, which account for more than half of all collections in the parish. Manufacturing and dining also were down. But spending on services was up by 9 percent. SENT: 259 words.
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
NEW ORLEANS PORT-INDIA
NEW ORLEANS — The Port of New Orleans has engaged an Indian agency to represent its interests there. Port President Gary LaGrange says Samsara Shipping Pvt. Ltd. will work with the port to develop business ties, which are expected to initially focus on steel and oil and gas products. Other areas of interest for the port include apparel, furniture, machinery and other retail merchandise. SENT: 107 words.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
LSU-JEREMY HILL
BATON ROUGE — With the NFL draft less than two months away, former LSU running back Jeremy Hill is no longer under court supervision. Over a prosecutor's objection, state District Judge Mike Erwin on Wednesday granted an early termination of Hill's two-year probation stemming from an April incident outside a Tigerland bar in which Hill punched a man. SENT: 124 words.
MCNEESE ST-SCHEDULE
LAKE CHARLES — McNeese State has announced its 2014 football schedule that features six home games and a visit to one of the most prestigious college football programs in history - Nebraska. The 11-game schedule will kick-off on Sept. 6 at Nebraska followed by the home opener on Sept. 13 against Prairie View A&M. SENT: 113 words.
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