The Life of Riley

The blog has been popping for the last couple of weeks, and right now I have 3 or 4 blog posts that I want to get up in the next couple of days. The election, Bryan Wooley, all of the School Board candidates interviews with The Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party, the Lt. Governor's race.
Sometimes, however, circumstances dictate what goes up here and something really important takes the forefront.
This time it's Riley.
Yep, our friend Riley has made the cover of Red River Moms.

Tea Party Federation decries nomination of candidates

Thanks to The Opinionated Catholic for tipping us off to this.  I have stated my opinion several times on the blog that the tea party movement will lose any effectiveness it has if it allows itself to be used as the tool of a particular party or candidate.
The Louisiana Tea Party Federation has spoken out against the “Tea Party of Louisiana”, a local organization in Baton Rouge, and against GOP Chairman & candidate for Lt. Governor Roger Villere.
The Federation, made up of 20 tea party groups, says that the Villere is attempting to use the movement for his personal candidacy.
Villere is already being criticized for remaining leader of the state party while he runs for office.
Rob Gaudet is right on target when he says that tea party groups need to hold elected officials accountable, and not endorse specific candidates.
Read the entire article in The Advertiser.

Chicken and a 40 at the Shreveport Council meeting

In which Joyce Bowman gets a little upset because someone at a forum criticized her leadership of the council, and in which Joe Shyne preached a sermon and visited the 'no-spin zone' - possibly for the first time.
City Council candidate Craig B. Lee attended the council meeting yesterday and brought Bryan Wooley a box of chicken and a 40 oz. malt liquor. 
It takes a few minutes, but you really should watch it.

U. S. District Judge: Walker Place lawsuit will proceed

U. S. District Judge Maurice Hicks has denied Bossier City’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the U. L. Coleman Company. The motion to dismiss by the city was denied except for liability of the Permit Office. They are not liable because they are not a policy making body.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that U. L. Coleman has won the lawsuit – it just means that the judge believes that on its face, there is cause to continue.
The next step will be a scheduling conference.
You can see the ruling at the Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party website or read more about it at Vote the Record.

Shreveport city races gearing up for the finish

Let’s meet at the poll
KTBS released numbers from a poll today that show Brian Wooley slipping to third place. According to Political Analyst Scott Hughes, the numbers are from ‘a well respected polling firm’ in Baton Rouge.
The poll shows Glover in the lead, followed by Cox, Wooley and Roy Burrell.
Glover 39%
Cox 22%
Wooley 14%
Roy Burrell 9%
Wooley has responded with a press release saying that he has begun overnight tracking polls. The results of the Wooley poll are:
Bryan Wooley – 33%
Cedric Glover – 16%
Roy Burrell – 9%
David Cox – 3%
I don’t know who is doing Wooley’s polling.

Shootout in Council District D
The race for Shreveport City council District D is heating up. This morning the Times endorsed Independent Phillip Templeton for the spot. Meanwhile, Deanna Candler issued a press release saying that half of Michael Corbin’s campaign has been finance by special interests. The special interests she is referring to are friends, family and legal entities associated with James Ballangee.
Ballangee owns property in front of Spring Lake and was denied a zoning request to build a used car lot at the location last year.
Corbin responded by saying “Before qualifying, I met with leaders of the Spring Lake Neighborhood Association (Phil Serio and Larry Russo) and gave them my promise that I would in no way support a car lot at the proposed location in Spring Lake. Additionally, when I met with the Republican PEC the question came up and I gave the same answer. In the past two weeks my wife and I have knocked on every door in Spring Lake (not just registered voters). One household had a question about my position on the car lot. The car lot is not an issue.
As the front runner in the Council race I would expect other candidates to attack and get the focus away from the real issues in District D.
When all campaign reporting is filed it will reflect a diverse base of donors. If the focus is only on the earliest reports which reflect contributions in 2009 then yes, a considerable amount of my early support is from Ballengee interests. All contributions are legal, reported appropriately and filed timely. It is interesting that there is so much focus on a single supporter of my campaign when he has also made contributions to Mayoral and other Council candidates.
I would encourage the voters, bloggers and candidates, to focus on the issues our City and Council District face and the experience each candidate brings to the race.”

Diverse race in District B
Jeff Everson, Craig B. Lee, Deborah Allen and Sheva Sims are vying for the Downtown/Highland area District B. Allen is, to my knowledge, the first person in a Shreveport race to have an ad geared to Latinos.

Louisiana Police and Fire Employees Prohibited from Political Activities

As we are in the midst of the political season around the state, most of us are enjoying the freedom to voice our opinions to support the candidate of our choosing on the municipal, parish, state, and federal levels. Unfortunately, those who serve us, who are governed by the Louisiana Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service, do not enjoy the same right. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:2504 Louisiana Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service employees are governed as follows:

A. Political activities by and extending to employees of the classified service are hereby prohibited as follows:

1. No person shall seek or attempt to use any political endorsement in connection with any appointment to a position in the classified service.

2. No person shall use or promise to use, directly or indirectly, any official authority or influence, whether possessed or anticipated, to secure or attempt to secure for any person an appointment or advantage in appointment to a position in the classified service, or an increase in pay or other advantage in employment in any such position, for the purpose of influencing the vote or political action of any person, or for any consideration.

3. No employee in the classified service shall, directly or indirectly, pay, or promise to pay, any assessment, subscription, or contribution for any political organization or purpose, or solicit or take part in soliciting any such assessment, subscription, or contribution. No person shall solicit any such assessment, subscription, or contribution of any employee in classified service. The prohibitions of this Sub-section shall not be construed as applying to membership dues paid, or contributions made, to non-political employee organizations, pension funds, civic enterprises, the Louisiana Civil Service League or any similar non-political and non-partisan organization.

Many, I would venture to say most people, do not realize that police and fire employees are forced to give up their freedom of speech prohibiting them from publicly supporting their candidates. You may ask, what happens if they publicly support a candidate or violate one of the above mentioned laws. Simple, they SHALL be discharged.

L.R.S. 2504 (B) states: The appointing authority shall discharge from the service any
employee whom he deems guilty of violating any one or more of the provisions of this Section. The board may, upon its own initiative, investigate any officer or employee in the classified service whom it reasonably believes guilty of violating any one or more of the provisions. Any citizen,taxpayer, municipal officer, or employee may file with the board detailed charges in writing against any employee in the classified service for violating any one or more of the provisions of this Section. The board shall, within thirty days after receiving the written charges, hold a public hearing and investigation and determine whether such charges are true and correct. If the board should find upon its investigation of any employee that he has violated any of the foregoing provisions, the board shall order the appointing authority to forthwith discharge the guilty employee from the service and the appointing authority shall forthwith discharge the employee.

In my opinion, this is one law that one day needs to be repealed. We ask these men and women to place their lives on the line for us, and yet we strip them of their voice, their voice of the 1st Amendment right to Freedom of Speech! So in this political season, more like a political arena, please take the time to thank the men and women of our municipal fire and police departments, not only for the service and protections they provide us, but also for all of the sacrifices they have made for us.

Candidate Forum: Dana Bruhnke, Mayor of Shreveport

Zach Bruhnke contacted me about putting something in our candidate forum about his father, Dana Bruhnke, who is a candidate for mayor of Shreveport.
I can think of no better recommendation for a man than the article that he sent me.

Candidate Goes the “Extra Mile”: Does Not Talk About it
As October nears the political “jawing” is now in full swing. We have candidates
sparring over fliers, rallies and the like. What we don’t have however is a reason
to vote for many of the candidates in this election. Some people will criticize me
for writing this article as a blatant attempt to gain recognition simply because my
father is a candidate in this race. That could not be further from the truth. I am
a lifelong resident of the City of Shreveport (Although I did leave briefly to New
Orleans for about 9 months) and I have been an avid follower of politics and current
events from a young age. Typically I take an active role in any election, this election
however proved increasingly more difficult than usual. It was a typical Thursday
afternoon in July for me, I was busy and going about my day trying to get all the
jobs completed I had on the agenda when suddenly I got a phone call from my Dad.
This was typical. After all, we do work together, however it would be anything but a
typical conversation. He needed me to go take some material to a customer because
he “had to go downtown” at first I just said yes sir and went on my merry way of
thinking trying to figure out how I would fit this into the schedule when it suddenly
hit me. “Why would Dad have to go downtown?” I have customers down there but
typically he does not. Next was the question that changed my life at least for the
next few months. “Where are you going downtown?” His answer came as a shock to
me. “To the Courthouse, I am qualifying for the Mayor’s race.”
Dana Bruhnke is an Air Force brat. He has seven siblings, each of them dropped off
at the age of 18 to make it on their own no matter what city or state they lived in. By
the grace of God my dad was dropped off in Shreveport in 1979 when he turned 18
while his dad was stationed at Barksdale AFB. He met my mother a few years later
and they began the family in which I would become the youngest child. My dad was
what most kids dream of in a father. In all my life I can count the number of games
or events that he missed of mine on two hands, and almost assuredly if he was
not there my mom was. He is not a typical politician and certainly not the typical
Mayoral candidate for our city, but I hope you will listen to why I think he will be the
best choice on the ballot Saturday October 2nd.
He is a business-minded man. He has owned or managed a local company since
1980. He quickly settled into a job when he arrived to Shreveport and quickly began
moving up the chain of command with his hard work and dedicated attitude. I have
no doubt he will bring that same hard work and dedicated attitude to the City of
Shreveport.
He believes in doing business with local companies. And he will fight to make sure
local businesses get the city government contracts that all to often go to out of state
contractors. He believes that our tax dollars spent on projects in our community
should help local people and local companies.
He has been a part of a number or Organizations over the past 30 years in
Shreveport, serving as President of the Brookwood Athletic Association he proved
that the organization could be managed properly and money could be left in the
bank. In three years time he took Brookwood from an organization in danger of
failing to a thriving entity with over $40,000 in the bank and new uniforms on the
backs of nearly all 40 teams the organization provided for. Because of his efforts
many children today still get to enjoy the benefits of a great organization like
Brookwood.
A no non-sense approach to problems in this city is exactly what we need. I grew
up with a respect for my Dad, not a fear of him. However I knew that if he had to be
firm he had no problem reminding me that I was out of line. He has constantly stood
up to violence and fought back against theft in his own life. When I was 9 years old
someone stole all of my baseball equipment out of the back of his truck. Dad went
out and bought new equipment for me, but I did research and found out who the
thieves were. When he called the police and they refused to confront the thieves
Dad got in his truck and drove to their home demanding the equipment back, and he
got it. When I was in high school and someone stole my tailgate while my truck was
parked at Independence stadium for a football game the police dept. told me they
were sorry, Dad and I found out who stole it, went to his house and again demanded
the tail gate back, we got it.
When it came to my decision to go to high school, I made a conscious decision to
go to Huntington instead of Byrd or Captain Shreve. Despite the negative rumors
my parents had heard about the school they allowed me to attend. To this day Jerry
Davis (the Principal) still knows my Dad by name because of all the things he did
to help Huntington become a better place. It was not just money or time donated, it
was the willingness to go the extra mile and help out at fundraisers and events for
the school and in and around the neighborhood, which was recognized by the HHS
faculty and staff.
When I chose to attend Centenary College of Louisiana Dad was proud that I chose
to stay in my hometown to attend college, however he got right back to helping the
community I was not a part of. Caddo Magnet High School (which me, nor any of my
siblings attended) contacted him about helping to get their softball field completed
(A field which is on City Property). When Dad contacted the Mayor’s office Cedric
Glover returned his call almost immediately and told him that his assistant would
assist Dad with completing the field. Unfortunately Mayor Glover’s assistant became
frustrated with Dad’s persistence in calling and trying to get the field completed
before softball season began so the girls would have a field to play on. When the
calls to Glover’s assistant went unanswered Dad mobilized and went about calling
the vendors he works with on a daily basis attempting to get donations for the
project and called upon other friends he had in the business to get the fence put up
and the field ready for play. He did not stop there however, the girls did not have
a coach and after speaking with the Principal he agreed to go to the state and get
certified with the LHSAA to become a coach of the softball team even though he had
no child on the team.
These stories are just examples of one man going the extra mile for a variety of
people. Some of them he raised and some of them he barely knew it all. He did not
do it for fame and he certainly did not do it for fortune. He simply did it because he
felt it was the right thing to do. In fact, had I not published this letter the only people
who knew most of the stories would be the ones who he directly affected.
Dana Bruhnke is truly a good man who is running for Mayor of Shreveport not
because he needs a job or because he wants the spotlight, but because he knows he
is capable of making a difference, and changing the lives of the people one act at a
time. I am writing this article about him simply because he is too humble to mention
these accolades on his own, and I hope you will read it with an open mind about a
man who would like your vote.
I hope that when you go to the polls on October 2nd you will consider casting your
vote for a man who does things not because he is told to, but because they are right.
And a man that does not care about the neighborhood you live in or the color of your
skin. I am here to tell you, that man is Dana Bruhnke.

More questions about investigation of Bossier City Councilman

Vote the Record has posted an article about the investigation involving Councilman James "Chubby" Knight.
The Times article referenced may be found here.

All the Cool Kids are Doing it: From Mostly Cajun

I don't know if I have ever published a blog post from another blog in full.  I thought this one deserved it.  So with permission from Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated here it is.

All the Cool Kids are Doing it
In an effort to maintain my status as somewhat of a gun blogger, I tender the following diatribe. Several of the folks on my blogroll are answering these twenty questions. I’ll give Say Uncle credit for shoving me towards a set of tracks that got me to the original post. The original author is a believer in freedom and is open-minded. We know this because she says so right there in the title of the post. She asks twenty questions about gun control. I will intersperse my answers.

1. Do you believe that criminals and domestic abusers should be able to buy guns without background checks?

I hate to ask a question in answer to a question, but do you actually think that “criminals and domestic abusers” CAN’T get guns? What kind of “criminals” are we talking about. Do you have any earthly idea what can get you a criminal record as a felon in America today? And “domestic abuse”? Do you honestly think it’s a good idea to strip a person of his rights because the other party in a contested divorce gets a restraining order against him, basically a conviction without due process? Or is that another part of the constitution you want to ignore to get rid of those evil guns?

2. What is your proposal for keeping guns away from criminals, domestic abusers, terrorists and dangerously mentally ill people?

Here we are again: Who gets to say who fits in your neat little categories? In the 1960′s many black activists found themselves on various government lists that would be equivalent to your categories. Rumblings from various government entities have opined that people who talk too much about the constitution and religion are “terrorists”. so you’re basically saying that you want to kill the First Amendment right along with the Second, right?

3. Do you believe that a background check infringes on your constitutional right to “keep and bear arms”?

“Shall not be infringed.” Hard to parse, isn’t it? If you applied the same criteria to the First Amendment as you do the Second, I’d have to get a background check to use a computer. Oops! Sorry! You’ve already said that, didn’t you?

4. Do you believe that I and people with whom I work intend to ban your guns?

My guns? Yes! Guns int he hands of the “right” people, like your police force and private security? No. Guns in the hands of the insiders and the ocnnected, like celebrities and lawmakers and judges? No. My guns. My friends’ guns. Yes.

5. If yes to #4, how do you think that could happen ( I mean the physical action)?

Pass a law. Wait for the law-abiding to comply. Be happy in knowing that the guns still out there will all be in the possession of people who are now in violation of yet another law, to be enforced at the convenience of the government under the caring direction of people like yourself who know best how WE should live.

6. What do you think are the “second amendment remedies” that the tea party GOP candidate for Senate in Nevada( Sharron Angle) has proposed?

I dunno. Ask those folks at Lexington and Concord in 1775.

7. Do you believe in the notion that if you don’t like what someone is doing or saying, second amendment remedies should be applied?

There is a line that should NOT be crossed, but honestly, I think the whole house of cards will collapse around us before even the idiots in Washington get gutsy enough to cross that line.

8. Do you believe it is O.K. to call people with whom you disagree liars and demeaning names?

Lies can be proven. Happens all the time, made more convenient by the internet. And remember that little playground ditty, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? That’s that nasty ol’ First Amendment again. Doesn’t say “as long as you’re nice” does it?

9. If yes to #8, would you do it in a public place to the person’s face?

We’ve been trying “civil discourse” for years, talking about “my esteemed colleague” in congress while referring to a womanizing killer (Ted Kennedy) or the guy who ran a homosexual prostitution operation out of his apartment (Barney Frank) or the guy who used national guard trucks to drive past his flooded constituents to get the cash and records from his home (Bill Jefferson). It’s about time that we learned to call a spade a spade.

10. Do you believe that any gun law will take away your constitutional rights?

The thing says right there in writing, “…the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” If you restrict my access, then you’re limiting my rights as recognized (not “given”. there’s a difference.) in the Constitution.

11. Do you believe in current gun laws? Do you think they are being enforced? If not, explain.

I don’t “believe” in laws. I know some laws to be part and parcel of civilization. Moses hauled ten of them off the mountain. I know some of them to be set by government in attempts to shape and control the population. All are violated regularly. I believe in things that work. People do not obey laws whether given by God OR government.

12. Do you believe that all law-abiding citizens are careful with their guns and would never shoot anybody?

Dear, dear little child, the idea of being careful with guns is to make sure you shoot the right things. If one of those things is another human being who has determined having his way with my home or those in my care, then I most assuredly would make sure I “shoot the right things”. Regardless of the law. And get this, dearie: If a gun wasn’t handy, a chair leg, a butcher knife, a claw hammer, a balk of wood or a length of rope would be used with equal enthusiasm. One of the forgotten tests of American manhood is the protection of the weak with every fiber of one’s being. It’s a “manhood” thing. I know, alien to the Left, and all.

13. Do you believe that people who commit suicide with a gun should be included in the gun statistics?

I don’t care WHO you include in your “statistics”. Famously, “there are three kinds of lies: Lies, Da*ned lies, and statistics.” You haul out the ones that you think will reinforce the fog of your arguments and go ahead and impress the gullible. We see through your “statistics”.

14. Do you believe that accidental gun deaths should “count” in the total numbers?

Seee my answer to #13.

15. Do you believe that sometimes guns, in careless use or an accident, can shoot a bullet without the owner or holder of the gun pulling the trigger?

No. I was in the army for nine years. I’ve been a gun owner for fifty-four. I have never seen a gun “shoot a bullet” without the trigger being pulled.

16. Do you believe that 30,000 gun deaths a year is too many?

I also believe that I should be twenty-five again, and I should be independently wealthy. What I “believe” should have no bearing. I know people who “believe” that profesional wrestling is real. I know people who “believe” in the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot.

17. How will you help to prevent more shootings in this country?

I promise on my word as an adult American male that I will not shoot anyone who does not need shooting.

18. Do you believe the articles that I have posted about actual shootings or do you think I am making them up or that human interest stories about events that have happened should not count when I blog about gun injuries and deaths?

I think you and the Left “cherry-pick” your stories. For every “poor victim just sitting there” story, there are a dozen “shot over a discussion in the business of distributing drugs”, and behind every “convenience store clerk killed in robbery” there’s a back story of a shooter who was a convicted felon with a rap sheet an inch thick who should have been in prison. A seventeen year old gang-banger killed in a a drive-by as part of a turf war isn’t “Another Youth Succumbs to Gun Violence”.

19. There has been some discussion of the role of the ATF here. Do you believe the ATF wants your guns and wants to harass you personally? If so, provide examples ( some have written a few that need to be further examined).

The BATFE is a federal bureaucracy that plays games to gain publicity, funding and to enlarge itself. It frequently does this at the expense of private citizens and small businessmen, robbing them of their liberty and livelihood for technicalities and administrative errors.

20. Will you continue a reasonable discussion towards an end that might lead somewhere or is this an exercise in futility?

Sticks and stones, bunkie. Sticks and stones.

Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System calls for election for Chief District 1 Trustee

Earlier this week, the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System Board of Trustees held their monthly meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in conjunction with the Louisiana Association of Public Employees Retirement Systems (LAPERS) annual seminar. One of the items on the agenda was to accept the nominations for the Chief District 1 Board of Trustee position. This position was previously held by Monroe Police Chief Ron Schleuter who retired earlier this year. Schleuter was elected to the position after former Bossier City Police Chief Mike Halphen resigned from the board in April 2009, after serving as a trustee for several years. One of the nominees for the trustee position is current Bossier City Police Chief Patrick “Shane” McWilliams.

Act 189 of 1973 established a statewide retirement system, effective July 1, 1973, which was placed under the management of a Board of Trustees for the purpose of providing retirement allowances and other benefits for full-time municipal police officers and employees in the state of Louisiana, secretaries to chiefs of police, and employees of this retirement system. Currently there are over ten thousand members in the system.

The M.P.E.R.S. Chief District 1 position includes the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermillion, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.

In July 2006, while serving as a Bossier City Police Officer, I was elected by the active members of the system to serve as the M.P.E.R.S. Non-Chief District 1 Trustee. I served in this position until I left the Bossier City Police Department in October 2009 after having accepted a position in private industry.

Having served as a trustee on the M.P.E.R.S. board, I know the next chief will be required to work tirelessly, selflessly, and diligently to enhance our retirement system. This position will require a person with strong moral virtues, a strong ethical position, and an understanding of a wide array of financial investments. As with all of the other retirement systems, not only in the state of Louisiana but across the nation, current economic conditions have placed a strain on the M.P.E.R.S. The next chief elected as a trustee on the board must be able to make challenging decisions for the betterment of system and its members. I know that Chief Shane McWilliams is that Chief.

I served on the Bossier City Police Department with Chief McWilliams from September 1993 until I left the police department in October 2009. During his years of service with the Bossier City Police Department, Chief McWilliams has served in many positions within the department and has received several awards including Outstanding Employee of the Year, and Investigator of the Year. Since assuming the duties as Chief of Police for the Bossier City Police Department, Chief McWilliams has faced many difficult decisions, and has faced each of them with character and dignity, always placing the best interest of the Bossier City Police Department and the City of Bossier City first. Chief McWilliams is a Christian, husband, and father and he truly cares for the members of the M.P.E.R.S.

It is my honor and pleasure to support Chief Shane McWilliams for the M.P.E.R.S. Chief District 1 Trustee position. I know that Chief McWilliams will work tirelessly, selflessly, and diligently with the other trustees on the board to advance the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System and its members. I am confident that Chief McWilliams will demonstrate fortitude, prudence, temperance, and justice as a member of the M.P.E.R.S. Board of Trustees as he has done as a member and leader of the Bossier City Police Department.

Wooley's appeal to black voters: Free wings and a limo ride

Are you kidding me?  I don't know who dreamed this up, but it was terribly ill-advised.  If Wooley seriously wants to pull votes from the Cooper Road area, which is highly unlikely in any event, this isn't the way to do it.
Can you imagine the conversation when this scheme was hatched? 
"I know, fried chicken!"
"Watermelon!"
"No, that's too messy."
"Wait, I heard that those people like wings.  How about wings?  And a stretch limo?  That will win their hearts and minds!"

Bossier Councilman subject of bank fraud investigation

According to multiple reliable sources, Bossier City Council member James “Chubby” Knight is under investigation for bank fraud.

Details are sketchy, but what I have been able to put together this is what is going on.
Over this last weekend a search warrant was executed by the Bossier Parish Sheriff. Knight’s computer(s) was seized, as well as a city computer.
Knight was allegedly involved in a scheme in which he was cashing forged Nigerian bonds and sending part of the money to someone in California.
Multiple banks were involved.
I sent the following email to Councilman Knight at his city email address:

• Mr. Knight,
  I have heard from several people that you are the subject of an investigation, and that a computer (or computers) were seized this weekend. My sources said that it had to do with possible bank fraud.
  I think it is only fair to come to you to confirm or deny this.
  If this is the case, do you intend to stay on the council?

I received no reply.  I sent the following email to someone in the DA’s office:

• Is Chubby Knight the subject of an investigation?

I received no reply.

Knight was elected to represent District 5 on the council in a runoff in May of last year. He won with 557 votes against former Councilman Larry Hannisee, who received 507 votes.

I have no more details as of now.  I have heard conjecture that this was part of one of those Nigerian 419 schemes, but I have no knowledge if that is true.

Hopefully, someone involved in the investigation will see fit to inform the public.

Candidate Forum: Ron Webb endorses Woolley for mayor

Don't Taught the Cops, they may get mad

For the past few days I've been gathering local media bloopers.  I'm sparing no one.

We'll start with the headline on KTBS' website:

Herbal Incense Wreaks Of Controversy

Umm, that would be 'reeks' of controvery.

From The Times, a caption on a photo.

The Honorable Elizabeth Foote gives her brother the Honorable John Joseph Erny a hug after he administrates the oath during the installment of Foote at the United States Court House.

'Administrate' is not a word.  You administer an oath, after the fact it has been administered.  The event that occured would have been the administration of the oath.

Back to KTBS:

Parents are fingerprinted at state offices and their kids are registered, then they are scanned as they kids are dropped off and picked up each day.

As 'they' kids are dropped off?  Really?

Also from KTBS:

Earlier, White got inside a sheriff’s vehicle and used the radio to taught officers.

Nanny, nanny boo boo - I'm taughting you.  This would go along with those taughting penalties you see in football.

Finally, from KSLA:

The crime allegedly originated, according to Sheriff Victor overseas, in the country of Romania.

The story did not specify at what location overseas Sheriff Victor was when he made the statement.

So Facebook is down

Have you been getting this?

• Oops! Internet Explorer could not find www.facebook.com
  
  
  
  Try reloading: www.­facebook.­com/­login.­php

Facebook has been down for a couple of hours.  I'm a junkie, I can't deal with it.
People are tweeting about it.  That's fine, but Twitter just isn't . . Facebook!

WAFB
To all our Facebook friends: Currently #Facebook.com appears to be experiencing a "likely service disruption". 1 minute ago via web

Watch out for fake email alleging to be from Gmail

Got this in the inbox today, seems my account information "are out of date".
Due to the congestion in our servers, We have come to realize that your account information on our database system are out of date, as a result of that we require you to verify your Information. Failure to verify your information will result in account suspension. If you are still interested in using our email service, Please click the reply button and fill the below spaces as requested. Learn more
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Note: As part of our security measures, your account will not be interrupted and your email service will continue to work as normal.
Thank you for using Gmail !
The Gmail Team

Sword & Billy Club home invasion in Benton

Reminiscent of this home invasion last spring, and right in the same area, two people have been arrested in a home invasion/robbery.
The two, identified as Randall Wayne Womack, Jr & Joshua Lopez are currently being housed at Bossier Max.  A third person, David Allen Weeks, Jr, is thought to be hiding in the Highland neighborhood in Shreveport.
(You notice I hesitate to call them 'men', as that is a stretch.)
The three entered (okay, I know 'allegedly'), anyway, the three entered a residence on Old Plain Dealing Road armed with a sword and a billy club and stole a whopping $132.
Womack and Weeks both have criminal history in Bossier Parish.  They may find that armed robbery will gain them a stiffer sentence than they have faced in the past - if the charge stands and is not pled down to something lower.
Weeks was charged previously with Simple Battery, Simple Escape, Felony Criminal Property Damage & Simple Battery.  All were combined and pled down and he recieved a $250 fine.  For all of it.
Womack has been charged in the past in Bossier Parish for Simple Burglary, Simple Burglary of an inhabited dwelling, Criminal Trespass, Aggravated Burglary, Simple Possession of Marijuana, Aggravated Criminal Property Damage, Carnal Knowledge & Illegal Possession of Stolen things.
I won't go into details on every charge.  At one time he was given 7 years in prison, all but 9 months suspended, with credit for time served.
On the charge of Simple Burglary of an inhabited dwelling, Womack wrote a letter to the judge, explaining that he was riding along to pick up a TV with a friend, when they got there and started to go in police were all over them.  You know, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which usually is the case when you get caught.  Here is the letter, click on it and when it goes to a new page click it again and it should enlarge.  This is the best I could do with it.

Lack of oversight and supervision may influence school board race

The Times reported this morning that partial restitution has been made in the Bossier School fraud case.
"This week, the board received a lump sum of $496,086.18 from the federal clerk of court's office as "restitution payments and seized and sold assets" from a case involving former Bossier School Board employees and Ark-La-Tex Air Repair. There may be additional payments, but this likely will be the largest amount, board attorney Jon Guice said."
........"Ark-La-Tex Air Repair co-owners Garrett Gene Wilson and Alan Victor Lee and former Bossier school employees Winfred Johnston, William Rodes and Mark Rowe pleaded guilty early last year to one count of mail fraud as a result of a 196-count indictment arising from a scheme to defraud the School Board in the purchase and maintenance of air-conditioning systems from 2004-08."
....... "I think bottom line why they did it, it wasn't for us; it was for those kids," District 1 School Board member Jack Raley said of the U.S. attorneys involved in the case. He suggested that the School Board write them a letter of thanks."
I don't think they did it for 'those kids', I think they did it because they are charged with prosecuting crimes, in this case, 196 crimes over a four year period.
 It still amazes me that the board promoted the person who was in charge of administration during this period, to Superintendent.
The board members who voted to install D. C. Machen as superintendent are: Brad Bockhaus, Allison Brigham, Tammy Smith, Michael Mosura, Bill Kostelka, Julian Darby, Mack Knotts.
Since the entire board is up for election this year, this may be something to consider in making your decision.
Morgan Johnson is running against Alison Brigham in District 3.
Jo Jo Hamiter is opposing Tammy Smith in District 4, while Mack Knotts has a couple of opponents in the District 12 race.

'Weeding' them out - Shreveport Police Officer arrested

Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw has placed Officer Eddie Williams on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

Williams was arrested after a Friday night incident in which Timothy McCall was arrested on Greenwood Road by SPD narcotics agents for drinking in public and resisting an officer.

When Williams was dispatched to transport the prisoner, he searched him, removed something from his pocket and handed it to a female standing nearby.

A supervisor witnessed the handoff and detained the woman. The 'something' was a bag of marijuana. (I love the way the media cover themselves by saying 'suspected' marijuana.  I'll take my chances, it wasn't a baggie of parsley or basil).

Williams, a 4 year veteran of the department, has been charged with malfeasance and obstruction of justice.

Shreveport Police Officer's Association says 'no' to Glover

The Shreveport Police Officer's Association has released an anti-Cedric Glover ad.
According to KTBS, "Union president Michael Carter says Glover lost the union's support when he vetoed a police pay raise two years ago. At the time, the mayor said the city couldn't afford the more than two million dollar annual expense."
At the time, the city council had approved the raise.
The Union, which is associated with the International Union of Police Associations, supported Glover in the 2006 election.

20 Year Old Juvenile? What?

Local authorities are on the lookout for a fugitive who fled last week after a supervised visit with his family.

Deangelo Lovett, 20, escaped from officials with the Office of Juvenile Justice on Sept. 10, while visiting with family at Pierre Bossier Mall in Bossier City.
Atkins is a black male, who stands about six feet tall, weighing about 170 pounds.
The Times
 
At Pierre Bossier mall, are you kidding me? If he is a prisoner, what was he doing at Pierre Bossier Mall?  Is that really the place for a convict to have a supervised visit with family?
A six foot tall, 170 pound, 20 year old - juvenile?  We try 15 year old kids for murder, and this 20 year old is in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Justice?
What am I missing here?

Recall Larry Deen?

Should Bossier Parish sheriff Larry Deen be recalled?
That seems to be the conclusion of Jeff Sadow on his blog, Between the Lines.
In an article this week about the sheriff, Sadow discussed the tax ‘roll-forward’ and the hearing that was held for the public.
He also gets into facts and figures regarding the financing of the sheriff’s operation for the last 10 years as compared to the same period in Caddo Parish.
His conclusion: “While we could wait to deny him reelection, given his indifferent performance, wastefulness, and the contempt that he shows to dissent it would not be untoward to recall him now.”
While that is obviously an exercise in rhetoric, the sheriff is up for re-election next year.
From what I hear, it is likely that he will have an opponent.
Having an opponent who can unseat a popular incumbent, however, is something else entirely.

Two arrested for simple battery

Guidry (L) Bravo (R)

Two Bossier City women were arrested Wednesday afternoon for simple battery, said Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen.
Taah Marie Guidry, 32, and Tiffany Lynn Bravo, 29, both of Southgate Drive, were taken into custody after the women admitted to pushing and scratching one another during an argument about their vehicle. Bossier Sheriff’s deputies say the two women had purchased a new car the day before and had it registered in both of their names. They disagreed when Guidry said she wanted to take it to South Louisiana and that led to a verbal confrontation, then a physical altercation.
Bravo, who also had a warrant issued out of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, was transported to the Bossier Maximum Security Facility, along with Guidry. Their bonds are pending.
From Bossier Parish Sheriff

I have absolutely no comment nor any additional remarks.

Now where did you put that 7.3 million bucks?

I have been following the story of the missing $7,300,000 over in the Hallsville, Texas ISD. The money should have been paid to the state under a ‘Robin Hood’ plan where affluent school districts share money with those who have less.
This caught my attention because my nephew lives in Hallsville and his twin sons are in 2nd grade there. Hallsville has great schools. The system is about 1/3 the size of Bossier Parish Schools, with 4,260 students compared to Bossier’s 12,046. An interesting side note is that Hallsville has 350 teachers compared to Bossier’s 770.
Hallsville is one of four schools in class 4A and 5A in the entire state who achieved Exemplary Ratings for the District and all Campuses.
Here is what happened. The district was notified that they had not made their $7.3 million dollar payment. The assistant superindendent for finance, who was in charge of taking care of it, had recently resigned.
The money is unaccounted for – in other words, no one knows where it is – and outside auditors are coming in.
There have been no accusations of theft. The district has borrowed money to send the state and said they will pay it back over a four year period.
That is, I suppose, unless the $7.3 mil pops up somewhere.
Strange situation.

Labor Day in Louisiana

Means the start of LSU and New Orleans Saints football.  Saturday's game against NC was a squeaker, LSU style, but they got the win.
The Saints will open Thursday night against the Vikings.
For your enjoyment, the LSU Golden Band from Tigerland performing before the BCS Championship game in New Orleans - you know, the last one that we one.
They are at the Jackson Brewery.  For you younger folks who don't remember Jax Beer, and especially for the oldies who do remember, the classic Kangaroo commercial.

Happy Birthday Andy!

Today is Andy's birthday.  Y'all go over there and wish him the best.  He needs it, he's really getting old!

Update from Africa

Some photos from our friend Naomi Reeves, who is a missionary in Kenya.

DWI 'no refusal' in effect this weekend

Law enforcement authorities said Wednesday they plan to launch Louisiana’s first statewide crackdown on drunk driving that features a new strategy to prevent drivers from refusing blood-alcohol content tests.
The effort will cover Labor Day weekend — from Friday at 6 p.m. to Tuesday at 6 a.m.
“It is probably the last big party of the summer,” said State Police Supt. Mike Edmonson.
State officials have waged anti-drunk driving campaigns over Labor Day weekend for years.
However, this one will include an expanded “no refusal” component aimed at suspects who refuse to take a blood alcohol concentration test, or BAC.
“The fact is people are still dying on the roads because they are drinking and driving,” said Norma Broussard, who is assistant district attorney of Jefferson Parish, which has waged similar crackdowns.
A national study, based on 2005 data, showed that 39 percent of drunk driving suspects in Louisiana refused to take the BAC test, which was the fourth highest of 37 states studied.
Under the plan for this weekend, law enforcement officials, citing probable cause, will seek search warrants from judges on standby to conduct a BAC test on a suspect who refuses to submit to one.
Fax machines will be one of the methods used to seek a court order. Emergency medical personnel will do the blood alcohol test.
Full article at The Advocate
If the officers truly have probable cause, which they can obtain from standard testing, such as the 'finger on the nose' etc, and if they obtain a warrant from a judge, I think this is a good idea.
I have no brief for drunk driving.

Bossier School Board votes 'no' to tax roll-forward

In a pre-election vote on rolling forward the tax millage rate, the Bossier Parish School Board last night voted no. Superintendent D. C. Machen urged the board to be cautious, stating that they will need to propose a new bond issue soon to deal with growth.
Board member Eddy Presley was the lone vote in favor of the roll-forward, and he attached his reason to a bonus payment to teachers.
"Tonight we voted for a one time pay increase to teachers," he said. "That's $2.6 million. That $3.2 million from the millage could have helped us with that and allowed us to pay our teachers at a higher level rather than being at the bottom of the list. We have the best teachers and they deserve to be paid for it."
Bill Kostelka voted against the proposed 2010-2011 budget as well as the teacher supplement.
“We are in uncertain times of not only what's going to happen with our budget but what the state's going to do to us. Earlier we voted to not raise any taxes so we are talking about taking this money out of our surplus and I vote against it."
Kostelka’s reasoning and Presley's vote seem to be in sync with what Evodna Springer wrote at Vote the Record:
So what does it all mean? It means the Bossier Parish School Board incumbents running for office have proposed a tax increase while sitting on a $20 million surplus, have proposed a budget with a $5 Million deficit, and plan on paying for that deficit with a portion of the surplus. IF all things continue down this path, and the School Board has a $5 Million deficit this year and for each of the following three years, the surplus will be gone and Bossier Parish School Board will be broke. My prediction is that the Bossier Parish School Board will announce at their September 2nd meeting that they will not roll forward on the proposed tax increase and they will continue with the bonus checks to certain Bossier School System employees thus garnering favor from the voters and winning reelection, all the while headed for fiscal disaster.

Court rulings on DWI cases have the effect of changing the law

Two rulings were handed down last week by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals which, according to DA Schuyler Marvin, ‘have the effect of changing state law’.
The law reads that a police officer cannot stop anyone nor make an arrest outside of their jurisdiction except in felony cases, and then it would be a ‘citizens arrest’.
In the two cases, both for misdemeanor DWI, an out of jurisdiction police officer initiated the stop and then waited for the appropriate agency to make the arrest.
In the first case a Greenwood police officer saw a car driving erratically and called a State Trooper on a cell phone. The trooper asked the officer to ‘light them up’ but not to get out of the car. The trooper was on the scene within a minute and made the arrest.
In the second case, a Bossier City Police officer saw a car weaving and initiated a stop near Kingston Road north of the city. A deputy sheriff arrived and made the arrest.
The court said that "It would be difficult for an officer to explain to the family of a motorist killed by a swerve that an out-of-jurisdiction police officer in a police vehicle was powerless to pull him over, even for a quick check.”
Attorney Whit Graves, who represented the first defendant, said "They are authorizing police officers to have misdemeanor arrest powers that the Legislature has refused to give them.” He plans to appeal the ruling.
DA Marvin pointed out that this does not give ordinary citizens the right to stop or arrest anyone other than for a felony, and he discourages it in most cases.
You can read the rulings of the appeal court here:
State vs Stapa
State vs Williams

Caddo Commission President John Escude' criticizes David Melville in blog comment

John Escude'

I read the Central Louisiana blog CenLamar every day, and have it linked on my sidebar.
Lamar White, the blogger at CenLamar, published a blog post entitled Under the Radar, David Melville Prepares a Serious Campaign for Congress in LA-04, about the 4th District congressional race that is shaping up between David Melville and John Fleming. Melville, as most of you are aware, is the pastor of Fellowship United Methodist Church in Bossier City.
A comment appeared on the blog post last night that said, among other things:
“Give me a break. I’d rather keep an ex-naval officer and business man in office fighting for the soul of this nation than send one who makes a living preying on the fearful and week minded sheep in his flock. What’s a blogger from Alexandria doing writing about this race anyway. I think that Rodney Alexander is his congressman. Could it be that he thinks that the good Reverand will be sucessful at stealing even more of our money by way of increased taxes so it can be distributed to those who are deemed more deserving than we who earn it?”
Lamar answered with this:
“So let me get this out in the open: The e-mail address that “John” left in the above comment traces back to John Escude, the President of the Caddo Parish Commission. Mr. Escude is a Republican who was elected three years ago.
If the above comment was, in fact, written by Commissioner Escude, then I hope he will have the courage and integrity to publicly stand behind his words. And if it wasn’t written by Commissioner Escude and if he is the victim of a hoax, then I stand ready and willing to help him figure out if someone else is blogging under his personal e-mail address.”
I sent Mr. Escude' an email asking him if it was indeed his comment on the blog.  This is his reply:
Jim,
That was in fact my blog. This is the first time that I have responded to a blog and I just happened upon it. The blog started out as an analysis of the 4th district race and then turned into an endorsement of a candidate. I have not made my decision on who to vote for. In fact, I voted for and supported Paul Carmouche in the last election. (see filed campaign reports) I believe that our nation is on the brink of going down a road from which there will be no return. This belief is based on the policies of our President and the support that he gets from a democratically controlled congress. Although, many question Fleming's tactics as well as Vitter's at least they are not silently sitting by watching the damage being done. David Melville is a good man . Yes, I have met and spoken with him. I just do not want another Democrat in the house at this time when we need some balance to at least neutralize things until some sense of sanity returns to congress. As one with a daughter in law school and a former Seminary student myself, the sarcasm in my comments were meant as sarcastic humor.
I do not think that Congressman Fleming and Mr. Melville are to very far apart philosophically however, I am quite sure with their different backgrounds that their methods are. As I recall in the new testament, Jesus sent his disciples out to spread the word to the people, not to the Sanhedrin nor to the Roman senate. My questions are these: how would Mr.Melville have voted on the health care bill, the bailouts and cap and trade. If the answer is yes, then he's not my man. As for where I stand, you can look up Jeffersonian_Republican if you like..
Sincerely,
John Escude'