State Police is putting an emphasis this week on enforcing the state’s Move Over Law. Sean Richardson has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
___________________________________________________
The House Appropriations Committee approves a bill that would create a new TOPS award called the TOPS Excellence Award, and it would go to high-performing students. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
___________________________________________________
State Police is putting an emphasis this week on enforcing the state’s Move Over Law. Trooper Ryan Davis says several L-S-P Troops will participate in a special enforcement day tomorrow…
The “Move Over Law” requires motorists to slow down and change lanes, if safe, when approaching emergency vehicles with flashing lights that are stopped on the side of the road. Davis stressed that drivers must move away from stopped emergency vehicles and reduce speed.
Cut 4 (11) “…from the roadside”
Davis reminds drivers to stay alert, avoid distractions, and respect roadside responders’ safety.
Cut 5 (07) “…if the need arises.”
________________________________________________
The House Ways and Means Committee advanced a pair of bills aimed at lowering homeowners insurance premiums by strengthening the state’s fortified roof program. One of them is House Bill 145, proposed by Denham Springs Republican Roger Wilder
Cut 6 (08) “…a fortified roof.” (Doubles deduction from $5,000 to $10,000)
The bill has the support of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who says it would encourage people to get a fortified roof put on their homes and not wait for a grant program to open up to do so.
Cut 7 (07) “…fortified roof on.”
Also, House Bill 663 would create the Fortify Coastal Homes Fund. It’s proposed by Pollock Republican Gabe Firment, who says it would direct a portion of sales and use taxes in coastal areas following a natural disaster to the fund.
Firment says that amount would be capped at 60-million dollars. Both bills advanced to the full House without objection.
________________________________________________
St. Tammany Parish deputies arrested a 23-year-old Folsom man and his 45-year-old mother yesterday after a concerned resident reported them for a possible dog-fighting operation on their property. Lt. Suzanne Carboni says STP Animal Control investigated and seized 28 pit bulls.
Austin Alexander faces 28 counts of dogfighting, while Natia Alexander faces 28 counts as a principal to dogfighting. Carboni says deputies found other items on the property that are normally associated with dog fighting on the property.
Cut 10 (11) “…machine pistol.”
Both suspects were booked into the parish correctional center. Carboni reminds residents that if they see something, say something.
Cut 11 (06) “…will be arrested.”
______________________________________________________
A Rapides Parish man is under arrest for stealing hundreds of pounds of crawfish from a farmer’s traps. Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says a crawfish farmer told investigators late last month that someone had emptied his traps, and it happened again a few days later. He says deputies launched what they dubbed “Operation Tail Chaser,” and they caught the suspect, 47-year-old Tony Hicks, red-handed.
Hicks is facing several charges, including theft and criminal trespass. Carnline says Hicks stole a boatload of crawfish from the farmer.
Cut 13 (05) “…and 500 pounds.”
Given the wholesale price of live crawfish, that cost the farmer about 12-hundred dollars in lost sales. Carnline says what’s worse is that the thief used some of the farmer’s own property to steal the crawfish.
Cut 14 (07) “…that’s pretty bad.”
Carnline says this is still an active investigation, and more arrests are possible.