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Jonesville’s Martin Luther King Day Parade (published January 20, 2010)
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Call the News Booster Office at 318-339-7242 and
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CPSO Task Force jails four on drug charges (published Janury 20, 2010)
A four-month undercover investigation led by the Catahoula Parish Narcotics Task
Force and the Louisiana State Police Narcotics Unit has netted four suspects
connected to cocaine distribution in the Harrisonburg area.
Dewaine Littleton, lead officer of the Task Force, said the Sheriff's Department
had received numerous complaints about drug activity in and around the Old
Columbia Road area, just north of Harrisonburg.
"With the assistance of the Louisiana State Police, we began investigating the
reports of illegal drug activity," said Littleton.
"During this undercover investigation, we made several major purchases from
these individuals," Littleton explained. "in some cases, large quantities of
cocaine were purchased from these dealers. We were able to purchase thousands
of dollars worth of illegal narcotics."
With solid evidence, warrants in hand, and with the aid of the United States
Marshals Service, the Task Force and the LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office, the
four individuals were arrested Tuesday night.
Timothy A. Bridges, 33, of 159 Old Columbia Rd., Harrisonburg, was charged with
distribution of cocaine. Bond was set at $100,000.
Brenda K. Washington, 44, of 179 Old Columbia Rd., Harrisonburg, was charged
with distribution of cocaine and criminal conspiracy to sell controlled
dangerous substances (CDS). Bond was set at $150,000.
Thomas Bridges, 32, of 159 Old Columbia Rd., Harrisonburg, was charged with
distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to sell CDS. Bond was set at $150,000.
Trentin L. Fisher, 22, of 121 Ramsey Rd., Jonesville, was charged with
distribution of cocaine and criminal conspiracy to sell CDS. Bond was set at
$150,000. Fisher was also charged in LaSalle Parish on drug charges. (see
related story on this page)
While the first two arrests were being made, Jermarion L. Franklin arrived on
the scene on a four-wheeler with an open container of alcohol and four grams of
marijuana in his pocket. The 20-year-old was arrested for violation of the open
container law, unauthorized vehicle use on a highway, and possession of
marijuana.
"This is just another great example of different law enforcement agencies
working together," Littleton said of the undercover investigation and
subsequent arrests. "We are going to continue our efforts to get rid of drugs
in Catahoula Parish."
Jonesville man arrested in LaSalle on drug charges (published Janury 20, 2010)
A lengthy investigation by narcotic investigators with the LaSalle Parish
Sheriff
’s Department and Louisiana State Police led to the arrest last Friday of a
24-year-old Jonesville man on drug charges.
Trentin L. Fisher, 24, of Jonesville, was arrested and charged with possession
with intent to distribute Schedule I (marijuana) and possession with intent to
distribute Schedule II (cocaine).
A traffic stop was executed on Fisher about 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon after
investigators determined that he was bringing substantial amounts of illegal
narcotics from Jonesville into LaSalle Parish to sell.
K-9 officers performed an exterior search of Fisher’s vehicle with their K-9 partners and the dogs alerted to the scent of illegal
narcotics on the vehicle.
A search of the interior of the vehicle revealed a large amount of suspected
marijuana and cocaine. Fisher was informed of his Miranda rights and placed
under arrest and charged as indicted. He was transported to the LaSalle Parish
Jail and booked on the two drug charges.
 |
Sheriff Scott Franklin commended the officers on their intensive investigation
and arrest.
The Sheriff said due to the number of narcotic arrests being made in LaSalle
Parish, local drug users are beginning to branch out to surrounding parishes
for the purchase of illegal narcotics.
“Due to this, our narcotic investigators will work with Louisiana State Police
narcotic officers and surrounding sheriff
’s departments to attempt to deter this action,” Franklin said. “Our priority is still to attack the use and sale of illegal narcotics in our
parish, but when local drug dealers go to another parish to purchase narcotics
to sell in LaSalle, that too, is a problem for us.
”
Scouts have new meeting place (published Janury 20, 2010)
Jonesville Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are now meeting at Trinity Presbyterian
Church on Tuesdays.
Scout Master Al Pilson begins the Boy Scout meeting at 6 p.m. while Scout Master
Lynn Higginbotham leads the Cub Scouts in their meeting an hour earlier at 5
p.m.
Anyone interested in joining the local Cub Scout or Boy Scout troop, just attend
a meeting. They'll be glad to have you, and you can look forward to exciting
camping and field trips with your new troop.
Three state agencies strive to lower spending (published Janury 20, 2010)
Under an executive order issued by Governor Bobby Jindal, all state agencies are
directed to enact a budget reduction of state general fund dollars. This
across-the-board 7.56 percent cut has at least three state agencies doing what
they can to make the required spending cuts.
Colonel Michael Edmonson, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety,
has announced his agency will be reducing expenditures over the remaining
fiscal year by identifying areas in which reductions could be made without
affecting the level of public safety services provided to citizens.
This plan includes the elimination of a Louisiana State Police cadet academy
class scheduled to begin in February, 2010. This class would have filled 40
existing trooper vacancies that currently exist in State Police due to
attrition.
Colonel Edmonson has also suspended all off-duty use of state-issued vehicles by
commissioned personnel; reduced all state-funded travel; and placed a freeze on
new fleet vehicle purchases for this fiscal year.
“One of the most challenging aspects of serving as the Deputy Secretary of the
Department of Public Safety is mitigating the budgetary crisis under which our
state is currently operating.
” Said Colonel Michael Edmonson. “In these challenging economic times, difficult decisions must be made to ensure
that our mission is accomplished in the most efficient and effective means
possible. It is imperative that we examine the way we conduct business and take
proactive approaches to lessen the impact to our personnel. These decisions are
not easily made and I assure you that these changes are a necessity for our
Department.
”
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is taking steps to
reduce overall agency expense within the current fiscal year and long term.
“We are working to curtail expenditures in conjunction with our recommendations
submitted to the Streamlining Commission and through internal budget reductions
in areas where cost savings can be implemented while protecting services to our
customers,
” said Robert Barham, LDWF secretary.
Included in the agency’s recommendations to the Commission on Streamlining Government, LDWF will move
personnel and services to the department
’s Lacombe hatchery facility to serve constituents on the north shore of Lake
Pontchartrain in 2010.
The move will house division employees including marine, inland and wildlife
biologists who support the agency
’s habitat management efforts. With this reform LDWF will save an estimated $8,400 annually in utilities and
maintenance costs expended previously at other facilities.
Additional independent moves by LDWF to streamline resources include the closure
of the District 4 Ferriday office this month. That office had been in operation
since 1960 and was in need of major repair.
The agency projects an annual savings of $34,000 in utilities and maintenance
costs.
Area constituents needing LDWF services will be able to access agency personnel
at the Monroe and Pineville regional offices.
In a resource savings move, LDWF will return 47 agency vehicles to the Louisiana
Property Assistance Agency to reduce the overall size of the department
’s fleet. The collection of automobiles, vans and light-duty trucks will reduce annual
agency expenses by an estimated $188,000.
Department personnel who previously utilized the vehicles will have the option
of using their personal vehicles while conducting state business and then
obtaining mileage re-imbursement or, with prior authorization, renting a
vehicle for extended trips on state business.
Within LDWF’s Public Information Office, the final issue of Louisiana Conservationist will
be printed this spring as the agency focuses on alternative information sources
as options for constituents seeking outdoor news.
The elimination of the publication’s staff, printing costs and postage will save the department $220,000 annually.
LDWF will continue to distribute news and information through annual
publications including the agency
’s hunting and fishing regulations booklets, special seasonal announcements,
press releases and on-line video information pieces.
The department Web site will continue to serve as the agency’s 24-hour information source at www.wlf.la.gov.
The Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is in the process of
implementing a number of measures that will save the department money.
“In light of the serious fiscal challenges the state is facing, the Department of
Transportation and Development is examining ways we can prioritize our programs
and our processes,
” said DOTD Secretary William D. Ankner. “We are looking for ways to reduce our spending while maintaining essential
services to our customers. I can assure you that we will continue to make
responsible decisions about how we spend taxpayer funds.
”
The following two streamlining efforts have been adopted as official
recommendations of the Streamlining Commission:
Elimination of airplane
At the end of the current fiscal year, DOTD plans to eliminate its airplane,
which is used for aerial photography. The department is in the process of
securing a contract to outsource this service. The savings that will result
from this change will vary by year, depending on the number of aerial
photographs the department requires. DOTD estimates that the change will save
approximately $140,000 per year, and will generate a one-time revenue from the
sale of the airplane.
Leasing vehicles at headquarters
DOTD is in the process of reducing its fleet of cars, trucks and vans by 10
percent, or a total of 180 vehicles. The department is developing a rental
policy so it can use rental cars as needed. The department is aiming to
finalize by the end of the first quarter.
In addition to the official recommendations of the Streamlining Commission, the
following cost-saving and efficiency efforts also are under way at DOTD:
Campus consolidation
Part of DOTD’s headquarters building was occupied by the Department of Health and Hospitals
(DHH) until 2006. Because of this, DOTD has maintained some of its staff at
leased locations throughout Baton Rouge. The department
’s legal and real estate sections were operated from Essen Lane, and its public
works section operated from an office near the Baton Rouge airport. The
department is finalizing renovations of the space in preparation to relocate
these sections to the headquarters campus. The relocations will begin this
summer. The consolidation of the DO
TD campus will result in an annual savings of approximately $600,000.
Discontinuance of non-essential construction signs
DOTD has reduced the number of non-essential construction signs on projects. The
signs are installed on a construction project to show the amount of state and
federal dollars being spent on the project.
Consultant selection timeline process improvement
DOTD has expedited road projects by reducing the time it takes to procure a
consultant for engineering and related services by approximately 60 percent. A
key point of the improvements identified required revising the consultant
selection statutes, which were passed during the 2009 legislative session.
Consolidation of responsibility for water resource management under DNR
Earlier this month, DOTD and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) finalized
a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that consolidated all the responsibilities
of water resource management under DNR.
Additionally, DOTD agreed to provide two technical positions to DNR to perform
work duties relative to the program along with the funding of those positions.
Conduct pilots for outsourcing lab work in two district offices
DOTD is preparing to launch two simultaneous pilot programs to outsource
components of the lab work done in two district offices. These pilot programs
– one in the New Orleans district and one in the Alexandria district – will help the department determine whether it is more efficient to hire private
firms to perform its concrete and aggregate testing. DOTD staff is currently
developing the criteria by which to measure the consultant
’s performance and costs over the year-long program.