Exhibitionists show their stuff at Manhattan hotel

The Daily Mail reports that visitors to High Line park in New York have been getting rather more than they bargained for.
For the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Standard hotel in Manhattan, which overlooks the park, have provided exhibitionists with the perfect platform to show off.
Guests at the hotel have been intentionally failing to close the curtains as they frolic naked in front of their rooms' huge windows.

The hotel is in Manhattan's Meat Packing district.

Really.

City of Shreveport Inspectors, Contractors arrested

Contractors James Hayward Lester, Alphonso Williams, Santana Brown and James Alex III were arrested this morning for fraud in their dealings with the Shreveport Community Development Office. The office channels millions of dollars of federal funding to the elderly and sick poor in the area.
Sheriff Steve Prator, who is in a press conference with DA Charles Rex Scott as we are writing this, said that HUD inspectors are en route to Shreveport from Jackson and should arrive at 3:30 today.
City Inspectors Community Development Office inspectors Jackie Mandigo, Daniel Lacour and Ray Jones were also arrested.
The sheriff also refused to comment when asked if the investigation was spurred by Caddo District Judge Ramon Lafitte ordering Williams, along with Shreveport City Councilman Calvin Lester, to pay $47,900 in damages to the owner of a rock crushing business.
Prator said that the investigation only reached into 1 rehabilitation program at the agency.

I thought I shot him

From The Times, too good to pass up. Make all the snarky remarks you like about Haughton and Princeton, but Blanchard is right up there . . .

Blanchard police officers say a group of men were firing shots in Blanchard at about 2 a.m. Saturday night when one of them apparently collapsed to the ground. The group of friends, number unknown at this time, thinking they had accidentally shot their friend, put him in the back of their truck and rushed him to Willis-Knighton hospital on Greenwood Road in Shreveport. While putting him in the truck, the friends severely cut their friend on the ribs on the truck door, leading them again to think he was bleeding from a bullet wound. Upon arrival at the hospital, they discovered the man had not been shot after all.

Pills, prostitutes and the po-po a bad combination

Worst judgment of the week

• Pamela Ann Pierce of Haughton was arrested Tuesday for possession of methamphetamine. She was stopped for failure to signal and gave deputies permission to search her vehicle, where they found drugs and a smoking device. She admitted to using meth two weeks previously. She is settling into her new digs at Bossier Max.
• Craig Pierotti of Elm Grove was stopped for an expired inspection sticker. During a search of his vehicle, deputies found 5 lortabs.

Why are deputies searching vehicles that were stopped for failure to signal and expired inspection sticker?

Why do people with drugs on them drive with an expired inspection sticker or fail to signal when a police officer is watching them?

Where my change, ho?

• This lovely pair, Margaret Ann Turks, 55, and John Arther Webb, 59, both of Plain Dealing, were arrested after an altercation. It seems that Turks had provided sex to Webb for $20 and beer. When Turks did not give Webb $30 change from a $50 bill, he hid her purse. She called 911. Yes, she called 911. They were charged with prostitution, theft and disturbing the peace-drunk and given lodging at Bossier Max.

Dirty old Man must believe that love hurts

• Caddo Parish school teacher Richard M. Forcht was arrested Saturday at the Louisiana Boardwalk. Bossier City police officers approached Forcht after watching him stare at underage girls and following them, according to a news release.

Officers said they smelled alcohol on Forcht's breath and body, and they noticed that his speech was slurred.

Officers at the Bossier City jail found two Lortab tablets and two Viagra tablets on him. Forcht was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance and prohibited acts.

Nasty Bastard is My Bossier's scumbag of the week

• This Nasty Bastard spit on a paramedic who had just treated him. Needless to say, he is My Bossier’s Scumbag of the Week.

Time Lapse of fire at Shreveport Regional Arts Council

From ZioCody.
The confessions of an alleged 'serial arsonist' have cleared a dozen cases, according to Shreveport Fire investigators. So far, 38-year-old Gary Vinson is only charged in connection with the blaze that destroyed the historic building that houses the administrative offices of the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, but more charges are expected.

Ted Kennedy Dead at 77

Senator Edward M. Kennedy passed away last night at the age of 77. A family statement said:
"We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," the Kennedy family said in a statement announcing the senator's death.
"We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him."

Courthouse News: Bossier Judge being stalked

We have a report that one of our 26th JDC judges is being stalked. The sheriff has had deputies watching his house over the weekend.

Due to the nature of the situation, we won't report which judge it is at this point.

We will follow up and report more as we learn it.

Michael Jackson's Death Homicide

AP reports that Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide. Seems more like an assisted suicide to me.
Read the article here.

Nasty Bastard spits on paramedic

His name is Samuel D. Nall of Tallahassee, Florida.
Nall, who is positive for hepatitis B & C, spit on a paramedic following a domestic abuse incident.
According to reports, Nall grabbed his girlfriend by her hair and banged her head on the headboard of a bed.
He is being held in Bossier Minimum, and bond is set at $22,900.

Benton's Senator Adley explains separation of powers to Jindal Administration

Go Robert Adley!
Thanks to Central La. Politics for the video.

Local Tea Party organization makes puzzling changes

The Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party is in the midst of some puzzling changes. They have changed their name to Red River Tea Party and put up a new website. The new website has a forum linked, but it is not the old SB Tea Party forum. The old forum was on a Ning format, which is very user-friendly; the new forum is awkward to say the least.
The SB Tea Party site is still up, but I don’t know for how long.
In the past I have offered some praise to Rob Gaudet for keeping the local tea party non-partisan. I wrote in July “My concern was that the local movement not turn into a cheering squad for one party over the other, that it truly remain non-partisan, and that it not turn into a forum for local politicians to gain votes. Gaudet has done a great job of keeping it party-neutral and has a policy of not inviting elected officials to speak. A lot of local Tea Party organizations have marginalized themselves by having politicians speak at their events. Gaudet has not made this mistake, and that is to his credit.’
Unfortunately, Gaudet seems to be removed from the new organization and from what I can tell, although nothing is posted yet, Royal Alexander seems to be stepping to the forefront. The Times noted today that “A health care forum sponsored by the conservative Red River Tea Party organization Thursday night in Bossier City served more as a platform for reaffirming the group's views than a discussion of reform proposals.” The forum was emceed by Royal Alexander.
Alexander, a Republican, ran against current Attorney General “Buddy” Caldwell last year and lost. He is an attorney and was a congressional staffer for Rodney Alexander.
SB Tea Party is one of the only local organizations in the state that has taken a non-partisan stance. Other groups in the state have seriously limited themselves by having elected Republican officials speak at their events. Apparently they just don’t get it.
Statements like this on the new website don’t sound non-partisan: “If we are to meet the aggressive, forward momentum of this Administration, we must have in place a bold plan that will allow room for growth as we begin work to shape the outcome of the 2010 election.”
In Louisiana there are 1,513,644 registered Democrats, 742,032 registered Republicans and 647,670 people are registered as ‘other party’ (read independent). Although Louisiana has voted Republican in the last three national elections, that is only because they saw the Republican Party, rightly or wrongly, as the more conservative.
I hope the tea party people keep in mind that a full three-quarters of the voting population deliberately did not register as Republican, and will be turned away if the local events become a pep rally for the Republican Party.
Gaudet, a Republican himself, got it. I just hope Alexander and company do the same.

The Upside of Downs

A couple of my favorite people now have their own blog. I'm referring to Alena and Riley LaBorde.
I wrote about little Riley LaBorde here and here.
I'll let Alena explain in her own words:
"When my daughter was born(almost 4 years ago) she was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. After the shock wore off, I immersed myself in finding all the information I could on Downs. Books and the Internet provided a lot of valuable, scientific, clinical, and medical information. There was however, a lack of real world info. To help fill this void, I am BLOGGING. This will be a light hearted, irreverent, and true account of raising a child who is beautiful, smart, funny, sassy, sweet, loving, kind, and who happens to have Down Syndrome. I hope that this blog will bring smiles and laughter and show UPSIDE of DOWNS!"
Please check out the blog - I will link it in the sidebar.

The Upside of Downs

Bossier man charged with DWI threatens deputy

Len Archie Lott, 53, of Bossier City, was arrested Saturday night on charges of public intimidation, driving while intoxicated and failure to signal a lane change.

According to a news release, Lott was pulled over by Bossier Sheriff’s deputies after he changed lanes without signaling. After approaching Lott, deputies could smell alcohol on his breath. He then admitted to drinking three 24-ounce beers before getting behind the wheel.

Lott reportedly failed sobriety tests and had a .203 blood alcohol level.

While en route to the Bossier Maximum Security Facility, Lott told the arresting officer, “This is not over.” Lott continued by asking the deputy, “Do you know where your wife is?” He then made a noise like a shotgun blast, the news release states.

At the booking desk, Lott reportedly told the arresting officer that “This ain’t over with,” and he would see the deputy on Highway 80 again. Then, police reported the man ran his finger across his throat like he was cutting it.

The Times

Mr. Lott is no stranger to the Bossier Parish justice system.

• 1994 – charged with aggravated assault & disturbing the peace. He received 90 days in jail for the assault & a $100 fine for disturbing the peace.
• 1998 – possession of Marijua & possession of paraphernalia. $500 fine for marijuana, possession of paraphernalia nol prossed.
• 1999 – unauthorized use of a movable, property damage and disturbing the peace. The first count was nol prossed, 6 months for the 2^nd count, all but time served suspended, and 5 days in jail for count 3.
• 2000 – simple battery and disturbing the peace (intoxicated). 30 days for the battery and 15 days for disturbing the peace.
• 2001 – aggravated assault & criminal property damages. 120 days, all but time served suspended.
• 2003 – All of the above charges were misdemeanors. On May 15, 2003 he was charged with aggravated battery, a felony. The charged involved threatening a woman with a pistol. Needless to say, the DA allowed him to plead down to a misdemeanor charge of simple battery, for which he got 120 days with credit for time served.

It will be interesting to see the bill of information on the current charges when it is filed. Will he be charged with a felony? Probably not. If he has no other DWI’s in a different jurisdiction, he will be charged with a misdemeanor 1^st DWI. Failure to signal a lane change, who cares?

As far as threatening the deputy and the deputy’s wife, don’t expect much. The Bossier DA has a record of going very, very easy on people who attack or threaten police officers.

Independent Bob Lang announces run against David Vitter

William Robert "Bob" Lang, 64, of Natchitoches has announced his intention to oppose U.S. Sen. David Vitter in the 2010 midterm elections.
Lang is a combat veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served during the Vietnam War.
Lang says he is a conservative independent. He is not happy with the current direction of the United States.
"This country, in my opinion, is on the verge of a financial calamity and changing from a constitutional republic to a socialist/communist form of government. If the United States Congress and president continue to spend in such an insane manner and borrow at least half of everything we spend, that will be a guaranteed recipe for national suicide and nation failure," Lang said."
Citizens who believe in a small and sovereign federal government, a strong sovereign state government and all of the power in the hands of the people have to come forward now to stop this out of control socialist train that is flying down the tracks at warp speed.
"Lang says he is a strict constitutionalist. He believes the United States government should "return immediately to the original intent of the Constitution that our brilliant founding fathers so skillfully created."
"I give you my word that I will not embarrass the citizens of Louisiana with immoral behavior while serving as your U.S. senator. I humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 2, 2010."
Lang is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge with a degree in industrial management.
The Ouachita Citizen

Cyber Stalking - a curious crime

In January My Bossier ran a blog post Cyber Bullying on the Rise by local attorney Samantha McAllister. The article was focused on protecting children, but Ms. McAllister made a good point by saying “Sadly, even adults are using the Internet to harass, stalk, bully and threaten. Hiding under the anonymity of the Internet, it is easy for these predators to attack you or your children.”
This week we saw the arrest of a local pastor who admitted to sending a number of sexually oriented emails to a woman who had visited the church where he had served as pastor since 2000. This is a well educated, professional person who is a graduate of Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary and has a Doctorate from the Graduate Theological Foundation at Notre Dame University. Anyone else who faced this misdemeanor charge might be able to survive it without total disgrace, but not in this case. It is a tragic thing for his family and I admit I just can’t understand it. It's a curious crime.
A couple of weeks ago a Minden man was arrested and charged with cyber-stalking and obscenity. He had sent suggestive text messages and nude pictures of himself to a woman. After he was charged, another woman said he had done the same to her, so additional charges were added.
In February a local disc jockey was arrested for improper internet activities involving juveniles. The two fifteen year old girls he was planning to meet turned out to be Caddo Parish Sheriff’s detectives.
The Caddo Sheriff began the investigation after they received a complaint from the parents of a juvenile girl who had talked with the DJ on MySpace. He asked for nude or semi-nude photos in exchange for concert tickets, and promised back stage passes if they would meet him in person.
Last year a Shreveport man was arrested for sending a threatening email to a former teacher. He was charged in April in Bossier Parish; on July 1st of 2008 attorney Edward Mouton enrolled as his counsel and asked for a bond of $15,000. The bond was set at $10,000 and he bonded out.
The last entry on the Bossier Clerk’s website was the letter from attorney Mouton on July 1st enrolling as his counsel. Nothing else has been entered. We will attempt to find out what happened with this case.
What is it that makes people go online and harass people, whether it is a former teacher, a casual acquaintance or someone on a social networking site like the two fifteen year old girls?
There are many more cases that go unreported, and in some cases they have ended in death and violence.
Attorney McAllister outlined several steps that can be taken to protect yourself from these cyber offenders, and made the important point that “No matter what action you choose to take, remember, cyber bullying is a serious issue and you can stop a cyber bully before it is too late!”

Wiley Willis: Officer fired in Garbarino incident reinstated

Wiley Willis, the Shreveport police officer who was fired for allegedly mistreating Angie Garbarino, has been reinstated by the Police Civil Service Board.
Willis was fired by Chief Whitehorn because of the incident. The city later settled with Garbarino for $400,000.
Willis, represented by Eron Brainard, claimed at his hearing that his rights had been violated. The board ruled in his favor.
He said that he is in the process of deciding if he will return to the police department.
Read our earlier posts Shreveport Police Officer Fired and Officer Willis deserves due process.

Sunday Funnies: Duck refuses treatment, leaves area

My fantasy world: Internet Court Proceedings

An attorney friend called this to my attention. It's from Hank Moody, the main character in Showtime's Californication:
"People…they don’t write anymore - they blog. Instead of talking, they text, no punctuation, no grammar: LOL this and LMFAO that. You know, it just seems to me it’s just a bunch of stupid people pseudo-communicating with a bunch of other stupid people at a proto-language that resembles more what cavemen used to speak than the King’s English."
For whatever reason, that led me to imagine what internet court proceedings would be like; I think it would go something like this:

CourtChat Section 2

9:30 AM
Hon. I.B. Earnest presiding

Judge: Madame Clerk, call the first case please.

Clerk: State vs. Whipple, Simple Battery
Defense Attorney: Your Honor, we move that all charges be dismissed.
DA: OMG! We object, Your Honor!
Judge: LOL, that is so not going to happen. Proceed.
DA: Your Honor, Mr. Whipple is charged with throwing a bag of chips at a convenience store clerk and has pled not guilty.
Judge: I’ve been guilty of chip shots myself!
DA: ROFL!
Defense Attorney: ROFLMAO!
DA: Your honor, may we go to private chat?
(DA & Defense attorney go to private chat with judge)
Judge: It appears that the arresting officer has had his computer infected by a worm and cannot appear this morning.
Defense Attorney: We move for a mistrial!
Judge: LMAO!
DA: ROFLPIMP!
Judge: Denied! Case will be reset for such time as Office Doright’s computer has been restored.
Madame Clerk, call the next case please . . . .

Actions of Shreveport City Marshal Charlie Caldwell were beyond reckless

Shreveport City Marshal Charlie Caldwell has caused a stir by telling the media that he did get a ticket a couple of weeks ago for doing 111 mph in a 60 mph zone.
According to this video from KTBS, Caldwell was stopped at 6:30 on a Sunday morning on I-20 at Airline Drive. Doing 111 anywhere at anytime is foolish and reckless. Doing it on I-20 at Airline is beyond reckless, it is approaching homicidal.
The National Safety Council says that the major causes of traffic collisions and fatalities are speed, aggressive driving, driving while impaired, and following too closely. You will notice that speed is number one on that list.
In 2000 State Rep. Pinky Wilkerson was killed on this same stretch of I-20 in a 6 car accident caused by a driver who was speeding and did not stop for traffic.
“As soon as I finish court,” Caldwell said of his September court date, “I’m gonna pay my ticket and move on. I’m not asking for any special treatment. Hopefully, (the judge) will let me go to traffic school and keep it off my record — feels kinda funny saying that.”
I don’t think that will happen, nor should it happen.
Louisiana state law allows the court to: defer proceedings and allow an offender to participate in this program provided the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The offender pleads either nolo contendere or guilty to the charge; (2) the offender has not participated in such a program within 2 years; and, (3) the offense did not involve exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 MPH or more.
I believe that doing 51 mph OVER the limit pretty much eliminates that possibility.
What is most disturbing to me about this is that Caldwell seems oblivious to the fact that he could have killed someone with his actions. He said he was surprised at the attention this is receiving. He shouldn’t be. He is one of the highest elected law enforcement officers in the region; of course it is going to get public attention.
He says that he is ready to pay his $250 fine and move on. I hope he can take away a new awareness of the danger that his actions presented.

Will Bossier opt out of the 'Career Diploma' plan?

Some school districts have opted out of the 'career diploma' plan, which was passed by the legislature in the last session. The stated purpose of the plan is to increase the number of graduates. The downside, according to critics, is that it will further 'dumb down' education in Louisiana. I haven't studied this enough to know if it is a good idea or not.

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is in charge of spelling out some of the details, still has to finalize classes students will be required to take.
The board also has to decide whether students will have to pass the Graduation Exit Exam, or GEE, to earn a “career” diploma, as other students do to earn a traditional diploma.

Until it is determined what classes will be required to pass, it is hard to understand how any district can participate.

School Districts that have opted out of the plan are:

Acadia
Allen
Ascension
Beauregard
Catahoula
Central *
Claiborne
Concordia
East Carroll
Jefferson
Jefferson Davis
Orleans
St. Charles
St. James
St. John the Baptist
Washington
City of Bogalusa
Recovery School District
West Feliciana
West Baton Rouge
*Requested, but not approved yetSource: Louisiana Department of Education

The Advocate

Quiz says I am a 'right social libertarian'

Edward Burchett sent me the link to this quiz with this message.
Here’s a quiz you might find interesting. You might even post the results to your blog for all those who believe you and Obama are like peas and carrots. Of course there’s always a chance you might prove them correct. . .
I took that as a dare, of course, so I took the test and found it interesting. I don't think it is too far off the mark. When I compared myself to my demographic - age 60-69, Louisiana, male, I compared as more libertarian and a little more 'right'.
Take the test, it's worth your time - and you might surprise yourself.

My Political Views
I am a right social libertarian
Right: 3.06, Libertarian: 4.01

Political Spectrum Quiz


My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -6.47

Political Spectrum Quiz


My Culture War Stance
Score: -1.28

Political Spectrum Quiz

Maggie Lee Henson passes away

From Maggie Lee's Caring Bridge Page:

At 6:30 pm tonight, our precious Maggie Lee was carried into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For these last three weeks, she fought for her life courageously, with the skillful help of the medical staff at Batson Children’s Hospital here in Jackson. She was blessed to have thousands of people praying and pulling for her. We celebrate her eternal life in the presence of her Creator tonight.

We offer our complete sympathy to this family.

Bossier Official: Parish should pay for natural gas conversion for resident's cars

Bossier Parish Police Juror Larry Butler suggests that the parish use 40% of projected gas revenue from the Haynesville Shale to pay for residents to convert their cars to run on compressed natural gas.

From The Times: "This is gas coming from land owned by people," he said. "It's managed by the Police Jury, but it's owned by the people. And if we can use the royalties from that to help them save money at the pump, I think it's a win-win situation."

According to Butler, the parish could receive up to $500,000 per month in revenue from its interests. Bossier did not sign leases for its property, but instead will be force-pooled by the oil companies. This means that once the cost of the well is in, the parish will receive 100% of the revenue from the wells less operating expenses. Butler suggests that the program would have a life of 5 or 6 years.

He is likely to meet some stiff resistance from other officials, however. Parish Administrator Bill Altimus said that the parish is already moving ahead with plans to converts its fleet of vehicles to natural gas.

That is good, but sidesteps the issue. Personally, I believe that Butler's idea has merit and should be fully explored.

Butler said "I'm trying to build grass-roots support. The problem is when money starts to come in. Everyone has their own pet project they want to fund."