Judge Jay Caraway qualifies for re-election to Court of Appeal

Judge Jay Caraway has qualified as a candidate for re-election to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal.

 In 35 years as a lawyer, including 20 years also being a judge, the Republican resident of Bossier City has seen more than 6,000 legal disputes, with approximately 2,500 being appeals of criminal and civil judgments. He was also selected by the state Supreme Court to sit on the Judiciary Commission, and was invited by the Louisiana State University Law School to be an adjunct professor. 

 Judge Caraway touts his appellate court experience as a distinguishing qualification in this election. "I dealt with major appellate cases as a lawyer, and argued before the appellate courts of this state and the U.S. 5th Circuit," he said. "That cumulative experience prepares me for the next set of facts, for the next dispute that I will see as a judge; and working with other judges, we can reach the proper resolution under our law."

 Judge Caraway credits his roots in the North-Central Parishes of Louisiana as the life experience that prepared him for his public service as judge.

 This November 8 election covers the parishes of Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Union, Lincoln, Caldwell, Bienville, Jackson and Winn.

 To learn more about Judge Caraway visit judgejaycaraway.com.

If you are a candidate for office and would like to address the voters with your platform for office, please send a few paragraphs to mybossier@gmail.com and we will publish it.  Attach a picture if you like and we’ll include it.

Judge Cox qualifies for Court of Appeals

Judge Jeff Cox qualified today as a candidate for the Second Circuit Court of Appeal.  Judge Cox has been re-elected twice without opposition as a District Judge in  Bossier and Webster Parishes.  These two parishes comprise a majority of the votes in the Second Circuit race.  The other seven parishes include:  Bienville, Caldwell, Claiborne, Jackson, Lincoln, Union, and Winn. 

A Republican with broad support from the law enforcement community, Judge Cox understands the concerns expressed by law enforcement and the broader community about criminals being released from jail and felony sentences being reversed.  “I am honored to have such strong support of people from every walk of life—especially our law enforcement officers,” Cox said.  Judge Cox is the only candidate in the race with courtroom experience as a prosecutor and trial judge.  He favors strict interpretation of the Constitution and is opposed to legislating from the bench.  

Judge Cox continues to be a strong advocate for the elderly, and he supports Second Amendment rights. 

Judge Cox, a native of Webster Parish, resides in Bossier City with his wife, Susan, and their children:  Gabrielle and Stephen, who are students at Louisiana Tech University.  Judge Cox serves as deacon and teacher at First Baptist Church Bossier and is a member of a number of civic and wildlife organizations. 

For more information, visit electjudgejeffcox.com.

Judge Jeff Cox signs the paperwork to officially become a candidate in the race for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal

Judge Jeff Cox, and his wife Susan, at the Secretary of State's office, where Judge Cox qualified as a candidate for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal this morning.

Good news for Bossier

Great news for Bossier City with the announcement that CSC will locate at the Cyber Research Park. The company anticipates 800 employees over the next four years, and about that many in support positions. With the news released this week about the Shreveport/Bossier being one of the poorest in the country, I would love to see how Bossier stood on its own.

Here is a link to all the details of the move by CSC.

To cap it off, the City has agreed to provide infrastructure so that a Kroger Marketplace can locate just north of WalMart on Airline. Kroger is the second largest retailer in the country, and is making a move on WalMart's market share with the Marketplace stores.

Council says farewell to Jones, Hanisee

Tommy Harvey was sworn in to replace Larry Hanisee on the Bossier City Council. Harvey replaces Hanisee on his 2nd attempt at the office. Hanisee served previously and was elected the last time to fill the term of Chubby Knight. I have every confidence that Councilman Harvey will serve his consituents well.
Jeff Free has some big shoes to fill. He replaces David Jones, who decided to step down after 16 years. I believe he will do well.
Bossier City is all about growth and infrastructure, and the council has done the job. There have been criticisms for some individual projects, but on the whole the city is not only keeping up, but is ahead of the curve.
David Jones has been a key player in infrastructure, probably more so than any other individual council member. He also fought hard to keep Public Safety funded at a good level, and tried to get raises for unclassified city employees. Well deserved raises, by the way.
He deserves a thank you from the citizens of Bossier City for a job well done.
I'm not ignoring Larry Hanisee, he also deserves thanks for serving, he just didn't have the time to achieve very much in this abbreviated term.
It hasn't been all roses and rainbows, however. What I consider to be the council's biggest mistake was the Walker Place debacle. I think it could have worked out early and amicably, but pride and egos got involved and it ended up in a (pardon my language) pissing contest that the council was destined to lose. Maybe if faced with a similar situation in the future, the council will act in a more prudent manner. 
As Kenny Rogers said, 'you have to know when to hold them, and know when to fold them'.
Overall, the City is in good hands.

Bullying trial takes on new significance

The bullying trial of Jason Thomas has been dragging on for a couple of years now in Bossier District Court.  Thomas was originally charged with cyber bullying against Danielle Cox, a minor.

‘ur not important’

On January 24^th, 2011, one of Danielle’s friends had posted Danielle’s number on Facebook and asked that her friends text her and tell her not to kill herself. Rather than offering help, the state alleges that Thomas used a program called ClamTXT to send multiple messages to Danielle’s phone, each purporting to come from a different person. The messages read ‘I won’t miss u’, ‘ur not important’ and ‘just end it all’.

On January 25^th Danielle ingested an excessive amount of medication in a suicide attempt. She survived.

In February Thomas was arrested on the Cyber Bullying charge. On May 20^th, 2011, Danielle did kill herself. The charge was amended to Criminal Assistance to Suicide.

There will be a status hearing on Tuesday to see if the case is ready to go to trial. I’ll keep everyone posted on that. 

I’m not going into any detail on the most recent bully related suicides, but will note that both occurred very recently.

Two more students are victims

In light of two more suicides that are bully related, this case does take on new significance. What I’m about to say isn’t accusatory, but facts are facts. 

A bad problem exists, and it is centered around South Bossier, Elm Grove Middle School and Parkway High School.  The Parkway band can’t make overnight trips for the next two years because of an incident that happened in April. Eight band members simulated a sex act on a freshman boy against his will as the students were walking to the bus. That is co-incidental to the suicides, and not nearly as serious, but it does reflect the culture that exists where bullying seems to have some acceptance.

Part of the solution

Obviously, something has to be done. As I said, I’m not being accusatory and blaming the schools for children killing themselves; I’m not saying that the schools are the cause of the problem.

However, they certainly need to be part of the solution. Something has to be done, and it will take people uniting and forcing action.

We’ll delve into this deeper in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, to find out more, you can go to Facebook and check out these two pages:

Smiles for Danielle

South Bossier Anti-BullyingCoalition

Something has to be done, and it will take people uniting and forcing action.

City budget allows for more police officers

We had an interesting discussion going on in the comment section of the post entitled City elections around the corner.
Among the comments were the following:

Anonymous January 24, 2013 at 11:33 PM
No I'm saying they don't have enough officers on the street. They (elected officials) are constantly talking about how safe Bossier is but the fact is there is more crime today and it's getting worse. They use this figure they call "crime rate" to say what they want it to say. Ask any of them how to figure the "crime rate" and I bet they can't answer that. But yet every year they crime has decreased. All I'm saying is hire enough officers. According go my sources BCPD works with only 7 or 8 officers per shift. They have had to eliminate several divisions within the department just to be able to do that.

Anonymous January 25, 2013 at 8:22 AM
The budget presented by the mayor and approved by the city council for the last two years has money for an additional 20 cops. Why does the department not hire them? That is not a City Council question. The money is approved and it is shown in publicly, monthly, in the finance report.

Anonymous January 27, 2013 at 11:15 AM
The money is there for the officers. Unfortunately, the pay is substantially lower than competing agencies, so the department usually loses out.

Anonymous January 25, 2013 at 9:49 AM
That is not true. I haven't seen anything in any budget that gives the chief of police money to hire 20 officers.

I did receive a copy of the manning report for the city. The budget is fully funded and there is money there to hire additional officers. Of course, there is a constant flux of employees, some hired, some retiring or moving somewhere else. 
But the money is there for more hires (12 at this point) and I’m sure the chief does everything in his power to keep the department up to force.

Career Ops

Benton Christmas on the Square next Saturday

Benton Christmas on the Square is next Saturday (December 8th). Bring the family up for a good time; the parade rolls at 3PM.

Christmas on the Square Website 

Runoff

The general election has passed, the nation has chosen to keep Barack Obama in the White House, and in Bossier/Webster we have a runoff for Judge.
Mike Nerren garnered the most votes, but not a majority. He will face Whit Graves in a runoff on December 8th.
Judge John Slattery ran a good race and had the most votes in his home parish of Webster. Congratulations on a race well run, Judge Slattery.
Of course the presidential election brought out a lot of voters. Turnout in the runoff will be a fraction of what we saw Tuesday. The big question, of course, is which candidates will the Slattery voters favor and which candidate can turn out their supporters one more time?
I'll have a lot more on this soon, in the meantime give it some thought.

Things that go Boom in the night

Did you hear it? I did.
Muffled boom, my windows shook in Benton. 
First conjecture was that it was a meteorite, now the Webster Sheriff has confirmed it was a bunker explosion at Camp Minden.
The conspiracy theories are a lot more fun.
I posted mine on my personal Facebook account.
The definitive word. It was a meth lab in a trailer in Princeton, blew up. On its way down looked like a meteor. Landed on a bunker at Camp Minden.
Everyone is right.

An unnamed friend one-upped me.

You left out the key part...the Fez wearing folks were behind it.

What's your theory? (Facts be damned).

A message from the Candidates for District Judge

On November 6th, Bossier and Webster Parish voters will elect a Judge for Section E to replace Judge Bruce Bolin, who retired early this year. That spot has been filled temporarily by Judge & former Supreme Court Justice Joe Bleich of Ruston.
Three candidates qualifed for the position, Mike Nerren of Bossier City, who is an Assistant District Attorney and who maintains a private practice, Springhill City Judge John Slattery, who is also a former Assistant District Attorney and who also has a private practice, and Whit Graves, another former Assistant District Attorney who has a private practice in Bossier City.
I invited all three candidates to address My Bossier readers with two or three paragraphs discussing their qualifications and experience.

Judge John Slattery
I know that I can do the job of District Judge because I have performed it before! I was previously appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to temporarily serve as judge for the 26th Judicial District Court. I have also been temporarily appointed to preside as Bossier City Court Judge. During my twelve year tenure as Springhill City Court and Ward II Judge, I have ruled on almost 40,000 cases and am very proud of the fact that not a single decision from my court has been overturned! In addition, I have served as a Juvenile Drug Court Judge for the past ten years. As a judge, I have presided over felony and misdemeanor cases such as rape, burglary, arson, DWI, and possession of controlled dangerous substances. Furthermore, I have received the honor of being chosen as one of 19 judges from the state of Louisiana to serve on the Board of Governors. This Board provides quality legal education for all of the judges in our state. I have also been elected by my peers as the President of the Louisiana City Judges Association.
In addition to my judicial experience, I have practiced law for 29 years. I
was legal counsel for Citizen Bank and Trust Company, which recently merged
with Citizens National Bank in Bossier. As an attorney, I have represented
doctors, contractors, insurance companies, businesses, and thousands of
individuals. For fifteen years, I worked under Henry Brown as an assistant district attorney for Bossier and Webster Parishes. Additionally, I served as Springhill’s City Attorney for 13 years, and I represented four other municipalities as their attorney before becoming a Judge. I have handled virtually every type of case that a District Judge will hear.
My greatest strength as a candidate is that I do not need any ‘on the job
training’ since I have already performed the job as 26th Judicial District Court
Judge, Ward II Judge, and Juvenile Drug Court Judge for the state of Louisiana. As a judge and attorney, I strive to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally under the law. I am the only candidate that has actual judicial experience. As a result, I feel that I possess the necessary experience, qualifications and judicial temperament to be the next 26th Judicial District Court Judge for Bossier and
Webster Parishes.

Website

Facebook Page

Mike Nerren

Mike Nerren has been a Bossier Parish Resident for over 40 years. After graduating from Haughton High School in 1981, Mike attained a double major in Management and Finance at LSU Shreveport and then a Juris Doctorate from LSU Law School in Baton Rouge.

For the past 18 years Mike Nerren has practiced law both privately and as an Assistant District Attorney for the 26th Judicial District. During this time he has

gained invaluable experience in Domestic, Civil and Criminal Law and has 12 years experience in Juvenile Law having tried over 1,000 cases.

Mike and his wife Suzanne have three children, Chancellor, Laurel and Coleman. As a husband and a father, Mike believes in strong family principles. With his proven record in all areas of the law, his integrity and dedication, there is no doubt that he will be a good choice to serve as District Judge for Bossier and Webster Parishes.

Website

Facebook Page

Whit Graves

I have been involved in the legal system for over 35 years as a Louisiana State Police Trooper, undercover narcotics agent, chief prosecuting attorney and private counsel. The vast majority of my career has been in the District Court system with an emphasis on felony jury trials having tried more than 100 successful jury trials. I have practiced before the appellate courts dozens of times, the Louisiana Supreme Court several times, and have been accepted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Because of my extensive and varied time in the legal system, I will bring to the Court a unique quality of experience rarely seen in any jurisdiction. My greatest experience is in the administration of jury trials, which I consider to be the most important aspect of our system. Jury trials are where citizens not normally involved in the court system directly impact the parties and issues by deciding the outcome and rendering a verdict. A proper understanding of how to conduct a jury trial is a necessity. Most jury trials are reviewed by the appellate courts and Supreme Court. If a jury trial is not conducted properly, the jury verdict could be overturned and the trial will have to be conducted again. This is not something that can be learned from sitting on a committee. One has to be involved in jury trials to understand how to conduct them.

Jury trials are not held in city courts or juvenile courts and the only felony crimes that can be heard in a city court are juvenile offenses which do not have juries to decide the issue. The longest a juvenile can be held after a city court trial is until he turns 21 years old.

I will be firm and will administer justice based on the law and evidence pertinent to the case before me and not because of the relationships the parties have with politicians or the attorney they employed. While I have sent defendants to the P-farm all the way to Death Row, I have also realized and conducted my decisions based on whether the evidence showed the offender truly set out to cause the harm or just got caught up in a bad situation.

I seek the position of District Court Judge to help improve the court system and head off problems before they fester to the point that solutions may only be obtained through raising taxes. I have proposed an assignment of the six judge positions to 2 criminal, 2 civil and 2 domestic and juvenile. This would allow the judges to keep closer tabs on the cases and caseloads they are assigned to bring the same quality of service in a more efficient, quicker manner. Since I proposed this system, I have learned that the current five judges have considered the same or similar system and are waiting for this election to be finalized before working towards a final decision. I am open to all suggestions and plans with the final objective to better serve the citizens of the district.

Website

Facebook Page

“God told me you were coming…”

Social media is going crazy for the last couple of days. The death of a six month old child naturally stirs emotions. Some of those emotions go over the top.
Everyone is asking ‘how could that happen’? I’m sure that no one feels that more acutely than the parents who are involved in incidents like this.
A commenter on the blog left this link to a Washington Post story dealing with parents who have left their children, resulting in their death. It takes a few minutes to read but is worth it to gain some insight. The common thread that I picked up is that each parent firmly believed they had left their child at the proper place, daycare or whatever.
It is food for thought.
My Facebook friend Jo posted last night that she had an experience that was very similar in some ways, but that had a good outcome in the end. She published it last year on her blog.
She has graciously allowed me to reprint it in full.

I’m a Mom, a mother, a snuggler, kid-is-center-of-my-world, protector…being a mommy... it is my purpose.   It’s why I was put on this earth… to bring two incredible young men into the world. About 10 years ago I was a single Mom living in Marshall, Texas in a lil trailor on the side of HWY 80. (Sounds like a country song, right?...lol) My every moment with Jake was about Jake.    I kept my "single woman" and "single mom" roles SEPARATE.   Jake only ever met two men that I dated… and I married one of them. My friends always asked the same question before asking me to go somewhere with them, “Hey, Do you have Jake this weekend?” Because if the answer was “yes” they knew I had plans.   I had a Friday night date with a blonde haired, blued young fellow who was a messy eater and always stuck me with the bill. But… he was a good snuggler… so I didn’t mind.

The whole point of this is, I never understood how someone could “forget” their kid at a store, at home, in a car... Until… I did that very thing. 

Huh?

I did the unthinkable. I “forgot” him at home.  I worked 12 hour shifts, so sometimes if I’d worked a bunch on “my” nights, his Dad and I would swap up a night.There was a schedule switch, I didn’t normally have him that night of the week. I got up for work and didn’t see him in bed next to me (and like all Mommy’s boys he slept with his Mommy) , this did not strike me as odd. (Later he told me he woke up on the couch, and I saw a little blanket there… the set up of the trailer… I never had to “pass” by the couch to get showered, dressed or leave out the front door for work)  So... I went to work… in Shreveport… Shreveport, LOUISIANA!!!!… ANOTHER STATE!!! 

His father calls me at work… asking why I didn’t bring Jake (he watched him while I worked). I assured him HE had Jake, it was HIS night… then it hit me. HARD. I had Jake… and OMG where was he this morning??? I didn’t see him in bed with me. My knees buckled. . My friend Paula was standing there, she said I turned a whitish gray. His father and I both said we’d rush over there.

As I’m leaving, I began calling the Sheriff’s department to send someone there. I recall another employee telling me, don’t do that... you’ll be in trouble for leaving him. I looked at her like she was from Mars. I just wanted my son safe. I lived on a highway. I’d left my 3yr old home alone!!! ME!!! I DID THAT!!! THE MOMMY!!! 

My heart was exploding as I ran to my truck and began to drive that way. I called the Harrison county sheriff’s department. They kept me on the phone for my entire drive. I was so upset, they kept telling me to calm down so I don’t wreck. I barely recall the drive… I was pretty much in hysterics. God must have been steering…. Because I could barely see the road for all the emotions. And all I wanted to know was that my son was ok… “Is he there yet?” I must have said, ”Oh My God” a hundred times. They assured me that the sheriff got there and my Jake was ok… I think I cried harder. 

I arrive and the sheriff and Jake’s father were already there… Jake had let the sheriff in. 

Jake’s eyes were red. I could tell he’d been crying. 

After the sheriff left..  I hugged him and kissed him and apologized a billion times (Jake, not the officer... sheesh!!!)  I asked Jacob, “What did you do?” 

Jake told us that he woke up and didn’t see me and looked out the window for my truck. And he kept looking,” because Mommy’s always come back” (Yeah… that made my eyes water again) He told us that he was thirsty and tried to open a bottle of water and couldn’t. “So, I threw a fit right there” (as he pointed to the middle of the living room floor… had to smile at his wording and the way he pointed when he told us this) I told him how sorry I was and I know he was scared. 

Jacob then said,” It’s OK… God told me you were coming”

Huh? 

Ummmmm… I had not introduced any type of religion into this 3yr olds life. He’d never been inside a church. I have faith… and prayed a lot. But, had not exposed my son to religion. 

 I asked Jake, ”God?”   He said, “Well, maybe God… he told me that you and daddy were coming”. I said, “Jake, someone talked to you?” He said, ”Yes, he told me you were coming and I would be OK and not to cry” I was at a loss as to what to say. Jake bubbled on… and told us he stopped crying and...he just sat there...and waited.... the policeman knocked on the door and he was OK. 

I didn’t question him more. It was kind of like the cemetery thing. I didn’t really need or want to know more. 

All I know is an angel helped my son in his time of need. That my Jake was so pure of heart and open minded… he could “see” what many of us are “blind” to everyday.

“God told me you were coming…”

6 month old dies in tragic accident

I certainly hate writing about this, and only do it in the hope that it might raise some awareness.
A 6 month old little girl was found dead this afternoon in her father's SUV at LSUHSC. Her father works at the hospital and apparently left here there when he got to work this morning. 
My first great-grandchild is a 6 month old, sweet Miss Gabby; my youngest granddaughter is 16 months old. 
I can't imagine what this family is going through.
This isn't going to be judgmental. Although I, and most of you, can't comprehend how this could happen, I'm sure that until today the father couldn't have understood it either.
The same thing happened a few years ago with a 2 year old at General Motors. In that case, the father left the child in the car for several hours until he realized that he had not left him at daycare.
I could ramble on about this, but I won't. The point of my remarks is to point out that there are simple solutions.
First, the government has started a program called Look Before You Lock. Simple to do and a good habit to develop.
But to really ensure that this doesn't happen, an alarm system is available.
It is called the ChildMinder Smart Clip System. 

It costs $69.95 and takes about three minutes to install. It is activated when the child is strapped into their carseat, and is deactivated when the seat belt is released. If the driver gets more than 15 feet from the vehicle without releasing the seat belt it sends an alarm.
If you have a young child, order one today. I know we never think it will happen to us, and this is a way to be sure.

Charles E. Roemer II

Charles E. Roemer II of Bossier City passed away on Saturday, July 7th, 2012. Mr. Roemer is survived by his wife of 70 years, five children, seventeen grandchildren and thirty-six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Roemer was known for being an advocate of black civil rights in a time when that was not only unpopular, but dangerous. 
He served as campaign manager for Edwin Edwards in his first run for governor in 1971, and is credited with getting Edwards elected by what turned out to be a margin of one vote per precinct. At the time, Edwards and Bennett Johnston were considered to be the reform candidates in the field of seventeen, which included former governor Jimmie Davis.
His innovative Data Systems at Scopena Plantation put him on the cutting edge of technology at the time.
He was the father of former Governor and presidential candidate Buddy Roemer, the grandfather of BESE Board member Chas Roemer, and the father-in-law of 2010 U. S. House candidate and Methodist minister David Melville.
Mr. Roemer served Edwards as Commissioner of Administration during his first two terms, and helped shape Louisiana politics during the last third of the twentieth century.
One of the first actions of Governor Edwards was to call a Constitutional Convention, to which Buddy Roemer was elected as a delegate. That convention established the BESE Board on which Chas Roemer now serves.
Mr. Roemer will be missed by his large and productive family and by a large number of friends.
These few words don't begin to do credit to his memory, but you can get a little more by reading his obituary.

Odds and Ends

I’ve been a little slow on blogging this week, just enjoying a mid-week holiday. Here’s a little catch up.
-Congratulations to Pat on her first grandchild, a boy, born on the Fourth of July!
-On Forward Now! There are still some of us around who remember the shock waves from this corruption ridden murder-for-hire. Elliott Stonecipher recalls it from a very personal point of view and has some very interesting and provacative comments. Lessons from the Murder of Jim Leslie
-Attorney John Settle has asked the State Supreme Court to review the decision in the Bossier School Board case. Judge Jeff Cox ruled in favor of the School Board and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his ruling. The Supreme Court will decide whether to accept the appeal within 30 days.
-I’m still keeping an eye around the corner on the Bossier City elections next spring. From a blogging point of view, this holds a lot more interest than the national elections this fall. The city elections can hold some surprises, while the national election, in our part of the world, is a foregone conclusion.
It looks like restaurant owner Michael Beam is cooking up more than his daily specials. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he will be running for a council seat in South Bossier.

Bossier Parish in the news on two fronts

First, Jane Smith, who was recently appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Revenue, has been appointed Interim Secretary. This came on the heels of the sudden departure of Secretary Cynthia Bridges, who has served under three governors.
Although no statement was given as to the reason Bridges resigned, it is widely believed that it was because of  an emergency ruling regarding tax rebates for up to $3,000 on the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles. The administration panicked when they realized that this move could cost up to $100,000,000 in lost revenue.
Smith, who says “So I’m just doing everything I can to assist the governor promote his agenda and that’s why I’m here (at an education meeting) today—to help the governor with his agenda.”, was conveniently waiting in the wings.
Ironically, Smith was the one who pushed through the legislation authorizing the tax rebates.
Louisiana Voice has an article here.
The Times has a story about Bossier ranking among the fastest growing Counties/Parishes in the country. There are more than 12,000 counties/parishes in the U.S., and Bossier is ranked at #91.
Up for discussion – Is it Jimmy Hall’s fault that we are at #91 instead of #1?

FBI Investigation

The Inquisitor is reporting that the FBI is investigating matters affecting Bossier-Webster District Attorney Schuyler Marvin’s office.  
I blogged earlier about  a series of articles published in the Inquistor regarding the DA’s office. 
According to Inquisitor sources, FBI agent Chris Plant is heading the investigation. 
Among allegations the Inquisitor has reported on in recent weeks are instances of non-prosecution of DWI cases for relatives of employees of the DA’s office.
I will put up more about this by the first of the week. Meanwhile, better grab a copy of the paper at your local store.

Bossier's Billy Busted

Bossier celebrity Billy the Exterminator was arrested for smoking synthetic dope. My commentary follows.

Commentary

Duh

Bicycles and safe driving

Three people have been injured in Bossier, one of them fatally, in just over a month after being hit by motor vehicles.
Bart Patten was hit near Willow Chute at the end of April. He was in a coma for nearly three weeks, but is slowly recovering.
Last week, 18 year old Kevin Mouser was hit in the 4300 block of Barksdale Boulevard. He passed away two days later.
Today a bicyclist in the 3300 block of East Texas Street suffered what is being described as non life threatening injuries after being hit by a truck.
Without addressing the particulars of these three cases, suffice it to say that everyone should be very aware of the roadway when they are driving. A bicycle has as much right on the road as a motor vehicle.
If you would like to read the law applying to bicyclists in Louisiana, you can find it here. If you don’t want to read the whole thing, perhaps it will help to post these two paragraphs:

• Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway of this state shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.
• The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall exercise due care while the motor vehicle is passing the bicycle and shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle. An operator of a motor vehicle may pass a bicycle traveling in the same direction in a no-passing zone only when it is safe to do so.

Our sympathies go out to the people who were hit and their families, and particularly to the family of Kevin Mouser.
Everyone please slow down and be aware of what is on the road in front of you. Lives will be saved if you do.

Self Promotion on the back of a family's grief

Some people have no shame.
Scott Tubbs, who I’ve written about before (see Rollin' with the Big Dawgs), has some videos up on You Tube about the suicide of a Bossier City employee.
I won’t name that employee out of respect for his family, nor will I link to the YouTube videos. What happened isn’t a secret, and a lot of you probably already know the details.
This person had worked for the City for a number of years and was well thought of. To set the background, he shot himself in a parking lot at an apartment complex.
Scott Tubbs, who owns a used appliance store, heard about it and went to the scene and made a video of the police coming and going, and of the vehicle itself. Thankfully, the windows were covered and he couldn’t see inside.
A Bossier City police officer came over to Tubbs while he was filming and suggested – out of respect – that he not do it.
Tubbs explained that he has an internet news site and was doing it so he could report on it. I haven’t been able to find any internet news site operated by Tubbs, but he does have a YouTube account.
Tubbs put the video on YouTube, along with three others basically stating the same thing in each.
In the description on the video of the scene he states:

• Local Police department Violates Rights to freedom of press
• LISTEN as the police Officer TELLS us not to film

When you watch that video and listen to the conversation, the officer clearly ASKS him not to make the video. Mark Natale, the Spokesman for the City, who Tubbs refers to as “Mark - the bald headed white guy”, clearly tells him “It’s not against the law, out of respect he’s asking you not to do that.”
Tubbs agreed and the video ended.  Clearly the police officer did not tell him not to film, he asked him to stop. He was not told that he had to stop, and he was clearly told that it was not against the law. It was a request, and Tubbs honored that request. So far as the police department violating the rights to freedom of the press, as far as I can tell, the press wasn’t on the scene. They don’t usually report on suicides.
In the ensuing videos, Tubbs explains why he is ‘pissed off’, that the people have a right to know this stuff. 
Why?
I blog about a lot that goes on in Bossier, and I heard about this incident right after it happened. I didn’t blog about it. It had nothing to do with governance or with the operation of the city or of this person’s particular department. 
Just because you can do something, and because you have the right to do it, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should do it.
The tipoff came in a statement that Tubbs made on one of the videos.
“I may seek the mayor’s office of the City of Bossier City.”
Besides his ill-fated run for President of the United States, he threatened years ago to run for Shreveport mayor against Keith Hightower. 
He can do that, despite a felony conviction for arson. He received a ‘first-offender’ pardon for that act.
Mr. Tubbs, if you want to run for mayor, then do so. I'm sure that Lo Walker is as concerned about that as Keith Hightower was.
But please – take the videos down. They are really offensive.

In Remembrance

Chubby Knight

Funeral services will be held Friday for former City Council member Chubby Knight.

After retiring from Delta Airlines, he moved back to Bossier City and ran successfully for City Council.

Robert Jones

Services for Robert Jones will be held Saturday. He was a captain with the Bossier City Marshal’s office and was well regarded in law enforcement circles.