Shreveport Bossier Headlines

The State Fair of Louisiana will have to wait a little longer to learn whether it will be dropped as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by the parents of a child injured by a kiddie ride at the fair in November. The parents of little Sheldon Lewis, the 4 year old Coushatta boy who was critically injured after being caught under a ride at the Fair were in Caddo District Court to dispute the Fair's motion to be dropped as a co-defendant the lawsuit they filed against the Fair and three other entities on Nov. 4th, just two days after their son was injured. The lawsuit, brought by Lakhesia Lewis, the child's mother, and Sheldon Hallmon, the child's father, names the Headstart Program that brought Sheldon and his class to shreveport that day; Lowery Carnival, the maker of the ride on which Sheldon was injured; and Bryan Pellegrin, the Lowery employee who was operating the ride. 

A HOUSE PANEL HAS PASSED THE TWO MAIN PIECES OF GOV. BOBBY JINDAL'S PROPOSED EDUCATION OVERHAUL. ONE WOULD EXPAND A VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHILE THE SECOND WOULD REVAMP TEACHER COMPENSATION AND JOB PROTECTIONS.

BATON ROUGE RANKS FIRST IN THE COUNTRY FOR PEOPLE WITH AIDS...IF YOU LOOK AT THE PER CAPITA NUMBERS.  THIS PUTS OUR STATE CAPITOL AHEAD OF MIAMI WHICH WAS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

DOCTORS ACROSS THE STATE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE SLOW PAYMENTS THEY ARE GETTING FROM THE STATE FOR HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOR.  STATE OFFICIALS POINT TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CLAIMS DATA SYSTEMS.  BUT STATE SENATOR SHERRI SMITH BUFFINGTON OF KEITHVILLE SAYS SHE'S HEARING COMPLAINTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND SAYS IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE IMMEDIATELY.

FEDERAL INSPECTORS HAVE STARTED CRACKING DOWN ON SEAFOOD FRAUD. INSPECTORS SAY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS LIKE THE ``SOAKING'' OF SCALLOPS TO MAKE THEM WEIGH MORE, OR SUBSTITUTING A MORE EXPENSIVE FISH WITH A CHEAPER ONE THAT TASTES ALMOST THE SAME. QUALITY OFFICERS WITH THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE ANNOUNCED THEIR STEPPED-UP EFFORTS AT THIS WEEK'S INTERNATIONAL SEAFOOD SHOW IN BOSTON.

IN SALT LAKE CITY A THIEF BROKE INTO A DELI AND SWIPED THE GOOD STUFF......BIG HUNKS OF PROSCIUTTO, GORMET SALAMI AND THE FANCIEST IMPORTED CHEESES. HE LEFT THE BOLOGNA AND OTHER CHEAP CUTS BEHIND.

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA GETS SOME NORTHWEST LOUISIANA HELP. TWO LOCAL AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS HAVE HEADED SOUTH TO AID WITH RECOVERY FROM THIS WEEK'S FLOODING. JEAN LANIER AND LISAMARIE GRIFFIN ARE IN LAFAYETTE WHERE THEY'LL JOIN IN THE DISASTER RESPONSE. BOTH VOLUNTEERS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF HELPING IN DISASTERS -- AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS IS LANIER'S SECOND DEPLOYMENT THIS YEAR. BOTH WILL BE WORKING IN CLIENT CASEWORK -- WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE DISASTER. NO WORD, YET, ON HOW LONG THEY'LL BE THERE.

A 15-YEAR-OLD HAMILTON TERRACE STUDENT FACES CHARGES AFTER AUTHORITIES SAID HE SOLD XANAX TO SEVERAL OF HIS CLASSMATES DURING CLASS. THE TEEN IS ACCUSED OF SELLING THE PILLS FOR $1 EACH TO FIVE OTHER STUDENTS. ANOTHER STUDENT WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER TAKING THE XANAX WITH OTHER PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.