Political Illusions of the Cajun Mafia

3/A3
BILL
Continued from A1
Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-
Lafayette, handled Allain’s bill
in the House. He said S.B. 469
has two purposes — kill the
lawsuit and dedicate any funds
that might be recovered to
coastal restoration.
Allain’s bill would define
which government entities
can bring legal claims about
management of Louisiana’s
sAsoL
Continued from A1
Phillips said concerned residents
will have two opportunities
to appeal DEQ’s decision
to approve Sasol’s permits.
Residents who requested that
DEQ mail them the decision
will have 30 days from the date
on which it is mailed to file
an appeal. Phillips said DEQ’s
mailing will include an explanation
of the appeal process.
He said the department hopes
to get the mailings out early
next week.
In addition, Phillips said
residents have 60 days from
the date of issuance to file a
BUDgeT
Continued from A1
The $40 million WISE fund
for higher education has only
$17 million in recurring dollars,
Edwards said. He said
the additional money doesn’t
come close to making up for
the $700 million in higher
education cuts made over the
last 6 1/2 years by the Jindal
administration.
Edwards said the state is
coastal zones to entities
designated in the Coastal
Zone Management Act. Levee
boards aren’t on the list. That
would offer a legal argument
to have the levee board’s lawsuit
thrown out.
The bill specifies that its
provisions “shall be applicable
to all claims existing or actions
pending.”
Rep. John Bel Edwards,
D-Amite, said the 19th Judicial
District has already ruled the
flood authority had every right
to file the lawsuit. He said it
petition with the Environmental
Protection Agency, which
reviewed all of Sasol’s air and
water permit applications to
DEQ.
Once Sasol begins construction,
DEQ officials will monitor
the project’s stormwater runoff
to ensure it does not get into
the soil, Phillips said. When the
facilities are up and running,
he added, DEQ “will seriously
engage in oversight to make
sure the emissions they have
predicted are accurate.”
“They also have to keep us
informed as to where they are
in the construction process
in terms of the percentage
complete, and they will make
regular reports to us about
expected to have a $990 million
deficit next year when time
comes to fashion a budget for
fiscal year 2015-16.
The Public Affairs Research
Council earlier said that figure
doesn’t include potential new
demands for state money from
such things as privatization of
the charity hospital system. It
noted that $233 million for the
budget is a temporary source
of revenue that is coming from
depletion of the Medicaid
Trust Fund. And PAR said $262
from pAges A1, A2 l sTATe
would have been dismissed already
if the authority weren’t
qualified.
S.B. 469 also has a retroactive
feature, which enables it
to reach back and try to kill
the lawsuit.
Robideaux said the bill is
aimed at protecting a valuable
industry that has contributed
$80 billion to Louisiana in the
form of severance taxes and
royalties.
Those who argued against
the legislation said all of the
arguments used by Robideaux
DEQ ‘will seriously
engage in oversight
to make sure the
emissions they have
predicted are accurate.’
sam phillips
dEQ assistant secretary of
environmental services
that,” Phillips said.
Sasol’s proposed $7 billion
ethane cracker will produce
ethylene, which, in turn, will
be used to make products such
as synthetic fibers, detergents,
paints and fragrances. The
million will come from the
state’s tax amnesty program.
“The Legislature should
lessen the long-term impact
of paying the state’s operating
costs with non-recurring
revenue that will be unavailable
to help balance future
budgets,” PAR said.
Fannin said the budget
approved Friday is $800 million
below the current year’s
spending plan. Kleckley
acknowledged it does contain
one-time money, but said it
need to be resolved in court,
not in the Legislature. Robideaux
said the bill gives the
court additional information
on which to base its rulings.
Rep. Patrick Connick, R-
Marrero, wanted to know how
the Allain legislation served
the public interest. Robideaux
said its goal is to protect
private entities that are important
to the state. The state
drafted the legislation in 2006
that created the flood authority,
Robideaux said, “and we
can modify it.”
facility is expected to produce
about 1.5 million tons of
ethylene a year. Construction
on the facility is expected to
begin next spring.
The company’s GTL complex
is expected to produce
more than 96,000 barrels of
diesel fuels and chemicals
each day. The complex will
also house Sasol’s second linear
alkyl benzene unit, which
will increase the company’s
production of detergent alkylates.
The project will cost $11
billion-$14 billion. Sasol is
expected to break ground on
the complex in 2016.
When completed, Sasol’s expansion
projects will more than
quadruple the size of its plant.
doesn’t exceed the cap allowed.
Jindal has authority to veto
those items in the budget that
he doesn’t like.
The Senate reversed some
reductions made by the House.
It restored cuts made to contracts,
state jobs and economic
development spending. The basis
for restoring some spending
was the Revenue Estimating
Conference projection
that the state will collect $65
million more next year than
anticipated.
Saturday, May 31, 2014 aMErICaN PrESS A3
Senate OKs earlier 2016 primary
The Senate unanimously an elections bill (House Bill
voted to move up Louisiana’s 431) sponsored by Rep. Tim
2016 presidential primary by Burns, R-Mandeville. Amedee
two weeks, sending the idea to said the change would help
the House for consideration the state get more attention
with a few days to go before the from the presidential candidates.
Burns’ bill heads back
legislative session must end.
Sen. Jody Amedee, R-Gonzales,
added the language to
Wire
to the House for debate.
report
rAID
Continued from A1
“We have a lot of work
fixing to come to Southwest
Louisiana, and we certainly
don’t need people on drugs
that are high doing this work
for us,” Mancuso said. “It
could pose a danger to others
and to our community with
the kind of work we do here.”
While deputies were raiding
the smoke shops Thursday
night, two people came
into the store, having seen
the officers, and requested
items, Mancuso said. One
wanted a pipe and the other
materials to help him pass a
drug test, the he said.
“They know they were
detectives; they had their
badges on and let them in the
door,” Mancuso said.
One person then traveled
from Lake Charles to Moss
Bluff, Mancuso said.
“The danger of these
products is that there’s basically
only one purpose for
them and that is to mask the
fact that you are under the
influence of drugs of some
kind, generally marijuana,”
DeRosier said. “Now is not
the time in Calcasieu Parish
or in Louisiana or in this
country to lower the bar to
accommodate substandard
behavior. That’s what these
products are doing.”
Selling products to falsify
a drug is a misdemeanor.
Louisiana law says it is
illegal to supply a product
“for the purpose of falsifying
a screening test.” It is not
illegal, however, to buy the
product, Mancuso said.
“We worked closely with
the District Attorney’s Office
in this particular case
because they do have certain
smoking devices that are
legal and of course some are
illegal,” Mancuso said. “We
had to make sure that we
were within the law.”
Blaze owner Yossi
Galamidi, 35, 113 W. 15th St.,
as well as Dylon Dugas, 20,
4510 Common St., and Andrew
Singer, 25, 1607 Campfire
Road, were arrested for
selling a product to falsify a
drug screen. Galamidi also
faces a charge of illegal use
of currency. Galamidi’s bond
is $15,000, Dugas’ is $40,000
and Singer’s is $10,000.
Up in Smoke owner Lillian
Mitchell, 40, 3602 Center
St., was arrested for selling
a product to falsify a drug
screen, as was John Garrett,
45, 3602 Center St. Mitchell
also faces a charge of illegal
use of currency. Her bond
was set at $34,000, and Garrett’s
bond was set at $14,000.
Both smoke shops are still
open, Mancuso said.
DeATHs
Continued from A2
Richard Victor Tonn Jr.
Richard Victor Tonn Jr.
(“Dick Tonn”) was born and
grew up in Jennings, La.
He was the youngest child
of Richard Victor Tonn and
Dolores Longman Tonn and a
precious nephew of Herbert
and Edith Tietje. Dick had
one older sister, Nona Herring,
who preceded him in
death.
Dick did well in school,
worked on tugboats during
the summers and enjoyed
boating and water skiing on
the bayou with his friends.
While they lived in two small
towns just 10 miles apart
in Louisiana, Dick met his
sweetheart, Carol Ann Coles,
on a UN high school trip to
New York City in 1962. They
courted through high school
and college, and married on
July 1, 1967. Dick continued
calling Carol “his bride” and
David
SIMS INSULATION
477-8700
“his sweetheart” throughout
their 47 years of marriage.
ily home of 32 years, which
they named “Sunny Slope
was known for his generosity,
and being an example of patience,
Dick earned his bachelor’s Cottage.” He continued as an
persistence, kindness,
degree in 1968 from the
University of Southwestern
Louisiana in Lafayette, La.,
and was a proud member of
the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He
taught History for a while
instructor, teaching finance
and insurance sales in the
Service Life F&I school from
1982 until early 1992. Dick
was promoted to the Board
of Directors and served as
love and gratitude for every
day up until his last day, in
which he left peacefully at his
home in the company of his
family on May 27, 2014, at the
age of 68.
(like his mother, who was also President of Service Life He is survived by his wife,
a teacher). While he continued
to love the study and subject
of History throughout his
life, his love of cars led him
into the automobile business,
in which he was involved for
over 27 years.
He began his automotive
career in 1969 with Motors
Insurance Corporation in Lafayette,
La. He was one of the
and Casualty in 1985. In this
position, Dick oversaw the
operations of the company
and its several divisions,
which provided service for
over 1,100 automobile dealerships
in 48 states.
While Dick loved his work
and the people he worked
with, he achieved his goal of
early retirement at the age of
Carol; his daughters and
spouses, Shelly and Robert
Wilcox of Pflugerville, Texas,
and Vicky and Neil Mijares of
Seabrook, Texas; his brotherin-law,
Al Herring of Charlotte,
N.C.; his sister-in-law,
Mary Lee Coles of Welsh, La.;
his nieces and their families
Lynn and Wayne Northrop of
Raymond, Calif., Dee Smith
original General Motors finance
and insurance instructors
52 and was able to enjoy many of Charlotte, N.C., Kim and
years with his bride, traveling Shane Boudreaux of Spring,
in the early 1970s. During to the coast, boating and fish-
Texas; and his grandsons,
his 13 years with General
Motors, he traveled all over
the southwest United States,
calling on dealers from New
Orleans to Phoenix, which
resulted in he and Carol making
their home in Odessa, El
ing, golfing and taking adventures
to the Caribbean with
family and friends. His early
retirement also allowed for
him to truly spend time with
his grandsons, Coleton and
Reece, who came into his life
Coleton and Reece Wilcox.
A visitation for Dick will be
held at four o’clock in the afternoon
on Saturday, May 31,
2014, followed by the funeral
service at five o’clock in Cook-
Paso, Phoenix, Beaumont and in 2001 and 2004. They are
Houston over those years. the reason that he is known
NEW
SPRING
Also during that time, two as “O’Pop,” a name that he
ARRIVALS
more sweethearts came into preferred being called over
Speciality Linen Apparel
his life; his daughter Shelly in all others in the last years of
Magnolia Pearl, Hearts Desire,
1970, and his daughter Vicky his life.
Flax, Gauze & More
50% OFF SELECTED ITEMS
in 1971.
Despite being diagnosed
Dick began his tenure with with Fronto-Temporal Dementia/Alzheimer’s
Service Life and Casualty
in 1982 as a Vice President,
which brought him and his
family to Austin, and led him
and Carol to build their fam-
in 2009,
Dick continued to be a joy, a
smile, an active husband, father,
grandfather, friend and
teacher to all around him. He
TRIUMPHANT
VOICES AND BAND
June 6 • 7:00 p.m.
FIRST PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
510 N. Kinney, Iowa, LA
337-582-3250 For More Info
Walden Funeral Home, 6100
N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, Texas
78752.
A graveside service will
be held at four o’clock in the
afternoon on Monday, June 2,
2014, in Oaklawn Cemetery,
555 Beaufort St. Welsh, LA
70591.
Condolences may be left
for the family at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.
00866950
Conversational Spanish Classes
June 24 - July 31, 2014
Tuesday and Thursday Nights • 6:00- 7:30 pm
(Six Week Course-$85)
More than 300 million people in the world speak Spanish and so can you. Fluency in Spanish
provides new opportunities both professionally and personally.
Spanish is the third most widely spoken language in the world after Chinese and English. By
joining the ranks of Spanish speakers around the world you will be able to reap the following
benefits:
• Make potential customers feel welcome
• Increase profits for your business
• Save time and money
For More Information:
La Familia Resource Center
114 W. Clarence St., Lake Charles, LA
337- 312- 2906
00867555
00867535
00865485
Erlene Lewis Ward
Erlene Lewis Ward, 97, of
DeRidder, died Wednesday,
May 28. Funeral service will
be at 10 a.m. today, May 31, in
the First United Pentecostal
Church of DeRidder, under
the direction of Labby Memorial
Funeral Home.
Photographs for
obituaries are provided
by families of the
deceased.
THY WILL BE DONE
The greatest privilege on earth is to be able to call God, who
created heaven and earth, Our Father. This privilege includes an
invitation to prayer and His promises of answers. We are at our
very best when we take a position in prayer; there is no time so well
spent as time spent in prayer.
When we don’t pray, we are actually saying in deed, “I don’t need
you Father; I can handle it by myself.” …”Oh, what needless pain
we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer…”
In His model prayer, Jesus instructed His disciples to say, “…
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…” We should feel safe in
requesting an answer to any situation which is in harmony with
God’s way of doing things. All our praying must reflect a desire for
God’s will and answers based on heavenly principles.
We should constantly review our position on all matters of life to
be sure they are all “in His will.” If we have to leave the will of God
to be happy or prosperous or popular, that gain will soon turn into
the bitterness of gall without God’s support. (Matt 6:7-13).
Sidney Fontenot / Partners In Missions PO Box 352 Sulphur La 70664
River of Life Ministries 337-302-1937 00864536
00867518