Parents Given A Week to Digest School Plans

Ruston School District Parents have a week to digest plans revealed by consultants for the Lincoln Parish School Board (LPSB) that would “reconfigure” four Ruston School District elementary schools to accomplish racial balance, a crowd of 300 Lincoln parish parents were told at a public hearing tonight at Ruston High School (RHS) auditorium.

The board will vote next Tuesday, May 8, on which of the two plans will be presented to the U. S. Chief District Judge Robert “Robbie” James for approval.

Lincoln Parish News Online (LPNO) had last month reported the existence of plans to “pair” the four elementary schools, or combine the students from two schools together.

The four elementary schools in the Ruston District are: Glen View, on Bittersweet Avenue near Cooktown Road; Cypress Springs, on Saratoga Street near South Maple Street; Hillcrest, on East Kentucky Avenue; and Ruston Elementary, on North Bernard Street near East Mississippi Avenue.

Both plans presented tonight would combine the six grades of each pair – Ruston and Hillcrest; Cypress Springs and Glen View – and have K through 2 grades attend one school, and grades 3 through 5 attend the other.

See here the plans:

Plan A
Plan B
Demographic Information

We will have additional reporting tomorrow on audience reactions at tonight’s meeting.

Delay in Lincoln Deseg Consent Order Sought

Both the plaintiff (U. S. Government) and the defendant (Lincoln Parish School Board) have requested that U. S. Western District of Louisiana Chief Judge Robert “Robbie” James extend the deadline for submission of a consent order on the long-running desegregation suit for two more weeks, from May 7 to May 21.

2. The United States and the Board have been working diligently toward a resolution of the issues in this matter and are actively negotiating the terms of a consent order addressing all remaining issues. The parties require a brief extension of time to complete negotiations, finalize the terms of the anticipated consent order, and obtain the School Board’s approval of the anticipated consent order before filing it with the Court for its approval.

3. The United States and the School Board submit that an extension of time until May 21, 2012 will reasonably allow for the completion of the negotiation process, the submission of a comprehensive consent order, and, in the event all issues cannot be resolved, the submission, jointly or separately, of a status report identifying any such issues.

See here the document.

A public hearing to reveal what plans are being considered is scheduled for 6:00 PM tonight at the Ruston High School (RHS) auditorium, 900 Bearcat Drive.

Former ADA Denies Allegations in Filing

Former Second Judicial (Bienville, Claiborne, Jackson parishes) Assistant District Attorney Gary Nunn formally denied allegations of sexual battery made against him, via an answer filed last week in response to a civil suit that had been brought several days earlier.

Defendant shows that Pamela Bulloch has continually made false allegations against him because he would not dismiss her DWI charge… As a result of the denial for the requested help, Pamela Bulloch became very angry and has made a concerted effort to defame Defendant.

See here the document.

Higher Ed Roundup – 4/30/12

Our View: Lombardi’s termination a byproduct of poor leadership, nasty bureaucracy

School Zones to be Discussed Monday

What was discussed in a series of secret meeting of the Lincoln Parish School Board (LPSB) will be revealed to the public in a meeting at 6:00 PM Monday night, Ruston High School (RHS) Auditorium, 900 Bearcat Drive.

See here the agenda.

Among the items reportedly to be discussed is rezoning the Ruston School District’s four elementary schools, and “pairing” the schools to bring them into a racial balance.

Higher Ed Roundup 4/29/12

CABL supports merger of LSUS and La. Tech

Discussions Center on Organizing Cemetery Assn.

Most of the discussion at yesterday’s public meeting about the Town of Jonesboro’s cemetery focused on the mechanics of forming a cemetery association that could take over ownership or at least maintenance of the 4-plus acres of land located between Country Road and Napoleon Avenue.

Town Attorney Doug Stokes said there is still a question of ownership to be determined.

Said Stokes, “When you talk about the Jonesboro Cemetery, you’re basically talking about three separate things: The cemetery that the town owns, the Beasley addition, and the Watson addition.”

Stokes said to legally set up an association, proposals would need to be solicited.

“You’d have to solicit proposals from various parties that would be interested in doing X, Y, and Z in exchange for the town conveying the property to them. It would be like disposing any other town asset.”

Stokes then explained that to set up such an association, the procedure is contained in Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 8, Cemeteries.

One of the audience asked if an association could be formed that did not take ownership, but would be responsible for upkeep only.

Stokes said that could be done, and that it would make no difference to the town who had ownership, save the issue of liability. An association could be required to have liability insurance in any agreement between the town and an association, he noted.

Another issue discussed was whether the town would continue to mow the area until an association could be established – a process that could take some time to accomplish.

Thompson never would definitively commit to do that, saying, “At this this point, it my desire.” Asked if his mind could change in the future, he said, “It could.”

John McCarty Appointed to JPPJ

John McCarty of the St. Rest community was yesterday appointed to the Ward Four seat of the Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ), according to the minutes of the 4/27/12 meeting.

McCarty will serve until a November special election can be held to fill the unexpired term of Nate Zeno who had resigned last week.

Also at yesterday’s meeting a resolution was passed calling for a November 6 election and fixing the qualifying dates for the election as 8/15/12 through 8/17/12.

Higher Ed Roundup – 4/28/12

Board fires LSU System head Lombardi

LSU board fires Lombardi

Lombardi known as blunt, at times abrasive

Southern University president seeks new revenue

Board of Supervisors fires John Lombardi with 12-4 vote

LSU System president set to be fired today

LSU System president rebuts merger as best plan

LSU board fires system president John Lombardi

Meeting on J’boro Cemetery Today

A town meeting has been called for today (Friday, 4/27) at 5:00 PM, W. Richard Zuber City Hall, 128 Allen Avenue.

See here the notice.

To be discussed is the possibility of forming a cemetery association that would take over ownership and maintenance of the Jonesboro Cemetery.