Tax Election Tomorrow

Parishwide Consolidated School District No. 1 Proposition

Shall Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of Lincoln, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a ten (10) mills tax on all the property subject to taxation within said District (an estimated $4,805,400 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2023 and ending with the year 2032, for the purpose of (a) purchasing textbooks, instructional materials and equipment, (b) acquiring, maintaining and operating school buses, (c) constructing, maintaining and operating school buildings and facilities, (d) offsetting reductions in federal and state school funding, and (e) funding mandated federal and state programs?

Ruston School District No. 1 Proposition

Shall Ruston School District No. 1 of the Parish of Lincoln, State of Louisiana (the “District”), continue to levy a two and fifty-three hundredths (2.53) mills tax on all the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $806,800 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, commencing with the year 2024 and ending with the year 2033, for the purpose of maintaining and operating school facilities in the District, including, but not limited to, the payment of the costs of utilities?

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Ronald Greene Homicide Hearing Roundup

Second-in-command at State Police refuses to answer lawmakers’ questions, lies to them under oath

WBRZ TV2 Baton Rouge

By: Chris Nakamoto and Erin McWilliam

Trooper who oversaw Ronald Greene investigation says he was told to conceal evidence

WBRZ TV2 Baton Rouge

By: Jeremy Krail

‘Torture and murder’: Ronald Greene case turns cop vs. cop

JIM MUSTIAN and JAKE BLEIBERG, Associated Press

State Police brutality expert believes Ronald Greene was tortured, murdered during arrest

Greg Hilburn, Lafayette Daily Advertiser

State lawmakers looking into Ronald Greene fatal arrest can’t get answers on why some LSP personnel had their phones wiped clean

Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

Jeff Palermo

State Police official calls Ronald Greene’s death ‘torture and murder.’ Others deny wrongdoing

The (Baton Rouge, LA) Advocate

By Sam Karlin

‘Hide it and deny it’: Trooper says he was ordered to bury Ronald Greene evidence

WAFB TV9 Baton Rouge

By Chris Rosato

Lawmakers outraged at high-ranking trooper’s testimony in Greene case

WAFB TV9 Baton Rouge

City’s Budget Amended, RHS track teams Recognized

Ruston High School Boys & Girls LHSAA Division I Indoor Track & Field 2022 State Champions

Tonight’s meeting of the Ruston Board of Aldermen saw several significant budget amendments for the year ended 9/30/21.

City Treasurer Julie Speir said that the general fund, the sales tax funds, and the electric fund saw changes.

Said Speir, “The general fund has a net increase of $110 thousand, and that is the effect of $2.6 million of increased sales tax revenues that we received in 2021, and a decrease in the fed and state disaster relief of $3 million. Those funds must be reported in federal law as deferred revenue, and will show up as they are spent.”

She added, “Two through four are the sales tax funds. That is a collective decrease of $2.7 million dollars. Sales tax revenues were up, but we transferred that money out to general funds. Electric had a fund balance decrease of $8 million. That’s directly related to the fuel adjustment revenue decrease, as well the decrease in overall services.”

See here all the amendments.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Ruston High School Boys & Girls Track & Field Teams were recognized for capturing the LHSAA Divsion I Indoor State Championship last month.

Police Jury to meet Tuesday

The Lincoln Parish Police Jury will meet Tuesday, March 8, Lincoln Parish Library Events Center, Jack Beard Room, 910 North Trenton.

Adjudicated Property Committee – 5:30 PM

Solid Waste & Recycling Committee – 6:00 PM

Public Works Committee – 6:30 PM

Police Jury – 7:00 PM

Here are the agendas.

LA Senate Follows House Lead with LSP Hearing Friday

The Louisiana Senate has scheduled a 10 AM, Friday, March 11 hearing of its Select Committee on State Police Oversight.

This follows the Louisiana House of Representatives Speaker Clay Shexnayder’s formation of a special committee that is tasked with investigating the May, 2019 in-custody death of Ronald Greene in Union Parish. That committee meets tomorrow.

The senate committee lists on its agenda:

• DISCUSSION WITH SECRETARY JAMES LEBLANC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBIC SAFETY & CORRECTIONS
  
• DISCUSSION WITH LOUISIANA STATE POLICE EMPLOYEES
  
• FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION WITH LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COLONEL LAMAR DAVIS

The hearings can be watched live on the legislature’s website.

City Council Meets Monday

Ruston’s City Council will meet Monday, March 7, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.

Here is the agenda.

National Merit Finalist Recognized @ LPSB

RHS Senior Jason Willis (R), with Lincoln School’s Brandon Sutherland

Another Lincoln Parish scholar has made it to the finals of the National Merit Scholarship program.

Ruston High School (RHS) senior Jason Willis was recognized at last night’s meeting of the Lincoln Parish School Board for his merit scholarship accomplishments, and also was recognized as High School Student of the Year.

Lincoln Schools’ Communications Coordinator Brando Sutherland said Willis is editor of the school’s newspaper, the Chatterbox.

“He’s a member of the Student Council, National Honor Society, and the FBLA. He also scored 35 on the ACT,” Sutherland said.

Also recognized were Elementary Student of the Year Avery Dixon, and Junior High School Student of the Year, Melissa Lee.

In other business, the board approved the calendar for the school year 2022-2023.

Notable in the personnel report was the retirement of two administrators, Transportation Coordinator Rick Cason, and Special Education Supervisor Lisa Wilmore.

Appointed as Cason’s replacement was David “Doc” Hoefler, who most recently coached and taught at RHS.