On June 17, 2010 a black male was threatened by a white man, with a gun, who had been making racial slurs, at a Magnolia Bridge Road convenience store.  The victim abruptly left the area and reported the incident to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Investigating Detectives obtained a copy of the store’s surveillance camera’s video, a description of the suspect and his vehicle, and statements from witnesses.

On June 30, 2010 Deputies responded to the report of a possible “drive by shooting” involving automatic weapon gunfire at a residence north of Walker.  While on scene investigating this crime, a vehicle matching that of the suspected “shooter,” passed in front of the home.  Deputies stopped the vehicle, saw firearms on the front floor board, and arrested the driver.  He admitted firing his AK47 in front of the residence, even though he was a friend of the white occupants of the home.

Detectives then realized that he and his vehicle matched the description of the man wanted for the June 17^th assault.  Analysis of all evidence collected from both scenes led to his arrest for both crimes.

John Fallon, a 52 year old white male who listed his address as 4778 Elmwood Drive, Baton Rouge, La., was charged as follows:

• 1 Count Illegal Use of a Weapon
• 1 Count Hate Crime
• 1 Count Aggravated Assault with a Firearm

He is currently in the Livingston Parish Detention Center waiting for a bond to be set.

Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden and the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP) are urging citizens to attend the First Annual “Red Stick Ready Day” this Saturday to help get the community prepared for all disasters, especially hurricanes.

“Red Stick Ready Day” will take place at the Mall of Louisiana on Saturday, June 19, 2010 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.  Booths will be set up throughout the first floor of the mall, with most located beneath the food court.

Mayor Holden said he is declaring “Red Stick Ready Day” in East Baton Rouge Parish to encourage citizens to take immediate action to prepare themselves and their families for what is forecast to be a busy hurricane season, and to learn more about personal preparedness for all disasters.

“We learned through experience that the better prepared our citizens are for an emergency situation, the more effectively we can work as a community to stay safe, minimize disruption and recover more quickly,” Mayor Holden said.  “We want citizens to have an opportunity to talk directly with the first responders who work to keep them safe during emergencies, and learn how they can help be a part of our city-parish response.”

Local, state, federal, and private agencies are teaming up with the Mayor for the expo to hand out information, speak with residents, present preparedness tips, give away essential items, and much more.

Participating in the expo are the Baton Rouge Police Department, Baton Rouge Fire Department, the Department of Public Works, EMS, American Red Cross, Entergy, the East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control Office, Louisiana State Police, the East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, St. George Fire Department, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System, the Baton Rouge Area Mutual Aid System and others.

“The Red Stick Ready Day Expo is an excellent opportunity to introduce ourselves to the citizens we serve, explain our capabilities and provide them with needed information to help them mitigate the effects of disasters,” said JoAnne Moreau, MOHSEP Director.

Recognized as a national best practice by the National League of Cities and the Emergency Management Institute of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the “Red Stick Ready” campaign encourages the community to take personal responsibility with the necessary items and plans in place when a disaster or emergency strikes.

The Red Stick Ready Campaign is based on community outreach at local meetings and public events, citizen training for all age groups and a monthly television program that provides advice from experts and tips for becoming “Red Stick Ready”.

The state’s first ramp meter went into action today from 6-10 a.m. on the Essen Lane on-ramp to westbound I-12. There will be no ramp meter for the Essen eastbound on-ramp to I-12.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced that work on the state’s first interstate highway ramp meter system began last month, and will continue with the installation and construction of 15 more ramp meter locations through this summer.

The ramp meter signals will stop vehicles for about four seconds on the on-ramp and allow drivers to access the interstate in an orderly and evenly-spaced fashion, sometimes described as a “zipper effect.” If the ramp meter is turned off, drivers should proceed without stopping. For Essen Lane, the ramp meter will only be utilized from 6-10 a.m. weekdays, and will be continually monitored by DOTD staff.

The ramp meter system will help reduce congestion, provide a safer merge for vehicles entering the interstate travel lanes, improve travel time reliability and complement the I-12 widening.

Ramp meter installation is currently occurring at Airline Highway (to eastbound and westbound I-12) and Jefferson Highway (to eastbound I-12), and will move west toward the Walker/LA 447 interchange.

Ramp metering facts:

Studies have shown that ramp meters increase safety by reducing crashes at on-ramps by an average of 30 percent.

More than 20 states in the nation use ramp meters, but this will be the first use of the traffic management system in Louisiana.

In a study of the I-12 corridor, the afternoon travel time is 48 minutes, with an average speed of 11 mph. After the combination of widening and ramp meters, some commuters will see commute times

reduced to approximately 9 minutes, and travel speeds increase to 55 mph.

DOTD has stressed that the ramp meters will be continually monitored by DOTD personnel. If the system does not improve traffic flow, adjustments can and will be made.

What drivers can expect:

Westbound ramp meters will be activated first, then eastbound ramp meters, with Range and O’Neal eastbound being last. Prior to activation, the signal will be covered for several days and a Variable Message Sign (VMS) will notify motorists of the upcoming change.

The ramp meters will operate exclusively during peak travel times, 6-10 a.m. for westbound on-ramps and 2-7 p.m. for eastbound on-ramps, and during special events or incidents.

Background:

After the Essen Lane ramp meters are functioning, future installations will be announced to the public prior to activation, and drivers will notice the equipment being installed.

DOTD is offering to meet with interested groups and/or make presentations regarding the ramp meter system or the current Interstate 10/12 widening projects that are part of the Geaux Wider program. For more information on this project, visit www.GeauxWider.com or call Louisiana DOTD Customer Service at 1-877-4LA-DOTD (452-3683) 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE: SHAW) today announced it has been awarded a contract with Entergy Operation, Inc., a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), to provide extended power uprate (EPU) plant modifications at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss. The new contract follows a phase one EPU assessment conducted by Shaw’s nuclear engineering team.

Under the new contract, Shaw will provide engineering, procurement and construction services designed to add approximately 178 megawatts of power generation to Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. Engineering and procurement are underway with construction to follow to install plant modifications in spring 2012.

Shaw subsidiaries have provided engineering or maintenance services to nuclear power plants owned or purchased by Entergy since 1973. Shaw’s maintenance contract with Entergy expanded in 2003 and was renewed in 2009 to provide fleetwide nuclear maintenance, modifications and capital construction services to Entergy.

Shaw also has provided several engineering studies and services in the past several years related to uprates at several Entergy nuclear plants, including:

• EPU work at Vermont Yankee
• Stretch power uprate (SPU) work at Indian Point Energy Center Units 2 & 3 and River Bend Station
• Feasibility studies at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, James A. FitzPatrick, Pilgrim Nuclear Station and Vermont Yankee

“Our long history of nuclear engineering experience combined with our outstanding nuclear maintenance performance places Shaw in the best position to respond to industry demand to provide more energy,” said Fred Buckman, president of Shaw’s Power Group. “Our existing alliance with Entergy enhances our ability to provide them with qualified resources and perform the work needed to license and safely increase power ratings.”

The value of Shaw’s contract is $197 million, which will be included in Shaw’s Fossil, Renewables & Nuclear segment’s backlog of unfilled orders in the third quarter of fiscal year 2010.

Shaw has performed more than 60 uprate projects and studies on boiling water reactor (BWR) and pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear units, adding more than 3,000 megawatts to the U.S. grid. Shaw also leads the industry in systemwide maintenance and modification, servicing 35 percent of U.S. nuclear reactors, including Entergy Nuclear.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $10 billion and more than 15,000 employees.

The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE:SHAW) is a leading global provider of engineering, construction, technology, fabrication, remediation and support services for clients in the energy, chemicals, environmental, infrastructure and emergency response industries. A Fortune 500 company with fiscal year 2009 annual revenues of $7.3 billion, Shaw has approximately 28,000 employees around the world and is the power sector industry leader according to Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 500 Design Firms. For more information, please visit Shaw’s website at www.shawgrp.com.

A Summer Employment Program for young people between 16 and 24 years of age kicks off this Saturday with an orientation  meeting in the River Center Exhibition Hall starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m.

At a press conference Wednesday, Mayor Melvin “Kip” Holden announced that 625 participants will be selected for the eight-week program that teaches job skills and provides opportunities to gain work experience in various industries.

“We believe strongly in the importance of the Summer Employment Program. And each year, we work to grow and improve this program to offer opportunities to more young people in East Baton Rouge Parish,” the Mayor said.

The program is funded by several grants, and its eligibility is based on 200 percent of the poverty level.

The Mayor said the program not only helps income-eligible families earn money for the summer, but also prepares young people for a permanent job and the responsibilities that come with it.

During Saturday’s orientation, eligible participants will receive work readiness and financial literacy information, and undergo pre-testing for jobs and drug screening.

Following the orientation, five mini-sessions will be held where counselors will interview and certify participants who meet all requirements for job placement.

The mini-sessions will be held:

• Monday, May 24 at the Martin Luther King Community Center.

• Tuesday, May 25 at the Baker Civic Center.

• Wednesday, May 26 at the North Baton Rouge Community Center.

• Thursday, May 27 at McKinley Alumni Center

• Friday, May 28 at the Delmont Service Center.

Work at the various job sites will begin on Monday, June 7, and end Friday, July 30.

The program’s worksites may be private, public, or non-profit, the Mayor said. In addition to work-readiness training, participants will also learn skills such as financial literacy and teamwork during the eight-week program.

The Mayor noted that the Summer Employment Program will be funded through combined resources from the Workforce Investment Act, Community Services Block Grants and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Holden said the program is a collaborative effort between the city-parish Workforce Investment Area office and the Division of Human Development and Services, with help from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

Editor’s Note: Mayor Melvin “Kip” Holden will be at the Orientation Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and will address the  participants.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Interim Secretary Sherri LeBas, P.E. announced that work on the state’s first interstate highway ramp meter system began May 10.

The ramp meters will help reduce congestion, provide a safer merge for vehicles entering the interstate travel lanes, improve travel time reliability and complement the I-12 widening. Once activated, the ramp meter signals will stop vehicles for about four seconds on the on-ramp and allow drivers to access the interstate in an orderly and evenly-spaced fashion, sometimes described as a “zipper effect.”

“The ramp meter system combined with the widening projects on I-12 will result in a reduction of travel times by more than 30 minutes for some commuters,” said LeBas. “We must embrace new traffic management systems such as ramp meters because building new roads or widening existing roads is only one means of addressing the needs of the traveling public. Ramp meters will benefit motorists in their daily travels and improve safety for merging traffic.”

Ramp metering facts:

• Studies have shown that ramp meters increase safety by reducing crashes at on-ramps by an average of 30 percent.
• More than 20 states in the nation use ramp meters, but this will be the first use of the traffic management system in Louisiana.
• In a study of the I-12 corridor, the afternoon travel time is 48 minutes, with an average speed of 11 mph. After the combination of widening and ramp meters, some commuters will see commute times reduced to approximately 9 minutes and travel speeds increase to 55 mph.
• DOTD has stressed that the ramp meters will be continually monitored by DOTD personnel. If the system does not improve traffic flow, adjustments can and will be made.

Site work and activation scheduled:

• Beginning May 10: Initial site work including installation of electrical equipment along Interstate 12 on-ramps in the areas of Airline Highway (to eastbound and westbound I-12), Jefferson Highway (to eastbound I-12) and Essen Lane (to westbound I-12).

• Beginning end of May: Installation of ramp meter mast arms and structures.
• Beginning in June: The first ramp meter activation on the Essen Lane westbound on-ramp.

What drivers can expect:

In all, ramp meters will be placed at 16 on-ramps along Interstate 12 between Essen Lane and the Walker/LA 447 interchanges. The installation work begins at Essen Lane and continues east.

Westbound ramp meters will be activated first, then eastbound ramp meters, with Range and O’Neal eastbound being last. Prior to activation, the signal will be covered for several days and a Variable Message Sign (VMS) will notify motorists of the upcoming change.

The ramp meters will operate exclusively during peak travel times, 6-10 a.m. for westbound on-ramps and 2-7 p.m. for eastbound on-ramps, and during special events or incidents. 

Background:

After the Essen Lane ramp meters are functioning, future installations will be announced to the public prior to activation, and drivers will notice the equipment being installed.