The Daily Advertiser from Lafayette, Louisiana • 25

The Advertiser, Lafayette, Nov. 24, 1994 B-5 Louisiana Orleans gambling boats stay docked in political storm NEW ORLEANS (AP) The Flamingo Casino and The Star kept hugging the docks Wednesday as District Attorney Harry Con-nick softened his stance on gambling boats that don't cruise'. "I think the captains are acting in good faith and we will give them every benefit of a doubt," Connick said. With exceptions made for boats in northwestern Louisiana, state law requires floating casinos to cruise when weather and conditions permit. With few exceptions, the boats have stayed at dock.

"I am not backing down," Con-nick said, but he added, "I have to have facts sufficient enough to dockside, he deferred all questions about why the Flamingo, and its predecessor Hilton's Queen of New Orleans, have not cruised since September. He said such maritime questions were beyond his expertise. Connick said he will require captains to submit daily cruise schedules or written certification from the master citing reasons why they are not cruising. Connick said he had met with the Coast Guard, the Riverboat Captains Association, riverboat owners and their attorneys, New Orleans Police Department and Levee Board, and certain points were clarified: bring charges against the captin Connick said earlier this week he was ready to prosecute if the two boats in New Orleans didn't get under way. At a press conference, Connick said he may have been mistaken then when he said the riverboats were violating the law.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said it," he said. Neither boat was sailed Wednesday. The Flamingo on the Mississippi River said winds were too strong. The Star on Lake Pontchartrain continued to cite underwater obstructions. "It is not a sail or jail situation.

There is a human factor involved in this," Connick said. Duncan McKenzie, president of the Flamingo Casino, told reporters he appreciated Connick's ear-her statements that day. But McKenzie had little new to say in a lengthy statement read to reporters at the his own press conference later that day. He reiterated the company's policy to "abide by the spirit and letter of Louisiana law." lie said the Flamingo's captains make decisions to provide the highest standard of safety. While McKenzie acknowledged the Flamingo's gambling goes up as much as 20 percent when it is the district attorney's office a written cruise schedule which will be adhered to when weather and water conditions allow.

zee 1 ALAAI A ALALAII ALS S. DErnittis gomi Item-mo We Buy, Sell and Crack NEI Pecans 10 1611 CHASTANT BROS. Imo 214 E. Pinhook 234-2351 Erw-m-w-w-m-w-w-w-m-u ffisd I it ZAK I. 111-1 The Legislature vested riverboat masters with exclusive control of the boat and discretionary authority to determine whether to cruise.

No riverboat master will be compelled by the district attorney's office to sail when in his opinion doing so will endanger passengers. If water or weather conditions preclude a safe cruise and the master certifies the same, the district attorney's office will not tamper with that decision as long as it is "reasonable, made in good faith and supported by facts." Captains are expected to obey the law, or they will be arrested and prosecuted. Boat masters will provide to Briefly VAAalson Blanche AFTER-THANKSGIVING Senator opposes funding for center BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Legislators should vote against a proposal that guarantees more than $100 million in funding for third-phase construction of the Ernest N. Mona! Convention Center in New Orleans, a state senator said Wednesday.

The Interim Emergency Board agreed last week to send the proposal to the Legislature. The proposal would put $105 million in a funding category of the state construction budget that can be tapped on an as-needed basis. w' Wrap-up in Style and save 30 50 and A A ----reAs F. fi. 4, I -1, 1 4 I lk, A ii 4,, .,3.,:, 4 2 I i 4 I I 1 1 1 1 0, 't, 1 1 "I 1 4 I I i 5, 4 ENTIRE STOCK LADIES' COATS I Former candidate loses in court SHREVEPORT, La.

(AP) A state district court judge decided Tuesday that former Shreveport City Council candidate Barbara Norton did not have enough evidence to win a new election. Norton lost a Nov. 8 runoff for Council District to the Rev. James Green by 147 votes out of 7,377 cast. She alleged wrongdoing at two Mooretown neighborhood precincts.

rdiv 0077 1.:40 i 1 0 I 1 1 A' 4 .,4 I 1 i At 1 4 I 4 e' lf N.d., '1 I ..1 ti i '41 I 1 I I 1 I if 4 ....1 A le. I 4 LI BETTER COATS CASHMERE VELVET-TRIM WOOL CAPES LEATHER SUEDE I WOOL SWING COATS WOOL FULL-LENGTH ALL-WEATHER TRENCH PARKAS FUR-TRIMMED IRIDESCENT RAINWEAR CASUAL BARN JACKETS SUEDE BOMBERS LEATHER JACKETS DENIM JACKETS I QUILTED JACKETS I ANORAK LADIES COATS DEPARTMENT. EXCLUDES FUR SALON. 7 'k it: 1 Eik'. i ligt A $: 7.1,.

:3 1.,,, lit. '4 LADIES COATS DEPARTMENT. IA EXCLUDES FUR SALON. Three booked in campus robbery BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A man and two women, one of them a temporary clerk in the city police criminal records office, allegedly robbed a man of $900 at gunpoint on the LSU campus, officials said Tuesday.

The robbery occurred about 10:15 p.m. Monday in a parking lot near Evangeline Circle, across Highland Road from the student union, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Capt. Paul Maranto said Missing deputy's body located ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) Medical problems rather than foul play probably led to the death of a Rapides Parish sheriff's deputy whose body was found Tuesday night in his truck off La. Highway 28 East, authorities said.

The search for Deputy William J. "Billy" Paul, 64, spanned from Devi Ile to Jonesville until his body was found. 0 v240), Charter schools opposed LADIES' DRESSES SLITS NIISSES' PEW EXPRESSIONS PLUS 1 .4 I 0. 4 lee .1 A A 0.4,, r-Hil' A 4') NO, i 46 of 10,, i "Irli 4 i I qr A 1 i "4,, DRESSES DESIGNER BRIDGE MODERATE CAREER SUITS HOLIDAY FALL PLAIDS SOLID PANTSUITS SOCIAL SHORT BEADED DRESSES LACE-TRIM DRESSES MOTHER-OF-BRIDE LONG CARNIVAL GOWNS 4 44, 1. i it, i.

1' iN, '''''r'Lz l'' A 7 I tr-L-- 4,1 i a. i i 1 1 1 I 3 i 1 -4. ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) Louisiana teachers spurned a proposal to create independent schools, an idea supported by several candidates for governor. The Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees tabled a resolution Tuesday to support creation of charter schools, independent public schools separate from the larger school district.

During an LFT forum on Monday, several candidates for governor said that the LFT supports the idea. Former Gov. Buddy Roemer, State Treasurer Mary Landrieu and state Sen. Mike Foster all also voiced support for charter schools themselves. The motion was to support charter schools that are not funded at the expense of public schools and would not keep teachers and employees from collective bargaining and salary benefits given other Louisiana teachers.

Fred Skelton, president of the LFT, said the term "charter school" was coined by Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers. But where Shanker called for innovative public schools, such as the chartered Montessori School in New Orleans, Skelton said the term has been "bastardized." It is now used as a cover to get public money to private schools, he said. Mike Stone of the United Teachers of New Orleans said it boggled his mind that the candidates thought they could win LFT support by supporting charter schools. David Lovely of the East Baton Rouge Federation of Teachers said a bill will be introduced before the Legislature next year to create 66 charter schools, one in each parish, and three additional schools. MAISO' 1CRIFIatt stANCHCci Av'anablein I 1 Illeaumil CERIMICATInm, lifaiNteganegolded7eniiiici a 0, tt447670 4 1 Main Street, 389-7000.

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