Around the State for July 5, 2012

Electrical lineman shocked, burned

VIDALIA — A longtime Vidalia electrical lineman was hospitalized with third-degree burns after touching a live wire outside the city’s municipal complex.

Travis Todd was working Monday in a transformer near City Hall when the accident happened.

“The lights dimmed all of a sudden, and we looked out and saw him out there by the transformer,” Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

Todd was airlifted to Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon, where he was treated at the burn center. Copeland said Todd was burned on 35 percent of his body and will need surgery, but he was recovering.

Copeland said Todd had been a lineman for the city for about 10 years.

Bossier Police Jury changes water billing

BENTON — The Bossier Parish Police Jury has adopted a new rate structure that could save money for sewer customers.

Officials said that a household using 11,000 gallons of water per month during the summer could save nearly $12.50 on sewer bills for each of those months — June, July and August.

The change was adopted Tuesday.

It means parish sewer district customers will be billed monthly on an average water usage between Sept. 15 and March 15 instead of on per-month usage.

Parish officials say customers currently pay $30 for the first 2,000 gallons of water used then $2.50 for each subsequent 1,000 gallons.

The rate is expected to be applied to the next billing cycle.

Public utilities Director Larry Landry says the parish needs about $40 per household to maintain service and pay off debt incurred to create the sewer district.

He said an analysis of the rate structure shows Bossier should receive an average of $42 per household under the revised rate structure.

Bossier has two outstanding bonds being paid off with sewer rate revenue. They include a $17.75 million loan from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and $11.8 million in revenue bonds.

Duck hunting dates proposed for ’12-’13

Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has proposed duck hunting dates for the 2012-2013 season.

The department says the dates recommended reflect preferences noted in a recent hunter survey conducted by mail and online.

The proposed dates in the Coastal Zone are Nov. 10 through Dec. 2 and Dec. 15 through Jan. 20 with a youth hunt Nov. 3 and 4.

In the East Zone: Nov. 17 through 25 and Dec. 8 through Jan. 27 with a youth hunt Feb. 2 through 3.

In the West Zone: Nov. 10 through Dec. 9, and Dec. 22 through Jan. 20 with a youth hunt set for Nov. 3 through 4.

The public can comment on the proposed dates until Aug. 2.

ä ON THE INTERNET:

http://www.wlf.la.gov/news/35645