March 16, 2013

Feds: Small Baton Rouge store laundered millions in drug cash

Two Baton Rouge companies pleaded guilty to money laundering charges Friday in a case that involves a small convenience store, millions of dollars in drug dealers’ cash and drug dealing by store employees.

The details that led to the convictions are contained in a May 2012 affidavit by Special Agent Andre Guilott of the Internal Revenue Service, who alleged Thang Minh “Tommy” Tran, 43, used the convenience store he founded to launder drug money.

Guillot also reported that an undercover agent purchased 1,000 tablets of Ecstasy from two store employees in 2010 as part of a joint Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS investigation. He said confidential informants also alleged Tran operated an illegal bookmaking business from the store — Quality Express, 1526 N. Foster Drive.

Guillot noted the little store deposited $178.5 million into a Hancock Bank account between July 2006 and December 2011.

More at http://theadvocate.com/home/5450008-125/feds-small-br-store-laundered .

March 16, 2013

Dean Foods ending production at Shreveport plant: 170 jobs lost

Dean Foods employees today learned the company will end production at its Shreveport fluid dairy plant, Oak Farms, resulting in the loss of 170 jobs.

“Production will be phased out over the next two months, and we expect the plant will close in mid-May,” a company statement says. Dean Foods plans to keep about 25 positions for local distribution and sales.

“We will move the current production volume to other regional Dean Foods facilities, and Oak Farms products will continue to be available in Shreveport,” the statement says.

The closure of the Oak Farms plant — which primarily produces dairy items including milk, creamers and ice cream as well as various juice products — will bring the total number jobs lost in recent months in the Shreveport area to approximately 1,972. Other notable layoff announcements of late include PrintPack, 143, Libbey Glass, 200, Northwest Supports and Services Center, 286, and Christus Schumpert Health System, 84.

More at http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130315/NEWS01/130315033/Shreveport-plant-close-idling-170?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|FRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1 .

March 16, 2013

Investors in R. Allen Stanford's $7B swindle could soon get payout

HOUSTON (AP) — Investors in a $7 billion Ponzi scheme orchestrated by former Texas tycoon R. Allen Stanford could in the next few months finally begin getting back some of what they lost. The process has dragged on for more than four years.

However, the amounts returned to many who lost their life savings ultimately will be only a pittance of what they put in.

The recovery process got a boost this week as the Justice Department and other parties that had been battling for control of about $300 million in Stanford’s frozen foreign bank accounts and other assets agreed to work together.

The legal battle over the assets has frustrated investors, who have not received any money so far.

Source: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-03-15/investors-7b-swindle-could-soon-get-payout

March 15, 2013

Doctor sentenced for role in Medicare scheme

HOUSTON -

A federal judge has sentenced a physician to more than five years in prison for participating in a Medicare fraud scheme that pulled in more than $20 million from false claims.

Authorities say 63-year-old Ben Harris Echols of Houston also was ordered Friday to pay restitution of $2.9 million. He was convicted in December of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of false statements relating to health care matters.

Echols approved plans for medical care so that fraudulent claims could be billed by two home health care companies. He also signed treatment plans for Medicare beneficiaries not under his care.

Authorities say he conspired with the health care companies for payouts of $17.3 million, and with other beneficiaries for additional claims of $5.5 million.

Source: http://www.click2houston.com/news/Doctor-sentenced-for-role-in-Medicare-scheme/-/1735978/19339872/-/d3v8w1/-/index.html

March 15, 2013

SXSW street fight – Drunk bully gets knocked out on 6th Street

It may be SXSW time, but it was business as usual on 6th Street.

Video of an apparent drunk man looking for a fight (and finding it) on 6th Street Thursday night is making the rounds on the interwebs.

The video shows a bearded guy with camo shorts dancing around like Sugar Ray Leonard. A huge street mob watches as the bearded bully fixates on one guy who doesn’t seem to want to fight and keeps backing down.

At one point, the bearded bully throws a cheap shot out of nowhere to the face of a bystander. Bewildered, the bystander did nothing.

More at http://digitaltexan.net/2013/austin-local-news/sxsw-streetfight-drunk-bully-knocked-6th-street/article49881/ .

March 15, 2013

Station locations may determine high-speed rail's future in North Texas

ARLINGTON - The fate of a proposal to build a high-speed rail line connecting Dallas-Fort Worth to Houston may rest on whether North Texas leaders can agree on where to put a station.

The Regional Transportation Council about two years ago adopted a policy stating that if an entity wants to bring bullet trains to the region, there should be three stations -- one in downtown Fort Worth, one in either Arlington or the CentrePort area near DFW Airport, and another in downtown Dallas.

But in recent weeks word has begun to spread that a group known as Texas Central High-Speed Railway Llc., which is collaborating with Central Japan Railway Co. to bring high-speed rail to the region, wants to open only one station on North Texas' outskirts, in southeast Dallas County.

Five state senators responded by sending a letter to the Texas Department of Transportation urging Executive Director Phil Wilson to "facilitate" the location of that station at DFW Airport.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/03/14/4703315/locating-stations-may-determine.html#storylink=cpy

March 15, 2013

Socorro City Rep. Jesse Gandara Jr., police Sgt. Refugio Orta indicted on theft (updated 3/18/13)

Socorro City Rep. Jesus "Jesse" Gandara Jr. and police Sgt. Refugio Orta were indicted Thursday on state felony theft charges.

Gandara, 31, and Orta, 39, are accused of stealing property of more than $1,500 and less than $20,000 in June 2011, county records show.

Their indictment was handed up eight months after El Paso County Sheriff's Office investigators raided the Socorro Administration Building on Horizon Boulevard and Gandara's home looking for evidence related to possible false claims for travel expenses.

The investigation involved Gandara, other council members and city employees, including Orta.

More at http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_22799332/socorro-city-rep-jesse-gandara-jr-police-sgt .

[font color=navy]Socorro city Rep. Jesse Gandara Jr arrested on suspicion of stolen property

Socorro city Rep. Jesus "Jesse" Gandara Jr., who is indicted on state felony theft charges, was arrested after he turned himself in Monday afternoon.

Gandara, 31, and Socorro police Sgt. Refugio Orta, 39, are accused of stealing property of more than $1,500 and less than $20,000 and misapplication of fiduciary property over $1,500 between June 2011 and January 2012, according to the indictment.

Orta was arrested Friday afternoon after he turned himself in to the Precinct 6 constable in Clint.[/font]

Source: http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_22816604/socorro-city-rep-jessie-gandara-jr-arrested-suspicion.html

March 15, 2013

George W. Bush Presidential Center opening won’t be impacted by sequestration

The much anticipated opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center won’t be impacted by sequestration, even as the federal cuts have forced the National Archives and Records Administration to reduce public hours at its flagship facilities in the Washington area.

Alan Lowe, director of the Bush Center’s library and museum, confirmed Friday that the sequester won’t affect plans to dedicate the complex on April 25 and then open it to the public on May 1. There won’t be any curtailed operating hours, either, he said.

“The opening is proceeding as planned,” he said. “We are just being very careful, as always, with the taxpayers’ dollars. We’re looking at that and making sure we are efficient as we can be in running this place.”

The National Archives and Records Administration announced this week that it would no longer extend public hours at exhibits and research rooms at the National Archives Building in Washington and the research rooms at the National Archives at College Park, Md.

More at http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/george-w-bush-presidential-center-opening-wont-be-impacted-by-sequestration.html/ .

March 15, 2013

Wacko birds and patronizing freshmen: Ted Cruz responds to McCain and Feinstein

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, ruffling feathers in both parties, is taking a sticks-and-stones approach.

On Fox News this afternoon, he responded to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s assessment that he was arrogant and patronizing toward her at a committee hearing over the assault weapons ban, and to Arizona Sen. John McCain’s comment that he is one of the “wacko birds” of the tea party right.

“Listen, other Senators can choose to hurl whatever insults they would like my direction, I have no intention of reciprocating. Twenty-six million people in Texas expect me to come here every day and represent them and in particular to raise the sorts of questions that I raised at that hearing which is what are the limits of the Constitution. I have got to tell you there are a lot of politicians in Washington both Democrats and Republicans who have lost sight of the Constitutional limitations,” Cruz said of Feinstein.

As to whether he is breaching the decorum of deference expected of a newcomer to the Senate, he said: “Well I think there are several other Senators who have decided to insult me personally and my consistent pattern is I am not going to do the same, they can throw any insults they want. My focus has been and will remain on the substance.”

More at http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/wacko-birds-and-patronizing-freshmen-ted-cruz-responds-to-mccain-and-feinstein.html/ .

March 15, 2013

Document gives new details on legislator’s DWI charge

A state representative arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated Thursday told police she had two drinks before a crash left three people injured, according to an arrest affidavit.

Rep. Naomi Gonzalez, D-El Paso, crashed the BMW she was driving into another car that then struck a bicyclist near the downtown area shortly before 2 a.m., Austin police officials have said.

Gonzalez, 34, was traveling south on Congress Avenue at about 50 mph when her car rear-ended a Fiat near the Barton Springs Road intersection, police and Austin-Travis County EMS officials have said. The Fiat, which was also in a southbound lane, then hit a woman on her bicycle, officials said.

Gonzalez, the bicyclist and a passenger in the Fiat were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, an EMS official said. The bicyclist suffered scrapes and bruises.

<<<snip>>>

According to the arrest affidavit, her blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.164 — more than twice the legal limit.

More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/documents-give-new-details-on-legislators-dwi-char/nWskH/

[font color=green]Two drinks and she blows a 0.164? That bourbon drink must have been in a Big Gulp cup.[/font]