n Daily Le sto ad u e YOUR FORECAST INSIDE R r th Mostly sunny skies • Remembering Dr. John, Pg. 3A Highs Sunday near 92. • Class 1A All-State teams, Pg. 10A Lows Sunday near 70. • Tech’s Dunigan, Nitz enter La. No rain in forecast for next week. Sports Hall of Fame, 11A – 1894 – Ruston Daily Leader Sunday,– 1894 June– 9, 2019 Follow us: www.rustonleader.com $1.50 FEMA nixes homeowner recovery help By Nancy Bergeron associate administra- [email protected] tor of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, There won’t be any wrote in a letter to Ed- federal money coming wards. to Lincoln Parish for The decision means individuals impacted affected residents are by the April 25 tornado. basically on their own FEMA, on Thursday, to deal with storm dam- Leader photo by NANCY BERGERON denied Gov. John Bel age, Kip Franklin, Lin- Ruston probation Officer Natasha Maryland plays the role of an off-duty officer during an off- Edwards’ request for in- coln Parish director of duty/on-duty plainclothes survival training. On-duty officer Louisiana Tech Police Corporal Tyler dividual assistance, say- Homeland Security and Weatherford arrives at a shots-fired call to find someone in plainclothes, but with a gun drawn, ing there wasn’t enough Emergency Prepared- standing over a victim. The training was the first of its kind done in this area. residential damage. ness, said. “ … based on our Though the Gover- review of all the in- nor’s Office Homeland formation available, Security and Emer- Blue on blue including results of gency Preparedness the joint Individual As- is expected to appeal sessment Preliminary FEMA’s decision, it’s Officers train for off-duty, plainclothes survival Damage Assessments, unlikely anything will it has been determined change, Franklin said. that the impact to the The individual as- By Nancy Bergeron unseen in your waistband. is standing there with a gun. [email protected] The situation is escalating; “They could mistake you for individuals and house- sistance program is you decide to get involved in the the bad guy,” Curtis Hawkins, holds from this event is designed to provide You’re an off-duty police of- life-threatening circumstance. reserve training officer with not of such severity and financial help or direct ficer on a weekend outing when You take down the shooter but the Louisiana Tech University magnitude to warrant services to people who a recently fired employee from are still standing there, gun in Police Department, said. the designation of In- have necessary expens- the store in which you’re shop- hand, when uniformed officers It’s happened: dividual Assistance … es and serious needs ping decides to take revenge come around the corner with • In Oakland, California, a Therefore, your request with a gun. their weapons drawn. plainclothes officer was shot is denied,” Jeff Byard, See FEMA, Page 2A Even though you’re dressed They don’t know you. All and killed when two other in plain clothes, you still have they know is one person is on your service weapon holstered the ground and another person See BLUE, Page 2A Parish taking steps Backus won’t seek re-election toward ACT Work Leader News Service our parish, a part of this portunity of serving you [email protected] transform- parish and and using my God given Ready Community ing quality our many talents to keep Lincoln Longtime Lincoln of life attrac- accomplish- Parish first.” By Caleb Daniel WorkKeys and the Parish Police Juror Jody tions, finding ments. It has Backus is a former [email protected] number of local em- Backus will not seek re- ways to fund been a plea- jury president. His de- ployers who recog- election this fall. our parish’s sure to have parture means incum- Representatives nize the credential. Backus, who repre- infrastruc- served along- bents will not be run- of education, gov- “ACT designed sents District 7, has been ture needs, side with my ning in at least two of the ernment, business the ACT test to mea- a juror for 15 years. creating jobs hardworking 12 jury seats. District 6 and economic devel- sure your four-year “It is a job I love,” and investing colleagues. Juror Walter Pullen has opment in Lincoln Backus college readiness, he said in statement in our young “I want to announced he’s running Parish this week and they designed announcing his deci- people. thank all of for parish assessor. joined their counter- WorkKeys to mea- sion not to seek a fifth “I am proud of this my many supporters for All 12 seats are up parts in four other sure your work read- term. “Together, we have parish and what we as a the faith and confidence for re-election this fall. north Louisiana iness,” said Angie tackled many important community have helped you have placed in me. Qualifying for the Oct. parishes in taking White, senior vice issues and projects in shape. I feel blessed to be Thank you for the op- 12 primary is Aug. 6-8. the first steps to- president of the ward becoming ACT North Louisiana Work Ready Com- Economic Partner- Lawmakers add money for LDCC access road munities. ship. “So these are This designation skills that tell an By Nancy Bergeron munity College campus Louisiana Delta Com- Part of the city’s respon- is assigned by Io- employer, if an ap- [email protected] here. munity College is get- sibility in the new LDCC wa-based nonprofit plicant’s certificate The money was added ting a new $8 million partnership is building ACT, most known for matches the needs The Louisiana Legis- to the state’s capital campus here that will a road to the campus and its college prepara- of the occupation, lature has appropriated outlay bill Thursday anchor a city-developed technology park. tory standardized that person is train- $6.3 million for the city during the final hours of technology park aimed The road is essential test of the same able for the job.” of Ruston to build an the regular legislative at preparing employees for economic develop- name. The national- Starting in the access road at the new session. for high-tech industry ment, Walker said. ly recognized “Work Shreveport/Bossi- Louisiana Delta Com- “We had said it would jobs in the region. The capital outlay Ready Community” er metro area and be 2023 before we could The new campus will money includes $1 mil- label centers on a spreading across start (the road project). replace the existing lion in Priority 2 for parish or county’s I-20, White said an With this we can start campus on James Street planning and $5.3 mil- number of residents initiative called a lot quicker,” Ruston and will be located on lion in Priority 5. Pri- who hold a creden- Mayor Ronny Walker acreage east of Louisi- ority 5 is basically a tial through ACT See, ACT, Page 6A Ruston Daily Leader $1.50 said. ana 33 and south of I-20. non-cash line of credit. Week Long Celebration June 10th - 14th GiftsGRAND for men, women and children, ladies clothing, OPENING Brighton and Julie Vos Jewelry and Florist Ribbon Cutting : Tuesday, 6-11-19 2:00 p.m. Home of Ruston Florist Come by to Enter for GREAT Door Prizes each day. 1103 Farmerville Hwy. Ruston, LA 318-255-8747 Sunday, June 9, 2019 • Page 2A Police use of DNA leads to changes in database FORT LAUDER- Florida-based database updated its policy to DALE, Fla. (AP) — After known as GEDmatch to establish that law en- California detectives change its policies. forcement only gets used a popular online The nonprofit web- matches from the DNA DNA database to track site’s previous practice profiles of users who down a suspect in the was to permit police to have given permission. decades-old Golden use its database only That closed off more State Killer slayings, to solve homicides and than a million profiles. other police agencies sexual assaults. But More than 50,000 users quickly adopted the its operators granted a agreed to share their same technique. Utah police department information — a figure Since that case was an exception to find the that the company says cracked last year, at assailant who choked is growing. least 50 other killings unconscious a 71-year- The 95% reduction and rapes have been old woman practic- in GEDmatch profiles solved nationwide by ing the organ alone in available to police will using partial DNA church. The assailant’s dramatically reduce the Submitted photo matches to find sus- DNA profile led detec- number of hits detec- pects’ relatives, whose tives to the great-uncle tives get and make it Rhodes Realty cuts ribbon identities can lead to of a 17-year-old boy. The more difficult to solve The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cut- arrests. But complaints teen’s DNA matched the crimes, said David Fo- ting ceremony for Rhodes Realty. Owned by Justin Rhodes, the office is about invasion of pri- attacker’s, and he was ran, a forensics biology located at 2304 Commons Ct., Unit 3. The office number is 255-0096. vacy have produced a arrested. professor at Michigan backlash, leading the GEDmatch soon State University. BLUE continued from page 1A officers mistook him Bienville Parish Sher- asked to go check on a One of the trainees “It’s common in “to the possibilities of for a suspect allegedly iff ’s Department and uniformed colleague turned and “shot” the high-stress situations what could happen in holding someone at Ruston police, have re- who responded to a uniformed policeman, for those to happen,” plainclothes and how gunpoint.