Welcome to theadvocate.com!→
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday’s Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week’s drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners … Continue reading →
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of the U.S. economy’s future health rose solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build homes and a better job market. The Conference Board said Friday that its index of leading indicators increased 0.6 percent last month to a reading of 95. That followed a 0.2 percent decline … Continue reading →
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired three short-range guided missiles into its eastern waters on Saturday, a South Korean official said. It routinely tests such missiles, but the latest launches came during a period of tentative diplomacy aimed at easing tensions. The North fired two missiles Saturday morning and another in the afternoon, South Korean … Continue reading →
The Legislature’s financial adviser offered lawmakers a litany of concerns about the state budget proposal Friday, including uncertain revenue and inadequate dollars. Acting Legislative Fiscal Officer John Carpenter told legislators that they need to worry about whether dollars will materialize and whether sufficient funding will exist for incomplete hospital privatizations. “I don’t sleep very well at … Continue reading →
The three completed contracts for privatization of LSU hospitals eat up 94 percent of the dollars set aside in the state budget for all eight planned deals. Senior fiscal analyst Shawn Hotstream told the state Senate Finance Committee that the commitments involving Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette will use $589 million of the $626 million in … Continue reading →
Louisiana’s two largest pension systems continue to lose thousands of active, contributing members, retirement officials said Friday. So far, this fiscal year, 3,500 people have left the teachers’ system, with more departures on the horizon, said Maureen Westgard, executive director of the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana. She said the reductions continue an upward trend … Continue reading →
Baton Rouge police have opened a criminal investigation into claims that an instructor at Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School has been soliciting students to send him cellphone photographs of their genitalia, according to court filings. The inquiry began May 9 after a counselor contacted the Baton Rouge Police Department and reported that Darrion Buckles … Continue reading →
ST. FRANCISVILLE — A proposal to call an Oct. 19 election for a possible repeal of West Feliciana Parish’s home-rule charter created a firestorm of criticism when it appeared on the early agenda for Monday’s Police Jury meeting. Juror Lea Williams said the agenda item generated “a lot of hostile calls” after the initial … Continue reading →
LAFAYETTE — Carencro Police Chief Carlos Stout on Friday disputed a federal indictment that implies officers in his small department were paid to look the other way during illegal drug sales and prostitution at Desperado’s Gentlemen’s Cabaret. Stout said none of the officers who provided $20-an-hour security at the strip club during off-duty … Continue reading →
SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Inspector General’s Office has agreed to hear complaints from Livingston Parish officials over the lack of Federal Emergency Management Agency funding for most of the Hurricane Gustav cleanup. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., made that announcement as part of a speech in … Continue reading →
GONZALES — Ascension Parish government officials, already trying to pull together the early pieces of a parishwide sewer system, also have been investigating the possibility of getting into the natural gas and water business. Parish President Tommy Martinez has been meeting with an economic development consultant for several months about buying natural gas from pipelines … Continue reading →
The state’s highest court Friday let stand a Baker man’s manslaughter conviction and 40-year prison term in the 2009 stabbing death of his wife, lawyer Chiquita Tate, in her downtown Baton Rouge office. The Louisiana Supreme Court, without comment or dissent, denied Greg Harris’ appeal. “I’m not surprised,” said East Baton Rouge Parish First Assistant District … Continue reading →
SCOTT — The city is moving north. Work is expected to begin next month on a $1.2 million project to extend city water and sewer lines under Interstate 10 to serve undeveloped tracts north of the interstate, said Pat Logan, who oversees planning for Scott. Hotels, restaurants and retail stores have … Continue reading →
Clasping three shirt hangers with three khaki Boy Scout shirts dangling off them in one hand and a sign in the other, a Walker man stood in the parking lot of the Pennington Boy Scouts of America Center on Friday afternoon to stand up for his morality. “This is why I’m here today,” said Rick Wilkinson, … Continue reading →
A Honduran woman with legal immigrant status was sentenced to two years probation Friday in Baton Rouge federal court after admitting that she illegally transported minivan loads of undocumented immigrants from Houston to Miami. Eight months of her probation must be served at a halfway house. Sonia Lisseth Suazo, 39, of Houston, … Continue reading →
Authorities arrested at least nine people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish — including Kenneth Briggs of Baton Rouge on a fourth-offense DWI — and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Thursday and 2:30 p.m. Friday, booking records show. Those … Continue reading →
PRAIRIEVILLE — A fire that broke out late Friday morning caused an estimated $70,000 to $80,000 in damage to an Ascension Parish business but no injuries after flammable, spray-on material used to line the beds of pickup trucks caught fire. Fire Chief Mark Stewart of the Prairieville Fire Department said it took about 15 to … Continue reading →
GONZALES — While the Gonzales City Council has balked at providing its full infrastructure commitment to Kidz Kove Discovery Park, the Ascension Parish Council has fulfilled its pledge. The Parish Council on Thursday approved a resolution providing $25,000 to Project Kidz Kove, the nonprofit group raising funds for the park that will serve children with … Continue reading →
The state Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has arrested three Zachary women accused of filing false Medicaid claims. The three women were arrested Wednesday with assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, a news release from the state Attorney General's Office says. The three worked as personal care attendants and each submitted time sheets stating they provided services for … Continue reading →
Among the hundreds of smiling sons and daughters, air horns blasts and proud parents at Southern University’s commencement ceremony on Friday, Barbara Johnson stood out as one of the day’s most celebrated graduates. At 71 years old, Johnson gracefully accepted a standing ovation as Chancellor James Llorens singled her out, acknowledging the varied and sometimes painful … Continue reading →
Southern held its commencement ceremonies for 714 graduates at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 17, in the F.G. Clark Activity Center on the north Baton Rouge campus. Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette J. Johnson was the commencement speaker at Southern. Continue reading →
GOODBYE TO BOZIE PARTY: Baton Rouge Zoo, 3601 Thomas Road. The 37-year-old female Asian elephant, Bozie, will have a going-away party before moving to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (225) 775-3877. FLY FISHING 101: 8 a.m., Orvis, 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd. Learn the difference between fly fishing and conventional fishing. For ages … Continue reading →
With the window closing on the 2013 legislative session, the Senate Finance Committee is skipping a three day weekend. The committee’s chairman, state Sen. Jack Donahue, declared Friday a work day. In a nod to May’s busy slate of high school and college graduations, he gave legislators the rest of the weekend off. First up Friday … Continue reading →
Louisiana added 16,000 nonfarm jobs during the 12 months ending in April, finishing up just under 1 percent at 1,943,700 jobs, according to seasonally adjusted data released Friday by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The private sector added 21,100 jobs during that period, but state, local and federal government employment fell by 5,100 jobs. The … Continue reading →
NEW ORLEANS — Leviton, a lighting and electrical products company that acquired New Orleans-based Home Automation Inc. last year, said it is negotiating for space in New Orleans’ Central Business District to house a training center and a Leviton product showroom that includes home automation products. The showroom also will be used to demonstrate … Continue reading →
HOUSTON — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. remains unchanged this week at 1,769. The Houston-based company said Friday in its weekly report that 1,408 rigs were exploring for oil and another 354 for gas. Seven were listed as miscellaneous. … Continue reading →
NEW ORLEANS — The City Council on Thursday approved the demolition of most of the buildings at the Iberville public-housing complex as the Housing Authority of New Orleans and the city begin a redevelopment plan they say is necessary to revitalize Canal Street and the Central Business District. The decision to allow the demolitions came … Continue reading →
New Orleans — Police are looking for an unknown assailant who shot a man walking through an eastern New Orleans neighborhood late Thursday night. The 21-year-old victim reported the shooting around 10:28 p.m. in the 5100 block of Bundy Road, which has seen several shootings in … Continue reading →
ST. TAMMANY PARISH — An activist group that launched a recall petition drive for embattled St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan on Wednesday gathered some high-profile signatories Thursday. St. Tammany Parish Council members Reid Falconer, Jake Groby, Richard Tanner and Maureen O’Brien and Abita Springs Mayor … Continue reading →
NEW ORLEANS — The VA hospital under construction on Canal Street is $370 million over budget and 14 months behind schedule, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability office that examined the local hospital’s progress, as well as other VA hospital projects across the country. The New Orleans hospital’s initial cost, according to … Continue reading →
Jefferson Parish — When Jefferson Parish politicians agreed this week to put two property tax millages crucial to the parish’s water and sewerage departments back before voters at a lower rate than originally proposed, there was little discussion of the impact that decision would have on future capital improvements. But … Continue reading →
UPDATE: 8:30 a.m. All lanes are now open on Interstate 10 West at the Mississippi River Bridge, according to the state Department of Transportation and Development. The center lane was closed earlier due to a stalled vehicle
State senators cracked open the Louisiana House’s version of the nearly $25 billion state spending plan Thursday and immediately raised questions. Members of the state Senate Finance Committee focused their concerns on a planned tax amnesty program, severance tax adjustments and the TOPS program. State Sen. Fred Mills characterized one piece of the plan … Continue reading →
Coverage of the 2013 Regular Session of the La. Legislature. For previous coverage of this session go to http://theadvocate.com/news/politics . The website for the Legislature is at http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/home.aspx . Live coverage of the session is provided by LPB each day from 2-6 p.m. Continue reading →
More than 4,400 students in Baton Rouge are donning caps and gowns for the walk across the graduation stage, a symbolic act representing their transition from one phase of their lives to another. On Thursday, LSU honored 3,735 graduates hailing from 59 Louisiana parishes and representing 45 states. Southern holds its commencement ceremonies for … Continue reading →
Bryson Sartain Agnew Erica Ann Bourgeois Ashley Elizabeth Braud Mary Grace Brignac Adam J. Cole Tara Denise Curwick Continue reading →
WASHINGTON – Standing next to a six-foot-tall stack of paper he dubbed the “Obamacare Red Tape Tower of Regulations,” Rep. Bill Cassidy on Thursday touted another House vote to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The GOP Doctors Caucus news conference prior to the repeal vote, which is dead on arrival … Continue reading →
A two-alarm fire that broke out Thursday at the Bienville Tower Condominiums on College Drive near Corporate Boulevard is estimated to have caused more than $200,000 in damage. Baton Rouge Fire Department firefighters arrived at the condominiums at 5:39 p.m. and immediately rang a second alarm because of the threat that the fire could spread … Continue reading →
GONZALES — The Ascension Parish Council voted on Thursday to outlaw the practice of parents hosting parties where youths under the age of 21 are allowed to consume alcohol. Looking ahead to the upcoming graduation season, Sheriff Jeff Wiley urged the council to adopt an ordinance that targets adults who host large parties where youths … Continue reading →
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted late Thursday to give thousands of Medicare-eligible retirees the choice of staying on the district’s self-funded health insurance plan or shifting completely to Medicare through a Medicare Advantage Plan managed by Humana. The shift will occur in January. Retirees can stay on the school system’s group insurance … Continue reading →
One of only 12 men to walk on the moon regaled more than 500 people at The Runnels High School graduation ceremonies Thursday night with humorous stories about his time as an astronaut and lessons learned from a life spanning more than eight decades. Former astronaut Alan Bean spent about half of his nearly 30-minute speech … Continue reading →
New Orleans — Two brothers with ties to a 7th Ward street gang were captured after a four-day manhunt and charged with gunning down 20 people in a shooting rampage at a Mother’s Day second-line parade on Sunday. The victims, 19 shot and another trampled in the chaos, were collateral damage in the brothers’ ongoing gang … Continue reading →
WASHINGTON — The confirmation process for the nominated Environmental Protection Agency administrator moved forward Thursday on a partisan vote one week after Sen. David Vitter led a GOP boycott that temporarily stalled the vote. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved EPA nominee Gina McCarthy, who currently heads the EPA’s air and radiation office, … Continue reading →
East Baton Rouge Parish Library officials will look for alternative sites to the proposed Rouzan Branch Library after library board members expressed frustration with a proposed agreement between the project’s developer and the city-parish. The latest snag in the long-delayed project at Rouzan, a mixed-use development on Perkins Road, came Thursday when the Library Board of … Continue reading →
Thirty-five organizations submitted applications to start about 100 new charter schools in 19 parishes in Louisiana, the state Department of Education reported Thursday. The organizations turned their applications in by the May 1 deadline and are seeking to open their new schools in 2014, 2015 or 2016. Twenty-two of the applicants want to … Continue reading →