Louisiana at 2 a.m. on Monday.
Good morning, Louisiana and Mississippi editors.
If you have any contributions for or questions about the report, call 1-800-662-7717. To report technical problems: 1-800-469-1362. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616). The news editor is Brian Schwaner. The breaking news staffer today is Janet McConnaughey.
LOUISIANA TOP STORIES
BUBBLING GAS
(Information in the following story is from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com)
BAYOU CORNE, La. — A well drilled to examine a failed salt cavern has penetrated the roof of the deep cavern to begin tests to learn whether its failure caused a huge sinkhole in Assumption Parish. Sonny Cranch, a spokesman for Texas Brine Co. LLC of Houston, tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/Pz5KLH ) the drill broke through about 8 p.m. Saturday. He says tests did not find any pressure from gas or brine.
ATAKAPA-ISHAK CHIEF
(Information in the following story is from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com)
LAKE CHARLES, La. — The new principal chief of the Atakapa-Ishak tribe says unity and education can help bring federal acceptance that the tribe is a living group. Edward Chretien Jr. became the principal chief of the tribe in May. He says he has applied for federal acknowledgement of the tribe, which lives in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.
ISAAC-PECANS
BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter estimates Hurricane Isaac has cut Louisiana's pecan harvest by 15 percent. Charlie Graham, professor for fruit and nut crops, says that would bring the total to just over 11 million pounds — down from pre-storm estimates of 13 million to 13.5 million pounds.
JEFF DAVIS BRIDGES
(Information in the following story is from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com)
JENNINGS, La. — The state's decision to close five bridges in Jefferson Davis Parish and list six others as critical has police jurors pondering what to do. Administrative Road Supervisor Sherwin LeFranc tells the American Press (http://bit.ly/T7XPJY) the bridges were closed indefinitely after a team of state bridge inspectors found structural damage. Most of the inspections revealed problems with broken and decaying timber, including timber back wall failures, voids in the roadway and bent bridge piles underneath the structures.
ACADIANA BANKS
(Information in the following story is from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com)
LAFAYETTE, La. — Two banking executives touted Acadiana as a center of Southern banking activity during a presentation this past week on the outlook for the local industry. While the nation has struggled through an economic downtown, three Lafayette banks have been on growth spurts with Iberia Bank growing by 164 percent since December 2007, Home Bank by 134 percent and MidSouth Bank by 63 percent, according to figures provided by Jerry Vascocu, Iberia Bank's president for the Lafayette market.
SORRENTO-NEW IMAGE
(Information in the following story is from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com)
SORRENTO, La. — Jason Adams, who took office this week as Sorrento's newest councilman, says his target is to fix the bad reputation the town has developed during the past year while coping with a rotating cast of elected officials and heated council meetings. "You know as well as I do the town seems to take a black eye every other month," in news reports, Adams said after the council met this past week. "I'm excited to be on board to make sure that stops."
SOUTH JACKSON RETAIL REVIVAL
(Information in the following story is from: The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com)
JACKSON, Miss. — Although the effort to rehabilitate U.S. 80's retail corridor in Jackson often gets more attention, several south Jackson malls — including one owned by a company in Covington, La. — are getting new life. (backslash)
BOATING ACCIDENT-DREDGE PIPE
(Information in the following story is from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com)
BILOXI, Miss. — The Coast Guard is investigating whether a dredge pipe set up to replenish Deer Island contributed to a boat wreck that killed a Biloxi man. State investigators have said Mark Barhanovich's boat hit something that flipped his outboard motor into the boat, where the propeller hit his back.
ISAAC-FEMA GRANTS
(Information in the following story is from: The Mississippi Press, http://www.gulflive.com)
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $11.1 million in grants across Mississippi for damage from Hurricane Isaac. Spokesman Tim Tyson tells The Mississippi Press (http://bit.ly/Vthz8g ) that includes more than $9.5 million for housing assistance and $1.6 million for other needs such as personal property, damaged vehicles and medical expenses.
ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE-SOMERHALDER-STRUT YOUR MUTT
(Information in the following story is from: The Advertiser, http://www.theadvertiser.com)
LAFAYETTE, La. — The star of the hit CW television series "The Vampire Diaries" stopped at a doggy kissing booth and told fans he's going to create a sanctuary to rehabilitate both unwanted animals and bullies. Ian Somerhalder was at the Strut Your Mutt fundraiser Saturday in Lafayette to help raise money for the Best Friends Animal Society. Dogs could win prizes for best kisser.
GONZALES BALLOON FESTIVAL
(Information in the following story is from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com)
GONZALES, La. — Cars began lining up two hours before the Louisiana Hot Air Balloon Championship's first full day in Gonzales, so the festival gates opened early. Organizer Brad Walker says tens of thousands of people saw 41 lighter-than-air craft from as far away as Kansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Florida and Oklahoma on Saturday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.
PINNACLE-HURRICANE MUSEUM
(Information in the following story is from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com)
LAKE CHARLES, La. — Pinnacle Entertainment has donated $80,000 toward the proposed National Hurricane Museum and Science Center, which could be built on the shore of Lake Charles near the Lake Charles Civic Center. The American Press reports (http://bit.ly/T7XPJY) the gambling resort company's donation will be used to finance the museum's education programs.
LOUISIANA NEWS IN BRIEF
MEDICAID MISERY BUS TOUR
BATON ROUGE, La. — People from community groups and professional associations took a bus tour of five hospitals from New Orleans to Pineville affected by hundreds of millions of dollars in state budget cuts. The Advocate (http://bit.ly/NKVKR1) reports that former patient Deborah Hughes of Baton Rouge told the group that doctors at Earl K. Long Hospital saved her life.
SMOTHERED BABY
HOUMA, La. — Terrebonne Parish jurors are expected to begin considering the fate of a Chauvin man accused of smothering his girlfriend's 10-month-old baby in 2009. The Courier (http://bit.ly/QNLCEI) reports that closing arguments were scheduled Monday in the trial of 25-year-old William Henderson. He's charged with second-degree murder of Kaleb Nelton, whose arms and ribs were broken. .
STADIUM FORUM
NEW ORLEANS — Tulane University officials plan a public forum Monday night focusing on the university's plan to build a stadium on the Uptown New Orleans campus. The forum is planned for 6 p.m. at the Freeman Auditorium.
NICHOLLS STATE-FRESHMEN
THIBODAUX — Freshmen enrollment at Nicholls State University rose 10.4 percent in the fall semester over the same period a year ago. Of the university's 6,606 students, 1,253 are first-time freshmen, up 118 from last fall. University officials attribute the increase to in-state and out-of-state recruiting and new programs on the campus.
The following items moved Sunday for Monday papers.
CHAOS THEORY-ART
SULPHUR — The art exhibit at Sulphur's Henning Cultural Center was created by two guys who love "cartoons, monster movies, and stuff like that." The fourth annual "Chaos Theory" exhibit is on display through Oct. 11.
RICE FEST-GRAND MARSHAL
CROWLEY — Gene Williams has been selected as grand marshal of the 76th International Rice Festival. Williams, a Crowley native, has been a festival volunteer for more than four decades. The Rice Festival is set for Oct. 19-21 in downtown Crowley.
McNEESE-INSURANCE COURSE
LAKE CHARLES — The Louisiana Consortium of Insurance and Financial Services at Louisiana State University-Shreveport will offer a pre-licensing course on property and casualty insurance at McNeese State University. The course is set for 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Oct. 12-13 and Oct. 19-20.
EXTRA SCHOOL DAY
HAMMOND — Tangipahoa Parish public schools students will see a day added to the school year to make up days missed because of Hurricane Isaac. The School Board voted this past week to extend the school year through May 24.
BOSSIER-NOISE SURVEY
BOSSIER CITY — Bossier Parish will survey noise levels from the Bossier City limits to Sligo as a second wall is considered to mitigate sound from Arthur Ray Teague Parkway. Readings will be taken now and after parkway extension opens in February, parish engineer Butch Ford said
INSURANCE CONFERENCE
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Insurance and Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority are planning a conference Oct. 17.
ANALYSIS
Moved in advance for use in Monday editions
LOUISIANA SPOTLIGHT-ANALYSIS
BATON ROUGE — The budget hatchet is falling across Louisiana, and lawmakers who are supposed to hold the state's purse strings aren't involved in crafting the plans. Instead, Gov. Bobby Jindal and his cabinet secretaries are shuttering facilities and shrinking services without much decision-making from the Louisiana Legislature. Even being a legislative ally and floor leader for the Republican governor doesn't seem to get lawmakers much these days as the cuts strike at facilities in parishes led by Jindal supporters. Lawmakers report getting phone calls telling them of the facility closures and service reductions planned for their districts only hours before the public announcement is made — or not at all. AP News Analysis. By Melinda Deslatte.
MEMBER EXCHANGES
Moved in advance for use in Monday editions
FBI-HUNTING CROOKED POLS
NEW ORLEANS — Michael Anderson has a thing for crooked politicians. The walls of his office at the FBI's Lakefront headquarters are festooned with mementos of celebrated corruption cases: Framed posters of "All the President's Men" and "Serpico." A Time magazine cover about the Abscam sting, which netted five congressmen and one U.S senator. Rolling Stone bidding adieu to the "worst Congress ever." Signed original political cartoons mocking lobbyist-gone-bad Jack Abramoff and one of his co-conspirators, former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney. But Anderson isn't just a spectator or a memorabilia hound. A decade ago, he rewrote the FBI's "Public Corruption Field Guide." By Gordon Russell, The Times-Picayune. With AP Photo.
BARKSDALE MUSEUM
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE. — Facing the loss of collection aircraft in the wake of recent reviews and an experts' analysis that calls for it to do more to establish its identity, the 8th Air Force Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base is mulling its future and gearing up to make some changes. A major change that will greet everyone entering its facility just inside the North Gate of the world's premier bomber base will be a name change to be effective Oct. 2. It should be unveiled in a public ceremony at 11 a.m. that day. By John Andrew Prime, The Times. With AP Photo.
MISSISSIPPI NEWS
MISSISSIPPI TOP STORIES
LCD PRICE FIXING-MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON — A federal appeals panel will decide whether a Mississippi or federal court has jurisdiction over a lawsuit alleging price fixing by manufacturers of liquid crystal display screens.
The following items moved Sunday for Monday papers
SOUTH JACKSON RETAIL REVIVAL
(Information in the following story is from: The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com)
JACKSON, Miss. — Although the effort to rehabilitate U.S. 80's retail corridor in Jackson often gets more attention, several south Jackson malls are getting new life. Going beyond retail is part of the revival at Jackson Square Promenade, The Clarion-Ledger (http://on.thec-l.com/QsNc1h) reports. That includes a roller-skating rink, a "teen center" where kids can hang out, sing karaoke and play video games; and an events space for weddings, family reunions and other gatherings.
SEWAGE LAGOON MOTORS
(Information in the following story is from: The Hattiesburg American, http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Somebody stole aerator motors worth $6,000 each from alongside a Hattiesburg sewage lagoon, and city police are stumped. The investigation is going cold, Lt. Jon Traxler, a police spokesman, told The Hattiesburg American (http://hatne.ws/QsMIZ5 ). "There's 20 or more vendors who had access to that area," he said.
BOATING ACCIDENT-DREDGE PIPE
(Information in the following story is from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com)
BILOXI, Miss. — The Coast Guard is investigating whether a dredge pipe to replenish Deer Island contributed to a fatal boat wreck. Mark Barhanovich's boat hit something that flipped his outboard motor into the boat, where the propeller hit his back; the Biloxi man died in the 1 1/2 hours it took to get him to Ocean Springs Hospital, state investigators have said.
ISAAC-FEMA GRANTS
(Information in the following story is from: The Mississippi Press, http://www.gulflive.com)
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $11.1 million in grants across Mississippi for damage from Hurricane Isaac. That includes more than $9.5 million for housing assistance and $1.6 million for other needs such as personal property, damaged vehicles and medical expenses, FEMA spokesman Tim Tyson told The Mississippi Press (http://bit.ly/Vthz8g).
PARCHMAN ESCAPE-DOWDA
PARCHMAN, Miss. — A man serving life in prison for killing his girlfriend in 1996 has escaped from the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, and visitation there was closed. Michael Blane Dowda, 48, is considered armed and dangerous, corrections spokeswoman Jasmine Cole said in a news release.
AP Photos NY116-0923121347.
ISAAC-PECANS
BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter estimates Hurricane Isaac has cut Louisiana's pecan harvest by 15 percent. Charlie Graham, professor for fruit and nut crops, says that would bring the total to just over 11 million pounds — down from pre-storm estimates of 13 million to 13.5 million pounds.
FOREST WATER RATES
(Information in the following story is from: Scott County Times, http://www.sctonline.net)
FOREST, Miss. — The city of Forest is raising water and sewer rates increase in October. City officials tell the Scott County Times (http://bit.ly/SIkTZr) that the rates will increase "slightly" over current levels.
BRIDGING THE BLUES
JACKSON, Miss. — The state of Mississippi is joining with Arkansas and Memphis, Tenn., for a 12-day celebration of blues music. Mississippi Delta Tourism Association President Wesley Smith said events will begin Thursday and run through Oct. 8.
VICKSBURG SCHOOLS-DRUG TESTING
(Information in the following story is from: The Vicksburg Post, http://www.vicksburgpost.com)
VICKSBURG, Miss. — Students with parking passes at Vicksburg Warren School District may be subject to random drug testing under a proposal under study by the school board. The Vicksburg Post reports (http://bit.ly/R5GNJ4) that the proposal was presented to the board this week by Superintendent Elizabeth Swinford.
MISSISSIPPI NEWS IN BRIEF
SEX OFFENDER-REGISTRATION
ABERDEEN, Miss. — An October sentencing date has been set for man convicted of failing to register as a sex offender. Tony Lashawn Nelson pleaded guilty in May to failing to register. His sentencing is Oct. 17 in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen.
USM-DYSLEXIA THERAPY
HATTIESBURG — The University of Southern Mississippi says it expects to offer a master's degree in dyslexia therapy, starting next June. Officials say it will teach a therapy system that uses sound, sight, touch and movement to help children to learn to read.
TUPELO SCHOOLS
TUPELO, Miss. — Scores are going up in the Tupelo Public School District. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (http://bit.ly/SmyWJm) reports that for black students, white students, students from low-income families and those better off, average scores on statewide tests improved more than five percentage points over 2011. .
HURRICANE TRASH
LONG BEACH, Miss. — Alderman Mark Lishen says Long Beach should require businesses and construction sites to make sure their building materials, trash and trash containers won't become battering rams in hurricanes. He tells WLOX-TV (http://bit.ly/OT0QGP) that he wants an ordinance to make sure that such things are secured or removed before hurricanes arrive on shore.
The following brief item moved Sunday for Monday newspapers.
DELTA-SILVER AIRWAYS
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Silver Airways of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will take over three Mississippi cities being dropped by Delta Airlines. The Hattiesburg American (http://hatne.ws/RSIQx8 ) reports that, starting Oct. 1, flights out of the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport and the airports in Greenville and Tupelo will go to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport instead of Memphis.
