Louisiana at 1 a.m., Aug. 20
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TOP STORIES
LOUISIANA CORRUPTION
NEW ORLEANS — A former Louisiana congressman's brother denies that a $140,000 payment to a former elected official was a kickback, but says he knew the money could arouse suspicions. Mose Jefferson told a jury Wednesday that he helped former New Orleans school board president Ellenese Brooks-Simms concoct a cover story for the payment, which he claimed was a gift to an old flame who was deep in debt. By Michael Kunzelman.
SHRIMPERS-JINDAL
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal asked the federal government Wednesday to investigate whether foreign countries are unfairly manipulating the shrimp industry's marketplace. In a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Shara L. Aranoff, head of the U.S. International Trade Commission, Jindal said he wants to make certain that foreign countries aren't harming his state's shrimp industry.
NEW ORLEANS FINANCES
NEW ORLEANS — The city's chief economist warned Wednesday of a $43 million budget deficit in 2010, with lower-than-expected sales taxes blamed on the national recession and New Orleans facing higher-than-expected payments on a pension fund deal. Jerome Lomba also told the city's Revenue Estimating Conference he questioned whether the $25 million available for emergencies was adequate, should New Orleans be threatened or affected by a major storm this year. New Orleans and southern Louisiana were ordered evacuated last year ahead of Hurricane Gustav, which dealt the city a glancing blow last summer. The peak of the current storm season is at hand. By Becky Bohrer.
INSURANCE-CITIZENS LAWSUIT
BATON ROUGE — All insured real estate owners could be on the hook for a $95 million judgment against Louisiana's state-backed insurance company, state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said Wednesday. Donelon said he's considering several options to raise the money to post the bond. One option is to impose a new fee that would be borne by insured homeowners and commercial property owners.
SWINE FLU-LA
BATON ROUGE — State health officials estimate Louisiana has had 20,000 cases of swine flu since the outbreak began in April and most of those who have contracted the disease are children and young adults ages 5 to 24 years old. The least likely group to get the swine flu are people 65 years or older.
DWI CRACKDOWN
BATON ROUGE — State troopers and police officers from 74 agencies will stage an 18-day crackdown on drunken driving starting Friday in preparation for the long Labor Day weekend, one of the deadliest holiday times on state highways. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission spokeswoman Jamie Ainsworth said Tuesday a federal grant will help pay for 8,100 overtime hours by police officers from Friday through Labor Day, Sept. 7. The grant is expected to pay about $96,000 for the police overtime, she said.
ETHICS CHARGES
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Board of Ethics has issued its first charges under a new law requiring elected officials and candidates for those jobs to disclose their personal financial dealings. Eleven candidates in special spring elections failed to file the disclosure reports within 10 days of signing up to run and now face financial penalties.
SOUTHERN PRESIDENT
BATON ROUGE — Southern University is planning to use one of the world's largest executive search firms to find the college system's next president. The Southern System president search committee recommended Tuesday that Chicago-based Heidrick and Struggles, which has about 400 search consultants worldwide, lead the Southern search.
LOUISIANA IN BRIEF
Editors: The following brief items moved Wednesday on AP's Louisiana wire and may be of interest for your Thursday editions.
STORM FUNDS
CLINTON — The East Feliciana Police Jury has decided to call for additional projects on which to spend the full $3 million in Hurricane Gustav recovery funds the parish is due from the federal government.
WHEELCHAIR DEATH
COVINGTON — A 41-year-old Slidell woman has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide for running over and killing a man who was driving his motorized wheelchair on the side of the road.
STOMPING DEATH
DURANT, Okla. — A Louisiana man has been ordered to stand trial for second-degree murder in the stomping death of a friend and co-worker in southern Oklahoma.
POINTE COUPEE FUTURE
NEW ROADS — The Pointe Coupee Police Jury has approved a plan designed to serve as an outline for parish growth over the next 20 to 30 years.
TRAFFIC DEATH ARREST
THIBODAUX — A Thibodaux woman surrendered to police and was booked with vehicular homicide and other charges in connection with an accident that killed one person last week.
KITTEN SHOT
THIBODAUX — A Thibodaux man has been booked with illegally discharging a firearm and aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting a kitten to death outside his house.
SHELTER PROBE
GRETNA — Jefferson Parish officials say the Louisiana chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will investigate allegations of high euthanasia rates and cruelty at the parish's animal shelters.
MARIJUANA BUST
MONROE — A California woman convicted of a drug trafficking charge spawned by a traffic stop in Monroe has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
BUSINESS
OFFSHORE LEASE SALE
NEW ORLEANS — A huge glut of natural gas, a recession and an uncertain economic picture led to a largely quiet auction for government offshore leases on Wednesday. Energy companies bid $115 million for 162 separate tracts in the western Gulf of Mexico, about half of the leases bid on last year for $483.9 million. By Business Writer Alan Sayre.
With:
— BC-US--OFFSHORE LEASE SALE-BOX
TAX BREAKS
BATON ROUGE — Placid Refinery in Port Allen, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and a regional Coca-Cola bottler in Baton Rouge are among the companies benefiting from more than $100 million in tax breaks authorized by a state board on Tuesday. The Board of Commerce and Industry approved hundreds of Quality Jobs, Enterprise Zone and Industrial Tax Exemption program incentives, with one of the biggest being a $31.6 million property tax break on a $220 million capital investment by Placid Refining Company LLC, which recently expanded its Port Allen capacity from 55,000 barrels per day to 80,000 barrels while lowering sulfur in its diesel products.
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
SAINTS-OFFICE TOWER
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans' Industrial Development Board has approved the preliminary issuance of $60 million in bonds to help finance Saints owner Tom Benson's purchase and redevelopment of the Dominion Tower office complex attached to the Superdome.
SMITH TANK-MOVE
GONZALES — Smith Tank & Steel Inc. is moving from Livingston to Gonzales, where the company will make a $5 million capital investment.
RESTAURANT CLOSING
SHREVEPORT — A popular Shreveport restaurant that's been around since the Great Depression is about to shut down.
SPORTS
TEXANS-SAINTS PRACTICE
HOUSTON — New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who left camp Sunday to attend his mother's funeral, missed both of the Saints' practices against the Houston Texans on Wednesday. Veteran Mark Brunell filled in for Brees in both of the 90-minute practices. Saints coach Sean Payton had expected Brees to attend the afternoon practice but said afterward that he was still traveling. By Sports Writer Kristie Rieken.
AP Photos TXDE101, TXDE102, TXDE103, TXDE106, TXDE105, TXDE107.
LSU-LINEBACKERS
BATON ROUGE — Under different circumstances, LSU linebackers Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley might have gotten to know defensive coordinator John Chavis a lot better before now. But the two veteran Tigers broke Chavis and Tennessee's hearts on National Signing Day in 2006 and signed national letters of intent with LSU. Fate has a habit of coming full circle, though, and now both players not only get the chance to play for one of the top defensive coordinators in recent Southeastern Conference history, but Sheppard and Riley figure to play major roles if Chavis' impact is as powerful as some expect. By Randy Rossetta (The Advocate)
MAINIERI-DRAFT
BATON ROUGE — There is a high-profile baseball program to coach and a national championship to defend next spring and summer for LSU's Paul Mainieri. But he's got something else to tend to now. Mainieri spoke out Tuesday on the Major League Baseball-mandated deadline that arrived Monday and turned into a dark day for Mainieri and the Tigers program. Monday was the final day for players drafted in the 2009 MLB draft to either agree to terms or pass up the chance to turn pro for another year. LSU lost two more players from its 2009 recruiting class on Monday's deadline, one expectedly and the other as he was standing in line to get his ID picture taken at freshman orientation. That player, Brody Colvin of Lafayette, agreeing to a $900,000 signing bonus from the Philadelphia Phillies. By Randy Rossetta (The Advocate)
SPORTS IN BRIEF
TEXANS-MOVES
HOUSTON — Quarterback Alex Brink has rejoined the Houston Texans. Brink was released in June. He'll work as Houston's third quarterback while Rex Grossman recovers from a hamstring injury. The New Orleans Saints play the Texans Saturday.
MAINIERI HONORED
BATON ROUGE — The American Baseball Coaches Association has voted LSU's Paul Mainieri as the national coach of the year.
LSU-SEC
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The LSU volleyball team has been unanimously selected to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division.
NEW ORLEANS-MEN'S SEASON
NEW ORLEANS — The University of New Orleans men's basketball team will get two early tests this season.
NEW ORLEANS-WOMEN'S SEASON
New Orleans — The University of New Orleans women's basketball team will face five teams this season that reached the postseason last year.
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