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Tagged News

• Houma church rebuilding after fire

  February 4, 2013 9:13 AM

  HOUMA, La. (AP) - Construction is expected to start soon on a new building at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church and School. The Courier reports the church's century-old sanctuary at Belanger and Barrow streets in downtown Houma was destroyed in a fire in 2011. Since then, parishioners have worshiped at Grace... more »

• Feds: Businessman accused of fraud after BP spill

  November 2, 2012 3:54 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A Louisiana businessman faces a federal wire fraud charge for allegedly seeking to get BP PLC to pay him $1.4 million for supplying a helicopter that the oil giant did not ask for during its response to the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of... more »

• Election after huge storm? La has the know-how

  November 1, 2012 4:03 AM

  LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - Election officials from states hit by Hurricane Sandy had a phone conference with Louisiana's top elections official about preparing for elections after a devastating hurricane. Secretary of State Tom Schedler tells The Advertiser that he spoke Friday with officials from New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Maryland,... more »

• Elderly Leesville man dies after being hit by SUV

  October 31, 2012 7:37 AM

  LEESVILLE, La. (AP) - An 88-year-old Leesville man died when he was hit by an SUV on La. Highway 121 in Vernon Parish, but his body wasn't discovered for a few hours. State Police responded to the accident around 8 a.m. Tuesday. The pedestrian, identified as Eddard L. Morrison, was... more »

• A day after Sandy, New Yorkers find a changed city

  October 31, 2012 4:50 AM

  NEW YORK (AP) - Stripped of its bustle and mostly cut off from the world, New York was left wondering Tuesday when its particular way of life - carried by subway, lit by skyline and powered by 24-hour deli - would return. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the power company said... more »

• Isaac aims at north Gulf Coast after raking Fla.

  August 27, 2012 8:28 AM

  KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Tropical Storm Isaac churned toward the northern Gulf Coast early Monday and promised to give the Republican National Convention a good drenching after lashing the Florida Keys with wind and rain but apparently causing little damage. The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to... more »

• Diana Nyad Pulled After Complications

  August 21, 2012 9:33 AM

  KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Endurance swimmer Diana Nyad has been pulled from the water onto a boat after multiple problems on her fourth day of attempting a record crossing from Cuba to Florida. A member of Nyad's support team in Key West, says the 62-year-old athlete was taken on... more »

• Many drugs remain legal after "bath salts" ban

  July 25, 2012 8:11 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - People are inventing so many new, legal ways to get high that lawmakers can't seem to keep up. Over the past two years, the U.S. has seen a surge in the use of synthetic drugs made of legal chemicals that mimic the dangerous effects of cocaine, amphetamines... more »

• Man dies after being shot in the legs

  July 25, 2012 8:09 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Baton Rouge police say a 39-year-old man died after he was shot in both legs. Cpl. Tommy Stubbs tells The Advocate Louis Spears was shot Tuesday morning while standing on the front porch of a home. Stubbs said Spears was taken to a hospital where... more »

• 4 arrested after Lake Charles man's death

  July 16, 2012 11:14 AM

  LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - Four arrests have been made in connection with the death of an 83-year-old Lake Charles man. The victim was John LeBleu, who police said was killed during a robbery at his apartment on Thursday. Police said 38-year-old John J. Landry III, a resident of the... more »

• Man arrested after stabbing 2 dogs

  July 6, 2012 7:08 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A 23-year-old Baton Rouge man accused of stabbing two dogs with a barbecue pit fork has been arrested and booked into Parish Prison. The Advocate reports an affidavit of probable cause states Donnie Davis allegedly stabbed the dogs on June 8 at his home. The... more »

• Man dies after stabbing at night club

  July 2, 2012 7:27 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Baton Rouge police are investigating a stabbing that killed a man outside a local night club. Capt. Elton Brown Sr. tells The Advocate in a news release the motive for the stabbing that killed 26-year-old Juan Lopez is still unknown. Brown says officers were called... more »

• Leaner Southern U after financial emergency

  July 2, 2012 5:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Southern University is emerging from an eight-month financial emergency period with fewer students, degree choices and faculty members. But the university is now in better shape to concentrate resources on successful programs such as engineering and nursing, and better equipped to guide students toward graduation,... more »

• ULM shuffles classes after building fire

  June 14, 2012 10:18 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The University of Louisiana at Monroe's George T. Walker Hall will be closed until at least early next year as a result of damage sustained from a Tuesday fire. The News-Star reports nobody was injured in the two-alarm fire that began in a first floor custodial... more »

• I-12 lanes reopened after widening project

  June 13, 2012 9:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Traffic is flowing on all six lanes of newly widened Interstate 12 in East Baton Rouge Parish. The Advocate reports workers finished striping the last eastbound traffic lane and removed the orange traffic cones shortly before Gov. Bobby Jindal held an Tuesday afternoon news conference... more »

• Probes Could Produce Answers After Sandusky Trial

  June 10, 2012 8:10 PM

  The trial of Jerry Sandusky, which will begin Monday when prosecutors and his lawyer make opening statements before a central Pennsylvania jury, will probably be over in a few weeks. But when it comes to getting to the bottom of what happened, it will definitely not be the final word.... more »

• 4 hospitalized after being exposed to chlorine

  May 23, 2012 7:56 AM

  PLAQUEMINE, La. (AP) - Four Georgia Gulf contract employees are recovering after being exposed to chlorine at work. WAFB TV reports the accident happened at the chemical and vinyls plant in Plaquemine around 9 p.m. Tuesday. A Georgia Gulf spokesman said the four were near a railcar when the chlorine... more »

• Sheriff's deputy resigns after DWI

  May 15, 2012 10:21 AM

  JENNINGS, La. (AP) - A Jefferson Davis Parish sheriff's deputy has resigned after he was arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge by Jennings police. The American Press reports 25-year-old Ryan Gary, who had been with the department for nearly five years, was off-duty and driving a personal vehicle at... more »

• 2 arrested after stolen parts posted online

  May 14, 2012 6:50 AM

  ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) - An attempt to sell stolen motorcycle parts over the Internet led the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office to arrest two Alexandria residents. The Town Talk reports the investigation began with a report of three motorcycles stolen from a Pineville home. Deputies say the Internet posting led detectives... more »

• Woman arrested after lost child found

  May 7, 2012 9:19 AM

  SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - A 26-year-old Keithville woman remains in jail after allegedly losing her one-year-old son in the woods in southwest Caddo Parish. Megan Ashley Brewer was booked with child desertion. Caddo sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick told The Times Brewer took the boy into the woods just before 3... more »

• 4 arrested after child brings drugs to Head Start

  April 20, 2012 9:53 AM

  BOSSIER CITY, La. (AP) - Police in Bossier City say a 3-year-old showed up at the Head Start center he regularly attends with marijuana and a prescription anti-anxiety drug. An investigation led to the arrest of the boy's mother and three other people. Police were called to the Head Start... more »

• Feds say fraud after Hurricane Katrina hit the UP

  April 18, 2012 7:05 AM

  MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) - Court records show an Upper Peninsula woman has agreed to plead guilty in a fraud case related to Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. government says 60-year-old Shirley LaMarch and husband Michael applied for federal assistance in 2005, claiming their residence in New Orleans was damaged. They received... more »

• Permit OK'd, after delay, for big fishing tourney

  April 6, 2012 11:06 AM

  GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) - After delaying action last week, the Town Council of Grand Isle has voted to issue a permit for the popular Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. The annual fishing tournament is now set for July 26-28. The rodeo brings about 15,000 people to the barrier island that... more »

• 2 teens killed in Fourchon after striking truck

  April 2, 2012 8:47 AM

  FOURCHON, La. (AP) - Two Houma teenagers were killed when their car struck an 18-wheeler The Courier reports 19-yeare-old Taylor Caro and 18-year-old Alexandra Blaisdell were killed early Sunday morning. They were pronounced dead at the scene. State police say Caro was driving northbound on La. Highway 1 at about... more »

• New Orleans officer resigns after posting comments

  March 28, 2012 6:24 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A New Orleans police officer resigned Tuesday, a day after being suspended for a comment he posted on a local TV station website about the shooting of Trayvon Martin in which he suggested the Florida teen died like a "thug." Jason Giroir used his full name... more »

• Teacher fired after claims 3rd-graders had sex

  March 22, 2012 10:46 AM

  TALLULAH, La. (AP) - Officials say a Tallulah Elementary School teacher has been fired after she was in the classroom while two third-graders allegedly had oral sex under a table. Madison Parish School Superintendent Lisa Wilmore tells The News-Star last week's incident was investigated by the school's principal. Wilmore concurred... more »

• Jindal declares emergency after tornadoes, floods

  March 22, 2012 6:36 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency Wednesday after strong thunderstorms dumped up to 15 inches of rain and sparked tornadoes throughout Louisiana. No serious injuries were reported. The governor's declaration came after nine Louisiana parishes issued similar orders. Acadia, Beauregard, Claiborne, Jefferson Davis, Natchitoches,... more »

• Unlikely partners unite after natural disasters

  March 12, 2012 6:20 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Two cities with little in common are forging an unlikely partnership to change the way American cities prepare for and recover from natural disasters. Civic leaders from Joplin, Mo., recently visited New Orleans to observe its recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Joplin was hit by a tornado... more »

• Delware Police Say Man Arrested After Church Incident

  May 30, 2011 7:38 AM

  MILTON, Del. (AP) - Delaware State Police say a 52-year-old Milton man has been charged with threatening a person at a Milton church and other offenses. Authorities say Hipolito Melendez was taken into custody Sunday afternoon. Police say they were called to the Lewes Church of Christ after receiving a... more »

• Parks Re-opening in New Orleans After Lead Tests

  May 20, 2011 8:11 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Eight of 11 parks that were closed in New Orleans because of lead contamination in the soil have re-opened. City officials closed the parks for remediation over a month ago after tests were done to determine whether they were contaminated with lead. Officials said the lead... more »

• Workers to Be Honored for Rescues After Rig Blast

  April 15, 2011 6:01 AM

  BELLE CHASSE, La. (AP) - Crew members of a supply vessel that was tethered to the Deepwater Horizon when the rig exploded last year are set to be honored at a Coast Guard awards ceremony for helping rescue blast survivors. About a dozen crew members from the Damon B. Bankston... more »

• Ga. Aquarium to Open Dolphin Exhibit After Delay

  March 31, 2011 11:23 AM

  ATLANTA (AP) - The massive new addition to the world's largest aquarium isn't simply a tank with dolphins leaping to and fro. It's a Broadway-style show, complete with an ancient sailor named StarSpinner and a battle with a sea creature that can only be settled by dolphins leaping, twisting and... more »

• 15th Victim Dies From Injuries After NYC Bus Crash

  March 14, 2011 11:34 AM

  NEW YORK - A 15th victim has died after a tour bus crashed on a New York City highway in a horrific weekend accident. Police say a 70-year-old man died from his injuries at about 7:30 a.m. Monday. His name and the names of 14 other victims haven't been released.... more »

• Court date set for man arrested after chase

  February 24, 2011 8:27 PM

  BENTON, La. (AP) - A state judge in Bossier Parish has set an Aug. 8 trial for an Oregon man accused of trying to kill a state trooper after a high-speed chase in 2007. The Bossier Press-Tribune reported that 33-year-old Adam Jackson, of Portland, will stand trial on charges filed... more »

• Student Arrested After Gun Found at School

  February 15, 2011 6:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Authorities have arrested a 13-year-old student at Parkview Baptist School for allegedly bringing an unloaded gun to the school. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office said the seventh-grader was booked Monday on charges that included illegal possession of a firearm, felony theft and aggravated... more »

• Inmate Remains on Run 2 Weeks After Escape

  December 29, 2010 8:12 AM

  WELSH, La. (AP) - Two weeks after a 6-foot-8 trusty walked away from jail while taking out the trash, police are still looking for him. Police say that 29-year-old Rodney Drake walked away from the Welsh Police Department the evening of Dec. 15. He was being held on a probation... more »

• N.O. officer says he burned body after Katrina

  November 29, 2010 9:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A New Orleans police officer on trial for burning the body of a man who was fatally shot by a different officer testified Monday that he set the fire because he didn't want to let another corpse rot in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. "I was exposed to... more »

• Man dies weeks after being cleared in 1979 killing

  November 9, 2010 10:05 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi man who spent more than 30 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit has died less than two months after his name was cleared in the case. Bobby Ray Dixon died Sunday after suffering from lung and brain cancer. He was 53.... more »

• Officials: Suspect lived unnoticed after 'death'

  November 5, 2010 9:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - After the skeletal remains of a slain Las Vegas girl were found in the woods of central Louisiana, the investigation led authorities to a startling conclusion: The man suspected of kidnapping her was supposed to have died 16 years earlier. As federal and state investigators mount... more »

• Man Dies After Trying to Break in Through Skylight

  November 3, 2010 6:37 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The coroner's investigator says the man whose decomposing body was found tangled in a cable beneath a warehouse skylight died after a 30-foot fall as he tried to break into the building. John Gagliano of the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office says that 63-year-old Alfredo Saba had... more »

• La. jurors see video of man dying after stun gun

  October 22, 2010 9:30 PM

  WINNFIELD, La. (AP) - Minutes after a doctor testified that he believed a combination of medical conditions made worse by repeated shocks from a Taser stun gun caused the death of Baron Pikes, the jury watched a video of the dying man writhing on the police station floor. Scott Nugent... more »

• Six Months After the April 20 Deepwater Horizon Explosion

  October 20, 2010 3:06 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The crude has stopped gushing and coastlines are largely clear of the thick goo that washed ashore for months, but the impact of the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history will no doubt linger for years. Six months after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon... more »

• Birds Along LA's Shores Doing Surprisingly Well After Oil Spill

  October 13, 2010 5:31 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The National Audubon Society says it has surveyed bird populations along Louisiana's oil-tainted shores and found them doing surprisingly well nearly six months after the BP oil spill. But the bird society also cautioned that oil continues to ooze out of the ground in many... more »

• Ark. deputy on leave after fatal shooting

  October 12, 2010 9:48 PM

  TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) - Authorities say a Louisiana man fatally shot by a Miller County, Ark., sheriff's deputy was active in trying to keep people off property he believed was his, and often appeared with a pistol on each hip. Miller County officials say the deputy sheriff, so far not... more »

• Dealership Readies for Life After Mercury

  October 10, 2010 6:57 PM

  METAIRIE, La. (AP) - A longtime car dealer in suburban New Orleans is preparing for business after the Mercury brand is gone. The general manager of Marshall Bros. Lincoln-Mercury Inc. says the firm will begin construction of a new dealership building in January. Scott Preston told CityBusiness of New Orleans... more »

• Two People are Dead after Colliding with a Train

  October 8, 2010 5:48 AM

  A husband and wife are dead this morning in Crowley after being hit by a train. It happened just after 4:30am at the Sydney Richard Highway 90 intersection. According to sheriff's official the couple was killed on impact. The train hit the car and pushed it a 1/2 mile down... more »

• Good Health Before, During and After Pregnancy

  October 6, 2010 10:15 AM

  LAFAYETTE, LA-Pregnancy is an exciting time of major change. From the very start, your baby-to-be alters your body and the way you live your daily life. The best way to approach pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period is to be informed. If you are planning to become pregnant, see... more »

• Comeaux students busted after vandalizing school

  September 30, 2010 11:45 PM

  LAFAYETTE, La.- Ten students and one graduate of Comeaux high school are busted after vandalizing the place. School administrators say the homecoming tradition of decorating the school went way too far. Students glued the school's locks, put trash and furniture on the roof, and smeared ketchup and mustard on walls.... more »

• Former President Jimmy Carter Leaves Hospital After Suffering Viral Infection

  September 30, 2010 1:28 PM

  CLEVELAND (AP) - Former President Jimmy Carter has left an Ohio hospital where he spent two days recovering from a viral infection doctors say likely gave him stomach problems. Cleveland's MetroHealth Medical Center says the 85-year-old ex-president left the hospital at 1:15 p.m. and will resume his schedule with a... more »

• Opry returns to fixed-up digs 6 months after flood

  September 28, 2010 9:46 PM

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Grand Ole Opry has ended its itinerant ways and returned home. A host of country music's enduring legends joined some of today's biggest names on stage Tuesday night to kick off the "Country Comes Home" celebration. They began with a stirring rendition of "Will The... more »

• Police: Man Kills Himself After shooting at UT Austin

  September 28, 2010 11:06 AM

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Police say a gunman opened fire inside a library at the University of Texas at Austin, then shot and killed himself. Police spokeswoman Rhonda Weldon says no one else was hurt in the shooting Tuesday morning at the Perry-Castaneda Library. Weldon says a man with an... more »

• Panel Probes Decisions Made After Gulf Spill

  September 27, 2010 6:48 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A panel that President Barack Obama appointed to investigate the Gulf oil spill will begin Monday to scrutinize how his administration reacted to the disaster. The two-day meeting of the presidential oil spill commission will look at the controversial use of chemical dispersants, a moratorium on deep-water... more »

• Lohan goes directly to jail after failed drug test

  September 24, 2010 9:36 PM

  BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - There were no tears, no last-minute pleading and no lecture from a judge warning Lindsay Lohan she was facing serious consequences for her latest misstep in a 3-year-old drug and drunken driving case. Instead, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox on Friday sent... more »

• New Orleans' deputy mayor resigns after audit

  September 24, 2010 9:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Greg St. Etienne has resigned from his post as deputy mayor following an audit criticizing questionable financial practices at a nonprofit he used to run. WWL-TV reported Friday that St. Etienne, the city's deputy mayor of operations, had resigned after an audit said he steered loans... more »

• 5 years after Hurricane Rita, some left out of Recovery

  September 23, 2010 9:12 AM

  CAMERON, La. - First Baptist Church in Cameron will celebrate its grand reopening Saturday, five years and one day after Hurricane Rita nearly obliterated the town. Such upbeat milestones have been rare in Cameron, which has seen its population shrink from roughly 1,500 to 280 residents since Rita and Hurricane... more »

• Igor Heads for Newfoundland After Passing Bermuda

  September 21, 2010 8:38 AM

  ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland (AP) - Hurricane Igor barreled northeastward toward Canada Tuesday, leaving behind power outages, grounded boats and downed trees in Bermuda and kicking up dangerous surf on the U.S. Atlantic coast. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch was up for the coast of Newfoundland, where people... more »

• Search For 2 LA Men Resumes After Hermine Hits Texas

  September 9, 2010 11:13 AM

  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Authorities are set to resume their search for two men swept down a central Texas river by floodwaters fueled by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine. New Braunfels police Lt. John Wells said the search would resume Thursday for 28-year-old Nikos Paraskevopoulos of Alexandria, La.,... more »

• BP Shares Gain After Gulf Report

  September 8, 2010 7:39 AM

  LONDON (AP) - Shares in BP PLC have extended gains after the release of an internal report on the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that deflects much of the blame onto contractor Transocean. The stock was up 2 percent at 414.95 pence ($6.41) shortly after the report... more »

• 1 killed, 4 injured after 2nd-line parade

  September 6, 2010 4:31 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - New Orleans police say there haven't been any arrests in a shooting that killed a 32-year-old woman and injured four other people after a walking parade had passed. Orleans Parish Coroner's Chief Investigator John Gagliano tells The Times-Picayune that Kaamila Muhammad was shot in the head.... more »

• BP spent $93M on advertising after Gulf spill

  September 1, 2010 9:21 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Oil giant BP says it has spent more than $5 million a week on advertising since the Gulf Coast oil spill - more than three times the amount it spent on ads during the same period last year. BP PLC told the House Energy and Commerce Committee... more »

• Section of La. 70 reopens after well blowout

  August 30, 2010 9:28 PM

  PAINCOURTVILLE, La. (AP) - A section of La. Highway 70 closed for nearly three weeks because of an oil and gas well blowout in Assumption Parish has been reopened to traffic. The Mantle Oil and Gas LLC well blew Aug. 11 and forced authorities to shut down La. 70 between... more »

• La. HWY 70 Reopens After Oil and Gas Well Blowout

  August 30, 2010 12:40 PM

  PAINCOURTVILLE, La. (AP) - A section of La. Highway 70 closed for nearly three weeks because of an oil and gas well blowout in Assumption Parish has been reopened to traffic. The Mantle Oil and Gas LLC well blew Aug. 11 and forced authorities to shut down La. 70 between... more »

• Memories of Chaos, Rebirth 5 Years After Katrina

  August 29, 2010 12:31 PM

  SHELL BEACH, La. (AP) - Two strangers shared an umbrella and a somber embrace Sunday as they scanned 163 names on a marble wall honoring thoCONwho died in Louisiana's coastal St. Bernard Parish when Hurricane Katrina wracked the region. Gladys Nunez and Linda Wells didn't know each other before a... more »

• Priest Among Missing 5 Years After Katrina

  August 28, 2010 3:20 PM

  LAKE CATHERINE, La. (AP) - The night sky heaved like a living thing as Fire Chief Joe Perez took another slow cruise in the rescue truck down the two-lane road snaking across this town in the last patch of marsh standing between New Orleans and an angry Gulf of Mexico.... more »

• Frozen fruit bars recalled after typhoid outbreak

  August 26, 2010 9:22 PM

  SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) - Fruiti Pops, Inc. of Santa Fe Springs has recalled its mamey frozen f: "There is a of a possible link to a rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever. The company said Thursday that the fruit bars were distributed in California, Arizona and Texas since... more »

• Feds to Outline Anti-fraud Efforts After Spill

  August 24, 2010 7:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Justice Department officials are outlining their efforts to curb fraud in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill. U.S. Attorney Jim Letten and Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Justice Department's criminal division are scheduled to brief reporters on the topic Tuesday in Baton... more »

• One Dead & One in Custody After Fatal Lafayette Shooting

  August 20, 2010 12:08 AM

  One person is dead after a fatal shooting in the 900 block of Webb Street in Lafayette.The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office says a white male is in custody and four other people that were inside the residence were taken into the department for questioning. Keep it tuned to KATC and... more »

• Final Plugging of Well Will Begin After Labor Day

  August 19, 2010 10:59 AM

  WASHINGTON — BP aims to permanently seal the ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well in the second week of September, a US official said Thursday, as pressure concerns further delayed final "bottom kill" operations. "We should be looking somewhere in the week after Labor Day," US spill chief Thad... more »

• First oiled turtles released in Gulf after rehab

  August 18, 2010 9:04 PM

  CEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) - The first rehabilitated turtles oiled by BP's massive leak were released back into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, with scientists saying that animals taken in by rescuers - including birds - appear more resilient than first feared. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who... more »

• Gulf Driller to Light Up Cigar After Job is Done

  August 15, 2010 2:50 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The man with pinpoint accuracy who is drilling the relief well meant to plug BP's runaway well is looking forward to finishing his mission and celebrating with a cigar, a dinner party with his crew and a trip somewhere quiet to unwind with his wife. John... more »

• `Cathy' comic strip ending after 34 years

  August 11, 2010 9:52 PM

  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The comic strip "Cathy," which has chronicled the life, frustrations and swimsuit season meltdowns of its namesake for more than 30 years, is coming to an end. Cathy Guisewite, the strip's creator, said Wednesday that deciding to end the comic strip was "excruciating." The comic... more »

• Couple Face Charges After Bank Robbery

  August 6, 2010 8:49 AM

  ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) - Police say a homeless man and his pregnant girlfriend are accused of leaving her 3-year-old special-needs child alone in an Alexandria motel room while they went to commit a bank heist. Police booked 36-year-old Jason Jackson, from Jefferson Parish, with armed robbery and three counts of... more »

• Final Plug Nears After Crews Cement Oil Well's Top

  August 6, 2010 8:45 AM

  ON THE GULF OF MEXICO (AP) - Crews moved closer to a final seal on BP's blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico after pumping fresh cement into the top of the well to hold down mud that is stopping the seafloor gusher. Engineers poured in cement Thursday to... more »

• Man Dies After Shock by Police Stun Gun

  August 4, 2010 9:32 AM

  HOUMA, La. (AP) - Houma police say they're waiting for results of an autopsy on a 49-year-old man who died after being shocked by a stun gun while fighting officers. Chief Todd Duplantis tells The Courier that the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office is performing the autopsy on Dennis C. Sandras... more »

• Aretha Franklin cancels Brooklyn shows after a fall

  August 3, 2010 9:41 PM

  DETROIT (AP) - Aretha Franklin says she's recovering from a fall and will miss two free concerts in New York. Franklin's office says the Queen of Soul broke ribs and has abdominal pain from Sunday's fall. Franklin says her doctors advised her to undergo tests. She says efforts are under... more »

• Baton Rouge man arrested on DWI after 7-vehicle wreck

  July 30, 2010 9:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Baton Rouge police say a seven-vehicle wreck - allegedly caused by a drunk driver - injured five people and blocked Interstate 10 for 70 minutes during rush hour. Sgt. Don Kelly says none of the injuries appeared life-threatening. Kelly says 52-year-old Leroy Fisher of Baton... more »

• Three Rescued After a Helicopter Goes into the Gulf

  July 27, 2010 7:24 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Coast Guard says a helicopter with three people on board went into the Gulf of Mexico 80 miles south of New Orleans, but a good Samaritan rescued all three and got them to a nearby rig. Petty Officer Brandon Padilla says 24-year-old Rusty Carole of... more »

• BP: Cap Should Start Choking Oil 'Soon' After Fix

  July 15, 2010 10:40 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - After fixing a leak on a cap designed to plug up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, BP engineers readied Thursday to see if the new top is enough to contain the gusher. Kent Wells, a BP PLC vice president, said at a news briefing in... more »

• Spain's Football Team Returned To A Jubilant Nation After Winning The World Cup

  July 12, 2010 4:18 PM

  MADRID (AP) - Spain erupted with its biggest fiesta in memory Monday when its football team returned to a jubilant nation after winning the World Cup, giving elated Spaniards a break from months of economic gloom and political squabbling as nationalist regions fought for greater autonomy from the central government.... more »

• Dog Shot After Biting Deputy

  July 9, 2010 9:03 AM

  THIBODAUX, La. (AP) - A narcotics agent with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office shot a pit bull dog in the head after the dog bit him in the leg. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lesley Hill Peters says it happened Thursday afternoon. The agent had gone to a residence in Larose to... more »

• Oil Rig Workers Forced to Job Hunt After Drill Ban

  June 17, 2010 9:18 AM

  MORGAN CITY, La. (AP) - Mr. Charlie has seen the up and downs over the years in the oil patch off Louisiana's coast, but this could be the toughest slump of all. Earlier this week, the steel rig stationed on the Atchafalaya River graduated what could be one of its... more »

• Escapee Caught After Car Chase

  June 4, 2010 7:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - One of two East Baton Rouge Parish Prison inmates who escaped Tuesday has been captured in Port Allen. A West Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle Thursday night for having no license plate when the vehicle fled, then crashed into a... more »

• Gaylord Entertainment Co. Lays Off Employees After Historic Floods

  June 2, 2010 11:07 PM

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Gaylord Entertainment Co. is laying off more than 1,700 employees as a result of flooding that inundated the Opryland Resort, the Grand Ole Opry House and other properties in May. In a conference call with investors on Wednesday, CEO Colin Reed said the company informed 1,743... more »

• Two Dead & One Missing After Boating Accident

  May 30, 2010 6:40 PM

  MAUREPAS, La. (AP) - The bodies of two victims of a weekend boating accident in Lake Maurepas have been found. The bodies of 20-year-old Ann Hite and 14-year-old Mikayla Thibodeaux, both of Gonzales, were found Sunday, said Adam Einck of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. A third person,... more »

• After 2 Days Tube Collected 256,200 Gallons of Oil

  May 25, 2010 11:08 AM

  COVINGTON, La. (AP) - BP says it siphoned more oil with a mile-long tube after two days of falling totals from a leaking seafloor well in the Gulf of Mexico. BP PLC spokesman John Curry told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the tube collected some 256,200 gallons of oil... more »

• Mychal Bell Arrested After Fight in Jena

  May 25, 2010 9:09 AM

  JENA, La. (AP) - Former Jena Six defendant Mychal Bell is in trouble with the law once again. Bell was arrested Saturday and booked with simple battery after a fight at a barber shop in Jena. Deputies say Bell was released after posting a $750 preset bond. The Jena Six... more »

• Dr. Barred From Practicing After Autism Study

  May 24, 2010 11:44 AM

  LONDON (AP) - A gastroenterologist who persuaded millions of parents worldwide that a common vaccine could cause autism was barred from practicing medicine in his native Britain on Monday after the country's top medical group found he conducted his research unethically. Dr. Andrew Wakefield was the first researcher to publish... more »

• Animals Found Dead After Oil Spill

  May 18, 2010 3:04 PM

  Federal officials say 189 dead sea turtles, birds and other animals have been found along Gulf of Mexico coastlines since a massive oil spill started last month. The total includes 154 sea turtles, primarily the endangered Kemp's ridley variety, plus 12 dolphins and 23 migratory birds. But in a phone... more »

• Federal Officials Expand Fishing Area After Being Closed Due to Oil Spill

  May 18, 2010 12:12 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal officials say they're expanding the area of the Gulf of Mexico where fishing is shut down because of a massive oil spill. They had already shut down fishing from the Mississippi River to the Florida Panhandle soon after an offshore oil rig exploded and sank... more »

• Mississippi: Survivor Search After Deadly Tornado

  April 26, 2010 10:28 AM

  At Least 10 people were killed by a nearly mile wide tornado that swept through central Mississippi over the weekend. Hundreds of homes were also destroyed as the tornado forged a path of destruction across the state into Alabama. Rescuers and survivors searched the debris Sunday for anyone who might... more »

• Evacuated Workers Missing After Oil Rig Explosion

  April 21, 2010 6:24 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Coast Guard says at least 11 people are missing and seven hurt after an explosion and fire at an oildrilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana. The rig -- which is still burning -- is owned by Transocean Ltd. of Houston. Spokesman... more »

• Jindal's Chief Campaign Fundraiser Recovering After Altercation

  April 12, 2010 6:00 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Gov. Bobby Jindal's chief campaign fundraiser is recovering from injuries she suffered in a Friday night altercation with a group of people in the French Quarter. The governor's office said Monday that Allee Bautsch suffered a broken leg and her boyfriend suffered a concussion and fractured... more »

• UL Professor Plans To Retire After Paying Back University

  March 17, 2010 1:01 PM

  UPDATE: When notified of the allegations against Dr. Ali Ghalambor, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette immediately notified the appropriate authorities and initiated a review led by the director of internal and external audit for the University of Louisiana System. Upon competition of the review, the university submitted the findings... more »

• Lafayette Marshals Make Arrest After Drug Transaction

  March 16, 2010 5:02 PM

  Lafayette City Marshal deputies observed an alleged narcotics transaction in progress in the 100 block of East Clinton. Due to the number of people in the area, deputies request assistance from the Lafayette police department. One of the marshal deputies began patting down one KEVIN J. PETERS who... more »

• Man Arrested After Allegedly Trying To Kill His Ex-Girlfriend

  March 11, 2010 3:38 PM

  On March 10, 2010 The Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office responded to an aggravated battery complaint at the 900 block of Hebu Lane, New Iberia. Deputies spoke to the initial caller who advised that a Harrison Jones, her boyfriend, had placed gunpowder in a light bulb and screwed it into a... more »

• UL Basketball Coach Robert Lee Fired

  March 8, 2010 5:16 PM

  The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team was eliminated in the first round of the Sun Belt tournament over the weekend. Today, Head Coach Robert Lee is out. A press conference has been called for 10:00 AM Tuesday morning. It will be announced that Robert Lee will not be... more »