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NEWS FOR FRIDAY 090310
BY DAVE GRAICHEN
CENLA BROADCASTING CO. INC.
AN OIL PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO WITH SEVEN OIL-PRODUCING WELLS CAUGHT FIRE THURSDAY MORNING ABOUT 100 MILES OFF THE COAST OF LOUISIANA, BUT ALL 13 WORKERS ON BOARD SURVIVED AFTER THEY JUMPED INTO THE WATER. BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, THE FIRE ON THE PLATFORM, OWNED BY MARINER ENERGY INC. OF HOUSTON, WAS EXTINGUISHED
GOVERNOR JINDAL IS HOPEFUL THURSDAY’S OIL RIG EXPLOSION OFF THE CENTRAL COAST WILL NOT PRODUCE ANOTHER MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER. JINDAL SAYS THE PLATFORM HAD BEEN PRODUCING 14-HUNDRED BARRELS OF OIL A DAY. THE PLATFORM SITS IN 340 FEET OF WATER. THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNDERWAY.
AND NOW THE COAST GUARD IS BACKING OFF AN EARLIER REPORT THAT AN OIL SHEEN HAD BEEN SPOTTED AND WAS SPREADING FOLLOWING YESTERDAY’S PLATFORM EXPLOSION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PLATFORM OWNER MARINER ENERGY HAS SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT A FLYOVER DID NOT FIND AN OIL SPILL. THE FIRE HAS BEEN PUT OUT AND ALL 13 CREW MEMBERS WERE RESCUED FROM THE WATER.
WITH THOUSANDS OF JOBS AT STAKE, THERE IS NO QUESTION AMONG LOCAL LEADERS THAT THIS LATEST BLAST THAT HAPPENED ON A PLATFORM YESTERDAY MORNING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THOSE HOPING TO END THE DEEP WATER DRILLING MORATORIUM. THEY SAY THAT CONVINCING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO LIFT THE MORATORIUM WILL NOW BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
THE TEMPORARY CAP THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE IN MID-JULY TO STOP OIL FROM GUSHING INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM BP'S BLOWN OUT WELL, HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED. CREWS ARE STANDING BY JUST IN CASE THERE IS A LEAK, BUT THAT IS NOT EXPECTED. THE FAILED BLOWOUT PREVENTER WILL BE REPLACED AND BP IS EXPECTED TO USE CEMENT TO PLUG THE BLOWN-OUT WELL FOR GOOD FROM THE BOTTOM.
HUNTERS AND OUTDOORSMEN CAN SAVE SOME MONEY THIS WEEKEND, DURING LOUISIANA'S "SECOND AMENDMENT SALES TAX HOLIDAY". STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SPOKESMAN BYRON HENDERSON SAYS THE EVENT STARTS TODAY AND RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. HENDERSON SAYS, UNLIKE OTHER SALES TAX HOLIDAYS, CONSUMERS WILL ALSO BE EXEMPT FROM LOCAL SALES TAXES. HE SAYS THE NAME OF THE HOLIDAY REFERS TO ITEMS WE'RE GUARANTEED THE RIGHT TO OWN UNDER THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO
THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. THE SALES TAX HOLIDAY ALSO EXTENDS TO MOST OTHER ITEMS RELATED TO FISHING AND ARCHERY. HENDERSON SAYS THE LIST OF EXEMPT ITEMS EVEN
INCLUDES ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES.
TRIPLE-A IS FORECASTING A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE U.S. TRAVELING FOR THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. DON REDMAN WITH TRIPLE-A LOUISIANA SAYS THE FIGURE IS PREDICTED TO BE ABOUT 10 PERCENT HIGHER THAN DURING THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR
STATE ENTOMOLOGISTS SAY BED BUGS ARE BECOMING MORE OF A PROBLEM AROUND THE STATE. DR WAYNE KRAMER, WITH THE LSU AG CENTER, SAYS IN MANY CASES PEOPLE ARE BRINGING BED BUGS INTO THEIR HOMES AFTER STAYING AT MOTELS. HE SAYS ONCE THEY GET IN YOUR BEDROOM, THEY ARE HARD TO GET RID OF. KRAMER SAYS MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THEY HAVE BED BUGS UNTIL THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING WITH BITES.
STATE EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT PAUL PASTOREK SAYS LOUISIANA IS ON THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE CONSORTIUM RECEIVING THE FEDERAL GRANT. HE SAYS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S TESTING PROGRAM COORDINATOR, SCOTT NORTON, WILL BE WORKING WITH A GROUP OF ELEVEN STATES THAT ARE SPEARHEADING DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TESTS. THESE NEW TESTS WOULD REPLACE THE ONCE A YEAR, HIGH STAKES LEAP AND G.E.E. TESTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ADMINISTERED.
WITH ONE MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTION, REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF STATE JAY DARDENNE MAINTAINS THE FUNDRAISING EDGE IN THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S RACE, BUT A POLITICAL NEWCOMER OUTPACED DARDENNE IN CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE LATEST REPORTING PERIOD. NEW ORLEANS LAWYER CAROLINE FAYARD, A DEMOCRAT, ALSO IS PLUNGING HER OWN MONEY INTO THE RACE, TO GIVE HER A SIGNIFICANT WARCHEST TO MOUNT A CAMPAIGN. DARDENNE REPORTED THURSDAY HAVING MORE THAN $747,000 IN HIS CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT FOR THE OCT. 2 ELECTION, A RACE THAT HAS GENERATED LITTLE ATTENTION SO FAR. FAYARD REPORTED $445,500 ON HAND.
TWO BATON ROUGE MEN WERE KILLED SEVEN HOURS APART THURSDAY IN UNRELATED SHOOTINGS, POLICE SAID, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED BY GUNFIRE IN BATON ROUGE TO FOUR SINCE SUNDAY.
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