07/20/2008 Locals racing to remind nation of Katrina If memory fades over time, then some local advocates are racing against the clock as the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina comes ever closer to keep Katrina in the nation’s thoughts.

Murder on Clouet Street ups New Orleans weekend murder tally to four New Orleans Police are investigating a shooting death of an unidentified man in the 3300 block of Clouet Street. This makes it the fourth murder in a particularly violent weekend.

07/19/2008 Orleans Schools tax measure renewed, Timberlane joins Gretna Orleans Parish voters have renewed four measures that will allow the continued tax millage assessments for the city’s public schools. The measures were overwhelmingly renewed for 10 years.

07/20/2008 Slideshow: Honeybee Auditions Get a peek at your 2008 Honeybees! Over 139 gorgeous girls showed up at the New Orleans Arena Sunday to compete to be a Honeybee for the 2008 Hornets season. It was the first round of competitions, and the final round will be buzzing at the House of Blues on July 27.

07/19/2008 Congressional group tours 17th Street Canal The three buses arrived at high noon at the 17th Street Canal Pumping Station. On board was more than 20 members of Congress, who were in town ahead of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

NOPD: Two murders less than 30 minutes apart In a particularly gruesome evening, New Orleans police are investigating two separate murders which happened Friday night less than 30 minutes and three miles apart.

07/20/2008 Man shot, killed in St. Roch area New Orleans Police are investigating a shooting death of a 41-year-old man in the St. Roch area.

07/19/2008 Former New Orleanian dies flying sick patient for free A long time resident of New Orleans who volunteered to fly a sick patient for free to get treatment was killed when the plane struck a tower as it was taking off.

Suspects wanted by NOPD for first-degree murder The New Orleans Police Department is searching for two men wanted for first-degree murder.

WWL-TV, WWLTV.com honored at Press Club WWL-TV and WWLTV.com took home several first place honors in the Press Club’s 50th anniversary awards event Saturday night.

Southern at Baton Rouge increases tuition Southern University at Baton Rouge has joined the ranks of other state colleges increasing tuition by 5 percent this fall.

Jury to hear Gillis murder trial testimony Monday During the final pretrial hearing for a suspected serial killer, a judge refused to block a prosecutor from showing jurors crime-scene photographs of a woman who had been strangled and mutilated.

07/18/2008 Community split over Gretna annexation Two communities, two arguments all riding on one election.   Saturday just over 1,000 in Timberlane will get the final say on whether their community should merge with the city of Gretna.

07/19/2008 La. Agriculture Commissioner says eat local State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is issuing a challenge: Eat only food grown in Louisiana for a week.

Tropical Storm Cristobal forms off Southeast coast Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say the depression off the Southeast coast has strengthened into Tropical Storm Cristobal.

07/18/2008 NOPD suspends another officer involved in Treme incident Another New Orleans Police officer has been suspended following an altercation in front of the Treme Community Center.

07/19/2008 Ugly elements surface in incorporation vote of St. John town It has been a highly charged issue in Garyville, and supporters say it will give the River Parish community new life, while opponents say there isn’t enough money to make it work.

07/18/2008 Twins rescue man from drowning in canal It's a day Warren Williams will never forget. One he says was almost his last on Earth.

Senate kills veto session A legislative session to override Gov. Bobby Jindal’s line-item vetos has failed, state Senate President Joel Chaisson II said in a statement.

Racist signs tarnish St. John vote The fight over whether to make the small St. John Parish community of Garyville into a town is getting heated, as people who live there say they found racially offensive signs Friday morning, urging people to vote against the formation of an African American majority.

Laplace woman killed by sleeping driver on Spillway A two-vehicle crash on the Bonnet Carre Spillway killed a Laplace woman, state police reported.

Low turnout expected for important vote in Tangipahoa Turnout will be low Saturday, but the Tangipahoa Parish President calls the election "critical".

Action Report: FEMA trailer without electricity unbearable Five days in a FEMA trailer with no power, no air conditioning and 82-year old Pearline Baker says enduring conditions in the overheated trailer has been more than she could stand.

Residents still wait for Carrollton park to return to normal These days Harrell Park in Carrollton is more an eyesore than a playground.  While progress is underway at 15 other New Orleans parks that were used as FEMA trailer sites, Harrell sits in limbo.

Six schools scratched from the voucher list Officials at the state Department of Education confirmed Friday that six schools have been pulled from the voucher list.

Saints sign two draft picks The New Orleans Saints have signed to their draft picks, the organization announced Thursday.

07/17/2008 Off-duty NOPD officer threatened woman and pulled a gun, witnesses say Kiyana Howell didn't know why there was a nonstop horn blaring while she sat pulled over to pick up five children, ages 5 to 15, at the Treme Community Center. Until she saw, and heard, a woman in a dark colored jeep.

07/18/2008 Houma man indicted for assisting wife’s suicide A 32-year-old oilfield worker was indicted by a Terrebonne Parish grand jury on a criminal charge of assisting a suicide in connection with the May 14th death of his wife.

Police say suspects conned elderly woman out of $18,000 New Orleans Police are looking for two men and a woman who allegedly intimidated an elderly woman into giving them $18,000 after she lost to them in a card game.

Katrina insurance lawsuit stays in federal court A former Louisiana attorney general's lawsuit that contends major insurance companies manipulated prices on hurricane damage claims will remain in federal court, an appeals court ruled Friday.

La.'s per capita debt ranks 10th in US; highest in 20 years The amount of money Louisiana owes for each of its residents is at the highest level in 20 years and tops the per capita debt levels of 40 other states, a key state money panel was told Friday.

07/17/2008 Gun-toting teens caught on crime cameras Two 16-year-old juveniles were arrested by the New Orleans Police Department after being observed on a crime camera, police officials said.

07/18/2008 $150 million borrowing approved for "Federal City" in Algiers A $150 million borrowing plan for the Federal City project in New Orleans, which will turn the Naval Support Activity base into a complex of military offices now scattered across the city, won approval Friday from the State Bond Commission.

Howard Dean's tour bus rolls into New Orleans Howard Dean's voter registration bus rolled into Louisiana on Friday as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee promised a new "road map" for Dixie Democrats.

Purchase agreement signed for Dominion Tower The LSED -- the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District -- has signed a purchase agreement on Dominion Tower, New Orleans Centre and the adjacent parking garage.

House Speaker to lead Congressional Katrina Tour of Gulf Coast
A congressional delegation, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is set to return to the Gulf Coast this weekend to survey progress made in the nearly three years since Hurricane Katrina and the work that still needs to be done.

High school sports unfazed by high gas costs - for now While high gas prices are affecting everything from grocery costs to family vacations, they have yet to strike Louisiana high school athletics. At least, not yet.

Three former N.O. firefighters sentenced for drug and gun offenses
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says three former New Orleans firefighters and a co-defendant have been sentenced on federal drug and gun-related offenses.

07/17/2008 Medical Watch: Doctors suggest giving cholesterol tests to children It's the next step in the growing problem of over weight children. Now pediatricians nationwide are recommending that along with those regular checkups and boosters at the pediatrician’s office, children add another screening common for adults.

Two local groups help Iowa flood victims recover It was a switch in roles that gave some a new found perspective.  Two different groups in the metro area that managed to recover from Hurricane Katrina recently traveled to Iowa to help with their recovery.

07/18/2008

State agrees to borrowing plan for Federal City in Algiers
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The state has agreed to a $150 million borrowing plan for the "Federal City" in New Orleans.

07/17/2008 Tuition to rise at 5 LSU campuses, up to 5 percent Tuition for students at five LSU campuses around the state will cost more this fall, after the university governing board approved increases that are designed to keep the schools on pace with other colleges around the South.

Blossman drops out of PSC race One week after qualifying for re-election, Southeast Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman has dropped out of the race, according to a spokesman for the Louisiana GOP.

Mississippi remains most obese state, La. fourth, CDC reports Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana lead the nation when it comes to obesity, a new government survey reported Thursday.

Purchase option for state to buy Dominion Tower close The owner of the former Dominion Tower and the New Orleans Centre and the state are expected to sign a purchase option agreement by Friday.

Republican leaders urge colleagues to avoid calling veto session BATON ROUGE, La. -- Republican leaders in the Louisiana Legislature urged their colleagues Thursday to reject any return to the Capitol to try to override Gov. Bobby Jindal's vetoes.

Large St. Tammany operation will target speeders this weekend St. Tammany deputies will pour into 16 subdivisions looking for speeders this Saturday, after a similar program in March nabbed 919 violators in a single day.

Plaquemines still waits for funds for fire departments A little more than a month before the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Recovery Authority says less than half of federal rebuilding money has made its way to where it's needed.

Family seeks answers six months after woman found hung in prison THIBODAUX -- Six months after a Houma woman allegedly hanged herself in the Lafourche Parish jail, her family said they are frustrated by a lack of concrete answers to explain her death.

NOPD suspends officer after alleged off-duty road rage incident At an afternoon press conference, NOPD Chief Warren Riley confirmed that a female officer who was off-duty and accused of drawing her weapon during an altercation at the Treme Community Center.

07/16/2008 Violations at homeless shelter sends dozens to the streets The city council is asking for answers why a New Orleans shelter was partially shut down, forcing out dozens of homeless, and what it can do to help get the New Orleans Mission in compliance with the state fire marshal's office.

07/17/2008

LSU tuition to rise
BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU's governing board has approved atuition increase for students.

07/16/2008 Two vacant houses collapse in Broadmoor Two vacant buildings collapsed in the Broadmoor neighborhood, hitting a third house, the New Orleans Fire Department reported.

07/17/2008 Two Livingston men arrested in meth lab bust A call from a concerned citizen led narcotics agents to an area near Holden where they arrested two men and discovered not one, but two methamphetamine labs right off U. S. 190, according to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office.

Alexandria teen arrested for murdering best friend An Alexandria teen was in the Rapides Parish Jail on Thursday, arrested for the murder of his best friend.

Confusion over New Orleans school vouchers Students in grades kindergarten through three from failing public schools in New Orleans are supposed to have a shot at a voucher program that would send them to private schools at public expense. But there's disagreement over which New Orleans schools are failing.

07/16/2008 Neglected visitor center continues to anger city officials Outrage and confusion filled the New Orleans City Council Chambers today, all because up until recently filth, insects, and unsecured documents filled the old New Orleans Visitors Center.

07/17/2008 Prisoner in Pollock stabbed to death Authorities have announced the death of a prisoner who was stabbed at the federal prison in Pollock.

50 evacuated after fire at Jefferson Parish nursing home The fire happened just before 4:30 a.m. at the St. Anthony Nursing Home in the 6000 block of Airline drive.

Scalise to join "American Energy Tour" Congressman Steve Scalise says he's joining fellow Republican House member John Boehner of Ohio and nine of their colleagues for what they are touting as the American Energy Tour.

07/16/2008 Massive new development unveiled in Slidell St. Tammany Parish leaders announced a massive new development near I-10 in Slidell near the new Fremaux Avenue interchange.  It is part residential, part business and is supposed to feature a research and development facility for the University of New Orleans.

Lawmakers complain veto targets African-American community in JP A flap over Governor Bobby Jindal’s veto of a plan that would have created another minority judgeship in a Jefferson Parish judicial court grew Wednesday with two state lawmakers asking if Jindal had an issue with the African-American community.

New test finds risks for breast cancer before lump appears Imagine knowing your risk for getting breast cancer long before there is a lump, just when there are some abnormal microscopic cells. Well now there is an easy test that few patients and even doctors know about.

GAO: Flood program lacks funds to face future The National Flood Insurance Program owes the federal Treasury more than $17 billion from hurricane-related losses and has been unable to set aside enough money to meet catastrophic losses that could arise in the future, congressional investigators said in a report released Wednesday.

Landrieu airs first TV ad in La.'s Senate race The first television ad in Louisiana's U.S. Senate race was launched Wednesday by Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu, focusing on her experience in Washington and an earmark she co-sponsored for military vehicles.

Autism advocates praise La. law requiring coverage Autism advocates on Wednesday praised a new Louisiana law that forces employers to offer health insurance covering treatment of the disability.

Strain seeks disaster declaration State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain wants the governor to seek a federal disaster declaration for 23 Louisiana parishes affected by a wave of severe weather this spring.

U.S. Marshals' operation nabs 58 of New Orleans' Most Wanted At a press conference held by U.S. Marshals, police officials announced and celebrated the arrest of 103 suspects in a week-long sweep the department held along with other area law enforcement agencies.

Lock system to allow boating traffic to flow in Lafourche A project that was two years and $25 million in the making will ease the problems of shipping interests in Lafourche Parish very soon.

Alert customer helps police nab bank robbers Kenner Police arrested two bank robbers Wednesday thanks to a customer who spotted the robbers in the drive-through lane and called 911, authorities said.

Hornets sign free agent Forward Posey The New Orleans Hornets have signed free agent forward James Posey.

St. Louis Cathedral dig yields finds from 1700s New Orleans The first archaeological dig at one of the nation's oldest cathedrals has turned up a mix of new finds in the heart of the French Quarter. Discoveries behind St. Louis Cathedral include a small silver crucifix from the 1770s or 1780s and traces of previously unknown buildings dating back to around the city's founding in 1718.

Despite vetoes, Jindal left two-thirds of earmarks alone
BATON ROUGE, La. -- While Gov. Bobby Jindal enraged lawmakers by stripping millions of dollars from their favored projects in this year's budget, he only struck at less than a third of the add-ons crammed into the state's spending plans.

Drunk driver gets 10-year sentence for collision that killed couple HOUMA, La. -- The 20-year-old drunken driver who killed a married couple in a collision last year was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide in a deal with prosecutors.

07/15/2008 Lawmakers consider making history and overriding Jindal's vetoes State legislators are possibly considering a historical return to the Capitol in August to try and override some of the vetoes made by Governor Bobby Jindal.

N.O. Visitor Center boarded up after complaints City workers boarded up and secured the dilapidated New Orleans Visitor Information Center on Paris Road Tuesday afternoon following several complaints to Eyewitness News that its condition was hurting the return of a New Orleans East neighborhood.

07/16/2008 Five arrested for attempted rape of a 15-year-old girl St. Tammany Parish deputies arrested four men and one juvenile female in connection with the attempted rape of a 15-year-old Covington girl, authorities said.

07/15/2008 State fines Road Home contractor $1 million The state of Louisiana has fined ICF International, the contractor that runs the Road Home program, more than $1 million for failing to meet agreed-upon contractual performance measures.

07/16/2008 Former Acadiana federal officer sentenced in online child enticement case A three-parish investigation led to the arrest and conviction of a former federal law enforcement officer from Acadiana in connection with an online child enticement case

4-year-old Natchitoches boy dies from gunshot wound Authorities say a 4-year-old Natchitoches Parish boy is dead after he accidentally discharged a handgun.

Former ethics officials oppose board conflicts law Former Louisiana ethics officials are criticizing a new law that lets people stay on government boards even if they have conflicts of interest.

Gov. Jindal backs potential sale of Armstrong airport Governor Bobby Jindal is on board with a plan to study the possible sale of New Orleans' international airport to the state.

Auto insurance rates to rise by 2010 A new law will raise auto insurance rates for more than one million Louisiana motorists in 2010 by increasing the minimum liability coverage required for drivers.

"Audubon Alive" after $247 million project announced for downtown Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden has announced a proposed $247 million nature-themed tourist attraction downtown near the Mississippi River called Audubon Alive.

07/15/2008 Former rapper killed as hail of bullets hit FEMA trailer Terence Vine, a former New Orleans rapper known as "Sporty T," was shot and killed in his bed early Tuesday when his FEMA trailer was riddled by gunfire, police said.

Jeff police look for 13-year-old girl
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating a 13-year-old girl who is missing.