News Round-up

Since I only have a short amount of time available this morning and there are a number of relevant stories to point out, I am only providing links with the first sentence of the story:

Tobacco settlement payment from Philip Morris may be delayed
Louisiana may not get its regular tobacco settlement payment from Philip Morris this month because the company insists it doesn't have the money to pay states as well as a $12 billion bond to appeal an Illinois tobacco lawsuit, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub said Tuesday.

Colonial to pay $34 million for spills
Colonial Pipeline Co. will pay $34 million for spilling more than a million gallons of oil in Louisiana and four other states, the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday.

Shooter of alleged molester may go free
The state Pardon Board voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend that the governor release a man serving time for shooting his daughter's accused molester.

Panel says 'I do' to quickie weddings
Tourists and visitors to New Orleans could get married without having to wait 72 hours after getting a marriage license, under a bill approved by a Senate committee Tuesday.

Judge signals he'll OK revised remap
A federal judge told Louisiana lawmakers Tuesday that a federal panel probably will approve a compromise proposal for redrawing state House district boundaries if all parties are satisfied, participants in the closed-door meeting said.

Judges hear LSU dental case
Government arguments against the public's right to see details of a legal settlement involving the Louisiana State University dental school would leave control of such information solely in the hands of state bureaucrats, an attorney for The Times-Picayune said Tuesday.

Bodenheimer felt trial was too risky
It was a family reunion, but the gathering at Ronald Bodenheimer's Metairie home last Wednesday night was not joyful.

Law firm's bookkeeper gets 6 years
A former bookkeeper for a Covington-area law office was ordered to serve six years in prison Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $200,000 from the firm.

Attorney for city is found dead
An assistant New Orleans city attorney was found dead in his Algiers Point home Tuesday morning and an 18-year-old man who returned to the scene a few hours later in the dead man's car was booked with first-degree murder, police said.

Whitaker demands payment from Shreveport
Whitaker Construction, the now-bankrupt local firm picked by Shreveport to conduct part of the overhaul of Independence Stadium and to lead construction of the $71 million convention center, is expected to file a $5.2 million lawsuit against the city Monday claiming extensive delays on the stadium project cost the company millions.

Posted by AJR at April 2, 2003 07:12 AM