Louisiana

Friday, August 29, 2008 10:26 AM CDT

The plan for desegregating Tangipahoa Parish’s public schools includes a Career Education Center, an International Baccalaureate School, a Montessori school for Pre-K through sixth grades plus magnet programs that focus on the medical professions and communication skills.

Funding for these programs and for two new school facilities in the southern end of the parish would come from a combination of property and sales taxes in a unified taxing district, attorney Charles Patin said.

Chief Academic Officer Melissa Stilley unveiled the programs Thursday during the Hammond Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The chamber three years ago launched the magnet program, which has now grown from 80 students to some 200 and from one location to schools on both sides of Hammond.

Stilley called the programs the “silver lining” to the school desegregation case, but quoting a school supporter she met three years ago, she said, “It’s not about the programs.

(Read the full post about ‘Silver lining to deseg case’…)

Friday, August 29, 2008 10:26 AM CDT

In cases of price gouging, citizens should report suspected incidents to the Attorney General-Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-800-351-4889 or submitting an inquiry to www.ag.state.la.us

NEW ORLEANS — Officials in New Orleans said the city’s 311 hot line has been inundated with calls from residents trying to get information or sign up for rides out of town ahead of Hurricane Gustav.

The city has been using 311 as a way to register the elderly, infirm, people without transportation and others who need the city’s help evacuating. (Read the full post about ‘New Orleans Braced For Evacuation’…)

BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. Bobby Jindal said a contractor has failed to deliver the promised number of buses for the evacuation of New Orleans.

With Hurricane Gustav forecast to hit Louisiana early next week, Jindal said the problem will not prevent New Orleans from evacuating those without their own transportation.

State officials could not immediately identify the contractor.

BATON ROUGE, La. — The eight University of Louisiana system campuses have activated their campus emergency action teams as Hurricane Gustav moves closer to the Gulf Coast.

The four South Louisiana universities are making appropriate arrangements to secure the safety of their campus faculty, staff, and students, if necessary, and the four North Louisiana universities are preparing to support and assist, as needed.

“Over the past year, our system universities have been collaborating to improve emergency preparedness efforts. (Read the full post about ‘University Of Louisiana Schools Update Status’…)

The LSU season-opening football game against Appalachian State has been rescheduled from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. in anticipation of Tropical Storm Gustav.

NEW ORLEANS — All Recovery School District schools will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 2 and Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The earliest schools will reopen is Sept. 4.

All, Recovery School District schools will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 2 and Wednesday, Sept. 3. The earliest schools will reopen is Sept. 4, depending on conditions in the city.

Thursday, August 28, 2008 9:48 AM CDT

Hotel rooms in Tangipahoa Parish are already pretty well booked into next week, according to the parish tourism office.

The Comfort Inns, Friendly Inn, Hampton Inn, Quality Inn, Microtel, Supreme Inn, Super Inn and The Inn are booked, said tourism staffer Dana Short.

Many of the rooms are being booked by people from the New Orleans area.

Some rooms were still available at the Landmark Suites and RV park, but those were being filled on a first-come, first-served basis, she said. The Landmark is allowing pets.

Reservations for the Best Western hotels in Hammond are only available at 1-800-Western or online, Short said.

(Read the full post about ‘Local inns book up’…)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 9:20 AM CDT

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. announced their partnership with rose supplier Passion Growers.

Customers can enjoy an alternating supply of 100 varieties of specially grown, longer-lasting roses throughout the year said Floral Operations Director Cindy Hanauer.

Passion Growers makes sure its roses are kept at constant cold temperatures from the time flowers are cut, all the way through the shipping and assembly process, to the time they arrive at stores, Hanauer said.

HOUSTON, Texas — Oil companies ramped up preparations to evacuate some facilities as Hurricane Gustav made its way toward the U.S. Gulf of Mexico — becoming a potential threat to the region’s extensive oil and natural gas production.

The hurricane roared over Haiti with top sustained winds near 90 miles per hour this afternoon.

The National Hurricane Center predicts it will gather strength over the Gulf’s warmer-than-usual waters. It could enter the U.S. Gulf as a major storm this weekend.