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baton rouge weather:

Tmp:	88.0	wind:	SSW@16
R.H.:	49%	rise:	6:13am
H.I.:	91°	set:	7:49pm

baton rouge news:

Gas jumps above $3.67, oil passes $126 on Venezuela concerns NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil rose above $126 a barrel for the first time Friday, bringing its advance this week to nearly $10, as investors questioned whether a possible confrontation between the U.S. and Venezuela could cut exports from the OPEC member. Gas prices, meanwhile, rose above an average $3.67 a gallon at the pump, following oil's recent path higher.

Coca-Cola expansion invests millions in Baton Rouge area Baton Rouge Coca-Cola Bottling Co. will invest $93 million more in the city and create 113 additional jobs, state and local officials said this morning. Coca-Cola had begun construction of a new bottling and distribution center last year off Plank Road east of Metro Airport on 112 acres leased from the airport.

Panel tacks on to outlay list Lawmakers added $9.2 million in projects Thursday to the state's construction budget. The additions to House Bill 2 - the state's capital outlay budget - were relatively restrained in comparison to previous years, when legislators loaded the budget with scores of projects.

WBRZ weather forecast for May 9 The weekend has arrived, but will too much heat and humidity get you down? WBRZ Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum has your forecast.

Outdoors with Joe Macaluso It's time to head outdoors with Joe Macaluso, where he's at a familiar and popular place in time for the weekend.

Louis Miller explores Lily of the Nile Louis Miller takes a trip down the Nile, as he shows you how to grow a flowering plant that loves containers.

'Girls Night' comes to Manship Theatre "Girls Night: The Musica" follows five friends as they re-live their past, celebrate the present and look to the future during a wild and outrageous girls night out at a karaoke bar.

Propane leak closes Ascension road ST. AMANT-A stretch of Black Bayou Road was closed to traffic today because of a propane leak, the director of the Ascension Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Idea of phasing out income tax A plan that spun off of another senate discussion to phase out income tax has gone to committee.

Dr. Anna Pou pushes for reform A doctor once accused of killing patients is now pushing for a change in medicine for future disasters. Dr. Ann Pou wants the Legislature to make the change to protect patients and doctors during disasters.

What's Sleeping in Your Bed? Some creepy crawlers that come out at night are blood-suckers, and they could be in your bed. Health experts warn of a resurgence in hotels, apartments and homes across the country.

LSU softball holds Auburn scoreless The third-seeded Tigers beat sixth-seeded Auburn in the Southeastern Conference's postseason softball tournament.

Income projection boost expected The state's revenue forecasting panel is expected to substantially boost Louisiana's income projections, putting millions of dollars in additional money on the table for lawmakers to haggle over.

Cravins expects Jetson bill OK A state Senate bill that sets deadlines for closing Jetson - a state-run juvenile prison with a history of brutality - and for establishing smaller, regionalized juvenile detention facilities has a good chance of passing, said State Sen. Donald Cravins Jr.

Roads chief says program bankrupt Louisiana's road-building agenda will suffer because a special program for 16 projects has gone bankrupt, state Transportation Secretary William Ankner said Thursday.

Panel to examine school State education officials have chosen three consultants to recommend changes at the Louisiana School for the Deaf following the arrests of five people over a five-month period on sex-related charges.

Physician faces court in federal drug case GONZALES - An Ascension Parish physician who owned and operated a "wellness center" is scheduled to appear in federal court next week on an accusation that he illegally prescribed medication.

State closes storm drills to media Three days of hurricane preparedness drills by local, state and federal representatives were closed to the media this week in Baton Rouge.

Corps closes Bonnet Carré NORCO - Less than four weeks after it was partially opened to relieve pressure on downriver levees, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday closed the last 30 open bays of the Bonnet Carré Spillway control structure in St. Charles Parish.

Road issue divides Livingston council LIVINGSTON - Rural and urban members of the Livingston Parish Council divided Thursday night on the bumpy issue of gravel roads. The council voted 5-3 to accept six more private gravel roads into the parish's maintenance system.

Bill would ban mentally ill from guns More than a year after a mentally ill student killed 32 people at Virginia Tech, Louisiana legislators are considering a bill to prohibit similarly unstable people from buying firearms.

Tuition increase battle likely Bills that would increase tuition at the LSU and Southern University law schools breezed through a House committee Thursday, but both are expected to trigger controversy later.

Ethics panel opposes changes The administrative committee of the state Board of Ethics voted Thursday to oppose nine bills lawmakers have offered in the Louisiana Legislature to change the newly enacted laws on how government officials can act.

BRAC backs Jindal plans The Baton Rouge Area Chamber formally backed several initiatives of the Jindal administration this week to ramp up state economic development efforts, including requests for $307 million more in deal-making money for big projects and a nearly $8 million increase to the Governor's Rapid Response Fund.

Tax break vote set Lawmakers delayed a decision Thursday night on legislation that would eventually eliminate the state income tax. However, legislators said they cannot emerge from the session without some type of relief for taxpayers, especially if it comes down to reining in the growth of state government to make it affordable.

Bill allows flood premium increase WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate is poised to pass a bill changing the National Flood Insurance Program over the objections of Louisiana's two senators.

Police add new precinct LAFAYETTE - The Police Department is splitting the city's busiest precinct in the hopes of reducing workload to improve service.

Deal close in pay lawsuit LAFAYETTE - Firefighters, police and city marshals are within days of a possible settlement in a long-fought lawsuit with city-parish government, an attorney for the emergency workers said this week.

Parents' group satisfied with Moss Middle plan LAFAYETTE - The leader of the N.P. Moss Middle School parents' group said Thursday that she and her fellow parents are comfortable with the way the school system is handling repairs and reoccupation of the school.

Programs boost fourth-grade scores Fifty-seven percent of fourth-graders in a magnet school program at Hammond Eastside Upper School scored at top levels in the 2008 LEAP English section, the school's principal said.

Rain of bullets likely from police practice Brusly Police Chief Jamie Whaley said Thursday night that he is almost certain that the more than 20 bullets that hit four camp buildings near Addis were fired by Brusly and Addis police officers during target practice.

Livingston schedules superintendent interviews LIVINGSTON - The Livingston Parish School Board will interview candidates competing to become the school system's next superintendent starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Parish asked to clear way for purchase of building CLINTON - A minister asked the East Feliciana Parish Police Jury on Thursday to break a two-year contract with the School Board for use of a building for District Court sessions while the parish courthouse is being renovated.

Man accused of raping 14-year-old; suspect hospitalized with chest pains GRAMERCY - A 57-year-old man is accused of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon.

SWAT team places first in tactical competition Members of the Baton Rouge special weapons and tactical team placed first in the annual Louisiana Tactical Police Officers Association Conference and Competition.

World War II veterans to visit D.C. memorial Eleven Baton Rouge World War II veterans will fly to Washington, D.C., on Saturday to visit the World War II Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, a news release says.

Police and fire briefs for May 9, 2008 A 21-year-old man accused of videotaping an LSU student without her permission while having sex with her was arrested Wednesday.

New hospital lease OK'd HAMMOND - The city's economic development district ratified on Thursday a lease to open its troubled hospital, built two years ago with tax incentives and public financing, by Dec. 31.

Tractor-trailers collide in WBR; traffic delayed PORT ALLEN - Two tractor-trailer trucks collided Thursday morning, causing intermittent traffic delays for several hours on La. 415 in West Baton Rouge Parish, State Police reported.

Parish to show building sites GONZALES - The Ascension Economic Development Corp. chairman said Thursday that Ascension plans to offer a satellite-based system for business and industry to use in searching for suitable building sites.

Council upholds ban on softball team CONVENT - The Rookies Softball Organization struck out in its bid to get the St. James Parish Council to lift the team's 2006 suspension for fighting in time to rejoin the Adult Slow Pitch Softball League for Monday's opening of the 2008 season.

Iberia Parish workers get 3% raise NEW IBERIA - Employees of Iberia Parish government will see a 3 percent increase in pay starting with their next paychecks, officials said Wednesday.

Obituary Notices for May 9, 2008 Obituary Notices for May 9, 2008.

Water threatens homes in Pierre Part High water in the Atchafalaya Basin is spilling over roads in Assumption Parish. In Pierre Part, residents living along Lake Verrett are dealing with headaches as water gets closer to homes.

baton rouge sports:

Inside The Box Pat Moock doesn't think anyone saw him Thursday when he bent down on the Alex Box pitcher's mound and scooped up a handful of dirt and poured it into a baby-food jar. Alex Box Stadium is a thread that runs through generations of LSU players and none more than Moock and his family.

Alex Box to host its final SEC series Early last season, his first as LSU baseball coach, Paul Mainieri looked around Alex Box Stadium during a game and scanned the grandstand and bleachers. "I turned to my assistant coach and I said, 'Doesn't every game here feel like the championship game of a regional tournament?' That's really kind of the feeling I get every day when I'm coaching at Alex Box Stadium - just the electricity and the crowd, the enthusiasm, the energy in the stadium," Mainieri said.

Stein's inside job sparks Tigers, 4-0 All-out effort is simply built into Shannon Stein's DNA. With the opportunity to provide the difference in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament LSU's senior second baseman relied on her hustle and instincts to give her team an early lift. Though it may have accounted for only one run, Stein's inside-the-park homer went a long way in helping LSU to a 4-0 victory Thursday over Auburn before a season-high crowd of 1,224 at Tiger Park.

Griffins, Bears rivalry renewed A year ago Catholic High and Dutchtown were district baseball rivals. Some things have changed, but others are expected to remain the same when the teams square off in the last quarterfinal at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 5A State Baseball Tournament tonight. *Prep baseball report for May 9, 2008

Spurs beat Hornets in Game 3 SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- There was no third-quarter breakdown for the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, just the desperate play of a team whose quest for a second straight NBA title was on the line. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili both scored 31 points to lead the Spurs to a 110-99 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Top seeds UF, Bama survive The top two seeds had to gut out dramatic victories Thursday as the Southeastern Conference softball tournament unfolded at Tiger Park with four quarterfinal games.

Lady Tigers ninth in NCAA regional AUSTIN, Texas - The 20th-ranked LSU Lady Tigers kept themselves in contention for a spot in the national championships Thursday with a first-round score of 12-over par 300 in the NCAA Central Regional golf tournament at the University of Texas Golf Course.

SLC East Division leaders to battle NATCHITOCHES - With the Southland Conference East Division title on the line, Northwestern State and Lamar will meet at 6:30 p.m. today to open a three-game series.

Southern divides twin bill with LSUE Calvin Anderson went 4-for-4, while Victor Franklin had two hits and three RBIs to power Southern to an 11-7 win over LSU-Eunice in the first game of an exhibition doubleheader at Lee-Hines Field on Thursday.

Paul makes All-NBA team NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul was selected to the 2007-08 All-NBA first team on Thursday. Paul is the first Hornet in franchise history to receive the honor.

ULL pounds FIU TROY, Ala. - The University of Louisiana at Lafayette collected three home runs en route to eight runs as they downed Florida International 8-2 in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

Prep baseball report for May 9, 2008 The Louisiana High School Athletic Association's state baseball tournament playoff pairings and results.

Short trip to Crowley motivates Parkview When his team headed toward Houston for a February tournament, Parkview Baptist baseball coach M.L. Woodruff made sure there was one extra stop.

Runnels, Bethany meet again When Runnels and Bethany Christian meet at Alexandria's Bringhurst Park at 4 p.m. today in a Class B semifinal, there will be no secrets between the two.

LSU tennis teams open play in NCAA tournament today The LSU men's and women's tennis teams open play in NCAA tournaments today at two different venues.

Ex-Tulane pair, Boudreaux to be honored by LABC Two important people in Tulane's basketball past and the most recognizable official in the country with state ties will be honored Saturday when the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches holds its 34th annual banquet at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Baton Rouge.

TV/Radio schedule Listing for Friday.