WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Updated: September 8, 2010 11:17 PM
Posted In: Home, News, Sports, Sports - LSU
By Michael Cauble
Source: WBRZ Sports

The LSU Tigers nearly fumbled their victory away against North Carolina in the season opener.

Veteran running backs Stevan Ridley and Richard Murphy combined for three fumbles, at time when LSU should have been putting the Tar Heels away for good.

Wednesday evening Tiger head coach Les Miles said his teams efforts this week on the practice field have been focused on ball security and making sure that was a one time problem.

"We have continued to emphasize finishing and ball security this week in practice," LSU coach Les Miles said following Wednesday's workout. "We enjoyed how the defense finished the last drive (against North Carolina), but we certainly would like to have removed them from that responsibility.

"I think our guys understand that we have to take care of the football and to finish off games when we have that opportunity. We have upped the intensity in our ball security drills this week so we will see how that pays off when we get to Saturday."

LSU opens SEC play on Saturday when the 16th ranked Tigers travel to Nashville to face Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by ESPNU. LSU goes into the game with a1-0 overall mark following the win over North Carolina. The Commodores are 0-1 after last week's loss to Northwestern.

The Tigers welcomed back three players to the practice field this week as linebacker Ryan Baker (jaw), safety Karnell Hatcher (knee) and Chris Tolliver (head) have all practiced in hopes of playing against Vanderbilt. All three players missed last week's season-opener against North Carolina.

"It's good to get those guys back," Miles said. "'All three of them looked good and it will be interesting to see how they play. They may well get into the rotation this weekend."

The Tigers have also used this week getting ready either Josh Williford or Matt Branch ready to play right guard on Saturday against Vanderbilt. The Tigers lost starting right guard Will Blackwell to a season-ending injury last week against North Carolina. Blackwell underwent surgery earlier this week.

"Josh Williford might get the first nod, but Matt Branch can certainly go from left (guard) to right (guard," Miles said. "Will Blackwell was our third center so we need T-Bob Hebert to stay handy at that center spot. We have three guys we can move in there to play and if something further were to happen we would have to figure it out."

LSU will practice again on Thursday followed by a walk-thru on Friday morning. The Tigers will depart for Nashville at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Updated: September 8, 2010 10:37 PM
Posted In: News
By Kristy Davis
Source: WBRZ

People in St. Helena Parish are split over the idea of paying higher taxes to renovate the area's decrepit schools.

Unfortunately, the line dividing those willing to pay could be drawn on the "color" of money. It's often heard in St. Helena Parish the entire controversy boils down to race. It's not a very politically correct subject, but it's talked about time and time again. Because the majority of the students who attend St. Helena schools are black, many of the black people in town are willing to pay a higher tax to fix the schools.

As for the white students, their parents may go out of parish or to private schools and, therefore, may not be as willing to pay. When News 2 spoke with some of those white people today, they told us their kids do, in fact, go to school elsewhere, and they are not willing to pay higher taxes. Some wonder if that is just over-simplifying the subject.

There are signs the desegregation case is reaching a boiling point. News 2 saw Franz Marshall from the U.S. Department of Justice as he was leaving court. He handled the closing of the Baton Rouge desegregation case.

Tags St. Helena Parish school desegregation federal court

Updated: September 8, 2010 10:43 PM
Posted In: News
By Ashley Rodrigue
Source: WBRZ

Mayor Kip Holden surprised the Metro Council by saying he wants another bond proposal. This time, there are just improvements; no "Alive" project on the river.

The mayor told the council he wants to keep this plan "lean and mean," unlike the one that failed last November, in hopes of addressing the issues neglected for 50 years. It's a move some council members said they aren't sure about.

"If he takes out 'Alive,' you still have some infrastructure improvements. You still have two hotels, I believe," said councilman Chandler Loupe. "There's a lot of projects in it that I think people had problems with other than just 'Alive.'

"This would be the third chance. Although 'Alive' is being take out of it, that was the most controversial part," said councilman Joel Boe'.

The less controversial parts included a new prison and fire stations, along with downtown development, drainage and bridge projects.

"All of the projects are certainly needed projects," said Boe'. "I've never disputed that we need 'em. The only way you can get them is if you had money to do them."

In a time when money is tight, council members said this may be the hardest sell yet.

"I think the mayor has an uphill battle, frankly, in these times to pass any tax issues," said Loupe.

"The economy is in a bad state, so are taxpayers willing to go to the polls and vote to raise their taxes? Who knows," said Boe', "but I'm all for the public getting the opportunity to vote on that issue and let their voice be heard."

The mayor said the council should be voting on the new bond in January in order to get it on an April 30 ballot. That would be a special election on the parish's dime. The mayor did not want to comment any further on plans for the bond.

The conversation between the mayor and council was not as friendly earlier in the meeting. An argument between the mayor and one council member stemmed from comments about the Holden administration repeatedly not giving the council information, including the most recent request about the city's crime cameras. The discussion was deferred for two weeks.

Tags bond projects downtown Holden mayor Metro Council Alive

Updated: September 8, 2010 7:58 PM
Posted In: News
By Michael Marsh
Source: Associated Press

A former bodyguard for singer Britney Spears sued saying he was subjected to repeated sexual harassment by the pop star. Fernando Flores sued Spears and Advanced Security Concepts for unspecified damages. He claims Spears repeatedly exposed herself to him. The lawsuit also says Spears berated him at a movie theatre and he witnessed her act inappropriately in front of and toward her children. No comment from Spears or Advanced Security, his former employer.

Tags Britney Spears sexual harassment lawsuit Fernando Flores

Updated: September 8, 2010 7:50 PM
Posted In: News
By Michael Marsh
Source: Associated Press

In these days of political correctness, Microsoft went too far because executives don't know geography. Microsoft banned Josh Moore from its Xbox line service for listing his location as Fort Gay, a name the company considered offensive. Xbox Live provides multiplayer gaming over the web. Turns out Moore lives in Fort Gay, West Virginia. Microsoft wouldn't take his word for it, either. So, Moore went to city hall and the mayor tried to intervene. When he contacted Microsoft, he was informed the city name didn't matter, that the word gay was inappropriate in any context. In the end, the compnay apologized to the town and Moore.

Tags Microsoft Fort Gay West Virginia Xbox gamer mayor

Updated: September 8, 2010 7:40 PM
Posted In: News
By Michael Marsh
Source: Associated Press

Because of pollution, areas of China are hit by intentional daylong power blackouts but one factory knows how to get around the orders to clean the air. The blackouts happen because power plants are ordered to shut down as a way of tackling pollution and the reliance on imports of oil and natural gas. At least one factory got its own generator to keep production going. That allows it to operate off the power grid but its pumping out pollution as well, because of the generator.

Tags China pollution. blackouts factories

Updated: September 8, 2010 7:33 PM
Posted In: News
By Stephanie Ryan
Source: WBRZ

Federal Judge James Brady will not order students in St. Helena Parish to be bused to other parishes for school. Brady had been considering busing students to Livingston or Tangipahoa parishes after he ordered state inspectors to check the St. Helena elementary and high schools for hazardous conditions.

Instead, after more than 6 hours of testimony from school officials and state inspectors, Brady decided to appoint a bi-racial committee, what he called a "requisite solution to take [your] schools back." Brady said he had received many letters from parents, saying they don't trust school leaders or the school board.

Brady said he hopes the committee will mean "having a school system that will attract ALL races, not just the poorest of the poor." He said he hopes to hear from the committee in regular intervals, possibly every few weeks or monthly.

During early hours of testimony, school board attorneys asked state officials to consider modular buildings, which would cost an estimated $2.9 million. The buildings would tentatively be used for 36 months.

With a fund balance of around $1 million, it is an option the school board cannot afford, according to Superintendent Daisy Slan. School attorneys asked state leaders to help pay for the buildings during a recess in testimony. They did not agree to help pay, but they did not reject the idea altogether, according to school board attorney Nelson Taylor.

Still, it is a less expensive option than tearing the schools down and rebuilding them, which architect Brian LaFleur told the judge would cost between $27 and $50 million. Renovating the schools, LaFleur said, would only be more expensive.

Judge Brady continued the case but has not yet set a date.

Tags St. Helena Schools busing students bi-racial committee Judge James Brady