Councilman tries to make it tougher on fracking ~WWLTV

Legislature should protect Southeast Louisiana residents, keep levee reforms in place: Editorial

Federal government rejects Jindal hospital plans ~Marsha Schuler, New Orleans Advocate

Avoyelles state representative blasts Jindal on Charity hospital scheme

Teen arrested in Marigny burglary is same teen shot by homeowner in 2013 ~WVUE

Decades old eyesore coming down in Algiers ~WDSU

Freelancer’s lament: When will the news biz figure out how to pay us? ~Sam Tabachnik, The Lens

Fracking opponents pack two St. Tammany meetings ~Faimon A. Roberts III, B.R. Advocate

New levees could knock down the next Katrina, but are they enough? ~WVUE

Could wind power knock down hurricane strength? ~WWLTV

Subsea 7 Wins More Work from BP in the Gulf of Mexico ~Rob Almeida, gCaptain

Fiya Fest Today! ~NOLA DEFENDER

Deal would derail coastal lawsuit ~Mark Ballard, New Orleans Advocate

Prospective St. Roch Market tenants say city too slow to act ~WWLTV 

I-Team: Perricone, Mann surrender federal licenses ~WDSU

Lee Zurik Investigation: Questions abound in Alario's campaign spending reports ~WVUE

Art at the intersection ~Sharon Litwin, NolaVie

Fruit-based drink gives entertaining, healthy alternative ~Keyle Peveto

John Barry keeps sending me emails. Oil & Gas Industry wants to settle with Louisiana!

Always watching, never wavering.

Dear Editilla,

Two important pieces of news:

First, last week Louisiana’s Attorney General Buddy Caldwell made public something I've hinted at in my talks: there are on-going conversations about a statewide settlement. On the Jim Engster radio show last week (listen here), Caldwell announced that because of the SLFPAE lawsuit, major oil companies have come to him seeking a statewide settlement. 

We've always hoped that the lawsuit would spark a statewide deal. Conversely, we’ve recognized that if the legislature kills the lawsuit, there's no reason for the oil companies to compromise. There is a solution if the state would simply seal it. The governor has turned his back on that possibility. As citizens, lets make sure the legislature does not.

Which brings us to the latest news from Baton Rouge:

You almost did it! 

Thanks to your engagement, we were today on the verge of crushing SB 531—a huge victory—in Senate Judiciary Committee A, when its sponsor,  Senator Bret Allain (R-Franklin), asked that it be deferred. He knew he didn't have the votes—had there been a roll-call vote, we’d have beaten SB 531 by a vote at least of 5-2 and possibly 6-1.

Rather than accept defeat, Sen. Allain did something highly unusual. He gutted an entirely different (and as yet unknown) bill currently scheduled to be heard on Thursday, May 1, by the Senate Natural Resources Committee—and substitute in its place what he couldn’t get passed by Judiciary-A.  It's even possible that our old friend Senator Robert Adley will use one of his bills as a vehicle for this Trojan horse.

At of this writing, we do not know which bill to target—we’ll let you know as soon as we do—nor do we know what the language of the bill will be. That's hardly my idea of sunshine in the legislature.

All we know is that it will be called up in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday, May 1.

Please contact the members of this committee. Tell them, “Let the courts decide.” Let the roughly one million people within the jurisdiction of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority keep their rights to go to court. 
 

Name	ADDRESS	EMAIL	PHONE
Senator Gerald Long (Chairman)	P.O. Box 151 Winnfield, LA 71483	longg@legis.la.gov	(318) 628-5799
Senator Rick Ward, III (Vice-Chairman)	3741 Highway 1 Port Allen, LA 70767	wardr@legis.la.gov	(225) 246-8838
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain, II	600 Main Street Suite 1 Franklin, LA 70538	allainb@legis.la.gov	(337) 828-9107
Senator "Jody" Amedee	2109 S. Burnside Ave. Suite A Gonzales, LA 70737	amedeej@legis.la.gov	(225) 644-1526
Senator Norbèrt N. "Norby" Chabert	P.O. Box 2417 Houma, LA 70361	chabertn@legis.la.gov	(985) 858-2927
Senator Jean-Paul J. Morrell	6305 Elysian Fields Ave. Suite 404 New Orleans, LA 70122	morrelljp@legis.la.gov	(504) 284-4794
Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish	119 W. Nezpique Street Jennings, LA 70546	morrishd@legis.la.gov	(337) 824-3979
Senator Page Cortez (Interim Member)	101 W. Farrell Road Bldg. 5, Suite 100 Lafayette, LA 70508	cortezp@legis.la.gov	(337) 993-7430

You’ve defeated this bill once. Let's beat it again. As I’ve said before, history doesn't just happen. 

People make history. 

Let's make some history. Let's take back control of our state. Let's demonstrate that no one is above the law—not even the oil industry in Louisiana.

Thanks,
John Barry
Restore Louisiana Now

Still Parading: Second-line shooting survivor returns to the route ~Nancy Parker, WVUE

Inmate advocates want Gusman held in contempt over fire safety shortfalls at OPP ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

Mayor Mitchmo seeks special riverfront tax district to pay for decrees and pensions ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

French Quarter bar cited for having crime cameras, flood lights ~Paul Murphy, WWLTV

Fair Grounds pledges upgrades for license renewal ~Ted Lewis

West Bank levee authority to get new director ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate

May is American Wetlands Month!

~Hat Tweet fo'da fine pic @EDF_Louisiana

Morganza levee project inches forward in Congress ~Amy Wold

Agrico Sales announces expansion in New Orleans ~AP, via The Modesto Bee

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/30/3316626/agrico-sales-announces-expansion.html#storylink=cpy

An Operational Check-List for Flying UAVs in Humanitarian Settings ~Patrick Meier, iRevolution

Terminally ill man, on last visit to Jazz Fest, throws a wake for himself in New Orleans ~Mark Waller

Tornadoes tear through South, add to US death toll ~WWLTV

Advertising in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race: A look at the (very big) numbers ~Stephanie Grace

Mayor Mitchmo Landrieu nominates new slate of water board members ~Andrew Vanacore, New Orleans Advocate

Energy company with fracking plans eyes 60,000 acres in St. Tammany Parish as St. Tammany residents, officials resist fracking ~Faimon A. Roberts III, B.R. Advocate

St. Bernard Project Receives $3 Million for Disaster Recovery Lab ~Philanthropy News Digest

Bill to protect Louisiana’s Coastal Fund moves to House floor

Oyster reefs can outpace sea-level rise ~Nature.com
450lb gator trapped on Pass Christian beach ~WLOX

Community gardening utilizes students' studies, teaches community ~WDSU

Tonight, Nick Spitzer's American Routes live at the Civic Theatre ~NOLA DEFENDER

Restore Louisiana Now: Stop SB 531!
Dear Editilla,

SB 531 is in Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee A and will be brought up for a vote on Tuesday, April 29, at 9 AM. If approved, it will be a first step in stopping not only the New Orleans Flood Authority lawsuit against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies, but also granting the industry virtual immunity from prosecution in Louisiana -- for violations of state and federal law! 

PLEASE CALL THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TODAY!  

If we stop SB 531 in Judiciary A, it will signal a victory for our entire cause and change the political landscape in Louisiana. We can't do it without your help.

Name	Address	EMAIL	PHONE
Senator Ben Nevers (Chairman)	724 Avenue F Bogalusa, LA 70427	neversb@legis.la.gov	(985) 732-6863
Senator Dan Claitor (Vice-Chairman)	7520 Perkins Road Suite 160 Baton Rouge, LA 70808	claitord@legis.la.gov	(225) 765-0206
Senator Conrad Appel	721 Papworth Avenue Suite 102A Metairie, LA 70005	appelc@legis.la.gov	(866) 946-3133
Senator Jack Donahue	3030 East Causeway Approach Mandeville, LA 70448	donahuej@legis.la.gov	(985) 727-7949
Senator Daniel "Danny" Martiny	131 Airline Highway Suite 201 Metairie, LA 70001	martinyd@legis.la.gov	(504) 834-7676
Senator Edwin R. Murray	1540 N. Broad St. New Orleans, LA 70119	murraye@legis.la.gov	(504) 945-0042
Senator Rick Ward, III	3741 Highway 1 Port Allen, LA 70767	wardr@legis.la.gov	(225) 246-8838

Thanks for all that you do. Only together can we stop this bill and ensure that the lawsuit goes forward.

John Barry,
Restore Louisiana Now 

CABL opposes anti-levee board legislation ~The Advocate

Tornadoes kill 16 in Arkansas, 1 in Oklahoma

Slight risk of severe weather through Tuesday for southeastern Louisiana ~Mark Schleifstein

Trial to begin for family of inmate suing Sheriff Gusman ~Meg Gatto, WVUE

Diocese accepting bids on 9th Ward senior complex ~N.O. City Business

Good Eggs! 
~Good Eggitilla!~ Looking forward to my 1st delivery!

Pastured Eggs from Heath Hill Farm
Oyster Mushrooms from Screaming Oaks Mushroom Farm
Ground Pork from Hollywood Livestock
Red Spring Onions from Perilloux's Produce
White Spring Onions from Perilloux's Produce
Seasonal Produce Bundle from Simone's Market *

‘Ladies in red’ back in Capitol to fight for independent levee boards ~Jeff Adwlson, New Orleans Advocate

Signs of healing left at New Orleans St. Roch cemetery ~WDSU

Brian Blade Finds A 'Landmark' In His Shreveport Roots ~NPR

Tipitina’s “Instruments A-Comin’” benefit Monday keeps the music playing for children in N.O. ~Jessica Taylor, Uptown Messenger

JazzFest Food: The Classics ~NOLA DEFENDER