State is last to ban centuries-old sport; aficionados protest
Washington Post Aug 15, 08 5:50 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Louisiana became the last state to outlaw cockfighting today, and fans of the activity are mourning the loss of what they see as a cultural pastime, reports the Washington Post . Animal rights supporters praise the crackdown, but cockfight enthusiasts say the law will just push the show underground. Says one cockfighter: "We ain't barbaric and we ain't hurting nobody."
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Tropical storm may near hurricane strength before making landfall
Associated Press Aug 4, 08 8:20 AM CDT
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Tropical Storm Edouard gained speed as it moved west today, and is expected to strengthen to near-hurricane status before making landfall somewhere in Texas or southwest Louisiana tomorrow morning, reports the AP. Emergency teams were activated as residents along the Gulf of Mexico prepared to get hit with another strong storm for the second time in less than a month.
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Untapped deposits create overnight millionaires
New York Times Jul 29, 08 3:33 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The energy crunch is a positive in at least one area, which lies above what may be the largest natural gas supply in the Lower 48. As energy companies buy up real estate, some residents of the south-central US find themselves suddenly flush with money, and some are even becoming millionaires, the New York Times reports from De Soto Parish, La.
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But governor's being considered as keynote speaker, sources say
CNN Jul 24, 08 12:22 PM CDT
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Bobby Jindal issued an uncommonly strong denial that he's interested in the veep slot on the GOP ticket—especially since he's considered a top contender, CNN reports. But John McCain’s campaign could still feature the Louisiana governor. Republican sources say he’s being considered as keynote speaker at the convention. In that case, Mac could use the 37-year-old without negating his criticisms about Obama's inexperience.
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Southern states have highest rate, led by Mississippi
CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jul 18, 08 7:13 AM CDT
(Newser)
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The South has the nation's largest percentage of obese residents, a new survey by the Centers for Disease Control finds, with 30% of adults in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee qualifying as obese. Even in Colorado, the state with the best fat stats, 19% of the populace is obese.
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Assorted actors filming Oliver Stone's movie released on bail in La.
Shreveport Times Jul 13, 08 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Josh Brolin and Jeffrey Wright, actors filming Oliver Stone's W in Louisiana, were among the cast and crew members arrested after a barroom tussle, reports the Shreveport Times . The busted thespians had interfered with police attempts to subdue a fellow patron, and were charged with interfering with police. Brolin was released after paying $334 bail.
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Says he's proud of 'strong measures'
2theadvocate.com Jun 26, 08 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Louisiana governor and GOP VP wannabe Bobby Jindal signed a bill yesterday that will allow sex offenders to be punished with chemical castration. Said Jindal, “I am glad we have taken such strong measures...to put a stop to these monsters’ brutal acts,” said Jindal, taking the opportunity to slam as "atrocious" the Supreme Court's ruling that his state could not execute offenders who rape children.
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Dem disagrees with Supreme Court ruling against Louisiana law
Associated Press Jun 26, 08 6:10 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Barack Obama joined rival John McCain yesterday in supporting the death penalty for child rapists, the AP reports. The Democratic candidate spoke after the Supreme Court ruled against a Louisiana law allowing capital punishment for child rape, saying it violates the constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The verdict negates similar laws in five other states.
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Maddie Briann arrives via C-section just as Britney makes it to town
National Enquirer Jun 19, 08 11:10 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Jamie Lynn Spears gave birth via C-section this morning in Mississippi, the National Enquirer reports. The 17-year-old’s baby, Maddie Briann, weighs 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Sister Britney arrived in Louisiana yesterday to await the delivery. An ultrasound last week showed that there were possible complications with the baby's position.
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Boiling water and pepper spray poured on pledges' backs
CNN May 8, 08 4:52 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Ten Tulane University frat boys face battery charges after taking "Hell Night" hazing way too far and severely burning two pledges, CNN reports. The Pi Kappa Alpha members poured boiling water with pepper spray in it and "crab boil" seasoning mix onto the backs of pledges to see who could withstand the most pain. The two who held out the longest before screaming were hospitalized.
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Family, friends gather to fete 17-year-old mom-to-be
People May 5, 08 11:30 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Britney Spears returned home to Louisiana over the weekend for a cameo at 17-year-old sister Jamie Lynn's baby shower at their mother's home in Kentwood, People reports. "We all sat in a circle and she opened gifts and thanked every person," said a guest. "It was just a good old-fashioned baby shower."
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'Can't regulate everything,' gripes senator
Times-Picayune (New Orleans) Apr 23, 08 10:27 AM CDT
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A proposed ban on saggy pants didn’t fly in Louisiana, where a Senate panel rejected the legislation as a violation of freedom of speech, reports the Times-Picayune . “This is a situation that is disgusting and needs state attention,” insisted the state senator pushing the bill. “I have the right to walk down the street and not see your dirty drawers.”
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Louisiana case seeks harsher punishment for crimes against children
Washington Post Apr 14, 08 9:02 AM CDT
(Newser)
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The Supreme Court could forbid the death penalty for child rapists in a major upcoming decision, the Washington Post reports. On Wednesday, the court will hear the case of a Louisiana man who raped his 8-year-old stepdaughter so violently she needed surgery—a case that follows a series of landmark decisions that rolled back capital punishment for the mentally impaired and minors, in accordance with "evolving standards of decency."
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Blacks wrongly blocked from jury in case compared to OJ
Washington Post Mar 20, 08 5:09 AM CDT
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The Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a former Marine awaiting execution on Louisiana's death row. Allen Snyder, an African-American, was convicted of fatally stabbing his estranged wife and her boyfriend, but the court ruled 7-2 that prosecutors acted improperly by using its challenges to seat an all-white jury, reports the Washington Post .
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