Louisiana Weekend Planner
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Here is The Associated Press planner for Louisiana the weekend of Feb. 6-7. On Saturday, Feb. 6, Janet McConnaughey is the desk staffer. On Sunday, Feb. 7, Alan Sayre is the desk staffer. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616).
Check daily advisories for coverage updates.
TOP STORIES
Moving Saturday
NEW ORLEANS-MAYOR
NEW ORLEANS — A field of 11 contenders is matched in the race to replace Ray Nagin as mayor of New Orleans. Nagin, first elected in 2002, was re-elected in a testy race in 2006 just months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. However, he is term-limited out of this race. Polls show Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu in the lead with a wide margin over the field. A runoff election, if needed, would be March 6. Landrieu lost to Nagin in the 2006 election. The election comes on Super Bowl weekend and with Carnival parades. A weeklong period of early voting was heavy, perhaps an indicator of the additional distractions. Polls close at 8 p.m. CST. By Kevin McGill and Cain Burdeau. AP Photos planned.
Editors: AP will move stories through the evening. Photos of early day voting and last-minute campaigning will move during the day with photo coverage planned at campaign headquarters as the leaders emerge at night.
Moving Sunday
SUPER BOWL-SUPER PARTY
NEW ORLEANS — Across New Orleans, one of the biggest parties in the history of the city will be gearing up in preparation for Super Bowl XLIV as the New Orleans Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts. By Kevin McGill and Stacey Plaisance. AP photos and video planned.
Editors: This will be a developing story with a posting planned before the game and updated with activity after the game. See Sports digests for game coverage plans.
NEW ORLEANS-MAYOR
NEW ORLEANS — AP plans follow-up coverage and photos as warranted by developments following Saturday's election. Check advisories on Sunday for specific plans.
Moving in advance for use in Monday editions and thereafter
LOUISIANA SPOTLIGHT-ANALYSIS
NEW ORLEANS — When it comes to good news about the Louisiana economy, there basically isn't any if one is among the 46,900 residents who lost their jobs in 2009. And how soon they will be able to find employment is a huge question mark after the first month of 2010. Last week, the Obama administration forecast a 9.8 percent jobless rate at the end of the year, just a bit below the current rate of 10 percent. The White House forecasts 8.9 percent unemployment at the end of 2011 and 7.9 percent at the close of 2012 — indicating that good job times are still quite far off. Louisiana closed the year with a December unemployment rate of 7.5 percent, though that was quite a jump from 6.7 percent in November. Along with Mississippi, the two states had the biggest November-to-December jump, rising 0.8 percentage point each. At first glance somewhat contradictory, The term "modest recovery" is beginning to surface, and one train of thought is that the recession — after officially starting in December 2007 — is over because of a 5.7 percent boost in the nation's gross domestic product in the fourth quarter, following a 2.2 percent increase in the third quarter. So if the fourth-quarter GDP grew the fastest in six years, why doesn't it feel like a recovery? AP News Analysis. By Alan Sayre.
DATELINE LOUISIANA
The following stories from Associated Press members in Louisiana will move in advance for weekend and later use.
For use Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 6-7, and thereafter:
BARKSDALE ORGAN, HFR. EDS: FOR USE SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, FEB. 6-7, AND THEREAFTER.
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE — The thunder of B-52 engines at Barksdale Air Force Base soon may be met note for note by thunder of another sort. The historic Moller organ at the base's Chapel One is near the end of a restoration that will return it to working order following a half decade of silence as a result of water damage and old age that made a relic of the instrument of praise. The 835-pipe organ is one of three remaining in Air Force chapels, the other two being at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and the Air Force Academy in Colorado. According to a history of Chapel One, the organ predates the French Colonial-style chapel that was built in 1939. By John Andrew Prime, The Times. AP Photo.
KING CAKE VARIETY
HOUMA — Their thick icing and happy-colored sugar make them easily recognizable as those delicious trademarks of Mardi Gras season: king cakes. But a closer look — or, even better, a bite — shows they are not ordinary Carnival treats.Those made at Mr. Ronnie's Famous Hot Donuts are giant glazed doughnuts. At Best Bakery, the dough is that of the yellow, slightly sweet "chix de femme" rolls popular all over Houma. By Laura McKnight, The Courier. AP Photo.
FINAL SALUTE
ALEXANDRIA — The people, places and events in "The Final Salute: Together We Live On" might be more familiar than most fictional characters and locations that readers in Central Louisiana encounter. Author Kathleen Rodgers says that's what she was aiming for. Its setting, Beauregard Air Force Base near the town of Bolton, La., is based on England Air Force Base, from which her husband retired from the U.S. Air Force. By David Dinsmore, The Town Talk. AP Photo.
BORN GOOD
VIDALIA — Grief ebbs and flows. Paul and Missy Cangemi alternate between smiles of pride and pushing back tears when they talk about their 16-year-old son, Storm, choking on words when they talk about his potential. He was the sophomore class president and a straight-A student. He was religious, and atypically obedient and respectful. By Vershal Hogan, The Natchez Democrat.
For use Monday, Feb. 8, and thereafter:
IMMERSION
LAFAYETTE — In some classrooms at Alice Boucher Elementary, students who bring their favorite teacher a red, shiny apple have to call it a manzana, pomme or ping guo. The school's World Languages Academy offers immersion programs in Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese. About 150 students are enrolled in the academy, one of the schools of choice in the Lafayette Parish School System. By Marsha Sills, The Advocate. AP Photo.
OFFICER DOWN
HOUMA — Last summer, three bullets tore into deputy Donald Bourg's body, plunging the patrolman into exhaustive physical therapy and leaving his future in law enforcement uncertain. After five months, the work is beginning to pay off. Bourg, who's worked five years at the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office, returned in January. He works as much as his body will allow between visits to the doctor, handling evidence inventory at the crime lab. By Matthew Pleasant, The Courier. AP Photo.
RECOVERY ROAD
PRAIRIE BASSE — Take a long, hard look at the 5-foot-9 kid playing starting point guard for Beau Chene high school. Watch him play. He flies up and down the court, often generating a fire-like spark his teammates feed off. He scores, penetrates and passes with ease. Two years ago, in a matter of minutes, all that was almost stripped away from him. By Larry Young, The Daily World. AP Photo.
SPORTS
Moving Friday
BKN-HORNETS-76ers
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers are matched in a 7 p.m. CST game at the New Orleans Arena. AP plans story and photos.
Moving Saturday
BKC-LSU-KENTUCKY
BATON ROUGE — The LSU Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats meet in a 3 p.m. game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. By Mary Foster. AP photos planned.
BKN-HORNETS-BOBCATS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The New Orleans Hornets travel to the Carolinas for a 6 p.m. game with the Charlotte Bobcats. AP plans story and photos.
Moving Sunday
SUPER BOWL XLIV
Check later advisories on state and sports wires for coverage plans from Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, where the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are set for a 5:30 p.m. CST kickoff. Stories and photos are planned.
BKW-LSU-MISSISSIPPI
BATON ROUGE — The LSU Lady Tigers play Ole Miss in a Southeastern Conference game set for a 1 p.m. tip-off at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. AP plans story and photos.
