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Louisiana Weekend Planner

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  • Originally published July 1, 2009 at 2:14 p.m., updated February 17, 2010 at 12:49 p.m.

Here is The Associated Press planner for Louisiana the weekend of Feb. 20-21. Saturday, Feb. 20, Janet McConnaughey is the desk staffer. On Sunday, Feb. 21, Hohlbrook Mohr is the desk staffer. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, also can be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616).

Check daily advisories for coverage updates.

Eds: Entries are now open for the 2010 Louisiana/Mississippi AP Managing Editors contest. The statewide competition recognizes AP newspapers in the two states for outstanding performance in calendar year 2009.

The deadline for entries is Friday, Feb. 26, 2010.

Contest rules and entry forms: www.ap.org/mississippi. Questions: Alexa Haik at 800-222-0046 or ahaik(at sign)ap.org.

TOP STORIES

Moving in advance for use in Monday editions and thereafter

LOUISIANA SPOTLIGHT-ANALYSIS

BATON ROUGE — By proposing to spare college campuses from further budget cuts next year, Gov. Bobby Jindal largely silenced what could have been a damaging, vocal mix of opponents to a governor with greater political ambitions. But a new group of outspoken adversaries is gearing up for a budget battle this legislative session: health care recipients and providers, including several powerful lobbying groups with political sway at the Louisiana Capitol. Because while Jindal was making nice with higher education, he was proposing to cut payments to doctors, nursing homes, hospitals and other providers in the state's Medicaid program. And that would cut into the bottom line of businesses across the state. An AP News Analysis. By Melinda Deslatte.

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. 20-21, and thereafter:

FURNITURE CLOSINGS

BATON ROUGE — Wary consumers are spending less on big-ticket items, slowing sales and creating some churn in the local furniture business. Gilleon's Furniture & Sleep Shoppe and Furniture For You in Baton Rouge are closing and local giant Olinde's Furniture is shuttering locations there and in New Roads. Some say the decline started last summer; all agreed it was in full swing by the end of the year. By Chad Calder, The Advocate. AP Photo.

GRADING TEACHERS

NEW ORLEANS — Educators in Louisiana increasingly will have to prove their worth to advance in their careers, according to the nearly 200-page application submitted last month to President Barack Obama's Race to the Top grant program. Teachers will be evaluated partly on their students' test score growth. Principals will be judged based on how many successful teachers they hire. Schools of education could be financially rewarded — or closed — depending on the performance of their graduates. In sum, data will drive decisions in Louisiana's schools to an unprecedented degree. Education officials have praised Louisiana's application for the preciseness of its goals. Here's just one example: The number of log-ins to an online system allowing educators to track their students' progress will increase from 350,000 this school year to 2 million annually. By Sarah Carr, The Times-Picayune. AP Photo.

BAYOU BLUE COOKING

HOUMA — As one of eight children, Rosetta Canafax started cooking early, helping her mother to feed their large Bayou Blue family. "(I) remember standing on a stool to help make homemade bread," Canafax said. Nearly seven decades later, the influences of Canafax's family members can still be found in the dishes she serves. By Laura McKnight, The Courier. AP Photo.

BAKERY LOVE

MONROE — "I just fell in love with it," is how Rhonda Bias sums up her long-time affair with baking and decorating cakes, which began some 10 years ago when she took classes in the art of creating confections. It's a relationship that led her to "step out in faith" and open Bubblicious Bakery in West Monroe. Bubblicious? "My friend gave me that name back in college. I was happy and carefree, and it suited me. When I opened the bakery that's what I named it," Bias said, perched on a tall chair at a tall round table in her shop on Cypress Street. A beautiful arrangement of silk flowers in shades of purple decorates the table, while overhead clear glass Christmas tree ornaments hang from invisible thread like tiny bubbles floating from the ceiling. By Hope Young, The News-Star. AP Photo.

For use Monday, Feb. 22, and thereafter:

SCIENCE WORKSHOP

FOREST HILL — About 120 elementary school teachers spent a Saturday in the classroom — not to grade tests or fill out their lesson plans but to do science experiments. The Orchard Foundation, part of The Rapides Foundation, sponsored a workshop to help science teachers gain some insight on ways to keep their students interested through the use of hands-on activities. The organization teamed up with the AIMS Education Foundation to put together the workshop, which took place Saturday at the Tall Timbers Conference Center near Forest Hill. By David Dinsmore, The Town Talk. AP Photo.

AIRPORT LESSONS

HOUMA — As they stepped off the bus, the two dozen sixth-graders were fixated on the Houma-Terrebonne Airport's north-south runway. A plane's jet-engines howled as it sped north along the runway, lifting into the air and gracefully floating away. Little more than two hours later, those same children had learned a lot more about planes and what they someday might do to become pilots. The group is part of a pilot program by the Terrebonne public school system that aims to spark kids' interest in science. Working with the Houma chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, officials arranged tours with Elysian Fields Middle School students over the past two weeks. By Daniel McBride, The Courier. AP Photo.

HISTORY WITHOUT TEXTBOOKS

BALDWIN — Stepping into the classroom of B. Edward Boudreaux Middle School teacher Stephen Schmidt, one might find wild stories of Jean Lafitte or Marie Laveau, or witness students playing games and role-playing as a way of taking in Louisiana history. One thing you won't find upon entering Schmidt's classroom — a textbook. In Schmidt's class, textbooks exist purely for reference and the key to his students' learning is with "the hook." By Heather Miller, The Daily Iberian. AP Photo.

SPORTS

Moving Friday

HORNETS-PACERS

NEW ORLEANS — The struggling Indiana Pacers visit the New Orleans Hornets, who need to put together a string of wins to remain in contention for the Western Conference playoffs. By Brett Martel. AP Photos planned.

Moving Saturday

LSU-MISSISSIPPI STATE-BKC

BATON ROUGE — Mississippi State has been one of the stronger teams in the Southeastern Conference this season and seeks to gain momentum against struggling LSU as the SEC tournament approaches. By Brett Martel. AP Photos planned.

Moving Sunday

HORNETS-ROCKETS

NEW ORLEANS — The Houston Rockets visit the New Orleans Hornets with both teams on the fringe of the Western Conference playoff chase. By Brett Martel. AP Photos planned.


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