BP faces a 13-point-seven billion dollar penalty as a federal trial begins today that will determine exactly how much money the oil company will dish out in Clean Water Act fines. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, Eric Smith, says environmentalists hope the fine is 13-billion, because most of the money will go towards Gulf Coast restoration…
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BP is arguing for a lower fine. In court documents, the company already says its costs associated with the oil spill have reached 42-billion.

The Louisiana Supreme Court has refused to hear convicted killer Brandon Scott Lavergne’s request for a new trial. Lavergne pleaded guility to first-degree murder in August 2012 in the death of UL Lafayette student Mickey Shunick.

With election day about nine months away, the four major announced candidates are starting to speak out about why they should be Louisiana’s next governor. Republican Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says there are many major issues facing the state and he has a history of bringing people together to solve problems…
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The other candidates are Democrat John Bel Edwards and Republicans Scott Angelle and David Vitter.

Former Saint and ALS advocate Steve Gleason will be Senator Vitter’s special guest tonight at President Obama’s State of the Union Address. Eric Gill reports…
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