The federal government announces 73-million acres in the Gulf of Mexico will be up for sale on August 16th for oil and gas exploration. But Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute Eric Smith says the areas up for sale are not very attractive to oil companies…
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There’s a shortage of firefighters with the Department of Agriculture due to budget cuts. That’s according to Ag Commissioner Mike Strain, who says he has only 53 teams responsible for 14 million acres of forests. He says they may not have enough firefighters if things go badly.
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Strain says the last cut to his department was more than $1.2 million.

A federal appeals court has approved the removal of three Confederate monuments in New Orleans. Emelie Gunn has more….
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A cadet at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was arrested and fired for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs and a cell phone into the prison. The state Department of Corrections says 29-year-old Jomar Jackson had hidden the contraband in Pringles cases in his lunch box. His charge is a felony.