The big story making national news today is the announcement by officials in 5 Gulf States that they have reached a settlement with BP for $18.7 billion dollars which resolves litigation over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Attorney General Buddy Caldwell says this is the largest environmental settlement in history…:
CUT 3 (08) “billion dollars”
Caldwell says the exact details of the agreement will be released in the coming weeks in the form of a consent decree.

A federal district judge says Louisiana must let gay couples get married, file joint income tax returns and put both parents’ names on their children’s birth certificates. A Baton Rouge newspaper is reporting that every parish in Louisiana is now issuing same-sex marrige licenses. State Police also says any newly married gay couples can have their name changes on their driver’s licenses starting Monday.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled over campaign kicks off today and cops are all over the place. Louisiana Highway Safety Deputy Director Ken Trull says grants have been given to agencies statewide to increase patrols…:
CUT 7 (08) “off the roadway”
He says during last year’s 4th of July holiday period, there were 374 fatal and injury crashes in Louisiana.

Lockport Police say a man is under arrest after stabbing a dog and setting a house on fire. Chief Warren Vedros says the incident started with a verbal altercation between 24-year-old Duane Ryan, Jr. and some friends. He says Ryan became irritated and grabbed a couple of knives from the kitchen to confront the men who fled…:
CUT 12 (11) “of the house”
Ryan is charged with simple arson and cruelty to animals.