ALEXANDRIA MAYOR JACQUES ROY PRESENTED A COMPROMISE BUDGET TO THE CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY. THE MAYOR'S "CONCILIATION" PROPOSAL WOULD GENERATE NEARLY $2 MILLION, THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO ELIMINATE FURLOUGHS AND BALANCE THE BUDGET. THE MAYOR’S PLAN WOULD REQUIRE SMALLER FEE INCREASES FOR THE ALEXANDRIA ZOO, THE CITY'S TRANSIT SYSTEM AND THE CITY'S RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE PICKUP AND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THE MAYOR ALSO SAID HE WOULD USE $865,000 IN SURPLUS FUNDING, AS WELL AS ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE 2010-11 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WOULD GO TO HELP OFFSET INCREASED EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGAN LAST SUNDAY. THAT LEAVES THE CITY WITH NO OPERATING BUDGET AT THIS TIME.

THE LAFAYETTE BOY SCOUT TROOP THAT HAD BEEN STRANDED IN AN ARKANSAS FOREST FOR SEVERAL DAYS IS BACK HOME. EVANGELINE AREA COUNCIL DIRECTOR ART HAWKING SAYS THERE WAS ONLY ONE MINOR INJURY AMONG THE BOYS. HAWKINS SAYS SAFETY AMONG THE BOY SCOUTS IS A TOP PRIORITY AND THE BOYS WERE ALL WELL TRAINED. HE SAYS THE TROOP'S HIKE PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BEFORE THE BOYS LEFT MADE THE SEARCH MUCH EASIER. THE SCOUTS WERE RESCUED BY A NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER. HAWKINS SAYS THE GUARD RETURNED THE SCOUTS TO A STAGING AREA YESTERDAY MORNING WHERE THEY WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR PARENTS.

EVEN THOUGH THERE'S AN NFL LOCKOUT IN PLACE, OVER 30 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS' PLAYERS MET ON THE TULANE CAMPUS YESTERDAY TO WORK OUT. QUARTERBACK DREW BREES SAYS THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PRACTICE AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. BREES SAYS HE ORGANIZED THE SESSIONS IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS EXPECTED TO HIT A RECORD CREST IN VICKSBURG ON MAY 18TH. THE CREST IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 57.5 FEET, OVER A FOOT HIGHER THAN THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1927. 5TH LOUISIANA LEVEE DISTRICT PRESIDENT REYNOLD MINSKY SAYS THE LEVEE SYSTEM HAS BEEN IMPROVED TO SO MUCH SINCE 1927 THAT HE IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE RIVER COMING OVER THE TOPS OF THE LEVEES. WHAT DOES WORRY HIM IS WATER FINDING ITS WAY UNDER THE
LEVEES CREATING WHAT ARE CALLED SAND BOILS. MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR REQUESTS DISASTER DECLARATION IN ANTICIPATION OF MISS. RIVER FLOODS.

AS MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERS CONTINUE TO RISE, GOVERNOR JINDAL ORDERS PRECAUTIONARY STEPS TO DEAL WITH HIGH WATER, INCLUDING A PLAN TO EVACUATE ANGOLA STATE PRISON. THE GOVERNOR SAYS EVACUATION OF SICK AND INFIRM PRISONERS FROM ANGOLA WILL START MONDAY. GOVERNOR JINDAL SAYS THE BONNET CARRE SPILLWAY MAY OPEN AS EARLY AS MONDAY, TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON LEVEES DOWNRIVER. HE SAYS RIVER CRESTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT RECORD LEVELS AND REMAIN THAT WAY FOR 7 TO 10 DAYS.

FORMER NEW ORLEANS MAYOR RAY NAGIN IS SET TO RELEASE A MEMOIR TITLED,
"KATRINA'S SECRETS: STORMS AFTER THE STORM." A PRESS RELEASE SAYS THE
BOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON JUNE 8TH.

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS POSTPONED A TRIAL FOR AN OFFSHORE SERVICE COMPANY'S LAWSUIT AGAINST THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OVER A MORATORIUM THAT HAD SUSPENDED DEEPWATER DRILLING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AFTER BP'S OIL SPILL. THE TRIAL FOR ENSCO OFFSHORE COMPANY'S LAWSUIT WAS SCHEDULED TO START MAY 16, BUT U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE MARTIN FELDMAN AGREED LAST WEEK TO GIVE BOTH SIDES MORE TIME TO SUBMIT BRIEFS ON PRE-TRIAL MATTERS. A NEW TRIAL DATE HASN'T BEEN SET, BUT IT WON'T START BEFORE JULY 22. ENSCO HAS ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT OF WRONGFULLY DELAYING THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR DEEPWATER DRILLING SINCE IT LIFTED A MORATORIUM ON THE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER.

THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF NEW ORLEANS LOST MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OF THE NATION'S BIGGEST URBAN AREAS, ACCORDING TO A NEW ANALYSIS OF CENSUS DATA.
THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY DATA CENTER, A NON-PROFIT THAT ANALYZES CENSUS DATA, FOUND THAT THE NEW ORLEANS METRO REGION LOST 11 PERCENT OF ITS POPULATION BETWEEN 2000 AND 2010. IN 2000, ABOUT 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE LIVED IN NEW ORLEANS AND THE SURROUNDING PARISHES BUT THAT DROPPED TO UNDER 1.2 MILLION IN 2010.

LEGISLATION TO MERGE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT NEW ORLEANS AND UNO GETS ITS FIRST HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TODAY. POLITICAL ANALYST JOHN MAGINNIS AGREES WITH HOUSE SPEAKER JIM TUCKER THAT THE BILL SHOULD EASILY CLEAR COMMITTEE. HOWEVER HE THINKS THE LEGISLATION WILL FACE A MUCH GREATER CHALLENGE ONCE IT FINDS IT'S WAY TO THE MORE MODERATE SENATE.

A HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE WILL HEAR A PROPOSED BILL INTENDED TO FURTHER DISCOURAGE WOMEN SEEKING ABORTIONS FROM ENDING THEIR PREGNANCIES. WEST MONROE REP. FRANK HOFFMAN SAYS HIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE VISIBLE MATERIALS BE POSTED IN CLINICS THAT COULD HELP CHANGE A WOMAN'S MIND. HOFFMAN SAYS HIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE SIGNAGE AT WOMEN'S CLINICS, WHERE ABORTIONS ARE PERFORMED, TO ASSURE WOMEN THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO GO THROUGH WITH THE PROCEDURE. THE HOUSE HEALTH & WELFARE COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE UP HOFFMAN'S BILL TODAY.

AN ATTORNEY FOR A FORMER ASSUMPTION PARISH SHERIFF'S EVIDENCE CLERK HAS ASKED A JUDGE TO THROW OUT 14 OF THE COUNTS HIS CLIENT FACES. FORMER SHERIFF'S LT. LOUIS B. LAMBERT IS ACCUSED OF TAMPERING WITH ABOUT 540 EVIDENCE ENVELOPES IN DRUG CASES. LAMBERT ALSO WAS INDICTED ON 14 COUNTS OF ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A FIREARM.

THE ORLEANS PARISH CORONER'S OFFICE CONFIRMS THAT BODIES FOUND IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN LAST WEEK ARE THOSE OF 13-YEAR-OLD HALF-BROTHERS MISSING SINCE EASTER. THE BOYS DISAPPEARED WHILE WALKING A NEIGHBOR'S DOG NEAR LINCOLN BEACH. FAMILY MEMBERS REPORTED THEM MISSING A DAY LATER.

STATE WILDLIFE & FISHERIES SAY A SPECIAL SHRIMP SEASON WILL OPEN AT
6 FRIDAY MORNING, IN AN AREA WEST OF THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER. RECENT
SAMPLINGS IN THAT AREA SHOW MARKETABLE -SIZE WHITE SHRIMP IN
ABUNDANCE IN THOSE WATERS.