Flood insurance relief; damaged dolphins; Mexican meth flows into Mississippi

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Environment

Live blog: Flood Protection Authority nominating committee to meet Thursday | The Lens – It’s not clear whether the committee will decide to send new nominees to Gov. Jindal, a staunch opponent of their lawsuit against oil, gas and pipeline interests for damaging the coast.

Flood insurance bill clears House | The Advocate – There’s bipartisan support throughout the Louisiana delegation in Washington for this bill. It reportedly “rolls back flood insurance rate hikes that Congress started phasing in two years ago.”

Legislators to Judge Suit Against Big Oil | LaPolitics – Says columnist John Maginnis: The primary goal of the first Louisiana Water Festival, this weekend in Baton Rouge, “is to defend against legislative attempts to squash the historic lawsuit filed by the Orleans area flood protection authority against 97 energy companies for damages to coastal marshes from their drilling, dredging and digging of canals.”

Dolphins exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil spill had more health problems than others | The Washington Post – Research on bottle nose dolphins in Barataria Bay shows that the sea mammals were afflicted with a host of health problems, including lung disease. 

Schools

Louisiana colleges race against clock| The Advocate – Higher-ed institutions face a “spend it or lose it” problem on expiring state funds from 2013.

New Orleans goes all in on charter schools. Is it showing the way? – Christian Science Monitor – Some charter proponents believe government should step away from directly running schools, and instead provide oversight to nonprofits and local charter school boards.

Louisiana Superintendent White: ‘Jump Start’ will align students, job needs | The Town Talk – State education chief John White lays out a new proposal that “provides juniors and seniors with coursework and workplace-based experiences leading to industry credentials and college credit.”

Government & Politics

Managing with Mitch | Gambit – To get his favored legislation passed, Mayor Mitch Landrieu may need help from metro-area state legislators who didn’t endorse his re-election.

It’s that time of year again: more than $109 million in big ticket funding requests submitted to legislature by NGOs | Louisiana Voice – Despite intense criticism and scrutiny of the practice last year, numerous non-governmental organizations want support from the state again this year.

Land Use

New Orleans Projects Get a Lift | The Wall Street Journal – “The Marais is the first phase of a $663 million development plan that combines public and private money to revitalize a large swath of central New Orleans.”

Should de Blasio Bail Out Waterfront Homeowners? | The Nation 

Bill de Blasio, who has promised aggressively activist government when it comes to early childhood education, reducing traffic fatalities and constructing subsidized housing, was this week asked to take on a role that might be too ambitious even for the mayor’s taste: becoming a buyer of last resort for Staten Island homeowners who’d rather move out than build back after superstorm Sandy.

Criminal Justice

High Court Looks at Death Row Inmate’s IQ Scores | Associated Press – “The Supreme Court is hearing an appeal from a Florida death row inmate who claims he is protected from execution because he is mentally disabled. “

Mexican drug cartels shipping crystal meth from super labs to Mississippi | Associated Press – “An underworld that traffics meth has found its way to South Mississippi, with Mexican drug cartels sending small groups to handle the delivery of meth in its most potent form.”