Richard Gill, the president of Shaw Group's power group, died early Thursday after a short illness. He was 64. Gill held a number of high-ranking roles for the company, including serving as Shaw's COO and chairman of the executive committee. Before joining Shaw Group, Gill founded Merit Industries, which included Merit Environmental Services and Merit Industrial Constructors. Shaw acquired Merit Industrial Contractors in 1997. Gill spent more than 30 years in the industrial construction and maintenance industry. A former president of the Baton Rouge Country Club, he also was an active alumnus for LSU and University High School and was inducted into halls of fame at both schools. Gill was president of the Tiger Athletic Foundation, helped recruit former football coach Nick Saban and served as co-chairman of the committee for the expansions of Tiger Stadium. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Chapel on the Campus, and funeral services will be at 2 p.m. in the chapel.
Louisiana can expect a significant decline in the number of high school graduates over the next several years, according to a just-released study by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. The study, while noting that population fluctuations from Katrina are still in play, projects that the number of the state's high school graduates between 2004-05 and 2014-15 will drop by 33%.
In 2004-05, Louisiana had 44,700 high school graduates. By 2014-15, the number will have dropped to 29,900, according to the study's projections. Nationally, the study predicts a slow decline in the number of high school graduates after this year's seniors receive their diplomas. At the same time, the number of Asian and Hispanic graduates is expected to increase rapidly as those students replace white graduates. Louisiana's decline can be blamed in large part to a decrease in the number of high-school age children, a result of the massive exodus of women of childbearing age during the state's economic bust in the 1980s—something LSU economist Loren Scott has been warning about for years.
The number of high school graduates nationwide is expected to peak this year at 3.34 million, and won't start growing again until 2015, when the growth in Asian and Hispanic populations will push the number of graduates to new highs. In contrast to Louisiana, Texas is projected to see a big increase in the overall number of high school graduates—21% more in 2014-15 than in 2004-05.--Steve Clark
Where have all the people gone?
Apparently, hurricane evacuees come and hurricane evacuees go. And they might have left the Baton Rouge area. U.S. Census estimates released today indicate the nine-parish Capital Region lost 15,284 people in 2007 after a post-hurricane surge in 2006. East Baton Rouge Parish lost nearly 1,000 people, a .2% decrease; Ascension gained nearly 4% and Livingston 3% after experiencing more sizable growth in the year after the storms.
Shreveport demographer and political analyst Elliott Stonecipher says it's safe to assume those numbers indicate that people temporarily displaced by the storm have returned to their homes, particularly given that Orleans and St. Bernard parishes together gained an estimated 34,877 people during that time. "I think quite frankly it's well within the margin of error for a whole nine-parish region to move that much, given the surge to that region after the storm and the expected abating of that migration because of Road Home and other things. It makes perfect sense to me," he says. "A lot of people were there during previous Census reporting cycle post-storm. A year later, a bunch of them have gone back."
But Mike Odom, a spokesman for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, says the organization's own research indicates instead that the nine-parish region actually grew by 15,000 to 17,000 people between 2006 and 2007. He says BRAC remains in contact with the Census Bureau offering its own statistics, which take into account traffic counts, new capacity for housing and occupancy rates, among other things. The latest Census numbers do not represent an actual population count but rather estimates based on births, deaths, government records and surveys. Nor are the numbers current; they reflect migration only through July 1.--Penny Brown
Let the Madness begin!
Break out your brackets. The NCAA Basketball Tournament tips off today with 16 games—two in the East Regional, four in the South, four in the Midwest and six in the West. The remaining first-round games are scheduled for Friday. CBS will broadcast a quadrupleheader both days.
Today, WAFB-TV will show Xavier (27-6) vs. Georgia (17-16) in a West Regional game at Washington, D.C., at 11:20 a.m.; Marquette (24-9) vs. Kentucky (18-12) in a South Regional game at Anaheim, Calif., at 1:30 p.m.; Brigham Young (27-7) vs. Texas A&M (24-10) in a West Regional game at Anaheim at 7:25 p.m.; and Notre Dame (24-7) vs. George Mason (23-10) in an East Regional game at Denver at 8:40 p.m.
Friday, WAFB will show Gonzaga (25-7) vs. Davidson (26-6) in a Midwest Regional game at Raleigh, N.C., at 11:25 a.m.; Texas (28-6) vs. Austin Peay (24-10) in a South Regional game at North Little Rock, Ark., at 1:50 p.m.; Mississippi State (22-10) vs. Oregon (18-13) in a South Regional game at North Little Rock at 6:25 p.m.; and Memphis (33-1) vs. Texas-Arlington (21-11) in a South Regional game at North Little Rock at 8:45 p.m.
To follow March Madness on the Internet, go to CBS Sports' Web site here or the NCAA's Web site here.
La. Politics by John Maginnis: Conservatives look to shift court balance
Though getting less attention than the fall's congressional contests, the Supreme Court campaign in the New Orleans area figures to be the most critical judicial election in years. Republicans and business interests see the historic chance to shift the state Supreme Court's balance to conservative with the retirement of Chief Justice Pascal Calogero, who is considered more liberal on liability and tax issues. Leading business group LABI weighed in this week with its area PAC endorsement of Judge Greg Guidry of Jefferson Parish, a Republican on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. He is running against First Circuit Judge Jimmy Kuhn of Hammond, a Republican, and Fourth Circuit Judge Roland Belsome of New Orleans, a Democrat.
—Despite long-running discussions about how to change Louisiana's health care delivery system, significant moves in that direction might not be included in the upcoming regular session of the Legislature. House Speaker Jim Tucker, at the Baton Rouge Press Club this week, said he has heard no discussion about health care changes and speculated the issue might be addressed in a special session in the fall. The governor's press office did not respond to an e-mail query on the subject.
—The campaign discourse is tame so far in the 6th District party runoffs, because the candidates don't want to alienate the supporters of the rivals they will need in the general election. That might be why Republican Laurinda Calongne, who barely forced former State Rep. Woody Jenkins into a runoff, has picked a much safer initial target, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton. Her new spot released on youtube.com, playing off Clinton's recent "red phone" ad, has Calongne calling the White House at 3 a.m. to complain to "amnesty-loving, big-taxing liberal" President Clinton about burdensome taxes on Calongne's constituents. Opinions are divided on whether the ad is clever or just goofy, but it does draw attention for Calongne. Consultant Brett Barksdale said the ad will begin on TV after Easter.
John Maginnis publishes the Louisiana Political Fax Weekly and Lapolitics.com.
Shaw selected to develop U.K. power plants
The Shaw Group's Power Group has been awarded a contract to develop two coal-fired power plants in the United Kingdom. Shaw was selected by RWE npower to help design the carbon-capture stations being considered for Essex and Northumberland. It will take about a year to design and study construction of the plants. The plants would replace seven units set to close by 2015. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Poll: Nearly half say Iraq War not worth it
Forty-nine percent of the people who responded to a Daily Report poll say the Iraq War hasn't been worth it. Forty-one percent says the five year long battle has been worth it, and 10% didn't know. Nearly 1,150 people participated in the survey.
Today's question: What is your favorite Easter tradition?
News roundup: Clegg to make Easter dishes on Fox & Friends; study shows medicine common cause of pet poisoning
What to eat: Local cookbook author Holly Clegg will make another appearance on Fox News Channel Sunday morning, cooking healthy Easter brunch and Easter dinner meals. Clegg will appear on the Fox & Friends program at 7:50 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. Over the counter, but not for animals: An analysis of household poisons ingested by pets found that the most common case involved drug reactions, many cases involving people giving their dogs or cat over-the-counter medicine. The report by Veterinary Pet Insurance found there were more than 3,450 claims filed last year involving pets eating medicine. Most human medicines, such as over the counter painkillers, will cause overdoses in animals. Other household toxins commonly eaten by pets include rat poison, methylxanthine, a group of compounds found in chocolate and plant poison.
No Daily Report on Friday
Daily Report will not be published Friday in observance of Good Friday. The newsletter will return Monday.
