Jindal: 'I'm exactly where I need to be'

The talk about Gov. Bobby Jindal becoming the Republican vice presidential nominee is continuing. Bill Kristol, the influential conservative strategist, has a column in today's New York Times with the headline "McCain-Jindal?” Kristol says no fewer than four staffers for U.S. Sen. John McCain mentioned Jindal as a running mate. The thinking is that Jindal’s age and accomplishments would balance out the ticket and prove to be a good matchup against potential Democratic nominee Barack Obama. "I would add that it was after McCain spent considerable time with Jindal in New Orleans recently, and reportedly found him, as he has before, personally engaging and intellectually impressive, that the campaign’s informal name-dropping of Jindal began," Kristol writes. To read the column, click here.

Meanwhile, Jindal continues to deny any interest in being on the presidential ticket. In an article in today's Washington Times, he tells the newspaper, "I’m exactly where I need to be." Jindal says he doesn't want to be asked to be vice president, because there's so much he wants to do for Louisiana. "I told the voters of Louisiana this is a historic, one-time opportunity to change our state, and I want to be a part of that," he says. To read the article, click here.

Ponti targets judicial ethics

The Louisiana Organization for Judicial Excellence, which seeks to change how judges are selected in Louisiana, is hosting a “judicial ethics day” in the capitol lobby today in part to draw attention to two bills it is supporting. House bills 758 and 769, authored by Rep. Erich Ponti, a Baton Rouge Republican, would require a judge to recuse himself from a case on various grounds, including when the judge has received a campaign contribution from either party or an attorney involved in the action. Current law allows for recusal for several reasons, but only requires it in a civil case when the judge is a witness. The House Judiciary Committee could hear the bills as early as May 15. To read a Business Report story about this issue, click here.

Oil passes $120 a barrel, but gas prices slip

Oil futures surged to a record over $120 a barrel this morning as supply threats emerged overseas and the dollar weakened against the euro. Retail gas prices, meanwhile, fell more than a cent over the weekend, offering further evidence that prices may have peaked for the year. Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose to a new trading record of $120.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange this morning before retreating slightly to trade up $3.52 at $119.84. At the pump, meanwhile, the average national price of a gallon of regular gas slipped to $3.611 a gallon, down 1.1 cents from Friday, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Prices peaked at a record $3.623 a gallon on Thursday. Local gas prices were down slightly, from a peak of $3.503 a gallon on Thursday, to $3.50 today.

Redevelopment authority looking at Old South Baton Rouge

The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority will hold its second meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s headquarters. The group, authorized by state legislation passed in 2007, seeks to expedite development in blighted areas of the city by helping to convert abandoned and adjudicated properties into productive uses. Wednesday’s agenda includes a presentation by BRAF and the Center for Planning Excellence regarding revitalization work in Old South Baton Rouge.

La. public school teachers get high grades from study

A new study by the Louisiana Board of Regents finds that the state's public school teachers are the best they have been in nearly a decade. Only 13 candidates for teacher certification failed the licensing exam, while nearly 2,400 passed, New Orleans CityBusiness reports. Since 2003, 99% of the teachers who have taken the exam have passed. The number of certified teachers in Louisiana is also up to nearly 96%, compared with 86% in 1999-2000. Jeanne Burns, who compiled the report for the Board of Regents, told the magazine the state has put more of an emphasis on the licensing exam and universities have put in more rigorous programs, to make sure the candidates have a deep knowledge of the contents. Read the article here.

Benson buys N.O. TV station

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson has an agreement to buy WVUE-TV, the Crescent City’s Fox affiliate, for $41 million. Benson's Louisiana Media Company reached an agreement with Emmis Communications Co. to buy the station. The deal is set to close in the second half of the year, pending regulatory approval. Emmis, an Indianapolis-based company, is divesting its TV stations to concentrate on its radio and publishing holdings.

Poll: Most think Tigers better off without Perrilloux

Seventy-eight percent of the people who responded to a Daily Report poll say the LSU football team will be better off without talented, but troubled quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. Nine percent say the Tigers won't be better off because of Perrilloux's dismissal, while 8% of readers don’t care and 5% don’t know. More than 1,850 people participated in the survey. LSU football coach Les Miles kicked Perrilloux off the team Friday after a string of suspensions and a reported failed drug test.

Today's question: If offered, should Gov. Bobby Jindal accept a nomination to be the Republican vice president candidate?

News roundup: College yearbooks fading away; Amite girl honored for volunteer efforts; mortgage activity down 22%

Facebook, MySpace taking their toll: The number of college yearbooks being published has dropped from about 100 last year to about 80 this year, The (Lafayette, Ind.) Journal and Courier reports. A college media adviser says the decline is due to the popularity of social networking Web sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, which allow students to preserve their memories of school. One of 100 saluted by Fergie: Jolanda Burton, 18, of Amite, was one of 102 young volunteers honored at the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, which were held last night in Washington, D.C. Burton, a senior at St. Helena Central High School in Greensburg, was saluted for setting up a free, student-run income tax preparation service for the poor and elderly. Burton and Carter Boyd, 14, of Shreveport were the two Louisiana representatives selected for the event. They both received $1,000 and personal congratulations from Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. Fewer loans: The value of mortgage loans in the first quarter dropped 22% when compared to the first three months of 2007, MortgageDaily.com reports. Residential volume was $370.6 billion, up slightly from the last three months for 2007. Countrywide, which will soon be owned by Bank of America, was the top mortgage originator, with $73 billion in loans during the first quarter.