LSU signs 18; Benton switches to Auburn

LSU has 18 football signees listed on its Web site as of 10:30 a.m. today, including offensive linemen Carneal Ainsworth of Baton Rouge, Josh Downs of Bastrop, Chris Faulk of Slidell, Stavion Lowe of Brownwood, Texas, and Josh Williford of Dothan, Ala., and linebackers Lamin Barrow of Marrero, Tahj Jones of Sulphur and Barkevious Mingo of West Monroe. The Tigers’ list also includes five players who enrolled last month for the spring semester, among them quarterbacks Chris Garrett of Tupelo, Miss., and Russell Shepard of Houston.

One of the names not posted is Sam Montgomery, a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Greenwood, S.C. Montgomery, rated the nation’s No. 2 defensive end, announced on ESPNU this morning that he will sign with the Tigers. He also considered North Carolina and Tennessee.

Another player not listed is former Bastrop receiver DeAngelo Benton, who signed with Auburn after telling The (Monroe) News-Star on Tuesday that he would sign with LSU. Benton, who was the No. 7 receiver in the nation after his senior year at Bastrop in 2006, signed with LSU in 2007 but failed to get academically eligible. After playing the 2007 season at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., Benton signed again with LSU in February of 2008 but was unable to get eligible.

Bastrop receiver Rueben Randle, the nation’s No. 1 receiver, is scheduled to announce his decision at 12:30 p.m., Rivals.com reports. Randle has narrowed his choices to LSU, Alabama, Auburn and Oklahoma.

LSU is updating its list of signees when the LSU Football Office has received an official, signed NCAA National Letter of Intent that has been verified by the LSU Athletics Compliance Office. To see LSU’s list, click here.

Guirard, Pittenger headed for court

Attorneys E. Eric Guirard and Thomas Pittenger are set to go to court next month, but this time to defend themselves. Oral arguments are scheduled for March 18 before the Louisiana Supreme Court on whether the pair of lawyers will be permanently disbarred. The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board wants Guirard and Pittenger disbarred for allegedly letting regular folks do the work of lawyers and rewarding them with bonuses, commissions and trips for signing clients and settling cases quickly. One of the board’s committees, however, had recommended only suspensions after finding Guirard and Pittenger thought they were following the rules.

A call to Guirard was not returned this morning. “The oral argument has been scheduled for March 18 and Mr. Guirard and Mr. Pittenger have filed their briefs with the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel will be filing their briefs in due course,” says Guirard’s attorney, James Clary Jr. “We are confident that this court will handle the matter in an appropriate and fair manner.”—Penny Brown Font

Holden asking for $800M stimulus for EBR

Mayor Kip Holden is urging Republicans and Democrats to put ideology aside and compromise on a stimulus bill. “Hopefully common sense will prevail,” Holden said Tuesday, after returning from a recent trip to Washington, D.C. Holden is asking for nearly $800 million for East Baton Rouge Parish. He hopes federal dollars for road construction and expansion of the River Center will allow his administration to reduce the size of the bond issue that will be put before voters this fall.

Holden is hoping for more money for small business loans and “new chemical-sensing technologies” that would aid first responders in the event of a chemical leak or spill. “I think we will come out of there with a pretty good chunk of change,” he said. Holden is also asking FEMA for $58.6 million in reimbursements for hurricane recovery, including $51.5 million for debris removal. While in Washington, Holden met with officials from Sherwin-Williams, which is looking to include Baton Rouge in a program that would provide young people with free professional house painting training.—David Jacobs

Tanner sells stake in Louisiana Aircraft

Developer Jim Tanner has sold his share of Louisiana Aircraft to two partners. Tanner bought the business, which sells ExxonMobil aviation fuel and provides hangar storage and maintenance at Metro Airport for corporate and private plans, in October 2007. Mike Worley of Zachary and L.J. Sevin of Dallas, who had an equal stake in the company, bought out Tanner in a deal that closed a few weeks ago, says Landon Petty, chief operating officer of Louisiana Aircraft. The sale price was not disclosed. Petty says he doesn't know what led to the sale. Louisiana Aircraft is currently in the middle of an expansion. Albemarle is building a corporate hanger, and Worley will soon start building a hangar for his holding company, W Resources. Once the work is completed in the next few months, Louisiana Aircraft will have a dozen hangars.

Tanner, who regularly buys luxury homes and high-profile properties as investments, has been in the middle of a sell-off. He recently sold the old Louisiana High School Athletic Association offices on Jefferson Highway, and he's struck a deal to sell the Highland Road estate that belonged to former LSU football coach Nick Saban. According to published reports, he's also looking at selling The Bluffs golf course in St. Francisville.—Timothy Boone

Ad agency gets deal with security company

Local advertising firm Rockit Science Agency has been awarded a contract to develop global marketing strategies and branding for Red Tiger Security, a Houston-based company with offices in Canada and Malaysia. Red Tiger simulates terrorist attacks against companies that provide oil and gas, water, electricity or other infrastructure, then provides a report with recommendations for security improvements. “This is an exceptional opportunity for us to continue to grow our portfolio of corporate clients, while exploring the world of hi-tech brand positioning,” Rockit Science principal Brent A. Sims says.

Staring Lane work starts Thursday

Workers will break ground Thursday on the Staring Lane Extension, the 11th Green Light Plan project to start construction. The project will link Staring with Burbank Drive, and includes sound walls along Highland Creek subdivision and a bridge crossing Bayou Fountain. Construction is expected to cost nearly $16 million and should be completed by the end of November 2010. For a Business Report cover story about the Green Light Plan, click here.

DDD announces new downtown businesses

The Downtown Development District announced several new business openings and updates.

—Cornerstone Government Affairs, which provides lobbying, public affairs, consulting and marketing services, has moved its Baton Rouge office from United Plaza Boulevard to Laurel Street. Cornerstone also has an office in Washington, D.C.

—The 525 Executive Suites is now open on Florida Street, providing office space, phone answering, a conference room and other amenities.

—Acapulco Mexican Grill will open Monday on North Boulevard in the former Grape Leaf location.

—Punchers, a sports bar and live music venue, will open Feb. 21 on Third Street.

—Stroube’s Chophouse, next to the Shaw Center, is scheduled to open in April.

Bayou Companies gets new owner

Bayou Companies, a New Iberia-based pipeline business, is being sold to Insituform Technologies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the deal should be completed by the end of the month. Bayou Companies, a 65-year-old family-owned business, has a plant in Baton Rouge along with a facility in Conroe, Texas. Insituform, which is based in Missouri, says the deal will enhance market opportunities and cross-selling.

Poll: Most say homestead exemption should go up

Sixty percent of the people who responded to a Daily Report poll say the state's homestead exemption should be raised. Thirty-six percent say the rate should not go up and 4% are undecided. More than 1,200 people participated in the survey. Joshua Kahler, a New Orleans Realtor, has launched an effort to raise the exemption from $75,000 to $160,000.

Today's question: Do you feel safer now that the Baton Rouge crime rate has dropped?

News roundup: 'Wall Street Journal' editorial praises La. handling of Citizens...Company wants to make Mardi Gras national holiday...La. scores low for gun control laws

Kudos: An editorial in today's Wall Street Journal that criticizes Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's drive to control property insurance premiums praises Louisiana's handling of the issue. While Florida has pushed people to join Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and has set up the state-run firm as a competitor with other casualty companies, Louisiana has worked to drive people from its version of Citizens. "By law, Louisiana Citizens cannot offer competitive prices, save in a few high-risk coastal areas," says the editorial, which notes Louisiana has a "thriving private insurance market" while State Farm became the latest firm to pull out of Florida. Read the editorial here.

Launches online petition: Zatarain's has gotten nearly 100,000 signatures for an online petition to make Mardi Gras a national holiday. The New Orleans-based company says it wants Congress to declare the final day of Carnival season, Fat Tuesday, as a holiday. A high-profile New Orleans resident has signed up for the campaign: Olivia Manning, the wife of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning, and the mother of current stars Peyton and Eli Manning. A survey conducted by Zatarain's says 70% of those polled support making Mardi Gras a national holiday.

Tied for last: Louisiana was tied with Kentucky and Oklahoma for having the nation's weakest gun control laws, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The state's score actually dropped in 2008 after the Legislature passed a bill allowing employees to bring guns into workplace parking lots. California was ranked as having the toughest gun control laws. See the list here.