LSU outlines budget cuts

LSU officials have released plans for budget cuts for the 2009-10 school year. LSU Chancellor Michael Martin says projected costs are on track to exceed revenues by about $27 million this year. To bridge the gap, plans are to raise tuition and student fees, cut funds to programs such as AVATAR and the LSU Press, cut the budgets of non-academic units by 5% and academic units by 3%, furlough classified and professional staff for 52 hours per employee and freeze merit pay. "It is also important to note that in light of expected future funding challenges, we will launch a process in conjunction with realignment, aimed at carefully considering academic program eliminations and/or reductions," Martin says. "This process, too, will likely impact long-term funding allocations." See the full report here.

Dozens of Jackson officials flood downtown

Some 65 civic leaders from Jackson, Miss., stepped off a bus today in front of the Shaw Center to start a two-day canvass trip of downtown Baton Rouge. Jackson is in the early stages of redeveloping its downtown area, which hasn’t seen much life in 30 years, and many downtown enthusiasts came to Baton Rouge to get inspiration on revitalization techniques and spurring economic development. The canvass group visited Little Rock, Ark., last summer and Columbus, Ga., in 2007. “I’m very envious of this restaurant experience, getting to see this view of the Mississippi River,” says Joy Foy of the Mississippi Development Authority after lunch at Tsunami. “Now tell me, where’s the shopping?”

This afternoon the group is touring downtown, starting at the LSU Museum of Art and the Shaw Center, where Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker and downtown’s biggest cheerleader David Rhorer welcomed them. They’ll also tour the Baton Rouge River Center with general manager Todd Mitchell, the Old Governor’s Mansion with Carolyn Bennett of the Foundation of Historical Louisiana, the Kress building with the Cyntreniks group, the Louisiana State Museum with historian John Sykes, as well as Spanish Town and the casinos. Friday morning will be spent with a series of lectures by Mayor Kip Holden, Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, various state leaders, CATS and others. Holden and Rhorer have welcomed the Jackson visit, noting that Baton Rouge officials are now getting a chance to show off what has worked for the city, after years of local canvass trips to cities such as Austin, Texas, Portland, Ore., and Nashville, Tenn.—Rebecca Breeden

N.O. restaurant opening location downtown

Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar and Restaurant, a New Orleans Warehouse district eatery, plans to open a location on Third Street. Bruce Rampick, who owns Lucy's, says a lease has been signed for the old D'Agostino's/Café Mediterranean space and an adjoining 1,100 square feet. "We're shooting for a September opening," Rampick says. Lucy's specializes in California surf shack dishes, such as fish tacos, sandwiches and salads. "We've been working on a project in Baton Rouge since last summer," says Rampick, who opened the first Lucy's in Manhattan in 1985, before escalating rents forced him to New Orleans 15 years ago. Plans are to open Lucy's for lunch and dinner, with a staff of about 45. "We think there's a lot of potential in that Third Street area," Rampick says.— Timothy Boone

GM sale cleared; path to leave Chapter 11 open

General Motors Corp. sped toward a record-short escape from bankruptcy protection today when a judge's order approving the sale of most of its assets to a new company went into effect. The order, delayed four days to allow time for appeals, became effective despite a last-minute appeal from plaintiffs in an Arizona product liability case against GM involving a Chevrolet Malibu. GM spokeswoman Julie Gibson says U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber's order allowing the sale became effective at 11 a.m. GM lawyers are working on paperwork to close the sale as quickly as possible, after which GM would leave bankruptcy protection. Once the world's largest and most powerful automaker, GM will become a leaner and greener company, cleansed of debts and burdensome contracts that nearly dragged it into liquidation. But it faces brutal international competition and the worst auto sales market in more than 25 years. GM CEO Fritz Henderson will hold a news conference Friday morning in Detroit to explain executive cuts, management changes and the company's plan to make money by emphasizing quality and fuel economy. He will be joined by Edward Whitacre Jr., who will lead the board of GM.

Sports roundup: LSU's recruiting class taking shape ... Nick Saban to play LSU coach in movie ... Armstrong a split second off Tour lead

Looking at 2010: LSU might be a month away from starting fall practice for the 2009 football season, but the Tigers are already working on recruiting for 2010. According to Rivals.com, the Tigers are in the hunt for 22 of the nation's 100 top high school football players. Some of the high school seniors looking at attending LSU are Jordan Allen, a defensive end from West Monroe, Trovon Reed, a wide receiver/running back from Thibodaux, and Lache Seastrunk, a running back from Temple, Texas. Already Eric Reid, a safety from Dutchtown and a Rivals 100 member, has announced his intentions to go to LSU in the fall of 2010.

Back in purple and gold: Nick Saban will once again be the LSU football coach for an upcoming movie. Saban will play himself in The Blind Side, a movie about how Michael Oher went from growing up on the streets of Memphis, Tenn., to becoming an All-American lineman at Ole Miss with the help of the Tuohy family. Saban was still the Tigers' head coach when the school was recruiting Oher in 2004. "I told our players at Alabama that it was a historic event and this happened when I was at LSU," Saban told ESPN. "I did this in honor of the Tuohys and Michael, even though he didn't come to LSU or Alabama." Several other current and former SEC coaches are set to appear in The Blind Side, including Houston Nutt of Ole Miss, former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and ex-Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron. The Blind Side, which stars Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, is set to come out Nov. 20. There was almost another LSU connection to the film: Former Tiger basketball star Glen "Big Baby" Davis auditioned for the part of Oher. Read the ESPN story here.

Lance is back: Lance Armstrong remained a split second behind leader Fabian Cancellara after today's sixth stage of the Tour de France. Thor Hushovd of Norway led a mass sprint finish to capture the stage along rain-slick roads south of the French border in Spain. Cancellara of Switzerland stayed just ahead of the seven-time champion after the 113-mile ride from Gerona to Barcelona. Hushovd of the Cervelo team collected his seventh Tour stage win by edging two Spaniards in the final sprint—three-time world champion Oscar Freire, the runner-up, followed by Jose Joaquin Rojas. They finished in 4 hours, 21 minutes, 33 seconds, the same time as 40 other riders, including Armstrong and Cancellara in the main pack. The race heads to the first big mountain challenge with Friday's ride into the Pyrenees from Barcelona to Andorra. The Tour ends July 26 in Paris.

Squeeze into the Shaw Center for Art Melt

Art Melt. It's a phrase now common to the Baton Rouge vernacular. After five years, this year's sixth-annual multimedia art show is set to be the biggest. Expect familiar artists and fresh blood as more than 75 pieces will be on display at Brunner Gallery. Across downtown, dozes of other groups are piggybacking on Art Melt, such as Boys & Girls Club artwork at Lyceum Dean, roller derby girls and bellydancers along Third Street. Several downtown merchants will feature live music to parallel Art Melt festivities. Tsunami's hosting a reggae band, Ashes of Babylon, on the rooftop terrace. Roux House presents singer Allison Collins. The Anteeks perform at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux, and Red Star features a Drum Cart Parade with a DJ. However, if you don't like the crowds (and this is one jam-packed art show), plan to attend the preview party tonight at 6 p.m. for $50. The Manship Theatre is replacing its velvety green seats with round tables and a dance floor for Latin band The Iguanas.

Also this weekend Southern University hosts a sunset jazz concert series at Scott’s Bluff, featuring Wess "Warmdaddy" Anderson, BRASS hosts a screening of Veer at the Manship Theatre, and the city of Walker celebrates 100 years. Click here to read this week’s 225 Select.—Rebecca Breeden

News roundup: La. Citizens board delays assessment decision ... Survey says French tourists world's worst ... Charter school looking for space

Holding fee steady: The governing board of Louisiana's state-backed property insurance firm has postponed a decision on whether to change the fee paid by policyholders to pay off debt incurred because of claims from Hurricane Katrina. All property insurance policyholders in Louisiana pay a 5% fee—called an "assessment"—to pay off Katrina debt incurred by the state-backed Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Homeowners and commercial insurance policyholders pay the fee, whether they're with Citizens or private firms. Citizens' board today put off a decision on whether to keep the assessment at 5% or lower it to 4.3%.

No amour: A survey of world hotel owners rated French tourists as the worst, according to Reuters. The Expedia survey rated the French the lowest because they don't speak local languages and are seen as tight-fisted and arrogant. The Japanese ranked at the top of the survey of 4,500 hotel owners, while the British and Germans were seen as being the best European tourists.

Any room? The Children's Charter School is experiencing growing pains and may need some space. The school on North Street is set to add middle school classes for the upcoming school year, but Principal Mark Comanducci doesn't know if the temporary buildings will be permitted in time for the start of the school year Aug. 5. Comanducci is looking for about 3,500 square feet, enough room for the nearly 40 students and the three to five teachers, along with space for eating and restrooms. "We would like to be downtown so we can be closer to the elementary campus," he says. Anyone with property that suits what Comanducci is looking for is asked to call him at the school, 387-9273, or on his cell phone, 763-1038.