Zoning committee to resume Spanish Town debate

The Metro Council Zoning Committee will resume debate on whether property owner Richard Preis should be forced to fix up several dilapidated rental properties he owns in historic Spanish Town at its Nov. 18 meeting. That’s the word from Council Administrator Brian Mayers, who attempted to clear up at least some confusion on what happens next in the ongoing battle between Preis and those who are hoping to force him to repair the properties in question. Debate at Wednesday's Zoning Committee hearing abruptly came to a halt when Mayor Pro Temp Mike Walker ended the meeting because he said time had run out. At issue is Preis’ appeal of an obscure city ordinance that allows the Historic Preservation Commission to cite a property owner with “demolition by neglect” for letting properties fall into disrepair. The citation came in late August, after Preis attempted to get permission to raze the homes to make way for an apartment complex the neighborhood is fighting. Preis appealed the HPC’s demolition by neglect citation directly to the Metro Council, which HPC members say is not the way the appeal process should work. They have asked him to come before them and argue why he should not have to repair the properties. For the full version of this story, click here.—Stephanie Riegel

Wicker defends Slaughter fundraiser

For months now, Metro Councilwoman Tara Wicker has been in the middle of the controversy in Spanish Town over the proposed Capitol Lofts apartment complex, which would be developed by David Slaughter on property owned by Richard Preis. But Wicker says her decisions are in no way being influenced by the fact that Slaughter’s parents, Bill and Christel Slaughter, are planning host to a birthday fundraiser for her at their home next week. Wicker says she and Christel Slaughter have been friends for “many, many years” and that when they approached her about it she thought it was a great idea. “There’s no connection between the two at all,” Wicker says. “And anyway, David (Slaughter)’s not throwing me a fundraiser. His parents are.” The Slaughters could not be reached for comment.—Stephanie Riegel

LaPolitics by John Maginnis: State Democratic leadership could change

Heading into a Senate election year, some Democratic elected officials hope to heal internal leadership divisions by getting state chairman Chris Whittington to step aside. Several political sources say Whittington has agreed to resign his office if Democrats can come up with a consensus candidate that can gain the support of the governing body, the Democratic State Central Committee. Whittington did not return two calls for comment. He and his allies successfully resisted an attempt in March to remove him from office with three years to go in his second elected term. Now some elected officials, who did not wish to be quoted, say Whittington has told a delegation of active party members that he is leaning toward stepping aside for the sake of unity on the eve of an election year.

—The decisive factor in Judge Marcus Clark's victory over attorney Jimmy Faircloth in the Supreme Court election in northeast Louisiana was the high turnout in his home parish of Ouachita, due to a property tax proposition on the ballot to support development of the V-Vehicle car plant in Monroe. In a low turnout overall, Clark bested Faircloth, 53%-47%, or by 3,026 votes. The 19,575 votes cast in Ouachita made up 35% of the total electorate in the 20-parish district. Clark, from West Monroe, carried the parish by nearly 9,000 votes, while Faircloth, from Pineville, carried the other 19 parishes by almost 6,000. The 1.8-mill property tax to help fund the parish's $15 million contribution to the state's incentive package passed with 53% of the vote. It rivaled the highly negative Supreme Court race for voter interest.

—Those closely following the New Orleans mayor's election see two primary races developing, among whites and among blacks. Business consultant Troy Henry announced this week, causing some handicappers to see him as the most serious competitor yet to state Sen. Ed Murray for primacy among black voters. Businessman John Georges, who will be the first white candidate to announce next week, is actively pursuing something he barely tried in the 2007 governor's race: raising other people's money. How well Georges he did at his well-attended fundraiser will be revealed in the next campaign finance report in early November, which will be a closely watched indicator of the money race.

(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)

Radiation therapy device installed at Mary Bird Perkins

An advanced radiation therapy device made by a Stockholm company joins the fight against cancer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. The Infinity digital linear accelerator employs state-of-the-art technology to treat prostate, head and neck cancers, according to OLOL’s Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. The $2.2 million device made by Elekta is the second to be installed at Mary Bird Perkins facilities in southeast Louisiana, following the opening this year of a Gonzales site partnered with St. Elizabeth Hospital. Spokeswoman Amy Benton says Mary Bird Perkins has a $20 million contract with Elekta to deploy advanced radiation technology that later this year will include volumetric intensity modulated arc therapy or VMAT, which will shorten treatment time. “The combination of radiation therapy treatment resources made available by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is unparalleled in Louisiana,” says Maurice King, medical director for the centers, in a statement.

Central school officials stand behind Texas architect

Officials with the Central Community School System maintain they chose the best firm for the job in selecting a Texas architect to design a new elementary school and a new middle school. Houston-based PBK recently beat out two Baton Rouge firms in the final round of a competition that began with 17 firms pitching designs to an ad-hoc committee. The committee presented three contenders to the Board of Education, according to Superintendent Michael Faulk. Some residents had pushed for a locally based architect, but attorney Sheri Morris for Central schools says state law requires that only “competence and qualifications” can be used as selection criteria. Coleman Partners Architects was one of the local finalists. “You’re always shocked when they don’t pick you,” firm principal Buddy Ragland says. “I think we have a portfolio that’s totally as good as anybody’s. It just wasn’t our day. I apply for jobs far away from here all the time; sometimes I get them, sometimes I don’t.” The other local finalist was Grace & Hebert Architects. Board member James Gardner says PBK was “in my opinion, clearly above the others.” Ross Bogan, Central schools’ construction coordinator for the project, says rough numbers are 90,000 square feet and $13.5 million for the elementary school, 112,000 square feet and $17 million for the middle school, plus possible green design elements. He says PBK plans to open a Baton Rouge office.—Todd R. Brown

Perkins Rowe lender argues against tossing foreclosure suit

In the latest court filing in the Perkins Rowe foreclosure proceeding, KeyBank National Association—the main lender on the mixed-use development—argues that the foreclosure lawsuit filed in late July should not be dismissed from federal court. The filing comes in response to a motion filed earlier this month by Perkins Rowe, arguing the case should be thrown out of federal court because of a lack of “true diversity”—geographic, not racial—among the plaintiffs in the case. Citing the participation of Bank of New Orleans as one of the lenders in the consortium, the Perkins Rowe motion suggests the foreclosure suit should be remanded to state court. But in its answer to the motion, KeyBank argues that Bank of New Orleans is just one of eight institutions in the consortium of lenders and has but a 0.58% stake in, or just $1 million, of the $170 million construction loan. “BNO is neither necessary nor indispensable to the litigation,” the lawsuit says. “BNO does not have the power under the loan document to pursue this foreclosure action.” Attorneys for both sides have declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.—Stephanie Riegel

Poll: Bond-issue push changing few minds

Most people who responded to a Daily Report survey say the recent push backing Mayor Kip Holden's $901 million bond issue isn't changing their minds. Nearly half say they still plan on voting against the bond issue at the Nov. 14 election, while 32% say they still plan on voting in favor of the bond issue. Nine percent say they will now vote in favor, while 5% say they will now vote against the measure. Nearly 1,400 people participated in the survey. A half-hour commercial backing the bond issue, featuring Holden, Police Chief Jeff LeDuff, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux and Baton Rouge Area Chamber President and CEO Adam Knapp, will air on WAFB-TV at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Today's question: Do you think the national housing market is improving?

U.S. home sales rise 9.4% in September

Home resales rose in September to the highest level in more than two years, beating expectations, as buyers scrambled to complete their purchases before a tax credit for first-time buyers expires. The National Association of Realtors says that sales rose 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million in September, from a downwardly revised pace of 5.1 million in August. Sales had been expected to rise to an annual pace of 5.35 million, according to economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters. The median sales price was $174,900, down 8.5% from a year earlier, and slightly lower than August's median of $177,300. The inventory of unsold homes on the market fell about 7% to 3.63 million. That's a 7.8-month supply at the current sales pace, and the lowest level since March 2007. Nationwide sales are up nearly 24% from their bottom in January, but are still down 23% from four years ago.

Oscar's houses two great tastes under one roof

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, chances are you're at Oscar's. The new "ice cream and pizza joint" with the distinctive Georges Méliès-inspired sign has begun a quiet launch at its Perkins Road location, across the parking lot from Maxwell's Market. Owned by brothers and Baton Rouge-natives Jon and George Kilpatrick, the pizzeria offers flavors of pie unlike any other you're likely to find. The brothers were inspired by the native tastes of Louisiana to create their unique pizza toppings. Pizzas like the D&A Gumbo, with duck, andouille and alligator sausages and roux-infused tomato gravy rather than marinara. There's also the muffuletta pie, topped with olives, salami, ham and pepperoni. It's gourmet pizza with a distinctly southern flair. For the scoop on Oscar's, and other dining news you can use in and around the Capital City, read 225 Dine by clicking here.

News roundup: I-110 ramps closing for 'Battle: Los Angeles' shooting ... Independence Bowl will no longer feature SEC teams

Look out when heading downtown: Ramps from Interstate 110 to downtown will be closed from 6 p.m. today until 6 a.m. Saturday for shooting for the big-budget, science-fiction thriller Battle: Los Angeles. Crews will be shooting underneath the interstate, between Laurel and North streets. The Main Street entrance ramp onto I-110 will be closed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., along with the I-110 northbound ramp at North Street, which will close at 8 p.m. The southbound North Street ramp will be subject to intermittent closures. Some nearby streets also will be closed during the period.

Shreveport game gets new ties: The Independence Bowl will feature an ACC-Mountain West matchup beginning in 2010. Conference and bowl officials say the third selection from the Mountain West Conference will meet the seventh selection from the Atlantic Coast Conference beginning in December 2010 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport. The agreement with the two conferences runs through 2013. The AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl's lengthy relationship with both the SEC and the Big 12 will end at the conclusion of this year's game, which will be held Dec. 28.

Last day to take BRAC, 'Business Report' survey

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Business Report are once again conducting a brief annual survey of local business executives and industry experts to assess the economic outlook of the Capital Region for 2010 and beyond. The survey, which closes today, should take five to seven minutes to complete. A summary of responses will be presented at the Baton Rouge Area Economic Forum 2009: Insights for Action on Nov. 3 and will also be published in Business Report. To participate in the survey, click here.