High-pressure atmosphere: The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality says Lafayette drivers could be forced to pay an extra fee when getting vehicle inspections and businesses could face stricter regulations if the area’s air quality worsens or federal guidelines are tightened. Michael Vince, a senior scientist for DEQ, told members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization on Thursday they should consider forming an “Ozone Action Coalition” to promote better air quality. “Lafayette is the last major metropolitan area in Louisiana that is not a member of Ozone Advance,” Vince says. The (Lafayette) Advertiser has the full story here.
Head of the class: According to newly released enrollment data for New Orleans public schools, 84% of students attend charter schools, up from 78% last year and 71% in 2010. New Orleans has a greater percentage of students in charter schools than anywhere else in the country. Detroit and the District of Columbia come in a distant second, with just over 40% of students in charters. The national average is 4%. Enrollment increased for the sixth consecutive year to 43,540 students, up 1,626 students from last year. Check out the complete enrollment stats here.
A new chapter: The New York Times is getting into the business of selling bite-sized digital books based on its reporters’ work, giving it entree into a growing market for inexpensive “e-singles” that can be read in a couple of hours. The newspaper’s first mini book will go on sale Monday. It’s an 18,000-word piece about skiers caught in an avalanche that expands on an upcoming piece in Monday’s newspaper. It will sell for $2.99 in Amazon.com’s Kindle store, on Apple’s iBooks, and on Barnes & Noble’s Nook. Read the full story here.
