Anniversary gift: One day before the anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the federal government says fishing can resume in the last of the Gulf of Mexico waters that remained closed because of the massive BP oil spill. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that with the opening of about 1,040 square miles of water nearest the sunken rig, all federal waters in the Gulf are open to fishing. NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco says lab tests of fish taken in November, March and April found oil- and dispersant-related chemicals vastly lower than the smallest levels that generate concern. Lubchenco says there was no detectable odor or flavor of oil or dispersant. The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20, 2010, and sank two days later. Millions of gallons of oil spilled in the following months.
Team hosts Lakers Friday night: New Orleans Hornets spokesman Harold Kaufman says the club has sold out its first playoff home game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. That will be Game 3 of the best-of-seven series that the Hornets currently lead 1-0 after a series-opening upset in Los Angeles Sunday. The Hornets meet the Lakers for Game 2 of the series on Wednesday night in Los Angeles before returning home. The fourth game of the series will be in New Orleans on Sunday. Kaufman says fewer than 1,000 tickets remained for that contest as of lunchtime Tuesday. Hornets officials say they’ll announce sales for Game 6 of the series, scheduled for April 28 in New Orleans, as soon as that game is guaranteed to take place.
