On the outs: Bowing to the inevitable, Rick Santorum quit the presidential campaign this afternoon, clearing the way for Mitt Romney to claim the Republican nomination. Santorum, appearing with his wife and family in his home state of Pennsylvania, told supporters the race for him was over but that the fight to defeat President Barack Obama would go on. Santorum made no mention of Romney, and stressed that he’d gone further than anyone expected, competing “against all odds.” The delegate totals told the tale of Santorum’s demise. Romney has more than twice as many delegates as Santorum and is on pace to reach the number needed to clinch the nomination—1,144—by early June. Still in the Republican race, but not deemed serious threats to Romney’s lead: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
In the dark: State lawmakers today asked JPMorgan Chase officials to do more to educate Louisiana residents about how they can receive tax refunds on debit cards without accruing fees. Louisiana’s revenue department has replaced refund checks with pre-paid Chase Visa cards for taxpayers who don’t get their refunds through direct deposit into a bank account. The department says doing away with the checks saves money. But members of the House Appropriations Committee say they have received complaints from people who don’t understand how to use the cards or have been charged fees when they do. Taxpayers can get their money at Chase ATMs or use the cards to pay for items at retailers. They are charged fees if they use non-Chase ATMs to access the money more than once.
To be sheen and not heard: Authorities say there are no signs of shoreline or wildlife being affected by the discharge of fuel oil from a tanker on the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard says the discharge from a ballast pipe on the tanker Overseas Beryl was reported shortly after 10 p.m. Monday and was plugged around 4 a.m. today. Cleanup has begun at the site about 10 miles downriver from New Orleans. Overseas Shipbuilding Group Inc., which has been named the responsible party, reports about 50 gallons of fuel oil spilled. The Coast Guard could not confirm that amount—but says a light sheen extended about 29 miles downriver from the initial cleanup site. The Coast Guard issued a safety advisory to mariners, though the waterway remains open.
The Big Tuna’s not biting: Bill Parcells is unlikely to become the New Orleans Saints’ interim coach, according to multiple reports. Parcells prefers to remain retired and not replace his protégé and friend, Sean Payton, who will serve a season-long suspension for his role in New Orleans’ bounty system, the reports say. Saints spokesman Greg Bensel declined to confirm Parcells has been ruled out as a possible Payton replacement, saying the team “has nothing to report” concerning the search for an interim coach. Parcells’ agent, Jimmy Sexton, also declined comment.
