Free Republic

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Under pressure from a federal judge, Gov. Kathleen Blanco set an April 22 date for New Orleans elections. Though Blanco solidified the elections date Tuesday with her executive order, the state doesn't yet have all the approvals it needs to proceed with April elections in New Orleans for mayor, city council, sheriff and tax assessors. The Legislature and the U.S. Justice Department need to sign off on Secretary of State Al Ater's emergency elections plan for the city, which includes beefed-up absentee balloting and the creation of "mega-polling" sites to replace those damaged by the...

WASHINGTON — The White House officially rejected a plan that would have created a federal corporation to purchase and redevelop Louisiana homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. U.S. Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, introduced legislation last year to create the Louisiana Recovery Corp. The panel would use treasury bonds to buy damaged homes on parcels to be repackaged and redeveloped. But Allan Hubbard, the chief economic adviser for President Bush, indicated in conversations with Baker on Monday that the Bush does not support the legislation, Baker said Tuesday. “It’s dead now,” said Walter Isaacson, vice chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority,...