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• Effort to stop Common Core standards advances

  May 22, 2013 6:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A tea party-backed attempt to keep Louisiana from using a set of uniform national standards for public school testing will be considered by the Senate. The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday advanced a resolution that calls on state education officials to stop implementation of the Common Core... more »

• School exams undergo sweeping changes

  March 25, 2013 10:51 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A test that fourth- and eighth-graders have to pass for promotion is on the way out. It's part of a series of changes unfolding in how Louisiana measures what public students know. Students in grades 4 and 8 took the first part of LEAP, which is... more »

• LaBruzzo weighing options for legislative seat Play Video

  December 5, 2012 5:55 PM

  CENTRAL - Former state representative John LaBruzzo is known for his annual battles at the Capitol attempting to make drug testing mandatory for people on welfare. Now LaBruzzo has a new home, but may have to wait a bit befreo getting back into politics. LaBruzzo and his wife... more »

• Tennis federation mulls anti-doping step

  November 13, 2012 10:55 AM

  PARIS - The International Tennis Federation might copy blood-testing measures used by cycling to weed out drug cheats. ITF anti-doping manager Stuart Miller told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the federation is working toward more blood and out-of-competition drug testing on players. Roger Federer and Andy Murray... more »

• AIDS activist: Government needs to be more inolved Play Video

  November 1, 2012 5:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE- AIDS cases are on the rise nationwide, and Baton Rouge continues to rank number-one in the U. S. for cases per capita. Some are asking why more isn't being done on the governmental level to deal with the crisis. A.J. Johnson, founder of the Baton Rouge AIDS... more »

• Texas test scandal ex-school chief gets 3.5 years

  October 5, 2012 2:40 PM

  EL PASO, Texas - A federal judge has sentenced the former El Paso Independent School District superintendent to three and half years in prison for his participation in a scheme to bolster high-stakes testing scores by getting rid of students deemed likely to fail. Lorenzo Garcia pleaded guilty in... more »

• FDA urged to set standards for arsenic in rice

  September 19, 2012 7:29 AM

  WASHINGTON - Consumer groups are pressuring the Food and Drug Administration to set federal guidance on allowable levels of arsenic in rice, prompting the agency to study the issue and consider possible new standards. So far, FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe... more »

• Gov't: says only 1 in 4 have HIV under control

  July 27, 2012 11:01 AM

  WASHINGTON- New government data shows only a quarter of Americans with the AIDS virus have the infection under control. Young people and blacks are least likely to get effective care. That's slightly lower than previous estimates, and means more than 800,000 people aren't benefiting from life-saving drugs that also would... more »

• Free, confidential HIV testing in Baton Rouge today

  June 27, 2012 4:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE - It's National HIV Testing Day, and the Baton Rouge AIDS Society wants to provide the opportunity for people to take part. The society is offering free and confidential testing until midnight tonight. It's the eighth year they have held the testing, and their goal is to... more »

• Senators reject drug testing of welfare recipients

  May 30, 2012 4:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana won't require a random sample of welfare recipients to submit to drug tests, after a Senate committee refused to support the idea. The proposal by Republican Rep. Sherman Mack, of Livingston, has been criticized as being the equivalent of class warfare. A Senate judiciary committee voted... more »

• House backs drug testing for welfare recipients

  May 16, 2012 6:47 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana House has agreed to require drug testing of welfare recipients, amid charges from opponents that the mandate equals class warfare by targeting poor mothers. The proposal was sent to the Senate with a 65-26 vote. The bill has been repeatedly rejected in recent years.... more »

• New guidelines for cervical cancer testing

  March 14, 2012 4:55 PM

  WASHINGTON - New guidelines give women choices for cervical cancer testing that depend on their age. The pap test was once recommended for all women once a year. But many major medical groups said a pap test every three years is the best way to screen most women, starting at... more »

• New lawmaker proposes welfare drug testing mandate

  February 29, 2012 4:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A new state lawmaker is reviving an annual debate over whether Louisiana should mandate drug testing for welfare recipients. Rep. Sherman Mack, a Republican from Livingston beginning his first term in office, has proposed the measure for the legislative session that begins March 12. Mack's bill would... more »

• DHH testing emegency med distribution system

  February 28, 2012 2:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La.- Louisiana's health department is testing its distribution system for medicines that would be needed in emergencies such as a flu pandemic, terrorist attack or major storm. The statewide exercise began Tuesday and continues through Thursday. On Thursday, state workers will give out placebos at dispensing sites... more »

• Dems want Hearings on Human Growth Hormone

  October 25, 2011 7:44 PM

  Three Democrat members of Congress want a house committee to hold hearings on why the NFL and the players union can't come to an agreement on testing for human growth hormone. The three sent a letter making the request to the Republican chairman, Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan. The NFL... more »

• LSU athletes drug tested more than NCAA requires

  October 20, 2011 6:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - In light of numerous unconfirmed reports of LSU football player allegedly testing positive for synthetic marijuana, turns out, the athletic department's substance abuse policy tests for more than the NCAA requires. The NCAA forces universities to randomly test each athlete at least once a year, then... more »

• Senate rejects bill to drug test welfare seekers

  June 21, 2011 5:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Senate has voted to scrap a Metairie representative's proposal to require drug testing of welfare recipients who receive cash assistance. Republican John LaBruzzo says random screening would help break the cycle of addiction among welfare recipients. But critics say it is inaccurate - and potentially... more »

• Senate panel approves House drug testing bill

  June 15, 2011 4:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Senate committee has approved a Metairie lawmaker's proposal to require drug testing of welfare recipients, despite concerns the bill may be unconstitutional. Republican John LaBruzzo says the courts should decide whether it will be overturned, similar to a program in Florida. At issue is whether... more »

• Are you smarter than an 8th-grade LEAP test taker?

  March 23, 2011 5:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - So you think you're smart, and you've got all the answers. Well, give the practice LEAP tests a try. Public school students wrapped up the first round of LEAP tests on Tuesday. They'll take math, science and social studies next month. Over the past three... more »

• Texas may eliminate steroid testing program

  January 30, 2011 3:27 PM

  AUSTIN- The nation's largest high school steroids testing program may fall victim to budget cuts. Texas has tested tens of thousands of high school athletes since 2008. The goal was to stop teens from taking dangerous performance-enhancing drugs. The death of a 17-year-old baseball player helped draw national attention... more »

• Testing of key oil spill evidence delayed again

  January 21, 2011 4:20 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Forensic testing of a key piece of evidence in the Gulf oil spill investigation could take twice as long as expected. An investigator with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board - one of the groups monitoring the testing - said Friday his agency has been advised the examination... more »

• Hundreds of dead blackbirds found near New Roads

  January 3, 2011 4:30 PM

  LABARRE, La. - Around 500 dead blackbirds and starlings have been found in Pointe Coupee Parish, according to state wildlife officials. The birds were spotted lying in roads and ditches near Labarre Elementary School. The community is between Morganza and New Roads on Highway 10. Scientists from the... more »

• Feds: new tests confirm safety of Gulf seafood

  October 29, 2010 4:58 PM

  Federal scientists say a new spate of testing for chemical dispersant in Gulf of Mexico seafood has found no problems, and Gulf seafood is safe to eat. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Food and Drug Administration said Friday that the new round of testing found only a... more »

• U. S. Commerce chief says Gulf seafood safe to eat

  October 5, 2010 3:28 PM

  U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said Tuesday he has complete confidence in the safety of seafood caught in Gulf of Mexico waters that have been reopened since BP's underwater well blew out, spewing millions of gallons of oil into the sea. However, he recognizes the region has an ongoing image... more »

• Commerce Secretary Locke to tour seafood lab

  October 5, 2010 10:26 AM

  U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will tour a federal lab in Mississippi where seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico is being tested to determine if it is tainted by oil. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lab is the first stop for seafood being prepared for analysis as federal... more »

• Central school committee wants legal opinion on drug testing hair

  September 20, 2010 9:31 PM

  For students in Central, it's back to basic drug testing. A school board committe recommended returning to urine testing while waiting for a legal opinion on hair testing. "One, can we do hair? Because there's nothing in any of this policy, any of these laws talks about hair.... more »

• Central schools change drug testing procedure

  September 13, 2010 6:15 PM

  The Central school system wants to cut down on drug use by students by cutting hair. Central changed its drug testing procedure from collecting urine to collecting hair. "There was some concern that some of the students were using products that maybe would cover up the reliability of... more »

• Consumers bring up questions about seafood

  September 6, 2010 10:28 PM

  The Food and Drug Administration took over the multi-step testing of Gulf seafood due to the BP oil spill. Some wonder, however, if it’s enough to keep the confidence that seafood is safe. If you live in Louisiana, you're probably never going to cut Gulf seafood from your diet. However,... more »

• Nicholls State comfirms safety of seafood

  August 18, 2010 5:49 AM

  The Institute for Seafood Studies at Nicholls State University say consumers of Louisiana seafood can be confident in the findings of the safety assurances issued by government agencies. The results of intensive investigations have consistently shown that seafood harvested from state and federally designated open fishing areas present no public... more »

• Questions raised in Assumption Parish well operation

  August 16, 2010 10:21 PM

  New questions are being raised about a well blow-out operation in Paincourtville, even from those involved. When it became apparent Monday morning that a fix isn't close, authorities started asking questions, but still don't have some key details, including how much is spewing from the well. "There's never been... more »

• State, seafood industry want long-term testing, promotion

  August 5, 2010 9:48 PM

  The governor and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries want a 20 year, $450 million deal to test and promote seafood safety. So far, BP has offered a two year commitment. The seafood industry says it's going to take long-term, consumer-confidence efforts to return to pre-spill sales, and BP... more »

• Cap may stay in place until permanent fix

  July 18, 2010 1:46 PM

  The custom-built cap that finally cut off the oil flowing from BP's broken well held steady Sunday, and the company hopes to leave it that way until crews can permanently kill the leak. That differs from the plan the federal government laid out a day earlier, in which millions... more »

• LSU scientist explains well cap testing

  July 15, 2010 10:13 PM

  There's no oil leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April. BP closed all three valves on a new cap over the blown-out well. Engineers are checking pressure readings every six hours to make sure the cap and well hold up. If it works, it's not clear... more »

• Testing to resume on cap

  July 15, 2010 9:03 AM

  BP says it hopes to restart the testing process on the cap it put on top of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, now that a leak in the machinery has been fixed. Testing of the cap's capabilities could begin later today. The work was interrupted after a leak was... more »

• Principal accused of tampering with LEAP tests

  June 9, 2010 5:20 AM

  The principal of J.E. Harper Elementary School in Minden is on leave with pay after accusations she tampered with LEAP tests this past spring. Webster Parish school officials didn't give any details about how some of the tests were allegedly tampered with, but they say the results were voided. The... more »

• DHH testing seafood impacted by oil

  May 14, 2010 3:32 PM

  State health experts are testing seafood taken from areas off the Louisiana Coast for a potentially dangerous carcinogen. They are testing oysters, fish and shrimp for hydrocarbons that could be caused by the oil. "We haven't got any testing results from areas impacted by the oil because we... more »

• Police dogs put to the test

  March 29, 2010 4:54 PM

  UPDATE: Area crime-fighting organizations are testing their police dogs and handlers this week at Zachary High School. David Williams has worked with police dogs for nearly 20 years. He says these yearly tests, "show you have discipline with your dog. That you can, if happen to have a call... more »

• Police dogs put to the test in Zachary

  March 29, 2010 2:40 PM

  A gun was fired several times on the campus of Zachary High School Monday. It was part of the testing phase for police dogs and their handlers. Each year the crime-fighting teams must prove their skills are suitable for use on the streets. Teams from Baton Rouge, Livingston,... more »

• Funds for HIV/AIDS testing in La. fall short

  December 1, 2009 5:52 PM

  "Get Tested" is the mantra of a Baton Rouge group trying to raise awareness about the AIDS virus. Baton Rouge ranks third, nationwide, for AIDS in large metropolitan areas. 240 of almost 900 new AIDS cases state-wide are from the Baton Rouge area. Baton Rouge also accounts for almost 300... more »

• 2 Your Health for Dec. 1

  December 1, 2009 5:47 PM

  AIDS awareness, bacteria in chicken, and how to much exercise can put you at risk for osteoarthritis are discussed in this 2 Your Health report. more »

• LSU to test emergency texting system again

  September 24, 2009 2:11 PM

  LSU is set to test its emergency text messaging system next week. They will be testing it at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29. This will be the third test of the university's emergency text message service since October of last year. There is no fee to subscribe,... more »