The Associated Press

Federal lawyers are preparing to defend the Obama administration's moves to shut down offshore drilling in the wake of BP's oil 2010 oil spill before an appellate panel on Wednesday.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was scheduled to hear an appeal by the Interior Department challenging a contempt of court finding U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman issued in February 2011. Feldman chided the department for its "dismissive conduct."

New Orleans police say recently received DNA evidence links a rape in 2000 and a sexual assault and killing in 1992.

They got a description last week from the woman who was raped in 2000. A police artist used it for a computer-created composite, then sketched what the man may look like now. Police released the two drawings in hope that people can help them identify the man.

The killing was that of 20-year-old Jennifer Altemeier, who was strangled on March 3 — Mardi Gras — 1992.

Gov. Bobby Jindal has tapped one of his cabinet secretaries to also be on the governing board for LSU.

Jindal's office announced Tuesday that Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle was the governor's newest appointment to the LSU Board of Supervisors.

Angelle, from Breaux Bridge, is a member of Jindal's closest circle of advisers. In addition to his cabinet post, Angelle is the governor's chief legislative lobbyist and the administration's liaison for federal oil and gas permitting issues.

MONROE — A northeast Louisiana charter school that prevents pregnant female students from attending school and can force them to take a pregnancy test to continue attending school if administrators "suspect" a pregnancy has drawn the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union.

PIERRE PART — People living near a large sinkhole that swallowed trees and forced evacuations will be briefed Tuesday by officials.

A community meeting has been set for 6:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church Hall in Pierre Part.

The parish police jury also has set up a blog to keep people informed. The blog is at: www.assumptionla.wordpress.com.

An attorney claims Southern University breached the contract of then-Athletic Director Greg LaFleur when it announced, three days after his arrest on a misdemeanor prostitution charge, that LaFleur had been fired.

A Houston jury acquitted LaFleur on the charge earlier this year.

LaFleur was arrested April 3, 2011, and on April 6, 2011, Southern announced that he had been terminated.

LaFleur attorney Scott Wilson argued Monday to state District Judge Todd Hernandez that Southern breached LaFleur's contract because the university had no cause to fire him.

BATON ROUGE — H&E Equipment Services Inc., a Baton Rouge-based construction machinery provider, plans to sell $480 million in debt to investors.

The company says H&E will use the proceeds to retire existing debt and pay a special, one-time cash dividend of $246 million, or roughly $7 per share.

The Advocate reports the company's board of directors must approve the dividend, its amount and the date it will be paid.

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Radio Network is merging with the Louisiana Radio Network's agrinews division.

The Advocate reports that the Louisiana Farm Bureau Agrinews Radio Network will have a combined 42 affiliates in Louisiana and Mississippi.

LRN launched the Louisiana Agrinews Network in 1976, offering several daily agriculture reports for the state's farmers and produced in cooperation with the Farm Bureau. In 1998 the Farm Bureau began the Louisiana Farm Bureau Radio Network with 22 affiliates statewide.

The Fraternal Order of Police wants to have a say in an agreement New Orleans has reached with the Justice Department to overhaul the city's troubled police department.

WVUE-TV reports that the group has asked U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to allow it to intervene in the matter before the judge signs off on the agreement.

The TV station reports that the FOP has complained in the past that it was left out of the negotiations and that officers need more details about what will be expected of them.

Stirling Properties has been awarded a contract to manage the Taylor Energy Building on Lee Circle. The 30,000-square-foot building is owned by the Taylor Foundation.

Terms were not disclosed in the announcement on Monday.