Authorities in Iberia Parish and LA State Police are looking for Paul Stanley Collins Jr. who is accused of shooting to death his estranged wife - the mother of his two children.

The government is doling out $20-million to farmers in eight states, including Louisiana, to create habitats for migratory birds whose usual Gulf wintering spots may be fouled by the massive BP oil spill.

Louisiana is entering the grip of a summer heat wave for the weekend and into next week.

The wife of a  Keithville man found murdered in his home Sunday has been arrested for hiring someone to kill her husband.

State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham reopens part of the Mississippi River delta in Plaquemines Parish to recreational fishing.

First Lady Supriya Jindal was in Shreveport and Alexandria today to rally support for an effort to assist those affected by the Gulf oil spill crisis.

>>Stocks Rally On GDP Report

(New York, NY)  --  An unexpected rise in the U.S. gross domestic product prompted a Wall Street rally today.  It was the first time in a year the GDP was higher.  As a result, the Dow Jones Industrial index gained 200 points.  Investors were also encouraged by quarterly profits exceeding expectations at Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive, two major consumer product companies.  The price of a barrel of crude oil rocketed two-dollars-41-cents to close at 79-dollars-87-cents on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

>>Secretary Clinton Taking Harder Line On Pakistan

(Lahore, Pakistan)  --  Stong words came today from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for Pakistan.  She criticized that country's government for not doing more to find terror leaders hiding in the mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.  Addressing Pakistani journalists in Lahore, Clinton said she found it, quote, "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get to them if they really wanted to."  She also spoke to university students concerning a seven-billion-dollar military aid package.  When asked about unmanned drone strikes, she avoided specifics but said Pakistan is losing territory to the Taliban. 

>>NASA Clears Shuttle Atlantis For November Launch

(Cape Canaveral, FL)  --  Space Shuttle Atlantis will fly to the International Space Station next month.  NASA cleared the shuttle for the mission today after a two day review of the shuttle's systems.  The launch team also said they completed the installation of a new onboard camera that will feed live launch images through the cockpit window giving people on the ground a chance to see exactly what astronauts see as they make the climb into orbit.  Atlantis will blast off November 16.

>>Phillies Look To Extend Edge Over Yankees In World Series

(New York, NY)  --  The National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies are hoping to continue their winning ways tonight in Game Two of the World Series.  The defending champions beat the New York Yankees last night in the opening game at Yankee Stadium 6-to-1.  A run in the bottom of the ninth inning prevented the Yankees from what would have been their first shutout loss ever in the first game of the World Series.  First pitch tonight is set for 7:57 p.m. Eastern.

>>House Dems' Healthcare Reform Plans Criticized By GOP

(Washington, DC)  --   A House Republican is voicing concerns about a healthcare reform bill unveiled today by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Mike Pence of Indiana fears the measure will go too far.  Pence called it a "freight train" of big government.  He said Republicans will be looking at the plan closely, noting it's a massive piece of legislation.  Pelosi said the Democrats' measure will actually lower the soaring federal deficit while providing coverage to 96-percent of Americans.  The House plan includes a government-run public option, though it's not as robust as Pelosi desired.

>>Survey:  Record Number Enroll In College

(Undated)  --  The nation's colleges are experiencing record enrollment, driven by a boom in students going to two-year schools.  A Pew Research Center study reveals the number of students ages 18 to 24 hit an all-time high in October of 2008.  Just under eleven-point-five million young people in that age group were in two or four-year colleges.  That's almost 40-percent of the 18 to 24 age group.  Almost three-and-a-half million of those were enrolled in community colleges. 

>>NBA's Redick Plans Rap Album

(Undated)  --  Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick is looking to take his talents from the basketball court to the recording studio.  According to AllHipHop.com, Redick is planning to release a rap album.  The former Duke star says he's part of a "rap super group" that plans on releasing a single titled "Waste Management" before year's end.  Redick isn't the first NBA player to try and establish a career in the rap game.  Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Shaquille O'Neal has had the biggest cross-over success, releasing four studio albums. 
 

(Washington, DC)  --  After weeks of deliberations, House Democrats have finally unveiled their healthcare reform plan.  In a splashy Capitol event, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it an historic moment.  Pelosi said the U.S. is finally on the verge of meaningful, affordable health insurance reform.  She said it will actually lower the soaring federal deficit while providing coverage to 96-percent of Americans.  The House plan includes a government-run public option, though it's not as robust as Pelosi desired. 

Pelosi needs at least 218 votes to pass healthcare reform in the House and has met resistance from moderate and conservative Democrats.  Pelosi said the House measure will cost less than 900-billion dollars over ten years, making it more expensive than counterpart legislation in the Senate.  The full House could start debating the legislation next week.  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called healthcare reform a very long road but said Congress is "one step closer" to making it happen. 
 

(Undated)  --  The nation's colleges are experiencing record enrollment, driven by a boom in students going to two-year schools.  A Pew Research Center study reveals the number of students ages 18 to 24 hit an all-time high in October of 2008.  Just under eleven-point-five million young people in that age group were in two or four-year colleges.  That's almost 40-percent of the 18 to 24 age group.  Almost three-and-a-half million of those were enrolled in community colleges.  Enrollment at four-year schools remained stable.  Pew says the enrollment figures come at a time when the national unemployment rate is at its highest level in more than 25 years.  The research center also cites Census Bureau statistics that show almost 85-percent of 18 to 24-year-olds had completed high school in 2008.  That's a dramatic increase from just over 75-percent in 1967.