Ex-BP executive’s charge dismissed NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has dismissed a charge that is the backbone of the case against a former BP executive accused of concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil spewing in 2010 from the company’s blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. Defense attorney Reid Weingarten called it a huge victory for David Rainey, who was BP’s vice president of exploration for the Gulf. The charge of obstructing Congress thrown out Monday by U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt “was perhaps as much as 90 percent of the government’s evidence,” Weingarten said. Rainey still faces one count of making false statements to law enforcement agents. La. revokes company’s explosives licenses An explosives recycling company that authorities said improperly stored millions of pounds of a military propellant, causing the evacuation of a Louisiana town last year, was stripped of its state explosives licenses on Monday. Louisiana State Police spokeswoman Julie Lewis said Explo System Inc.’s state explosives licenses will remain revoked “pending the adjudication of all civil and/or criminal violations.” The company has not been charged with any crimes, but state and federal investigations are ongoing. A message left Monday at Explo System’s office was not immediately returned. Explo Systems had a multimillion-dollar military contract to dismantle military propelling charges that are used to fire artillery rounds. The company operated on space leased at Camp Minden, a Louisiana National Guard installation in northwest Louisiana. Coroner to turn over 80K emails BATON ROUGE — Lawyers say St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan has agreed to give nearly 80,000 emails to the state legislative auditor by late Friday morning, and to have a judge decide whether another 2,000 should be turned over. State attorney Jenifer Schaye and Billy Gibbens, representing the coroner, described the agreement Monday to state District Judge William Morvant in Baton Rouge. The agreement averted a scheduled contempt hearing. Schaye represented Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera, who is investigating reports about lavish spending and inflated salaries. She says it’s unusual for the subject of an audit to refuse to turn over documents. A subpoena called for emails among Galvan and five top staffers. Purpura took the case to court in April because the coroner’s office refused to comply with a legislative subpoena. Gibbens told the judge the 80,000 emails cover a nine-year period. Stalking charged ALEXANDRIA— A 42-year-old DeQuincy man is facing dozens of stalking-related charges after officials allege he followed the Glenmora-area victim throughout Rapides Parish. Rapides Parish sheriff’s deputies said the complaint against Daniel Aaron Christensen was made on May 3, alleging that Christensen had followed the victim around the parish and had rented multiple vehicles to do so. Elite getting incentives for Metro Airport flights BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Metro Airport will give a standard incentive package to Elite Airways when the company begins flying out of the market in July. Jim Caldwell, an airport spokesman, said Elite Airways will get a two-year waiver on landing fees and rent. Metro Airport will also help support advertising for the startup airline and could put up as much as $100,000 a year for two years. Eunice man killed, 2 others wounded RAYNE — An 18-year-old Eunice man was shot and later died after he and two others were attacked in the small Acadia Parish community of Branch north of Rayne. Sheriff Wayne Melancon said D’Andre Goodley died Sunday at Acadia-St. Landry Hospital. Authorities did not release the names and conditions of the other two victims, who were transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Melancon said the shootings followed an altercation involving the victims. Red-light camera amnesty considered LAFAYETTE — The Lafayette City-Parish Council is expected to consider a 30-day amnesty period for motorists who are late paying red-light camera fines, and to consider splitting late fees with contractor Redflex if the company shares the cost of collecting overdue fines. Since the program was implemented in 2007, some motorists have refused to pay their fines and have accrued hundreds, even thousands of dollars in fines and late fees. City-Parish Attorney Mike Hebert says some owe as much as $40,000, but most owe between $125 and $300. For at least two months, the council has delayed acting on a proposal that would create a 30-day amnesty period for overdue fines. That proposal is back on Tuesday’s agenda. Woman sentenced in tax refund scheme LAFAYETTE — A 40-year-old New Iberia woman has been sentenced to 26 months in prison in a tax refund scheme that netted $77,349 that the woman used for gambling expenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Veta Thompson was accused of receiving the money as a refund after submitting more than $12 million in overpayments to the Internal Revenue Service from accounts that were either closed or did not have enough money. Prosecutors say the IRS issued nine refund checks in 2009 totaling $77,349 before the agency realized the overpayments were drawn on accounts that were either closed or empty. Seniors accused in school vandalism LAFAYETTE — Police say 19 Comeaux High seniors face misdemeanor charges after they allegedly vandalized the school over the weekend. Lafayette police Cpl. Paul Mouton says the students received misdemeanor summonses for criminal mischief and criminal trespassing for vandalizing the school grounds. Comeaux High Principal Joe Craig said the students didn’t spray paint or destroy property, but the school wasn’t fit to open Monday. Craig says they dumped trash barrels, turned over yard furniture. In the cafeteria, he says they turned over furniture and threw eggs against windows. Craig says some students urinated by the cafeteria, toilet-papered trees, wrote expletives and drew lewd pictures in chalk on sidewalks and buildings. From The Associated Press.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s state-regulated casinos all won less money in April than in March. The drop totals $35.8 million. State police figures show most also won less than they did a year ago. The big exceptions were 8.7 percent one-year increases at both L’Auberge Lake Charles and the slots casino at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. April winnings totaled $196.4 million, up $4.9 million from April 2012 — before the L’Auberge of Baton Rouge opened. Harrah’s New Orleans took in $25.8 million, 18.3 percent below March and 3.9 percent below April 2012. Riverboat casinos won $137.9 million, down 14.5 percent from March but up 4.9 percent from a year earlier. Slot-machine casinos at four race tracks won $32.7 million, down 16.7 percent from March and 1.5 percent from April 2012. April winnings Winnings from gamblers at Louisiana’s state-licensed casinos in April 2013 with totals, attendance, and average loss per customer: SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER Market total: $53.8, 751,075, $71.57 Boomtown: $6.4, 97,414, $66.00 Eldorado: $12.3, 229,054, $53.66 Horseshoe: $15.7, 129,190, $121.41 DiamondJacks: $5.1, 80,366, $63.48 Sam’s Town: $8.5, 120,161, $70.85 Louisiana Downs: $5.7, 94,890, $60.46 LAKE CHARLES Market total: $56.5, 569,119, $99.20 Isle of Capri: $11.0, 111,871, $97.92 L’Auberge Lake Charles: $30.3, 302,962, $100.03 Delta Downs: $15.2, 154,286, $98.50 NEW ORLEANS Market total: $49.4, 648,578, $76.10 Boomtown: $10.8, 124,026, $87.22 Treasure Chest: $8.9, 90,812, $97.86 Harrah’s New Orleans: $25.8, 376,477, $68.53 Fair Grounds track: $3.8, 57,263, $67.22 BATON ROUGE Market total: $24.3, 271,767, $89.54 Belle of Baton Rouge: $5.0, 71,282, $70.43 Hollywood: $7.0, 72,261, $96.97 L’Auberge Baton Rouge: $12.3, 128,224, $95.98 MORGAN CITY Amelia Belle: $4.6, 56,795, $80.42 OPELOUSAS Evangeline Downs track: $7.9, 57,263, $138.23 TOTAL WINNINGS Riverboats: $137.9, 1,614,418, $85.41 New Orleans land: $25.8, 376,477, $68.53 Race track casinos: $32.7, 363,702, $89.91 Grand total: $196.4, 2,354,597, $83.41