FOOTBALL: Nutt’s summary of spring drills Houston Nutt summarizes spring practice as the Rebels head into Saturday’s Red-Blue game: I’m proud of the way we’ve worked. The terminology changes, coaching changes … it’s not always easy. We’ve just got to keep getting better. There are some times at practice where things don’t go right, and there’s a defeated look that we want to correct. We harp on that. It goes back to that shut-off button, and a lot of little things that we have to correct, but it’s been a good spring. (Are the players better now than at the beginning of spring?) Anybody that has watched consistently would say they’re different, they’re better. Are we there? No, but I just love the start we’ve had. Now we want to turn the corner, be excellent students and finish strong, do all the little things right and have a great summer. We’re better. (The defense really threw a lot at you at the end of practice Wednesday …) There would have been some sacks, but I like sometimes playing good on good and letting them bring the house. I want to see how our guys react. If you come out here and choreograph success it doesn’t do you much good, but if you turn them loose, let them show you the speed of the game, let them see it, it just helps you. You can get back in the film room and really correct. We can be better teachers, and our guys can learn from it.

When Hornets owner George Shinn moved to New Orleans in 2002, one of the first calls he made was to Saints owner Tom Benson. Tony O. Champagne / The Times-Picayune Shinn had read comments from Benson that expressed doubt about New Orleans' ability to support two major league teams. In a message with Benson's assistant, Shinn extended an invitation to "get acquainted" over lunch or dinner. Six years later, he's still waiting to break bread with Benson. To this day, Shinn and Benson have met and spoken only a handful of times, and only in business settings. Despite similar livelihoods, backgrounds and tax brackets, the conversations never have gone beyond simple greetings. "I don't have a relationship with Tom Benson," Shinn said earlier this season. "I wish I did. But I don't."

http://www.folo.us/2008/04/13/yo-doj-folo-us-to-bobby-delaughters-house/ 04-13-2008

DJ – Editorial – 4/13/8 Consider the mortgage interest deduction, for example, as we approach tax day. Or the one for charitable contributions. Or a host of other examples. These policies assume that home ownership and a healthy non-profit sector are good for individuals and society. Their architects and defenders (which, yes, do include vested…

Clarion Ledger 4/13/8 Skinner said he’s not surprised authorities are examining DeLaughter’s finances. The fact DeLaughter will have a $250,882 balloon note after making mortgage payments for 20 years “blows my my mind,” Skinner said. “That’s the most bizarre home deal I’ve heard in my life.”

Clarion Ledger 4/13/8 “I can’t discuss the terms,” the subcontractors’ attorney, Robert Williamson Jr. of Jackson, said last week. But federal court documents say the agreement will pay $695,883.60, the entire amount sought by the subcontractors. Neither Facility Group officials nor their attorney could be reached for comment. Facility Group had a counterclaim in federal…

AP, 4/12/8 “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them,” Mr. Obama responded, according to a transcript of the fund-raiser published on Friday on The Huffington Post. “And they fell through the…

House rejects hotel tax vote A bill that would allow Jackson residents to vote on a hotel tax hike did not clear the Mississippi House today. Tax hike revenue would be used to raise police officers’ salaries. But some legislators protested that it would hurt their pocketbooks. Many stay in Jackson hotels during the legislative…

The Rigsby Gals have gotten disqualified as witnesses . . . again . . . in another case. This time, the order comes from Judge Ozerden’s courtroom in the Kreeger case.

Trailer Lawyers move for stay of Ex rel. Rigsby Consider the statement that they did not direct anything: “Hi, I’m Dickie Scruggs, welcome to the first meeting of what we’ll call the Trailer Lawyer Katrina Group. Now, everyone look for the cardboard footprints with your name on them, and stand right there, put these blindfolds…

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/NEWS/80411013 04-11-2008 With little discussion, the Mississippi Senate this morning confirmed four new members of the state College Board. The appointees include C.D. Smith Jr. of Meridian, Dr. Douglas Rouse of Hattiesburg, Alan Perry of Jackson and Christy Pickering of Biloxi — all nominated by Gov. Haley Barbour. The Senate Universities and Colleges Committee approved…