Louisiana Headlines

LORDSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - President Barack Obama has told workers in a struggling industrial town in Ohio that there are some Americans who believe that communities like these need to "be left behind" in order for the country to get ahead. But Obama told them that the nation's success depends on the success of those communities. He's claiming credit today for preserving jobs and helping get the auto industry back on its feet.

WASHINGTON (AP) - It won't just be Republicans voting against a House measure today that would formally criticize Republican Congressman Joe Wilson for calling President Barack Obama a liar on the House floor. Democrat Barney Frank says he'll vote against it as well. He says he doesn't want lawmakers to have to be "in charge of deciding whether people act like jerks."

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration wants to extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act that are due to expire at the end of the year. They include a provision allowing access to business records -- something that's been criticized by rights groups as giving the government access to library records of citizens.

WASHINGTON (AP) - As coal-fired power plants clean up their emissions into the air, the government says they've increased their output of harmful contaminants into the water. So, for the first time in nearly 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to strengthen standards for water pollution from those plants. It says existing rules don't do enough to protect water quality and wildlife.

DALLAS (AP) - It's another sign of the new types of competition faced by the traditional video rental store. Blockbuster is planning to close as many as 960 stores by the end of next year. That would shrink the video rental chain by more than 20 percent.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)