 BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer As evening fell to night on Thursday, the scene at the Nottoway Resort plantation home in Iberville Parish was stark. A fire that started in the afternoon had destroyed almost the entirety of the historic building. The northern wing was gone, along with most of the mansion's back wall. Only the chimneys remained on those sides, standing where the second and third floors once were. "This thing was built in 1859, now we might just see the end of it," said Jordan Ward, a deputy with the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, as he watched the flames Thursday evening. Read about firefighters' efforts and the aftermath.
In an effort to match school start times with research on children's sleeping patterns, East Baton Rouge public schools are working on a pilot program that would kick things off at elementary schools at 8 a.m., with middle and high schools holding off until at least 8:30 a.m. One problem area: changing the transportation system to fit the new times. Read more about the district's plan.
The LSU softball team has a 41-14 record and the No. 5 RPI in the country. Yet the Tigers are only the No. 10 national seed as they prepare to host an NCAA Baton Rouge regional. Why are the Tigers being held to such a high standard? Columnist Scott Rabalais has the answer: Blame the ultra-tough SEC. | 
