BATON ROUGE — Quit text messaging while you're driving, and tell your teenager to turn off the cell phone while behind the wheel. Those are just two of the many new laws that went into effect July 1.

The state Mineral Board is offering its services to assist state agencies with lease process.

Staff Sgt. Erica Baker, a noncomissioned officer at Barksdale Air Force Base, will be at the NAACP's 99th annual convention in Cincinnati on Tuesday to accept the Air Force 2008 Roy Wilkins Renowned Service Award.

Following are candidates — listed by day of qualifying — in federal, regional and local elections to be held in Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto and Webster parishes.

Clementine Hunter has been called Louisiana's most famous folk artist. But for James Hunter, Clementine was simply Mama Tebe, a grandmother who took an 11-year-old in after his father died. Now his works are on display in Lafayette.

NEW ORLEANS — In this version of the running of the bulls, the horned "creatures" are on wheels, armed with light plastic bats and aggressively female. But, hey, it's Bourbon Street and the idea galloped straight out of Mardi Gras.

Shreveport police Detective Roy Menefee will receive the 2008 Law Officer of the Year award from the Grand du Louisiana unit of the Forty & Eight Society at the close of its state convention at the Lafayette Holiday Inn Holidome today. He also will receive the national Forty & Eight Society's Officer of year award at its national convention in Orland, Fla., Sept. 3-6.

Some Oil City residents worry raw sewage spills near their homes are impacting the water quality of Caddo Lake and threatening the health and safety of swimmers, fisherman and boaters.

Three generations of Air Force service are recognized in an insignia-pinning ceremony at the 917th Wing on Barksdale Air Force Base.

The next LSU AgCenter lunch and Ag Discovery session will be held July 21.