Area briefs for July 3, 2008

• Advocate staff and wire reports
• Published: Jul 3, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Local offices, courts closed for July 4th
City-parish, state and federal offices are closed Friday in observance of Independence Day.

The Clerk of Court’s Office and district, city, federal and juvenile courts are closed Friday.

Garbage and recyclables will be collected Friday and the North and Ronaldson landfills will be open.

Buses will run on a Saturday schedule. There will be no mail collected or delivered Friday and post offices are closed. Only Express Mail will be delivered.

East Baton Rouge Parish libraries are closed Friday. The Animal Control Center and banks are closed Friday.

LSU, Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College classes and offices are closed Friday.

Entergy reports on ‘sustainability’
The 2007 Sustainability Report “Unlocking Value” has been released by Entergy and is available online, according to a company news release. The report outlines work in areas of safety, community involvement, environment and financial responsibility in 2007.  The sustainability report can be found at http://entergy.com/our_community/environment.aspx.

Entergy owns and operates power plants with 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity and delivers electricity to 2.7 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, the release says.

Baker city officials to be sworn in
BAKER — The mayor, police chief and City Council members will take their oaths of office for new four-year terms in a 1 p.m. ceremony Sunday in the Municipal Auditorium on Groom Road.

The public is invited to attend the event, but guests are asked to call the Mayor’s Office at (225) 778-0300 today to reserve a seat for the meal that will be served.

Gretna Mayor Ronnie C. Howard will be the guest speaker. Beginning new terms are Mayor Harold Rideau; Police Chief Mike “Snapper” Knaps; and council members Charles Vincent, Jimmy Pourciau, Fred Russell, Carlon Simpson and A.J. Walls.

State Police plan DWI checkpoints
Louisiana State Police Troop A announced a crackdown on drunken driving this holiday that will emphasize increased patrols and a sobriety checkpoint.

The enforcement effort — titled “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” — comes after Troop A arrested 18 motorists for DWI during last year’s Fourth of July holiday weekend, spokesman Trooper Johnnie Brown said.