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BELLE CHASSE — Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser declared a state of emergency early Sunday morning due to the threat of Tropical Storm Isaac, the parish said in a press release. Parish officials say they are working with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other local leaders to prepare for the storm.

Forecasters say a hurricane watch has been extended to include the New Orleans metro area as Tropical Storm Isaac makes its way toward the Florida Keys.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday morning that the watch area now stretches from east of Morgan City, La., to the Florida Panhandle.

Forecasters have said that Isaac could be a dangerous Category 2 hurricane by the time it makes landfall over the northern Gulf Coast. That is expected to happen sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

MIAMI — Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Isaac approaches the state.

Scott said the goal was to make sure every local, state and federal agency "has the exact same information" on the storm and preparations in order to make informed decisions. He issued the state of emergency Saturday during a media briefing in Broward County.

Matt Schaub and Drew Brees looked sharp in a high-scoring first half, and Joe Morgan's touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter lifted the New Orleans Saints to a 34-27 preseason victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday night.

Schaub completed 15-of-18 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, but three turnovers by Houston (No. 4 in the AP Pro 32) helped the Saints (No. 9) stay close despite two fumbles of their own.

Brees was 17 of 25 for 179 yards, including TD tosses to Lance Moore and Jimmy Graham.

An LSU scientist has received the Wetland Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association for Ecology.

The Advocate reports the award was presented to Eugene Turner during the organization's International Wetland Conference held in Orlando, Fla., in June.

Turner is a distinguished research master and holds the Shell Endowed Chair in Oceanography and Wetland Studies at LSU.

His work has focused on low oxygen levels in Louisiana coastal areas, a phenomenon known as the "dead zone."

Campaign cash spent on such expenses as football tickets, personal clothing and flower deliveries is drawing attention from the Louisiana Board of Ethics, whose members say the "gratuitous and purely personal" use of political donations is a growing trend.

So the board has launched an effort to create stronger definitions for what is considered improper personal use of campaign contributions.

A committee created in March is working on new rules and is expected to complete its work within a few months.

Jefferson Parish authorities are investigating the shooting death of a 27-year-old woman.

Sheriff Newell Normand says in a news release that that woman, whose identity has not been released, was shot at an apartment in Terrytown on Friday night.

Normand says three children and another woman were in the apartment at the time of the shooting, but it wasn't immediately clear if the victim was the children's mother.

The Shreveport-Bossier Astronomical Society is sponsoring a free star party Saturday, offering the last chance to see Saturn until next summer.

The Times reports the show will go on from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Ralph A. Worley Observatory on Louisiana Highway 175.

Organizers plan viewing of star clusters, nebula and galaxies as well as the focus on Saturn — weather permitting.

A free moon map and sky map will be given to visitors.

Nicholls State University is going ahead with plans to offer a master of nursing program beginning in spring 2013.

The university recently received approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to offer the program under its College of Nursing and Allied Health.

Master's candidates will be able to choose from four areas of concentration: family nurse practitioner, family psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner, nursing educator or nursing executive.