Ex-WorldCom CEO denied new trial

A federal judge has denied a bid by former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers for a new trial, paving the way for him to be sentenced today in the record $11 billion fraud.

Ebbers had argued the judge or prosecutors should have granted immunity to three witnesses that Ebbers contends could have helped clear him of charges related to the fraud.

His lawyers also said prosecutors unfairly prejudiced jurors by suggesting in their closing statement that there was evidence outside the trial record that proved government witnesses were telling the truth.

Agriculture

State’s wheat totals revised downward

Kansas’ wheat harvest is expected to come in at 374.4 million bushels, down 2 percent from last month’s estimate but still 19 percent more than last year’s drought-plagued harvest, Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reported Tuesday.

Farmers had been looking forward to a bin-busting crop, but had to settle for more average returns as conditions deteriorated as harvest approached.

Unchanged from last month was the 9.6 million acres of harvested wheat, 1.1 million more wheat acres cut than last year.

The July production report estimated average yields statewide at 39 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from last month’s forecast but 2 bushels above yields a year ago, the agency said.

The report is based on harvest activity and conditions as of July 1.

Weather

Gulf oil platforms resume operations

Just two days after Hurricane Dennis plowed into the Gulf Coast, petroleum companies Tuesday restarted scores of production platforms that were evacuated as the storm approached in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the U.S. Minerals Management Service, 64 platforms were shuttered at midday Tuesday, down sharply from 359 on Monday when 1.4 million barrels, or 96 percent of the Gulf’s normal daily oil production, was interrupted.

By Tuesday, the amount of normal oil production that was being kept off market had dropped to 57 percent, or 857,975 barrels, the service said. The Gulf normally produces about 1.5 million barrels per day from 819 staffed platforms.