BP might've thought they covered everything in the proposed settlement with the people of the Gulf Coast. But it turns out they might've missed somebody. A group that represents shrimp processors is in court today asking Judge Carl Barbier to delay his blessing of the settlement because key groups in the seafood industry are being left out of the settlement. Specifically, docks, processors, distributors, and packaging supply businesses were left out of the $2.3 billion agreement, the processors group says.

It's mid-April, and there's been a lot of oil reported about 50 miles offshore in the Gulf. A giant oil company quickly dispatched an underwater robot to look for a possible source. The more things change...This year's Spring Scourge was brought to us by Shell, who reported seeing a sheen but says it isn't from their wells. The slick is ten miles long by 1 mi. wide. The company estimates about 252 gallons of oil, or 6 barrels, leaked so far, and the Coast Guard says there's no word on environmental damage yet. But don't worry, they're sending a big boat. And after all, if you look close enough, all you can se are rraaiinnbows.

Unless there's an eleventh hour settlement, it's time once again on Monday for the BP and the Big Oozy to invade our news cycle. A huge liability trial that could last into early part of 2013 is set to kick off at the federal courthouse down on Poydras. The jury-less trial essentially seeks to dole out proportions of blame for the April 20 catastrophe in the Gulf. As is typical around the streets of New Orleans, expect to hear a lot of "It Ain't My Fault." Preview coverage here, here and here.

One fine post-Oozy day, the BOP was whisked off to Michoud, and there was talk of a federal probe. While this had us thinking of aliens and those lunatic uncle stories we never wanted to think about again, it turns out they were actually talking about humans conducting a federal investigation. Since then, we haven't heard much about the investigation, which inclues a look at whether BP purposely witheld information or downplayed the severity of the Macondo flow. Today, Huffington Post looks at the latter, and brings back some old names. Suttles, Landry, it's been too long! Read the long, investigative account here.

The Big Oozy's beginning is almost a year gone, but reports of tarballs washing onto shore continue to trickle in with the tide. Missing among the conjecture, however, has been actual photographic evidence of the beaches where the oil's still rollin'. Sounds like a good opportunity for Mother Jones reporter Mac McClelland to have a standoff with a BP flunky! McClelland returned to the scene of her prime this week, seeking to see how the beach has changed in a year down at the Grand Isle-adjacent wildlife refuge, Elmer's Island. After the go-ahead lackey lambasting, she found an even better example of primitive thinking: cleanup workers who fashion their own tools. And, oh ya, there's oil, too.

There's been much talk of the missing oil and the evasive claim checks. But whatever happened to the rig workers who were actually on the Deepwater Horizon when it exploded? Well, there's word from at least one such employee today. Charles Cochran is suing BP, Transocean and other companies involved in the expedition to drill oil from the Gulf. He is claiming the rig manufacturer had an "evil motive or intent" in putting the deepwater drilling rig together negligently. According to Courthouse News Service, Cochran filed a complaint in federal court stating that as a result of being thrown across his cabin as the rig exploded, he "permanently and totally physically, functionally and anatomically disabled, impaired and disfigured" as a result of the explosion. 

Speaking of black menaces in the Bayou, we're again reminded today that the oil is still out there. As cleanup crews begin to think about leaving the Louisiana Gulf Coast, news of the oil that's continuing to wash ashore is apparently making its way to Baton Rogue. State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham told the Daily Comet he would hold BP and feds accountable for finishing the cleanup. Oil continues to be found off the former tourist haven Elmer's Island, Bay Jimmy and Pass-a-Loutre.