The budget for this fiscal year front-loads the TOPS scholarship program, meaning students on TOPS will have their tuition funded for the fall semester but only have 42-percent covered in the spring. LSU student Ally Balthazar has been on the scholarship program for the last three years and her parents pay for what’s left over…:
cut 4 (09) “I graduate”
Those who opposed the TOPS legislation believe it will be difficult for students to get financial aid for the spring semester.

A State Trooper is getting a big pat on the back today for being alert when assisting New Orleas Police in locating a 3-year-old child who disappeared with his grandfather. Authorities say LSP issued a missing child advisory because the grandfather, 45-year-old Roland Williams, suffers from a condition which impairs his judgement. A trooper at a gas station in Livingston Parish located the vehicle the two were in and found them safe inside the story. Both were in good health and returned to family.

The Colorado State University forecast team has upped the number of anticipated named storms in 2016 by one. In June they called for 14 named storms, now they predict 15. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the change is due to the fact that there are already 4 named storms on the books this year. He says that’s the most ever for this early in the season…:
CUT 7 (11) “telling us somethin”
The Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1st through November.

Tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot is up to $449 million dollars, and lottery officials say it could become the 7th largest jackpot in US history. Nobody won the big Powerball prize over the weekend either which is $257 million for Wednesday.