With budget shortfalls still looming, higher education leaders are looking at more potential changes to the TOPS scholarship program. Lawmakers are hopeful they can find the necessary $89 million to fully fund the program next year, but Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says changes will likely come to TOPS whether or not it’s fully funded…:
Cut 8 (10) “on them”
One option being discussed is raising the number of hours a TOPS student must complete in one year.

Governor John Bel Edwards has issued a public health emergency for the town of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish after the Office of Public Health found elevated levels of lead in two samples. Health workers also found elevated levels of copper at two other sites. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is providing residents of the town with bottled water. St. Jospeh has been dealing with water problems for years because of deteriorating water distribution system.

Louisiana is no longer the least healthy state in the nation according to the United Health Foundation, who has released it’s American Health rankings. Mississippi comes in at number 50, while Louisiana is at 49. One troubling statistic is that the rate of diabetes has increased from 11 to 13 percent. State health secretary Rebekah Gee says that’s due in part to the high rate of obestity. She says a healthy lifestyle starts with the individual…
cut 11 (08) “…of money”

LSU running back Leonard Fournette has not been healthy all season, which is why he won’t play in the Citrus Bowl. Fournette, who has declared for the NFL draft, has decided to give his injured ankle time to heal, so he can get ready to work out for NFL teams…
cut 15 (11) “….best for my future”
Today, Grambling plays North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta and the Cajuns face Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl.