The Louisiana Department of Education today begins accepting applications for the Louisiana Scholarship Program for the 2016-2017 school year. Eric Gill reports…:
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This afternoon, Governor John Bel Edwards and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne are set to present options for ways the state can repair its operating budget. There’s a $750 million dollar hole in the current fiscal year budget which must be filled by July, and a $1.9 billion dollar shortfall is forecast for 2016-2017.

Visitation is today for former state legislator and ex-mayor of Marksville, Raymond Laborde. Laborde was in the state legislature from 1972 to 1992. He also served as Commissioner of Adminstration during former Governor Edwin Edwards final term in office. Laborde also owned and operated Raymond’s Department Store in Marksville. Edwards says his lifelong friend was still heavily involved with store in his final days…:
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Laborde passed away Sunday at the age of 88. Funeral services are tomorrow at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marksville.

We’ll learn this hour the performers of this year’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. 2016’s lineup is already off to a good start as singer-songwriter Paul Simon let it slip at a charity gig in New Orleans that he would be back for Jazz Fest.3