BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer In an effort to resolve an impasse over how to spend $2.2 billion in extra cash, the Louisiana House and Senate worked behind the scenes Thursday as the end of the session loomed. The 60-day legislative session ends in a week, but the Senate has yet to release its budget package, including proposals for how to spend the largesse — a source of weeks of political heartburn in the State Capitol. With the clock ticking on the session, it's "time to accelerate the budget process," House Speaker Clay Schexnayder said. The Southeastern Conference will stick with an eight-game conference schedule for football for at least one year. After months of debate, SEC presidents and chancellors voted unanimously Thursday to play eight conference games in 2024. What will happen beyond 2024 is still up for debate. The SEC retained the option to revisit the schedule format in the near future, possibly to add a ninth game, which has had the support of several schools including LSU. There have been several sticking points in the way of the SEC moving to a nine-game schedule. After a public courtship, John Alario and Trina Edwards were married Thursday in a private ceremony in a courtyard in the Louisiana Supreme Court building in New Orleans' French Quarter. Edwards said she could not be any happier with the day and life in general. She said she plans to hyphenate her name and will become Trina Edwards-Alario. Read more about the celebration here. | 