 BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer Gov. Jeff Landry has scored a major political victory, as the Legislature gave final approval Friday to a package that revamps Louisiana’s tax system. A majority of Democrats joined Republicans in approving each bill in the package except one. One product of the special session: The state already had the country’s highest sales tax rate, and now a tax that hits the poor hardest will be even higher. Read more about Friday's big votes.
Raising educator pay is seen as crucial to improving teacher recruitment and retention, and some help may be on the way for Louisiana teachers, who are some of the lowest-paid in the country. House Bill 5, which would produce permanent $2,000 raises for teachers and $1,000 pay bumps for support staff, unanimously passed the state Senate. But the funding mechanism for the raises must still be approved by voters as a constitutional amendment. Read more about the potential raises.
LSU has fallen from the top 10 in college football to being unranked after three consecutive losses. An now, the nation’s top high school prospect has turned his back on the Tigers and will play for his home state Michigan Wolverines. Upset of the gastrointestinal kind is rampant in the LSU football world, columnist Scott Rabalais writes, and faith in Coach Brian Kelly and the Tigers is evaporating fast. Read why he says the Tigers desperately need a win today. | 
