 BY VICKI FERSTEL | Staff writer Louisiana's very own John Foster is now heading to the "American Idol" grand finale Sunday, after making it to the top 3 on Monday's show. Foster, 18, will be competing with stay-at-home mom Breanna Nix, of Denton, Texas; and teacher Jamal Roberts, of Meridian, Mississippi. The LSU pre-med freshman will be getting a hero's welcome home with a parade at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Addis followed by a waterfront concert in Plaquemine at 7:30 p.m.. Staff writer Judy Bergeron has all the details.
LSU baseball ranks No. 1. The Tigers were awarded the top spot in D1Baseball, Perfect Game and Baseball America's weekly polls on Monday. Sports writer Koki Riley notes that LSU is followed by Florida State at No. 2, Texas at No. 3, North Carolina at No. 4 and Oregon at No. 5 in D1Baseball's rankings. Auburn (2), North Carolina (3), Georgia (4) and Florida State (5) trail LSU in Baseball America's latest poll. Sports columnist Scott Rabalais chimes in: "A perfect team? Definitely not. But one that at 40-12 overall and 17-10 in SEC play has come far enough and done enough to be considered as good – or better – than anyone else in a season without a clear juggernaut squad sitting out there anywhere across the college baseball landscape."
Teacher stipends, LA GATOR: Louisiana would spend nearly $200 million on one-time pay stipends for public school teachers and other school employees under a proposed budget advanced Monday that would keep educator pay flat as lawmakers explore ways to fund long-term raises. The spending plan, which the full House is expected to vote on Thursday, includes $93.5 million for the LA GATOR program, giving families tax dollars for private school tuition and homeschooling expenses. | 
