 BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer Some Republicans have complained for years about what they see as bias against conservatives in public broadcasting. But supporters argue that public broadcasting outlets, which operate on donations as well as taxpayer dollars rather than selling advertising, offer local and in-depth reporting. U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy of Louisiana has filed a bill to abolish the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service. Removing the federal funding would end the programming that is funded by PBS. That means shows like "NOVA," "Frontline," and "Finding Your Roots" would be gone from airways in the state and probably other states as well, said C.C. Copeland, president and CEO of Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Read more about the potential impact of the cuts.
TOPS is a Louisiana program for high-achieving students who attend any of the state’s public colleges and universities. Under a bill proposed this legislative session, a new $12,000 annual “Excellence” award would be created for the highest-scoring students, and new standard amounts would be set for other TOPS awards. A catch: The proposed amounts are several hundred dollars lower than the existing rate at LSU’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, which has by far the most TOPS recipients of any state school. Read more about the legislation.
The end came too soon for the LSU women's gymnastics team, as the Tigers finished in third place Thursday night in their national semifinal, leaving them one place away from qualifying for a spot in the NCAA finals and a chance to defend their national title of a year ago. Read about what went right and wrong for the Tigers. | 
