News for Thursday 021413

By Dave Graichen

The state department of education is accepting applications from  families who are seeking state aid so their child can attend a private  or parochial school next year. State Superintendent of Education John

White says 134 schools have been approved to take voucher students,  which is up from the 118 that are participating this year.  A state judge ruled in November that Louisiana is violating the  constitution by funding the voucher program with money designated for  public schools. The state supreme court will hear oral arguments on this  issue next month. White says they can continue the voucher program, despite the legal challenge.

It's Valentine’s Day, and a Marksville couple married for 82 years will  be recognized today as the state's longest KNOWN married couple.  Louisiana Family Forum Executive Director Gene Mills says Norman and  Norma Burma are the reigning champs, having won the same honor last  year. The Burma’s says the secret to the longevity of their  marriage is they love and respect one another.

Health officials have called this year’s influenza outbreak in Louisiana  one of the most severe in years, but finally the number of reported  cases is starting to go down. State immunization director Dr. Frank Welch says this week there's been yet another decrease in flu activity.  Welch says even though we are getting close to the end of the flu season, there have been a couple of reported strains going around so you  should still get a flu shot if you haven't already.

CB&I completed its acquisition of The Shaw Group Inc. on Wednesday. CB&I and Shaw shareholders overwhelmingly approved the $3 billion merger in December. The combined company has more than $11 billion in annual revenue and a backlog of work exceeding $28 billion.

The sinkhole in Assumption  Parish  has  grown  again.  Swallowing up parts of the bayou the hole has already forced 100 people to evacuate since August. However the latest increase, by roughly 5,000  square feet, is not reportedly going near homes or the highway.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office is investigating the case of a three-year-old boy that  was  found  dead  in  his Marrero home as a possible homicide. They say the boy’s mother called  911  to make the

report and deputies had to break in to the home because she couldn't get  out.  Little  Desmond  Brown  was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies detected a strong gasoline  smell  within  the  home, but a

possible motive is unknown at this time.

Mardi  Gras  is  over,  and so begins the 40 days of Lent  for  many Christians. Harlon Pearce,  with the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board says the industry  is  in  pretty good shape for all

those craving delicious Louisiana seafood for Lent. Pearce says the seafood industry  is  slowly  but surely recovering, after both the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in in  2010 and Hurricane Isaac last summer.

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne unveils the state's tourism campaign for 2013;  focusing on Louisiana's music. Dardenne says the new ads include zydeco,  rock, country, swamp pop and jazz music from all corners of the state.  He says the time is right to use homegrown Louisiana music to entice new visitors to the state.

The campaign is a series of TV, radio and print ads touting Louisiana as  "where the music never stops, and where most of it started".

Sen. David Vitter filed a slate of immigration-related bills Wednesday, while continuing his opposition to “comprehensive immigration reform” pushed by the Senate’s so-called “Gang of Eight.” Vitter’s proposals range from offering more visas to those who earn doctorates in the U.S. to more extreme changes that would end automatic citizenship for babies born in the country.

Sports..

The LSU men's basketball team is in South Carolina tonight to take on a  struggling Gamecocks team that has lost four in a row. The Tigers head  into the contest with a 13-and-8 overall record, 4-and-6 in the SEC. you can hear the game this evening starting at 5:30 on Talk Radio 970 KSYL.