With flying
Jeff Davis Parish’s fourth grade students were ranked sixth in the state, while eighth graders came in at fifth place in their standardized testing scores for the spring, according to figures from the Louisiana Department of Education.
District Test Coordinator Wanda Martin said the figures keep Jeff Davis Parish’s students near the top of the state for first-time test takers. »»
Giles: Rising gas prices putting squeeze on budget
LAKE ARTHUR – There may be no new additions to the 2008-09 budget here since gas prices are putting a dent in the town’s pocket.
Oil prices surpassed a record $126 per barrel Friday on the heels of the U.S. driving season, according to a report from The Associated Press.
Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose $2.51 to a new record of $126.20 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by the afternoon in Europe. »»
Drugs, teens, depression a dangerous mix
WASHINGTON (AP) – Depression, teens and marijuana are a dangerous mix that can lead to dependency, mental illness or suicidal thoughts, according to a White House report released today.
A teen who has been depressed at some point in the past year is more than twice as likely to have used marijuana as teens who have not reported being depressed – 25 percent compared with 12 percent, said the report by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. »»
Flea market vendors to set up shop on Saturday
The Second Saturday Flea Market in Jennings is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, and event organizer Polly Henry expects to see a record number of vendors selling hard-to-find Mother’s Day gifts this Saturday.
“I’ve received a lot of calls from new vendors this month,” Henry said, “so we’re anticipating a pretty successful flea market this weekend. Our vendors sell some really special items, and I’m probably one of their best customers.” »»
Income projection boost expected for Louisiana budget
BATON ROUGE (AP) – The state’s revenue forecasting panel is expected to substantially boost Louisiana’s income projections, putting millions of dollars in additional money on the table for lawmakers to haggle over.
The revisions made Friday by the Revenue Estimating Conference will continue fueling debate at the state Capitol about spending plans for the upcoming budget year and proposals to cut income taxes. »»
