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The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
has received a $290,000 federal grant to expand its award-winning PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program to other states. The family reading and literacy program, designed to help underprivileged children and their families develop a love for reading, has received national accolades. The National Endowment of the Humanities says the new funding will bring PRIME TIME to 20 libraries in at least four other states.

Lusher School
is one of five schools in the country to have been named a "Creative Ticket National School of Distinction" for the 2002-2003 academic year by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The honor recognizes strong arts curricula in schools, and comes with a cash award to support the winners' arts programs. Lusher's K-8 arts curriculum is bolstered by several partnerships with the New Orleans and Louisiana arts communities.

The Meters
ranked No. 1 for "Best Funk Album" in Zagat Survey's first Music Guide. Zagat Survey, best known for rating restaurants and hotels, named the Meters' Funkify Your Life in its list of most popular albums by genre. The recently released Music Guide surveyed thousands of music lovers on their listening tastes and habits and covers music across 20 genres and eight decades.

Kennedy-Barbe High School brawlers
displayed the worst in unsportsmanlike conduct as players from both sides tried to keep the peace. Kennedy assistant coach Ron Alvarez says he punched Barbe coach Paul Demarie in reaction to shoving and racial slurs, while Civil Sheriff Paul Valteau accuses Calcasieu Parish deputies of threatening Kennedy students with guns. Kennedy band members and other youths and adults also jumped into the ugly melee.

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