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Louisiana,
which traditionally shows up on the bottom of national education rankings, has topped Education Week's annual 'Quality Counts' report in its efforts to improve teacher quality and to improve school and student performance. Louisiana ranked first in the nation in the former category, and No. 2 in the second. The national education magazine called Louisiana's teacher training 'impressive.'

Shirley Ann Grau
of New Orleans has won the 2004 Louisiana Writer Award, bestowed by the State Library of Louisiana's Center for the Book. Grau is a short-story writer and novelist who won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel The Keepers of the House. The awards recognize writers' distinguished contribution to Louisiana's literary and intellectual heritage.

OffBeat magazine
of New Orleans has won the Blues Foundation's 2005 'Keeping the Blues Alive' (KBA) Award in the category of Print Media. The national awards go to non-performers in 18 categories. The Blues Foundation honored the monthly magazine for comprehensive coverage of local blues music, fairs, festivals and club listings. The magazine will receive the award Feb. 5 at the International Blues Challenge Weekend in Memphis, Tenn.

Anthony Creme
allegedly attacked a prominent elderly customer outside Galatoire's last week, devastating a festive holiday atmosphere with an appalling display of gratuitous violence and bullying. Witnesses say Creme shoved Dr. Russell Albright, 69, to the sidewalk; the retired radiologist suffered a fractured skull and brain damage as a result. Creme, from Texas, has been charged with the assault.

Other Stories This Week in News & Views:

Commentary
The Facts of Life

News Feature
The Coushatta Connection

Politics
It's All Negotiable

Virgets
Close to Home

Penny Post
Love and Dread