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City of Longview Sanitation Division employee Cris Hudson has advanced to the international competition hosted by the Solid Waste Association of North America, called Road-E-O. Hudson will test her skills in operating a garbage truck in Lexington, Ky., this weekend. This is the first time the city of Longview has had an employee qualify for this level of competition.

The LSU Health System is exploring new funding models that could stop a bloodletting of budget cuts in recent years. The tipping point came this year with a reduction of the federal Medicaid reimbursement to Louisiana. Dr. Hugh Mighty, vice chancellor for clinical affairs at LSU Health Shreveport, met with reporters to clear the air about what options are on the table. He said the LSU Health System does not intend to "sell off the hospital" as it seeks potential investors to engage in public-private partnership talks.

Centenary College in Shreveport has launched its Passport Points rewards program. It gives students point-based incentives to attend certain events on campus. Associate dean Melva Williams says the program is an easy way to help pay for international travel. She says students can earn up to 2,000 points during their college career, and the points can be used toward travel costs on education-related trips abroad.