Local

Retired Panola College history instructor Bill O'Neal will serve a two-year term. He was sworn in this week by Texas Gov. Rick Perry. O'Neal will crisscross the state attending historical meetings and speaking to groups as the state historian. He calls it a "dream job."

LaSalle Parish is about to launch its largest collaborative grant program ever. The goal of Live Lively LaSalle is to help residents confront obesity and shed pounds. The matching grant, $2 million in all, will pay for different approaches to improving people's health over the next several years of the grant period.