LOUISIANA

“Legislators still hadn’t nailed down the final details Thursday morning to settle Louisiana’s worst budget crisis since the late 1980s. They have until 6 p.m. when the legislative session adjourns.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“A budget deal has been struck this morning that would bump up a tax on cigarettes and sweeten funding for public schools, but a key measure that would make Louisiana’s $24.5 billion budget veto proof remains in question.” – Monroe News Star

“The Louisiana Senate on Wednesday voted in dramatic fashion to select its own leadership by secret ballot, a move that seeks to diminish the traditional role the governor has played in selecting the Senate President and President Pro Tempore.” – NOLA.com

“House and Senate leaders are trying to reach a compromise on higher taxes and state fees, tax breaks and scaling back business subsidies. The Senate version of the budget contains about $250 million in spending above the level approved by the House.” – WWL-TV

“Stagnant oil prices have led some major energy companies to delay new offshore drilling projects while creating an opening for smaller independent oil and gas firms to take advantage of lower equipment costs, industry leaders said Wednesday during the opening day of the Louisiana Energy Conference in New Orleans.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Lawmakers have given final approval to a bill aimed at barring illegal immigrants from being married in Louisiana. A final version of the proposal by Rep. Valarie Hodges, a Denham Springs Republican, was approved by both the House and Senate on Wednesday.” – Lake Charles American Press

“Gayle Benson, who is almost as prominent a figure in the ongoing trial to determine whether her husband Tom Benson has the mental capacity to manage his business affairs as the Saints and Pelicans owner himself, on Wednesday made her first appearance at Civil District Court since the trial began last week.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“State officials are sending recovery teams to rural northwest Louisiana to assess flood damage from the Red River as homes and farmland remain under water.” – Lake Charles American Press

“The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council gave the library system the green light Wednesday to hold an election for an 11.1-mill property tax this fall, after many said they received an outpouring of support for the library.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“The 2015 MLB Draft concluded with at least 23 players with Louisiana high school ties selected. Among those, three were selected as high school seniors. The others have attended colleges. Here is a list of those players with their high school affiliation.” – NOLA.com

NATIONAL

“Instead, his team did something unorthodox: They decided not to directly refute charges that the freshman senator is a reckless spender, has drowned in debt, and has engaged in questionable financial practices. Rubio spokesman Alex Conant suggested that they’re not even a liability but rather an asset, because the senator’s financial struggles, which he’s spoken about often on the campaign trail, make him a more relatable candidate. The attacks, they say, even make Rubio look like a victim of snot-nosed elites.” – National Review

“Exactly one year ago, the world learned about the militant group known today as the Islamic State. The group — which is also known as ISIS and ISIL — had been in existence for months when al-Qaeda cut ties with it. Apparently, the Islamist State was too extreme even for the masterminds of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.” – Washington Post

“It has been plain all along that Mosby, probably motivated by political concerns and mob sentiment, overcharged in this case. We are now beginning to see the consequences.” – Power Line

“There were 23 homicides and 39 nonfatal shootings in Baltimore in May 2014. Through 29 days of May 2015, there were 42 homicides and 104 nonfatal shootings. Gulp.” – Hot Air

“We are ruled by criminals. Consider the case of Rodney Thompson, the school superintendent in Berkeley County, S.C., who is currently collecting a $168,714 salary while he awaits trial on a public-corruption charge related to the misuse of government resources for a political campaign.” – Kevin Williamson/National Review

“Rupert Murdoch, the 84-year-old chief executive officer and controlling shareholder of 21st Century Fox, is preparing to step down as CEO of the media giant and hand that title to his son James, according to numerous sources close to the Murdoch family.” – CNBC

“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the Grand Old Party and take them out. If conservatives — who are just now realizing the extent of the bait-and-switch double-cross that the loathsome Mitch McConnell and Weepy John Boehner have pulled on them — must now make common cause with their “friends” across the aisle in the interests of recapturing the Party of Reagan, so be it. Sometimes the enemy of my enemy really is my friend.” – Michael Walsh/PJ Media

“This is a common feature of American liberalism. Heap hate and scorn on all who oppose you — and then chide them for being hateful.” – Matt Walsh/The Blaze

“These people are insane. Like all quivering-eyed puritans and crusaders before them, they see a Dark World, swimming with wickedness and demonic influences, in desperate need of the cleansing fires of their Most Holy Arsons.” – Ace of Spades

“At least two Apple retail store workers complained directly to Chief Executive Tim Cook that the company’s policy of checking retail employees’ bags as a security precaution was embarrassing and demeaning, according to a court filing made public on Wednesday.” – CNBC