The Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Well-known "blue dog" artist George Rodrigue has been re-appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal to serve as the state's artist laureate.

HOUSTON (AP) — The season has ended for the New Orleans Hornets with an 84-77 loss to the Houston Rockets. Jerome Dyson, Lance Thomas and Darryl Watkins scored 13 points for the Hornets, who finished the season by winning eight of their last 13 games. 

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says he's angry about allegations that his Superdome booth was wired so he could eavesdrop on opposing coaches radio conversations. Loomis spoke shortly before Thursday night's first round of the NFL draft. The Saints don't currently pick until Friday night's third round. 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — U.S. Sen. David Vitter is pushing for a long-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Louisiana Republican wants to stop extending the program with short-term extensions. The insurance program, which provides help for people who are flooded, hasn't been fully reauthorized since 2004. The program is slated to expire at the end of May unless it is extended.

A bill sponsored by Vitter to extend the flood insurance program through 2016 is awaiting a vote before the full Senate.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lawmakers are weighing whether to use Louisiana's "rainy day" fund to fill a $211 million gap in this year's budget.

House Speaker Chuck Kleckley said Thursday that the state could get $215 million from the fund, if two-thirds of the House and Senate agree. He says he's willing to look at using the money because he's worried that higher education and health care would face deep cuts otherwise that could damage services.

The state's forecasting panel downgraded income projections this week.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bid to repeal a law that bans employers from discriminating against smokers has failed to win traction in the Legislature.

The repeal, sought by hospitals and health care leaders, was narrowly rejected in a 3-2 vote by the Senate labor committee amid concerns it could lead to widespread firings by employers.

More than 20 years ago, legislators passed a law protecting smokers from workplace discrimination.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A live recording of Louis Armstrong playing his trumpet for one of the last times is being released to the public for the first time. The recording is being played Friday at the National Press Club in Washington where it was created in January 1971. 

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is still doing interviews regarding player punishments that likely will be handed down for the Saints' pay-for-hits bounty system. Goodell says he doesn't expect to issue a decision this week but says he's in the final stages of working on discipline involving the players. 

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana House has narrowly refused to extend an existing tax break given to the New Orleans Hornets that saves the team $3.7 million a year.

The extension proposed by Metairie Rep. Cameron Henry, a Republican, fell four votes short of passage in a 49-46 vote Wednesday.

The NBA team gets a tax break through the state Quality Jobs Program. Henry proposed continuing that for the length of the Hornets' new lease with the state, which is set to go through 2024.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jazz horns, Cajun fiddles, zydeco washboards and rock guitars — they'll all be heard at the same place when the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicks off tomorrow. Performances by soul singer Irma Thomas, the Beach Boys, the rock band Zebra, jazz clarinetist Tim Laughlin, Buckwheat Zydeco and others open this year's event.