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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's public colleges are facing cuts of at least $71 million in next year's budget proposal, as it awaits debate on the House floor this week.

Commissioner of Higher Education Jim Purcell said Monday that college leaders will be pushing a bill to allow the schools to raise fees on students to cover the gap.

The fundraising arm of the recreation department for the city of New Orleans is about to get a donation from a foundation that was started by one of the city's best-known Carnival krewes.

A news release from the mayor's office says the Pro Bono Publico Foundation was set to announce its planned donation Tuesday afternoon. The donation is to be dedicated to youth programs at the city's Taylor Playground in the Hoffman Triangle neighborhood.

The Pro Bono Publico Foundation grew out of a rebuilding project that the Rex organization began after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Neville Brothers carried on the tradition of closing out the big stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Funky Meters, regulars at the fest since 1989, were back, and festival creator George Wein were scheduled to play with an all-star cast at the Preservation Hall and Friends 50th Anniversary Celebration.

That was Sunday's big nod to tradition.

The closing day lineup also included Bonnie Raitt, the Foo Fighters and the Rebirth Brass Band as part of the more than 60 groups performing on 11 stages.

COVINGTON, La. (AP) — St. Tammany Parish authorities are working to identify a woman's body found along Interstate 12.

The body was discovered Sunday afternoon near Covington.

WWL TV reports (http://bit.ly/Jb5uxp ) the identity of the body is unknown, but officials with the St. Tammany coroner's office said the body is that of a female.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Stocking up on flashlights, batteries and other items to get ready for hurricane season this summer? You might want to wait until May 26 and 27, when the state holds a sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness items.

That weekend, Louisiana residents won't have to pay the 4 percent state sales tax on a list of items like flashlights and candles, weather radios, waterproof sheeting, gas or diesel fuel tanks, batteries and chargers and storm shutter devices. The sales tax holiday exempts the first $1,500 of the purchase price.