Urban India's transsexual community is going mainstream and becoming more visible than ever before.

Brittany Danielle Pemberton and Daniel Eugene Reynaud exchanged wedding vows on November 21, 2009 at Life Church in Shreveport, LA.

RUSTON - The chairman of Louisiana's Board of Regents told graduating seniors at Louisiana Tech University that while commencement was a celebration of the graduates' commitment to excellence, the new alumni would need to continue to learn.

Sam and Sherri Johnston of Calhoun, La. are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Lee Johnston, to Justin Blake Brown, son of Randy and DeAnna Brown of Calhoun.

Jim Krestensen of Calhoun, La. is pleased to announce the engagement of his daughter, Megan Elizabeth, to 2nd Lt.

RUSTON - A team of researchers at Louisiana Tech University has found that a naturally occurring microorganism acts as a natural herbicide against giant salvinia.

Louisiana Tech University President Dan Reneau says he remains a firm supporter of the state's Taylor Opportunity Program for Students or TOPS that pays tuition at in-state schools for high-achieving high school students.

Louisiana's regional universities might have been stretching the guidelines that control what level courses they teach, says an advisory panel that recommends a review and scaling back of course offerings.

Alaina Michelle Watson of Richardson, Texas, formerly of Alexandria and Ryan Scott Strain of Grand Prairie, Texas, formerly of Pineville are pleased to announce their engagement and approaching marriage.

ARCADIA - An Arcadia resident has been appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of Red River Valley BIDCO Inc., a provider of small and intermediate business development loans.

All three University of Louisiana System schools in the region are readying to distribute the H1N1 flu vaccine to students and faculty, groups among the most vulnerable to contract the virus.

Several faculty members from Louisiana Tech University have received recognition for recent inventions, patents and licenses as well as their overall contributions to the institution's commercialization efforts, including members of the Trenchless Technology Center.

RUSTON - Gov. Bobby Jindal toured Louisiana Tech University on Tuesday afternoon and talked up the school as a model that other universities should look to for guidance in the midst of lean budget years to come.

Louisiana faces difficult times ahead. The deficits staring the state in the face are the focus of two different committees.

Volusia County schools will get a checkup next week from a visiting team of educators to see how well they are meeting regional accreditation standards.

Former NFL tight end Mike Barber mixed Jeff Foxworthy-style jokes with humility to entertain and inspire Thursday at the 28th annual Shreveport-Bossier Mayors' Prayer Breakfast.

A comparison of ancient Mayan and Egyptian civilizations will be the topic as The Maya and the World lecture series continues, presented by Louisiana Tech University and the Lincoln Parish Library.

RUSTON -- Louisiana Tech's School of the Performing Arts will present the fifth annual Octubafest concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Instead of worrying about whether it has too many state universities, Louisiana needs to concentrate on making the ones it has the best they can be, an out-of-state expert who is serving on a state review panel said.

Four-year colleges and universities in Louisiana would be encouraged to raise admissions standards in an effort to boost graduation rates under a proposal approved unanimously Tuesday by a blue-ribbon panel studying ways to restructure higher education.