BY DEANNA B. NARVESON | Staff writer Balancing the budget: Can Gov. Jeff Landry hold the line against special interests? That’s the key question that emerged Monday as the governor tries to keep legislators, under heavy lobbying pressure from a wide array of interest groups, from giving away too much revenue in his tax package. The special session has to end by next Monday. One idea under serious consideration would be to hike the state sales tax by half a cent, even though Louisiana already has the highest local and state sales tax rate combined in the country and a higher sales tax hits the poor the hardest. Read the full story. Another setback: The controversial Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a massive $3 billion coastal restoration project tied up in lawsuits, may hit yet another roadblock.A new scientific review may be in order to determine whether “forever chemicals” — PFAS compounds — pose a threat to endangered species in the Barataria Basin if the project is built. While scientists suggest the issue likely does not pose a problem, a full review would require more time, potentially further delaying the project and adding costs. Read the full story about the project's latest developments. Out of the playoffs: Four days before it was set to appear in the playoffs, the season ended for University High’s football team inside a Baton Rouge courtroom Monday afternoon. District Court Judge Ronald Johnson ruled against the school and in favor of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, which ruled last month that two of the Cubs’ players that transferred from Liberty Magnet High were ineligible and ordered U-High to forfeit seven of its wins. Read more. | 