Local

Airs Friday, December 19 at 9 p.m.  This week on the Caravan we have new music from Craig Finn and some classics from Erica Wheeler, Taj Mahal, and Muddy Waters and we'll visit with Children of a Mayana God.  In our 2nd hour, a look back at Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, and in our third hour we'll wander mysteriously by still waters. Join us Friday at 9 for the Caravan on Red River Radio.

The city of El Dorado is working through its certification process to become an affiliate city of the Keep America Beautiful organization. Six volunteers will pile into a city van Saturday and drive dozens of miles crisscrossing El Dorado to complete what’s called a "litter index."

Keep El Dorado Beautiful chairwoman Janis VanHook said the passengers will mark a score card to evaluate the magnitude of litter in various areas of the city. VanHook said the litter index will help prioritize and focus beautification projects in the future.

Caddo and Rapides parishes are among 15 selected to participate in a pilot program to develop an early childhood network that would provide 3- and 4-year-olds with equal access to high-quality instruction. State Superintendent John White told reporters yesterday that the parishes will share in a $2.6 million grant.

“We need to end the process of hunting around for a pre-K education," White said. "It’s not fair to families. It’s not fair to kids. By establishing one network, we’ll be able to list all of the options with all of the best information for parents.”