BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer Sito Narcisse, the schools leader in Baton Rouge, is a finalist for the post of superintendent of Broward County (Florida) public schools, the sixth largest district in the country. He has made clear he is open to staying in Baton Rouge, and his supporters are going to bat for him, pushing for the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board to open negotiations for a new contract for Narcisse; his present deal is set to expire June 30, 2024. But board members have balked so far, preferring to focus on the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year and figuring out how to pay for “sustainable teacher pay raises.” The East Baton Rouge Parish Communications District Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to approve rate increases that will generate an estimated $2.2 million annually for new employees and maintenance and upgrades of the 911 system. Residential landlines will see a $4.32 annual increase, business landlines will see a $5.88 annual increase and cellular lines will see a $4.80 increase. Some board members expressed concerns about a $6 million rainy day fund the communications district already holds, but in the end the rate increase passed by a 5-1 vote. The LSU baseball program will host its first Baton Rouge regional since 2019 this weekend. The Tigers (43-15) will take on No. 4 seed Tulane (19-40), the NCAA tournament's most unlikely participant, at 2 p.m. Friday. The regional's other first-round game will feature a battle between No. 2 seed Oregon State (39-18) and No. 3 Sam Houston State (38-23). Here's everything you need to know about the regional. | 