Fort Polk, Barksdale Air Force Base and other Louisiana defense installations could share more than $100 million in federal money during the current fiscal year.

Fort Polk, about 50 mi. west of Alexandria, would receive $72 million for five projects under the agreement, which contains $9.2 billion for military construction in the current fiscal year.

The largest amount, $34 million, would be used to build an aircraft maintenance hangar at Fort Polk, which will become home to the Second Stryker Brigade next year. The hangar would house the fort's helicopters, including those belonging to the brigade and any future craft.

The agreement also includes $462,000 for a new command center at Barksdale in Bossier City, allowing the 93rd Bomber Wing to consolidate into one building from the seven separate structures it now occupies.

Charity hospitals need $1.1 billion in repairs, equipment

Louisiana's charity hospitals need more than $300 million to remain open and need $1.1 million in total improvements, a new study recently reported.

At LSU's Earl K. Long Medical Center in Baton Rouge, an expected $18.1 million in repairs will be needed during the next decade.

The report suggested studying whether the state-run charity hospital in Independence should stay open.

The system's other hospitals - in Lafayette, Bogalusa, Houma, Lake Charles and Monroe - are in fair condition, according to the assessment.

The report estimated between $302 million to $325 million is needed to keep the hospitals open.

The statewide hospital-by-hospital assessment, done by Washer-Hill & Lipscomb with Adams Project Management Consulting, provided the first analysis of each hospital.