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A proposal that might make it easier for black candidates to win posts on New Orleans' City Council now has the support of all current council members.

The council president and vice president made that announcement Wednesday evening.

The only two African-American members of the 7-member council have stayed away from recent meetings after the council deadlocked on the issue earlier this month.

There was already one vacancy on the council, so the apparent boycott by Jon Johnson and Cynthia Hedge-Morrell made it impossible to get the quorum needed to conduct business.

It remains unclear whether the two council members will return for Thursday's meeting.

Corie Brown, founder of Zester Daily, discusses the world of online publishing. Plus, Greg Sonnier reveals the 120 year history of Gabrielle Restaurant's new location.

It's been called the most successful alliance in world history. President Obama and fellow leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, are meeting at an important summit in Chicago this month to discuss the future of the alliance.

NATO troops have now spent a decade in Afghanistan, and more recently, NATO airpower helped to overthrow Moammar Ghaddafi in Libya. But in the face of economic stress, and war-weary publics in the United States and Europe, how will the alliance move forward?

For more information on this series go to: americaabroad.org/radio

Diplomatic ties between New Orleans and South Africa are being renewed after a break 33 years ago over Apartheid rule. An honorary consul’s main concern will be shepherding a $10 billion energy plant to completion in southwest Louisiana.

The city’s death toll has fallen dramatically over the past year, even as the number of other violent crimes has skyrocketed, according to statistics just released by the New Orleans Police Department.

How a regional arts council is helping return arts programming to schools in small coastal Louisiana communities.

The sister-in-law of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson has died after suffering a severe head injury at her home.

John Gagliano, investigator for the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office, says Sandra Peters Jefferson died early Saturday at the Interim LSU Public Hospital. She was hospitalized there Friday with an unspecified head trauma.

Police initially reported Jefferson as a gunshot victim. But Superintendent Ronal Serpas said later he could not confirm the cause of her injury. Weapons were removed from the home she shares with her husband, Archie L. Jefferson, but Serpas didn't know whether any were involved with the injury.

Archie Jefferson, a younger brother of William Jefferson, has been questioned in the case.

It’s time for the festival in the forest, known as FORESTival. Music, art and nature come alive in the 3rd annual celebration at A Studio in the Woods – an artist retreat in Lower Coast Algiers.

"The focus is really showcasing the artists and the connection between the arts and the natural environment," says spokesperson Ama Rogan. "Aside from the artists that we’ll be having, we will have tours of our woods with our staff botanist David Baker. Our founders Joe and Lucianne Carmichael will be giving a tour of their home, which was all built sustainably in the 70’s and 80’s from fully recycled materials."