Governor John Bel Edwards will go before the Joint Legislative Budget Committee today to present his budget proposal for next fiscal year. He says it will outline what would happen if lawmakers don’t address the looming, billion-dollar fiscal cliff. Edwards and GOP leaders have been at odds on budget issues. Political Analyst Clandy Dubos says this is politics…:
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The shortfall is due to a one cent sales tax expiring on June 30th.

Emerge Louisiana chooses 25 Democratic women that will train on how to run for political office. Executive Director Melanie Oubre says nine women have been enrolled in the class and plan to run for office again…:
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She says these women come from across the state and will get 70 hours of in depth education over six months.

A 9.7 million dollar grant will fund the creation of an oil consortium at UL-Lafayette. Jeff Palermo finds out what that could mean for the state…:
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State Police say I-10 West could be closed for several hours between Baton Rouge and Lafayette due to an 18-wheeler crash and fire. They say it happened just past Whiskey Bay on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge around 5am. I-10 West drivers are being diverted in West Baton Rouge Parish at the Lobdell exit to Us 190 West to I-49 South to Lafayette.