Lawmakers approved a 20% pay raise for State Troopers today during a Joint Legislative Budget Committee meeting. Michelle Southern reports…

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US Senator David Vitter says former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason will be his guest during President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday in Washington. Gleason, who has ALS and has been an advocate for others living with it, announced through Twitter that he was meeting with US Heath and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burton before going to Congress to hear the President’s speech.

A governor’s candidate forum was held in Baton Rouge, and the four candidates discussed what needs to be done for Louisiana highways. The lone democrat in the race, Amite representative Jon Bel Edwards, says Louisiana could spend more money on highways, if state government made sure Transportation Trust Funds went to roads and not other areas…

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Republicans Senator David Vitter, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, and Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle also spoke at the forum.

The EPA has agreed to delay the open tray burn of the M6 propellant at Camp Minden for at least 90 days. Minden Representative Gene Reynolds says this is “half time” and now is not the time to let up because the town hasn’t won yet…:

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Reynolds says there will now be more meetings to discuss how this 15 million pounds of M6 should be disposed of in a way that does not harm the environment.