In the face of massive budget woes, the Edwards administration has proposed short term and long term actions, including raising the state sales tax by one penny starting in April. Edwards says he will also give lawmakers other options to raise revenue quickly to plug the $750 million dollar shortfall this fiscal year, including higher telephone and cigarette taxes…:
CUT 4 (09) “menu of options”
Edwards says this is not how he wanted to start his second week in office.

Congressman Ralph Abraham is not happy about the Department of Veteran Affair’s choice to lead health care operations in Louisiana and Mississippi. He says Skye McDougall is linked VA scandals and this highlights the necessity for legislation to reform the office of Veterans Affairs…:
Cut 15 (10) “entrenched bureaucrats”
VA officials have defended McDougall.

A man was run over and killed on I-10 in Slidell as he was crossing the interstate in search of a tire that had separated from his Jeep, according to State Police. Investigators determined the vehicle driven by 51-year-old Jay Ouder of Slidell had a mechanical failure which caused a wheel to pop off into the median while he was driving. Ouder went to retrive the tire and was hit as he was running back to his Jeep accross I-10. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, the Louisiana Family Forum is searching for Louisiana’s longest married couple. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”