A measure to increase the state’s gasoline tax by 17 cents passes out of the House Ways and Means Committee. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Governor John Bel Edwards says a deal has been reached on a package of bills that seeks to lower the state’s highest-in-the nation incarceration rate. Edwards says the plan will reduce the state’s prison population by 10-percent through expanded parole and probation opportunites and shorter minimum sentences for some felons.

A Slidell man is facing first-degree murder charges after he allegedly beat his 7-week-old son to death. St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith says doctors determined severe head injuries to Karter Smith and deputies questioned his 25-year-old father Anthony Dearmas…:
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Smith says Dearmas also admitted he was frustrated due to Karter’s constant crying.

An LSU New Orleans Health Sciences Center allergist says this is the worst allergy season he’s seen as there’s been a 10-to-20 percent increase in patients suffering from symptoms consistent with outdoor allergies. Doctor Sanjay Kamboj (San-jay Kam-bozh) says with virtually no winter, there were only two days this year where there was no pollen count…
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Kamboj recommends washing your face immediately when coming back inside to remove the pollen.