Governor John Bel Edwards spoke at the Capitol today to announce the administration’s options to fix the state’s $750 million dollar shortfall for this fiscal year. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says proposes tapping the rainy day fund for 128 million dollars, and raising the sales tax by 1% beginning April 1st. Edwards anticipates calling a special session on February 14th and have it last until March 4th.

The owner of the company originally hired by New Orleans to take down Confederate monuments, but has since backed down, found his $200,000 vehicle completely burned this morning at H&O Investments in Baton Rouge. David Mahler’s lawyer, Roy Maughan, Jr., says Mahler believes the story isn’t about him but about what the city council of New Orleans voted to do…:
cut 15 (10) “the threat”
Several agencies are investigating.

The ex-mayor of Sorrento has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and animal cruelty charges — in exchange for a 40 year sentence. Wilson Longanecker Jr. was initially arrested in 2014 after his home was raided and the illegal images were found. Spokesperson for the 23rd District Attorney’s Office Charlotte Guedry says the videos found at Longanecker’s Sorrento home involved minor girls, some as young as three years old….:
cut 13 (02) “to watch”

Gas prices continue to fall all across Louisiana. GasBuddy-dot-com reports that the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped six cents in the past week. Spokesperson Gregg Laskoski says Louisiana’s average price per gallon has fallen to $1.67…:
CUT 3 (08) “the gas pump”

The Department of Health and Hospitals says if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, now is the time. DHH Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch…:
CUT 8 (08) “it gets here”