Republican lawmakers criticized Governor John Bel Edwards’ handling of the deadly August flood during a Congressional hearing in Washington D.C. today. Edwards was asked the grade he would give the state for how it has handled the recovery. The governor said B-plus. But Michigan Congressman Paul Mitchell disagrees…
Cut 4 (11) “B+”
Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz says he doesn’t understand how one-point-six billion dollars in flood recovery dollars approved by Congress last year still hasn’t made it into the hands of flood victims…
cut 6 (11) “…the process”
Edwards says the state is waiting for the federal government to make the money available so the state can use it.

There’s talk of raising the gasoline tax by as much as 17 cents a gallon in the upcoming legislative session. Franklin Representative Sam Jones has a bill to raise the gasoline tax. He says the state’s current 20-cent gasoline tax is not addressing a 13-billion dollar backlog of transportation needs…:
Cut 11 (09) “the megaprojects”

Former St. Tammany and Washington Parish District Attorney Walter Reed was sentenced today in federal court to 4 years in prison for his conviction on fraud and money laundering. It was thought he’d get more than 10 years for using campaign contributions for personal use. Reed is free on bond pending appeal which Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says is highly unusual…:
Cut 15 (10) “on appeal”