State Senate President John Alario says forthcoming budget cuts to higher education would be disastrous to institutions across the state. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

After a lot of backlash from the community, the EPA has decided to hold off at least for 90 days on the open tray burn of more than 15 pounds of M6 propellant stored at Camp Minden. Representative Gene Reynolds says he got a letter also indicating the federal government would explore other options of disposing the explosives.

After a cold and cloudy week in Louisiana, get ready for some warmer temperatures and sunshine. Gary Chatelain, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says we’re going to see a January thaw over the next few days…:
CUT 13 (10) “for a while”
He says normally high temps are near 60 this time of year so the warmer weather will be most welcome.

The 4 major candidates in the 2015 Governor’s race are participating in a forum at this hour addressing transportation and infrastructure issues. The event is sponsored in part by The Louisiana Associated General Contractors and CEO Ken Naquin says all of the candidates agree that improving airports and roadways is important:
CUT 10 (07) “central discussion”
Participating in the forum are Amite Representative John Bel Edwards, US Senator David Vitter, Public Service Commission Scott Angelle and Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne.

The four announced candidates for governor meet today to discuss how to solve the state’s transportation issues. Scott Carwile has a preview…

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Lafayette Police say a shooting has left one man hospitalized after he allegedly tried to burglarize a home. The home owner told authorities he fired several shots after some men broke into his home Thursday afternoon. Police found one man, who was shot in the back, at a local hospital. Authorities are also questioning two other men about the burglary. The investigation is ongoing.

The chair of the state House Appropriations committee, Jim Fannin, says he does not support the proposed 30-percent pay increase for State Troopers. Fannin says the request from Col. Mike Edmonson is just a very small piece of a much larger fiscal issue legislators are facing. He also says a 30% increase is unreasonable…

cut 6 (08) “at this time”

Fannin says lawmakers have bigger fish to fry right now than pay raises.

Warmer temperatures and sunshine are expected this weekend across the Bayou State. Gary Chatelain, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says we normally see high temperatures near 60 at this time of the year, so after a week with highs in the 40s, we are due for some warmer weather…

cut 15 (06) “going on now”

He says we’re going to see a January thaw over the next several days.

The chair of the House Appropriations committee, Jim Fannin, says he won’t support the pay increase for State Police when Col Mike Edmonson makes the request today before the Joint Budget committee. Michelle Southern reports…

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State Police say a hostage situation in Evangeline Parish turned deadly with the suspect being shot and killed by police. They say the unidentified man took his girlfriend hostage in a trailer park in Pine Prairie. Authorities say shots were fired at police from the home and they responded with deadly force. The woman, who also has not been identified, was not injured in the incident.

State Senate President John Alario says anticipated budget cuts to higher education would be disastrous to institutions across the state. He has reached out to his colleagues in the Senate to come up with ideas to help alleviate the problem. Alario says all options are on the table, including a tax hike to help increase revenue…

cut 9 (07) “a tougher job”

The state has projected a $1.4 billion budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, and it’s expected that higher ed will take the burden in efforts to try to balance the budget.

You can expect some warmer temperatures and sunshine this weekend, after a cold, cloudy, and wet week across Louisiana. Gary Chatelain, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says we’ll see high temperatures in the mid 50s today, but the warm-up doesn’t stop there…

cut 14 (09) “few days”

He says after a week with highs in the 40s, we are definitely due for some warmer weather.

State Senate President John Alario says forthcoming budget cuts to higher education would be devastating to institutions across the state. Alario says this budget crisis could force as many as 16 campuses across the state to close…

cut 8 (08) “to those areas”

The Jindal administration has discussed a potential $200 to $300 million cut to higher education, but Alario says he’s heard it could be as high as $380 million.

The four major candidates in the 2015 Governor’s race will get together for the first time today in a forum that will address transportation and infrastructure issues. The event is sponsored in part by The Louisiana Associated General Contractors and CEO Ken Naquin says they’ll be looking to see which candidate has the best plan for funding better roads…

cut 11 (07) “how do we pay for them”

Public Service Commission Scott Angelle, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, US-Senator David Vitter, and state Representative John Bel Edwards are all expected to attend.

Jonesboro Rep. Jim Fannin says he won’t support the pay increase for State Police when Col Mike Edmonson makes the request today before the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. Edmonson says the reason he wants to get the money for this increase is because troopers haven’t had a raise since 2002. But Fannin says that is not accurate…

cut 5 (06) “agency”

A bill was passed last session which created an account with motorists fines to be used for LSP.

After a cold and cloudy week across the state, get ready for some warmer temperatures and sunshine. Gary Chatelain, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says we’re going to see a January thaw over the next few days….

cut 13 (10) “for awhile”

Highs will be in the mid to upper 50s today, with highs in the 60s statewide throughout the weekend.

Jonesboro Rep. Jim Fannin says he won’t support the pay increase for State Police when Col Mike Edmonson makes the request today before the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. Fannin says lawmakers have bigger fish to fry right now than pay raises…

cut 4 (08) “to deal with”

Fannin says with so many other state agencies cutting budgets in the mid-year, it wouldn’t be a good time to give troopers such a big increase.

The major candidates in the Governor’s race will get together for the first time today in a forum that will address transportation and infrastructure issues. The event is sponsored in part by The Louisiana Associated General Contractors and CEO Ken Naquin says all of the candidates agree that improving airports and roadways is important…

cut 10 (07) “central discussion”

US-Senator David Vitter, Public Service Commission Scott Angelle, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and state Representative John Bel Edwards are expected to attend the two-hour forum in Baton Rouge this morning.

State Senate President John Alario says forthcoming budget cuts to higher education would be disastrous to institutions across the state. The Jindal administration has discussed a potential $200 to $300 million cut to higher education. But Alario says he’s heard it could be as high as $380 million which would be devastating…

cut 7 (13) “that higher education”

The state has projected a $1.4 billion budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, and that number could rise due to falling oil prices. It’s expected that higher ed will take the brunt in efforts to try to balance the budget.

A man who has admitted to selling LSU football equipment on ebay won’t tell police which player gave it to him. Campus Police spokesman Captain Cory Lalonde says they are still trying to determine if 25-year-old Fletcher Sanders actually got the items from a player…:
CUT 4 (07) “the investigation”
He says equipment used in games is property of the team and the players are only allowed use of those items.

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents have cited three men on several fishing violations in Terrebonne Parish after bragging to an off-duty agent about catching more fish then legally allowed. Spokesman Adam Einck says two of the men re-launched their boat for more fishing after already telling the agent they reached their limit…
CUT 7 (12) “second trip”

The head of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is not expecting another oil bust like we saw in the 1980s even though the price of oil has fallen over 50-dollars in the last six months. LOGA President Don Briggs says while he doesn’t see a large number of oil and gas companies going under, there will be some belt tightening and that’s already occurred…:
CUT 10 (09) “drilling wells”

The Washington Parish Sheriff’s office says a former speech therapist from Franklinton High School is under arrest for allegedly having sex with at least 2 students under the age of 17. Chief Deputy Mike Haley says after the complaint came in, they were able to gather enough evidence to arrest 40-year-old Kimberly Cooke…:
CUT 12 (10) “she is a former teacher”
Haley says the suspect is booked with indecent behavior with juveniles.

Oil prices fell again today, but the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association president is optimistic we will not see a repeat of the 80’s oil bust…
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Those falling oil prices are not helping Louisiana’s state budget shortfall, as Secretary of State Tom Schedler reports his office faces a proposed $3.8 million dollar mid-year budget reduction from the Jindal Administration. This will force him to implement an agency-wide employee furlough as early as Tuesday.

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A shoe store employee from Baton Rouge is being uncooperative with LSU Police in regards to the sale of game-worn LSU football equipment on eBay. Capt. Cory Lalonde says 25-year-old Fletcher Sanders was the seller of the cleats and gloves for an unamed LSU football player…
CUT 3 (10) “those items”

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents have cited three men on several fishing violations in Terrebonne Parish after bragging to an off-duty agent about their illegal activity. Spokesman Adam Einck says the off-duty agent was fishing in Bayou Chauvin and heard all about it…
CUT 6 (10) “against the law”
Forty-four-year-old Vernell McBride, 37-year-old Troy Dangerfield, and 47-year-old Nelson Robinson were all cited.

The price of oil has fallen over 50-dollars a barrel in the last six months, and the head of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association says the industry is concerned, but they’re not anticipating another oil bust like we saw in the 80’s.
CUT 9 (07) “employed”
That’s LOGA President Don Briggs who adds companies in the oil industry learned from that experience.

The Washington Parish Sheriff’s office says a former speech therapist from Franklinton High School has been arrested for allegedly having sex with at least 2 students under the age of 17. Forty-year-old Kimberly Cooke was arrested on two counts of indecent behavior with juveniles…:
CUT 13 (10) Q; “involved with”
That’s Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mike Haley.
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A Baton Rouge shoe store employee is being uncooperative with LSU Police in regards to the sale of game-worn LSU football equipment on eBay…
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On the eve of the first gubernatorial forum tomorrow, Republican Senator David Vitter is making a couple of major policy announcements. The first is concerning a fundamental spending and tax reform package; and the second being a targeted highway building plan. He says Louisiana needs to break out of the budget chaos, and he’s tired of poor roads and mounting traffic.