A new statewide poll shows support for higher cigarette taxes, but residents do not approve of Common Core or Governor Bobby Jindal’s job performance. The survey found that 56-percent of residents support an increase in the state’s cigarette tax. LA-politics.com publisher Jeremy Alford thinks the tax will pass this session…:
CUT 9 (09) “get the money”
63% of 1000 respondents in the Marble Point Poll said the disapprove of Jindal’s job performance, and 54% disapprove of Common Core. To both of those topics, Governor Bobby Jindal will be making an announcement at the mansion in Baton Rouge today which according to a release says he’s going to unveil his plan to get Louisiana out of Common Core.

State Police has released the name of the trooper who ran over an killed an Alabama truck driver in Madison Parish this week. They say it was Master Trooper Kenny Baker who was looking for 47-year-old David Watford when he ran over him accidentally. The crash is under investigation.

A former caretaker of LSU’s mascot Mike wrote a letter to a Baton Rouge newspaper expressing concern over the live Tiger’s increasing lack of appearing in the stadium at home football games. Mike the VI did not go to a single contest last season. Paul Marks Jr. says he was responsible for Mike III from 1963-1965 and they never had a problem getting him to games.
He says the difference is that they altered his feeding patterns…:
CUT 6 (10) “there ya go”
The comments on The Jim Engster Show.

LSU men’s basketball faces off against North Carolina State in the first round of the NCAA tournament tomorrow night, and President Obama must not be a Tiger fan. Mr. Obama released his bracket and picked LSU to lose to the Wolfpack.

Governor Bobby Jindal has issued a release saying he has a plan to get Louisiana out of Common Core. The governor will be unveiling his idea to remove the state from the education standards this afternoon at 12:30.

Residents will soon have to pay more for flood insurance. Scott Carwile has more…:
CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

A Natchitoches man is under arrest for simple battery and hate crimes after an incident at a local business. 35-year-old Roderick Rachal was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. Police Captain Chris Payne says responding officers spoke to a female victim that said a man she did not know grabbed her buttocks…:
CUT 3 (08) “upon the victim”
Because Rachal targeted a specific race and gender, he was additionally charged with hate crimes.

Latest employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink says
says the drop in oil prices has caused about 1,000 layoffs over the past few months…:
CUT 12 (12) “short term thing”

Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling tobacco settlement money that would result in an estimated 750-million dollars in cash. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 3 (29) “reporting”

State Police say a former detective with the Ville Platte Police Department has been arrested on multiple charges. Authorities say Nathanial Savoy, who also owns a roofing business, was allegedly spotted on surveillance video stealing roofing materials from a local business. He was reportedly in a police unit when the crime was committed. Savoy was booked on simple burglary, malfeasance in office, and tampering with evidence, among other charges. Savoy resigned from the department Monday.

Residents will soon have to pay more for flood insurance as the result of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that were passed by Congress last year. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says these changes are complicated, so you may want to get some advice…

cut 9 (10) “Insurance Program”

He says premiums could rise as much as 25-percent and property owners will have to pay an annual surcharge. The changes go into effect April 1.

State Police say an Alabama trucker died when he was run over by a trooper who was looking for him in Madison Parish. Sgt. James Anderson says 47-year-old David Watford of Cottonwood, Alabama was walking in the middle of the road when he was struck by a trooper driving a Tahoe. He says an investigation into the crash is underway…

cut 6 (07) “examined thoroughly”

Watford was pronounced dead at the scene.

Latest employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Michelle Southern reports…

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a shooting that left one dead and another injured. They say when officers responded they found that 50-year-old Jerome Buckner, Sr. and an unidentified woman had been shot. Buckner was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was transported to a local. Authorities identified and questioned the alleged shooter, but no charges have been filed at this time.

Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling the remainder of a multi-billion dollar settlement from tobacco manufacturers to help with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. The Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation, voted to begin the process of selling the tobacco settlement. House Speaker Chuck Kleckley says the sale will need legislative approval, which means several public hearings on the issue…

cut 15 (07) “to continue”

The money under discussion is from a 1998 settlement involving tobacco companies who paid billions of dollars to numerous states for health care costs associated with smoking.

A truck driver from Alabama died when he was run over by a state trooper who was looking for him in Madison Parish, according to State Police. Sgt. James Anderson says 47-year-old David Watford of Cottonwood, Alabama was walking in the middle of the road wearing blue jeans and a camouflage shirt when the trooper in a Tahoe approached…

cut 5 (08) “lane of travel”

Anderson says Watford was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Flood insurance premiums are about to go up. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says premium hikes for primary residences are capped at 18-percent each year and If you have a camp, you can expect an even higher premium boost…

cut 8 (06) “maximum increase”

In addition to the rate increases, property owners will have to pay a surcharge, $25 per year for your primary residence and $250 for businesses, rentals, or secondary residences. The increases will go into effect April 1.

In an effort to help the state’s budget problems, Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling the remainder of a multi-billion dollar settlement from tobacco manufacturers. State Treasurer John Kennedy says the Jindal administration has raided all other pots of money and this is the last one left…

cut 14 (06) “financial pressure”

Despite Kennedy’s concerns, the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation voted to begin the process of selling the tobacco settlement.

New employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December in the state. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink says even though there was the typical job drop that you see in January, we’re still employing far more people this year than we were this time last year…:

cut 11 (09) “January of 14″

Louisiana’s unemployment rate for January is 7-percent.

State Police say a truck driver from Alabama died when he was run over by a trooper who was looking for him in Madison Parish. Sgt. James Anderson says they received a report early Tuesday morning that an 18-wheeler was stuck in the lane of travel on US Highway 65 about 6 miles north of Tallulah…

cut 4 (11) “were looking for him”

Anderson says 47-year-old David Watford of Cottonwood, Alabama was pronounced dead at the scene.

Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling the remainder of a multi-billion dollar settlement from tobacco manufacturers to help the state’s budget problems. The Jindal administration says it could be used finance the TOP’s scholarship program for the next seven to eight years, but State Treasurer John Kennedy doesn’t like this idea…

cut 13 (10) “through a goose”

The money under discussion is from a 1998 settlement.

Latest employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December in Louisiana, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink says it’s not unusual to see a decline in jobs at the start of the year…

cut 10 (10) “usually are shed”

At 7 percent the unemployment rate for January ranked as the third highest among states.

Residents will soon have to pay more for flood insurance. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the increases are the result of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that were passed by Congress last year. He says the premium hikes for primary residences are capped at 18-percent each year…

cut 7 (08) “a higher premium”

He says premium increases for second residences, commercial, and rental properties are capped at 25-percent per year. In addition to the rate increases, property owners will have to pay a surcharge, $25 per year for your primary residence and $250 for businesses, rentals, or secondary residences. Donelon says the increases will go into effect April 1.

Latest employment numbers show that there were 75-hundred less people working in January than in December, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Michelle Southern has the story…
cut 2 (29) “…reporting”

K-A-T-C in Lafayette is reporting that an 81-year-old Korean War veteran died in a mobile home fire in Arnaudville this morning. The state Fire Marshal’s office has identified the victim as Robert Kaltenbach and investigators say the fire started near a desk where several electrical cords were plugged into a power cord.

A second-day of Common Core testing wrapped up earlier today. Based on figures after day one, Calcasieu, Jackson and Central school systems had the highest percentages of opt-out students. Central School Superintendent Michael Faulk says he’s concerned that his school system will be judged with no consideration to the percentage of opt-outs…:
CUT 7 (10) “school district”
Jackson had an opt-out rate of 13-percent, followed by 12-percent for Calcasieu then Central at 8 percent.

State Police arrest four people who were allegedly involved in a prescription drug scheme at Jackson Parish Hospital that also involved other crimes. Sgt. James Anderson says former employees 51-year-old Vickie Booker and 48-year-old Elizabeth Cheatwood, both of Jonesboro, have been booked in connection to payroll fraud…:
CUT 4 (06) “insurance fraud”
He says the other arrests stem from people allegedly getting prescription drugs with no prescription and all four arrests were connected.