Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announces that TOPS students will have to pay a small portion of their scholarship for the fall semester. Dardenne says when the second special session ended, lawmakers approved saying TOPS students would be fully covered in the fall semester, but…:
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Dardenne says they hope lawmakers will be able to allocate more money next year so future TOPS students are not hit with a bill for tuition.

Levees.org is planning on turning a New Orleans home that was flooded during Hurricane Katrina into a memorial. Spokeswoman Sandy Rosenthal says the plan is to make the home look like it did right after the storm hit:
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She says when people get off the airplane at the Louis Armstrong Airport, they want to better understand what went on 11 years ago.

Ag Commissioner Mike Strain releases a warning for horse owners. Halen Doughty has more…:
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The ACLU of Louisiana has dropped East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore from its lawsuit against BRPD and the city over alleged use of excessive force in protests following the death of Alton Sterling.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there’s a chance the state will end up with a deficit for last fiscal year. Dardenne says legislators will have an immediate budget problem when they convene for the 2017 fiscal year. He says he and the governor have warned state agencies to spend money wisely in preparation for possible cuts.
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The state Department of Education annouces a record number of high school students achieved AP college credits in 2016. Superintendent John White says these scores prove that while we have a ways to go, students are just as smart and capable as any in the country.
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Jury selection is underway for a murder trial in which the alleged crime took place over 50 years ago in Lake Charles. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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A Baton Rouge federal judge heard testimony today that the Louisiana department of corrections has developed a cost-effective way to keep death row inmates cool during the summer at Angola. According to the Associated Press, death row inmates have been moved to new cells, where cool air has been piped in from a vent.

The state Department of Education announces a record number of high school students have achieved AP college credits this year. Emelie Gunn has more…
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A federal judge in Baton Rouge heard testimony today that the state of department of corrections has come up with a cost-effective way to keep death row inmates cool during hot summer days at Angola. According to the Associated Press, death row inmates have been moved to new cells, where cool air has been piped in from a vent. Hot conditions at Angola’s Death Row have been litigated for over three years now.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there’s a good chance the state will end up with a deficit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30th. Dardenne says they are still waiting for all of the numbers to come in, so it’s hard to say how much that deficit will be. But he says a member of the Revenue Estimating Conference has an idea…
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The deficit will be addressed by lawmakers in 2017.

Jury selection began today in Lake Charles in the case of a 76-year-old man, who is accused of killing his wife in 1962. Mississippi native Felix Vail has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Mary Horton Vail. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s difficult to try a case after such a long time:
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The investigation was reopened after a Mississippi newspaper featured a series about the victim.

One month into the new fiscal year, and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says we could still see a deficit for the fiscal year that ended June 30. He says his office and the governor have advised state agencies to spend their money wisely in preparation for potential cuts in the future.

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More students than ever in Louisiana earned college credits by taking the Advanced Placement tests. State Education Superintendent John White says these improvements show when opportunities are given to students to show their potential, they rise to the challenge and do great. He says students in Louisiana also earned record numbers of college credits by taking the College-Level Examination Program.

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White says over the last 4 years, Livingston Parish is the most improved parish when it comes to students receiving college credits on their AP tests.

According to State Police, a small plane had to make an emergency landing on the median of I-10 near LaPlace. Melissa Matey with State Police says the aircraft had some mechanical failures.

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Matey says State Police was able to tow the plane off the scene.

A low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida coast could bring heavy rains to southeast Louisiana by the end of the week. Michael Hill with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the system is not a tropical disturbance yet, but it will push some rain into Louisiana.

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Hill says the New Orleans metro area and surrounding parishes will be the hardest hit by the rains.

Just over 85-hundred high school students achieved college credit by passing Advancement Placement exams in 2016. State education superintendent John White says that’s an 11-percent increase over last year…
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White says Livingston, St. Bernard and Terrebonne have improved the most in the last four years when it comes to the number of students achieving college credit through A-P exams.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there’s a good chance the state will end up with a deficit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30th. Dardenne says they are still waiting for all of the numbers to come in, so it’s hard to say how much that deficit will be. But he says a member of the Revenue Estimating Conference has an idea…
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The deficit will be addressed by lawmakers in 2017.

Jury selection is underway in Lake Charles for a case that’s over 50 years old. Mary Horton Vail drowned in the Calcasieu River in 1962 and prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to convict Mississippi native and her former husband, Felix Vail, with her death. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s cases like this that make him wish it was legal to broadcast court proceedings on TV in Louisiana….
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Felix Vail has said the charges against him are fabricated.

A low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida has the potential to bring heavy rains to southeast Louisiana later this week. Michael Hill with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the heavy rains should begin on Wednesday and flash flooding is possible…
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A heat advisory for north Louisiana was cancelled earlier today as a result of morning cloud cover and rainfall last night.

A record number of Louisiana high school students earned advanced placement college credits in 2016. State Education Superintendent John White says they’ve been working hard to raise expectations when it comes to academics. He says these scores prove that while we have a ways to go, students are just as smart and capable as any in the country….
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White says over the last 4 years, Livingston Parish is the most improved parish when it comes to students receiving college credits on their AP tests.

A small plane had to make an emergency landing in the median of Interstate ten near LaPlace. State Police Trooper Melissa Matey says the pilot experienced mechanical difficulties and had to make an emergency landing….
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The interstate remained opened, despite the unusual scene of a small plane in the median.

Jury selection is underway in Calcasieu Parish for a trial in which the murder took place over 50 years ago. The investigation in Mary Horton Vail’s death was reopened after a Mississippi newspaper featured a series about the victim, as well as the disappearances of two other women who were close to her former husband Felix Vail. Legal analyst Tim Meche says those incidents could be discussed in the courtroom, if the judge decides it’s relevant….
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Meche says it’s trials like this, in which he wishes cameras were allowed in the court room.

A low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida coast could bring heavy rains to southeast Louisiana by the end of the week. ichael Hill with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the heavy rains should begin on Wednesday and flash flooding is possible…
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Meanwhile, in north Louisiana, a heat advisory that was in effect, was cancelled earlier today.

A 76-year-old man accused of killing his wife over 50 years ago in southwest Louisiana will finally stand the second degree murder trial. Jury selection is underway in Calcasieu Parish. Mississippi native Felix Vail allegedly killed his 22-year-old wife, Mary Horton Vail, in 1962. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s difficult to try a case after such a long time:
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The investigation was reopened after a Mississippi newspaper featured a series about the victim.

The funeral for the legendary New Orleans jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain will be held August 17th at St. Louis Cathedral. Fountain died August 6th after several years of health issues. Visitation will be from 9-1130 at the cathedral, following 30 minutes of remembrances and eulogies, and a Mass at noon. Fountain was 86.

Southeast Louisiana is bracing for some heavy rains that could be coming by the end of the week due to a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico. Michael Hill with the National Weather Service in Slidell says we’ll likely see scattered showers today and tomorrow, but he says it should start to ramp up by the middle of the week…:
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He says flash flooding could be possible with this system.

Local Twitter accounts lit up today with pictures of a small plan that apparently had to make an emergency landing in the median of I-10 near LaPlace. There are no reports of injuries currently.