Three Washington Parish residents have been arrested in a robbery, kidnapping, and rape conspiracy. Halen Doughty reports….
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Lawmakers will look at several proposed changes to the state’s tax code next year. Jeff Palermo has more…
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President-elect Donald Trump is officially the next President of the United States, as Mr. Trump received 301 electoral votes. Halen Doughty has more…
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Thirteen parishes in north and central Louisiana have been declared a natural disaster area by the US Department of Agriculture because of drought conditions during 2016. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says crops were damaged because of the drought, and this declaration could help farmers recover.
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Several weeks of drought conditions followed the two historic floods Louisiana endured this year. Strain says these farmers have 8 months from the date of the declaration to apply for assistance.
Cut 5 (06) “of November”
Strain says more information is available in each affected parish.
Cut 6 (06) “agency office”
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Governor John Bel Edwards has said tax reform will be a major item on his 2017 legislative agenda. Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary, Kimberly Lewis Robinson, sat on a state Tax Task Force that has provided recommendations to provide a fair, simple and stable tax code. She says to simplify the system, the recommend the elimination of some tax exemptions and deductions.
CUT 7 (13) “that clean penny”
Robinson says in order to be competitive, Louisiana needs a 4-percent sales tax, rather than a 5-percent rate, which lawmakers approved earlier this year. She says currently the largest percentage of the budget comes from sales tax collections, which isn’t fair to consumers or businesses.
Cut 8 (08) “percent rate”
Robinson says for a fair tax system, we have to ensure that everyone is paying their fair share of taxes. She says that means applying sales taxes to all kinds of retailers.
Cut 9 (11) “pay sales tax”
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Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of three people involved in armed robbery, kidnapping, and rape. Chief Deputy Mike Haley says a woman in her early 50s and her husband were targeted for the heinous crime because of their large gun collection. He says the woman was home alone when 17-year-old Deonta Miller of Franklinton knocked on the door, posing as a package delivery person.
Cut 10 (09) “for weapons”
Haley says Miller then loaded up the weapons in the woman’s vehicle and kidnapped her. He says they drove to a remote part of Washington Parish, where Miller pulled off onto a hunting club road.
cut 11 (10) “the mud”
Haley says Miller fled into the woods on foot, and the victim ran in the opposite direction. He says after Miller apprehended in the woods, and they learned that 48-year-old Robert Lester was the mastermind of the crime. He says Lester followed Miller after the burglary.
cut 12 (12) “the weapons”
Haley says Miller’s niece, 18-year-old Victoria Lester, was charged with accessory after the fact. He says Miller was charged with two counts of aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping, and carjacking. Haley says Lester faces charges of principle to aggravated kidnapping, principle to carjacking, and principle to aggravated burglary.
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Not surprisingly, all 8 of Louisiana’s electors cast their votes for President-elect Donald Trump. Chairman of the Republican Party in Louisiana, Roger Villere, says they were not expecting any surprises, and they got what they expected.
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Villere says several electors received tens of thousands of emails, letters, and phone calls asking them not to vote for Trump. He says even if some of Louisiana’s electors had changed their votes, there’s no way Mr. Trump wouldn’t have won.
cut 14 (09) “than that”
Mr. Trump got 301 electoral votes. Villere says although electors sign an affidavit when they are selected saying they will vote for the nominee, they would not have faced consequences had they voted against Mr. Trump.
Cut 15 (10) “for that”
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NFL analyst Mike Detillier believes Sean Payton will be the head coach of the Saints in 2017, despite a report that said the New Orleans franchise is interested in trading the Super Bowl winning head coach. Two teams already have vacancies and Detillier says the opening in Los Angeles might intrigue Payton, but not enough to force a trade
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Many Saints are getting frustrating with the team as they are headed for the their third consecutive losing season and might like a change at the top. But Detillier says be careful for what you root for…
Cut 17 (18) “deal Payton off”
Last March, Payton agreed to a five-year contract extension that’s worth 45-million dollars. At the time, Payton said he wants to be the Saints Head Coach for as long as the organization wants him. Detillier believes the report that New Orleans might be willing to listen to trade offers for Payton is an agent generated story….
Cut 18 (12) “four times now”