Governor John Bel Edwards says his number one legislative priority for 2019 is getting Louisiana teachers a 1,000 dollar pay raise, and school support workers a 500 dollar pay raise. Edwards says he plans to pay for the raise with increased revenue from an improving economy, but those plans have been stalled after House Speaker Taylor Barras blocked a revenue forecast increase. Barras says he supports the raise, and Edwards believes he’s not trying to block the raise, but says paying for the raise without an increase forecast would be difficult.
61 percent of Louisiana teachers in a recent survey said that would support a strike for better pay.
A person of interest is wanted in connection with the Christmas Eve Acadiana Mall shooting night that put one person in the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. The shooting occurred around 430PM yesterday, striking one victim and shutting down the mall until tomorrow. A picture of that person of interest is now available online and police are asking anyone with information related to the incident to call the Lafayette Crime Stoppers.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has stocked over 8 million fish into 59 waterbodies around the state this year. LDWF inland fisheries operations manager Alex Perret says there have been many other varieties introduced into the state’s waters that also make for great fishing experiences.
Cut 8 (11) “…great integrity.”
7.3 million of the fish were Florida largemouth bass.
Several Angola inmates are celebrating the holidays with new Seminary degrees through the Leavell College of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Department of Corrections spokesperson Gary Young says currently twelve other states are modeling the Angola Seminary Program.
The college conferred 64 Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Christian Ministry.