LSU President F King Alexander does NOT like the idea of front loading the TOPS scholarship program because it still isn’t fully funded. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Attorney General Jeff Landry has announced his office will look into the case of Schaquana Spears, the Baton Rouge mother facing child cruelty charges for whipping her children after they were caught robbing a house. Halen Doughty has more…
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Lawmakers failed to raise enough revenue in the special session to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program. However, in the final minutes, an amendment was added that means TOPS students would get all of their tuition paid in the fall semester, but they would have to pay about 60% of it in the spring semester. LSU President F King Alexander doesn’t think this is fair to students or their parents.
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The idea behind this amendment was that more money could come in between now and the start of the spring semester so lawmakers could fund the program more. But Alexander says the state is gambling with our students.
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Alexander says if lawmakers cannot fund TOPS by the second semester, it could create serious problems for students who need financial aid to cover the cost.
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It’s possible the governor will do a line item veto on the amendment, which would put TOPS back at 70% funded for both semesters.
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Governor John Bel Edwards believes the legislature accomplished a lot when it comes to funding important state services but came up short in certain areas. Based on the taxes raised during the two special sessions, Edwards says higher education will not face any cuts, which is good news for students.
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Edwards says legislators also provided adequate funding for the public-private hospitals that proved care for the poor and uninsured…
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Edwards says while the budget is honest and disciplined, he isn’t completely satisfied with the final product. He says state funding for K-12 education will be reduced by 24 million dollars…
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Edwards says he offered a plan to fully fund TOPS, but the scholarship program will only be funded at 70-percent. He says this is the first time TOPS has ever received a cut.
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A Shreveport woman is wanted by police for making false accusations that a father molested his 5-month-old daughter. Lt. Bill Davis with the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Carrie Rivers was a babysitter for the family of the infant and when her services were no longer needed, she made up this story to make the parents mad. He says this allegation created major problems.
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Davis says authorities believe Rivers is still in the northwest Louisiana area. He says Rivers first confronted the mother of the infant stating that the husband molested her daughter.
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Rivers is also alleged to have taken the mother’s phone. Davis says he doesn’t want an incident like this to stop real victims of sexual assault from coming forward to the police. He says Rivers faces the charges of false swearing; unauthorized use of a moveable; and improper telecommunications.
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The LSU Board of Supervisors gives the school’s ag center the green light to begin the process of growing medical marijuana that would be dispensed to eligible Louisiana patients. LSU Ag Center Chancellor Doctor Bill Richardson says they plan to grow medical weed on private property, away from campus, inside a facility that needs to be built…
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The AgCenter plans to get a third-party investor involved to help pay for start-up costs. Richardson says while there are some concerns, they are excited about the research possibilities that exist…
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Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is looking into the case of the Baton Rouge mother who was arrested for whipping her children with an electrical cord after they were caught robbing a neighbor’s house. Landry says he wants to make sure the investigation is handled properly.
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Schaquana Spears is facing two counts of child cruelty for disciplining her children, and Landry is concerned the department of children and family services will take her children away. He says he is thankful his mother did not spare the rod to teach him a valuable lesson.
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The Department of Children and Family Services issued a statement saying discipline is a healthy part of parenting, but it crosses into abuse when it leaves cuts or bruises on the child.