A Louisiana Department of Education study group finds a significant increase in the number of students completing the application for federal financial assistance. Educational Technology Consultant Stephanie Marcum attributes this jump to cuts in funding to the TOPS scholarship program…:
Cut 10 (08) “by TOPS”
The rate of kids completing the FASFA form increased by 24-percent from last year.

A self-driving shuttle bus called the E-Z 10 will take a demonstration ride in New Orleans today to show how it can be used within a city’s transit system. Transdev makes the vehicle and Neil Hemenover says the autonomous shuttle is already being used in Europe…
cut 8 (11) “…public streets”
The state department of transportation says construction to expand Arkansas Road in West Monroe will begin this summer. DOTD spokesperson Marshall Hill says four round-a-bouts will also be added at major intersections and the project should take three years to complete…
cut 5 (11) “…the roadway”
Hill says the project will cost nearly 33-million dollars.

State Police says nearly two million dollars worth of drugs are off the streets in Central Louisiana as a result of the arrest of a 37-year-old Alexandria man. Derrick Felton was taken into custody after a traffic stop. Tooper Scott Moreau says a large amount of narcotics and money were found in his vehicle and multiple residences in Alexandria, so more arrests are likely…
cut 15 (04) “….the beginning”
Moreau says the street value of the drugs seized is approximately one-point-seven million dollars.

The budget issues plaguing the TOPS scholarship program is prompting more students to apply for federal financial assistance. The rate of kids completing the FASFA form increased by 24% from last year. Educational Technology Consultant Stephanie Marcum hopes this trend continues…:
cut 12 (09) “our state”
You can find out more about federal aid and low-cost loans for students by visiting the FAFSA.ed.gov.

There’s been a major drug bust in Central Louisiana as State Police say nearly $2 million dollars in narcotics are now off the streets. Trooper Scott Moreau…:
cut 14 (11) “of heroin”
They say 37-year-old Derrick Felton of Alexandria was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention center.

Tiger Stadium was once again broken into but this time police were able to make an arrest. According to LSU police, two students from the University of Oklahoma were busted when breaking in to the southeast gate of the stadium around noon Sunday, and when confronted they both ran away. 20 year old Samuel Holland and 19-year-old Lucas Miller have been charged with unauthorized entry of a place of business and resisting an officer by flight in the incident.

Could we one day see a self-driving bus pick up and drop off passengers in New Orleans? Don Molino has more…:
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

The Louisiana Department of Education says more students than ever are filling out the form to apply for federal financial assistance for college. Educational Technology Consultant Stephanie Marcum says prior to an aggressive push to encourage folks not to leave this grant money on the table, many families didn’t know about it…:
CUT 11 (11) “financial aid”
The rate of kids completing the FASFA form increased by 24-percent from last year.

A demonstration takes place today of a self-driving bus that could pick up and drop off passengers in New Orleans. Neil Hemenover with Transdev North America says the vehicle was created by EasyMile and says the public will get to go for a ride at 1 p.m. at the Convention Center..:
Cut 9 (09) “to stand”
He says the vehicle is already in use in Europe.

The body of a woman found under an I-12 bridge in Livingston Parish has been identified as 30-year-old Jennifer Blount of Denham Springs. Walker Police say how she was killed and ended up under the bridge is still under investigation. Blount, whose death is being investigated as a homicide, was reported missing by her family in December and anyone with information concerning her disappearance and death is urged to contact authorities.

There’s good news coming for northeast Louisiana residents who often travel on Arkansas Road in West Monroe and know how frustrating the traffic can be. Transportation officials say construction will begin this summer on a widening project of Arkansas Road between LA 143 and Caldwell Road. DOTD Spokesperson Marshall Hill says this project has been delayed since 1981…:
Cut 6 (11) “to fruition”.:
He says the project should take three years to complete.

A Louisiana Department of Education study group finds a significant increase in the number of students completing the application for federal financial assistance. Educational Technology Consultant Stephanie Marcum attributes this jump to cuts in funding to the TOPS scholarship program…:
Cut 10 (08) “by TOPS”
The rate of kids completing the FASFA form increased by 24-percent from last year.

State Police say nearly two million dollars worth of drugs are off the streets of Central Louisiana as the result of the arrest of an Alexandria man. Trooper Scott Moreau says earlier this month detectives began investigating 37-year-old Derrick Felton for distribution of methamphetamine and he was taken into custody during a traffic stop.:
Cut 13 (10) “more cash”
Moreau says they also seized over 100-thousand dollars worth of cocaine and 67-thousand dollars in cash.

Two University of Oklahoma Students have been arrested for breaking into Tiger Stadium. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Department of Transportation announced construction will begin this summer in West Monroe to widen a 3.2 mile stretch of Arkansas Road between LA 143 and Caldwell Road. DOTD Spokesperson Marshall Hill says this is a long time coming…:
cut 4 (08) “not great”
Hill says four round-a-bouts will also be added at major intersections.

A study group for the state Department of Education finds a significant jump in the number of students completing the federal financial assistance application. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Two University of Oklahoma Students have been arrested for breaking into Tiger Stadium. LSU officials say 20-year-old Samuel Holland and 19-year-old Lucas Miller were spotted inside Death Valley at around noon Sunday. Based on the police report, officers told the unwelcome guests to get down, however they decided to run away, but were caught by LSU police officers after getting through a security gate. They were booked into the East Baton Rouge prison.

Now is your chance to ride in a self-driving automated shuttle, as a demonstration takes place in New Orleans today. Neil Hemenover with Transdev North America says the vehicle was created by EasyMile and is already in use in Europe. He says the technology is available for a self-driving shuttle to follow a set route….:
CUT 7 (09) “the speed”‘
Hemenover says about 4-thousand people a day use a self-driving shuttle in France and the Netherlands.

The body of a woman found under an I-12 bridge in Livingston Parish has been identified as 30-year-old Jennifer Annette Blount of Denham Springs. Walker police said they haven’t determined the cause of her death but are investigating it as a homicide.

Governor John Bel Edwards has called a special session so lawmakers can make cuts to address the state’s 304 million dollar budget shortfall. Edwards says he won’t ask legislators to increases taxes during the 11-day special session but will recommend using 119-million dollars from the Rainy Day Fund.
Cut 4 (09) “of Louisiana.”

The session will start of February 13th.

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival announces the 2017 line up and Harry Connick Jr, Tom Petty and David Matthews are just a few of the artist who will perform. Jazzfest producer Quint Davis says not only is the Jazzfest wildly popular for it’s amazing musical lineup and arts and crafts, there’s no place else you can get a gourmet meal in a field:
cut 14 (09) “trout baquet”

Louisiana is the third most dangerous state for online dating, according to a report by High-Speed-Internet.com. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 2 (23) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Sections of Interstate 10 in Lafayette will be closed to traffic for a few hours on Sunday as crews will pull power lines across the road, according to the state Department of Transportation. The east and westbound lanes will be closed from Exit 103 and exit 104. Workers are scheduled to start moving the power lines between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.

Governor John Bel Edwards announces plans for a special session to begin on February 13th to fix a 304-million dollar budget deficit. Jeff Palermo has the story…
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A State Police Trooper was hit by a passing car during a traffic stop in St. Helena Parish. According to police, the trooper was walking around the stopped vehicle when 75-year-old Johnnie Lee of Covington struck the trooper. The trooper was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Lee is charged with careless operation.

A report released by High-Speed-Internet.com finds Louisiana is the third most dangerous state for online dating. Website researcher, Kaz Weida, says one factor that makes the Bayou State so dangerous is the extremely high rate of crime.
CUT 7 (08) “a crime”

Weida says they are also concerned about Louisiana’s weak policies when it comes to sex education in public schools…

The lineup has been released for the 2017 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dog and Maroon 5 are just a few of the performers. Jazzfest producer Quint Davis says it takes place the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. Much of Jazz Fest was rained out last year which is extremely rare, and Davis had only this to say about a crowd turnout in 2017…:
Cut 13 (06) “really lot of people“

Governor John Bel Edwards says he will call a special session so lawmakers can make what he calls painful cuts to try to tackle a 304-million dollar budget shortfall. Edwards says the session will begin February 13th and will last 11 days.
Cut 3 (12) “so much”

Edwards says he’ll present a budget slashing plan to the legislature by February sixth.
A High-Speed-Internet.com report finds Louisiana ranks thirds in the most dangerous states for online dating. Website Researcher, Kaz Weida, says the Bayou State ranks so high because if the high rate of people with STDs.
Cut 6 (10) “sex with”

 
The Mandeville Police Department says a one-month-old is in critical condition and the 18-year-old father has been arrested after allegations he shook this baby violently. Chief Gerald Sticker says they began asking questions when they got a call from the hospital reporting the baby’s condition.
Cut 9 (09) “the infant’s brain”

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has announced the 2017 lineup and it features Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, Maroon 5, Snoop Dog, Dave Matthews and Harry Connick Jr. — just to name a few. Jazzfest producer Quint Davis says this event as a little something for everyone.
cut 12 (09) “who’s an artist”

It all happens at the New Orleans Fairgrounds the last weekend in April and first weekend in May.