The Department of Transportation needs an additional $700 million annual investment to meet the state’s transportation needs, according to DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty” 

______________________________________

A 56-year-old woman has been deemed a hero after jumping on a man who was attacking a Baton Rouge police officer. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

State Representative Paul Hollis has a plan to make it easier to recall a politician, and he plans to bring it up in the regular session. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (26) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

If Louisianans want better roads and bridges, the Department of Transportation will need an additional $700 million a year. That’s according to DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson, who says Louisiana is one of only five states that hasn’t adjusted its transportation revenue stream in nearly 30 years. He says that’s why Louisiana’s roads are the 8^th worst in the nation.

Cut 4  (11) “due to inflation”

Wilson says the Transportation Task Force established by the governor has made recommendations on how to raise the necessary funds to maintain and rebuild infrastructure, and one of those is a 23-cent hike on the state’s gas tax. He says currently the average Louisianan only pays $108 a year in gas taxes.

Cut 5  (11)  “always make”

Wilson says there is an appetite at the capitol to build new roads, but not to pay for them. There’s been talk of raising the gas tax by a few pennies, but Wilson says it wouldn’t be enough to cover the needs around the state. He says for every penny on the gas tax, DOTD gets about $30 million.

Cut 6 (11) “manage expectations”

Wilson says he is confident there will be a bill proposed in the regular session that looks at ways to increase funding for the state’s transportation needs.

______________________________________

The 56-year-old woman who tackled a man who was attacking a Baton Rouge Police officer on Sunday morning has been deemed a hero. Vickie Williams-Tillman was driving when she saw 28-year-old Thomas Bennett and a police officer in a physical altercation. She says she’s just so happy that she was able to help Officer Billy Amie.

Cut 7 (09)  “needed help”‘

Tillman jumped on Bennett’s back and knocked the baton out of his hand which he had taken from the officer. She says she called 911 before taking action.

Cut 8 (08) “took action”

The altercation began when Amie started to arrest Bennett. Amie says he’s so thankful for Tillman. He says she is a true hero but her actions shouldn’t have been needed…

Cut 9 (07)  “the world”

_________________________________________________________

Covington Representative Paul Hollis plans to propose a bill for the regular session that would make it easier to remove a politician from office. He says it currently takes signatures from 33-percent of a jurisdiction’s registered voters to recall a politician in Louisiana.

Cut 10 (08) “in that election”

Hollis says the current requirement makes it nearly impossible to remove a politician from a large jurisdiction. He says this was evidenced when former St. Tammany coroner Peter Galvan could not be removed, even after he was indicted for using state tax dollars for personal gain. He says that’s why his bill would only affect big districts with 25-thousand qualified voters or more.

Cut 11 (10) “it’s impossible”

There’s currently an effort to recall Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni after a sexting scandal with 17-year-old boy. The petition expires in April and there are reports the organizers are well short of the needed number of signatures. Secretary of State Tom Schedler is open to altering the formula for removing corrupt leaders from office.

Cut 12 (09) “hasn’t been any”

_________________________________________________________

A 30-day ban on crabbing is in effect throughout the state, so what does this mean for Louisiana’s seafood industry? Chalin Delaune (Shal-in Duh-lawn) with the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board says there’s always been a closed season, but it’s typically just for two weeks while derelict traps are removed from the waters. He hopes this longer closure will revitalize Louisianans’ love for blue crabs.

Cut 13 (08) “for em”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says this closure will allow crabs to mature because the population is down and crabbing is on the rise. Delaune says while it may not seem like it to the crabbers, this is a good thing for the industry.

Cut 14 (11) “for the consumer”

Delaune doesn’t expect a huge blue crab shortage in the Bayou State during the 30-day ban. He says many distributors have planned ahead by flash freezing fresh crabs. He adds that there are other seafood options during this month-long ban.

Cut 15 (05) “pretty strong”

_______________________________________________

The Pelicans have the best front court in the NBA as a result of acquiring Center DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings. That’s the opinion of Jake Madison who writes for Bourbon Street Shots and host of Locked On Pelicans podcast

Cut 16 (10) “reckon with”

Cousins will help the Pelicans make a push for the playoffs this season. New Orleans is currently 2.5 games back of Denver for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Cousins has the reputation as a trouble maker inside the locker room, but Madison believes variables are  in place for the All-Star to fit in with the Pelicans

Cut 17 (14)  “at home “

Madison says the trade means that fellow All-Star Anthony Davis can move back to power forward, a position he’s more comfortable with…

Cut 18 (23) “that he has”

Alleged misuse of State Police funds for a trip to a training conference in San Diego has led to an internal investigation into four troopers’ spending. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

More people than ever are feeling politically stressed out. Michelle Southern explains.

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The search is ongoing for three escaped Avoyelles Parish inmates. Sheriff Doug Anderson says 31-year-old Blake Reine, 23-year-old Joseph James, and 22-year-old Andre Steward escaped from a detention center near Bunkie on Saturday night.

Cut 3 (11) “from there”

Anderson says authorities are unsure if the inmates hid the wire cutters by the fence, or if someone left the tool to assist the escapees. Reine was serving a sentence for manslaughter, while both James and Steward were charged with armed robbery. He says once apprehended, the inmates will face additional charges of simple escape.

cut 4  (09) “their capture”

Reine is described as a 5’8” white male with blue eyes, brown hair, and a tattoo under his right eye. James is a black male 5’9” with brown eyes and black hair, and Steward is a 5’11” black male with brown eyes and black hair. Anderson says authorities believe the inmates fled south after escaping.

Cut 5  (09)  “law enforcement agency”

_________________________________________________________

State Police has launched an investigation into the spending of four troopers who made stops at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas while on their way to a training conference in San Diego. The story was first reported by the Advocate. State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson says this is an unfortunate incident that never should have happened.

Cut 6 (11) “taken place”

While most troopers who attended the conference flew, Major Derrell Williams, Lt. Rodney Hyatt, Master Trooper Thurman Miller, and Trooper Alexander Nezgodinsky drove an LSP SUV. The Advocate’s report finds the stop at the Grand Canyon cost more than $700, and a night at the Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas cost over $500. Edmondson says these troopers have some explaining to do.

CUT 7 (10)  “that route also”

The scenic route also added 300 miles to the journey. According to the Advocate’s report, the troopers were also paid for overtime while on the trip. Edmonson says Maj. Williams is the head of internal affairs at LSP, which means the former head will lead this investigation. He says in the meantime, officials are making sure troopers play it by the book.

Cut 8 (09) “for it”

_________________________________________________________

Do you feel politically stressed? A new report by the American Psychological Association finds, no matter what party you are, anxiety over political matters is at an all time high. Michelle Many (Main-eee) with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans finds the principle factor in this deals with social relationships:

Cut 9 (11)  “on the individual”

Many says there were heated arguments and a lot of disagreements during the 2016 presidential campaign, and it’s carried over. She feels there is also a renewed focused on media reports these days and what people are seeing all over social networks online…:

Cut 10 (06) “interactions”

Many says, as with anything, when anything is done in excess, you’ll typically see problems arise either physically or mentally. She says the best thing you can do is try to bring balance back into your life, and that means moderation..:

cut 11 (08) “news viewing”

_________________________________________________________

The Louisiana Senate passed a measure on Sunday night that would use 99 million dollars of the Rainy Day Fund to help offset the state’s 304 million dollar budget deficit. Last week, the House passed legislation that would use 75 million dollars, but Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Gene Reynolds, supports using the higher amount…

cut 12 (09) “just can’t”

But Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmunds says Republicans don’t have an appetite for using 99 million dollars out of the Rainy Day Fund. He says the state is also facing another major budget shortfall next fiscal year.

Cut 13 (10) “last resort“

This special session ends Wednesday at midnight. Reynolds says the House plan that calls for using 75 million dollars in Rainy Day funding is a proposal that is full of gimmicks.

cut 14 (10) “the past”

Originally the governor proposed using 119 million dollars from the Rainy Fund but says 99 million is an acceptable compromise. But Edmunds says Republicans believe they’ve already compromised enough and would rather keep it at 75 million dollars of the fund.

Cut 15 (10) “of corrections”

________________________________________________________