A couple of interstate projects are slated for Lake Charles.  Kelley Ray has more…

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

North Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham made no bones about his intentions to take a hard look at running for Governor. On the day when Governor John Bel Edwards took center stage at the capitol and opened the special legislative session, Abraham took a swipe at his potential opponent while speaking to the Baton Rouge Press club.

Saying Edwards position on how to pull the state out of the billion dollar deficit is proof positive Edwards is not being truthful.

Cut 8 (11) “with that”

Governor John Bel Edwards addressed the legislature, calling on the state’s governing body to put party politics aside to fix the impending fiscal cliff that triggers July 1st after a series of sales taxes expire. If no deal is struck, TOPS, higher Ed, and healthcare would see massive cuts.

The governor called on lawmakers to adopt his plan that would reduce the state sales tax, and replace the funds by widening the tax base, removing certain business sales tax exemptions, and compressing income tax brackets. Edwards says funding popular state programs should be every legislator’s objective.

Cut 14 (13) “critical priorities”

Will Wade’s LSU men’s basketball team is close to completing an astonishing turn around less than a year after the Tigers bottomed out at 10-21 last year. A win tonight versus Vanderbilt would give LSU 16 victories and guarantee a winning record for this season. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at the p-mac.

North Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham told the Baton Rouge Press Club he has yet to decide on whether he’ll run for governor in 2019, but he sounded like a candidate. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The State Transportation Department will begin work on the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles on March 3rd. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says they will replace the expansion joints on the bridge, initially closing one eastbound lane. Mallett says this work is part of a large scale job they plan to perform…

Cut 4  (10) “be redecked.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards addressed the legislature, calling on the state’s governing body to put party politics aside to fix the impending fiscal cliff that triggers July 1st after a series of sales taxes expire. If no deal is struck, TOPS, higher Ed, and healthcare would see massive cuts. Edwards says it’s time to put party aside for the future of the state.

Cut 13 (11)  “with me”

Three teens were arrested in connection with two alleged social media threats made against Tangipahoa Parish Schools. Sheriff Daniel Edwards says a 17-year-old female and a minor are charged in spreading a post that said, “Don’t go to school Monday.  A school shooting is going to happen and they are warning everyone.”

Edwards says 18-year-old Troy Webber of Amite was arrested in separate incident after he allegedly threatening to shoot students and teachers at school Monday…

Cut 11 (13) “as well.”

Will Wade’s LSU men’s basketball team is close to completing an astonishing turn around less than a year after the Tigers bottomed out at 10-21 last year. A win tonight versus Vanderbilt would give LSU 16 victories and guarantee a winning record for this season.

Cut 16 (15) “months ago.”

The tigers host Vanderbilt tonight at the P-mack. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

The lady Tigers basketball team is ranked 24^th in the Associated Press poll. That’s the first time in the top 25 in 4 years. Coach Nikki Fargas says she appreciates the recognition but they realize they have a lot of hard work to do.

After losing the opening series to Notre Dame, LSU fell in all four major polls. They are ranked anywhere from 15th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper to 23rd by D-1-baseball-dot-com. The Fighting Irish outplayed LSU during the weekend handing the Tigers their first opening weekend series loss since 1999 against Texas. Coach Paul Mainieri says this is just the start of a long season….

cut 20 (13) “….this weekend”
LSU will host UNO Wednesday and then the Longhorns come to the Box for a weekend three game series.

McNeese takes on Louisiana Tech; Northwestern is at ULM; Jackson State is at UNO and Alcorn is at Southeastern tonight.

Governor John Bel Edwards addressed the legislature on the first day of the special session.  Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

North Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham made no bones about his intentions to take a hard look at running for Governor. On the day when Governor John Bel Edwards took center stage at the capitol and opened the special legislative session, Abraham took a swipe at his potential opponent while speaking to the Baton Rouge Press club.

Cut 7 (09)  “lack of trust”

Three teens were arrested in connection with two alleged social media threats made against Tangipahoa Parish Schools. Sheriff Daniel Edwards says a 17-year-old female and a minor are charged in spreading a post that said, “Don’t go to school Monday.  A school shooting is going to happen and they are warning everyone.” Edwards says that resulted in his deputies sweeping the school before allowing students on campus…

Cut 10 (08) “the night.”

A female employee at False River Academy died Monday afternoon in a vehicle accident that occurred on the New Roads campus. 66 year old Edith Atkinson was killed when she was pinned between her husband’s truck and a school bus. Her 74 year old husband was driving the truck.

Governor John Bel Edwards didn’t specify what taxes he wanted approved to address a one-billion dollar budget gap as lawmakers convened for the first day of the special session. But he encouraged legislators to pass legislation that gives Louisiana a stable tax structure that ends the constant budget deficits the state has faced over the last decade.

The Senate Democratic Caucus offers a plan on solving a one-billion dollar budget deficit, but it faces opposition from anti-tax groups. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”.

Three teens were arrested in connection with two alleged social media threats made against Tangipahoa Parish Schools. Sheriff Daniel Edwards says a 17-year-old female and another juvenile are charged in spreading a post that said, “Don’t go to school Monday. A school shooting is going to happen and they are warning everyone.” Edwards says that resulted in his deputies sweeping the school before allowing students on campus…
Cut 10 (08) “the night.”
Edwards says his deputies also arrested 18-year-old Troy Webber of Amite, who allegedly threatened to shoot fellow students and faculty upon returning to school today.

Sad story out of Pointe Coupee Parish as a female employee at False River Academy was killed when her 74-year-old husband accidentally pinned his wife between his truck and a school bus. 66-year-old Edith Atkinson died from her injures at a local hospital.

Governor John Bel Edwards is laying laying out his plan for tackling the fiscal cliff at the capitol. The cliff is the result of the expiration of sales taxes in July. Political pollster Bernie Pinsonat says Edwards might renew portion of that penny, but he’ll have to agree on spending reforms

Cut 13 (07) “for cuts”

LSU president F. King Alexander is calling on legislators to find a budget solution that funds higher ed and TOPS by the end of the February special session.

Cut 21 (10) “difficult position”

Alexander says there was a noticeable impact the last time the state failed to properly fund TOPS in a timely manner. He says if lawmakers wait until June to solve the one billion dollar fiscal cliff, the damage will already have been done for the 2018-2019 school year.

The Senate Democratic Caucus offers a solution on solving the one-billion dollar shortfall. Troy Carter, who is a state senator from New Orleans, says the Democratic plan would replace the money lost from the expiring penny sales tax by expanding the tax base and compressing bracket. He says the changing of income tax brackets would not mean a huge increase in taxes for higher income wage earners.

Cut 7 (10)  “richest of the rich”

But Director for the Louisiana Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, John Kay, says the Senate Democratic Caucus proposal would raise income taxes on the middle class by 50-percent…

 Cut 8 (09) “they need.”

Kay doesn’t see how this tax plan will get the 70 votes needed in the House, 

The Senate Democratic Caucus offers a plan on solving a one-billion dollar budget deficit, but it faces opposition from anti-tax groups…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”.

Governor John Bel Edwards will speak at the joint special session of the Legislature at 5pm.  He has invited special guests – college student Donna Satterfeal, who would be affected by a reduction of TOPS funding, Kelly Monroe the executive director of the ARC of Louisiana and Tina Haines, whose daughter is a recipient of a Children’s Choice Waiver.  Edwards has said all these programs would be affected if the budget shortfall isn’t fixed.

At least three Louisiana schools have received social media threats.  Ville Platte, Dutchtown and Ponchatoula High Schools were threatened over the weekend.  State Police Major Doug Cain says in light of the recent Florida school shooting that killed 17, making false threats is not a game and creates problems for law enforcement officials…

Cut 3 (08) “of threats.”

Two were arrested in connection with the Ponchatoula incident, including 18-year-old Troy Webber of Amite and a 17-year-old female.

Louisiana has experienced some fantastic weather as of late, leading to the question, Was Louisiana’s resident forecaster Pierre C. Shadow correct in saying we would have a longer Spring?  State Climatologist Barry Keim says…

Cut 12 (11) “have happened.”

Governor John Bel Edwards will lay out his plans on tackling the fiscal cliff when he speaks to a joint session of the legislature at 5: 00 today. Edwards called a special session to address a one-billion dollar budget deficit as a temporary one-cent sales tax expires on June 30th. Political pollster Bernie Pinsonat says Pinsonat says the governor will have difficulty getting tax bills passed out of the House, but might be able to work out a deal with the Senate…

Cut 14 (09) “the House.”

The Senate Democratic Caucus offers a solution on solving the one-billion dollar shortfall. Chairman Troy Carter proposes compressing income tax brackets, removing sales tax exemptions that benefit some businesses and expand the sales tax base, so certain services are taxed…

Cut 6  (05)  “have to hurt”

But anti-tax critics say proposal would raise income taxes on the middle class.

LRN

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At least three Louisiana schools have received social media threats, with Ville Platte under lockdown due to one received this morning.  Dutchtown and Ponchatoula High Schools were threatened in social media over the weekend.  State Police Major Doug Cain says If a threat against a school is found to be false, Cain says they will investigate and if they find the person who made it, there will be consequences…

Cut 4  (08) “be tolerated.” 

Officials say the Dutchtown threat was made by a former student living in another state.

And a 17-year-old girl was arrested in relation to the situation in Tangipahoa Parish. She was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after posting a snapchat video that claimed an incident was going to occur at a Tangipahoa school.

In a separate incident, 18-year-old Troy Webber of Amite was arrested after making a threat this weekend that he was going to shoot his fellow students when returning to school today. Webber has been charged with Terrorizing.