Social media threats have been made against several Louisiana schools just days after a gunman opened fire on a Florida school, killing 17. Kelley Ray says State Police are distributed by the increase in threats, real or not…
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The Senate Demcractic 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…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”.
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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 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…
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…
None of the Louisiana schools in question were closed today. But Cain says each situation is evaluated on its own and safety of students for law enforcement and school administration is top priority…
Officials say the Dutchtown threat was made by a former student living in another state.
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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…
Carter, who is a state senator from New Orleans, says the Democratic Caucus offers up this plan, because they oppose any effort to renew the temporary one-cent sales tax. 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…
Kay doesn’t see how this tax plan will get the 70 votes needed in the House, especially when many legislators are looking at ways to reduce spending….
Cut 9 (09) “compromise at all”
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Just a few ago, some in Louisiana were putting up with ice and snow on the ground. But recent above normal temperatures are making it feel more like Spring. State Climatologist Barry Keim says areas of South Louisiana will continue to see the warm temperatures for some time…
A pesky front is expected to move into North Louisiana starting tomorrow evening, which Keim says will bring the temperatures closer to normal in that area for the remainder of the week…
Was Louisiana’s resident forecaster Pierre C. Shadow correct in saying we would have a longer Spring? Keim says…
Keim says records indicate that Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport all recorded freezes in early April, though it’s been at least 29 years since the last April freeze was reported in Louisiana.
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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 Edwards might renew portion of that penny, but he’ll have to agree on spending reforms
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…
All tax bills must start in the House and will get their first hearing in front of the House Ways and Means committee. Pinsonat says Edwards will have a hard time convincing conservative lawmakers to raise taxes…