For many this is one of their favorite weekends of the year. Jeff Palermo has more on the Mardi Gras festivities….
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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A majority of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation voted against the spending bill that reopened the federal government after a brief shutdown. Don Molino has reaction…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Don Molino”
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The carnival season ramps up this weekend with parades all across the state. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says New Orleans is the focal point for Mardi Gras, but the entire state benefits from an influx of tourists who want to be a part of the celebration….
Cut 3 (09) “of the state”
Weather will be an issue for the parades that roll tomorrow as some areas of the state could see a couple of inches of rain. But Nungesser knows that will not dampen the spirit….
Cut 4 (12) “of the state”
Nungesser plans to be in Washington DC on Fat Tuesday to promote the state’s new tourism slogan, “Louisiana: Feed Your Soul.” He says it’s his hope that it will be a safe Mardi Gras and he knows our state and local law enforcement is working hard to make sure it is…
Cut 5 (07) “any incidents”
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Even though it looks nice today, a wet rainy weekend is still threatening to dampen Mardi Gras parades around the state on Saturday. Rain is expected, especially in south Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it won’t be a heavy continuous downpour…
Cut 6 (08) “of that.”
Even though it will seem gloomy, above normal temperatures will remain, which Keim says will help it to feel more like spring…
Cut 7 (07) “overcast skies.”
Keim says with the intermittent rain, crowds along the parade routes might be smaller than usual…
Cut 8 (07) “of people.”
There remains a chance of rain for Fat Tuesday as well, but Keim says to keep watching the forecast as hopefully, the rain chances by then will change.
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Congress approved a spending bill that reopened the federal government after a brief shutdown over the night. Louisiana’s delegation voted three to five against accepting the budget deal. Senator John Kennedy voted against the bill, saying the spending increases are not paid for.
Cut 9 (10) “new expenses.”
The bill includes a substantial increase in defense and discretionary funding, including billions in additional disaster relief money, much of which should find its way back to 2016 Louisiana flood victims. Kennedy says despite voting against the bill, he sees some upside from the deal.
Cut 10 (10) “the waste.”
Kennedy was joined in voting no by Senator Bill Cassidy, and Representatives Cedric Richmond, Mike Johnson, and Garret Graves. Representatives Ralph Abraham, Clay Higgins, and Steve Scalise voted yes.
The spending bill includes a reported 165 billion dollar increase in military spending. North Louisiana Representative Ralph Abraham says that’s what got his vote.
Cut 11 (12) “the yes”
Abraham is not happy about increasing the deficit, but he says the predictions for how much the debt will balloon may be overstated.
Cut 12 (11) “long run”
Abraham says the increase in defense spending will be a substantial boost the Louisiana economy.
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Attorney General Jeff Landry filed a lawsuit against the Corps of Engineers alleging that the Corps expanded the Intracoastal Waterway in Vermillion Parish beyond the borders set in a 1920s agreement. Landry says the Corps has increased the size of the waterway far past what the state imagined, which the AG says has contributed to the decline of Louisiana’s coastline.
Cut 13 (11) “particular servitude”
Landry says he’s seeking to force the Corps to roll back the waterway to the limits the state initially agreed to.
Cut 14 (11) “been lost”
The Corps routinely makes arrangements with states that allow it to construct new waterway projects. Landry says in bigger states, the Corp wouldn’t have gotten away with the over expansion.
Cut 15 (09) “its right”
The Governor says he’ll review the suit, but is concerned Landry did not consult with him, or the Coastal Protection and Restoration authority, the agency charged with developing coastal protection plans, before filing the suit.