What can citizens expect to be top priorities for Governor Edwards’ next four years? Kevin Barnhart has the details.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

If you’re feeling like you’ve got the flu, you’re not alone the CDC says Louisiana ranks among the top three states reporting flu activity, and according to Walgreens New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette are among the top six cities in the U.S. with the highest flu-based retail prescription data. The CDC also notes we aren’t even into the peak of flu season yet

Period Equity is hosting a protest against the state’s sales taxing of feminine products in New Orleans today. LIFT Louisiana is helping organize the event, and Legal Advisory Board Member Laura Fine says 33 states do not exempt the products from sales tax, and an effort to do so here failed to pass last year, but Fine says they’ve worked to sure up more votes for next year’s attempt.

Cut  12 (12) “…lose.” 

According to QuoteWizard Louisiana has the seventh-highest rate of distracted driving incidents in the nation between 2013 and 17. But the report also shows the state has had a slight decline in incidents in last few years. State Police Sgt. Melissa Matey credits that an aggressive driver education campaign…

Cut 15 (07) “driving”

Governor Edwards addresses some of the issues that will be the benchmarks of his second term.  Following a reinvestment in higher education and the locking in a pay raise for public school teachers in his first term, Edwards says his focus on education will continue.

Cut 7 (12) “…the southern average.”

LSU’s return on investment ranks number one among SEC public universities according to a new report from Georgetown University.  The report compares earnings versus average student debt.   LSU President F. King Alexander says grads tend to find a promising income.

Cut 4 (06) “…mid-career earning.”

Alexander says the earnings-to-debt ratio return is almost 300 percent.

Period Equity is hosting a protest against the state’s sales taxing of feminine products at Tulane today. LIFT Louisiana is helping organize the event, and Legal Advisory Board Member Laura Fine says the demand is for feminine products to be exempted from the sales tax in the same way that other necessities are. They’re hoping to send a message to state leaders and…

Cut 11 (05) “…constitutional”

Organizers are also demanding diapers be removed from state sales tax as well.

Louisiana has the seventh-highest rate of distracted driving incidents in the nation according to a report by QuoteWizard. 5,037 drivers died in what was deemed distracted driving incidents in Louisiana between 2013 and 2017. State Police Sgt. Melissa Matey says it’s not just cellphone related incidents.

Cut 13 (8) “the road”

Governor Edwards says his top priority for his second term will be new dollars for early childhood education. Edwards also wants to get public school teacher salaries to the Southern Regional Average and he says his new administration will focus on a new master plan for colleges, with the hopes of doubling the number of degrees and workforce credentials by 2030. The governor says an improving economy will help pay for these proposals.

Republicans are expected to push for a decrease in taxes, since the state is running a surplus. But Edwards says he will be hesitant to do so, if the economists who work with the Revenue Estimating Conference do not show a positive outlook…
cut 9 (09) “….to recover from”
The makeup of the legislature for Edwards second term is more conservative than the one he dealt with in his first term.

Period Equity hosts a protest today at Tulane University against the state’s sales tax of feminine products and they want attendees to bring receipts of their latest tampon purchase with them. Matt Doyle has more…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Quote Wizard finds Louisiana ranks seventh for most distracted drivers. State Police Sergeant Melissa Matey says taking your eyes off the road for just a second or two could lead to a wreck, especially if the driver in front of you makes a sudden stop…
cut 14 (12) “….happen”

A new report from Georgetown University ranks LSU’s return on investment number one among SEC public universities.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

One of Governor Edwards first tasks for his second term will be working with the legislature on how to spend 535-million dollars in state surplus money. Edwards on where that money may go…
cut 8 (08) “….coastal restoration and protection”

Period Equity is hosting a protest today at Tulane against the state’s sales tax on feminine products and they want attendees to bring receipts of their latest tampon purchase with them. LIFT Louisiana is helping organize the event and Legal Advisory Board Member Laura Fine…
cut 10 (11) “…unconstitutional.”
33 states do not exempt feminine products from sales tax and efforts to do so have failed to pass at the State Capitol.

QuoteWizard used numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find that Louisiana ranks seventh for the highest rate of distracted driving fatalities. But the same report found there’s been a slight decline in distracted driving fatalities from 2013 to 2017. State Police Sergeant Melissa Matey credits an aggressive driver education campaign…
cut 15 (07) “…driving”

What can citizens expect to be top priorities for Governor Edwards’ the next four years? Kevin Barnhart has the details.
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

LSU ranks number one among SEC public institutions when comparing earnings versus average student debt. That’s according to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education. LSU President F King Alexander says the TOPS scholarship plays a role…
cut 5 (07) “…is over 80-percent”

Louisiana has the seventh-highest rate of distracted driving incidents in the nation according to a QuoteWizard report. Just over five-thousand drivers died in what was deemed distracted driving incidents in Louisiana between 2013 and 2017. State Police Sgt. Melissa Matey says it’s not just cellphone related incidents.
Cut 13 (8) “the road”
The Quote Wizard report says 13 percent of driving fatalities in the state are related to distracted driving.

Walgreens says Louisiana, Maryland and California lead the country in flu cases. In fact, Lafayette, New Orleans and Baton Rouge are among the top six areas in the U-S with the highest incidence of flu based on retail prescription data.

A new report from Georgetown University ranks LSU’s return on investment number one among SEC public universities. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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What can citizens expect to be top priorities for Governor Edwards’ next four years? Kevin Barnhart has the details.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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Period Equity is hosting a protest against the state’s sales taxing of feminine products today at Tulane and they want attendees to bring receipts of their latest tampon or pad purchase along with them.  Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

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LSU’s return on investment ranks number one among SEC public universities according to a new report from Georgetown University.  The report compares earnings versus average student debt.   LSU President F. King Alexander says grads tend to find a promising income.

Cut 4 (06) “…mid-career earning.”

Alexander says the earnings-to-debt ratio return is almost 300 percent, adding few undergrads leave LSU with saddled with debt.

Cut 5 (07) “…is over 80%.”

Students may have to take a large loan to fund their college experience at other schools, but Alexander says that is not necessarily the case at LSU.

Cut 6 (10) “…lowest among flagships.”

Expanded data from the College Scorecard was analyzed to calculate the report.

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Governor Edwards addresses some of the issues that will be the benchmarks of his second term.  Following a reinvestment in higher education and the locking in a pay raise for public school teachers in his first term, Edwards says his focus on education will continue.

Cut 7 (12) “…the southern average.”

Edwards says infrastructure will remain a top priority.

Cut 8 (11) “…trust fund dollars.”

Edwards says he will entertain the idea of rolling back the .45 percent state sales tax, but it is dependent on what the revenue estimating conference shows for a particular year and what economists show for the outlook.

Cut 9 (09) “…to recover from.”

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Period Equity is hosting a protest against the state’s sales taxing of feminine products today at Tulane and they want attendees to bring receipts of their latest tampon or pad purchase along with them.

LIFT Louisiana is helping organize the event, and Legal Advisory Board Member Laura Fine says there’s a legitimate legal claim at play here along with the protest.

Cut 10 (11) “…unconstitutional.”

Those without a previous receipt can make a purchase at the site of the protest.

Fine says the demand is for feminine products to be exempted from the sales tax in the same way that other necessities are. They’re hoping to send a message to state leaders and…

Cut 11 (05) “…constitutional”

The organizers are also demanding diapers be removed from the state sales tax as well.

33 states do not exempt the products from sales tax, and an effort to do so failed to pass last year, but Fine says they’ve worked to sure up more votes for next year’s attempt.

Cut  12 (12) “…lose.” 

The protest will be held on Tulane’s campus from 11 AM-3 PM today.

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Louisiana has the seventh-highest rate of distracted driving incidents in the nation according to a report by QuoteWizard.

5,037 drivers died in what was deemed distracted driving incidents in Louisiana between 2013 and 2017. State Police Sgt. Melissa Matey says it’s not just cellphone related incidents.

Cut 13 (8) “the road”

That’s good for roughly 13 percent of driving fatalities in the state.

Matey says distracted driving is so dangerous because even if you take your eyes off the road for just a second or two, a car could make an abrupt stop in front of you and…

Cut 14 (12) “…happen” 

The report notes distracted driving has declined slightly over the past few years, and Matey credits that to an aggressive driver education campaign at national and state levels…

Cut 15 (07) “driving”

New Mexico, New Jersey, and Washington State topped the list. Mississippi was the least distracted state.
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For Louisiana Tech to stay in first place in the Conference USA Western Division, they need to win Saturday in Birmingham against the U-A-B Blazers. The Bulldogs have the league’s top-ranked offense, while the Blazers have the number one ranked defense. Tech Coach Skip Holtz says U-A-B is very aggressive on defense…

Cut 16  (17)  …rushing”  

Tech will not have starting quarterback J’Mar Smith and leading receiver Adrian Hardy tomorrow as they will serve game two of their two-game suspension for violating an athletic department policy. Freshman Aaron Allen is set to start again at Q-B after throwing for 159 yards last week. Holtz is not down on the rookie

Cut 17  (16)  competed” 

La Tech had an eight-game win streak snapped last week against Marshall. Holtz says he’s looking forward to his team bouncing back, but they’ll have to do it at a tough place to win for opponents…

cut 18  (16)  can do” 

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The Saints are 8-and-2 and have a comfortable three-game lead over Carolina for first place in the N-F-C South. Those two teams meet on Sunday. Quarterback Drew Brees says miscues is keeping the offense from performing at a higher level…

cut 19 (23),   can be”    

Carolina is tied with San Francisco for most sacks in the league with 39. Brees says they have a lot of good pass rushers…

cut 20 (17) “ make em”    

The cyberattack on state computer servers will keep Louisiana O-M-V offices closed for the rest of the week. The ransomware attack on Monday impacted 132 servers in state government and the Office of Motor Vehicles has struggled to get its computer system to work properly. Governor John Bel Edwards…

Cut 4 (12) “…more computers”

The OMV will be back online Monday.

Crowley Police now have a person of interest in a string of church vandalism incidents after another church was targeted this week, the sixth such incident since July. Chief Jimmy Broussard says the feds have been contacted and information has been passed to them, so if you’re behind the vandalism, it’s best to turn yourself in now before federal agents charge you.

Cut 8 (05) “   …statutes”

Hate crime charges could apply.

La Tech has unveiled plans for new baseball, softball and soccer stadiums. They were destroyed last April by a tornado. Athletics Director Tommy McClelland says the new baseball stadium will remain in the same place, while softball and soccer will relocate next to the track stadium. Construction will take several months

Cut 12 (12) “…as possible.” 

St. John Parish Sheriffs are offering 3,500 dollars for information leading to an arrest of anyone involved in an August shooting ambush of an autistic man in Reserve. Sheriff Mike Tregre believes a vehicle drove up behind 57-year-old Aurelius Burfict August 12^th around 1 AM, and suspects within opened fire on the man.

Cut 9 (10) “…did it.″

Southeastern Louisiana hosts Nicholls tonight in the regular-season finale for both teams and the winner will earn at least a share of the Southland Conference Championship and a berth into the F-C-S playoffs. Lions Coach Frank Scelfo says it’s no surprise that the Colonels have a chance at repeating as Southland champs…
cut 18 (20) play well”
Kick-off is at 6 PM and C-S-T has television coverage.

The Pelicans are in Phoenix tonight to face the Suns. New Orleans has won three of its last four thanks to the improved play of Jrue Holiday. Holiday has averaged 24 points a game and shot 48-percent from the field over the last four games.

The Saints continue preparations today to host their N-F-C South Rivals, the Carolina Panthers. Coach Sean Payton says protecting quarterback Drew Brees will be a priority…
cut 17 (11) “….at a high level”
Kick-off Sunday is at noon.

Arkansas Interim head coach Barry Lunney is not saying who will start at quarterback on Saturday against the top ranked Tigers. True freshman KJ Jefferson has been seen taking snaps with the first team at practice.

Louisiana Tech unveiled its plans for new baseball, softball and soccer stadiums as the rebuild continues from a killer tonrado last April. Athletics Director Tommy McClelland would not give out a total price tag…
cut 13 (12) “…state’s permission”
McClelland says they know the university will receive FEMA reimbursement, insurance, state money and get help from private donors.

Office of Motor Vehicle locations will remain closed until Monday as the state continues to get its computers working properly from a cybersecurity attack. Brooke Thorington has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Tigers are not just top-ranked on the gridiron. LSU’s return on investment ranks number one among SEC public universities according to a new report from Georgetown University. The report compares earnings versus average student debt.

Crowley Police now have a person of interest in a string of church vandalism incidents after another church was targeted this week, the sixth such incident since July. Chief Jimmy Broussard says the incidents have all had roughly the same M.O., a vandal, or vandals tosses a brick or concrete through the glass of a church in a majority-black neighborhood.
Cut 6 (09) “building”

La Tech has unveiled plans for new baseball, softball and soccer stadiums. They were destroyed last April by a tornado. Athletics Director Tommy McClelland says the new baseball stadium will remain in the same place, while softball and soccer will relocate next to the track stadium. FEMA reimbursement, insurance, state dollars and private donors will pay for the new facilities.

Cut 13 (12) “…state’s permission”
Construction will take several months