The Senate Finance Committee approved a proposed budget for next fiscal year that does not match Governor John Bel Edwards’ wish list. Edwards has asked the Senate to give teachers a two-thousand dollar pay raise, but House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue, the author of the budget bill says a 15-hundred dollar raise is more appropriate…:

CUT 10(10)      “…Southern average.”

The governor also wants $500-million set aside to build a new Mississippi River bridge at Baton Rouge. The Senate approved $300-million.

Deputies in Rapides Parish arrest a Deville man for allegedly pointing a gun at a school bus that had children aboard. The incident happened last Thursday afternoon. Officers say 41-year-old Ray Corbett leveled what appeared to be a pistol at the vehicle. He did not fire. A search of his home found some Air Soft guns, but no real firearms. Corbett was charged with terrorizing and aggravated assault.

There will be a changing of the guard, or more accurately, a changing of the chiefs this morning as Butch Browning, the state’s longest-serving fire marshal, hands the baton to Daniel Wallis – his former right hand man – after 14 years of leadership. Here’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue…:

CUT 13(11)      “…state for decades.”

Browning moves on to the position of executive director of the National Association of State Fire Marshalls.

As we return to somewhat of a pre-COVID lifestyle Governor John Bel Edwards says there’s been a slight bump in daily case counts. On Friday the state reported 730 new cases. Edwards says the positivity rate is also increasing…:

CUT 07(06)      “…point-seven-percent.”

He says it still pays to get vaccinated and up-to-date on boosters.