State lawmakers go into special session Monday to put together a plan to bring new private property insurance companies to Louisiana, but not everyone is on board. The proposal is to use $45-million in surplus cash to make an incentive fund for new incoming insurers. The hope is this will help de-populate Louisiana Citizens, the last-resort insurer which costs significantly more than the private market. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the same plan worked after a big exodus of companies following Katrina and Rita; bring five new companies to the state…but Thibodaux Rep. Bryan Fontenot says there are yet un-answered questions about that plan’s success…:

CUT 08(09)      “…on those companies?”

Four Baton Rouge men are charged with plying LSU co-ed Madison Brooks with alcohol and raping her…before leaving her wandering on a Baton Rouge roadway, where she was hit and killed by traffic. The victim’s blood alcohol was .319 percent; considered alcohol poisoning in most cases.

The state Department of Education says a new report shows a two-percent increase in the percentage of teachers choosing to stay in the profession over last year. Superintendent of Education Doctor Cade Brumley says the state has worked to retain teachers by increasing teacher salaries and providing no cost counseling service for teachers…:

CUT 04(09)      “pay opportunities.”

The average teacher salary has increased by 12-hundred dollars to 52-thousand dollars.

Police in Jennings say a high speed chase Monday night ended with a car crash and big drug bust. The two male suspects in the vehicle were treated at a local hospital, th3n arrested after cops found about ten pounds of crystal meth in the car; street value about a quarter-million bucks. They also found $9000 in cash. Jennings Police says it’s the largest seizure of meth ever by their city.