Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says new revenues are a must when it comes to plugging the state’s $750 million dollar midyear budget hole — in order to avoid cuts to higher ed and health care. He says, even if it means raising the state sales tax by a penny, they aim to be completely honest with the public about the situation at hand…:
CUT 7 (11) “raise some revenue”
A three-week special legislative session is set for later this month.

Governor John Bel Edwards is slated to speak tonight at Broadmoor High School in Baton Rouge in the annual kickoff gathering of the Louisiana Association of Educators “Ask An Educator” forum. Organizers say teachers and other school staff members will be given the opportunity to ask questions and offer recommendations on how public schools could be improved. The event begins at 6pm.

A study out of LSU Health Shreveport finds more radiation is being overused in elderly women with breast cancer. Emelie Gunn has more on the discovery:
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Today is Groundhog Day and Louisiana’s Cajun groundhog, Pierre C. Shadeaux — a nutria, not a groundhog, emerged from his home early this morning in New Iberia and did not see his shadow. That means south Louisiana can expect a longer spring this year. This is the fifth yer in a row that Pierre did not see his shadow. The prediction matched that of Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil.