Marketa Garner Walters, secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, tells legislators her department is in need of resources to care for the more than four-thousand children in foster care in Louisiana. Walters says the process of finding a place to stay can be difficult on children from abusive homes.
Walters says without sufficient funding, Louisiana could receive federal penalties for falling short of the national standards for these agencies.
A debate broke out at the state capitol over a tax credit that benefits working individuals with low incomes. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala has legislation to do away with the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger says in parishes like East Carroll and Madison, over 50-percent of the state’s tax filers receive the earned income tax credit. Leger is proposing to double the earned income tax credit, which would actually help the state and local economy.
cut 14 (12) “necessities of life”
A federal judge officially rejected Former Saints safety Darren Sharper’s plea bargain in the case where he allegedly drugged and raped multiple women. Legal Analyst Chick Foret says Sharper is facing accusations in three other states and agreed to nine years in jail after pleading guilty in those jurisdictions. But Foret says US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo believes nine years isn’t enough…
Judge Milazzo gave Sharper until March 3rd to withdraw his guilty plea.
South Louisiana law enforcement are actively searching for the seven remaining wanted fugitives of the Gremlins Criminal Gang and their search efforts have been boosted by the latest video message from the “Cajun John Wayne.” Captain Clay Higgins with St. Landry’s parish sheriff’s office says the gang is very active in Acadiana and Higgins called out the remaining fugitives in a viral internet video.
The video has received over 8 million views on St. Landry Parish’s Facebook page.