Louisiana has begun handing out disaster food assistance for residents impacted by extreme flooding. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Gas prices are going up in Louisiana as refineries shut down for annual maintenance. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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According to a recent LSU poll, Louisiana voters are split on whether or not they want their elected officials to compromise. Jeff Palermo has more…
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The state has started handing out disaster food aid to families who have been impacted by the flooding. Deputy Assistant Secretary with the Department of Children and Family Services Sammy Guillory says the number of those applying has been pretty steady in the Covington area but not so much in north Louisiana, where it’s rare for the state to provide disaster food stamps.
Guillory recommends pre-registering for food assistance if you live in one of the 23 parishes that have been declared a federal disaster. He says the amount of aid you receive isn’t a set amount.
The food aid benefit cards are being distributed at 25 sites in parishes impacted by the floods. Guillory says flood victims that have a last name with E through K and have been approved, can get their emergency benefit card today. He encourages all people who want to apply to apply.
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Louisiana voters are split over whether or not elected officials should compromise, according to a new LSU survey. Doctor Michael Henderson, director of the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, says 55-percent of Democrats would like their representatives to compromise, while 52% of Republicans want their elected officials to stand their ground. Henderson says this does not bode well for getting things done in the legislature.
Henderson says with a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature, it’s likely state politicians will have a hard time coming to agreements. He says we’re starting to see Washington-style politics here in Louisiana.
About 87% of Louisiana Republicans have an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party in Louisiana, while 67% of Democrats in Louisiana have a negative opinion of the Republican Party. Henderson says this could be why the two parties are having a hard time compromising.
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Gas prices are climbing in Louisiana. The average price for a gallon of gas in the state has surpassed $1.80. AAA Spokesperson Don Redman says those prices could continue to go up for a couple more months.
Redman says the transition from winter-grade to summer-grade gas means refineries have to shut down for a while. He says that, coupled with more people out on the road, keeps gas prices higher.
Redman says we should see a decline in gas prices by the time summer arrives.
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The governor’s top budget advisor told the House Appropriations Committee despite the additional one-point-two billion dollars in taxes raised, some government agencies are looking at a 30-percent cut in state funding. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says painful cuts will need to occur for the fiscal year that starts July 1st…
Cut 13 (07) “throughout the state”
Dardenne says more details will be released in a couple of weeks. He says with the revenue raised during the special session they’ve been able to avoid the worst case scenario, but delivery of services around the state will still be impacted…
Cut 14 (09) “government level”
Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee will begin budget hearings this week, without a proposed spending plan from the governor. Dardenne urges legislators to do what they can, until the administration plugs in the 750-million dollar deficit into the budget…
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NBA superstar Pelicans center Anthony Davis says he’s been playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder for three years and will take the rest of the season off due to surgery. This also means he won’t go to the summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Davis says he isn’t looking forward to being off the court but something needs to be done.
Davis is also suffering from a knee injury. Davis says when you want to play, you find ways but it’s time to permanently fix the problem. He says the main reason he’s getting his shoulder fixed is because he was already getting surgery on his knee.
Davis says he’ll be out four to five months after surgery. He says the hardest thing about taking this time off is he’ll miss representing his country in the Olympics.