Governor John Bel Edwards says the plan to cut the budget by $70 million by June 30 will be shouldered by DHH, not higher ed. He says colleges have had to endure enough cuts over the last 8 years, and he ouldn’t in good conscience place any more burden on the backs of students. $40 million in the cuts to DHH are from Medicaid efficiencies, and the other $30 million is to the private-public partnership hospitals.
Alto Congressman Ralph Abraham is visiting Cuba next month to establish potential agriculture trade with the island…
Three people were killed in a tragic fire during the overnight hours in Winnsboro, a father and two sons. A mother, a daughter, and another son were also seriously injured. Brant Thompson, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, says when the firefighters arrived, they found the singlewide trailer fully engulfed in flames.
Derrick Boley, his 3-year-old son Kenderrick Boley, and 8-year-old Bryson Scobbee were killed in the fire.
Matthew Flugence of Marrero has entered a guilty plea in the death of a 6-year-old girl who was killed then stuffed into a trashcan in 2013, and he was sentenced to life in prison. Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. will not pursue the death penalty. Legal analyst Tim Meche says in Louisiana there is no chance of getting out of a life sentence, like there may be in other states.