Scandal has hit the Louisiana Tech women’s basketball program. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival starts today but recent flooding ruined a lot of the state’s berry crop. Emelie Gunn has more…
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With the support of Governor John Bel Edwards, a Senate committee passed two bills that alter the TOPS scholarship program. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is monitoring the deer population for chronic wasting disease, which has been confirmed in Arkansas and Texas. Dr. Jim LaCour with DWF says CWD is a fatal, progressive neurological disease that affects deer, including the white-tailed deer in Louisiana.
LaCour says this disease basically eats holes in the deer’s brain and there is no cure. He says infected deer are not symptomatic in the beginning, but they show signs of CWD as it progresses.
A big concern is that deer infected with CWD can spread the disease, before symptoms develop. LaCour says currently there have not been any cases of CWD in Louisiana. He says DWF is monitoring the deer population for signs of the disease, and they do have a plan in place if the disease is ever discovered in Louisiana.
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The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival begins today but it wasn’t a great year for strawberries, because of the massive flooding in Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes last month. Strawberry farmer Eric Morrow says 90% of his crop was damaged and he won’t have much to show for this year’s harvest.
Morrow says the rain came at the wrong time and ruined a lot of green fruit. He says will not make any money this year, because he lost the majority of his crop and so did several other strawberry producers.
Morrow says he’ll have to hope his other crops do well to make up with the loss of strawberries, because he’s not expecting any federal assistance because government aid doesn’t usually go for specialty crops.
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Governor John Bel Edwards supports legislation passed out of a Senate committee that attempts to control the cost of the TOPS scholarship program. One of the bills would cap the amount a TOPS recipient receives at next year’s level and it stays there even if tuition rises. Edwards says it’s a bill he voted for as a legislator last year and he favors its passage this year…
Cut 10 (12) “tuition increases”
Edwards says although legislators did well in the special session, they did not generate enough revenue to fully fund TOPS. He says that’s why another special session is needed to raise more money.
On Tuesday, the Edwards will propose its spending plan for next fiscal year to lawmakers. The governor says because of a 750-million dollar shortfall, the state doesn’t have enough money to fully fund the scholarship program…
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A bill that adds parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities as a firearm free zone passes out of a House Criminal Justice Committee on an 8 to 6 vote. Prairieville Rep. Tony Bacala disagrees with the legislation. He says the majority of tragic shootings happen by people should be in jail.
The legislation faces opposition from gun rights supporters but Baton Rouge Rep. Denise Marcelle understands we have the right to bear arms but the safety of our children and loved ones is more important.
New Orleans Rep. Jimmy Harris is the author of the legislation. Harris says this bill wasn’t created to infringe on anyone’s rights, but to keep people safe.