A former nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs is facing jail time after a patient died under her care. Inspector General Stephen Street says 58-year-old Cheryl Poirrier (pour-e-a) was on-duty the night a resident fell at a Veterans Home in St Charles Parish. He says after a fall, it’s policy to check the patient’s neurological signs for the next 72 hours…:
CUT 3 (12) “the checks”
She is charged with one count of malfeasance in office and four counts of filing false public records.

State Senators and leaders from the Edwards Administration have begun discussions on the more than $26 billion dollar spending plan for next fiscal year. House Bill 1 was approved Friday in the lower chamber, and lawmakers are still expected to make more changes to the proposed budget. The state is facing a $600 million dollar shortfall for the fiscal year that begins July 1st.

A man who was not buckled up died in a single vehicle crash this morning in Calcasieu Parish. State Police say 33-year-old Quincey Darnell Trail of Lake Charles traveled off the road into a ditch, struck a culvert and overturned several times. Trail was pronounced dead at the scene by the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office.

Today is the deadline for taxpayers to file state tax returns. Emelie Gunn has more…:
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”