Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told state lawmakers today that the state finished last fiscal year with a 313-million dollar deficit and the budget gap could keep growing, because tax collections continue to lag. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it looks like the state’s budget problems are not going away, but the governor has put together a panel to try to come up with a way to stabilize the budget…
cut 14 (07) “…Louisiana budget”
Cross says Edwards has blamed much of the state’s budget woes on the previous administration, but eventually the public will start putting the blame on him.

The US Justice Department is providing a one-million dollar grant to Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies to help them pay for all of the overtime costs that were incurred as a result of the police shooting protests. Police officers and sheriff deputies worked long hours after the shooting of Alton Sterling.

A Korean War veteran, who died over 65 years ago, is being laid to rest at this hour just outside of Crowley. Army Sergeant First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago as a prisoner of war. Alex Juan, with the state department of Veteran’s Affairs says Smith is receiving full military honors…
cut 8 (06) “…away gets”
Juan says it’s a tedious process when it comes to identifying and transporting the remains of US soldiers who died in military camps.

The Republican Party in Louisiana has volunteers in Florida this weekend to help campaign for Donald Trump. The Sunshine State is looking at an extremely close race between Trump and Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Louisiana GOP Chair Roger Villere…:
CUT 4 (08) “we have to win Florida”
Villere says they aren’t worried about Trump not getting the nomination in Louisiana.