The Transportation Task Force will vote on recommendations today that they plan to present to the governor;, including a $700 million dollar a year budget increase for roads and bridges. Halen Doughty reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to discuss his feelings about flood relief in the state. Don Molino has more….
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The Louisiana Department of Health has seen an uptick in mumps cases around the country and is concerned the disease could find its way here. Emelie Gunn has more…
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The Transportation Task Force will vote today on a recommendation that the budget for roads and bridges be increased by $700 million a year. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the need in Louisiana is great, and in order to address that need, they need an annual infusion of dollars that’s indexed for the Transportation Trust Fund.
Wilson says that money could come from toll roads, public-private partnerships, or an increase in the gas tax. He says the state’s 20-cent gas tax that was imposed 30 years ago is only worth half hat today. He says the state has $16 million in projects needed, including a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, and those projects require funding.
Wilson says addressing all of the state’s needs at once would be impossible, as the state still has a $13 billion backlog of road and bridge needs. But he says that with a good annual investment, Louisiana can have an infrastructure system that we can be proud of.
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Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to express his frustration with the flood recovery and what he hopes to accomplish with President- elect Trump. Graves says the fact that some families will not be placed in a FEMA trailer until after Christmas is ridiculous.
Graves says he’s been able to talk with President-elect Donald Trump along with vice president-elect Mike Pence about the timeline of FEMA assistance. He says both agreed that the efficiency of getting flood relief dollars to victims was absurd…
Graves addressed the Restore Louisiana Taskforce and how relief dollars are being appropriated. He says the flood didn’t discriminate based on income level and neither should the disaster aid.
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The Louisiana Department of Health says they’ve been seeing an uptick in mumps cases around college campuses nationwide but more recently a large concentration in Arkansas. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says Mississippi and Alabama have seen outbreaks, as well as, a fairly large one in Texas so it’s very concerning…
Welch says the mumps is easily spread as it’s airborne and can be passed along by saliva and mucus. He says Louisiana has a very good vaccination rate in children, which is in the mid-90s, and shelters us from this disease somewhat but the public can still take steps to prevent catching the mumps.
But Welch says everyone should be vaccinated for mumps. He says most kids in our state have had two doses of the MMR vaccine but adults can receive it as well.
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New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno has launched a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for women’s issues in Louisiana. Moreno says the Ignite Advocacy Network seeks to bring women together to raise awareness, advocate for positive policies, and ignite the network into action.
Moreno says Louisiana ranks 49th for wage equality and 49th for women’s overall health, with more women dying of breast and cervical cancer in Louisiana than in many other states. She says she wants to address those issues, as well as educational opportunities and domestic violence prevention.
Moreno says Ignite is the next phase of the #ItsNoJoke campaign, which she started after a male lawmaker made degrading jokes about exotic dancers. She invites women around the state to join her effort by visiting IgniteForChange.org.
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The Saints haven’t been able to put it together for the last couple of games, but there are still three weeks left starting with the contest against the Cardinals on the road this Sunday. New Orleans offensive tackle Zach Strief says they can’t focus on the past, but instead on winning the remaining games of the season…:
Cut 16 (14) “nobody is quitting”
Several current Saints players commented Monday on their thoughts about the high profile Will Smith trial after discovering the killer, Cardell Hayes, was convicted of manslaughter. Strief said it’s a tragedy for Smith’s wife Raquell, the family/friends and everyone involved…:
Cut 17 (13) “they realize that”
Hayes is slated to be sentenced on February 17th, and Orleans Parish DA Leon Cannizzaro says he will go for the maximum 60 years. Smith was a friend and former mentor of New Orleans defensive end Cam Jordan. In the locker room Monday, Jordan says the loss of Smith is a pain he can’t describe…: