AM Newscall January 31,2017

For the first time in the state’s history, Louisiana is willing to partner with  private companies in the construction of roads. Don Molino has the story…

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The National Federation of Independent Business is waiting to see which regulations President Donald Trump has cut in an executive order. Emelie Gunn has more…

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President Donald Trump announces tonight who he will nominate to replace the late Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia. Jeff Palermo has more…

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For the first time in the state’s history, Louisiana’s transportation department is looking to see if a private company wants to help pay for highway projects to alleviate congestion along the I-10 corridor in the Baton Rouge area. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says investors have until March 31st to submit their proposals

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Wilson says private firms that step up to the plate and help finance highway improvements would receive long-term financial contributions from the state. He says public-private construction partnerships like this, attract companies who are part of the global market…

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Louisiana has a 13-billion dollar transportation backlog and there’s not enough state dollars to address road and bridge repairs. But Wilson says private investment is an innovative way in getting the cash necessary to fund construction that can enhance traffic flow on I-10…

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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to reduce regulations on small businesses and the National Federation of Independent Business is eagerly awaiting to see which restrictions are cut. State Director Dawn Starns says this order can only help business owners run and grow their businesses.

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Starns says they are still learning about which exact regulations Trump reduced because the Obama administration placed so many restrictions on small businesses.

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Starns says she ultimately hopes the cost of compliance for small business drops and the complexity of laws they are required to follow are simplified.

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President Donald Trump will announce who he plans to nominate for Supreme Court Justice tonight to replace the late Antonin Scalia. LSU Political Science Professor James Stoner expects Trump will appoint someone who will have a strong Republican voice on the nation’s highest court for at least the next couple of decades.

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One of the reported candidates is William Pryor of Alabama, who is a graduate Tulane and ULM. Stoner says he would be an interesting choice because he didn’t go to Yale or Harvard.

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Whoever Trump nominates, it will take 51 votes in the Senate to confirm. But it takes 60 votes to bring the nominee up for a vote on the floor. But Stoner expects the Senate will eventually go along with the president’s selection.

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President Donald Trump is receiving backlash for imposing a travel ban to seven Middle Eastern countries. But Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins supports the president’s executive order. Higgins says there has been too much overreaction to something that was imposed to keep the country safe.

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Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, U.S. Representative Cedric Richmond, says this executive order is immoral, unjust, and counterproductive. But Higgins says it’s necessary to take a temporary pause in immigration from these countries while we ramp up our vetting process.

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The Archdiocese of New Orleans has publicly stated the travel ban goes against Catholic principles. Higgins does acknowledge there was some initial misinterpretation of the executive order. He says for the last eight years, under the Obama administration, the threat of radical Islamic terror was ignored.

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