Senate President John Alario says the upper chamber is committed to fully funding the TOPS scholarship program. Alario says the budget plan approved by the House takes money away from the Department of Health to fully fund TOPS and they are taking a close look at that proposal.
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Alario also says the Senate also disagrees with a House bill to raise the minimum GPA in order to receive the TOPS scholarship.

“The most brutal attack I have ever seen”…is how Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi described the alleged kidnapping and rape of a woman by a man from Golden Meadow. 33-yer-old Joshua Penny is accused of taking the victim to a secluded wooded area after an argument and causing injuries to her that required multiple surgeries and other procedures. Penny was booked on charges including first-degree rape, domestic abuse and false imprisonment.

The full House has approved a measure that would require higher training standards for police officers. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James’ bill would require cops to receive at least 400 hours of basic POST training before entering the field…:
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James says he’s worked with law enforcement to come up with the best practices to prepare officers for work in the field.

The LSU baseball team has claimed the SEC West championship with an 11-5 win over Mississippi State. The Tigers can pick up an outright regular season conference title if they complete the sweep of the Bulldogs today and if Kentucky beats Florida.

The 3rd Annual Crawfish Gatorfest is underway this weekend at The Grove at ULM. The event that draws people from throughout North Louisiana includes carnival rides and games, festival food vendors, a petting zoo and live music. Visit originalcrawfishgatorfest.com for details.