The Senate has unveiled its funding plan for next fiscal year, and it does not call for any cuts to higher ed, prisons, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Senate President John Alario says their proposal also fully funds the TOPS scholarship program…:
Cut 14 (09) “their budgets”
The budget was approved by the Senate Finance Committee and heads to the Senate floor for their approval.

Federal disaster recovery dollars appropriated by Congress are finally getting into the hands of flood victims. Nick Speyrer ( s p ay uh r ) with the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program says Governor Edwards passed out the first handful of reimbursement checks to those who already completed their rebuilding…:
Cut 8 (12) “to come”
Speyrer says the first step for flood victims to receive federal aid is to complete the survey at restore.la.gov.

After a proposal to increase the state’s gasoline tax was tabled for the session, one lawmaker proposed firing thousands of DOTD workers to pay for better roads. Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh says the department has plenty of money, but they aren’t responsible with it..:
cut 4 (08) “of em”
But state Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says that’s not a practical solution.

The road to Omaha begins for the LSU Tigers as they open the Baton Rouge Regional this afternoon by hosting Texas Southern. Senior left-hander Jared Poche of Lutcher will start on the mound…:
Cut 17 (08) “what happens”
The Tiger softball team won their first game Thursday in the Women’s College World Series.