PM Newscall January 16

Online shoppers could receive tax notices for purchases made from out of state retailers. Matt Doyle talked to the Department of Revenue about what to expect…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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An arctic front has brought snow and ice to the Bayou State.  Michelle Southern has a look at the storm’s impact…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern.”

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The State Revenue Department says online retailers which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers about purchases subject to the state use tax.This requirement is due to a state law passed in 2016. L-D-R spokesperson Byron Henderson says online orders are not  exempt of sales taxes…

Cut 3 (10) “time of purchase.”

Henderson says if out of state businesses don’t charge sales tax at the time of purchase, the burden of paying it falls back on the customer…

Cut 4  (11) “those transactions.” 

Tax filing season starts January 29th, and Henderson says if you file with a tax professional, then you should provide them with the use tax notices, but if you file by yourself…

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Shoppers shouldn’t have to worry about Amazon purchases, as the online giant began charging sales tax after the bill was passed.

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The winter storm moving through Louisiana is impacting most of the state with snow, ice, freezing rain and extremely cold temperatures.  The storm dumped quite a bit of snow in Shreveport.  National Weather Service Meteorologist Matt Hemmingway says forecasts held true for the amount of snow they got…

Cut 6 (09)  “Interstate 20.”

Hemmingway says temperatures will remain below freezing in north Louisiana for the next few days, which will keep the snow and ice around for a while…

Cut 7 (09)  “at freezing.”

Southeast Louisiana will not escape the winter storm.  National Weather Service forecaster Alek Krautman says as the day moves along, it will impact commuters going home from work…

Cut 8 (10) “evening hours.”

Krautman says there won’t be much snow won’t be much of a factor in southeast Louisiana.  Any precipitation that falls will be in the form of ice…

Cut 9 (11) “an inch.”

Forecasters say temperatures will remain at or below freezing through at least Thursday for many areas of Louisiana, which will refreeze any snow and water remaining on the ground, which will create dangerous driving conditions.

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State Police Troopers are working hard to keep drivers safe today.  Portions of Interstates 20, 49 and 220 are shut down in the Shreveport-Bossier City area after the area received up to four inches of snow.  Senior Trooper Michael Reichardt says many roads are icy…

Cut 10 (11) “stay home.”

For drivers who are out in the bad weather, Reichardt says to slow down.  The posted speed limits don’t mean anything when the weather is this treacherous…

Cut 11 (10) “like today.”

If you do find yourself in an accident and need the assistance, Reichardt says it could take a while for law enforcement to reach you.  Just another reason to stay off the roadways…

Cut 12 (08) “different things.”

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The winter storm has had some pretty significant impacts on Ouachita Parish today. Glen Springfield with the Sheriff’s Office says it’s been snowing since just before daylight, with just a little accumulation. He says ice has caused the closure of I-20 interstate ramps and some overpasses…:

Cut 13 (10) “ice on it”

Springfield says the roads are going to get worse before they get better today and tomorrow, so they are encouraging folks to stay home and enjoy the pretty snow…:

Cut 14 (10) “on the roadways”

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As Louisiana prepares for an extended period of freezing temperatures, Entergy is reminding customers to not only stay warm, but also smart when it comes to electricity and gas usage. Spokesman Greg Guilbeau says they like to encourage folks to keep their thermostat at 68 degrees…:

Cut 15 (10) “still cool”

Other tips include sealing any possible air leaks around doors and windows, conserve hot water by wrapping electric water heaters, keep the air circulating. Guilbeau says it’s also a good idea to leverage the sun…:

Cut 16  (08)  “cold weather”

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