A record breaking year could be on tap for oil producers. Crude oil has topped $60.00 a barrel. Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Chris John says since the cost of oil could top $70.00 per barrel, Louisiana operators and oil producers in West Texas are willing to ramp up production…
Cut 28 (11) “production year.”

The governor’s proposed budget calls for an 80 percent cut in state funding for TOPS, because of a one-billion dollar reduction in state revenues. University of Louisiana System President Dr. Jim Henderson says a cut like that would cost students and their families thousands of dollars…
Cut 12 (12) “good ballpark”
Henderson is hopeful TOPS will be fully funded by the time legislators approve a budget in June.

U-S Reprsentative Clay Higgins is one of 70 cosponsors for a bill that would address the concerns agriculture and crawfish producers have when it comes to hiring workers from other countries. Higgins says the legislation would create an improved guest worker programs…
cut 10 (12) “…address that”
Higgins says at the same the time, the legislation would also improve the process to hire an additional 10-thousand Border Patrol agents.

Aerosmith, Sting, Jimmy Buffett, Lionel Richie and Aretha Franklin will be headliners for this year’s New Orleans Jazz and Hertigage Festival, which takes place every year on the last weekend of April and May. Festival producer Quint Davis says they will also have a “Locals Thursday” discount day on May 3rd….
cut 8 (10) “…Lionel Richie”
Bonnie Raitt and Smokey Robinson are also scheduled to perform during the two weekend festival.