130PM LRN Newscast

Since 2016, the state legislature has battled huge budget deficits, but the Edwards’ administration now says we can look forward to financial stability over the next seven years. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the new state sales tax rate of 4.45% along with the other revenues the state gets, should remain consistent.

Cut 8 (13)  “budget problems”

The LSU board of supervisors has selected twelve innovations to support with grant money.  The funds are the result royalties from the licensing of earlier inventions and innovations from the university.  CEO of the LSU Research and Technology Foundation, Arthur Cooper, explains how the selection process takes place.

Cut 3 (13) “…then get funded.”

The latest KIDS COUNT Data Book ranked Louisiana 49th in overall child well-being, despite improvements since 2010 in nine of the 16 measures tracked in the annual report. KIDS COUNT manager at Agenda for Children Teresa Falgoust says despite some progress in other areas, child poverty is on the rise.

Cut 11 (10) “…from 27% to 29%.”

A 17-year-old suspect is in custody in Morehouse Parish following arson allegations. Marquarious Williams fled to McKinney, Texas after the incident at Bastrop high where he allegedly set set a fire in the bathroom in the after school hours. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says the fire marshal’s office unfortunately has a lot of experience dealing with school arson, something they see several times a month.

Cut 14 (06)  “…in a school”