Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is making progress in efforts to improve the criminal justice system. Critics say the reforms are too soft on crime, but Edwards counters by saying most of the excess prisoners that boosted the state’s incarceration rate were behind bars for getting busted for holding drugs.
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The 2017 reform package resulted in the release of nearly two-thousand inmates and parolees are able to work towards shorter supervisory periods.

The state has entered exclusive negotiations to purchase 10-thousand voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems. Interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says the plan is for the state to replace early voting machines, five parishes at a time, starting this year. Phase two is expected by 2020.
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But the price tag for replacing the voting machines is increasing, up to 90-million dollars and it will federal and state money to pay for it.

The state’s online tutoring service, homeworkla.org, is expanded hours and adding additional features to help students prepare for a test, get help with homework and it even provides job search. Louisiana’s Head Librarian Rebecca Hamilton says its academic assistance for anyone who needs it.
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You can access the services online at home with a library card number, or in person at your local library.

A 400-pound life-sized bronze human statue along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge has been found in a nearby parking lot after it went missing. Kevin Barnhart has the details…
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