AM LRN Newscall

Early voting starts tomorrow morning. Kevin Barnhart has more details from Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin….

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The Legislative Fiscal Office says most of the 500 million dollar projected budget surplus for last fiscal year is due to federal tax law changes. Brooke Thorington has more.

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 Tensions boiled over between Republicans Eddie Rispone and Ralph Abraham at last night’s debate over Rispone’s recent string of attack ads. Matt Doyle has more.

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Early voting locations open tomorrow morning for the gubernatorial primary.  Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says location hours are 8:30am until 6pm and early ballots can be cast until October 5th.

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Election Day falls on October 12th, which is also the day of an SEC matchup at Tiger Stadium, so Ardoin encourages voters to take care of voting early so more attention can be put on football.

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Early voting typically represents 20-25% of all votes cast.  Voters will need to have photo ID or the LA Wallet app.  Ardoin says if you need to know where to go for early voting, they’ve got all the info you need online.

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A Legislative Fiscal Office analysis of the estimated 500-million-dollar state budget surplus credits most of the higher-than-expected revenue to the 2017 federal tax reform. Chief Economist Greg Albrecht says the state’s economy is improving, but it’s not the biggest reason for the huge surplus…

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Louisiana’s tax code is tied in parts to federal tax levels, which means a federal cut is always partially offset by state tax liability increases. Albrecht says that’s how federal reforms can bolster state coffers.

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Senate President John Alario was quoted by the AP as saying that Louisiana’s tax code relation to federal taxes is not the case in some other states.

Albrecht says part of the reason revenue exceeded their forecast this year is because the Revenue Estimating Conference is trying to be conservative with their estimates.

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Governor Edwards announces Fibrebond will remain in Minden following indications from the company that it may leave due to the poor condition of bridges in north Louisiana that forced them to take a 247-mile detour to ship products west.  Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson…

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Fibrebond builds huge structures that can measure 16 by 75 feet and weigh 150,000 pounds, making them ineligible to cross de-rated bridges.  Pierson says the details of the agreement will be announced soon.

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Pierson says the company is a huge economic driver for the rural Webster Parish.

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The gubernatorial candidates got a chance to ask each other questions at last night’s debate and they did not hold back.

Eddie Rispone continued his attack against fellow Republican Ralph Abraham over what he says is disloyalty to President Trump. Abraham responded…

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The attack is based on comments Abraham made in 2016 after the Access Hollywood tapes were released, where Abraham said Trump should drop out of the race.

Abraham said Governor Edwards wasn’t doing his job, attacking him for questionable staff hirings, and other sordid allegations. Edwards shot back that Abraham doesn’t show up to Congress for votes.

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Governor Edwards highlighted Eddie Rispone’s past financial support for Governor Bobby Jindal, saying a Rispone Administration would be Jindal 2.0. Rispone wasn’t taking it.

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Two Super Bowl contenders meet in the Superdome on Sunday night as Cowboys visit the Saints. Dallas is 3-and-0 and Louisiana native and  Q-B Dak Prescott has thrown nine touchdown passes. New Orleans linebacker DeMario Davis says Prescott is not an easy quarterback to defend

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Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will make his second straight start for the injured Drew Brees. Davis says the Saints have Bridgewater’s back

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Could Sunday’s matchup be a preview of a future NFC Championship game? Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence says that storyline doesn’t mean anything to him

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Northwestern State hopes to break into the win column on Saturday night when they host Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons dropped their Southland opener last week in a 48-21 loss to Houston Baptist. Second-year head coach Brad Laird says even though they didn’t get a win last week, they need some things well

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The Lions are ranked 19th in one poll and 22nd in another F-C-S poll. S-L-U is 2-and-1. Laird says they have a playmaker on offense by the name of Devonte Williams and the defense is led by former McNeese Coach Lance Guidry

cut 20 (24) “they play