Governor John Bel Edwards budget proposal for next fiscal year calls for 99-million dollars in new funding for education, but none of that money is targeted to give teachers another pay raise. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey…
cut 4 (11) “…to go”
Lawmakers will have the opportunity if they want to, to put a line item measure in the budget for a pay raise.

Meanwhile, Governor Edwards is taking state Treasurer John Schroder to court because he’s refusing to allow the Edwards administration to use 25-million dollars in unclaimed property funds to pay for expenses in the budget. Schorder says unclaimed property isn’t the state’s money…
cut 14 (11) “….don’t have it”
But Edwards says the law is clear, excess revenues in the Unclaimed property fund are to benefit the public.

A change of plea hearing is scheduled today in federal court in Lafayette for Holden Matthews. He’s the white man accused of setting fires to three African American churches in St. Landry Parish last spring. Matthews has previously entered a not guilty plea, but court records indicate plea negotiations have been ongoing. Legal analyst Tim Meche says if the judge accepts a guilty plea to the charges, a sentencing date will be announced and take place two to three months from now…
cut 8 (12) “….do it again”

12 jurors from Rapides Parish have sentenced 35-year-old Kyle Joekel to die for killing two St. John the Baptist Parish deputies in a trailer park nearly eight years ago. Jeremy Triche and Brandon Neilsen died in the ambush-like attack. A second defendant, Brian Smith, has yet to face trial as he’s in a mental hospital.