State lawmakers learned today the budget deficit for this fiscal year is nearly 70-million dollars, which is twice as high as what lawmakers hoped for when they approved hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes during the special session. That means more cuts to higher education and health care.

LSU System President F King Alexander was testifying in the House Education Committee when this news came down and says this is not good news for their students and the hospitals they help operate. Alexander says there was huge demand for their new medical center in New Orleans, but that’s not the case anymore with the talk of budget cuts…
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The budget deficit for next fiscal year now stands at 750-million dollars. The House is expected to begin hearings on next year’s budget next week.

Republican US Senator David Vitter doesn’t anticipate a hearing on President Barack Obama’s nominee for the US Supreme Court, Merrick Garland. Vitter is a member of the committee that would hold a hearing on Garland’s appointment, but he won’t go if there is a meeting…
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Vitter believes the next President should choose the next Supreme Court justice.

Flooding in Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes will impact the strawberry crop this year. Whitney Wallace, with the LSU Ag Center, says we won’t know how much the berries were damaged until farmers go to harvest…:
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Wallace says the losses will vary from one field to another, based on the berries and how much rain fell. Some areas received over a foot of rain last week and a few strawberry fields were completely covered in water.

The Revenue Estimating Conference has pegged Louisiana’s budget shortfall at 70-million dollars, despite 300 million dollars in taxes being approved by lawmakers in the special session. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says that means painful cuts will be needed in the areas of higher education and health care, but the shortfall for next year is not as bad as previously predicted….
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Lawmakers are expected to begin holding hearings on next fiscal year’s budget next week.

Interstate 10 at the Louisiana-Texas line remains closed as a result of flood waters from the Sabine River, which is covering the interstate on the Texas side. Louisiana State Troopers are encouraging residents to use either I-20 or US 190 as alternative routes to get into the Lone Star state.

Flooding is having an impact on the state’s strawberry crop. Areas in Livingston and Tangiaphoa Parish received over a foot of rain last week. But LSU AgCenter’s Whitney Wallace says the crop is NOT a total loss…
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Some strawberry farmers say they’ve never had a whole field go under water until this year.

President Barack Obama nominated a new Supreme Court justice, Merrick Garland, but not all agree with this decision. Emelie Gunn has more…
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The Revenue Estimating Conference is out with its projections for Louisiana’s budget deficits. Michelle Southern has the story…
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Higher education is already facing a 27-million dollar cut in state funding this fiscal year and that number is expected to grow. LSU President F King Alexander anticipates a lower enrollment next school year….
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Republican US Senator David Vitter opposes holding a hearing for President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Vitter, a member of Senate Judiciary Committee, says with a new president coming into office, let the voters decide the new justice…
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President Obama says Garland is one of the sharpest legal minds and someone who will bring intregrity and even-handedness to the nation’s high court.

The devastating floods that have hit Louisiana is also impacting the state’s strawberry crop. Whitney Wallace, with the LSU Ag Center, says the losses will vary from one field to another, based on the soil, berries and other factors….
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Wallace says despite the damage, there will be strawberries for Easter and next month’s Strawberry Festival.

LSU President F. King Alexander went before the House Education Committee to talk about how budget cuts are impacting enrollment, faculty and research. Alexander says research funding originally for LSU is now going to universities in other states because Louisiana doesn’t invest in higher education…:
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He says the university has been receiving more money from the federal government than they have from the state.

But higher ed got more bad news today. The Revenue Estimating Conference said there is now a $70 million dollar hole in the current financial year budget which means more cuts to colleges and healthcare. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says they are on a time crunch, but over the next several days they will sit down and decide how to make the cuts in the best possible way to minimize the damage…:
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Next fiscal year’s projected shortfall is now $750 million.

Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson will undergo up to five hours of questioning during a deposition in his lawsuit to oust his daughter and her grandchildren inheriting the franchises, a federal magistrate decided today. Benson’s lawyers successfully argued any longer would be too taxing on the 87-year-old’s health. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Wilkinson also scheduled the deposition to start March 24 and to last two days.

The National Weather Service is concerned about continued flooding in north Louisiana. Meteorologist CS Ross says the Red River crest which has devastated south Bossier is moving through the Coushatta area today. He says it will rout toward the Grand Ecore area tomorrow, and into central Louisiana later this week and into the weekend…:
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23 parishes are now declared federal disaster areas, but the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness expects more will be added once damage assessments are complete.

The Revenue Estimating Conference met today to get more exact figures on budget deficit numbers for this and next fiscal year. Co missioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says for the budget period that ends June 30th, Louisiana is now looking at about a $70 million dollar hole that will have to be filled. He says that’s higher than they first thought so another challenge lies ahead…:
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The good news he said is that the shortfall for next fiscal year is lower than they thought at about $750 million dollars.

Flooding throughout the southeastern part of the state will impact the strawberry crop this year, particularly in Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes. Whitney Wallace, with the LSU Ag Center, says we won’t know how much the berries were damaged until farmers go to harvest…:
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The National Weather Service says a flood wave in north Louisiana continues to develop on the Ouachita River in Monroe at the highest level since 2009. Meteorologist CS Ross says there is still flooding going on in northwest Louisiana too…:
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Ross says last week’s rain event produced almost 27 inches near Monroe. The Red River crest is moving through the Coushatta area today and will move into Alexandria later this week into the weekend.

Mike Steele with GOHSEP says people whose homes were damaged by flood need to register to receive their federal assistance…:
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There are now 23 declared parishes.

The Revenue Estimating Conference is meeting at this hour to get more exact figures on what Louisiana is looking at budget wise when it comes to the deficit. The previous speculation on the current year shortfall had been $30 million, but staff determined today that it’s actually around $66 million. For the budget year that begins July 1st, the projected deficit is around $750 million dollars.

The total number of parishes that have been declared federal disaster areas has climbed to 23, after 16 more parishes were added to the list. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
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The National Weather Service is concerned about potential flooding along two major rivers in the northern half of the state. Hydrologist CS Ross says now all the rain they saw in northwest and northeast Louisiana has to go somewhere..:
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He says last week’s rain event produced almost 27 inches of rain near Monroe.

State officials are urging motorists traveling the state today to log on to 511la.org to check the status of road closures as many are under water and alternate routes need to be taken. I-10 at the Louisiana/Texas border is closed due to flooding on the Sabine River.

The Advocate reports that the West Feliciana Parish Coroner confirmed south Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee died of heart disease. Lee, who is linked to at least seven deaths, died January 21st after being taken off death row at Angola to be treated at a hospital, according to the Department of Corrections.

The Revenue Estimating Conference is meeting in this hour to discuss the exact budget deficit the state faces. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Sixteen more parishes have been declared federal disaster areas, bringing the total number of parishes to receive federal aid to 23. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness says more parishes could be added to that list. He says FEMA is proving to be a good partner…

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Cleco has made changes to the terms of their proposed sale to a foreign investment group. Cleco president Darren Olagues says the new terms will benefit customers, employees and retirees more. Logan Atkinson-Burke, with the Alliance for Affordable Energy, says their alliance is concerned about how much money the company will pocket from taxes if the deal passes. She says they do not expect the PSC to change their “no” vote from the previous hearing.

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An Opelousas man was arrested after allegedly killing his mother’s dog when she refused to give him $4 for a pack of cigarettes. Corey Leger with the Opelousas police department, says Johnathan Williams was not as his residence when the complaint was issued, but officers found him at a Dollar General two hours later.

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The state should get a better idea of the exact budget deficit during today’s Revenue Estimating Conference meeting. LSU Economist Dr. Jim Richardson serves on the panel and he says most people believe there is a $30 million dollar deficit for this fiscal year, and $800 million for next…:
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Richardson says they’re required to give their best estimate of how much was raised for this year and next year because budgets must be made based on those revenue estimates.

Interstate 10 at the Sabine River, near the Texas State Line, is closed to traffic in the east and westbound directions due to flooding. State Police says currently the primary re-route will be I-49 North to US 190 West if you’re headed to The Lone Star State today. 23 parishes are now federally declared disaster areas and officials are urging those affected by floods to sign up for aid online at emergency.la.gov.

Cleco says they’ve made changes to their proposed sale of the Pineville-based utility company that would benefit customers and employees. Cleco President Darren Olagues says if the Public Service Commission reserves its turn down, ratepayers will receive a $370 credit on their bill. He also says the workforce would be assured for at least 10 years…:
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Logan Atkinson-Burke, with the Alliance for Affordable Energy, says this revised proposal is still not in the interest of ratepayers, because Cleco already has one of the highest rates…:
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A major owner of casinos in Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, says a deal is in place to sell the company’s real estate assets. Stockholders agreed to sell 14 of its 15 properties to Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc, then lease back the casinos. Pinnacle owns L’Auberge in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles and Boomtown in New Orleans and Bossier City. The gaming board would still need to approve the deal.