Louisiana’s budget problems are worse than previously thought. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A Monroe man is under arrest after a hate crime sent one man to the hospital. The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office says 23-year-old Tarus Williams went into a Richwood store and began harassing a store employee with racial slurs. When the employee attempted to get the suspect to leave the store, Williams smashed a glass bottle on his head. The victim was treated at a local hospital. Williams is charged with a hate crime and second degree battery.

Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespak says 18-year-old Jamal Starks is charged with negligent homicide in an accidental shooting death earlier this month. Waguespack says Starks was playing with a handgun when it accidentally discharged, shooting 17-year-old Dronald Washington in the head. He says this is a prime example of why no one should ever play with guns…

cut 8 (06) “killed his friend”

Bail for Starks has been set at $125,000.

State Police says an Independence Police Officer is under arrest accused of using his position to steal money from non-English speaking Hispanic males during traffic stops. Spokesman Dustin Dwight says 25-year-old Laquinton Banks was arrested for three felony charges, theft, malfeasance in office and a hate crime…

cut 10 (06) “hate crime”

Dwight says the investigation is on-going.

The state’s fiscal situation is worse than previously thought, according to Jay Dardenne, who is the budget architect for Governor-elect John Bel Edwards. Dardenne says the revenue shortfall for this fiscal year has grown to 750-million dollars, thanks to a drop in oil prices and a slump in corporate income taxes…

cut 12 (08) “calendar year”

Dardenne projects the budget shortfall for next fiscal year at 1-point-9 billion dollars, and everything is on the table to address this situation, including higher taxes.

A Labadieville teenager is charged with negligent homicide in an accidental shooting death. Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespak says their investigation determined that 18-year-old Jamal Starks was playing with a gun when it went off, striking 17-year-old Dronald Washington in the head. Waguespack says it is now up to a grand jury to determine how they will move forward with this case…

cut 7 (05) “all around”

Waguespack says this is a prime example of why no one should ever play with guns.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette rushed for 212 yards and scored five touchdowns in the Tigers 56-27 win over Texas Tech in last night’s Texas Bowl. Coach Les Miles hopes this victory over the Red Raiders is the sign of things to come in 2016…

cut 4 (12) “bountiful way”

The win gives LSU a 9-3 record for 2015.

Governor Bobby Jindal has issued a state of emergency due to the imminent threat of flooding along the Mississippi and Red Rivers. Heavy rainfall over the last 30 days has led to rapidly rising river levels on both waterways.

The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged a Labadieville teenager with negligent homicide in an accidental shooting death. Sheriff Mike Waguespak says 18-year-old Jamal Starks and several friends were playing with a handgun when it discharged, shooting 17-year-old Dronald Washington in the head. Waguespack says they originally investigated the incident as a self-inflicted shooting…

cut 6 (10) “next to him”

Bail for Starks has been set at $125,000.

An Independence Police Officer is now behind bars after he allegedly used his position to steal currency from non-English speaking Hispanic males during traffic stops. State Police spokesperson Dustin Dwight says 25-year-old Laquinton Banks is facing several charges

cut 9 (10) “of impairment”

Banks served on the Independence Police Department for five months prior to his arrest.

A report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows Louisiana had more law enforcement officers shot and killed in the line of duty this year than any other state in the nation. Chairman Craig Floyd says five officers were shot and murdered while on the job in 2015….

cut 10 (10) “officer died”

A total of 9 officers died in the line of duty this year, triple the number from 2014.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette put on an impressive performance in the Tigers 56-27 win over Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. The sophomore from New Orleans rushed for 212 yards and scored five touchdowns. Coach Les Miles is not surprised by Fournette’s showing…

cut 3 (10) “special back”

Fournette finished 47 yards away from eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards on the season.

The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged a Labadieville teenager with negligent homicide in an accidental shooting death. Sheriff Mike Waguespak says 18-year-old Jamal Starks and several friends were playing with a handgun when it discharged, shooting 17-year-old Dronald Washington in the head. Waguespack says they originally investigated the incident as a self-inflicted shooting…

cut 6 (10) “next to him”

Bail for Starks has been set at $125,000.

An Independence Police Officer is now behind bars after he allegedly used his position to steal currency from non-English speaking Hispanic males during traffic stops. State Police spokesperson Dustin Dwight says 25-year-old Laquinton Banks is facing several charges

cut 9 (10) “of impairment”

Banks served on the Independence Police Department for five months prior to his arrest.

A report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows Louisiana had more law enforcement officers shot and killed in the line of duty this year than any other state in the nation. Chairman Craig Floyd says five officers were shot and murdered while on the job in 2015….

cut 10 (10) “officer died”

A total of 9 officers died in the line of duty this year, triple the number from 2014.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette put on an impressive performance in the Tigers 56-27 win over Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. The sophomore from New Orleans rushed for 212 yards and scored five touchdowns. Coach Les Miles is not surprised by Fournette’s showing…

cut 3 (10) “special back”

Fournette finished 47 yards away from eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards on the season.

Tomorrow, December 31st, is the final day for Louisiana’s 2015 tax amnesty program. State Department of Revenue spokesperson Kizzy Payton says this is the time to call the Department to set up a payment arrangement or agreement to settle your delinquent tax debts. She says it will be a while before this opportunity comes again…

cut 13 (10) “until 2025”

Payton says eligible tax payers can make their payments online at www-dot-ldrtaxamnesty-dot-com or by calling the Department of Revenue.

Louisianians can still use their valid state driver’s licence to fly commercially Friday, even though the state has yet to to comply with the federal Real ID law. Many are confused that the identification requirement would kick in for Louisiana January 1st, but the state received a yearlong extension to comply with Real ID Act in October. Without that extension, Louisiana resident would have needed a passport to fly domestically in the new year.

The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Labadieville teenager in connection with a shooting death earlier this month. Authorities say 18-year-old Jamal Starks and several friends were playing with a handgun when it discharged, shooting 17-year-old Dronald Washington in the head. Washington was transported to an area hospital where he later died. Starks is charged with negligent homicide.

Tonight’s PowerBall jackpot has climbed to a whopping 300 million dollars. According to Kimberly Chopin with the Louisiana Lottery, the cash value of 184 million dollars could surely cheer up someone’s New Year’s party. She says ticket sales have sky rocketed this week and expects them to keep increasing before the day is over…

cut 6 (11) “gets big”

Chopin reminds players to get their tickets before 9 pm tonight.

According to a report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, five Louisiana law enforcement officers were shot and killed in the line of duty this year, more than any other state in the nation. Chairman Craig Floyd says it’s unfortunate that their uniform and badge have made police a target and now must be prepared for an attack at any moment…

cut 12 (09) “your surroundings”

A total of 9 officers died in the line of duty in Louisiana this year.

More trash is produced in December than any other month of the year and the Department of Environmental Quality urges you to recycle. DEQ spokesman Greg Langley says plenty of people got new gifts that require batteries this holiday season. Langley encourages folks to be smart and keep batteries out of landfills…

cut 8 (10) “throw it away”

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Monroe man after a hate crime sent one to the hospital. Authorities say 23-year-old Tarus Williams went into a Richwood store and began harassing a store employee with racial slurs. When the employee attempted to get the suspect to leave the store, Williams smashed a glass bottle on his head. The victim was treated at a local hospital. Williams is charged with a hate crime and second degree battery.

Tonight’s PowerBall jackpot has climbed to a massive 300 million dollars, one of the biggest we’ve seen in the last 10 years. Emelie Gunn has more…

cut 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Louisiana had more police officer shot and killed in the line of duty in 2015 than any other state in the country…

cut 3 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

State Police has arrested an Independence Police officer accused of stealing money from people he pulled over. They say 25-year-old Laquinton Banks, who’s been with the department for five months, stole $1,600 from non-English speaking Hispanic males during the course of traffic stops on several occasions. Banks is charged with felony theft, malfeasance in office, and hate crimes.

The final day of Louisiana’s 2015 tax amnesty is tomorrow. State Department of Revenue spokesperson Kizzy Payton says this is the very last chance for eligible tax payers to settle their debt with the state. She says the Department of Revenue has other tools to use if someone doesn’t pay their delinquent taxes…

cut 15 (10) “the refund”

She says offices will be open on New Year’s Eve to accept payments.

The holidays produce more trash than any other time of the year and the Department of Environmental Quality urges you to recycle. DEQ spokesman Greg Langley says although you may have accumulated a lot of trash through the holiday season, a lot of that can be reused…

cut 9 (10) “put it out”

Langley also encourages people to recycle Christmas trees.

A report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reveals 9 officers were killed in the line of duty this year in Louisiana, triple the number from 2014. Chairman Craig Floyd hopes this increase in on-duty officer deaths isn’t a trend for the future…

cut 11 (09) “who serve”

Louisiana led the nation in the number of law enforcement officers shot and killed in the line of duty this year.

Tomorrow is the final day of Louisiana’s 2015 tax amnesty program. State Department of Revenue spokesperson Kizzy Payton says Louisianans won’t get an opportunity like this again for at least 10 years. She says they will be open on New Year’s Eve to accept payments…

cut 14 (09) “as well”

You can get more information online at www-dot-ldrtaxamnesty-dot-com.

More trash is produced during the month of December and the Department of Environmental Quality urges you to recycle. DEQ spokesman Greg Langley encourages people to recycle Christmas trees because it not only reduces the amount of material that goes into landfills, but the trees are put to a beneficial use…

cut 7 (08) “for compost”

He says local governments throughout the state have different tree recycling programs and you can get more information at deq-dot-louisiana-dot-gov.

Tonight’s $300 million PowerBall jackpot could probably cheer up someone’s New Year’s party. Kimberly Chopin with the Louisiana Lottery says PowerBall seems to get a hit more often during the holiday season…

cut 5 (09) “in Louisiana”

Chopin reminds players to get their tickets before 9PM tonight.