_______________________________________________

Louisiana’s public school report card is out, with fewer As and more Fs than last year. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (30) “…Matt Doyle”

________________________________

Two deep red Republican run states voted in minimum wage hikes on Tuesday. Arkansas went up to 11 dollars an hour by 2021, and Missouri increased to 12 by 2023. But efforts to even get minimum wage increases on the ballot in the Bayou State have stalled out the past three years, but New Orleans Senator Troy Carter says Arkansas’s example will help the case in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (09) “…and wrong.″

Louisiana’s minimum wage is currently 7.25, which went into effect as a federal minimum in 2009.

Carter has sponsored the effort to raise wages in Louisiana for several years running, concerned that the rising cost of living has made it impossible to subsist without government assistance with such low pay. The Democrat says this is a bootstrap for those looking to pull themselves up.

Cut 5 (10)  “…fair wage.” 

Louisiana is one of only five states without a minimum wage law, as it uses the most recent federal minimum.

Carter’s regular session bill suggested raising the minimum to 8.50 an hour over two years, but with the cost of living continuing to increase, and wages stagnant, he says the 2019 attempt will be a bit more ambitious.

Cut 6 (09) “…getting worse”

The National Federation of Business opposes raising the minimum, say an increase at entry level jobs would necessitate pay raises at higher positions, something businesses can’t afford.

______________________________

Fall will arrive with a vengeance at the start of this weekend. Rain may stick around as cool air barrels in from Canada but State Climatologist Barry Keim says you shouldn’t expect the sunrise to raise temperatures…

Cut 7 (11) “…afternoon hours”

The State Climatologist says the front is unique in another way as well. Keim says it is being pushed down by a polar vortex…

Cut 8 (09) “…ugly head”

Keim says though a freeze is possible around Wednesday of next week north Louisiana doesn’t have much to worry about this weekend…

 

Cut 9 (11) “…event”

________________________________

Louisiana’s public school report card is out, and the number of schools scoring “A”s is down while “F”s are up, with 40 percent of schools ordered to submit plans to improve their performance, but there’s a catch, standards were raised this year. Superintendent of Education John White says the bar has been raised for schools in several areas.

Cut 10 (11)   “…students earn“

13 percent of schools scored an A, while 13 percent of schools nabbed an F rating.

276 schools struggled persistently overall, and 226 others schools struggled with one or more specific groups of students out of the 1320 total public schools. White says the 502 who fall into those two categories have a special assignment.

Cut 11 (10) “…those plans.”

If rated under the old system, the average score for schools would have been roughly ten percent higher on average.

But funding for education plans is not easy to come by in the Bayou State, and White says while they lobby for more cash, they’ll have to implement revenue-neutral fixes in the short term.

Cut 12 (09)   “…our kids”

The report labeled the public education system as a whole in Louisiana a “B”.

____________________________

Louisiana is home to 278-thousand veterans.  With this Sunday being Veterans Day, there are various events going on thoughout the state.  Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Col. Joey Strickland says it’s important to remember our country is still at war and be willing to help as those that are fighting as they are coming home.
Cut 13 (11) “…of Veterans Affairs.”

Strickland says Louisiana is great about taking care of the needs of vets when it comes to medical treatment.

Cut 14 (10) “…to address that.”

Strickland adds it’s important for education to be more accessible.

Cut 15 (10) “…foundation for that”

_______________________________________________

 

If LSU is able to win its final three games, the Tigers are in position to play in one the New Years Six bowl games. CBS Senior Writer Jerry Palm says the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans is a possibility for the Tigers….

Cut 16 (11) “…as well.”