State leaders have had a week now to stew about the results of the special session that ended with a 4.45 percent sales tax rate that fully funds most state programs. With the fiscal cliff in the rear view mirror, attention now turns to next year’s governor’s race. GOP House Chairman Lance Harris says the results of the session make it clear the state needs a conservative governor.
Cut 4 (12) “the governor”
But Democrats say their members stepped up to make sure health care, higher ed, and TOPS were fully funded.
Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this fall will lack political drama, but get ready for fireworks next year…
cut 9 (07) “…for Louisiana”

With much of the recent attention on funding Louisiana’s budget, the state is making upgrades to the way residents can keep a better eye on how tax dollars are spent as they roll out the Louisiana Checkbook today. The website mirrors efforts in other states to improve transparency. Policy Director at the Division of Administration, Jacques Berry, says he hopes the push for more openness in government spending will catch on.
Cut 10 (09) “…in the nation.”
The website goes online today and it can be found at checkbook-dot-la-dot-gov.

Former LSU standout and Shreveport golfer David Toms won the U-S Senior Open yesterday as he shot three-under part for the tournament in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

According to Yahoo sports insider Jordan Schultz, the Pelicans are one of four teams interested in Cleveland restricted free agent Rodney Hood. The 25-year-old wing man averaged nearly 15 points a game last season and shot 38-percent from three-point territory.

The LSU Board of Supervisors meets on Friday where they are expected to approve a huge salary increase for gymnastics coach DD Breaux, who is set to get a 47-percent increase to raise her annual salary to 405-thousand dollars. The LSU gymnastics team has finished in the top four in the country in the last three seasons.

LSU women’s basketball coach Nikki Fargas is set to get a three-year contract extension. The Lady Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament the last two years.

Big game for former LSU star Alex Bregman as he had four hits last night including his 13^th home run of the season as Houston blanked the Blue Jays seven to nothing.

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Arkansas is one win away from its first national championship in baseball. The Razorbacks took game one of the championship series of the C-W-S with a 4-1 win over Oregon State last night. The Hogs scored all of their runs in the fifth inning and had just two hits in that inning as Beavers starting pitcher Luke Heimlich couldn’t find the strike zone. Game two is tonight at 6 PM.

The Baton Rouge Soccer Club has reportedly fired one of its coaches after he was arrested on allegations he repeatedly sexually assaulted one of his female players in Connecticut several years ago. 42-year-old Adam Allerton is facing multiple counts of second and fourth-degree sexual assault. The executive director of the Baton Rouge soccer club said they took significant precautions to ensure the safety of their players.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission announced plans to close the current recreational, seven days per week red snapper season at 11:59 PM on July 8^th. Depending on the number of red fish caught this summer, it’s possible the red snapper season will re-open during the weekends in August.

Bishop Michael Duca is leaving the Diocese of Shreveport to succeed Robert Muench as the Bishop for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Duca says he’s surprised by the appointment made by the Vatican, but looking forward to the opportunity….
cyt 14 (10) “…reservation”
Duca has been the bishop of Shreveport for the last ten years.

The Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s office arrests an ex-boyfriend in the death of a 20-year-old woman, who was found dead in her home yesterday. Sheriff Bud Torres says 21-year-old Eric Duhon Junior confessed to killing Madeline Falgout….
cut 5 (11) “….matter to rest”
Torre says it appears a baseball bat was used to kill Falgout.

The traffic death of a Sterlington officer in 2016 has yielded a 15 year sentence for a 46-year-old Louisianan,,,.
Cut 2 (32) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

State Police arrest a 23-year-old Jonesville man for a fatal hit and run that killed a 14-year-old girl taking out the garbage. Troopers say Earl Hancock lost control on Taylor Road in Catahoula Parish and hit Cadance Parker and then fled the scene. Hancock was apprehended a short time later and authorities believe he was under the influence when the wreck happened.

The fiscal cliff is officially gone as the Revenue Estimating Conference recognized 500-million dollars in revenue that will be used to shield TOPS, public colleges and most state agencies from cuts after July 1st. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne led the meeting, one day after the governor signed a new sales tax bill into law…
cut 12 (11) “…we have”

Higher ed officials are welcoming the new budget that preserves university and TOPS funding. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) I’m Matt Doyle.“

An ex-boyfriend has been charged with second-degree murder in the apparent beating death of a 20-year-old Pointe Coupee Parish woman. Madeline Falgout was found dead in her home yesterday in Fordoche. Sheriff Bud Torres says they believe the murder weapon is a baseball bat, but an exact motive has not been determined…
cut 4 (08) “…should have more”
Torres says 21-year-old Eric Duhon Junior confessed to the murder.

The man who struck and killed a Sterlington police officer, David Elahi with his car in 2016 was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. 46-year-old Tracy Govan was found guilty of vehicular homicide and vehicular negligent injury in February. Govan’s Attorney, Louis Scott, says it’s a shocking sentence considering his client’s clean record and the fact it was an accident.
cut 9 (09) “that nature”
Elahi was standing behind the fog line conducting a traffic stop when Govan’s vehicle crossed over the marker and struck three officers.

Higher education is celebrating the passage of the budget and tax plan that saves universities and TOPS from further budget cuts. Without the passage of the 4.45 percent sales tax bill, TOPS was on the block for a 30 percent cut and higher ed was looking at tens of millions of dollars in cuts. Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Kim Hunter Reed credits the students who let their voices to be heard…
Cut 4 (09) “phone bank.”

House Bill 10, which provides the funding for higher ed, was approved in the House on a 74-24 vote. Several Republican lawmakers opposed previous efforts to renew a portion of an expiring one-cent sales tax. Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh on how the Edwards administration got the votes…
cut 11 (11) “…people off”
Seabaugh made the comments on KEEL Radio.
On July 1st, Louisiana’s sales tax rate will go from 5 to 4.45 percent. Kevin Barnhart reports consumers will continue to pay the most expensive sales tax rate in the nation…
Voicer 2 (31) ” I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

St. John the Baptist Parish judge Jeff Perilloux has been indicted on three felony counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of misdemeanor sexual battery. The 50-year-old judge denies accusations he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and groped two other teens. Perilloux took a leave absence in May.

TOPS students and their parents are breathing a sigh of relief as the state has fully funded the scholarship program as a result of renewing .45 percent of an expiring one-cent sales tax. And new Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed forsees TOPS being fully funded for the next several years…
cut 5 (09) “…preparation”

Louisiana’s sales tax rate on Saturday, which is the start of a new fiscal year, will go from five-percent to 4.45 as result of legislation approved in the third special session of the year. But Tax Foundation Economist Scott Drenkard says Louisiana residents will still pay the most expensive sales tax rate in the nation, when you combine state and local sales taxes….
cut 7 (06) “….ahead of Tennessee”

GOP lawmakers who voted against the final tax bill are speaking out against the legislation that sets the sales tax rate 4.45 percent. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The ex-boyfriend of a 20-year-old woman found dead in her Pointe Coupee Parish home has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. 21-year-old Eric Duhon Junior was booked this morning. Madeline Falgout was found dead inside her home yesterday and officials say a baseball bat appears to be the murder weapon.

Higher ed officials are welcoming the new budget that preserves university and TOPS funding. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) I’m Matt Doyle.“

But Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh says the legislature’s decision to renew nearly half an expiring one-cent sales tax will be bad for Louisiana’s economy….
cut 12 (06) “…thousand jobs”
The new state sales tax rate of 4.45 percent will go into effect Saturday.

The Vatican announces Bishop Michael Duca, the current Bishop of Shreveport, is leaving to replace Bishop Robert Muench, who is retiring as the leader of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Duca has been Bishop of Shreveport since May of 2008.

Homicide detectives in Pointe Coupee Parish are looking to make an arrest in the death of a 20-year-old woman who was found dead in her home in Fordoche yesterday morning. Sheriff Bud Torres says they have a person of interest…
cut 14 (10) “…standpoint”
Torres says they believe a baseball bat was used to kill Madeline Falgout.

New Orleans police arrest a 36-year-old man after he allegedly stabbed two people after his drink was knocked over at a Bourbon Street bar. Authorities say Gomes-Taylor Dumar used a knife to cut a teenager and stabbed a 36-year-old man. Both victims were taken to the hospital, but there has not been an update on their conditions.