Louisiana and New Orleans Entergy customers will see a few bucks knocked off their bills for the next few months…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”
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Louisiana has completed the process of issuing February food stamps a couple of weeks early. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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A bicyclist allegedly assaulted an Alexandria Police officer with the officer’s own TASER, then held a gun to that officer’s head after stopped for a traffic violation. 51-year-old Vernon Holden was arrested as a result. Corporal Wade Bourgeois says the violent confrontation began when the officer tried to issue a routine citation…
Cut 3 (12) “…confrontation.”
After chasing down Mr. Holden after the traffic stop, Bourgeois says the officer attempted to subdue the suspect with non-lethal force…
Cut 4 (08) “…the officer″
Bourgeois says after wrestling the TASER away from the officer and then turning the stun gun back on the cop, Holden escalated the situation by threatening to murder the officer he had subdued.
Cut 5 (10) “…that happened.”
After Holden retreated, backup arrived and a search ensued. He was later apprehended in a nearby storage shed. Police say they’ve retrieved the weapon used against the officer as well.
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There have been three announcements of job losses for the city of Zachary in East Baton Rouge over the last week. Thompson Pipe Group will close its manufacturing plant, which will affect 120 employees. Georgia Pacific is laying off 650 workers at its Port Hudson paper mill and BASF will close a chemical plant in Zachary that employs 54. Governor Edwards says the state can help impacted workers
Cut 6 (10) “…to work.”
Edwards says there are other Baton Rouge area employers looking for workers…
Cut 7 (14) “…open there.”
IBM is hosting a career fair in Lafayette for I-T specialty jobs at its Baton Rouge Client Innovation Center from 9 AM to 2 PM at South Louisiana Community College. They are looking to fill 75 available positions. Edwards says the state’s economy is strong and if you’ve been laid off, there are options…
Cut 8 (10) “…that done.”
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Federal regulators have ordered Entergy to pay back customers in Louisiana and other states 135 million dollars for over charges. Spokesperson Lee Sabatini says that means the average customer will see a few bucks knocked off their January, February, and March bill.
Cut 9 (08) “of months″
That average customer uses 1,300 kilowatt hours a month.
Sabatini says tens of millions of dollars from that settlement are on their way to the Bayou State in the form of refunds.
Cut 10 (08) “…as well”
The refund will appear as a “fuel credit” on your bill.
The refund is related to a suit that was filed by the Louisiana Public Service Commission in 2009, challenging a business deal made by Entergy Arkansas from 2000-2009.
Cut 11 (11) “…agreement”
That deal benefited shareholders, but lead to higher charges in Louisiana.
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A steel-covered walkway is being installed at the entrance of the state capitol to protect visitors from falling pieces of mortar from the 86-year-old building. Division of administration spokesperson Jacques Berry says the structural integrity of the capitol is good, unfortunately small pieces of the mortar are flaking off
Cut 12 (10) “…again.”
Berry says the state legislature will have to appropriate the 40 to 60-million dollars to repair the falling mortar, so in the meantime, a temporary covered walkway will protect those going through the capitol’s front doors
Cut 13 (07) “…like that.”
Berry says the Capitol is a National Historic Landmark, so they hope the legislature will fund the money that’s needed to fix the 34-story building…
Cut 14 (12) “…the entire world..”
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