Authorities have charged a 34-year-old Baton Rouge man for a shooting that severely wounded a police officer. Baton Rouge Police Sergeant Don Coppola says 34-year-old Eugene Thomas Junior faces several charges after opening fire on his relatives and then a police officer…
cut 4 (07) “…a firearm”
Coppola says the officer is expected to survive. Thomas was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2002 fatal shooting.

An 83-year-old grandmother from Gonzales won the January 20th Louisiana Lotto jackpot worth 525-thousand dollars. Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says Josphine Prendergast claimed her prize last week and told officials she’ll use the money to buy P-J’s Coffee…
cut 8 (10) “…right now”
Prendergast received 367-thousand dollars after taxes were taken out.

A Shreveport caregiver is being held on a 150,000 dollar bond after allegedly stealing money from an elderly, disabled patient. Jim Shannon talked to the Caddo Sheriff’s Office.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon.

The state legislature is prepping for a special session to tackle a billion dollar shortfall. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris is ready to get started.
Cut 30 (:09) Q…”get there.”
The 17 day special session begins a week from today.

Baton Rouge Police arrest a man after he allegedly fired shots at a police officer and four others, including his mother, sister and cousin. Cops located 34-year-old Eugene Thomas Junior about 15 minutes after the initial shooting and Sgt. Don Coppola says that’s when the suspect started shooting at the officer…
Cut 3 (11) “was struck.”
Coppola says the officer is expected to survive, but has suffered serious injuries.

A Monroe man has designed a product called Streamleash to help you have better control of your dog. Ian Blaylock says as a runner, if his dog quickly ran in one direction, he would lose his balance and control of his pet. He says Streamleash allows the leash to extend, but the user is in control of the cord length…
Cut 7 (09) “your dog.”
Blayock says Streamleash features a wrist strap, so you no longer have to grip the leash in you hands,
Lawmakers are optimistic a deal will be reached to fix the fiscal cliff. Jeff Palermo talked to legislative leadership about what they expect in the special session…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Baton Rouge-based Raising Cane’s will expand into New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska this year as 80 new locations are planned this year. CEO Todd Graves says he is very specific as what he expects from each operation…
cut 15 (12) “…recreated here”

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and his secretary of transportation Shawn Wilson are skipping Lundi Gras activities today to meet with President Trump in Washington D.C. The agenda includes federal dollars President Trump vowed to use to rebuild the nations crumbling infrastructure. Here in Louisiana there is plenty of need to fix the roads.

Cut 5 (:09) Q…”put together.”

Edwards and Wilson are headed back tonight.

A Baton Rouge police officer is recovering from injuries sustained following a shooting last night. 34 year old Eugene Thomas Jr is charged with five counts of attempted first degree murder. No bond has been set at this hour.

Legislative leaders are prepping for a special session to tackle a billion dollar short-fall. The renewal of some temporary taxes are expected to be passed along with other budget measures. Alexandria Republican Lance Harris is ready to get started.

Cut 12 (:09) Q…”get there.”

17 items are on the 17 day special session, which begins a week from today.

A Monroe man says he’s figured out how to control dogs on a leash better than before. Ian Blaylock who is a runner has come up with a tool which he says keeps fido in check.

Cut 9 (:11) Q…”of the pack.”

The product is called streamleash and he’s starter a kickstarter campaign in an effort to mass produce the leash that fits over your wrist.

Governor John Bel Edwards and State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson are in Washington to discuss infrastructure plans with the Trump Administration. The President could soon unveil a massive new infrastructure spending plan. Wilson says today’s roundtable discussion is a great opportunity to bring attention to the state’s aging infrastructure.
Cut 4 (09) “additional investment.”
The President said during the State of Union he wants Congress to approve a 1.5 trillion dollar infrastructure spending bill.

A Monroe man has invented a new dog leash that he says gives you better control of your dog. Ian Blayock says Streamleash features a wrist strap, so you do not have to grip the leash in you hands. He says if you dog starts sprinting in a different direction, he just squeezes his hand and the leash locks into place.
cut 8 (07) “…in control”
For more information go to streamleash-dot-com.

A special session on fixing the fiscal cliff begins a week from today. Legislators will have to decide what to do about a one-cent sales tax that expires July 1st. Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Reynolds opposes renewing it…
cut 11 (08) “…look at”
Republicans say they want to pass bills to reduce spending.

Raising Cane’s announces plans to continue expanding its chicken finger fast food chain. Kelley Ray has more.
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

Legislative leaders are optimistic the February special session will end with a deal to fill the one billion dollar budget gap that’s the result of the expiration of sales taxes in July. The session will begin February 19th, and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Reynolds says the two sides are getting close on an agreement.
Cut 10 (09) “this done”
Governor Edwards has pushed for replacing the expiring one cent sales tax by eliminating certain sales tax deductions that benefit businesses. House Republican Caucus Chairman Lance Harris says he’s open to eliminating those deductions, if it’s coupled with spending reductions.
Cut 13 (11) “payers pockets”
The session must come to end by March 7th

Governor John Bel Edwards and state Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson are in Washington DC today to participate in a roundtable discussion at the White House about President Donald Trump’s plans to improve infrastructure across the country. The White House has indicated states may be required to put up additional matching dollars to get access to the potential wealth of federal infrastructure dollars. If so, Wilson says failing to pass a gas tax increase could make it tough to get those funds.
Cut 6 (10) “federal dollar.”

Governor John Bel Edwards has issued the call for a special session to address the fiscal cliff. It will begin February 19th and must end March 7th. Edwards says the special session will give legislators an opportunity to pass reforms to stablize the budget and tax code. It’s still unclear what tax bills House Republicans are willing to support.

A rainy weekend is threatening to make for soggy Mardi Gras parades around the state on Saturday, especially in south Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it won’t be a heavy continuous downpour
Cut 6 (08) “of that.”
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, who leads tourism efforts in the state, knows the rain will not dampen the spirit…
cut 4 (12) “…of the state”

Out of the eight members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, only three of them voted for the spending bill that reopened the federal government after a brief shutdown. US Representative Ralph Abraham was one of those three yes votes, because he says it increases federal funding for our military….
cut 11 (12) “…the yes”
Senator John Kennedy voted against the measure, because he says the bill increases the federal debt.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has filed a lawsuit against the U-S Army Corps of Engineers claiming the Corps is responsible for causing coastal land loss by expanding the borders of the Intracoastal Waterway in Vermilion Parish. Landry says in bigger states, the Corp would not have gotten away with the over expansion…
cut 15 (09) “….its right”
A spokesperson for the Corps says they can’t comment on pending litigation.