Two Ouachita Parish Sheriff Deputies were shot while trying to serve a warrant in the Monroe area. Authorities say a suspect is in custody, while the officers were rushed to hospitals. One of the lawmen has been airlifted to Shreveport, while the other is in surgery.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office is mourning over the loss one of its own deputies. 50-year-old David Michel was gunned down after approaching a suspicious pedestrain along a busy road. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Chief Deputy Craig Taffaro says he knew Michel well…
cut 15 (02) “…always cheerful”
A 19-year-old has been arrested in Michel’s death. He’s been identified as Jerman Neveaux.

It’s the last day of the special session. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says democrats and the Edwards administration are pushing for legislators to approve a bill that would reduce a tax break many upper income earners enjoy…
cut 10 (07) “….governor wants”
The special session ends must at midnight tonight.

President Obama signed a bill into law that puts regulations in place to make chemical plants safer. U.S. Senator David Vitter is a co-sponsor of the legislation and says this benefits Louisiana residents, because it creates a federal system to make sure chemicals are made safely based on the latest science…:
cut 4 (07) “done that”
He says the chemical industry is in support of these new regulations.

Ponchatoula-based Elmer Chocolate cuts the ribbon on a new 40-million dollar expansion today. Elmer president and CEO Rob Nelson says new facility will include technology to make the company more efficient. He says this is good news for Elmer’s employees….
cut 8 (12) “…our community”
There are 230 full-time employees at the plant.

K-through-12 public schools will see a cut in state funding as a result of a spending plan approved by the Senate finance committee. The head of the Louisiana School Board Association, Scott Richard (Ree-shard), says if schools receive fewer state dollars, it will jeopardize the successes that have taken place in public education….
cut 14 (07) “…reading scores”
But Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns supports the idea that public colleges shouldn’t be cut any further…
cut 16 (06) “…young people”
So on an 8-2 vote, the Senate Finance Committee decided not to give public colleges a reduction in state dollars, instead K-12 public schools would be put on the chopping block. This spending proposal still has to be approved by the full Senate and House.

There’s uncertainty involving next fiscal year’s budget as the second special session ends today. Lawmakers have approved legislation that raises tax revenues by $258 million. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says there could be one more attempt to raise even more revenue, as the Edwards administration is pushing legislators to approve a bill that would reduce a tax break many upper income earners enjoy.
cut 28 (07) “…governor wants”
Pinsonat says it’s unlikely the House will go along with the attempt to reduce the excess itemize deduction that can be claimed on state income taxes. He says the governor’s level of success in this second special session will come down to this bill.
cut 29 (10) “on it”

A Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot in the line of duty today. It happened along a busy road around 12:20 this afternoon. J-P-S-O spokesperson, Colonel John Fortunato, says the deputy, 51-year-old David Michel, approached a suspicious pedestrian and a struggle ensued. Authorities say the suspect pulled the gun from his waisteband and shot the deputy several times. The suspect is in custody.

Instead of repairing the Jimmy Davis Bridge over the River River in Shreveport-Bossier, DOTD says they’ve decided to build a new four-lane bridge. Spokeswoman Cindy Dorfner says a new bridge will improve congestion…
CUT 9 (12) “and forth”
She says they aren’t sure how much a new bridge will cost or when construction will begin.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says he has yet to decide if he’ll prosecute a Baton Rouge mother who has been charged with child cruelty for allegedly hitting her children with an electric cord, because they broke into someone’s home. Moore says he’s still waiting to get all the facts in the case…
cut 5 (09) “…is it not”
Moore says the woman does not have a criminal history.

The special session ends tomorrow night at midnight and lawmakers are still trying to figure out how much state agencies will get based on the revenue that has been raised over the last couple of weeks. The Senate Finance Committee has decided not to give public colleges a reduction in state dollars, K-12 public schools are on the chopping block. Shreveport Senator Gregory Tarver says univerisities have been cut enough…
cut 15 (09) “…other schools”
This spending proposal still needs the approval of the House and Senate.

A Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputy was killed in the line of duty after encountering a suspicious pedestrian on Manhatten Boulevard. An official says the deputy was shot multiple times and died less than a hour later. The deputy has been identified as David Michel and authorities say the suspect is in custody.

The Baton Rouge mother who was arrested after allegedly beating her sons for robbing a neighbors house might not have to stand trial, according to District Attorney Hillar Moore. Don Molino has more on that story….
voicer 1 (24) “…I’m Don Molino”

K-through-12 public schools will see a cut in state funding as a result of a spending plan approved by the Senate finance committee. The head of the Louisiana School Board Association, Scott Richard (Ree-shard), says if schools receive fewer state dollars, it will jeopardize the successes that have taken place in public education….
cut 14 (07) “….reading scores”
But on an 8-2 vote, the Senate Finance Committee decided to not to give public colleges a reduction in state dollars, instead K-12 public schools is on the chopping block.

The state department of transportation has cancelled plans to rehab the Jimmie Davis Bridge, instead the state will work towards building a new four-lane bridge over the Red River that connects Shreveport and Bossier City. DOTD spokesperson Cindy Dorfner….
cut 11 (11) “…four lane bridge”
How much it will cost and when construction will start are unknowns.

The senate finance committee has approved a spending plan that protects public colleges from further budget cuts, but K-12 public schools would see less funding next fiscal year. Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns supports this idea…
cut 16 (06) “…young people”
The proposal still needs the approval of the full senate and house.

The rehabilitation of the Jimmy Davis Bridge in Shreveport-Bossier has been cancelled and the state department of transportation says they’ll build a new four-lane bridge instead…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Michelle Southern”
One of the two deputy city marhals charged in last year’s fatal shooting of a six-year Autistic boy in Marksville is seeking a change of venue for his upcoming trial. Attorney Christopher LaCour says he wants to give Derrick Stafford the best defense he can and that won’t happen if the case is heard in Avoyelles Parish…
cut 13 (11) “…fair trial”
Stafford and fellow officer Norris Greenhouse face trial later this year.
Governor Edwards has signed into law legislation that says if you fly a drone over someone’s property to take a peep at what they are doing, you could be charged with trespassing. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor has filed several drone regulation bills, but he doesn’t expect to file any more legislation on this issue…
cut 8 (09) “…to speak”

Two days are left in the legislative session and the Senate is expected to try and pass legislation that raises more revenue to cover a 600-million dollar shortfall. But Jeremy Alford, publisher of la-politics-dot-com, says House leaders say they’ve reached their saturation point on passing revenue generating bills…
cut 14 (11) “…more revenue”
So far lawmakers have agreed to raise 284-million dollars in this session.

Attorney General Jeff Landry announces 57 individuals have been arrested as part of Operation Broken Heart, which is a statewide initative that involved law enforcement to reduce internet crimes against children. LaFourche Parish Sheriff Craig Weber says this needs to be a priority, because victims of internet crime tend to become unlawful individuals later in life…
cut 6 (09) “…children”

Former opelousas state senator and now candidate in the fourth district congressional race, Elbert Guillory, has an unique add on YouTube. Guillory is shown holding a bag of cocunets and he says there are not enough politicians in Washington D-C to do the right thing…
cut 9 (12) “….our homeland”
Last year, in his campaign for Lt. Governor Guillory had an ad that featured the “N-word” several times.

A group called Together Louisiana says local governments are missing out on one-point-six billion dollars a year in revenue as a result of the industrial tax exemption program. But a tax expert with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Jim Patterson, says without this exemption many businesses might not come or stay in Louisiana…
cut 13 (07) “…our state”
Together Louisiana says the governor has the power to ask local governments if they want tax exempted.

Former opelousas state senator and now candidate in the fourth district congressional race, Elbert Guillory, has an unique add on YouTube. Guillory is shown holding a bag of cocunets and he says there are not enough politicians in Washington D-C who do the right thing…
cut 9 (12) “….our homeland”
Last year, in his campaign for Lt. Governor Guillory had an ad that featured the “N-word” several times.

The legislative session ends on Thursday night at midnight and 284-million dollars in revenues have been approved as a result of changes to tax laws. Governor John Bel Edwards has pushed for 600-million dollars in the hopes the state can avoid making cuts to the budget.

Senate President John Alario says he wants to revive a piece of legislation that would reduce the amount of tax deductions a person receives if they itemize on their state income tax forms. The proposal would generate an estimated 88-million dollars. It’s an effort supported by the governor, but such a proposal has already been dismissed by the Louisiana House.

If 284-million dollars is all that could be raised, cuts will occur to higher ed, various health care services and the TOPS program to name a few. How much of the revenue raised in this special session should go to TOPS versus hospitals that provide care for the poor is a major debate right now.

Governor Edwards has established a task Force to develop ways Louisiana can safely lower its prison population and reduce inmate housing costs. Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc says Louisiana incarcerates more residents per capita than anywhere else in the world and this task force will come up with recommendations that the legislature can approve in 2017…:
CUT 3 (07) “some sense”
LeBlanc says more programs at the local level can help reduce the recividism rate and lower the jail population.

The governor has signed a bill into law that raised the age threshold for victims of sex trafficking from 18 to 21. Before this law, victims between 18 to 21 could have been arrested for prostitution. Executive Director of Project 41 in West Monroe, Lindsey Nadler, says the public can also get involved in the fight against human trafficking…
cut 11 (10) “…is key”