College Choice ranks Louisiana Tech University’s elementary education program fourth in the nation and first in the state. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A new political group is launching an ad campaign and they say they’ll get the truth out about Gov. Edwards’ tax plan. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana Tech University’s elementary education program ranks fourth in the nation and first in the state, according to College Choice. College of Education Dean, Dr. Don Schillinger says Tech students complete a full year of student teaching. He says their students are placed in schools in August and stay with a teaching mentor until graduation day.

Cut 3 (10) “student achievement”

Schillinger says they are proud of this ranking and if they are able to produce better teachers it will have a lasting impression on elementary education in this state.

Cut 4  (09) “of that”

Schillinger is hopeful this ranking will attract more students, even from other states, to LA Tech. He says they’re also trying to recruit future teachers from rural areas and get them to return home, rather than staying in larger urban areas.

Cut 5  (09)  “they need”

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Truth in Politics is a new political group created to tell Louisiana residents the truth about Governor John Bel Edwards’s tax plan. TIP Executive Director Kelli Bottger says they are launching a digital ad campaign to prevent the legislature from passing the governor’s proposals to raise taxes on businesses.

Cut 6 (11) “really want”

Governor Edwards’ tax plan calls for a new tax on big businesses, lowering income taxes on individuals and broadening the state’s sales tax, but lowering the overall rate. Bottger says their biggest concern is with Edwards’ proposal to raise taxes on businesses and they will use targeted ads to alert voters.

Cut 7 (10)  “we receive”

Governor Edwards’ communications director Richard Carbo referred to TIP has a deep-pocketed special interest group. Bottger says they are not offering an alternative tax plan, their goal is simply to tell the truth about the governor’s proposal to raise taxes on the rich and businesses….

Cut 8 (09) “higher taxes”

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Southeastern Louisiana University receives a $10 million bequest, the largest single donation in its history. S-L-U spokesperson Mike Rivault says Seth Ryan, a Class of 1953 graduate, became an anonymous donor 15 years ago. He says Ryan donated much of his estate to the university when he passed away several weeks ago.

Cut 9 (10)  “would be for”

Rivault says those scholarships will be primarily for STEM programs, which includes science, technology, engineering, and math. Southeastern’s student population is over 60% female, but women only account for 15% of STEM majors. He says with this generous donation, SLU should be able to award up to 600 scholarships every year.

Cut 10 (11) “or not”

Rivault says while Ryan wanted to remain anonymous in life, he said the university could note that the posthumous gift came from him. He says in his honor, the university is going to rename the Biology Building on campus after Ryan’s wife.

Cut 11 (10) “receive scholarships”

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The Louisiana Budget Project has studied Governor John Bel Edwards’ tax plan and has determined 95-percent of Louisianans would receive a tax cut. LBP Executive Director Jan Moller says the top five-percent of wage earners would pay higher taxes…

Cut 12 (12) “next year” (2x)

The Louisiana Budget Project is a left leaning non-profit. The governor’s tax plan also calls for the lowering of the sales tax rate, but taxing certain services that are not currently taxed. There’s also the proposed gross receipts tax, which would impact many businesses. Moller says the largest effective tax cut would go to those individuals earning between 36-and-56-thousand dollars a year…

Cut 13 (10) “gross receipts tax”

Many legislators are skeptical of the governor’s plan and they are concerned about placing an additional tax on companies. Moller says a lot of steps must be taken in order for the governor’s reform package to be approved.

Cut 14 (11) “can happen”

The majority of Louisiana small business owners oppose an increase to the state’s gasoline tax. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The 2017 Louisiana survey finds most Louisiana residents approve of Medicaid expansion. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Small businesses oppose increasing the state’s gasoline tax. Dawn Starns, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says they surveyed their members and 73-percent oppose a gas tax hike. Starns says everyone wants to see better roads but….

Cut 3 (09) “they have”

The business group, BUILD IT, supports an increase in the gasoline tax by anywhere from 15 to 20 cents to help with the construction of major transportation projects. Starns says those supporters are engineers and architects who would see a boom in their business with this hike.

Cut 4  (10) “to juggle”

Starns says small business owners are also worried increased revenue from a higher gas tax won’t go to roads. She says state government needs to do more with what they have available to them.

Cut 5  (08)  “transparency”

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An Easter egg hunt turned violent when a Thibodaux man’s ex-girlfriend showed up armed with a shovel handle. David Melancon with Thibodaux Police says 33-year-old Junius Boyd was at the event in Peltier (Pel-chay) Park when 25-year-old Florence Robinson arrived, just hours after the two ended their relationship.

Cut 6 (10) “his arm”

Melancon says Boyd’s child was in the vehicle when this transpired, and there were numerous children at the event who witnessed the incident. He says things escalated when Boyd got out of the vehicle and took the shovel handle, hitting Robinson in the head and causing a laceration. He says Boyd certainly had a right to defend himself, but this was taking it too far.

Cut 7 (12)  “defending yourself”

Melancon says Robinson is charged with aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon, criminal damage to property, and disturbing the peace. Boyd is charged with aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon. But he says things got even worse for Boyd.

Cut 8 (12) “was involved”

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The House Ways and Means Committee began looking at various tax proposals today that will be discussed over the next several weeks. First up was Jackson Representative Kenny Havard, who is pushing legislation that would reduce income taxes on individuals and make that revenue up by increasing taxes on businesses. He says with the state constantly facing budget cuts, it’s time for tax reform.

Cut 9 (10)  “do something”

Havard believes the most sensible approach is to alleviate the tax burden on residents and ask businesses to pay their fair share. 

Cut 10 (08) “that’s unfair”

A vote was not taken on Havard’s proposed legislation. There are over 140 tax bills filed in the House. Changing Louisiana’s tax laws are a major debate, because one-point-three billion dollars in temporary taxes expire next year. Havard says it is the legislature’s job to create a way to stabilize the budget.

Cut 11 (08) “the road”

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Most Louisiana residents approve of Medicaid expansion, according to an LSU survey. Director of the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, Dr. Michael Henderson says 72 percent of respondents for the 2017 Louisiana Survey approve of the expansion. He says the approval rating for the Affordable Care Act has increased over the past few years.

Cut 12 (10) “more favorable”

Henderson says they’re seeing a similar trend nationwide. He says it could be because former-President Obama has left office and people no longer attach their feelings towards him to the law. But he suspects it has more to do with people learning more about the ACA.

Cut 13 (10) “have improved”

But the survey finds only 42 percent of voters approve of the Affordable Care Act. Henderson says people also may not realize that Medicaid expansion is a provision of the ACA. But he suspects the 51 percent unfavorable view has more to do with politics.

Cut 14 (11) “the ACA”

According to the survey, 76 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of Obamacare, while 80 percent of Republicans have an unfavorable view.

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The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early morning incident in which they believe a person or persons drove by a bunch of houses and cars and started shooting at random. Chief Deputy Mike Haley says they received reports of gunfire in Mt. Hermon around 4am…:

Cut 15 (10) “they had been shot”

Haley says they know the gunfire was coming from a pickup truck, but not much beyond that. He says it’s not known who is responsible or why they were doing it…:

Cut 16  (08)  “at this time”