Early voting for the Presidential Preference Primary is underway, and here’s what Democrats are saying about the two Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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 The Department of Health and Hospitals has handed out two million dollars in loans to improve drinking water in Avoyelles Parish. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Recent polls have shown the public does not support increasing taxes as a way of solving the state’s budget deficit, but one pollster says these surveys might not tell the whole story. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Early voting for the Louisiana Presidential Preference Primary is underway, and polls remain open until Saturday. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are battling for the Democratic nomination. Former US Senator Mary Landrieu supports Hillary Clinton. Landrieu says Clinton has the skills necessary to be an effective leader.

cut 4  (07)  “Senator Sanders”

Landrieu says Sanders is not as well equipped to handle the presidency.

Cut 5  (09)  “us safe”

Sanders’ supporter Gilda Reed, a psychology professor at UNO, says she is “feeling the Bern.” She says he can make crucial changes in the country.

Cut 6 (08)  “the status quo” 

Reed says Sanders is capturing the hearts of everyday Americans and energizing the youth because of his progressive ideas.

CUT 7 (07)  “the long run”

Voting is open from 8:30 am to 6 pm daily at your local Parish of Registrar office and other select locations.

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has awarded a 2.1 million dollar loan to assist an Avoyelles Parish water system improve its drinking water. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the money comes from the state‘s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, which helps improve infrastructure to ensure drinking water stays safe.

Cut 8  (10)  “their system”

Guidry says the project calls for a new pump stations, new ground water storage tank, a new well and chlorination facility at the Yellow Bayou Pump station….

Cut 9 (08)  “in trouble”

Guidry says during the improvement process, the Avoyelles Parish residents might have to go on a water boil notice. He says this is all to ensure that they’re water remains safe to drink.

Cut 10 (08) “notice it”

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Recent polls have shown the public is opposed to the legislature increasing taxes as a way of solving the state’s fiscal crisis. But Michael Henderson, Director of LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, says these surveys might not tell the whole story, because the polls do not ask the respondents about potential consequences if revenues are not raised….

cut 11 (07) “more stuff”

 Henderson, who puts together the annual Louisiana Survey, says the public usually always opposes proposes to increase taxes. But voters also oppose spending cuts to education or transportation, so that’s why some of the recent polls are not an accurate description of what the legislature is dealing with…

cut 12 (06) “imperfect picture”

Henderson says legislators should take these polls with a grain of salt, because the poll questions don’t take into account what could happen if certain taxes are not raised…

Cut 13 (08)  “public wants”

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Supermodel Pamela Anderson suggests to Governor John Bel Edwards that Louisiana’s budget could benefit from serving all-vegan food to prisoners. That’s according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA spokesperson Dan Matthews says Anderson has visited other jails around the country that save hundreds of thousands of dollars by not serving meat:

Cut 14 (08)  “with this proposal” 

Anderson is the “honorary director” of PETA and she wrote a letter to Governor Edwards saying enormous savings on freezer costs and prisoners’ healthcare would be made by serving healthy, colorful vegan meals. Matthews says Louisiana taxpayers would save over $620,000 a year by offering inmates beans, rice, lentils, pasta, potatoes and other vegetables…:

Cut 15 (11) “in their life” 

Anderson says if Louisiana switched to meat-free meals in jail, she’d come inaugurate the program by helping cook and serve lunch to the inmates. Matthews says there are numerous studies which show that the less animal products you consume, the healthier you are…:

Cut 16  (10)  “to live“

The ACLU of Louisiana responds to the latest rather aggressive Crime Stoppers viral video by St. Landry Parish’s Captain Clay Higgins looking for wanted Gremlins Gang members. Emelie Gunn reports..:

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” has died at the age of 89. Halen Doughty reports…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The ACLU of Louisiana has responded to the latest Crime Stoppers video by St. Landry Parish’s Captain Clay Higgins that’s gone ridiculously viral. Higgins is looking for wanted members of the Gremlins Gang and says they each have a $2500 bounty on their head. ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman has a problem with that…:

CUT 3 (06)  “summary execution”

Higgins video had nearly 14 million views in just two days. Esman feels like all this does is exacerbate the problem of a public who feels cops are the bad guys….:

CUT 4 (09)  “what police officers do”

Esman says Higgins also shouldn’t be calling these suspects “heathens” which is a religious term that implies he knows something about their beliefs…:

CUT 5 (10)  “they’re committing crimes”

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Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” has died at the age of 89. Head of Special Collections at LSU Jessica Lacher Feldman says Lee’s death is the end of an era. Feldman worked at the University of Alabama, where Lee spoke to students once a year. Feldman was Lee’s handler when she visited and says Lee’s novel resonated deeply with many people.

CUT 6 (10) “the world”

Feldman says Lee’s recently released book “Go Set A Watchman,” broke many publishers records. Feldman says Lee’s first novel was influential because Lee wrote about race and gender issues in a very real, but idealized, way.

CUT 7 (07) “the century”

There has been speculation as to whether Lee wrote any more books that were not published. Feldman says her death may bring more writings to light.

CUT 8 (08) “she’s written”

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A new poll from Invest in a Healthy Louisiana and Public Opinion Strategies finds increasing the tobacco tax is favored by seven out of 10 voters. Pollster Glen Bolger says the survey polled 500 likely Louisiana voters and many people are opposed to hikes in the state’s income, sales or property taxes, but favor an increase to the state’s tobacco tax…

CUT 9 (07)  “strongly favor”

The Invest in a Healthy Louisiana Coaltion is advocating a $1.25 per pack increase in the tobacco tax. So far, only a 22-cent increase has been discussed by the legislature. Bolger says the poll asked people about three different tax levels and found no statistical difference between the options.

cut 10 (09)  “73 percent”

Increasing the cigarette tax by $1.25 would raise more than $200 million a year for Louisiana. Bolger says the increase is popular across party lines…

Cut 11 (11) “percent support”

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Dozens of students marched to the state capitol in efforts to protest the proposed cuts to higher education to offset the massive budget deficit. A graduate of Nicholls State University and LSU, Peter Jenkins, attended the Save our Schools rally to make legislators pay attention and stop these drastic measures…

cut 12 (08) “focusing on”

Jenkins says they want the legislators to do what they need to do to save higher education. He says students are calling for three different things…

cut 13 (10)  “budget cuts”

Jenkins believes legislators understand the situation and don’t have ill-will toward the situation but are only trying to figure out how to solve the deficit. But he says it’s their job as students to be heard…

cut 14 (10)  “come out”

Students chanted at the steps of the Capitol in efforts to prevent future cuts to higher education…

cut 15 (11) “no future”