A bill to ensure that all TOPS recipients get part of their award is heading to the Governor’s desk. Halen Doughty has more…
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State Police say the summer of 2016 got off to a tragic start on Louisiana’s roadways as 9 fatal crashes resulted in the loss of 14 people over Memorial Day weekend. Michelle Southern reports…:
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Four people, including a one year old child, are dead after a fiery head-on Memorial Day crash in East Feliciana Parish. State Police Trooper Bryan Lee says two vehicles were involved in the incident which took place on LA 67, just north of Clinton…:
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Lee says 1-year-old Hazel Temple, 19-year-old Holley Thomas, 22-year-old Brandon Temple all of Denham Springs, along with 24-year-old Jakyle Hall all died. He says they believe Brandon Temple was passing two vehicles in a no passing zone when he approached the crest of the hill and slammed into Hall’s vehicle…:
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Lee says the 19-year-old and 1 year old were in Temple’s vehicle, and Hall was the only occupant of the second vehicles. He says upon impact, both vehicles burst into flames which further hinders other aspects of the investigation…:
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The bill to ensure that all TOPS scholarship recipients get at least part of their award has received final legislative passage. Jennings Senator Blade Morrish says the bill will only go into effect if the legislature cannot fully fund the program, which is a real possibility as TOPS is only funded at 48% under the current budget proposal. Morrish says who pays the remainder of the tuition would be at the discretion of the university.
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Over 50-thousand Louisiana students are eligible for a TOPS award, and it would take $294 million to cover all those scholarships. Morrish says under the current law if TOPS is underfunded, it becomes a needs/merit based hybrid. He says it isn’t fair to eliminate students with a 21 ACT score before those with a 32, because they both earned it.
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TOPS is severely underfunded as the budget for next fiscal year stands now. Morrish says for now, the program is probably funded as much as it can be.
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Lawmakers will begin the second special session of 2016 on Monday in an attempt to raise enough revenue to fully fund TOPS and other state services.
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Mike VI has made the first step in his treatment process, getting a CT scan to take images of the cancerous tumor threatening the life of LSU’s beloved mascot. Ginger Guttner with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine says this scan will help Mike’s doctors decide how many radiation treatment sessions he will need.
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Guttner says Mike recovered from the anesthesia much faster this time than he did when the vets made the heartbreaking discovery of the rare and incurable cancer. She says this will get Mike ready to undergo an innovative treatment that has never before been used on a tiger.
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Guttner says Mike will be treated at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, and the center will cover the cost of his treatment. But she says there will be other expenses associated with his care, and people can make donations.
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State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says Louisiana may need to consider tolls as way to pay for major highway construction projects. He says the state cannot rely on federal money to cover the costs for big ticket items.
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Wilson made the comments during a meeting of the House Transportation Committee as they were talking about a resolution that directs the state transportation department to conduct a study on feasibility of tolling highways and bridges. During the discussion, Wilson says tolls will only work on roads with heavy volume.
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The state is also facing a 13-billion dollar backlog on bridge and road repairs. Wilson says tolls could be an option to pay for a portion of a major highway project.
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The number of traffic fatalities increased substantially from last year over the Memorial Day Weekend, according to State Police. Trooper Jesse LaGrange says they investigated 9 fatal wrecks, which resulted in 14 deaths. He says this is a sharp rise from last year’s 7 traffic related fatalities and it’s because of a lack of personal responsibility.
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LaGrange says over 100 suspected drunk drivers were arrested over the long weekend. He says there was a mixture of factors that led to the fatal crashes.
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