Early voting for the March 5th presidential primary got underway Saturday. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are battling for the Democratic nomination. Former US Senator Mary Landrieu says Clinton is the one with the skills to be an effective leader…:
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Sanders’ supporter Gilda Reed, a psychology professor at UNO, says she is “feeling the Bern…:
Cut 6 (08) “the status quo”
Early voting polls are open through Saturday from 8:30am-6pm.

In legislative news, It’s the second week of the special session called to stabilize Louisiana’s budget. Governor John Bel Edwards is asking legislators to increase taxes to address a 900-million dollar deficit that must be closed by June 30th. House Republicans oppose tax increases. It is expected the Ways and Means committee will vote on some of the governor’s tax proposals tomorrow.

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…:
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Guidry says during the improvement process, Avoyelles Parish residents might have to go on a water boil notice.

The the young age of 22, Pelicans star Anthony Davis has already made history after scoring a franchise record 59 points and 20 rebounds in New Orleans’ 111-106 victory over the Pistons last night. Over the last 20 years, only our own Shaq and Chris Webber had 50 or more points a game and 20 rebounds. In 1977 when Pistol Pete Maravich played for the New Orleans Jazz he recorded 68 points in a game against The Knicks.

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…:
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The House Ways and Means committee is expected to take up tax proposals starting tomorrow.

Former Baywatch star & honorary director of the People for the Ethical treatment of animals, Pamala Anderson, suggests the state can save money by serving vegan meals to prisoners. 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”

Louisiana’s presidential primary is March 5th. Both Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders have strong Democratic support in the state.
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The National Weather Service is asking Louisianians to be prepared for the possibility of severe weather tomorrow as a cold front moves in. The first of the storms will be seen today and increasing strength through Tuesday, in the afternoon and evening.

***affiliates, please note that the Ways and Means committee is expected to take up tax proposals TUESDAY. The report has been updated on the web***

It’s the second week of the special legislative session called to stabilize Louisiana’s budget and we’re still waiting for our first meaningful bill to get out of the House Ways and Means Committee. Governor John Bel Edwards is asking legislators to increase taxes to address a 900-million dollar deficit that must be closed by June 30th.

House Republicans oppose tax increases and they are looking for the Edwards administration to cut government spending over the long term.

It is expected the Ways and Means committee will vote on some of the governor’s tax proposals on Tuesday. There are bills to increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol and measures to raise corporate and income tax rates.

The big question is whether lawmakers will go along with the Edwards’ proposal to hike the state sales tax by one penny, which is expected to generate over 200-million dollars in the final three months of this fiscal year.

Early voting kicked off today for Louisiana’s March 5th Presidential Preference Primary. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says Democrats must choose a Democrat and Republicans choose a Republican, but everyone should vote in local elections. He says early voting runs through next Saturday…:
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He says the polls will be closed on Sunday.

Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” has died at the age of 89. LSU professor Jessica Lacher Feldman was the Director of Special Collections at the University of Alabama, where Lee would speak to students once a year. She says Lee’s novel resonated deeply with many people…:
CUT 6 (10) “the world”

The last member of the Angola three was released from prison Friday. Albert Woodfox plead no contest to the manslaughter and aggravated burglary charges he’s facing in the death of a 1972 prison guard. Woodfox has spent most of his prison life in solitary confinement. Attorney General Jeff Landry says they will NOT seek to try Woodfox for a third time.

The LSU baseball Tigers came back on two occasions late in the game to beat Cincinnati 6-5 in 12 innings. Baton Rouge native Jordan Romero had the game winning hit in his first game in an LSU uniform. Chris Blair had the call on the LSU Sports Radio Network….
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The Ragin Cajuns celebrated a walk-off win in Lafayette. Northwestern State won in 11 innings over Alabama State 1-0.

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…:
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Students chanted in efforts to oppose future cuts to higher education…:
cut 15 (11) “no future”

One of the men suspected of killing an Angola prison guard decades ago pleaded no contest to lesser charges Friday and was ordered to be released from prison. 69-year-old Albert Woodfox is the last of the Angola Three still incarcerated.

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..:
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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..:
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The last of Angola three has been released from prison. 69-year-old Albert Woodfox walked out of the East Feliciana Parish Jail as a free man for the first time in more than 42 years. Woodfox was an inmate back in 1972 when he and two others were accused of stabbing a prison guard to death. They became known as the Angola 3. Woodfox withdrew his previous “not guilty” pleas and pleaded “no contest” to manslaughter & aggravated burglary. The judge allowed his immediate release due to time served.

Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” has died at the age of 89. Halen Doughty reports…:
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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 now has over 15 million views.
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…:
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Esman feels like all this does is exacerbate the problem of a public who feels cops are the bad guys.

In another blow to Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson, his estranged daughter has taken over their family’s estate in Texas. This was under a settlement agreement approved by a judge. Benson cut his heirs out of his will when the feud began, and a settlement on the lawsuit over the ownership of the sports franchises in New Orleans is scheduled for a hearing next week. Renee Benson argues that her father is not competent to handle his affairs.

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. 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”

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. 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. Pollster Glen Bolger says the poll asked people about three different tax levels and found no statistical difference between the options.

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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”

The last member of the Angola three was released from prison today. Albert Woodfox plead no contest to the manslaughter and aggravated burglary charges he’s facing in the death of a 1972 prison guard. Woodfox has spent most of his prison life in solitary confinement. Attorney General Jeff Landry says they will NOT seek to try Woodfox for a third time.

We are closing in on the first week of the special legislative session and we are still waiting for our first significant piece of legislation to make it out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The panel has heard testimony all week on various proposals to increase taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, personal income, businesses and there’s a bill to raise the state sales tax by a penny.

There’s still a divide between Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards and republican lawmakers. Edwards is seeking to raise taxes as way to fill a budget deficit that’s anywhere between 850-to-950 million dollars. But republicans are pushing for more cuts to the current budget, before they look at raising taxes.

The budget must be balanced by June 30th and the special session is set to end by March 9th. The House is expected to keep working over the weekend. Governor John Bel Edwards is attending the National Governors Assocation meeting in Washington DC and he’ll return to Baton Rouge on Monday.

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Dozens of students were on the steps of the state capitol today protesting proposed cuts to higher education. Peter Jenkns, who graduated from LSU and Nicholls, says it’s important that the students’ voices are heard….

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Higher Ed Commissioner Joseph Rallo says under the best case scenario, public colleges would receive a 70-million dollar cut this fiscal year.

Invest in a Healthy Lousiaina releases a poll today that shows strong support among Louisiana voters for an increase in the state’s cigarette tax  to address the state’s huge budget shortfall. Pollster Glen Bolger says the poll asked people about three different tax levels and there’s strong support all the way around…

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At this point, lawmakers have only talked about raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 22-cents.