The snow and ice continues to fall in portions of Louisiana.  The precipitation is along and north of I-10 and I-12 at this hour with snow in Alexandria and north along I-20.  For drivers who are out in the bad weather, State Trooper Michael Reichardt says to slow down.  The posted speed limits don’t mean anything when the weather is this treacherous…

Cut 11 (10) “like today.”

Entergy is reminding customers to not only stay warm, but also smart when it comes to electricity and gas usage during this cold snap. Spokesman Greg Guilbeau says to seal air leaks around doors and windows, conserve hot water by wrapping electric water heaters, and keeping the air circulating can help your utility bill.  He says to use the leverage of the sun to your advantage…

Cut 16  (08)  “cold weather”

The winter storm has had some pretty significant impacts on Ouachita Parish today. Glen Springfield with the Sheriff’s Office says it started snowing before daylight. He says ice that fell before the snow caused the closure of I-20 interstate ramps and some overpasses…:

Cut 13 (10) “ice on it”

The State Revenue Department says online retailers outside of Louisiana which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers to pay sales taxes on those purchases. LDR’s Byron Henderson says a 2016 makes it mandatory for customers to pay sales tax on shipped items if they didn’t at the time of purchase…

Cut 4  (11) “those transactions.” 

Amazon started charging the sales tax after the bill passed.

Online shoppers could receive tax notices for purchases made from out of state retailers. Matt Doyle talked to the Department of Revenue about what to expect…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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An arctic front has brought snow and ice to the Bayou State.  Michelle Southern has a look at the storm’s impact…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern.”

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The State Revenue Department says online retailers which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers about purchases subject to the state use tax.This requirement is due to a state law passed in 2016. L-D-R spokesperson Byron Henderson says online orders are not  exempt of sales taxes…

Cut 3 (10) “time of purchase.”

Henderson says if out of state businesses don’t charge sales tax at the time of purchase, the burden of paying it falls back on the customer…

Cut 4  (11) “those transactions.” 

Tax filing season starts January 29^th, and Henderson says if you file with a tax professional, then you should provide them with the use tax notices, but if you file by yourself…

Cut 5  (09)  “tax return.”

Shoppers shouldn’t have to worry about Amazon purchases, as the online giant began charging sales tax after the bill was passed.

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The winter storm moving through Louisiana is impacting most of the state with snow, ice, freezing rain and extremely cold temperatures.  The storm dumped quite a bit of snow in Shreveport.  National Weather Service Meteorologist Matt Hemmingway says forecasts held true for the amount of snow they got…

Cut 6 (09)  “Interstate 20.”

Hemmingway says temperatures will remain below freezing in north Louisiana for the next few days, which will keep the snow and ice around for a while…

Cut 7 (09)  “at freezing.”

Southeast Louisiana will not escape the winter storm.  National Weather Service forecaster Alek Krautman says as the day moves along, it will impact commuters going home from work…

Cut 8 (10) “evening hours.”

Krautman says there won’t be much snow won’t be much of a factor in southeast Louisiana.  Any precipitation that falls will be in the form of ice…

Cut 9 (11) “an inch.”

Forecasters say temperatures will remain at or below freezing through at least Thursday for many areas of Louisiana, which will refreeze any snow and water remaining on the ground, which will create dangerous driving conditions.

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State Police Troopers are working hard to keep drivers safe today.  Portions of Interstates 20, 49 and 220 are shut down in the Shreveport-Bossier City area after the area received up to four inches of snow.  Senior Trooper Michael Reichardt says many roads are icy…

Cut 10 (11) “stay home.”

For drivers who are out in the bad weather, Reichardt says to slow down.  The posted speed limits don’t mean anything when the weather is this treacherous…

Cut 11 (10) “like today.”

If you do find yourself in an accident and need the assistance, Reichardt says it could take a while for law enforcement to reach you.  Just another reason to stay off the roadways…

Cut 12 (08) “different things.”

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The winter storm has had some pretty significant impacts on Ouachita Parish today. Glen Springfield with the Sheriff’s Office says it’s been snowing since just before daylight, with just a little accumulation. He says ice has caused the closure of I-20 interstate ramps and some overpasses…:

Cut 13 (10) “ice on it”

Springfield says the roads are going to get worse before they get better today and tomorrow, so they are encouraging folks to stay home and enjoy the pretty snow…:

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North Louisiana has seen up to four inches of snow in some areas as this winter blast moved into the state this morning, but the white stuff likely won’t be as much of an issue in bottom half of the state. National Weather Service forecaster Alek Krautman says Any precipitation that falls will be in the form of ice…:
Cut 9 (10) “an inch”

Entergy is reminding customers to not only stay warm, but also smart when it comes to electricity and gas usage when heating your home. Spokesman Greg Guilbeau says they like to encourage folks to keep their thermostat at 68 degrees…:
Cut 15 (10) “still cool”
All state offices are closed tomorrow in Louisiana, as are most schools and many businesses. State Police are spreading the word that this is going to be an ice event this evening so please stay home.

Online shoppers could be receiving tax notices for purchases made from out of state retailers. Matt Doyle spoke with the state Department of Revenue:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A legislative task force today recommended moving riverboat casinos onto dry land, and Republican State Senator Ronnie Johns of Lake Charles said he would draft bills based on the suggestions. The only casino on land now is Harrah’s on Poydras Street in New Orleans. The proposed legislation would lift the requirement that the paddle wheels operate and that the boats be manned with a captain and other marine crew.

The winter storm moving through Louisiana is impacting most of the state with snow, ice, freezing rain and extremely cold temperatures. National Weather Service Meteorologist Matt Hemmingway says it will remain below freezing which will keep the snow and ice around for a while…:
Cut 7 (09) “at freezing”

State Police Troopers are working hard to keep drivers safe today. Portions of Interstates 20, 49 and 220 are shut down in the Shreveport-Bossier City area which saw up to four inches of snow. Senior Trooper Michael Reichardt says many roads are icy…:
Cut 10 (11) “stay home”
If you do find yourself in an accident and need the assistance, Reichardt says it could take a while for law enforcement to reach you which is another good reason to stay home.

The State Department of Revenue says online retailers which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers about purchases that are subject to state use tax. This requirement is due to a law passed by the legislature in 2016. Department of Revenue spokesperson Byron Henderson says online orders aren’t tax exempt…:
Cut 3 (10) “time of purchase”
He says shoppers shouldn’t have to worry about Amazon purchases, as the online giant began charging sales tax after the bill was passed.

All state offices are closed tomorrow due to icy road conditions and schools and many other businesses are joining the closure list for Wednesday.

Much of the top half of the state is covered in snow right now, with bone chilling temperatures forecast through Thursday. The wintry mix is on its way to South Louisiana. Alek Krautman with the National Weather Service in Slidell says as the day moves along, the storm will impact commuters going home from work…:
Cut 8 (10) “evening hours”
Glen Springfield with the Sheriff’s Office in Ouachita Parish says it’s been snowing since just before daylight, with just a little accumulation. He says ice has caused the closure of I-20 interstate ramps and some overpasses…:
CUT 13 (10) “ice on it”
Forecasters say temperatures will remain at or below freezing for the next couple of days in many areas of Louisiana, which will refreeze any snow and water remaining on the ground.

Governor John Bel Edwards is making a final push to negotiate a fiscal cliff deal before a self-imposed January 19th deadline…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The State Department of Revenue says online retailers which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers about purchases that are subject to state use tax. This is now a requirement under a law passed by the legislature in 2016. The annual notices must be mailed by January 31 each year.

A strong cold front has moved through north Louisiana into central Louisiana this morning, and hitting the bottom half of the state this afternoon. Kent Kuyper with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says the winter weather has been crazy this season…:
Cut 15 (10) “at us”

Shreveport has already seen about three inches of snow in some areas. The cold sleet, freezing rain and wintry mix is expected to move south throughout the day.

The Department of Transportation says there is ice over many roads in North Louisiana, and I-49 is closed, so is I-220, and many bridges in the Shreveport area. There are several overpasses closed on I-20 in northeast Louisiana. Officials encourage those who have to travel the state today to check 511la.org for a complete and updated list of road closures or blockages. Winter Weather Advisories are posted for the entire state.

Governor John Bel Edwards is making a final push to negotiate a fiscal cliff deal before a self-imposed January 19th deadline…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

163 employees at CB and I in Livingston Parish are losing their jobs. The pipe fabrication facility in Walker says they are cutting costs due to a lack of available work. The Business Report says the decision was made after the company announced a six billion dollar merger with McDermott International. The layoffs go into effect February 19th.

A strong winter cold front is making it’s way down Louisiana…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Kelley Ray”

The State Department of Revenue says online retailers which delivered goods or services to Louisiana addresses will soon notify shoppers about purchases that are subject to state use tax. This is now a requirement under a law passed by the legislature in 2016. The annual notices must be mailed by January 31 each year.

LAPolitics Publisher Jeremy Alford is reporting that the governor will present a budget to lawmakers Friday that will include a 100-percent cut to TOPS to illustrate what would happen if the one billion dollar shortfall remains in place July 1. But he says the governor’s office is also preparing
something else to show the legislature…:
Cut 5 (11) “he wanted”
Edwards set a January 19th deadline for negotiations for a deal in principle on repairing the fiscal cliff.

Don Briggs’ 26 year run as the President of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is coming to an end. In reflecting on his tenure, he recalls that after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, LOGA raised over a million dollars to provide housing, fuel and transportation for storm victims…:
Cut 8 (10) “other hurricanes”
Briggs will be succeeded by Vice President Gifford Briggs.

Snow is falling in Shreveport as an extreme winter weather event enters the state and is expected to head south throughout the day and into tonight. Kent Kuyper with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says once the event passes today, it will leave us with a bitter cold Wednesday…:
Cut 14 (09) “the coast”
Already, snows and a wintry mix are occurring over northern and central Louisiana with generally light rain over the Acadiana region. South Louisiana is expected to see similar impacts by this afternoon and through the evening hours. Road closures over northern Louisiana include I-49 and I-220. DOTD encourages those who have to travel the state today to check 511la.org for a complete and updated list of road closures or blockages.

Governor Edwards will reportedly present a budget to lawmakers on Friday that includes a 100-percent cut to TOPS. The budget is a representation of what would happen if the GOP led House and Edwards do not find a solution to the loss of one billion dollars in revenue on July 1st. LAPolitics Publisher Jeremy Alford…:
Cut 4 (08) “and policy”
Alford says negotiations have stalled, and he doesn’t expect a February special session to address the cliff at this point.

The GOP is requesting a budget with less spending, while the governor wants to replace the sales tax by eliminating certain business tax breaks. Edwards says a key piece of these negotiations is getting his tax reform plan passed…:
Cut 12 (08) “tax type”
Edwards set a Friday deadline for coming to a fiscal cliff agreement.

The entire state is under some sort of winter weather advisory, and it’s already started snowing in north Louisiana. An arctic blast has hit the state, and National Weather Service meteorologist Kent Kuyper says as the front heads south, the chances of freezing precipitation continue…:
Cut 13 (09) “and sleet”
A more than 25 mile stretch of I-49 is closed. This includes the section in the Shreveport city limits; and the new stretch just north of town between MLK up to north Caddo Parish.

In South Louisiana, a light wintry mix of sleet and snow is expected this afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service says total accumulations of a trace to less than an inch are expected. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from noon today, to midnight tonight.

There are many offices and schools also closed today throughout the state, as officials believe it’s best if folks just stay off deteriorating road conditions while this system moves through.

It appears unlikely House legislators and Governor John Bel Edwards will come to a fiscal cliff agreement before a Friday deadline. The deadline was set by the Governor, who was hoping to enter a February special session with a deal in principle to fill a one-billion dollar budget shortfall. Edwards says delaying the fiscal cliff decision could be damaging…:
Cut 10 (11) “already have”
The GOP is requesting a budget with less spending, while the governor wants to replace the sales tax by eliminating certain business tax breaks.

After 26 years, Don Briggs has announced that he is stepping down as president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. He says he’ll be pursuing other ventures aimed at helping to promote Louisiana’s oil and gas industry. He hopes it can soon operate without so many regulations..:
Cut 9 (10) “not happening”
Briggs will be succeeded by Vice President Gifford Briggs.