The Public Service Commission is investigating rural electric co-ops after discovering what they say are excessive expenses that are driving up electric costs. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended June 30th with a budget surplus of approximately 300-million dollars. Critics of the Edwards administration say the surplus shows the legislature didn’t need to renew millions in temporary sales taxes earlier this year. But Edwards says…

Cut 4 (07) “…a deficit.”

A Denham Springs woman has been charged with D-W-I after she drove into a Baton Rouge Police cruiser. B-R-P-D Sergeant Don Coppola says after doctors checked on Jones injuries, she was then sent to the East Baton Rouge jail for booking on charges of D-W-I, careless operation and vehicular negligent injuring…

Cut 14 (09) “…the charges”
Coppola says the police unit suffered severe damage as a result of the wreck.

After seeing losses in 2017, movie theatres are experiencing their best summer in two decades.  It’s quite the feat considering the popularity of Netflix.  North American ticket sales will close out the summer season with more than a 14% increase.  Entertainment columnist for the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says offerings at theatres include more than just soda, popcorn, and a flip down seat as now the multiplexes are offering a deeper menu, and seeing much more comfortable plush reclining seats.
Cut 12 (10)   “…very good job.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended June 30th with a budget surplus of approximately 300-million dollars. Edwards says the state’s economy is performing better than what the Revenue Estimating Conference predicted…

Cut 3 (10) “…improve.” 

Critics of the Edwards administration say the surplus shows the legislature didn’t need to renew millions of dollars in temporary sales taxes.

The Public Service Commission launches an investigation into the spending habits of rural energy coops. Commissioner Foster Campbell singled out Claiborne Electric Co-op for paying their GM 195,000 a year.

Cut 6 (06) “…sickening.”

The GM says his pay is based on national averages for the positions.

A Denham Springs woman has been charged with a D-W-I after she drove into a Baton Rouge Police cruiser. B-R-P-D Sergeant Don Coppola says 39-year-old Tia Jones attempted to make a left turn into a parking lot on Government Street last night when the collision happened…

Cut 13 (06) “non life threatening”

Coppola says the police unit suffered severe damage as a result of the wreck.

After seeing losses in 2017, movie theatres are experiencing their best summer in two decades.  It’s quite the feat considering the popularity of at home video on demand services such as Netflix. .  Entertainment columnist for the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says  the strong showing of support for historically popular franchises is a major contributing factor to the boom.

Cut 11 (09)“…a lot of fun”

North American ticket sales will close out the summer season with more than a 14% increase

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended June 30th with a budget surplus of approximately 300-million dollars.Edwards says they can now use some of this money to fund long-awaited highway projects.

cut 5 (10)  “…state of Louisiana” 

The state constitution limits how state surplus dollars can be spent, but construction is one of the areas it can be spent in.

After seeing losses in 2017, movie theatres are experiencing their best summer in two decades. Entertainment columnist for the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says the weather might play a factor.

Cut 10 (08) “…and watch movies.”

North American summer ticket sales summer season increased more than a 14%.

The Public Service Commission launches an investigation into the spending habits of rural energy coops. Commissioner Foster Campbell highlighted what he says were completely unnecessary educational and lobbying trips to places like Las Vegas and Washington DC, where he says costs for expensive meals and hotels would end up back on customer bills. He says the co-op’s justifications don’t hold up.

Cut 8 (10) “…see them.”

But Claiborne Co-op General Manager Mark Brown says those accusations are not correct, and the trips are needed, as they give co-op leaders the opportunity to learn about new advancements in the electric industry. He says they take those new lessons home to provide better service to coop customers.

cut 9 (08) “…travel expenses”

Campbell criticized the salary being paid to brown, which he says is 195,000 dollars a year.

The Public Service Commission is investigating rural electric co-ops for what they believe are excessive expenses driving up electric costs….
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor John Bel Edwards says the 300-million dollar surplus from last fiscal year is the result of better-than-expected personal and corporate income tax collections, which is a sign of a strengthening economy. House Speaker Taylor Barras says cuts to tax break programs could be another reason for the surplus.

It was a good summer for movie theaters, despite the growing popularity in home video on demand services like Netflix. The box office reports a 14-percent in sales compared to last summer. Entertainment columnist with the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says offering more food options and comfortable plush reclining seats could be leading to better sales at the theater…
cut 12 (10) “…very good job”

An alleged poor decision by a Denham Springs woman resulted in her crashing her vehicle into a Baton Rouge police car last night. Sergeant Don Coppola says after doctors checked on 39-year-old Tia Jones’ injuries, she was booked into the parish jail on a D-W-I charge. Coppola says Jones could have avoided the crash, if she was sober behind the wheel…
cut 15 (10) “…any chances”
The officer also suffered non-life threatening injuries and the police cruiser sustained serious damage.

The Public Service Commission launches an investigation into the spending habits of rural energy coops after discovering what they say is excessive pay for board members and managers. Commissioner Foster Campbell singled out Claiborne Electric Co-op for paying their GM 195,000 a year, but that GM, Mark Brown, says it’s on par with national averages.

Cut 7 (12) “…our employees”

Brown says they estimate the nine member board worked 4500 hours last year.

After seeing losses in 2017, movie theatres are experiencing their best summer in two decades. North American ticket sales will close out the summer season with more than a 14% increase.  Entertainment columnist for the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says thank franchises.

Cut 11 (09)“…a lot of fun”

Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s a good sign Louisiana ended up with a 300-million dollar surplus from the budget year that ended June 30th. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended June 30th with a budget surplus of approximately 300-million dollars. Critics of the Edwards administration are questioning, even more, the need for the renewal of millions of dollars in temporary taxes now that the state has ended up with the surplus. But Edwards says…

Cut 4 (07) “…a deficit.”

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says he’s pushing to limit compensation for energy co-op companies after discovering what he says were excessive board member compensation and expenses in several parishes. Campbell singled out Claiborne Electric Coop, saying pay for what he says is a part-time job is off the charts.

Cut 6 (06) “…sickening.”

But Claiborne Coop General Manager Mark Brown says it’s a false accusation. He says the nine member board clocked about 4500 hours of work last year.

After seeing losses in 2017, movie theatres are experiencing their best summer in two decades.  It’s quite the feat considering the popularity of at home video on demand services such as Netflix.  North American ticket sales will close out the summer season with more than a 14% increase.  Entertainment columnist for the New Orleans Advocate Keith Spera says the weather might play a factor.

Cut 10 (08) “…and watch movies.”
Spera adds the amount of blockbusters this summer also is a factor.

A new survey from OfficeTeam says 56 percent of U.S. workers’ typical lunch break lasts 30 minutes or less. Recruiting Manager at Robert Half Finance and Accounting Carrie Lewis says employers need to get staff out of the office…

Cut 14 (05) “…rejuvenated”

The survey shows that 29 percent of employees don’t stop working on their breaks.

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended June 30th with a budget surplus of approximately 300-million dollars. Edwards says the state’s economy is performing better than what the Revenue Estimating Conference predicted…
cut 3 (10) “…improve”
The state constitution limits how state surplus dollars can be spent. Edwards says it can go towards one time projects, so addressing the state’s massive transportation construction backlog will likely get some of that cash.

US Representative Mike Johnson, who represents northwest Louisiana , claims on his personal Facebook page that atheist ligation groups from California have attempted to get hidden video of Christian student activities at Benton High School in Bossier Parish. A federal lawsuit filed last February against Bossier Parish Schools claims their teachers shame or coerce non-Christian students.
A Southern Poverty Law Center report shows one third of all law enforcement agencies in Louisiana don’t have racial profiling policies…
Voicer 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The LSU AgCenter has been awarded a five million dollar grant from the CDC that will expand an ongoing program to improve health to more Louisiana parishes. The grant will support an initiative called Healthy ABCs. AgCenter Nutirition Specialist Denise Holston says theye started the program in 2015 in Madison, Tensas and St. Helena parishes….
Cut 10 (09) “…in these communities.“
Holston says Assumption, Claiborne, East Carroll and Morehouse parishes will be added to the effort.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has found that more than one-third of Louisiana law enforcement agencies have no policy against racial profiling. S-P-L-C’s deputy legal director Lisa Graybill says law enforcement officers are missing a major tool to help them fairly and effectively protect and serve…
cut 9 (07) “….community”
But Graybill says it’s not just small towns. She says in the city of Gretna, two-thirds of the city’s arrests are black people, but only one-third of the city’s population is black. And according to the SPLC, Gretna does not have a racial profilling policy.

Attorney General Jeff Landry claims Governor Edwards appointment to the Red River Waterways Commission is illegal. A spokesperson for Edwards says the appointment of Colonel Michael Deville, who is black, provides a more balanced representation. The wife of Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator was nominated for the job by local officals. Sheriff Prator has been a vocal critic of Edwards’ criminal justice reform efforts.

The LSU AgCenter has been awarded a five million dollar grant from the CDC to combat obesity in rural areas…
Voicer 2 (33) ”I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A survey from OfficeTeam finds 56-percent of US workers say their typical lunch break last 30 minutes and more than half of professionals report that aside from eating, they take time surfing the web or social medial…
cut 15 (08) “…their lunch”
That’s workplace expert Carrie Lewis from New Orleans, who says the average lunch is four minutes shorter than it was in 2014.

Governor Edwards says giving public school teachers a pay raise will be a top priority when lawmakers convene for the 2019 regular session in April. Edwards says it’s been a decade since educators saw an increase in pay…
cut 5 (12) “….in half”
Edwards is proposing a $1,000 pay raise for teachers.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is sounding the alarm over a new report that shows more than one third of Louisiana law enforcement agencies do not have policies that address racial profiling. Deputy Legal Director Lisa Graybill says it’s a troubling discovery.
Cut 7 (11) “…over policing.”

A new survey from OfficeTeam says 56 percent of U.S. workers’ typical lunch break lasts 30 minutes or less. Workplace expert Carrie Lewis says a short lunch break may have a negative effect on employees…
Cut 13 (08) “be enough”
Lewis says 29-percent of the respondents also admit to working during their lunch breaks.

The LSU AgCenter receives a five-million dollar grant to grow a rural obesity program. The Healthy A-B-Cs initiative began its work in 2015 in Madison, Tensas and St. Helena parishes and it’s responsible for establishing farmer markets, promoting physical activity at schools and providing accessible places for physical activity. AgCenter Nutrition Specialist Denise Holston says the overall feedback of the program has been positive…
cut 12 (07) “..affordable as well”
Holston says with this new grant money, they will be able to expand the program into Assumption, Claiborne, East Carroll and Morehouse parishes.

Governor Edwards says a pay raise raise for public school teachers will be his number one priority in next year’s legislative session. Edwards is proposing an across-the-board $1,000 dollar pay raise for educators and a 500-dollar bump in pay for school support workers. It will cost an additional 114-million dollars. Edwards says…
cut 6 (08) “…education”
The proposed pay raise would still not get the average teacher salary in Louisiana to the Southern Regional Average.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro will not pursue rape charges against three marines and a Tulane University graduate. A woman claims the four men raped her at a new Orleans home earlier this year. A detective testified in June that one of two women involved in the case texted a roommate during the reported assault that everything was fine.

A Southern Poverty Law Center report finds just over one third of all law enforcement agencies in Louisiana do not have racial profiling policies…
Voicer 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The LSU Ag Center has landed a five-million dollar grant to expand a program that is trying to reduce the obesity rate in rural parishes. AgCenter nutrition specialist Denise Holston says will be used to persuade local stores to stock more healthy items…
cut 11 (09) “….at the grocery store”