The House of Representatives was quiet today during this special session as members are taking as one lawmaker termed a “mental health day” off. Fingers have been pointing all over the capitol in explanation of why the budget crunch cannot be fixed. Jonesboro Republican Jack McFarland…

Cut 6  (08)  “in personalities”

But Baton Rouge Black Caucus member Ted James says he and his coalition are not backing down during this session. He says he would rather head to the house first.

Cut 9 (10) “do that.”

Legislators have until March 7^th to come up with a solution to a one billion dollar budget shortfall.  The House of Representatives will reconvene at 10am Wednesday.

LSU has confirmed there is no active investigation on the Tiger basketball program after Yahoo Sports reported there was an NCAA inquiry to learn more about Coach Will Wade’s recruiting efforts across the country.  Wade says the press will say what they want to say, and as the leader of the program, he can’t let that distract him from doing the job at hand…

Cut 11 (11) “it movin’.”

LSU stated they continue to stand for full compliance and partnership with the NCAA and the SEC.

The House of Representatives was quiet Tuesday as members are taking as one lawmaker termed it, a “mental health day” off. Fingers have been pointing all over the capitol in explanation of why the budget crunch cannot be fixed.  Baton Rouge Black Caucus member Ted James says his caucus will not cow-down to pressure of putting a financial burden on the poor by passing a sales tax bill…

Cut 8 (08) “We are serious”

Jonesboro Republican Jack McFarland says a day off was necessary so all sides can take a deep breath as the deadline to pass revenue generating bills to close a billion dollar deficit is a week away…

Cut 7 (09)  “some more compromise”

The House is set to reconvene at 10am Wednesday.

It’s unclear if legislators will find a solution to a looming one billion dollar budget deficit before the special session ends next Wednesday March 7th. Governor John Bel Edwards is meeting with legislative leadership and remains optimistic a deal can be struck

Cut 13 (10) “always said”

When the regular session starts on the following Monday, March 12^th, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries hopes to have a bill submitted that would consolidate the amount of licenses they issue from 117 to 30.  Under the proposal, some fees would go up, including the regular hunting and fishing licenses for Louisiana residents. Cole Garett, Executive Counsel for the LDWF, says the increase will help them get more money from other sources…

Cut 30 (06) “tax money.”

If approved by the Legislature, the increases would go into effect in 2019.

State and local officials are keeping an eye on rising river levels along the Red River, Ouachita and Mississippi Rivers. Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Grant, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita and Rapides parishes are under a state of emergency. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says the declaration allows the state to coordinate response efforts with local officials…
cut 5 (07) “…open”
River flooding is also a concern in southwest Louisiana. The Calcasieu River at Oberlin is six feet above flood stage and flooding is also anticipated in Kinder.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s office has released the names of three people arrested in last Friday’s shooting on the Southeastern Louisiana campus that left two people injured. One of the individuals is on the S-L-U basketball team. 19-year-old Jabbar Singleton has been charged with illegal discharge of a firearm and carrying a firearm on school property. 19-year-old Jacoby Senegal of Abbeville was booked on attempted murder charges.

The House of Representatives is off today following a dispute that brought the session to another halt. Jim Shannon has more….
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jim Shannon”

If an agreement can’t be reached, a special session may be needed in June to pass a budget. Governor Edwards wants to avoid that…
Cut 14 (13) “funded at all”

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a State of Emergency for several parishes along the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red Rivers. Flood watches and warnings remain in effect through Thursday afternoon as an additional two to four inches of rainfall is expected. GOHSEP spokesman Mike Steele says they are watching river level forecasts….
cut 4 (10) “…eyes on”

The parents of a newborn have been charged with attempted first-degree murder after their baby was found in the trash. Alexandria Police detectives are investigating the case and booked Thelma Kirkland and Carl Hall. The newborn remains on life support after the baby was transported to a local hospital.

And New Orleans police have charged two men and their mother for a shooting that occurred along a Mardi Gras Day parade route that injured two, severely wounding one of the victims.

Legislation that attempts to solve a one-billion dollar budget gap is stalled in the special session. But Jeff Palermo reports Governor John Bel Edwards remains optimstic something will get done by next Wednesday…
vocier 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Jonesboro Representative Jack MacFarland says today is a needed day off, so all sides can take a deep breath as there’s about a week left in the special session….
cut 7 (09) “….some more compromise”

The House of Representatives is quiet today as members are taking as one lawmaker termed a “mental health day” off. Fingers have been pointing all over the capitol in explanation of why the budget crunch cannot be fixed. Jonesboro Republican Jack McFarland.
Cut 6 (08) “in personalities”
Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards says a compromise can be reached, if everyone works together…
cut 15 (10) “…difficult”
The House is scheduled to meet again tomorrow to pass legislation towards solving the fiscal cliff. Edwards called a 17-day special session so t legislators can pass revenue generating bills to close a looming billion dollar budget defcit. Republicans are pushing a sales tax bill, while Democrats beleieve higher wage earners should pay higher income taxes.

The Red River and several other rivers in north Louisiana are on the rise and there’s a threat for flooding. Mike Steele, with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says the situation could get worse before it gets better…
cut 3 (07) “…as well”
State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says livestock and farm equipment owners in northwest Louisiana should be prepared for flooding along the Red River. Property along the Red River in Alexandria could see flood conditions on Thursday.

LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade has responded to the Yahoo Sports report that NCAA enforcement officials are looking into his recruiting tactics. Wade says he has hasn’t heard anything from the NCAA about possible wrongdoing…
cut 12 (11) “…our school”
Wade currently has LSU’s 2018 recruiting ranked as the third best in the country.

It’s unclear if legislators will find a solution to a looming one billion dollar budget deficit before the special session ends next Wednesday. Governor John Bel Edwards is meeting with legislative leadership and remains optimistic a deal can be struck…
cut 13 (10) “…always said”
House Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on what tax revenue generating bills they should pass to replace expiring sales taxes.

The governor’s office is also keeping an eye on rising river levels. Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Grant, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita and Rapides parishes are under a state of emergency. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says the declaration allows the state to coordinate response efforts with local officials…
cut 5 (07) “…open”

LSU has confirmed there is no active investigation on the Tiger basketball program. Yahoo Sports says an NCAA inquiry was started to learn more about Coach Will Wade’s recruiting efforts across the country. Rivals.com says the 2018 class is ranked third in the country. In a press conference Monday, Wade says he’s just looking for the best players for his program…
Cut 10 (11) “be here.”
LSU said in a statement that it stands for full compliance and partnership with the NCAA and SEC.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s office has released the names of three people arrested in last Friday’s shooting on the Southeastern Louisiana campus that left two people injured. One of the individuals is on the S-L-U basketball team. 19-year-old Jabbar Singleton has been charged with illegal discharge of a firearm and carrying a firearm on school property. 19-year-old Jacoby Senegal of Abbeville was booked on attempted murder charges.

A controversial parent group is auctioning off AR-15s, along with other weapons, to raise money for a Franklin school. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

The House of Representatives is quiet today as members are off. Fingers have been pointing all over the capitol in explanation of why the budget crunch cannot be fixed.

Baton Rouge Black Caucus member Ted James says his caucus will not cow-down to pressure of putting a financial burden on the poor.

James says he and his coalition will not back down during this session. He says he would rather head to the house first.

Cut 9 (10) “i do that.”

Governor Edwards has declared a State of Emergency for several parishes along the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red Rivers. Flood watches and warnings remain in effect through Thursday afternoon as an additional two to four inches of rainfall is expected.  GOHSEP spokesman Mike Steele says river forecasters say this could be just the start of an extended period in which flooding will continue to impact areas already water logged.

Cut 4  (10) “eyes on.” 

The House of representatives is quiet today as members are taking as one lawmaker termed a “mental health day” off. Fingers have been pointing all over the capitol in explanation of why the budget crunch cannot be fixed. Jonesboro Republican Jack McFarland is trying to figure out why no one can come to a solution.

Cut 6  (08)  “in personalities”

But Baton Rouge Black Caucus member Ted James says his caucus will not cow-down to pressure of putting a financial burden on the poor.  He says they will remain steadfast to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Cut 8 (08) “We are serious”

The House is expected to reconvene Wednesday.  The Special Session needs to be wrapped up by March 7^th.

Governor Edwards has declared a State of Emergency for several Parishes along the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red Rivers. Flood watches and warnings remain in effect through Thursday afternoon as an additional two to four inches of rainfall is expected.  GOHSEP spokesman Mike Steele says persons living near those areas need to remain alert…

Cut 3 (07) “as well.”

For the first time in 14 years, a new chairman is at the helm of the Louisiana Republican Party.  Louis Gurvich was elected Saturday in a first round victory winning 97 of the 177 votes.  One of the first things Gurvich will begin working on is to find a Republican opponent to run against Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards in 2019.  He says that starts with a solid foundation…

Cut 14 (09) “the Governorship.”

His experience goes back to 1988 when he served as a gopher during the RNC in New Orleans.

A new person is at the helm of the Louisiana GOP.  Kelley Ray spoke with Louis Gurvich.

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

There has been an increase in the amount of organ donations from opioid addicts.  In Louisiana, there has been a 40 percent increase in the last two years.   Louisiana Organ Procurement Association spokesperson Kirsten Heintz says the opioid crisis is now colliding with another health crisis.  That of the need for life saving organs.  It all starts with the decision to donate, which might come from family decision…

Cut 7 (06)  “organ donation.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is facing a budgetary crisis.  After years of operating as a self-sufficient agency, the predicted annual 19.8-million-dollars will not be enough to keep up.  Cole Garett, Executive Counsel for the LDWF, says they are proposing a bill in the regular legislative session to get rid of most of the current 117 different licenses.  By raising some fees, this will help them get matching federal funds …

Cut 4  (06) “tax money.” 

A parent group at Bowling Green School, a K-12 in Franklinton is using a gun raffle that includes two AR-15s to raise money for a program to keep seniors safe on graduation night.
But Executive Director of the Louisiana Violence Reduction Coalition Victoria Coy says while she supports Project Graduation efforts, she can’t get behind putting more weapons in the community.

Coy says putting on a gun raffle, especially one with assault rifles, undermines the parent group’s objective of keeping their children safe.

Cut 13 (11)  “creative solutions.”

For the first time in 14 years, a new chairman is at the helm of the Louisiana Republican Party.  Louis Gurvich was elected Saturday in a first round victory winning 97 of the 177 votes.  One of the first things Gurvich will begin working on is to find a Republican opponent to run against Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards in 2019

During the nominating process Saturday, candidate Scott Wilfong said the state party is some 100-thousand-dollars in debt and called for the party to be more transparent.   Gurvich says he’s not concerned and is confident any debt can be erased through fund raising campaigns…

Cut 16 (12) “was down.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is facing a budgetary crisis.  After years of operating as a self sufficient agency, the predicted annual 19.8-million-dollars will not be enough to keep up.  Cole Garett, Executive Counsel for the LDWF, says they are proposing a bill in the regular legislative session to get rid of most of the current 117 different licenses.  By raising some fees, this will help them get matching federal funds.

There would be a reduction in the price of the Sportsman Paradise license from $100.00 to $90.00.  Garrett says there would also be increases in the basic fishing and hunting licenses for Louisiana residents to $13.50 and $20.00 respecively…

LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet says they hate to increase the fees, but it’s the only way they can remain solvent in the future…

Cut 6 (06)  “be zero.”

A parent group at Bowling Green School, a K-12 in Franklinton is using a gun raffle that includes two AR-15s to raise money for a program to keep seniors safe on graduation night.

30 guns in total will be given away, and H&H Gun Shop owner Brent Hoggatt, who’s helping put on the raffle, says the raffle will raise a substantial amount of money, which will be given back to the students.

Project Graduation is a nationwide initiative to keep seniors indoors on graduation night by providing an environment with games, gifts, food, and music to keep them from getting into dangerous activities. The giveaway is turning heads in the wake of the Florida school shooting that left 17 dead at the hands of an AR-15 wielding 18-year-old. Hoggatt says concerns about the rifle are misplaced.

Cut 11 (11) “it looks.”

But Executive Director of the Louisiana Violence Reduction Coalition Victoria Coy says while she supports Project Graduation efforts, she can’t get behind putting more weapons in the community.

Cut 12 (12) “gun violence.”