A tornado watch is in effect for 37 parishes spanning central to southeast Louisiana until 2 this afternoon. The National Weather Service says conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes.

A New Orleans lawmaker is going to try out equal pay legislation once again for the upcoming session. Last year, Senator JP Morrell heavily amended the measure which cleared the upper chamber but died in the House. He says the 2017 bill is exactly the way it left the Senate and includes language that covers both men and women in equal pay…:
CUT 5 (10) “be paid equally”
Senate Bill 2 would also give an employer 60 days to either refute an unequal pay allegation or to start paying the employee fairly.

Today Governor John Bel Edwards will deliver remarks at the Louisiana Municipal Association in Baton Rouge, then later before the state Rice Council in Jennings.

Governor Edwards has revealed his plans to present to lawmakers next week during the special session on dealing with a $304 million dollar midyear shortfall. Spokesman Richard Carbo says the proposal includes using the Rainy Day Fund…;
CUT 15 (10) “the budget”
The plan also includes cuts, the largest to the Department of Health.

The Louisiana Department of Education will host a public meeting tonight in Shreveport to discuss recommendations for the Caddo Parish School Board to improve long-struggling schools in the city. State Superintendent John White encourages the public to attend…:

cut 12 (09) “communities first”
He says a plan dealing with the future of these schools will be presented to BESE next month. The meeting takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport. 

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for all of southeast Louisiana, and areas in the central and southern most parishes of the state until 2pm this afternoon. Severe thunderstorms were reported by forecasters in Pointe Coupee, northwestern East Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge Parishes capable of producing twisters. They are urging area residents to be vigilant and monitor local news for weather updates.

Governor John Bel Edwards is proposing lawmakers use the Rainy Day Fund and make cuts to areas including the Department of Health to close the $304 million dollar shortfall. The Governor’s spokesperson, Richard Carbo, says LDH would sustain the largest budget reduction at $128 million, but not in vital services and hospitals that care for the poor:
CUT 14 (10) “by the governor”
The governor’s deficit elimination plan will be debated in a special session that begins next week.

LSU Student Government believes the Board of Regents’ proposed changes to the TOPS program will force students out of the state for college. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

State Superintendent of Education John White travels to Caddo Parish to host a public meeting tonight to discuss recommendations on improving struggling schools in Shreveport. White says 15 out of 66 schools in the parish have “F” letter grades and 22 have “Ds”…:
Cut 10 (09) “about this”

The governor has released his plan to close the state’s $304-million deficit..:
Cut 3 (32) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Senator JP Morrell is again bringing equal pay legislation before lawmakers for the upcoming session. He says one of the changes to this measure is that employers would be given a chance to correct a pay inequality…:
cut 4 (10) “remediate the pay”
The Democrat from New Orleans authored a similar bill last year that failed.

Superstar actress Annette Bening has been cast to play former Governor Kathleen Blanco in the next American Crime Story which will be about Hurricane Katrina. Producers say the next installment of the Emmy award winning franchise will air in 2018.

Members of LSU’s Student Government are raising eyebrows about proposed changes to the TOPS scholarship program by the Board of Regents. One of the ideas is that freshman on TOPS should only have 80-percent of their tuition paid for by the state, while sophomores 90-percent, and juniors and seniors 100-percent. President Zack Faircloth says these matters are non-progressive and will push students to other states..:
Cut 8 (10) “any sense”
The Board of Regents will make a final recommendation later this month.

The state will now let you file your state income taxes for free using the Department of Revenue’s online system. That system was supposed to launch in January, but was delayed until Monday, February 6.

Governor John Bel Edwards has unveiled his plan for resolving a $304-million midyear budget deficit. The governor’s Communications Director Richard Carbo says the proposal calls for using money from the rainy day fund, a large cut to the Department of Health’s budget. But some areas will be protected…:
Cut 13 (08) “and family services”
He says state elected officials would also make cuts to their budgets. A special session to address the shortfall will begin Monday.

LSU Student Government believes proposed changes to the TOPS scholarship program made by the Board of Regents will have detrimental effects on students and might force some to attend schools in other states. President Zack Faircloth..:
CUT 7 (06) “about it”
He says of particular concern is the proposal that would require students to take 30 credit hours a year in order to keep the scholarship.

State Senator JP Morrell is again bringing equal pay legislation before lawmakers for the upcoming session. Jeff Palermo reports..:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Additional details have been released by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office about the ATV accident near Kentwood that put the niece of pop-star Britney Spears in the hospital in stable but critical condition. They say 8 year old Maddie Spears Aldridge crashed into a pond and went under for 2 minutes right before the eyes of her family.

The governor has released his plan to close the state’s $304-million deficit for this fiscal year. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (32) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Pop star Britney Spears is asking for prayers for her eight-year-old niece who was injured Sunday in an ATV accident in Tangipahoa. Officials say Maddie Aldridge is in critical but stable condition. The singer from Louisiana posted a photo of Maddie on Twitter, saying she needs all the wishes and prayers for her niece.

Lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit against the governor today claiming the state is not providing enough funding so that poor defendants in the criminal justice system are represented effectively. Lisa Graybill is with the Southern Poverty Law Center…
cut 10 (11) “…prison population”
A spokesperson for John Bel Edwards says they are reviewing the lawsuit and the governor understands the budget challenges facing state government.

Two men have been sentenced in Cameron Parish for their role in the theft of over 500 alligator eggs. Adam Einck with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 48–year-old Paul Canik took the eggs illegally, and 25-year-old Christopher Trahan transported them
CUT 4 (08) “from then”
Trahan was ordered to pay a $293 fine. Canick’s fine is $593 and he’s had his egg collection privileges suspended for 18 months.

Governor John Bel Edwards released his deficit elimination plan for lawmakers to approve when they gather for a special session that’s scheduled to start next Monday. The governor’s communications director Richard Carbo says large cut in state spending would occur with the Louisiana Department of Health, but he says vital services for patients and hospitals that provide care for the poor would not be impacted…
cut 14 (10) “…by the governor”
The plan also calls for the use of 119-million dollars in the rainy day fund, but some republican lawmakers oppose that idea.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s office provided information this afternoon in the ATV accident that seriously injured eight-year-old Maddie Aldridge, the neice of pop star Britney Spears. Authorities say Maddie overcorrected while driving her ATV and ended up in a small pond and it took paramedics to get her out. She’s listed in critical but stable condition.

A class action lawsuit is filed against the governor for not providing enough funding for Louisiana’s public defender system….
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Two Louisiana men have been fined several hundred dollars for stealing over 500 alligator eggs from a site in Cameron Parish. State wildlife and fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck says a judge sentenced 48-year-old Paul Canik of Grand Chenier to pay a fine of 643-dollars…
cut 5 (10) “…as well”
Einck says 25-year-old Christopher Trahan was fined about 300-bucks.

Governor John Bel Edwards has unveiled his plan for resolving a $304-million midyear budget deficit. The governor’s Communications Director Richard Carbo says the proposal calls for using money from the rainy day fund, a large cut to the Department of Health’s budget, and state elected officials would also make cuts to their budgets, but…
Cut 13 (08) “and family services”
The Governor’s deficit elimination plan will be debated in the special session that begins next week.

The man accused of killing former NFL star Joe McKnight in an apparent road rage incident is slated to be arraigned today. 55-year-old Ronald Gasser is charged with second-degree murder. The suspect’s lawyers say their client was acting in self defense, but legal analyst Chick Foret says there are still a lot of unanswered questions:
Cut 15 (11) “defense team”

A class action lawsuit filed today claims Governor Edwards and the state public defender board are doing a poor job funding public defenders. The suit states Louisiana relies mostly on court fees to fund public defender legal services, which includes a fee assessed against indigent defendants. One of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, Mark Cunningham, says that means public defender offices receive more funding for losing cases than winning.
cut 11 (11) “to intercede”

State Education Superintendent John White says increasing the benchmarks for a school to achieve an A in the state’s rating system is one way to raise expectations and help the state comply with a federal education law. He says currently, students only have to earn basic math a literacy test scores for a school receive an A rating.
Cut 6 (11) on the ACT”

The state Department of Education has revised its plan to bring public schools in compliance with the Every Child Succeeds Act. Superintendent John White says the federal law will provide additional dollars to help students get a well-rounded education.

Cut 8 (09) “change this”

Other plans include grading schools based on students’ academic growth and raising the requirements for schools to be graded an A school.

A Scotlandville High School student has been arrested after deputies say he fired a gun in a school hallway. East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Casey Rayborn Hicks says detectives took the juvenile into custody along with the weapon about 10 minutes after the shooting was reported.

Cut 13 (07) “school campus”

Hicks says no one was injured.

Brittney Spears’ niece is reportedly in stable but critical condition after an ATV accident in Tangipahoa Parish. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Two Cameron Parish men have been sentenced after authorities say they illegally collected more than 500 alligator eggs. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck…

Cut 3 (07) “that property”

48-year-old Paul Canik and 25-year-old Christopher Trahan were both fined, and Canik’s egg collection privileges have been suspended for 18 months.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the governor for not providing enough funding for Louisiana’s public defender system. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The 55-year-old Terrytown man accused of fatally shooting former NFL player Joe McKnight entered a not guilty plea today to a charge of second-degree murder. After the arraignment hearing in Jefferson Parish, Ronald Gasser’s attorney told reporters it was a justifiable homicide. A trial date has not been set.

One student has been arrested in connection with a shooting at Scotlandville High School. East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Casey Rayborn Hicks says deputies received a call at around noon reporting shots fired at the school. Hicks says deputies have learned a juvenile student fired a weapon in a hallway……
cut 12 (10) “a building”
No word yet on the charges against the student.

Two Louisiana men have been fined several hundred dollars for stealing over 500 alligator eggs from a site in Cameron Parish. State wildlife and fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck says a judge sentenced 48-year-old Paul Canik of Grand Chenier to pay fine of 643-dollars…
cut 5 (10) “…as well”
Einck says 25-year-old Christopher Trahan was fined about 300-bucks.

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Governor John Bel Edwards for failing to adequately fund the state’s public defender system. Deputy Legal Director at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Lisa Graybill, says the US Constitution requires that all accused be provided a suitable defense. But she says that’s not happening in Louisiana…:
Cut 9 (10) “to them”
They want a monitor to supervise the public defense system.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office says a juvenile suspect is in custody in connection with a shooting this morning at Scotlandville High School. Spokeswoman Casey Hicks says it happened today just before noon…:
CUT 12 (06) “fired a weapon”
Hicks says thankfully they were able to take the suspect into custody within minutes and nobody was injured.

The 55-year-old man facing a possible life in prison sentence in the shooting death of a former NFL player Joe McKnight, entered his plea today in Jefferson Parish. Ronald Gasser pleaded not guilty to a charge of second degree murder. His lawyers say this is a case about self-defense and reasonable use of force. Authorities have said the 28-year-old McKnight, who was black, and Gasser, who is white, were driving erratically and yelling at each other on the Crescent City Connection bridge prior to the shooting.

Superintendent of Education John White proposes plans on how to improve public schools to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act that requires states to show how they plan to measure student achievement as part of their grading system. White says for the first time ever schools will be judged by how well a student improves over the course of a year…:
CUT 7 (06) “over time”
He says one way to raise expectations is to increase the benchmarks for a school to achieve an A grade in the state’s rating system.