Congress reconvenes today, which means Louisiana’s congressional delegation will resume its efforts to get more federal funds appropriated for flood recovery. Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves says right now the state still needs to come up with a plan for spending the $438 million they’ve already received…:
cut 4 (10) “an urgency”
He says that initial down payment is tied up in red tape.

Meanwhile today is the last day to register for FEMA aid. Spokesman Ray Perez says about 152-thousand individuals have registered for federal aid. He says families are finally able to start the recovery process..:
CUT 7 (08) “or whatever”
To apply for federal disaster aid visit disaster-assistance-dot-gov (disasterassistance.org).

Gas prices have once again dipped below two dollars. Senior Petroleum Analyst with GasBuddy.com, Gregg Laskoski says the nation is seeing prices five cents lower than a week ago, with Louisiana being four cents lower. He says there is a very good chance we will see these gas prices continuing to decline…:
Cut 10 (09) “record high”
He says the current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $1.99.

Today Governor John Bel Edwards will deliver remarks at a joint conference of the Louisiana Association of School Executives and the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents. Later the governor will take part in a major grant announcement for workforce development with Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans.

Louisiana is facing another round of budget cuts because of last fiscal year’s 313 million dollar deficit. The state has asked agencies to look where they could make cuts. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the oil and gas industry is struggling and a lot of people aren’t spending money…
Cut 13 (08) “are down”

The Edwards’ administration has said they could possibly use the rainy day fund to help offset some of the deficit.

The Louisiana Republican Party is sending volunteers to go door to door in Florida, as they are so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential votes here. Many polls indicate the most realistic path to the White House for Trump includes winning Florida. Party chairman Roger Villere says if they’ve had GOP members from Louisiana in the Sunshine State rotating in and out…:
Cut 5 (10) “for their country”

 
A Korean War veteran who died 65 years ago has finally been returned to Crowley to be laid to rest.
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Authorities say a substitute teacher at Pineville High School has been accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with two students. 37-year-old Donnie Woodson of Deville has been charged with two counts of prohibited sexual contact between an educator and student by the Pineville Police Department. An investigation opened after school officials reported the allegations to police. Both incidents were said to have occurred off of school grounds.

The Louisiana Republican Party is so confident Donald Trump is a lock when it comes to presidential votes here that they’re sending volunteers to Florida. State GOP Chairman Roger Villere says every poll in Louisiana has shown Trump significantly ahead of Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He says it’s an extremely close race with in Florida with polls constantly going back and forth…:
cut 4 (08) “we have to win Florida”

Many polls indicate the most realistic path to the White House for Trump includes winning Florida.

51-percent of Louisianians believe the state is heading in the wrong direction. That’s according to a University of New Orleans Survey Research poll. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says the survey finds 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed compared to only 32-percent of Democrats.
Cut 10 (09) “going well”

State government is looking at more budget problems. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The U.S. Justice Department has granted Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies with 1 million dollars to help with costs after the July shootings and protests. Overtime reached an all-time high after the death of Alton Sterling, a black man, who was shot by two white officers and then the ambush of three law enforcement officers. BRPD will receive 929-thousand dollars and the EBR Sheriff’s Office will receive 71-thousand dollars. Analysts expect the one million dollars will not cover the total cost of overtime.

A little more than half of Louisianians say the state is heading in the wrong direction. That’s according to a University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll of 600 likely voters and 51-percent of pessimistic about the future of the state. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction, a 15-percent increase from last year.
Cut 9 (09) “a result”

The Louisiana GOP is so sure Donald Trump will be a lock when it comes to presidential votes here, they’re sending volunteers to Florida, which is a battleground accounting for 29 electoral votes. Party chairman Roger Villere says it’s part of a nationwide effort among Republicans to go door to door in the Sunshine State.
Cut 3 (09) “win Florida”

 
The state is facing an additional round of budget cuts because the state finished last fiscal year with a 313 million dollar deficit. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says a few different factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing budget issues.
Cut 12 (10) “are down”

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says many state agencies have been asked to look where they could make cuts.

A Korean War veteran from Crowley was laid to rest yesterday in his Louisiana hometown. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a North Korean P-O-W camp. Alex Juan with the state Department of Veteran’s Affairs says they welcomed him home with open arms and hopes this brings his family peace.
Cut 6 (08) “some peace”

Sgt. Smith was buried in a family cemetery.

The state is looking at another round of budget cuts because the state finished last fiscal year with a 313 million dollar deficit. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says a few factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing these financial problems.
cut 12 (10) “are down”
State agencies and colleges have been asked to prepare for cuts between seven and ten percent.

51-percent of those surveyed in a University of New Orleans poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction. But Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say it is heading in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year. He says a new governor in office might be the reason why…
cut 11 (10) “…Baton Rouge area”
About 600 people were polled in the survey.

A Korean War veteran from Crowley has been finally laid to rest in his hometown. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a prisoner of war camp in North Korea. Alex Juan with the State Department of Veterans Affairs says they are happy to welcome Smith home. She hopes this brings his family peace…:
Cut 6 (08) “some peace”
Juan says they are able to identify remains by using DNA testing now.

It will be summer 2018 at the earliest when it comes to the availability of medical marijuana for Louisiana patients. That’s what LSU’s vice president for agriculture Bill Richardson said at a public meeting that was attended by those companies and businesses interested in helping the school grow and distribute medicinal cannabis. No state dollars will be used in the production, so investors are needed.

And Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their home in the New Orleans French Quarter. Court records show it sold for 4.9 million dollars.

Just over half of the Louisiana residents polled say the state is heading in the wrong direction. In a University of New Orleans Survey of 600 likely voters, 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year…:
Cut 9 (09) “a result”
The survey also found Governor Edwards’ approval rating at 56-percent.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne gave some bad news to legislators today. Dardenne says a 313-million dollar budget deficit could grow, if tax collections continue to lag. The deficit was created, because the state did not collect enough revenues to equal the amount of spending that took place in the fiscal year ending June 30th.

The Republican Party in Louisiana is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the votes here, they are sending its volunteers to Florida — a battleground state which accounts for 29 electoral votes. Party chair Roger Villere…:
Cut 5 (10) “for their country”
He says they believe it’s important to be there because the best path to a Trump presidency is to win Florida.

A Korean war veteran from Crowley was laid to rest today, 65 years after his death. Army Sergeant First Class Lawrence Smith’s remains were possibly discovered in the early 1990s. Alex Juan, with the state department of veterans affairs, says the process of properly identifying prisoners of war and shipping them home can take a long time…
cut 7 (07) “…burial grounds.”
Smith died when he was 26-years-old.

A University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll found 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed, compared to only 32-percent of Democrats. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak..:
Cut 10 (09) “going well”
Overall 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the state finished last fiscal year with a 313-million dollar deficit and the budget gap could get worse, if tax collections do not pick up. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the oil and gas industry continues to struggle and many people are cutting back on spending…
cut 13 (08) “…are down”
Over a billion of dollars in taxes were approved earlier this year, but it looks like the state still has budget problems.

A Korean War veteran who died 65 years ago has finally been returned to Crowley to be laid to rest. Halen Doughty has more…
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

LSU’s vice president for agriculture, Bill Richardson, said today it will be this summer at the earliest before Louisiana patients will be able to receive medical marijuna from a doctor. Richardson made the statement at a meeting attended by potential contractors who would work with the school to grow and transport the medicinal canibas.

51-percent of those surveyed in a University of New Orleans poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction. But Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say it is heading in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year. He says a new governor in office might be the reason why…
cut 11 (10) “…Baton Rouge area”
About 600 people were polled in the survey.

The state’s Republican Party is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential votes here, they are sending volunteers to Florida — where 29 electoral votes are up for grabs. Party chair Roger Villere says Republicans from Louisiana will be going door to door in the Sunshine State…:
cut 3 (09) “…win Florida”

State government is looking at more budget problems. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

K-N-O-E TV is reporting we could get some sort of confirmation next week about a reported merger between Fortune 500 company, Centurylink, which is based in Monroe and Colorado based Level 3 communications. So far both companies and the state are not commenting. It’s not clear what this could mean for CenturyLink in northeast Louisiana.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told state lawmakers today that the state finished last fiscal year with a 313-million dollar deficit and the budget gap could keep growing, because tax collections continue to lag. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it looks like the state’s budget problems are not going away, but the governor has put together a panel to try to come up with a way to stabilize the budget…
cut 14 (07) “…Louisiana budget”
Cross says Edwards has blamed much of the state’s budget woes on the previous administration, but eventually the public will start putting the blame on him.

The US Justice Department is providing a one-million dollar grant to Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies to help them pay for all of the overtime costs that were incurred as a result of the police shooting protests. Police officers and sheriff deputies worked long hours after the shooting of Alton Sterling.

A Korean War veteran, who died over 65 years ago, is being laid to rest at this hour just outside of Crowley. Army Sergeant First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago as a prisoner of war. Alex Juan, with the state department of Veteran’s Affairs says Smith is receiving full military honors…
cut 8 (06) “…away gets”
Juan says it’s a tedious process when it comes to identifying and transporting the remains of US soldiers who died in military camps.

The Republican Party in Louisiana has volunteers in Florida this weekend to help campaign for Donald Trump. The Sunshine State is looking at an extremely close race between Trump and Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Louisiana GOP Chair Roger Villere…:
CUT 4 (08) “we have to win Florida”
Villere says they aren’t worried about Trump not getting the nomination in Louisiana.

A University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll found 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed, compared to only 32-percent of Democrats. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak..:
Cut 10 (09) “going well”
Overall 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future.

More bad budget news for Louisiana as another round of cuts could be coming. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Republican Party in Louisiana is so sure Republican Donald Trump has locked up the votes here, they are sending its volunteers to Florida — a battleground which accounts for 29 electoral votes. Party chair Roger Villere says they’ve already had GOP members from Louisiana in the Sunshine State rotating in and out…:
Cut 5 (10) “for their country”
He says they believe it’s important to be there because the best path to a Trump presidency is to win Florida.

Relatives of a 6-year-old autistic boy who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Marksville filed a federal lawsuit against the central Louisiana town where two deputy city marshals opened fire on his father’s car. The suit claims Marksville city officials didn’t properly train deputies on the use of deadly force. It also says the accused didn’t go anything to help Jeremy Mardis, they just searched for gloves. The city of Marksville has no comment on the suit.