Governor Bobby Jindal’s will present a proposed budget for next fiscal year to lawmakers today and significant cuts to higher education and health care are expected. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says the governor opposes any tax increase to close the deficit, but Jindal is open to changing the rules for refundable tax credits to increase revenue, but the budget ax will likely still fall hard…

cut 5 (08) “budget hole”

He says during today’s joint legislative budget committee there will be discussion on how to mitigate those cuts.

The new movie “Focus”, featuring Will Smith, hits theatres today and it’s just one of many major Louisiana shot movies to be released this year. Chris Stelly, Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, says “Focus” could top the box office this weekend…

cut 10 (09) “really well”

Stelly thinks this summer is going to be a blockbuster season for films shot in Louisiana.

Shareholders have approved the sale of the Pineville-based utility company CLECO, but the Public Service Commission still has to give its consent. PSC Commissioner Clyde Holloway says he knows what they have now with CLECO, but they don’t know what they’d be getting with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets — a company outside of the US…

cut 8 (09) “and for the employee”

A North American investor group led by Macquarie and by British Columbia Investment Corporation is seeking to purchase the utility company.

Embattled comedian Bill Cosby, who’s accusing of sexually abusing women, will perform tonight at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. Ebony Turner, Director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, says it’s their hope that people in the audience tonight realize that famous people also have private lives that are very different from who they portray…

cut 14 (06) “criminal activity”

The performance is set for 8pm.

Governor Bobby Jindal’s proposed budget for next fiscal year will be presented to lawmakers today and significant cuts to higher education and health care are expected. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says during today’s joint legislative budget committee there will be discussion on how to mitigate those cuts…

cut 4 (09) “be enough”

Drastic cuts are needed as the state faces a one-point-six billion dollar revenue shortfall.

Cleco’s shareholders have approved the sale of the Pineville-based company, but the Public Service Commission still has to give its consent. A North American investor group led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets and by British Columbia Investment Corporation is seeking to purchase the utility company. PSC Commissioner Clyde Holloway says he will study this proposed merger carefully…

cut 7 (10) “present employees”

Holloway says he expects a vote before the PSC during the latter part of the third quarter of this year.

Embattled comedian Bill Cosby is appearing tonight at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. There are some who aren’t happy about that due to allegations which recently surfaced accusing Cosby of sexually abusing women. Ebony Turner, Director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, is concerned people who still buy tickets to Cosby’s show don’t take these alleged victims seriously…

cut 13 (08) “come forward”

The comedian released a statement thanking fans for love, support and trust and added he can’t wait to warm the hearts of the audience with the gift of laughter.

National media has picked up on the rift between US Senator David Vitter and Governor Bobby Jindal. Jindal told a reporter with the National Journal that he would really say how he feels about Vitter if it was off the record. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat…:
CUT 4 (05) “Senator”
On the other hand in the race for governor, Pinsonat doesn’t think Jindal’s dislike of Vitter will hurt the Senator.

Students in Northeast Louisiana missed a 4th day in a row due to the bad winter weather this week — that means some serious time needs to be made up. Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber the ideal option is to make school days longer, but they may need to add days to the calendar. He says in his 13 and a half years as Superintendent, he’s never seen more than 2 inclement weather days in a row…:
CUT 7 (08) “snow and ice”

2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. Eric Gill reports…
cut 2 (30) “…reporting”

Two Slidell residents were arrested after they allegedly forced a one-year-old to drink beer. Slidell police detective Daniel Seuzenau says the child’s grandfather noticed signs of abuse…
cut 9 (11) “…child’s throat”
Twenty-four-year-old Flower and 23-year-old Verdin were arrested on cruelty to juvenile charges.

The ongoing rift between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press. In a recent interview with the National Journal, Jindal told the reporter to turn the recorder off and he’d say what he really thinks about Vitter. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says most voters don’t like to see a political fight…
CUT 3 (09) “public trust”

The winter storm in north Louisiana has Ouachita Parish school has students having their 4th winter weather day in a row, which -along with the F2 tornado in October -exceeds the number of missed days allowed for inclement weather. The state requires 63,720 instructional minutes per student per academic year…
CUT 6 (08) “to each day”
That’s Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber.
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Slidell Police have arrested a couple, following accusations they forced a one year-old baby to drink beer. Twenty-four-year-old Brett Flower, and the child’s mother, 23-year-old Krysten Verdin were arrested on cruelty to juvenile charges. Slidell Police detective Daniel Seuzenau says Flower poured the beer the down the infant’s throat, because he thought it was funny. That’s when the grandfather called police…
CUT 10 (06) Q: “came forward”

2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. Louisiana DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says drivers should not take this too literally…
cut 12 (11) “that it’s unsafe”

The ongoing political feud between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press…
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

The merger of Cleco Electric with a invester group led MacQuarie Infrastructure and Real Assets has been approved by Cleco shareholders paves the way for the Pineville based power company’s merger. That vote today was 94 percent in favor. It still needs to be approved by the state Public Service Commission.
——————————-
Students in Northeast Louisiana have missed their 4th winter weather day in a row, and that could mean longer days for students. Even though there’s learning time to make up, officials wanted to make things safe for buses…
CUT 8 (12) Q: “concern”
That’s Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber, who says add to that the EF 2 tornado that that tore through Ouachita Parish in October that had students miss another day of school.

The latest data from the Federal Highway Administration shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. But Louisiana DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says drivers should not be afraid to cross that bridge when they get to it….
CUT 14 (05) Q: “in the past”
He says most bridges are inspected every 2 years, with some getting looked at every 6 months.

Governor Bobby Jindal and Republican Senator David Vitter have been trading jabs in the past years, and that rift continues in the middle of Vitter’s gubernatorial campaign. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the political feud could actually benefit Vitter…
CUT 5 (08) “doesn’t like him”
Pinsonant adds it does not help Jindal as he eyes a run for president, since he has trouble getting along with a US Senator.

A couple from Slidell have been arrested after allegedly forcing a one year-old baby to drink beer. Twenty-four-year-old Brett Flower -who is the boyfriend of the child’s mother-says he did it, because he thought it was funny. When the baby regurgitated…
CUT 11 (08) Q: “witnesses”
That’s Slidell police detective Daniel Seuzenau, who says the mother-23 year-old Krysten Verdin-was also arrested on cruelty to juvenile charges.
———————————
Twenty nine percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient, according to 2014 data from the Federal Highway Administration. Louisiana DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says $1.3 billion has been spent by DOTD to replace or repair 467 bridges across the state…
CUT 13 (08) Q: ‘as needed”

An Alexandria Police Officer is under arrest amid allegations he had sex with a juvenile. The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Tommy Carnline says 38-year-old Deric Reed, was placed on leave immediately. He says the suspect no longer works as a cop..:
CUT 16 (10) Q: “of a juvenile”

2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

There is a couple in Slidell under arrest accused of pouring beer down the throat of a 1-year-old child. Cops say 24-year-old Brett Flower and, the baby’s mother, 23-year-old Krysten Verdin are booked with cruelty to juveniles. Investigators got the complaint from the grandfather of the child. The suspects were booked into the St. Tammany Parish jail.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says a now former Alexandria Police Officer is under arrest amid allegations he had sex with a juvenile. Lt. Tommy Carnline says they first got the complaint on December 1st of last year…:
CUT 15 (08) “police department officer”
The suspect is 38-year-old Deric Reed and he was booked with carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Carnline says the alleged inappropriate sexual conduct occurred while Reed was off duty and it was outside the City of Alexandria. He is no longer a cop.

Students in Northeast Louisiana are now missing school for the 4th day in a row due to the bad winter weather this week — that means some serious time needs to be made up. Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber the ideal option would be to make school days longer but they may need to add days to the calendar. He says in his 13 and a half years as Superintendent, he’s never seen more than 2 inclement weather days in a row…:
CUT 7 (08) “snow and ice”

2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. That’s the 14th highest percentage in the US. LA-DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says motorists should not take this description of bridges in Louisiana too literally..:
CUT 12 (11) “it is unsafe”
He says DOTD is working to replace and repair as many bridges as they can.

There is some national press going around today over the fact that US Senator David Vitter and Governor Bobby Jindal aren’t fans of each other. Jindal told a reporter he’d only speak off record about how he really feels about Vitter. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat…:
CUT 4 (05) “Senator”
On the other hand in the race for Governor Pinsonat doesn’t think Jindal’s dislike of Vitter is hurting the Senator.

Two Slidell residents have been arrested after they allegedly were involved in the pouring of beer down a one-year-old’s throat. Slidell police detective Daniel Seuzenau says the child’s grandfather notice signs of abuse…:
CUT 9 (11) “child’s throat”
The two were arrested on cruelty to juvenile charges.

CLECO announces its shareholders approve of a merger of the utility company with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets by British Columbia Investment Corporation. The move would still need the PSC’s approval.

As students in Northeast Louisiana miss their 4th winter weather day in a row, officials say all these days off could mean longer days for students. The state requires 63,720 instructional minutes per student per academic year, and Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber says they’ve already exceed extra time that is incorporated for inclement weather…:
CUT 6 (08) “to each day”
Monroe City Schools also missed a day in October because of the EF-2 tornado that ripped through the parish.

State Climatologist says thankfully this serious bout of precipitation the entire state has seen has passed, but the cold temperatures remain. He says a weak cold front is now moving over Louisiana…:
CUT 9 (07) “more precipitation”
He says a warm up is finally due by Sunday and into next week.

The ongoing rift between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

In a big state college baseball match up tonight — LSU and Southeastern Louisiana will face off. Both teams will end up playing four games in four days as the Tigers host Princeton this weekend and the Lions will face the Big Ten’s Northwestern University.

The ongoing rift between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press. In a recent interview with the National Journal, Jindal told a reporter to turn the recorder off and he’d say what he really thinks about Vitter. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says voters in Louisiana do not want to see these two fighting…:
CUT 3 (09) “public trust”
He says if anything the dispute could benefit Vitter in his quest for Governor as most rural Louisiana Republicans don’t care for Jindal.

The embattled comedian Bill Cosby, aka Dr. Huxtable, is appearing tomorrow night at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. There are some who aren’t happy about that due to allegations recently surfaced accusing Cosby of sexually abusing women. The comedian released a statement thanking fans for love, support and trust and added he can’t wait to warm the hearts of the audience with the gift of laughter. The performance is set for 8pm.

The snow that impacted north Louisiana yesterday has moved out of the area, but some of the roadways are still slick. Scott Carwile has more…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Lots of students have been missing school for snow days and many northeast Louisiana districts are still out as they have been all week. Officials say they need to make up the time off which could mean either extending the school, shaving time off spring break or adding to the school year. Talks are underway to determine how the minutes need to be made up.