Louisiana moves up in a big way in the Nation’s Report Card. Andrew Greenstein is in Baton Rouge with details.
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The state will spend an additional three million dollars on litter pickup along major interstates. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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The Nation’s Report Card for 2024 shows that Louisiana students are improving tremendously. In the overall ranking, which considers reading and math scores in 4th and 8th grades, Louisiana has moved from 43rd in the nation to 32nd in just two years. In making the announcement at Magnolia Woods Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Governor Landry said struggling students made strides that no others anywhere else in the country did.
Cut 3 (10) “…one place — Louisiana.” (applause fades)
Governor Landry said it’s a testament to the leaders who aren’t afraid to try new things to turn Louisiana’s academic achievement around.
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State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says the state soared to new heights in all four metrics that went into the Nation’s Report Card.
Cut 5 (12) “…8th grade math.” (applause fades)
The state made the biggest strides in 4th grade reading, moving from 42nd all the way to 16th since 2022. Fourth grade math scores have also increased from 50th in 2019 to 38th.
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DOTD has secured an additional three-million-dollars from the state legislature for litter pickup along major federal highways. Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says in the coming months, residents statewide will notice litter removal efforts.
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This initiative aims to improve the cleanliness and appearance of key transportation routes. Mallet says the effort recently launched in the New Orleans area, coinciding with the upcoming Super Bowl.
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Mallet says litter pickup is not only costly, but it diverts money from road improvement projects…
Cut 8 (07) “…for actual infrastructure.”
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A traffic stop led to the largest fentanyl pill seizure in the history of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. Lieutenant Suzanne Carboni says it started when they pulled over a Chevy Yukon SUV on U.S. Highway 11 last week.
Cut 9 (08) “…pressed fentanyl pills.” (Seized 16,000 pressed fentanyl pills, nearly 5 lbs. worth)
Carboni says the driver was 21-year-old Tawan Anthony, and the passenger was 41-year-old Regginald Henry, both of Pearl River. She says the two went to great lengths to conceal the fentanyl.
Anthony and Henry are both booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on several charges each. Carboni says both were on probation.
Cut 11 (11) “…possession of methamphetamine.”
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Louisiana taxpayers can begin filing their state income tax returns today. Department of Revenue spokesperson Byron Henderson says this year they are asking filers to submit their returns electronically through L-D-R’s Louisiana Taxpayer Access Point, also known as La-TAP
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The La-TAP portal can be found on the Department of Revenue’s website.
Taxpayers may also submit their returns using commercially available tax preparation software. And paper returns that can be mailed in are also available at the department of revenue’s website. Henderson says for those eligible for a refund, you’ll get your money faster if you file electronically
Henderson says taxpayers can minimize delays in receiving their refunds by updating their contact information with the Department of Revenue…