The man suspected of driving drunk when he allegedly plowed into a group of revelers at the Endymion parade in New Orleans Saturday night, which sent 21 people to the hospital, has had his bail set at $125,000. 25-year-old Neilson Ruzzuto of Paradis had a blood-alcohol content three times the legal limit, according to officials.

Colonel Mike Edmonson has no plans to resign even though U-S Senator John Kennedy is calling on the head of the L-S-P to step down as result of four troopers charging the state overtime and hotel expenses while taking a side trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Edmonson says Kennedy doesn’t know the details…:
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Kennedy is disappointed the legislative auditor is not being used for this investigation…:
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The governor has auditors within the Division of Administration looking into the incident.

It’s been a warm February for the Bayou State and it could turn out to be the warmest on record since 1932. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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A two-vehicle crash in Ascension Parish over the weekend claimed the life of a 6-year-old girl, and the driver suspected to be at fault is facing charges including DWI and vehicular homicide. 29-year-old Kenneth Lewis of Geismar was impaired at the time of the crash according to State Police.

Colonel Mike Edmonson has no plans to resign even though U-S Senator John Kennedy is calling on the head of the L-S-P to step down as result of four troopers charging the state overtime and hotel expenses while taking a side trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Edmonson says Kennedy doesn’t have the facts
cut 13 (08) “…those changes”
The governor has auditors within the Division of Administration looking into the incident and Edmonson state State Police is conducting its own review
Kennedy says if Governor Edwards wants to restore taxpayer confidence he’ll call in the legislative auditor to perform an independent investigation…
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Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District has been appointed to a task force to stop terrorists from entering the country. Halen Doughty has more…
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Tomorrow Governor Edwards will meet with US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss Medicaid expansion. His Communications Director Richard Carbo says Edwards will have a chance to tell Price about the impact expanding the Medicaid program has had on the Bayou State.:
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The meeting comes amid discussions about repealing the Affordable Care Act.

US Senator John Kennedy is calling for the resignation of Colonel Mike Edmonson, the head of State Police. In an interview on Fox 8 New Orleans, Kennedy says Edmonson oversaw the waste of taxpayer dollars, when four troopers took a side trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon while attending a law enforcement conference in San Diego. Edmonson has launched his own investigation and announced changes to the State Police travel policy.

The Board of Regents decides to table a recommendation to increase the number of credit hours a TOPS student must take every year. There’s a proposal to up the yearly requirement from 24 to 30 hours. Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo says the Board did not want to place an additional burden on TOPS recipients…
cut 14 (09) “….want to look at”
Supporters of the credit hour increase say it would help students graduate in four years.

Governor John Bel Edwards is in Washington to talk flood recovery and Medicaid expansion with federal leaders. Michelle Southern has more…
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The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission wants to start a new carnival tradition of safe and sober driving. Executive Director Dr. Katara Williams reminds revelers to “Protect Your Beads…
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She says the five day Mardi Gras holiday period usually records more vehicle crashes with injuries or deaths than any other holiday in Louisiana.

The Board of Regents has decided not to move forward on a recommendation to increase the credit hour requirement to 30 hours for TOPS students and instead tabled the idea for more study. Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo supports the board’s decision to hold off on upping the hourly requirement from 24 hours….
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As of now, the TOPS scholarship program is not fully funded for next year, which means recipients may have to pay for a portion of their tuition again next school year.

Louisiana’s own Paul Rainwater has emerged as a top candidate to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The DeQuincy native has a lot of experience when it comes to disaster recovery. He once served as the executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

Grambling State University officials are working to have the undergraduate nursing program reinstated by 2018. Halen Doughty has more…
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Mardi Gras revelers have been looking forward to this weekend. But executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, Doctor Katara Williams, says if you consume alcohol, do not drive…
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Tomorrow, Governor Edwards will meet with US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss Medicaid expansion. The governor’s director of communications Richard Carbo says Edwards wants to ensure that people who finally have health coverage can keep it, as there’s talk of repealing the Affordable Care Act…:
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He says the state’s uninsured rate is much lower because of the Medicaid expansion.

U-S Senator John Kennedy has told Fox 8 in New Orleans the superintendent of state police, Colonel Mike Edmonson, needs to resign. Governor John Bel Edwards has called an investigation looking into a taxpayer funded trip by four state troopers that included hotel stays at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. Kennedy told investigative reporter Lee Zurik that he’s offended as a taxpayer that something like this would happen when the state is running a deficit.

A Gallup poll finds Louisiana has some of the most enthusiastic employees in the country. According to the survey, 36-percent of Bayou State workers are engaged. It also found people are more engaged when they are self employed. LSU Assistant Professor in theDepartment of Management Jeremy Beus (bus) says this makes sense for Louisiana where there are many small businesses.
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Alabama leads in engagement at 37-percent.

There’s an effort in Shreveport today to set the Guinness World Record for the longest wave line. They need at least 85-hundred people to participate and organizer Jake Wood says it will take plenty of volunteers to get everyone in place….
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They’ll attempt to set this world record prior to the start of the Krewe of Gemini Parade on Clyde Fant Parkway.

The Board of Regents did not move forward on plans to increase the credit hour requirement for TOPS students. Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo supports a 30-hour requirement because it encourages students to finish their degrees in four years. But he says they had concerns about how the change would affect students.

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Currently TOPS students are only required to complete 24 credit hours a year.

On Sunday Governor John Bel Edwards will meet with US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss Medicaid expansion. Governor’s Office spokesman Richard Carbo says Edwards wants to show federal officials how the ACA can benefit poor working class people.

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The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission wants everyone to have a safe and happy Mardi Gras. Executive Director Katara Williams says, unfortunately, Mardi Gras revelers have a bad habit of getting behind the wheel when they’ve had too much to drink.

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She encourages parade goers to designate a driver or make other arrangements.

The Shreveport Aquarium is letting the good times roll in a very different way this weekend, as they’ll attempt to break a Guinness World Record on Saturday. Aquarium spokesperson Jake Wood says they’re inviting people to help break the record for the longest wave line just before the Krewe of Gemini parade.

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More information is available at Shreveport-aquarium.com.

The Board of Regents decides to table a recommendation to increase the number of credit hours a TOPS student must take every year. There’s a proposal to up the yearly requirement from 24 to 30 hours. Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo says the Board did not want to place an additional burden on TOPS recipients…
cut 14 (09) “….want to look at”
Supporters of the credit hour increase say it would help students graduate in four years.

Governor Edwards on Sunday will meet with US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss Medicaid expansion. The governor’s director of communications Richard Carbo says Edwards wants to ensure that people who finally have health coverage can keep it, as there’s talk of repealing the Affordable Care Act…:
CUT 7 (06) “Mr. Price”
He says the state’s uninsured rate is much lower because of the Medicaid expansion.

A new study from Gallup finds 36-percent of Louisiana workers say they are engaged or highly involved in their workplace. That’s tied for second highest in the country. LSU Assistant Professor in the Rucks Department of Management, Jeremy Beus says he’s suprised by this ranking, because Louisiana doesn’t have as many high paying jobs as other states…
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The Gallup poll finds states where workers are more engaged tend to have a high number of workers who are self-employed.

The plan is for the state to keep supplying the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph with bottle water through at the least end of September. The state has been providing bottle water for the last two months because high lead levels were discovered in the water in over two dozen homes. Construction on a new water system for the town will take another eight months to complete.