State funding for public schools is at a standstill, as the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approves a proposal that does not increase additional dollars per student. Executive Director of the Louisiana School Boards Association, Scott Richard, says the outlook for K-12 schools is pretty bleak…:
Cut 6 (09) “funding formula”
BESE says continued state budget problems makes it difficult to ask and receive an increase in state funding.

The Baton Rouge Police Department says a man was fatally shot while allegedly trying to break into a home early this morning; and no charges are expected to be filed in the case. The intruder is identified as 40-year-old Anthony Gordon. East Baton Rouge Parish DA Hillar Moore says the homeowner had every right to defend himself.:
Cut 3 (10) “something wrong”

Tonight could be all she wrote for LSU basketball coach Johnny Jones. The Tigers play Mississippi State in the SEC tournament, and sources say Athletic Director Joe Alleva will be looking for a new coach once this season is over. Jones remains optimistic the Tigers can make a run in this tourney…:
Cut 25 (08) “for this team”
TigerRag.com’s Cody Worsham said multiple sources indicate that as of this morning, Jones and Alleva had not spoken about the reports or his future with the program.

Officials in Ascension Parish say they are looking for the man seen on surveillance video at a Walgreens crawling his way through a drink cooler in order to steal 11 cartons of cigarettes. Another person is standing watch while the suspect made his way into the fridge then crawled to the storage area in the back to snatch the smokes. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact authorities.

One year after the March flood devastated parts of north and central Louisiana, flood victims are still trying to recover. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Bossier City police is warning residents about a telephone scam where the person on the other end of line claims to be with the I-R-S. Sergeant Brian Griffith says anytime someone receives a call from the IRS asking for credit card of banking information, it’s usually a scam…
cut 8 (09) “…been using”

There’s a lot of discussion over the House Republican health care plan that seeks to scrap major parts of the Affordable Care Act. A big complaint of the A-C-A is that premiums have increased. Chief Healthcare Economist for Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana Mike Bertaut says that’s because more people had access to coverage, many for the first time in their lives, which drove up health carecare costs…
cut 15 (09) “…catching up on”

Construction has begun on a 10-mile stretch of cable barriers that will be installed in the median on L-A 31-32 in Shreveport. Tammy Willson of Haughton pushed for the cable barriers after her daughter was killed in 2013 when a distracted driver crossed the median and slammed into her vehicle…
cut 11 (09) “….make it happen’

Richland Parish US Representative Ralph Abraham reflects on the devastating flood in north Louisiana which began a year ago today. He says it’s hard to believe no state or federal dollars have been handed out to help flood victims…:
Cut 6 (09) “back together”
Congress has so far approved $1.6 billion to respond to the March and August flooding.

A little over three years after losing her daughter to a head on collision, a Haughton mother’s grass-roots effort to have cable barriers installed on that highway has become a reality. Casey Colley was killed in a cross-over accident on LA 3132 and her mother, Tammy Willson, says money for this cable barrier groundbreaking, and other highway safety initiatives is what saves lives…:
CUT 12 (07) “to stop”
The cables are designed to catch a vehicle as it crosses a median at high speed, preventing what often turns into a fatal crash.

The Bossier City Police Department is reminding residents not to fall for IRS telephone scams. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Officials have released the name of the suspected intruder who was killed by a resident of the Baton Rouge home allegedly being robbed. Police believe 40-year-old Anthony Gordon forced his way into a house an confronted the homeowner when he was shot and killed. The DA says a preliminary investigation indicates that this will be classified as a justified shooting.

It was a year ago today that rain began hammering north and central Louisiana causing the first of two devastating floods in the state in 2016. Richland Parish Congressman Ralph Abraham says homeowners weren’t the only ones impacted by the March event…:
CUT 5 (11) “us everyday”
He says he’s frustrated no state or federal money has been handed out to help flood victims rebuild their homes.

Today Governor John Bel Edwards will deliver the keynote address at the 2017 Cybersecurity Summit. It will be hosted by CenturyLink in Monroe.

The Baton Rouge Police Department says a man was fatally shot while allegedly trying to break into a home early this morning. The DA says a preliminary determination indicated the shooting was justified.

DOTD breaks ground on cable barriers that will be installed on the median of LA 3132 in memory of a young woman who lost her life in a 2013 accident. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Bossier Police are warning residents of an IRS phone scam. They say residents report they are getting calls saying they’ll be arrested if they don’t make a payment. Sgt. Brian Griffith advises anyone who receives a similar call to immediately hang up…:
Cut 9 (09) “as possible”

The Chief Healthcare Economist for Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana breaks down the US House Republicans’ plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Mike Bertaut says under Obamacare, tax credits are based on income. But he says under this new proposal, by 2020 credits will be based on age…:
Cut 14 (11) “4-thousand dollars”
Governor John Bel Edwards says the plan would halt Louisiana’s expanded Medicaid program.

One year ago today, heavy rains began pouring down on north Louisiana, causing the worst flood the area has seen in hundreds of years. Richland Parish Congressman Ralph Abraham says he’s frustrated no state or federal money has been handed out to help flood victims:
Cut 4 (11) “church based help”
The flood prompted a federal disaster declaration for 37 parishes.

Construction has begun on cable barriers along the median of LA 3132 in Shreveport thanks to the efforts of a grieving mother. Tammy Willson of Haughton lost her daughter, Casey Colley, in 2013 when a truck crossed the median of the highway. She says she knew she had to do something in Casey’s memory…:
Cut 10 (10) “other lives”
Willson says if road barriers had been up, she would still have her daughter today.

The Bossier City Police Department is warning residents of telephone scammers claiming to be the IRS and requesting money. Sgt. Brian Griffith says they’ve received multiple reports of phone calls stating a payment needs to be made over the phone or an arrest warrant will be issued for the individual…:
Cut 7 (07) “for that”
He says it’s good to know and tell your friends that anytime someone calls and claims to be from the IRS it’s usually a scam.

US House Republicans have presented their plan for replacing the Affordable Care Act and it scraps fines imposed on taxpayers who do not purchase insurance and instead offers tax credits to those who purchase coverage in the open market. Chief Healthcare Economist for Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana Mike Bertaut says that has huge implications for the marketplace…:
Cut 13 (09) “20-percent”
Bertaut says the goal is to deliver the plan for the American Healthcare Act to the Senate by April 1.

Tonight could be the final game for Johnny Jones as head coach of the LSU Tigers. Tiger-rag-dot-com reports Athletic Director Joe Alleva is expected to hand Jones his pink slip shortly after the Tigers are eliminated from the SEC Tournament. Jones was asked whether he thought he deserved another season..:
Cut 16 (09) “game to play”

One year after the March flood devastated parts of north and central Louisiana, flood victims are still trying to recover. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

One suspect has been arrested in connection to a fire inside a Walmart in Baton Rouge. According officials, 19-year-old Jarrett McCleskey admitted to setting the fire was booked on charges of aggravated arson and terrorizing.

New Orleans city officials are expected to move quickly to take down Confederate monuments around the city, after a court approved their removal. Take Em Down NOLA coordinator Malcolm Suber says they are elated the monuments are coming down, but this is only a partial victory.

Cut 5 (08) “the job”

Pro-monument advocates are exploring new legal options.

A Jennings woman is facing additional charges for allegedly lying about how her 4-year-old niece was set on fire. State Fire Marshal’s office spokesman Brant Thompson says 29-year-old Gail Brown is accused of having sex for money at a home while her 6-year-old daughter and the 4-year-old niece were in a vehicle.

Cut 7 (10) “4-year-old”
He says Brown is booked for prostitution, child desertion, and false swearing.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announces they will offer 73 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico up for sale for exploration in the oil and gas industry. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute Eric Smith does not expect energy companies to have much interest.

Cut 13 (08) “in leasing”
The lease sale includes about 14-thousand blocks in all areas of the Gulf.

Spring football begins Saturday for the Tigers, and LSU football coach Ed Orgeron is expecting a big 2017 from star running back Derrius Guice. He expects Guice to get even better under new running backs coach Tommie Robinson.

Cut 12 (12) “Tommie Robinson”

Guice rushed for nearly 14-hundred yards last season and 15 touchdowns.

The federal government announces 73-million acres in the Gulf of Mexico will be up for sale on August 16th for oil and gas exploration. But Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute Eric Smith says the areas up for sale are not very attractive to oil companies…
cut 14 (10) “….administration”

There’s a shortage of firefighters with the Department of Agriculture due to budget cuts. That’s according to Ag Commissioner Mike Strain, who says he has only 53 teams responsible for 14 million acres of forests. He says they may not have enough firefighters if things go badly.
Cut 30 (12) “of the state”
Strain says the last cut to his department was more than $1.2 million.

A federal appeals court has approved the removal of three Confederate monuments in New Orleans. Emelie Gunn has more….
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A cadet at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was arrested and fired for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs and a cell phone into the prison. The state Department of Corrections says 29-year-old Jomar Jackson had hidden the contraband in Pringles cases in his lunch box. His charge is a felony.