Governor John Bel Edwards and state lawmakers are planning for a special session that’s slated to start on Valentine’s Day and last for three-and-half weeks. Edwards has asked legislators to make cuts to state government and raise taxes as a way to address a 750-million dollar shortfall this fiscal year and a 1-point-9 billion dollar shortfall next fiscal year. Jeremy Alford, with la-politics-dot-com, says Republicans will go into the session looking for ways to reduce spending…
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Two narcotic agents from Acadia Parish are recovering from stab wounds they suffered while trying to arrest a 42-year-old Crowley man. Acadia Sheriff Wayne Melancon says his deputies were called to a disturbance at a grocery store on Saturday night and eventually encountered Jason Broussard, who allegedly stabbed the deputies as he tried to flee. Broussard was arrested and the officers have been released from medical care.

The entire state is under a wind advisory as sustained winds of 20 to 25 miles per hour are expected and wind gusts could reach up to 30 miles per hour. Highs today will be in the low to the mid 50s.

US Representative Ralph Abraham of Richland Parish introduces legislation to help out farmers. Michelle Southern has more…
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Chevron North America has notified the Louisiana Workforce Commission about the possibility of layoffs at five office locations in Covington and Lafayette. Eric Gill has more…
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Governor John Bel Edwards has issued the call for a special legislative session to deal with a 750-million dollar budget shortfall for this fiscal year. During the session, which starts Febraury 14th and ends March 9th, lawmakers will debate budget cuts and tax increases. Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s listened to legislators and has drafted a call allow flexibility to consider both cuts and raising money for the state.

It’s Mardi Gras weekend around Louisiana and State Police want everyone celebrating to be safe. Trooper Melissa Matey says with all the drinking and festivities make sure to have a sober driver behind the wheel. Matey says they are also asking the public to take advantage of the see something, send something app in case you see something that doesn’t seem right…
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Negotiations have begun about forming another high school athletic association. This is in response to a vote by member principals of the LHSAA who chose to expand the championship split to basketball, baseball and softball. Former commissioner of administration, Paul Rainwater, planned a meeting with several high school principals and A-D’s to address what it would take to form a new organization…
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Discussions have begun about forming a new organization to rival the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Governor John Bel Edwards issued the call for a special legislative session to confront this fiscal year’s 750-million dollar budget shortfall. The session starts February 14th and lawmakers will discuss tax increases and budget cuts. The call gives limitations on what they can do during the session. Republican House Speaker Taylor Barras of New Iberia released a statement wishing this session allowed more budget reform initiatives to reduce state funding…

It’s a big Mardi Gras weekend around Louisiana and State Police want it to be a safe. Trooper Melissa Matey says they don’t tolerate drinking and driving, so make sure you have a sober driver. She says if you are enjoying the parades with your kids, have a plan in case you get separated from your children..
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Chevron North America notified the Louisiana Workforce Commission of layoffs at five office locations in Covington and Lafayette. Eric Smith, Associate Director at the Tulane Energy Institute, says the low oil prices originally impacted independent oil producers, but now big companies are feeling the effects…The company says they’ll work to help laid-off employees find jobs in other Chevron locations and offer severance packages to those unable to find one. Smith believes even more layoffs are coming…
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It’s Mardi Gras weekend across Louisiana and State Police want you to have a safe one, especially on our roadways. Trooper Melissa Matey says they have zero tolerance for drinking and driving, so make sure there’s a sober driver at the wheel…
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Matey says if you are enjoying the parades with your children, have a plan in place in case you get separated from your kids…

Governor John Bel Edwards issued the call for a special legislative session to tackle this fiscal year’s massive 750-million dollar budget shortfall and the 1.9 billion dollar shortfall for next year. The session begins on February 14th and will last about three and a half weeks. During this time lawmakers will discuss budget cuts and tax increases. The Governor’s call sets boundaries on what can be done during the session. Raising the state’s sales tax, increasing cigarette and alcohol taxes and changing personal income tax brackets will all be addressed during the session.

Louisiana State Police say a 23-year-old Addis woman is dead after her husband accidentally shot her while cleaning his gun. The woman’s husband is a reserve Addis Police Officer. She was taken to the hospital shortly after the shooting but later died.

Chevron North America has notified the Louisiana Workforce Commission that layoffs are possible at five office locations in Covington and Lafayette. 385 employees could be affected, 340 at the office locations and 45 offshore workers. Chevron says these cuts could start April 4th and will be complete by June 7th. Eric Smith, Associate Director at the Tulane Energy Institute believes the layoffs are mainly coming in upstream business, which is what they call the process of drilling and operations in getting oil out of the ground…
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Governor John Bel Edwards has issued the call for a special legislative session to address a 750 million dollar budget shortfall. The session will start on February 14th and for three and a half weeks lawmakers will have a chance to debate various cuts to the budget and tax increases like the sales tax by a penny, higher cigarette and alcohol taxes and changes to person income tax brackets.

It’s a big Mardi Gras party weekend and cops are urging revelers to play it safe. State Police Trooper Melissa Matey says there is a no tolerance policy for drunk driving and please be mindful of where your kidsa are at all times. She says they are also asking the public to take advantage of the see something, send something app in case you spot something that doesn’t seem right…:
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Chevron announces 385 possible layoffs are coming to five offices in Covington and Lafayette. Eric Smith, Associate Director at the Tulane Energy Institute, says the low oil prices initially impacted independent oil producers, but now major companies are feeling the affects…:
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Chevron says the cuts will begin April 4th. Alcoa has also told the state it is laying off up to 37 employees at a plant in Lake Charles.

New Orleans attorney Caroline Fayard is the first Democrat to enter Louisiana’s US Senate race. Fayard has never held political office, but did run for Lt. Governor in 2010. Fayard says she’s running for the Senate because she doesn’t want the rest of the country to take Louisiana for granted and that starts in Washington, D.C….
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Chevron North America has informed the Louisiana Workforce Commission about possible layoffs at five office locations in Covington and Lafayette. Eric Gill reports…:
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The preservationists have lost another step in their fight to keep the Confederate monuments up in New Orleans as a civil district court judge rules against an effort to stop the removal of the statues. A similar challenge was shot down in federal court lat month. The preservationists say they would appeal.

Discussions have started about forming another high school athletic association. It’s in response to a vote by member principals of the LHSAA who decided to expand the championship split to other sports. Former commissioner of administration, Paul Rainwater, organized a meeting with several high school principals and A-D’s to discuss what it would take to form a new organization…:
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He plans to have a constitution and structure ready to present to interested schools in May.

Folks all over the state will be participating in Mardi Gras celebrations this weekend and State Police are urging you to be safe. Trooper Melissa Matey says if you are enjoying the parades with your children, have a plan in place in case you get separated from your kids…:
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She says they have zero tolerance for drunk drivers and the drive sober or get pulled over continues throughout Mardi Gras.

Historic low oil prices aren’t expected to rebound anytime soon and the layoffs keep coming. Chevron announced today that they plan to cut 385 people starting in April at locations in Lafayette and Covington. Eric Smith, Associate Director at the Tulane Energy Institute, believes the layoffs are primarily coming in upstream business, which is what they call the process of drilling and operations in getting oil out of the ground:
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The company says they will help laid-off employees find other Chevron jobs.

KPLC in Lake Chares is reporting a former Catholic priest in Calcasieu Parish has been found guilty of molesting and raping alter boys. 60-year-old Mark Anthony Broussard was convicted of aggravated rape, molestation of a juvenile, aggravated oral sexual battery and aggravated rape. Broussard was accused of sexually abusing two boys while a priest in the 1980s and 90s.

Discussions are underway about forming a new organiziation to rival the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. Jeff Palermo has the story..:
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It’s a big Mardi Gras weekend across Louisiana and State Police want it to be a safe one, especially on our highways. Trooper Melissa Matey says they have zero tolerance for drunk drivers, so make sure there’s a sober driver at the wheel…:
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