As a way to help reduce cuts to higher education, The Jindal administration proposes higher fees to attend public college, but provide a tax credit to offset those costs, which would be paid for by raising the cigarette tax. But Chairman of the Republican House Delegation, state Representative Lance Harris of Alexandria doesn’t like the idea of a cigarette tax…

cut 14 (09) “right now”

Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Amite representative John Bel Edwards, says he’s not a fan of Jindal’s proposal, either.

Common Core exams begin in two weeks and Abbeville Representative Bob Hensgens has pre-filed a bill that will prevent penalties if a student decides to opt out of testing. He says there is currently no law that levies penalties for not taking the tests, but that’s not what he’s hearing from school districts…

cut 10 (09) “intended to do”

Hensgens’ bill would protect students, schools, and school systems from non-participation penalties.

State Police say a single vehicle fatal crash in St. Landry Parish has killed an Opelousas man. Authorities say 32-year-old Reginald Jenkins drove off of the road while entering a curve, drove through a wooden fence, and struck a storage building. The car continued traveling and ended up overturned in a shallow canal. Jenkins was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

NBC’s hit show “The Voice” continues its blind auditions tonight and three contestants with Louisiana ties have already made it through. Michelle Southern reporting.

cut 1 (30) “reporting”

As the Louisiana filmed “Focus” opened over the weekend, a group of lawmakers is looking at ways we can improve the film tax credits in the state. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 2 (32) “reporting”

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says a woman fatally shot her husband yesterday morning in Folsom. Authorities say Kacie Breen confessed to shooting her husband, Dr. Wayne Breen, after the two got into an altercation. No information has been released as to what prompted the violence. No charges have been filed at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

Students will begin Common Core exams in two weeks and Abbeville Representative Bob Hensgens has introduced a bill that will prohibit penalties if a student decides to opt out of testing. Education Superintendent John White says they will address opt-outs when they see how many students actually opt-out of the exams. But Hensgens says it shouldn’t be left up to White to determine if penalties should be levied if someone decides not to take the Common Core tests…

cut 12 (11) “to decide this”

NBC’s hit show “The Voice” continues its blind auditions tonight and Louisiana already has ties to three contestants who have made it through. One is 22-year-old Rob Taylor, from Donaldsonville, who says one of the things that influences him the most musically from Louisiana is that styles here are so eclectic…

cut 6 (06) “to everyone I guess”

Also making it through, Chalmette’s Tonya Boyd-Cannon and New Orleans native Meghan Linsey.

In their budget proposal, the Jindal administration is willing to scale back 526-million dollars in tax credits for businesses. The governor has highlighted 12 tax credits that could become non-refundable which would give the state more money to spend. But the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Amite representative John Bel Edwards, says legislators should look beyond those tax credits as a way to raise revenue…

cut 15 (08) “comprehensive job”

Chairman of the Republican House Delegation, state Representative Lance Harris of Alexandria is disappointed the governor didn’t suggest reeling back some of the film tax credits.

Some state lawmakers are looking at ways we can improve the state’s film tax credits. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says they don’t want to lose the fact that Louisiana has become an industry film leader, but there are things that must be done to restore taxpayer confidence in the film tax credit program…

cut 8 (12) “credit programs”

In two weeks, students will take Common Core exams and Abbeville Representative Bob Hensgens has introduced a bill that will prohibit penalties if a student decided to opt out of the testing. Hensgens says the decision for a student to take these tests belong to the parent and not the government…

cut 11 (10) “in the future”

Currently students who opt-out of the testing will be given a score of zero, which will be transferred to the performance score of schools and school districts.

Blind auditions on NBC’s The Voice continue tonight, but three contestants with Louisiana ties have already made it through. 22-year-old Rob Taylor, who lives in Donaldsonville, says his biggest musical influence is his grandmother…:

cut 5 (07) “with everything”

Chalmette resident Tonya Boyd-Cannon and New Orleans native Meghan Linsey also passed the blind auditions.

The Jindal administration has said they are willing to scale back 526-million dollars in tax credits for businesses, but Chairman of the republican house delegation, state Representative Lance Harris of Alexandria is disappointed the governor didn’t suggest reeling back some of the film tax credits..

cut 13 (10) “someone else”

The governor has highlighted 12 tax credits that could become non-refundable which would give the state more money to spend.

In two weeks, students will take Common Core exams and an Abbeville lawmaker has introduced a bill that will prohibit penalties if a student decides to opt out of testing. Representative Bob Hensgens says there is no law that levies penalties for not taking the tests, but that’s not what he’s hearing from school districts…

cut 10 (09) “intended to do”

Hensgens’ bill would protect students, schools, and school systems from non-participation penalties.

A group of state lawmakers is looking at ways we can improve the state’s film tax credits. Some have argued that the movie credits here are corrupt and too generous. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell, who is working on reform legislation, says he fully supports the program but it has major issues…

cut 7 (12) “who are paying for it”

Morrell says drafts of possible legislation will be discussed on Wednesday in a meeting with the Entertainment Industry Development Advisory Commission.

Three contestants with Louisiana ties have made it through the blind auditions on NBC’s hit show “The Voice”. One is 22-year-old Rob Taylor, who was raised in Baton Rouge and now lives in Donaldsonville. Taylor says he never thought he would get such an opportunity…

cut 4 (08) “never gave up”

Tonya Boyd-Cannon who’s from Jackson, Mississippi but currently lives in Chalmette and Meghan Linsey who’s from The Big Easy but living in Nashville have also made it through.

Republican gubernatorial candidate, US Senator David Vitter, is getting the endorsement of an ex-president. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 1 (31) “reporting”

A state Attorney General’s Office investigation has lead to the arrest of a former St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s deputy on multiple charges. They say 39-year-old Michael Barber of Breaux Bridge was booked into the St. Martin Parish jail on counts of malfeasance in office, indecent behavior with a juvenile, and attempted production of child pornography. Barber was a school resource officer at St. Martinville High.

The Jindal administration has laid out a plan to close a one-point-six billion dollar budget shortfall. It doesn’t call for any tax increases, but Governor Bobby Jindal proposes the scaling back of some corporate tax credits and raising the cigarette tax, to reduce drastic cuts to higher ed and health care. Lawmakers who serve on the budget committees seemed like some of the ideas. Delhi Senator Francis Thompson…

cut 11 (06) “we have”

Lawmakers will spend the next several weeks discussing budget solutions before passing a spending plan in June.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office says a man is under arrest accused of prank calling 911 because he was bored. Sheriff Jason Ard says 27-year-old Brandon Kirkland admitted he did this as a prank two times and that’s two counts of felony terrorizing. Ard says the suspect’s story to detectives obviously didn’t fly…

cut 15 (07) “prank call”

Kirkland allegedly told dispatchers that 2 masked men were entering a business in Watson to rob it.

The Jindal administration presented a proposed budget that provides a starting point on how to prevent drastic cuts to health care and higher education, despite a one-point-six billion revenue shortfall for next fiscal year. Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says they want lawmakers to scale back a dozen refundable tax credits which would save the state 526-million dollars…

cut 9 (14) “take in”

Even with a cap on certain tax credits, the cut in the proposed budget to higher ed is 211-million dollars.

The New Orleans Police Department has arrested a 13-year-old boy accused of raping three relatives on several occasions. They say the incidents happened over the last two years. The alleged victims include two girls, ages 13 and 11, and a 7-year-old boy. The names of the victims and the suspect were not released because of their ages.

The Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men in connection with the homicide of a Lake Arthur man. Spokesman Christopher Ivey says deputies were dispatched to the home of 73-year-old Charles Talen, Sr. to notify him that his stolen vehicle had been found burned…

cut 12 (06) “inside his home”

18-year-old Roderick Cawthrone, Jr. and 26-year-old Brett Hebert, both of Lake Arthur, face first degree murder charges in the death of Talen. Detectives are expecting more arrests in this investigation.

Republican gubernatorial candidate, US Senator David Vitter, has received the endorsement from former President George H.W. Bush. Vitter is the front runner in this year’s governor’s race, ahead of Republicans Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, and Democratic state Representative John Bel Edwards. Stockley says Vitter’s opponents will now have to step up their game…

cut 8 (07) “behind Vitter”

Stockley says the backing of Bush and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul are a big boost to Vitter’s quest to become governor.

The Jindal administration has laid out its plan on how to cope with a one-point-six billion dollar revenue shortfall for the fiscal year that begins July first. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (30) “reporting”

In Baton Rouge, an eighth-grader is being hailed a hero after he quickly stopped a moving school bus after the driver was punched unconscious by another student. 14-year-old Tay’veon Slaughter quickly stopped the bus, preventing it from crashing, and called authorities after the bus driver was unresponsive. The 15-year-old alleged attacker was arrested and booked on numerous charges including second degree battery.

In his quest to become governor, Republican US Senator David Vitter, is getting the endorsement of former President George H.W. Bush. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this is significant, especially on top of the endorsement Vitter received from Kentucky Senator Rand Paul…

cut 6 (11) “hugely critical”

Vitter is considered the front runner in this year’s governor’s race.

This week’s wintry weather that hit Louisiana could result in a lower supply of crawfish this weekend. Mark Shirley, with the LSU AgCenter, says pond water temperatures dropped into the 40′s this week, which keeps crawfish from crawling into traps. Shirley says if you want some crawfish this weekend, you may want to get them early…

cut 3 (09) “be there”

Unfortunately, you’re likely to pay more for mudbugs this weekend.