12:30 Newscast, April 17th, 2015

A new poll on the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire says Governor Bobby Jindal is someone to keep an eye on after receiving the best favor-ability rating out of all the presidential hopefuls. Tom Jensen with Public Policy Polling says Jindal’s favor-ability rating was 43-percent. He says it really stuck out on this poll…:
CUT 6 (09) “him back in”
He says this is good news for Jindal.

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office has established a benefit fund for Corporal Burt Hazeltine who was shot multiple times Thursday by someone frustrated by school crossing traffic. They say all donations, which can be made on their Facebook page, will be given to the Hazeltine family as the deputy, a father of four, recovers at University Hospital. The alleged shooter, 58-year-old John Paul Devillier is being held on $1 million dollars bond.

The National Weather Service is keeping the south half of the state under a flash flood watch through Saturday afternoon. Meteorologist Lance Escude..:
CUT 10 (08) “definitely possible”
Four to six inches of rain fell during a two hour period Thursday afternoon in Alexandria and about 50 homes flooded and cops had to participate in about 50 water related rescues.

The Pelicans are headed to the west coast today where they will begin their best of seven series with Golden State. Game one is tomorrow and will be on ABC at 2:30pm. Fox Sports New Orleans announced today that they’ll televise games two through four and possibly more games if the series is extended beyond four games.

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast April 17

LSU freshman pitcher Alex Lange will get the start tonight as the Tigers visit the Georgia Bulldogs for the start of an SEC weekend series. Lange didn’t pitch last weekend because of elbow tightneess and he’s expected to pitch no more than 80 pitches tonight. The series gets underway in Athens at 6 PM.

In Hammond tonight….Southeastern Louisiana hosts McNeese State. The Lions lead the Southland Conference with an 11-and-5 record, while the Cowboys are 12-and-6. In other action around the state….U-L-M hosts Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech takes on UAB in Ruston and Northwestern State hosts Central Arkansas.

The Pelicans leave for the West coast today where they’ll begin their best of seven series with Golden State. Tomorrow’s game one will be on ABC at 2:30. Fox Sports New Orleans announced today that they’ll televise games two through four and possibly more games if the series is extended beyond four games.

The Ragin Cajuns have signed two basketball players . They are Jerekius Davis, a six-foot-six forward from Mississippi and Jay Hedgeman, who is a forward and played junior college basketball last year.

The LSU football team completes spring practice on Saturday with the annual spring game. The scrimmage will give quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris another opportunity to show whether they should be the starting quarterback next season. LSU’s quarterback play was not the only thing wrong with the Tigers passing game last season. LSU’s young wide receivers also had their growing pains, but Coach Les Miles says spring practice has been good for those guys…
cut 18 (17) “…this fall

11:30 Newscast, April 17th, 2015

Four to six inches of rain fell during a two hour period Thursday afternoon in Alexandria, flooding about 50 homes. Police also say there were numerous car crashes and the fire department participated in about 50 water related rescues. Lance Escude, with the National Weather Service, says more rain is on the way…:
CUT 9 (10) “to redevelop”
He says the southern half of the state remains under a flash flood watch through Saturday afternoon.

The woman from Baton Rouge who has been missing all week was reportedly awarded more than $1 million dollars in a divorce settlement just weeks before she vanished. 54-year-old Taherah Ghassemi’s vehicle was found intentionally torched on Sunday and she hasn’t been heard from since Saturday. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office is not commenting about whether the money or bitter marital dispute with her former husband could be connected to Ghassemi’s disappearance.

Oilfield services giant Schlumberger has announced plans to layoff approximately 11,000 additional employees due to the reduction in oil prices. Eric Gill has more…:
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

Funeral Services have been set for R&B legend Percy Sledge who died of cancer in his Baton Rouge home this week. Visitation for the “When a Man Loves a Woman” singer will be Tuesday morning at Bethany in the Capitol City. Family members are having a private service on Monday.

 

10:30 Newscast, April 17th, 2015

A judge has set the bond for the man accused of firing several shots at a St. Charles Parish Deputy at $1 million dollars. 58-year-old John Paul Devillier of Gulfport is charges with attempted murder of a peace officer, three counts of battery and one count of violently resisting arrest. The victim, Corporal Burt Hazeltine is recovering from three gunshot wounds and authorities say he could be blind in one eye.

Oilfield services giant Schlumberger has announced plans to lay off about 11,000 additional employees due to the reduction in oil prices. LSU Economist Dr Loren Scott says oil companies are dealing with oil prices roughly half of what they were a year ago and they’re asking these service companies for a break in fees they charge…:
CUT 3 (06) “what’s going on”
Scott adds it’s becoming too expensive to drill on land rigs with current oil prices and many of those rigs are being shut down.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office says they have arrested what they believe is the final person associated with the scheme to plant drugs on someone’s vehicle then have them arrested. They say Russell Manual is booked with criminal conspiracy, possession of several drugs and intimidating a witness. Manual is a Knight Oils Tools employee and its CEO and two cops were among those also arrested in the scheme.

The number of Formosan subterranean termites are rising in Louisiana and homeowners should take precautions against them. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

 

09:30 Newscast April 17, 2015

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office believes 56-year-old John Paul Devillier’s shooting ambush of 36-year-old Cpl. Burt Hazeltine stemmed from Devillier being upset over traffic in a school zone. Sheriff Greg Champagne says Devillier has a violent past including getting fired from a TSA job in 2013 for conduct unbecoming…

cut 16 (08) “aggravated assault”

Devillier will be charged with attempted first degree murder.

Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson plans to amend the controversial religious freedom bill, but critics aren’t backing down. Opponents say the bill will lead to discrimination of gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals. However, Governor Bobby Jindal says he can’t see how someone can make the case that the state should intervene on someone’s personal religious beliefs…

cut 13 (12) “view of marriage”

IBM, which is opening a technology services center in Baton Rouge, has expressed strong opposition to the bill.

The Centers for Disease Control says many women aren’t taking enough time between birth and conception which could lead to problems for both mom and baby. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 1 (30) “reporting”

Oildfield services giant Schlumberger has announced plans to layoff approximately 11,000 additional employees due to the reduction in oil prices. This is on top of the company’s January announcement reducing their workforce by 9,000 employees. It is not known where the job cuts are coming from or how many Louisiana employees will be affected.

08:30 Newscast April 17, 2015

A St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s deputy continues to recover today in a hospital after getting shot three times. Scott Carwile has more…

cut 3 (30) “reporting”

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a cafeteria employee at Maplewood Elementary in Sulphur for allegedly hitting a student – her own son. Authorities say 32-year-old Kristy Lynn Miller is charged with cruelty to juveniles. Officers say video surveillance shows Miller striking the child in a violent manner several times. They say Miller informed detectives she hit the 6-year-old because he spilled liquid on the floor and broke a pencil. Miller has been placed on leave.

Although Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says he plans to amend the controversial religious freedom bill, critics are not backing down. Some lawmakers criticized the original bill saying it was so broad in protecting any belief about marriage which could mean many things. But Governor Bobby Jindal says the measure is narrowly focused on making sure the state can not discriminate against businesses for their religious belief in traditional marriage…

cut 12 (11) “for their beliefs”

Opponents of the bill say its intent has always been to discriminate against the LGBT community.

The number of Formosan subterranean termites are rising in Louisiana and homeowners should take precautions against them. LSU AgCenter Entomologist Gregg Henderson says one way you can help prevent an infestation is to change the lighting around your home…

Cut 8 (09) “yellow lights”

May is the beginning of the swarm season for these Formosan termites.

07:30 Newscast April 17, 2015

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office believes the shooting ambush of one of their deputies Thursday stemmed from a man upset over traffic in a school zone. Sheriff Greg Champagne says 36-year-old Cpl. Burt Hazeltine was confronted by 56-year-old John Paul Devillier who left the scene then returned to a nearby gas station and began dangling a gun out of his truck…

cut 15 (10) “three times”

It’s expected Devillier will be charged with attempted first degree murder.

Critics are not backing down in opposition to Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson’s controversial religious freedom bill. Johnson says he plans to amend the bill, but Forum for Equality Director Sarah Jane Brady says the intent of HB 707 has always been to discriminate against the LGBT community…

cut 11 (13) “of all people”

Johnson announced he’s going to change the measure to designate the “institution of marriage” as the “union of one man and one woman.”

The number of Formosan subterranean termites are rising in Louisiana and homeowners should take precautions against them. LSU AgCenter Entomologist Gregg Henderson says these termites build shelter tubes as they move up a home’s foundation. He says if you think your home may have termites, you should get an inspection or inspect the home yourself…

cut 7 (10) “they come up”

Henderson says if you do find termites in your home, you should call a pest control operator to get rid of them.

The Centers for Disease Control says if women take at least 18 months between birth and conception, it could lessen problems for both mom and baby. Medicaid Medical Director for Louisiana, Dr. Rebekah Gee, says a shorter time span between pregnancies can impact the emotional and mental health of the mother…

cut 5 (09) “hormonal shifts”

She says a shorter time span could also lead to premature births.

06:45 Sportscast April 17, 2015

The LSU football team completes spring practice on Saturday with the annual spring game. The scrimmage will give quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris another opportunity to show whether they should be the starting quarterback next season. Coach Les Miles on what he’s looking for from his signal callers…

cut 17 (14) “it aggressively”

Miles says as the Tigers conclude spring practice, the goal looking ahead to next fall is to make it into the four-team college football playoff.

Louisiana Tech will hold its spring game on Saturday. The coaching staff has divided the team into two squads and Coach Skip Holtz says Saturday is like a final exam, especially for the younger players on the roster…

cut 20 (12) “do what they’re doing”

The LSU baseball team is in Georgia for a three-game series that starts tonight against the Bulldogs. Coach Paul Mainieri has announced Alex Lange will get the start today, after missing last weekend because of elbow tightness.

In other college baseball action this weekend…there’s a good match-up between Southland Conference schools in Hammond as Southeastern Louisiana hosts McNeese for three games. The Lions lead the league with an 11-and-four record and the Cowboys are right behind them with a 12-and-6 conference mark. Northwestern State is also near the top of the standings. The Demons host Central Arkansas this weekend.

In the Sun Belt…ULM will host Arkansas State, while the Ragin Cajuns are at Texas State.

Louisiana Tech hosts UAB in a Conference USA series.

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team has signed one of the top junior college basketball players in the country. His name is Justin Leon. He’s six-foot-eight and averaged 21.5 points and 10 rebounds last season for Shawnee Community College in Illinois.

ULM has signed a couple of prep basketball stars, six-foot-eight power forward Ramses Sandifer from Mississippi and six-foot-five guard Wade Martin from West Virginia.

06:30 Newscast April 17, 2015

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office says it appears the motive behind the shooting ambush of one of their deputies Thursday stemmed from a man upset over traffic. 56-year-old John Paul Devillier, a native of the parish but resident of Gulfport, has been identified as the shooter. Sheriff Greg Champagne says 36-year-old Cpl. Burt Hazeltine was directing buses near a school crossing…

cut 14 (10) “stop traffic for him”

Devillier faces an attempted first degree murder charge.

Even though Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says he plans to amend the controversial religious freedom bill, critics are not backing down. Forum for Equality Director Sarah Jane Brady says the gay and transgender community in Louisiana already doesn’t have protections when it comes to housing and employment at the state level…

cut 10 (11) “behalf of its citizens”

Governor Bobby Jindal says passing a religious freedom bill is one of his priorities for this session.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says many women aren’t taking enough time between birth and conception which could lead to problems for both mom and baby. Louisiana Medicaid Medical Director Dr. Rebekah Gee says most research suggests that at least 18 months are needed between pregnancies…

cut 4 (10) “between pregnancies”

Gee says in Louisiana, the CDC report shows nearly 30% of women don’t wait longer than 18 months before having their next child. She adds that a short time span between pregnancies also impacts the emotional and mental health of the mother.

AM Newscall, April 17th, 2015

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says many women aren’t taking enough time between birth and conception which could lead to problems for both mom and baby. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The number of Formosan subterranean termites are rising in Louisiana and homeowners should take precautions against them. Eric Gill reports…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

A St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s deputy continues to recover today in a hospital after getting shot three times. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says many women aren’t taking enough time between birth and conception which could lead to problems for both mom and baby. Dr. Rebekah Gee is the Medicaid Medical Director for Louisiana. She says most research suggests that at least 18 months are needed between pregnancies…:

cut 4  (10) “between pregnancies”

Gee says in Louisiana, the CDC report shows nearly 30% of women don’t wait longer than 18 months before having their next child. She says not only could this lead to more pre-mature births, but a short time span between pregnancies also impacts the emotional and mental health of the mother…:

Cut 5  (09)  “hormonal shifts”

Gee says failure to space, may affect the risk of pregnancy complications such as preterm birth, low birth weight and small gestational age. She says Louisiana has one of the highest prematurety rates in the nation..:

Cut 6 (12)  “spacing occurs”

______________________________________

The number of Formosan subterranean termites are rising in Louisiana and homeowners should take precautions against them. LSU AgCenter Entomologist Gregg Henderson says these termites build shelter tubes as they move up a home’s foundation. He says if you think your home may have termites, you should get an inspection or inspect the home yourself…

CUT 7 (10)  “they come up”

Henderson says if you do find termites in your home, you should call a pest control operator to get rid of them. May is the beginning of the swarm season for these Formosan termites. He says one way you can help prevent an infestation is to change the lighting around your home. Henderson says most insects are attracted to the blue spectrum of light…

Cut 8  (09)  “yellow lights” 

He says the movement of infested wood-based items is the primary method of distribution of these termites. Henderson says these pests are responsible for more than $300 million in losses a year in the Greater New Orleans Area alone. He says it’s definitely important to check any trees around your home for termites…

Cut 9 (08)  “termite infestation”

______________________________________

Even though Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says he plans to amend the controversial religious freedom bill, critics are not backing down in opposition. Forum for Equality Director Sarah Jane Brady says the gay and transgender community in Louisiana already doesn’t have protections when it comes to housing and employment at the state level..:

Cut 10 (11) “behalf of its citizens”

Some lawmakers criticized the bill in its original form saying it was so broad in protecting any belief about marriage which could mean many things. Johnson announced he’s going to change the measure to designate the “institution of marriage” as the “union of one man and one woman.” Brady says the intent of HB 707 has always been to discriminate against the LGBT community…:

cut 11 (13) “of all people”

Governor Bobby Jindal says passing a religious freedom bill is one of his priorities for this session. He says the measure is narrowly focused on making sure the state can not discriminate against businesses for their religious belief in traditional marriage…:

cut 12 (11)   “for their beliefs”

Jindal says he can’t see how someone can make the case that the state should intervene on someone’s personal religious beliefs…:

Cut 13 (12)  “view of marriage”

————————————-

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office says it appears the motive behind the shooting ambush of one of their deputies Thursday stemmed from a man upset over traffic. 56-year-old John Paul Devillier, a native of the parish but resident of Gulfport, has been identified as the shooter. Sheriff Greg Champagne says 36-year-old Cpl. Burt Hazeltine was directing buses near a school crossing…:

Cut 14 (10) “stop traffic for him”

It’s expected Devillier will be charged with attempted first degree murder. Champagne says Hazeltine was confronted by the suspect who left the scene then returned to a nearby gas station and began dangling a gun out of his truck…:

Cut 15  (10)  “three times”

Champagne says Hazeltine was hit three times and one of the bullets got lodged behind his left eye which he may never see out of again. He says Devillier has a violent past including getting fired from a TSA job in 2013 for conduct unbecoming…:

Cut 16  (08)  “aggravated assault”

_________________________________________

The LSU football team completes spring practice on Saturday with the annual spring game. The scrimmage will give quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris another opportunity to show whether they should be the starting quarterback next season. Coach Les Miles on what he’s looking for from his signal callers…

Cut 17 (14)  “it aggressively”

LSU’s quarterback play was not the only thing wrong with the Tigers passing game last season. LSU’s young wide receivers also had their growing pains, but Miles says spring practice has been good for those guys…

Cut 18 (17) ” this fall’

Miles says as the Tigers conclude spring practice, the goal looking ahead to next fall is to make it into the four-team college football playoff. He says building depth will be a key to reaching that goal

Cut 19 (20)  “little younger “

_______________________________________________

Louisiana Tech will hold its spring game on Saturday. The coaching staff has divided the team into two squads and Coach Skip Holtz says Saturday is like a final exam, especially for the younger players on the roster…

Cut 20 (12)  “do what they’re doing”