LSU and Rice are underway at Alex Box Stadium. The winner will advance to the Super Regionals and play Coastal Carolina, who defeated North Carolina State in the Raleigh Regional Championshp game. Coastal Carolina scored four runs in the ninth inning to win. The game was halted last night because of rain, with the bases loaded and one out and Coastal Carolina down by two in the ninth.

The super regional series between Coastal Carolina and the winner of the LSU-Rice contest will begin Saturday night at 8 PM. Game Two will be Sunday at 8 PM. A game three if necessary will take place Monday at either 1, 4 or 7 PM.

Safety Roman Harper is back with the Saints. The 33-year-old has spent the last two years with the Carolina Panthers and had four interceptions in 2014, but didn’t pick off a pass last year. Before his time in Carolina, Harper spent eight years with the Saints and was a Pro Bowl Player the year the Saints won their Super Bowl.

Tough finish for what was a good season by the UL Lafayette baseball team. The Cajuns were defeated twice by Arizona to win the Lafayette Regional and advance to play Mississippi State in the Super Regionals. Cajuns Coach Tony Robichaux says Arizona’s pitchers threw the ball well and his team had trouble putting runs on the board…
cut 20 (16) “….deficit down”
The Cajuns finish with a record of 43-21.

LSU’s first two home football games will be played at night. ESPN-U will televise the September 10th contest against Jacksonville State and the September 17th game in Tiger Stadium versus Mississippi State will kick off at 6 PM and it will be shown on ESPN and ESPN Two.

Louisiana Tech’s season opener at Arkansas will kick-off at 3 PM.

During a joint session of the legislature kicking off the special session, Governor John Bel Edwards called on lawmakers to raise enough revenue to reduce cuts to state services. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

West Monroe native and former-astronaut Jim Halsell has been charged with murder after a fatal crash in Alabama took the life of two young girls. 11-year-old Niomi James and 13-year-old Jayla Parler were ejected from the vehicle and died when Halsell crashed into their vehicle. Two adults were also injured.

Several lawmakers are upset after they failed to approve the construction budget for next fiscal year. It will be taken up again in the special session, but Marrero Representative Patrick Connick says it should have been done in the regular session…

CUT 4 (11)  “the Senate”

The construction budget funds road projects, repairs to public buildings and improvement to state parks.

The state Department of Environmental Quality has resumed mercury testing in public waterways after the program was halted in 2008 because of budget cuts. DEQ environmental scientist Al Hindrichs says mercury poisoning can cause neurological damage, particularly in children, and it can lead to birth defects if consumed by pregnant women. He says they need to update some of the advisories in effect because some of them are as much as 14 years old.

cut 14 (08)  “out there”

Governor John Bel Edwards addressed a joint session of the legislature, calling on lawmakers to raise enough revenue during this special session to reduce cuts to state programs. He wants lawmakers to limit the itemized deductions taxpayers claim on their state returns. He says this proposal would not affect the majority of Louisiana taxpayers.

CUT 8 (08) “on them”

The special session must end by midnight on June 23.

Lawmakers are upset after failing to approve a construction budget. Ways and Means Chairman Neil Abramson says Senate changes to the spending plan made the bill unworkable. Franklin Representative Sam Jones asked Abramson why not send the bill to a conference committee to resolve the issues…

CUT 3 (12)  “out of here”

A month ago today, a 25-year-old Tulane graduate was shot and killed while visiting New Orleans, and investigators say they are working tirelessly to find the killer or killers. According to NOPD, Thomas Rolfes had been out celebrating with friends on May 7th, then went to the gas station where his body was found by a passerby. His mother, Julie Rolfes, says this has been a total nightmare…:

cut 10 (09)  “really been terrible”

The reward for information regarding Rolfes’ death is $30,000.

The state Department of Environmental Quality has resumed mercury testing in public waterways after the program was halted in 2008 because of budget cuts. DEQ environmental scientist Al Hindrichs says there are currently 48 advisories in place for 85 water bodies in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (06)  “individual advisory”

During an address to a joint session of the legislature, Governor John Bel Edwards called on lawmakers to raise enough revenue during this special session to reduce cuts to state programs. Edwards is asking lawmakers to look at altering income taxes as a means to raise revenue, which he says is part of long term tax reform. He says they should also look at reducing corporate tax exemptions.

CUT 7 (10) “overall”

Legislators have until midnight on June 23 to try and raise enough revenue to close a $600 million budget shortfall.

Several Senators are frustrated after the House failed to approve a construction budget for next fiscal year. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny says what House leaders did was disrespectful…

CUT 5 (07)  “we do”

A new version of the construction budget bill has begun to move in the special session as the four-billion dollar financing plan was approved by the Ways and Means Committee today.

The family of slain Tulane graduate Thomas Rolfes held a news conference today to beg for information about the murder which happened a month ago today. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

West Monroe native and former-astronaut Jim Halsell has been charged with murder after a fatal crash in Alabama took the life of two young girls. 11-year-old Niomi James and 13-year-old Jayla Parler were ejected from the vehicle and died when Halsell crashed into their vehicle. Two adults were also injured. Alcohol and speed may have been factors in the crash.

Things are getting testy at the Capitol after the construction bill failed to pass out of the regular session. It’s being taken up again in the special session, but Marrero Representative Patrick Connick says it should have been done in the regular session…:
CUT 4 (11) “the Senate”
The four billion dollar construction financing plan was approved by the Ways and Means Committee today in the special session.

The family of slain Tulane graduate Thomas Rolfes held a news conference today to beg for information about the murder which happened a month ago today. There are no suspects in the 25-year-old’s murder. His fiance, Elizabeth Fried says Rolfes was a wonderful man who touched the lives of everyone he met…:
Cut 11 (09) “as my own”
There is a $30,000 reward.

The state Department of Environmental Quality has resumed mercury testing in public waterways after the program was halted in 2008 because of budget cuts. DEQ environmental scientist Al Hindrichs (HINE-drix) says they are testing for mercury in 36 sites in southwest Louisiana this year. He says if a waterway is found to have a high level of mercury, fish consumption advisories are posted at the locations…:
cut 12 (08) “small children”
He says there are currently 48 consumption advisories in place for 85 water bodies in Louisiana.

The Thibodaux Police Department says they’ve arrested a man on bank fraud charges for allegedly writing checks on an account that did not belong to him, and spelling the numbers wrong. They say 23-year-old Brandon Sims of Thibodaux was caught red handed, and police noticed that “fifty” was misspelled on the check and that actually contributed to an additional charge. Sims is being held on a $17,500 bond.

During a joint session of the legislature kicking off the special session, Governor John Bel Edwards called on lawmakers to raise enough revenue to reduce cuts to state services. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A Baton Rouge man is behind bars for allegedly strangling his wife to death following an argument. The Sheriff’s Office says 42-year-old Donald Germany contacted family members and confessed to the crime. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office says 41-year-old Nichole Jones was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency workers tried to revive her.

It’s been one month today since a 25-year-old Tulane graduate was shot and killed in New Orleans while visiting to look for a good spot to get married, and authorities still do not have a suspect. The family held a Crimestoppers news conference today at the site where Thomas Rolfes was murdered. His fiance, Elizabeth Fried (freed), is pleading for answers…:
CUT 9 (10) “find closure”
The reward for information regarding Rolfes’ death is $30,000.

This afternoon at the Box, LSU and Rice will meet one more time to decide who will advance to the Super Regionals. The Tigers missed an opportunity to win the Baton Rouge Regional last night when the Bayou Bengals fell to Rice 10-6. First pitch is at 4 PM.

Governor John Bel Edwards addressed a joint session of the legislature this morning, calling on lawmakers to find the political courage to raise enough revenue during this special session to reduce cuts to state programs. Edwards says they cannot wait any longer to resolve the fiscal crisis…:
CUT 6 (12) “afford to wait”
Legislators have until midnight on June 23 to try and raise enough revenue to close a $600 million budget shortfall.

A West Monroe native and former astronaut is charged with murder following a crash that claimed the lives of two children in Alabama, according to authorities. They say 49-year-old James Halsell Jr. of Huntsville is suspected of being impaired and speeding when he collided with a vehicle with an 11-year-old and 13-year-old inside. The sisters were pronounced dead.

Several lawmakers are in a foul mood after failing to approve a construction budget. Ways and Means Chairman Neil Abramson says Senate changes to the spending plan made the bill unworkable and he didn’t bring it up for a vote in the regular session. Franklin Representative Sam Jones asked Abramson why not send the bill to a conference committee to resolve the issues…:
CUT 3 (12) “out of here”
The construction budget funds road projects, repairs to public buildings and improvement to state parks.

The LSU baseball team is hoping to get it together in the elimination game today today after a rough match-up last night against Rice in which the Tigers fell 10-6. They’ll face off again at 4pm to determine who will advance to the best of three NCAA Super Regionals.

A second special session is underway that’s been called to address a 600-million dollar revenue shortfall. Governor John Bel Edwards is asking legislators to raise revenues so the state can fully fund the TOPS program and hospitals that provide care for the poor and uninsured. Edwards is optimstic legislators can raise the necessary cash…
cut 10 (05) “…the future”
The governor’s call for the special session would allow legislators to reduce tax breaks for businesses and individuals, change individual income tax brackets and limit the itemized deductions taxpayers claim on their state returns.

But House Republican leaders, like Metairie Representative Cameron Henry, is skeptical on whether some of these proposals will actually generate the revenue that’s promised…
cut 5 (08) “…at this point”
The special session must end Thursday May 23rd at midnight.

UNO is in the process of building a new digital animation lab on campus. It’s big news because the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of jobs for multimedia arists and animators is growing substantially. UNO fine arts instructor Jeff Rinehart says increased demand is due to the growing need for animation in TV, movies and other multimedia projects…
cut 13 (03) “…like that”
Rinheart says the school has secured a 94-thousand dollar grant to help make the animation lab a reality.

Natchitoches has unveiled plans to improve its riverfront. Mayor Lee Posey says they want to improve handicap accessibility, install new bathrooms, double the size of the stage on the river and add new landscaping. He says the project will cost four-million dollars and the city and private agencies will split the costs…
cut 15 (10) “…electrical department”
Posey says the improved riverfront area should be ready by the Festival of Lights in 2017.