Several inches of rain has already fallen the last couple of days on the bottom half of the state, and more is on the way. Additional totals of 4 to 7 inches are expected, though locally higher amounts will be possible. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we could also see rising rivers resulting in more localized flooding in some areas…:
Cut 5 (08) “river systems”
There is a Flash Flood Watch in effect through tomorrow.

A Mississippi lawmaker called for Louisiana leaders to be lynched after four confederate monuments were taken down in New Orleans. State Representative Karl Oliver also said in the Facebook post that the statues were removed in a “Nazi-ish fashion.” Courtney Carter with News Mississippi says state Republicans do not condone the public post…:
Cut 10 (07) “his remarks”
Oliver has since apologized for the post, saying his choice of words was horribly wrong.

Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle has been named the director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says this is the perfect job for Angelle…:
Cut 13 (08) “this position”
BSEE strives for the safe and responsible production of energy and watches over the oil and gas industry.

Two Lafourche Parish teens were killed in a single vehicle crash in Kraemer over the weekend, according to State Police. Trooper Jesse LaGrange says 19-year-old Jaydon Labat (la-bot) was likely speeding and drunk when he crashed into a utility poll and died along with another occupant, 18-year-old Candace Reulet (Ru-lay)…:
Cut 7 (09) “the wheel”
Two teenagers also died in a Kentwood crash over the weekend where speed is the main factor, according to police.

The bottom half of the state is in for a soaking today and tomorrow and flash flooding is a major concern. State climatologist Barry Keim says the area is already wet because of all the rain over the weekend, and the now the chances are higher across the southeastern part of the state…:
Cut 4 (08) “some problems”
Jackson, Lake Charles, and Covington all saw more than 4 inches of rainfall over the weekend.

Two teens are dead and another critically injured after a crash in Kentwood on Sunday morning. Kentwood Police Chief Michael Kazerooni says 18-year-old Ashley Moreau was driving down Line Creek Road when she over-corrected and her car slid and crashed into a tree…:
Cut 8 (10) “injuries”
18-year-old John Moore was the front seat passenger and also killed in the crash.

The warmer than average winter has hurt this season’s peach crop:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has issued a statement in response to his meeting with Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser to discuss the future of the four Confederate monuments the city removed. It said Nungesser wanted the statues to run a process of his own, but that the city already had an operation planned to get formal ideas and welcomed the state’s input.

Following a weekend of heavy rainfall, the southern half of Louisiana is in for more wet weather today and tomorrow. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front is slowly creeping across the state, bringing with it more rain…:
Cut 3 (11) “in particular”
He says with the area already heavily saturated, flash flooding could be a serious problem and there is a Flash Flood Watch in effect through at least tomorrow.

Fox 8 New Orleans is reporting that Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has already met with Mayor Mitch Landrieu this morning to discuss the future of the Confederate monuments that were taken down, and that it was disappointing. Nungesser was seeking an agreement with Landrieu to allow the state office of tourism to take ownership of the statues, but according to the report Nungesser indicated there was no commitment made by the city during the meeting.

A lawmaker from Mississippi is facing backlash over a post he made on social media about the removal of the Confederate monuments in New Orleans. State Representative Karl Oliver said Louisiana leaders should be lynched for removing the statues in a “Nazi-ish fashion” and that he would do everything within his power to make sure Mississippi does not follow suit.

Two Lafourche Parish teens were killed in a single vehicle crash in Kraemer over the weekend, according to State Police. Trooper Jesse LaGrange says 19-year-old Jaydon Labat (la-bot) was driving down LA 307 at a high rate of speed when he ran off the road and hit a utility pole. He says 18-year-old Candace Reulet (Ru-lay) was also in the vehicle..:
Cut 6 (10) “a result”
He says impairment and speed are considered factors in the wreck.

All four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have been removed, but where do they go from here? Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping Mayor Mitch Landrieu will let the Office of Tourism take ownership of the statues. Nungesser is currently meeting with the mayor, in what he calls a fight for Louisiana’s history and culture.

Cut 7 (11) “that era”

Nungesser is optimistic Landrieu will hand over the statues.

A suspect is dead following an officer involved shooting in Sabine Parish. Police say 24-year-old Ricco Holden got into an altercation with a Converse police officer who was responding to a disturbance. The suspect managed to get into the officer’s patrol car, where he was fatally shot. State Police say their investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A bill to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today could help Louisiana’s film industry rebound. The proposal would stabilize the state’s film tax credit program, and it even reserves 10 percent of the credits for Louisiana filmmakers. Celtic Studios Executive Director, Patrick Mulhearn says this could help keep the talented people in our state here.

Cut 15 (09) “New York”

This year’s peach harvest is struggling. That’s according to owner of Mitcham Farms in Ruston, Joe Mitcham, who says a fungus in the soil is slowing taking out his orchard, and he is down to only 10 percent of the crop he started with.

Cut 12 (10) “winter months”

Mitcham says the warm winter also took a toll on his orchard.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping his office can take ownership of the four confederate monuments that were taken down in New Orleans. He says it’s a sad day for Louisiana because we didn’t need this right now:
Cut 8 (09) “to happen”
He says he’s meeting with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu today to try and come to an agreement on what to do with the monuments.

A measure that would remove the back-end cap on the film tax credit program in Louisiana and put it on the front-end is slated to be heard today in the House Ways and Means Committee. Executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, says the film industry has a huge economic impact for the state. He says that’s evidenced by the show NCIS: New Orleans, which never left despite the uncertainty in the tax credit program…:
Cut 14 (09) “for tourism”

The Click It or Ticket campaign beings in Louisiana today and runs through Memorial Day. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer says your chances of being killed or injured in a crash are reduced if you buckle up…:
Cut 5 (06) “that car”
He says more law enforcement officers will be out this week making sure everyone is properly restrained.

The warmer than average winter has hurt this season’s peach crop. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Industry leaders are hopeful Louisiana’s movie business could rebound if the legislature approves proposed changes to the film tax credit program.
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Police is investigating a Sabine Parish officer involved shooting in which a man from Zwolle was killed. They say the incident happened in Converse south of Shreveport when a cop from the small western Louisiana town got into an altercation with 24-year-old Ricco Holden as he was trying to get into the police unit. Holden was then shot and died at the scene. More on this as it develops.

Now that four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have been removed, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping the city will let the office of tourism decide what to do next. Nungesser is disappointed monuments to Louisiana’s history have been taken down, and he suspects the memorials to the confederate leaders won’t be the last to be removed…:
Cut 9 (10) “with slaves”
It’s unclear where the statues will go, but they could be re-homed in state parks or possibly a new museum.

Peaches could be hard to come by this year. Joe Mitcham of Mitcham Farms in Ruston says Louisiana had a warm winter and without enough chill hours, the leaves don’t fill out on the peach trees which causes the fruit to shed. He says a fungus in the soil is also killing many of his peach trees…:
Cut 11 (10) “to grow”
With a poor harvest, Mitcham expects a high demand in peaches and peach products and short supply.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping his office can take ownership of the four confederate monuments that were removed in New Orleans. He says he’s meeting with Mayor Mitch Landrieu today to try and come to an agreement. He says this is a fight for Louisiana’s history…:
Cut 7 (11) “that era”
He suspects the memorials to the confederate leaders won’t be the last to be removed.

The movie industry in Louisiana could soon see a boost under a bill before the House Ways and Means committee today that would put a front-end cap on the film tax credit program. The measure would also reserve 10 percent of the available credits for Louisiana filmmakers. Executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, says we keep the talented people in our state here…:
Cut 15 (09) “New York”

The National Weather Service predicts heavy rainfall for most of the bottom half of the state through Tuesday night, and issued a flash flood watch effective through tonight and into Tuesday evening. Possible impacts of severe weather include strong thunderstorms, frequent lightning, damaging winds, and localized flash flooding. Motorists should use caution on roads and standing water should be avoided.

Motorists will notice a stronger police presence on the road this week as Click It or Ticket begins. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer says even though this campaign only runs through Memorial Day weekend, drivers and passengers must buckle up every time they get into a vehicle…:
Cut 6 (08) “at all times”
He says your chances of being killed or sustaining bodily injury are greatly reduced if you buckle up.

There were no big winners in Saturday nigh’ s Powerball drawing and the jackpot is getting big. Wednesday’s drawing will be for $250 million dollars with a cash value of 154.8 million.

All four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have come down, so what’s next for the hundred-year-old statues? Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Click It or Ticket campaign kicks off today in Louisiana. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer…:
Cut 4 (08) “every time”

Most of the state is under a Flash Flood Watch through late tonight. The National Weather Service says 2-4 inches of additional rainfall is forecast.

Louisiana’s film industry could rebound if the state’s film tax credit program is stabilized. That’s according to executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, who says TV in particular could be promising if the back-end cap on the program is fixed…:
Cut 13 (08) “in schools”
The measure to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today would make it a front-end cap on the program.

The peach harvest is extremely slim this year thanks to a warm winter. Owner of Mitcham Farms in Ruston, Joe Mitcham, says the crop needs a lot of cold hours, temperatures under 45 degrees for a majority of the winter in order for the fruit to properly develop…:
Cut 10 (09) “300″