A tornado watch is in effect until seven o’ clock tonight for much of south Louisiana, a portion of central Louisiana and delta parishes in northeast Louisiana. National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Efferson says the big concern is that the unstable atmosphere has the potential of producing strong tornadoes…

Cut 9 (08) “…part of the area”

Baton Rouge boy Scott Woodward is coming home to take over LSU Athletics after a three year run as Texas A&M’s Athletic Director.

Woodward is renown for putting A&M sports back on the map with the hiring of football coach Jimbo Fisher and basketball coach Buzz Williams. Robert Cessna with AggieSports.com says he’s a real winner.

Cut 3 (10) “…everybody ”

The latest data released from the Louisiana survey shows a majority of support for the legalizing both sports betting and recreational marijuana. On the topic of marijuana, its saw the strongest support from 18-29 year old with an 80% approval, but those 65 and older showed majority opposition.
A family advocacy group is bringing legislation that would guarantee Louisianans 12 weeks of paid parental, family emergency, or long term illness leave. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

LSU has officially announced that Scott Woodward is the university’s next athletic director. Woodward has been Texas A-and-M’s athletic director since 2016 and also had the same job at Washington for eight years. Glen Guilbeau, covers LSU for the USA Today Network and says Woodward is a Baton Rouge native…
cut 13 (06) “…Louisiana”
Woodward recently hired Jimbo Fisher as the Aggies football coach and just hired Buzz Williams as the new A-and-M basketball coach.

The Louisiana SPCA is advising families don’t purchase a rabbit as a gift for Easter, unless you are really prepared to take care of the animal. The organization receives dozens of bunnies after the Easter holiday from owners with buyer’s remorse. Louisiana SPCA spokesperson Rebecca Melanson says there are great alternatives to giving bunnies and baby chickens as gifts at Easter…
cut 12 (07) “….for real chicks”

At the Capitol, a bill has been filed that seeks to guarantee all Louisianans 12 weeks of paid family or medical illness leave. A group called Louisiana Families First is push for support for the proposal. A small payroll tax would help pay for a state run program that would hand out partial checks to workers on leave. Louisiana Families First spokesperson Caitlin Berni says 82 percent of those polled were on board with his concept
Cut 9 (09) “…employee″
The bill is being sponsored by New Orleans Senator JP Morrell.

Heavy rainfall has been falling on the western side of Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says one to two inches of rain could fall in a short period of time…
cut 5 (05) “…careful with that”
Most of the northern half of the state is under a flash flood watch and so is southeast Louisiana. There’s also a threat for tornadoes later today.

LSU has made it official. Scott Woodward is the new athletics director at LSU, replacing the unpopular Joe Alleva. The LSU grad will be formally welcomed back on Tuesday. Woodward was the director of LSU’s external affairs from 2000 to 2004 and most recently the athletics director at Texas A-and-M.

Strong storms are starting to pop on what is supposed to be an active weather day. Kevin Barnhart has more…
voicer 1 (31) “…Kevin Barnhart”

There’s a push in the legislative session to pass legislation that would guarantee all Louisianans 12 weeks of paid family or medical illness leave, along with legal protections against being fired while out. Caitlin Berni, a spokesperson for a coalition called Louisiana Families First says the proposal would create a state-run fund created by a small payroll tax, split roughly between employers and employees…
Cut 7 (08) “employer”
The bill includes parental leave, leave to take care of a close relative who has fallen ill, and long term medical leave for events like chemo therapy in cancer patients.

The message is going out again, a real bunny as an Easter gift is not a good idea in most cases. For the last two years, over 60 pet rabbits were turned over to the Louisiana SPCA following the Easter holiday from owners with buyer’s remorse. Louisiana SPCA spokesperson Rebecca Melanson says many people do not realize the commitment of rabbit ownership.
Cut 10 (09) “…in your family.”

Joe Alleva is out and it appears Scott Woodward is in as LSU’s new athletic director. Multiple reports say the Baton Rouge native will leave his A-D job at Texas A-and M for the same job at his alma mater. Glen Gilbeau of the USA Today Network says a new style of leadership is coming to LSU…

Cut 14 (12) “…Scott.”

Woodward did what LSU couldn’t do and that’s hire Jimbo Fisher as is his head football coach.

A bill is being introduced that would guarantee all Louisianans 12 weeks of paid family or medical illness leave. Berni Consulting partner Caitlin Berni says the pot of leave money to fund the leave would grow overtime, and mechanisms would be put in place to cover expenses of young workers who need to take the leave before they’ve built up enough money to cover 12 weeks. Berni says the leave is transferable between jobs.

Cut 8 (10) “…four quarters.”

The leave pay would come directly from the fund, and not your employer while you were out.

You’ll want to keep an eye on the weather today, strong storms have already moved into the state in northwest Louisiana where they’ve already reported flooding and several power outages. Across the state, several schools and businesses closed for the day in anticipation for the severe weather. Strong winds with gusts up to 45 miles per hour have been reported, and flood advisories are in effect until late this evening. The line of storms is expected to be followed with a cold front dropping temperatures into the lower 50s later tonight.

Thinking about getting a bunny or a chick as gift for someone this Easter? The Louisiana SPCA says you may want to reconsider. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

An unsettled and intense story system has started to make its way through Louisiana. Much of the state is under an enhanced risk for severe weather, which is why many schools and government offices are closed. There’s the threat of a tornado outbreak and state climatologist Barry Keim says this is the time of the year when we see severe weather…

cut 6 (07) “…makes perfect sense”

The northern half of Louisiana is under a flash flood watch and so is a portion of southeast Louisiana.

Texas A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward has been tapped to replaced LSU AD Joe Alleva.

This wraps up a wild week for the school that saw basketball coach Will Wade’s suspension lifted, and a long time AD axed. Glen Guilbeau with the USA Today Network says Alleva was not a popular figure in the program, and it’s remarkable he stuck around for over ten years.

Cut 15 (09) “…he did.”

Nola.com reports the hire was made less than an hour after it was announced that Alleva was set to “transition” into a new role at the school while his contract runs for another year.

At the Capitol there’s a bill being introduced to guarantee all Louisianans 12 weeks of paid family or medical illness leave. Louisiana Families First is beginning a statewide effort to push support for the proposal. While it would functionally be an income tax increase of about a quarter of a percent on most workers, Caitlin Berni with Berni Consulting, she says 82 percent of those polled were on board.

Cut 9 (09) “…employee″

The bill is being sponsored by New Orleans Senator JP Morrell.

It’s Easter this weekend and it’s also a popular time of the year when people give rabbits as gifts. The Louisiana SPCA says an average of 60 pet rabbits are turned over to shelters following the Easter holiday from owners with buyer’s remorse.  SPCA spokesperson Rebecca Melanson says each year, in addition to rabbits that are turned into shelters, some people even try release rabbits in the wild in an effort to relinquish ownership.

Cut 11 (05) “…from wild rabbits.”

The average lifespan of a rabbit is 10-12 years.

Another round of bad weather is impacting Louisiana today, starting this morning. There’s an enhanced risk for severe weather in the forecast for East Carroll Parish all the way down to southwest Louisiana and all parishes east of that stretch. State Climatologist Barry Keim says expect strong thunderstorms.

Cut 4 (08) “…of Louisiana today.”

Strong storms are currently moving into northwest Louisiana.

Texas A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward is reportedly set to take over as LSU’s new AD. Woodward has been in charge of Aggies athletics since 2016, but Glen Guilbeau, who covers LSU for the USA Today Network, says he’s a local boy who may have been itching to get back to his roots in the boot.

Cut 13 (06) “Louisiana.”

Woodward presided over the hiring of football coach Jimbo Fisher at A&M, a 10 year 75 million dollar contract.

A bill is being introduced that would guarantee all Louisianans 12 weeks of paid family or medical illness leave, along with legal protections against being fired while out. Berni Consulting partner Caitlin Berni says it would allow you to draw from a fund managed by the Workforce Commission, and paid into by you and your employer every paycheck.

Cut 7 (08) “employer”

The bill includes parental leave, leave to take care of a close relative who has fallen ill, and long term medical leave for events like chemo therapy in cancer patients.

The Gofundme campaign for the three St. Landry parish churches that burned down has reached its goal of one-point-eight million dollars and the donations continue to pour in.

LSU Athletics Director Joe Alleva has officially announced he’s stepping down. The university says he’ll be transitioning into a new role as special assistant to the president for donor relations, but will continue to serve as A-D until a new athletics director is named. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran

Cut 14 (11) “…figure.”

Alleva has been the school’s A-D since 2008 and his contract is set to expire next year.

Former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is under hospice care. Blanco, who served as governor from 2004 to 2008 was first diagnosed with an eye cancer in 2011, but the cancer returned in 2017 and spread to her liver. Last December, she said there’s no escape from her cancer. Franklin Representative Sam Jones spoke on the House floor to recognize the governor’s fight for her life…

Cut 3 (12) “…do so ”

Over 1.2 million dollars has been raised for the burned St. Landry Parish churches on a GoFundMe page that’s seen a surge in donations since a fire tore through the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Seventh District Missionary Baptist Church President Freddie Jack says the effort is much appreciated, and the congregations are taking the tragedy in stride while they figure out how to get back into their old homes.

Cut 8 (08) “…spirits”

The Center for Reproductive Rights says if an admitting privileges law set to be heard at the US Supreme Court were to take effect, two of the state’s three abortion clinics would close. President Nancy Northup says the regulation requiring clinics and providers to have admitting privileges at a local hospital would dramatically reduce access to the procedure.

Cut 9 (11) “…each year”

The only remaining clinic would be a facility in Baton Rouge.