Governor Edwards faced off with Republican Gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Ralph Abraham for the first time during a forum hosted by the Public Affairs Research Council. Kevin Barnhart was there
Cut 3 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Louisiana’s Parole Board has denied parole for 72-year-old Henry Montgomery. When he was 17-years-old, Montgomery killed an East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Deputy in 1963. His case led to a U-S Supreme Court ruling that said juvenile killers should not be sentenced to life without parole.

Will Wade will meet today with LSU and NCAA officials in the first official meeting between the groups since the basketball coach was suspended because of an FBI wire tap scandal. Tiger Rag associate editor Tyler Nunez says the meeting could lead to Wade’s reinstatement….
Cut 7 (09) “…a week.”
And five players from the SEC championship team have declared for the NBA draft.

Baton Rouge Judge Beau Higginbotham has slammed the attorney representing a man charged in the fatal hit and run of a Zachary firefighter, calling Martin Regan a “disgraceful” defense lawyer and fining him 100-dolalrs. Higginbotham also fined co-counsel Harry Ward 50-dollars. Regan says this is an outrageous response to an ongoing legal dispute…
cut 4 (11) “…Mr Harry”
Higginbotham fined Regan after he missed four court dates.

Governor John Bel Edwards and one his Republican challengers, Ralph Abraham, appeared together for the first time at a forum hosted by the Public Affairs Research Council. Abraham criticized the governor for the latest census data that showed a declining population in Louisiana. Edwards says that’s why it’s important to invest more dollars into education…
cut 15 (12) “…in higher education”
Abraham says he is for smaller government and that over taxation and regulation is leading many businesses to look elsewhere.
Cut 16 (12) “…want to read.”
The other republican challenger, Eddie Rispone, did not appear because of a scheduling conflict.

The long awaited meeting between LSU and suspended basketball coach Will Wade will take place today at an undisclosed time and place. Athletic Director Joe Alleva has been waiting to speak with Wade about a reported FBI wire tap that alleges Wade discussing a strong offer made to a recruit. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor Tyler Nunez says today’s meeting could lead to Wade’s reinstatement…
cut 9 (11) “….there”
Houston-based Red Circle Ice Cream has been serving up crawfish ice cream. Owner Nickey Ngo (No) says their shop has also offered up Hot Cheetos flavored ice cream and barbeque flavored ice cream…
cut 12 (10) “….flavored ice cream”
The crawfish ice cream features real butter, real garlic, cajun spices and cayenne pepper.

Coach Will Wade is set to meet with LSU and NCAA officials today for the first time since he was suspended in the wake of an FBI wiretap scandal…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

An arrest report shows 21-year-old Holden Matthews of Opelousas left behind a trail of evidence that led authorities to arresting him in connection with fires at three historically black Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish. The key piece of evidence was a red gas can found at one of the crime scenes.

Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Ralph Abraham faced off in a forum put on by the Public Affairs Research Council. Edwards made the case the state is in a better position today than when he took office over three years ago. But Abraham criticized the governor for raising taxes and growing government…
cut 14 (09) “”….over and over again”
The other gubernatorial candidate, Eddie Rispone, did not attend.

A Baton Rouge judge has issued a bench warrant for prominent New Orleans attorneyu Martin Regan for failing to appear at multiple court dates for his client, Albert Jermaine Franklin Junior, who is facing a manslaughter charge in the hit and run death of Zachary firefighter and reserve police officer Christopher Lawton. Regan eventually appeared and was fined one-hundred dollars. Regan believes Judge Beau Higginbotham mishandled the situation
cut 6 (06) “…this matter”

Will Wade is meeting with LSU and NCAA officials today for the first time since he was suspended in the wake of a recruiting scandal FBI wiretap. Matt Doyle has more.

 Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

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You may have seen crawfish flavored ice cream on social media, but unlike somethings on your newsfeed, it’s real. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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On Thursday, Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican Candidate Congressman Ralph Abraham both made their case as to why they deserve to be Governor.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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A trial in the a fatal march hit and run of a Zachary Firefighter sparked an unusual incident as a state judge slammed a “disgraceful” defense lawyer in court and issued a warrant for him.

Lead attorney Martin Regan says the outburst and warrant was an outrageous response to an ongoing legal dispute in the trial.

Cut 4 (11) “…Mr. Harry.”

Regan says the DA had attempted to unconstitutionally force the defense to provide witnesses that could be used against them, and when they challenged that move, the judge lashed out.

District Judge Beau Higginbotham held Regan in contempt of court, and Regan says it was retribution for sending sending one of his colleagues in his stead. Regan says he’s never seen a judge lash out because the defense utilized more than one lawyer.

Cut 5 (09) “…case.”

District Judge Beau Higginbotham says the outburst was promoted by the “disgraceful” handling of the case, and what he said was defense co-counsel Harry Ward ineffective and unprepared representation.

Regan plans to appeal his 100 dollar fine and contempt of court charge, and says if the judge had a disagreement, this was no way to handle it.

Cut 6 (06) “…this matter”

Regan’s client is 33-year-old Jermaine Franklin Jr., who is facing manslaughter charges.

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Will Wade will meet today with LSU and NCAA officials in the first official meeting between the groups since the basketball coach was suspended for alleged recruiting violations.

Tiger Rag associate editor Tyler Nunez says the meeting could be the first step in getting Wade back in Purple and Gold.

Cut 7 (09) “…a week.”

Wade recently fired his attorney, and hired new representation who’s been working to facilitate the meeting. Previously Wade’s attorney had the suspended coach on a gag order.

This rapid change of events comes on the heels of reports that Wade may not be forced to testify in the basketball corruption trial of a man he was reportedly caught on tape trying to bribe for recruit. Nunez says that’s good news for the coach.

Cut 8 (09) “…happen.”

Nunez says isn’t wasn’t long ago that he and most other Tiger analysts considered Wade a dead man walking, but the school signaled they might not be done with the young coach after refusing to fire him after the Tiger’s NCAA tournament exit.

Cut 9 (11) “…there.″

The meeting was confirmed by LSU senior associate athletic director Robert Munsen.

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While crawfish is a sacred delicacy in the Bayou state, the idea of crawfish flavored ice cream might make the most authentic Cajuns wince. But that flavor has gained popularity on the internet and is see many people make the trip to visit Red Circle Ice Cream in Houston, TX. Owner Nickey Ngo says the curiosity has been strong among those that have heard about the frozen treat.

Cut 10 (09) “…on social media.”

Ngo says when preparing the batch of craft ice cream, they go through the entire process of an actual crawfish boil to capture the true flavor.

Cut 11 (10) “…lick your lips.”

If the idea of biting into ice cream with chunks of mud bug meat is unappetizing, Ngo says you do not have to worry about that because they strain everything out, so it’s the creamy texture you would be used to in a more traditional ice cream flavor.

Ngo says the gimmick of having unique flavors something the shop does often as they’ve have Hot Cheetos flavored as well as barbeque flavored ice creams in the past.

Cut 12 (10) “…flavored ice cream.″

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At a forum in Baton Rouge on Thursday, Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican Candidate Congressman Ralph Abraham both made their case as to why they deserve to be in the Governor’s mansion. Edwards cited that voters know that the state is in a better position today than it was when he took office following the 2015 election.

Cut 13 (09) “…kids on TOPS.”

Abraham brushed off the claims of Edwards by saying he’s grown government and increased taxes to achieve the surplus but isn’t seeing much else that has been done with the extra tax money.

Cut 14 (09) “…over and over again.”

Abraham highlighted the dropping population in Louisiana, but the Governor says the way to combat that is to invest in education, which will lead decision makers with businesses to invest in Louisiana to create the opportunity for people to stay.

Cut 15 (12) “…in higher education.”

Abraham says he is for smaller government and that over taxation and regulation is leading many businesses to look elsewhere.

Cut 16  (12) “…want to read.” 

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After scoring just two runs in a loss to Southern on Tuesday, the 8th ranked LSU baseball team begins a weekend series with Missouri tonight. Mizzou has the top ERA in the SEC. Right fielder Antoine Duplantis says they have swung the bats well in SEC play and he hopes that continues in the Show Me State…

 cut 17 (17)   “..this weekend” 

Cut 18 (19)  get to see more” 

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La Tech begins a huge series at Florida Atlantic tonight. The Owls are in first place in Conference USA with a 11-and-1 record. Tech is 8-and-4 and they’ve lost just one league game since they were swept by Southern Miss in the opening weekend of conference play. Bulldogs Coach Lane Burroughs credits good starting pitching…

Cut 19 (17)       “came out” 

Tech has won eight in a row and Burroughs is looking forward to see how his team plays against the best team in Conference USA…

Cut 20 (20) “…quality opponent”

Republican state lawmakers grilled the Department of Health about irregularities in the Medicaid expansion population, but it appears the policy is popular as 73 percent of Louisianans support the expansion according to the fourth installment of the 2019 Louisiana Survey.
Manship School Dean Martin Johnson says before you preface the question with any background information about costs, the policy has bipartisan backing.
Cut 12 (07) “…expansion”
The survey also found 74 percent of Louisianans support protections for pre-existing conditions in health insurance.
The survey shows support for the expansion increases even further when respondents were informed about how many people were covered by it, but Johnson says GOP support begins to collapse when the cost of the program is mentioned, something gubernatorial candidates are sure to notice…
Cut 13 (12) “…counting on”
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The Revenue Estimating Conference’s updated revenue forecast gives lawmakers 110 million dollars extra to spend for this fiscal year, and 119 million dollars more for the next fiscal year.
Everyone at the Capitol appears ready to back a 1,000 dollar teacher pay raise, and 500 dollar support personnel pay raise, which could eat up most of these newly surplus funds. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says if the raise passes, funds will be tight.
Cut 11 (10) “…today.”
The forecast showed a 308 million dollar budget surplus from the fiscal year ending on June 30th.
The governor was away from the capitol addressing the arrest of 21-year-old Holden Matthews in the St. Landry Church arsons. The governor says the crime was shocking, and almost impossible to comprehend.
Cut 6 (12) “…evil acts”

Suspended LSU basketball coach Will Wade will finally meet with LSU athletic director Joe Alleva tomorrow. The story was first reported by Sports Illustrated and Senior Associate Athletic Director Robert Munson has confirmed to the Louisiana Radio Network that the meeting will take place. Alleva has been waiting for a month for Wade to discuss with him the purported FBI wiretap that has the LSU coach discussing what he calls a strong offer made to a recruit.

Freshman Guard Javonte Smart’s name came up in that wiretap conversation and today the Baton Rouge product announced he’s entering the NBA draft. Smart becomes the fourth member of the 2018-19 SEC Championship team to declare for the draft. He averaged 11 points a game this past season.

A Florida television station reports former LSU and current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was arrested for driving on a suspended license. His license was reportedly suspended because of an unpaid traffic ticket.

Louisiana Tech has cancelled Saturday’s spring game, because severe weather is in the forecast for the Ruston area. Coach Skip Holtz says he hates that the university made this decision, but unfortunately the weather forecast for Saturday is not cooperating. Holtz wishes he can show off the progress the team has made over the past few weeks.

The 8th ranked LSU baseball team left Baton Rouge today for their SEC match-up with Missouri. The Tigers will look to bounce back from Tuesday’s upset loss to Southern. Mizzou has the best ERA in the SEC. First pitch tomorrow is at 6 PM.

Louisiana Tech takes on the number one team in Conference USA when the Bulldogs battle Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. The Owls are 11-and-1 in league play and they’ve won seven in a row. Tech has won eight straight and they are in third place in the league standings.

ULM has won four in a row and the Warhawks are at Appalachian State. The Warhawks are 5-and-7 in the Sun Belt, while the Cajuns are 6-and-6 in league play. U-L Lafayette hosts South Alabama.

In the Southland, Northwestern State visits Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons six-game losing streak ended last night with an eight to four loss to ULM.

A forgotten gas can appears to be the link that led investigators to the alleged St. Landry Church arsonist. Court documents show the can was left behind at one of the arsons, and was eventually traced by to an Opelousas Walmart, where it was sold to a 21-year-old Holden Matthews, the son of a St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputy, just hours before the first fire. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says a motive has not been determined yet, but…
Cut 8 (10) “…church burnings.”
The first church to burn down was the St. Mary Bapstist Church in Port Barre on March 26. Two more churches were torched in early April in Opelousas.
LSU football has received a verbal pledge from four-star cornerback Lorando Johnson from Lancaster High School in Texas. 24-7 sports reports Johnson is rated as the nation’s 11th best corner in the country.
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The Revenue Estimating Conference’s updated revenue forecast gives lawmakers 119 million dollars more for the next fiscal year, roughly enough to pay for a sought after 1,000 dollar teacher pay raise. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there wouldn’t be much cash left over after the pay hike.
Cut 11 (10) “…today.”
73 percent of Louisianans support Governor Edwards’ Medicaid expansion according to the fourth installment of the 2019 Louisiana Survey, but 55 percent of respondents said they were “unsure” whether the state had expanded Medicaid, with only 35 percent correctly saying that it had. Manship School Dean Martin Johnson.
Cut 14 (07) “…we do”
The expansion’s popularity has risen four percent in the three years since the survey began tracking it’s approval rating.

According to court documents an Opelousas man arrested for burning down three historical black churches was caught after a gas can that was left at the scene of one of the arsons was traced backed to a sale at a Opelousas Walmart, and a debit card belonging to 21-year-old Holden Matthews. Governor John Bel Edwards congratulates law enforcement for their swift work on the case.
Cut 6 (12) “…evil acts”
The time stamp on the gas can receipt was less than 3 hours before the first church fire was reported.
Walmart is investing an estimated $73 million into remodeling 15 stores in Louisiana. Walmart spokesperson Anne Hatfield says among the innovations, Walmart is adding autonomous shelf scanning to help with inventory, grocery pickup and delivery, and Walmart Pickup Towers.
Cut 4 (08) “…on walmart.com.”
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The Revenue Estimating Conference’s updated revenue forecast gives lawmakers 110 million dollars extra to spend for this fiscal year, and 119 million dollars more for the next fiscal year. The legislature can now go about crafting a budget, knowing exactly how much money they can spend, something they couldn’t do previously. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says he’s disappointed the final numbers came out lower than expected, but it’s better than nothing.
Cut 10 (09) “…forecast.”
73 percent of Louisianans support Governor Edwards’ Medicaid expansion according to the fourth installment of the 2019 Louisiana Survey. Manship School Dean Martin Johnson says GOP support begins to collapse when the cost of the program is mentioned, something gubernatorial candidates are sure to notice…
Cut 13 (12) “…counting on”