The statewide average price for a gallon of gasoline has dropped to $2.48.  What does that mean for the summer driving season?  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (30) I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

A special operations solider was killed and 12 others wounded during a training accident at Fort Polk Army installation in Vernon Parish yesterday. 34-year-old Staff Sgt. Jacob Hess of Kansas died of injuries he sustained during the exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center. The wounded soldiers all sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are assigned to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

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An explosive rumor that presumptive 1^st pick in the NBA Draft, Zion Williamson, would refuse to play in New Orleans had some cold water thrown on it by the Duke legend’s stepfather in an interview this morning with ESPN Baton Rouge. Bourbon Street Shots writer Jesse Brooks says outburst of rumors can likely be attributed to salty fans and media personalities and added that kind of action would be out of character for Zion.

Cut 11 (11)“…sense.”

The House Labor committee voted nine-to-six against legislation requiring private employers to pay men and woman the same for similar work. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton was disappointed the measure failed.

Cut 14 (11) “…love them today” 

Studies show that Louisiana has the largest gender wage gap in the country.

The House Labor committee voted nine-to-six against legislation requiring private employers to pay men and woman the same for similar work. Studies show that Louisiana has the largest gender wage gap in the country, but Bossier City Representative Raymond Crews says men are more willing to work on holidays, work longer hours and perform more dangerous work.
Cut 13 (07) “…pay better.”
There has been a bit of relief at the pump recently, which is welcomed news as the summer driving season draws closer. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says going into the summer, AAA is forecasting the price of fuel to be similar or cheaper than last year, but the price is ultimately subject to the news of the day.
Cut 9 (08) “…the picture today.”
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The House Labor Committee rejects a proposal to allow local governments to set their own minimum wage. A 1997 Louisiana law prohibits parishes and cities from setting their own local minimum wage rates. But New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis says local government bodies know what their workers need…
Cut 3 (09) “…economies.”
DuPlessis says the current 7.25 statwide minimum is not a liveable wage.
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry opposed the measure. VP of Governmental Relations Jim Patterson says the proposal would place undue burden on statewide businesses.
Cut 4 (07) “…untenable”
But Patterson warned that allowing those cities to raise wages to what they consider “live-able” levels would result in layoffs.

The House Labor Committee rejects a proposal to allow local governments to set their own minimum wage. A 1997 Louisiana law prohibits parishes and cities from setting their own local minimum wage rates. Shreveport City Councilwoman LeVette Fuller expressed support for the legislation, saying working people cannot live on 7.25 an hour and need a raise, but every city’s needs are different, and this legislation addresses that.

Cut 5 (11) “…New Orleans.”

Motorists are seeing a bit of relief at the pump recently, which is welcomed news as the summer driving season draws closer.  AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says the drop is due to both Louisiana being an oil producing state and seeing ease in demand.

Cut 8 (05) “…the main thing.”

Currently, the statewide average is around $2.48 a gallon.

An explosive rumor that presumptive 1^st pick in the NBA Draft, Zion Williamson, would refuse to play in New Orleans had some cold water thrown on it by the Duke legend’s stepfather in an interview this morning with ESPN Radio. Lee Anderson, Zion’s stepfather, told hosts that his stepson is looking forward to his upcoming pro career.
Cut 10 (12) “…considered.“.
Reports circulated that Williamson would have preferred New York or Atlanta.
The Senate passed a 3.8 billion dollar measure for education that includes a 1,000 dollar teacher pay raise, a 500 dollar raise for support personnel and a 39 million dollar block grant to school districts. Winnfield Senator Gerald Long supports the increase.

Cut 13 (12) “…do.”

The House Labor Committee rejects a proposal that would let cities and parishes establish their own minimum wage. It faced opposition from business lobbyist groups like the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Vice president for governmental relations for LABI says a higher minimum wage above the statewide minimum of $7.25 could lead to layoffs…
cut 6 (07) “…let go”
It appears that once again an effort to raise the minimum wage will not make it through the legislative session.

Motorists are seeing a bit of relief at the pump, which is welcomed news as the summer driving season draws closer. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says the current the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gas is 14-cents cheaper than this time last year.
Cut 7 (09) “…$2.48 a gallon.”
Redman says a decline in demand has led to a drop in gasoline prices.

Louisiana meets a long held goal of obtaining a four-year high school graduation rate over 80 percent. Matt Doyle has more.
Voicer 2 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The wife of former US Senator David Vitter, Wendy Vitter, has been confirmed for a lifetime seat as a federal judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The US Senate voted in favor of her confirmation.

A proposal to allow local governments to set their own minimum wage fails in a House Committee 9-6. In 1997, Louisiana passed a preemption law overriding local wage requirements in favor of a statewide minimum. New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis says he brought the bill because local voters know better than the state what their workers need to survive…
Cut 3 (09) “…economies.”
But the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry opposed the measure. LABI vice president of governmental relations Jim Patterson says the proposal would place an undue burden on many businesses.
Cut 4 (07) “…untenable”

Over in the House Ag committee, they did not take up a proposal to prohibit a person convicted of animal abuse from owning an animal.

Educators in Louisiana are celebrating a milestone. The high school graduation rate is the highest ever and the graduation rate for African American students has surpassed the national average. State Education Superintendent John White.
Cut 7 (11) “…rate.”
White also says the number of students qualifying for the TOPS scholarship program has increased by five-thousand since 2012.

A House approved bill by Belle Chase Representative Chris Leopold that would allow grocery and liquor stores to delivery factory sealed alcohol to a person’s home is headed to the Senate floor. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson asked about the chance of enabling an addiction.
Cut 12 (09) “…I mean really?”
Under the bill, the employee making the delivery would have the authority to determine if someone is already too drunk to be served.

The state Senate has approved a one-thousand dollar pay raise for teachers, plus 39-million dollars in block grant funding for public schools. The House has already said they support a 12-hundred dollar pay hike for teachers, but they do not support giving public schools additional dollars. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says if you don’t increase funding for public schools teachers, then teachers will have to use more of their own money to pay for school supplies…
cut (09) “…to the classroom”
This dispute over education funding will likely not be settled until the final days of the legislative session, which ends June 6th.

A woman was fatally shot in the face early this morning in the nine-hundred block of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Police have arrested 33-year-old Alexander Kirby in connection with the killing. He’s been charged with second-degree murder.

A House approved proposal to allow grocery and liquor stores to delver factory sealed alcohol to a person’s home is nearing final legislative passage. Lobbyist Alton Ashy the person making the delivery would have to be a store employee certified by ACT to very recipient’s age. Ashy that’s just one of many safe guards the legislation has…
cut 11 (09) “…all times”
The proposal heads to the Senate floor for more discussion.

The House Ag Committee was expected to hear a bill at this hour that would prohibit a person convicted of animal abuse from owning an animal. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says the legislation would create an animal abuser registry, similar to the state’s sex offender registry….
cut 4 (10) “….convicted animal abusers”
The author of the proposal is Amite Representative Robby Carter.

The Senate backs an education funding proposal that calls for a 1,000 dollar teacher pay raise and 39 million dollars in additional funds for public schools, setting the stage for a showdown with the House…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Rolling Stones announces that the legendary rock band will perform in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on July 14th. Rolling Stones had to cancel its Jazz Fest performance because frontman Mick Jagger needed medical treatment.

Louisiana’s high school graduation rate has hit a record high for the state at 81-percent. State Education Superintendent John White says the graduation rate for black students has surpassed the national average. And White says the number of students qualifying for the TOPS scholarship program has increased by five-thousand since 2012, which means more students are receiving an education beyond high school…
cut 9 (11) “…family”

Coming up in the next hour, the House Ag committee will consider a bill that would prohibit a person convicted of animal abuse from owning an animal. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says the legislation would create an animal abuser registery, so that pet stores, animal shelters and others can see if a person has animal abuse convictions in their history….
cut 6 (10) “…probably next session”