A Grant Parish lawmaker seeks a ban on gender reassignment surgery for minors. More from Kevin Gallagher…:

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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State Senator Heather Cloud is demanding changes at the Office of Juvenile Justice. David Grubb has more…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m David Grubb.” 

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With COVID cases in a lull, the Department of Corrections is bringing back contact visitation and the beloved Angola Prison Rodeo. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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A Grant Parish lawmaker proposes legislation to prevent minors from receiving transgender medical procedures. Pollock Republican state Representative Gabe Firment says sexual reassignment is a major undertaking and a decision best not left to juveniles to decide. He says his bill is about protecting them…:

Cut 4 (15)  “…serious side effects.”

Firment’s House Bill 570 would prohibit a whole group of medical procedures for anyone under 18, IF the service is part of a gender transition. Firment says there are already numerous cases of young people who had that done and then regretted their decision. He says science & medical experts are in the process of changing their position on gender reassignment procedures…:

Cut 5 (15) “…children under 18.”

Firment says there is little evidence of improved psychiatric outcomes after a person has had transgender surgery, so he thinks Louisiana should take steps to assure that minors don’t make a decision they may regret…:

Cut 6 (07)  “…social media and peer pressure.”

Firment says there are also serious medical risks from these procedures, so these decisions should be left up to adults.

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State Senator Heather Cloud didn’t think that juvenile justice would be her calling in the legislature. But after visiting a detention center in her district and seeing a rise in violence at facilities as well as numerous escapes, she says enough is enough.

Cut 7 (12) “..flaws and gaps.”

Cloud wants to see a plan of action to address the psychological, physical, and educational needs of juveniles and has asked for one from three separate secretaries. She hopes that with more legislators behind her and the cooperation of OJJ, there will be one soon.

Cut 8 (10)  “…path moving forward.”

Funding hasn’t been an issue, according to Cloud, pointing out that OJJ has received regular increases to its budget. She says the department has failed at both rehabilitating young offenders and protecting its employees, and that taxpayers deserve and demand better.

Cut 9 (12)  “…in the wind.”

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As COVID cases remain in a lull, Louisiana State Prisons are bringing back contact visitation and they are also set to bring back the Angola Prison Rodeo next month. Department of Corrections Spokesperson Ken Pastorick says they are also taking precautions.

Cut 10 (12) “…fully vaccinated.”

You can find out more information about reservations, hours, and requirements for contact visitation at doc.la.gov.

Pastorick says it’s been a long two years of non-contact visitation and they are hopeful COVID cases will continue to decline so family and friends can visit once again in person…

Cut  11 (11)  “…incarcerated.”  

And DOC is also excited to announce the return of the Angola Prison Rodeo, on April 23 and 24^th. Tickets for the event usually sell out and after a two-year hiatus, Pastorick says he wouldn’t put off buying your ticket this year.

Cut 12 (12) “…experienced before”

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at AngolaRodeo.com

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LSU takes to the court tonight in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, its third appearance in the last four years. It will do so without its head coach and with a very young roster. Senior Darius Days has embraced the task of keeping the team together.

Cut 13 (16) “…gonna be alright.”

Days says the Tigers’ formula for success is already there. They just have to get back to doing the things that helped them start the season 15-1.

Cut 14 (16)  “…early in the game.”

LSU will face Iowa State, out of the Big 12. The Cyclones finished 2-22 last season, but are 20-12 this season, and were ranked as high as number 8 in the country. Days says at this point, the opponent doesn’t matter, what the Tigers do is what will decide the outcome.

Cut 15 (16)  “…with the win.”

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The 13th ranked LSU baseball team begins SEC play tonight against Texas A-and-M and the status of the Tigers’ top starting pitcher is unknown. Blake Money left last Friday’s game with a wrist injury and yesterday Coach Jay Johnson couldn’t say if he would start tonight or even pitch this weekend

Cut 16 (10)  “…different day.”

If Money can not start tonight, Ty Floyd or Ma’Khail Hilliard would likely make the start. Hilliard won his first game of the season last Sunday when he threw six shutout innings against Bethune-Cookman. Johnson plans to lean on the fifth-year senior during SEC weekends…

Cut 17 (16) “ …our advantage.” 

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Governor Edwards wants to allocate 500-million dollar for a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. Speaker Pro Tem Tanner Magee says he supports a new bridge but he’d like to see a plan to secure the remaining funding needed, so the project is secure…

Cut 4 (12) “…the sidelines”
The Office of Juvenile Justice reported seven escapes compared to just one for the Department of Corrections in 2021, and there have been multiple so far this year. State Senator Heather Cloud says she’s seeking answers from OJJ on how to remedy the problem and others when it comes to juvenile offenders.

Cut 7 (12) “..flaws and gaps.”

Grant Parish Representative Gabe Firment is proposing legislation to prevent minors from receiving transgender medical procedures. He says sexual reassignment is a major undertaking and a decision juveniles should not make. He says his bill is about protecting them

RIGHT Cut 4 (15)  “…serious side effects.”

The bill prohibits a whole group of medical procedures for anyone under 18, IF the service is part of a gender transition.

New Orleans Representative Kyle Green says he’s not moving forward with his bill to rename the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans after late former Governor Edwin Edwards. According to the Advocate Newspaper, the bridge is named the Crescent City Connection as a result of a publicly-voted contest and the person who proposed the name objected to naming it after Edwards.

A proposal to use tolls to fund the construction of a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles receives strong opposition from Louisiana truckers.  Brooke Thorington has more..:

CUT 01(33)      “…Brooke Thorington.”

Deputies in Livingston Parish say they’ve nabbed the man they believe assaulted a man on Interstate 12 and stole his vehicle. The victim is being treated for multiple stab wounds. His pickup truck was recovered intact and his alleged attacker is now behind bars.

In an effort to stave off record-high inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised the prime short-term lending rate by ¼ of a percent; meaning higher loan rates for businesses and consumers. Louisiana Realtors Association CEO Norman Morris says standard mortgage rates are now at over 4-percent; their highest since April of 2019. He says that WILL mean buying a home may be a bit harder – especially for first-time buyers – but the real estate industry remains positive for the economy to stabilize…:

CUT 13(11)      “…to fight this inflation.”

Despite the interest rate hike, Morris says real estate is a sellers’ market right now, and prospective buyers will still be motivated to make that big purchase. He says home-buying is still a great way to build personal wealth and one’s credit score.

The actor known to fans as the Falcon in Marvel movies is building a film studio in Eastern New Orleans. Anthony Mackie has bought 20 acres at I-10 and Read Boulevard for the facility to house his East Film LLC.

As the Fed raises interest rates a quarter-point, what effect will that have on Louisiana homebuyers? Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 2 (34)…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”  

Former Caddo Parish Commissioner Lynn Cawthorne is sentenced to almost four years in prison along with his sister Belena Turner in a scheme to defraud the USDA of funds for a Summer Feeding Service Program. Cawthorne also pled guilty to false tax claims in a separate indictment.

Renee Amar, Executive Director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association says her members are very opposed to the possibility of the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles being funded by tolls. She believes the administration needs to put the Calcasieu Bridge on the front burner and rethink how they will spend federal infrastructure funds.

Cut 8 (09) “…goods to us.” 

The most recent estimate for the project is $600 to $800 million.

LSU wants to set itself apart by becoming a leader in cybersecurity. Provost Matt Lee says the university is ready for the challenge and believes business and industry leaders will flock to graduates of this unique combination of cyber security and defense studies.

Cut 11 (09)  “…academic endeavors.”  

This is uncharted territory for LSU, as there isn’t another program like this in the country.

Governor John Bel Edwards’s proposes allocating $500-million toward building a new I-10 Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, but his plan faces pushback from legislative leaders. Senate President Page Cortez says that’s a lot of money to set aside, when environmental impact studies haven’t been done or even a place to put the bridge not selected…:

CUT 03(08)      “…before it gets spent.”’

One plan to build that bridge is a public-private partnership that would make it a toll bridge – at least for a while. The trucking industry doesn’t like that idea. Louisiana Motor Transport Association director Renee Amar says that’ll just drive the overall cost of the project up…:

CUT 07(07)      “…just to break even.”

The most recent estimate for the project is $600-million to $800-million. Amar believes the administration needs to give the Calcasieu I-10 Bridge top priority in the near term.

Lawmen are on the lookout for three of five violent and potentially dangerous juvenile offenders, who escaped from the Bridge City Center for Youth last night. All are between 16 and 18. Officers caught up with them in a stolen truck on I-19, but three got away. The search for those three is ongoing.

One of new LSU President William Tate’s priority projects is becoming at leader in cybersecurity. LSU Provost Matt Lee says a strategy of cross-training of students in different disciplines is one way to help that happen. Lee says LSU will strengthen its ROTC program with facility and training upgrades and add new skill development tracks for civilian students as well…:

CUT 10(12)      “…development.”

They also plan to expand faculty and research at the LSU engineering school.

A proposal to use tolls to fund the construction of a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles receives strong opposition from Louisiana truckers…
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

New Orleans Representative Kyle Green says he’s not moving forward with his bill to rename the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans after late former Governor Edwin Edwards. According to the Advocate Newspaper, the bridge is named the Crescent City Connection as a result of a publicly-voted contest and the person who proposed the name objected to naming it after Edwards.

In an effort to stave off record-high inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised the prime short-term lending rate by ¼ of a percent; meaning higher loan rates for businesses and consumers. Louisiana Realtors Association CEO Norman Morris says standard mortgage rates are now at over 4-percent; their highest since April of 2019…:
Cut 12 (08) “…the week before.”
Morris says, yes, the rate increase will mean buying a home may be a bit harder – especially for first-time buyers

Positioning the state’s flagship university as a leader in cybersecurity is one of LSU President William Tate’s top priorities, and now the university has a strategy in place to make that happen. Provost Matt Lee said that step one is increasing faculty and expanding research in LSU’s highly-respected engineering college.
Cut 9 (12) “…at a university.”