The state supreme court rules in favor of a Baton Rouge pastor who refused to stop church services during COVID lockdown orders. So, does the ruling mean future emergency orders might lack enforcement? Does the ruling mean Pastor Spell can now sue the Governor and/or the state for damages? Loyola Law Professor Dane Ciolino.

Cut 6 (13)  “…First Amendment rights.”

There’s been a slight bump in COVID cases, but Governor Edwards says for the most part things are a stable. And as in previous surges, it’s expected that case counts will increase along with the high temperatures.

Cut 9 (10)  “…things happen.”

On Friday the state reported 730 news cases, the total does not included home tests.

The Senate Finance Committee approved the Senate’s version of a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins in July. The budget proposal contains a 15-hundred dollar raise for teachers and committee members also heard from parents to make sure eight million dollars is appropriated to install cameras in special ed classrooms…

Cut 12 (11) “…the bill” 

It’s State Fire Marshal Butch Browning’s last day at the helm today. Browning will be the executive director of the National Association of State Fire Marshalls. Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says Browning is excited about the new challenge and opportunity to improve safety on a national scale, as well as the future of the agency he leaves behind.

Cut 15 (13)  “…national impact.”

The state Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Baton Rouge pastor who refused to comply with Governor Edwards’ COVID lockdown. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

The Senate Finance Committee approved the Senate’s version of a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins in July. The budget proposal contains a 15-hundred dollar raise for teachers, 300-million dollars for a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, and 200-million for I-49 South, and another 200-million for a new Lake Charles bridge.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is seeing an increase in reported COVID cases, but hospitalizations remain low as only 65 people are hospitalized statewide with COVID….
cut 8 (12) “….several weeks”
Edwards says cases could continue to go up as people stay indoors to avoid the hot weather.

There’s a change at the top of the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office today as retiring State Fire Marshal Butch Browning is transferring his leadership Dan Wallis. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says Wallis has been Browning’s right hand throughout his term and says the two share a similar vision that will continue the growth and development the agency has seen over the years.
Cut 14 (11) “…provide them.”

The state Supreme Court has ruled 5-to-2 FOR the Baton Rouge area pastor who went to jail for defying the Governor’s COVID lockdown orders in 2020. Pastor Tony Spell, of the Life Tabernacle Church in Central, was taken to jail for violating the order to limit gatherings to no more than 50 persons. His services have been known to attract a thousand. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says, despite rulings from lower courts, the majority of state Supreme Court Justice’s found in Spell’s favor…:

CUT 05(09)      “…different from churches.”

Does the ruling mean the Governor’s future emergency orders might lack the strength of enforcement? Ciolino says he doesn’t think so…as along as things are dealt with evenly and fairly going forward.

Three violent teen criminals, and the guard who helped them escape from a Northwest Louisiana juvenile detention center, were captured early Sunday at a motel in Houston. The boys escaped Saturday around 3 a.m. from the Ware Youth Center in Coushatta, with the help of 21-year-old WYC security guard Victoria Tune. They and Tune are in custody.

Sad news from Louisiana native and superstar Britney Spears; she has lost her baby. The 40-year-old Spear excitedly announced last month she was expecting a child with fiancé Sam Asghari. She updated Saturday, saying the baby was lost. Spears thanks fans and well-wishers for their support.

Another former LSU Tiger is coming home as Jarvis Landry agrees to a one-year deal with the Saints. David Grubb has more…:

CUT 03(33)      “…David Grubb.”

The Senate Finance Committee approved a proposed budget for next fiscal year that does not match Governor John Bel Edwards’ wish list. Edwards has asked the Senate to give teachers a two-thousand dollar pay raise, but House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue, the author of the budget bill says a 15-hundred dollar raise is more appropriate…:

CUT 10(10)      “…Southern average.”

The governor also wants $500-million set aside to build a new Mississippi River bridge at Baton Rouge. The Senate approved $300-million.

Deputies in Rapides Parish arrest a Deville man for allegedly pointing a gun at a school bus that had children aboard. The incident happened last Thursday afternoon. Officers say 41-year-old Ray Corbett leveled what appeared to be a pistol at the vehicle. He did not fire. A search of his home found some Air Soft guns, but no real firearms. Corbett was charged with terrorizing and aggravated assault.

There will be a changing of the guard, or more accurately, a changing of the chiefs this morning as Butch Browning, the state’s longest-serving fire marshal, hands the baton to Daniel Wallis – his former right hand man – after 14 years of leadership. Here’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue…:

CUT 13(11)      “…state for decades.”

Browning moves on to the position of executive director of the National Association of State Fire Marshalls.

As we return to somewhat of a pre-COVID lifestyle Governor John Bel Edwards says there’s been a slight bump in daily case counts. On Friday the state reported 730 new cases. Edwards says the positivity rate is also increasing…:

CUT 07(06)      “…point-seven-percent.”

He says it still pays to get vaccinated and up-to-date on boosters.

The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Baton Rouge area pastor who refused to stop church services during the governor’s COVID lockdown. Pastor Tony Spell, of the Life Tabernacle Church in Central was arrested for flouting stay-at-home orders. Loyola Law Professor Dane Ciolino on the High Court’s decision…:

CUT 04(11)      “religious institutions”

Spell was arrested in 2020 for violating the Governor’s emergency order limiting gatherings to no more than 50 people. At that time, he said anywhere up a thousand persons might attend services at his church. The governor disagrees with the court’s ruling, but says he’ll abide by it.

State Police in Washington Parish say drunk driving PROBABLY led to a fatal single vehicle crash on state Highway 440, near Mt. Hermon Saturday night. Troopers say 31-year-old Pam Brown, from Kentwood, was driving and ran off the roadway: overturned several times and slammed into some trees. She and her passenger, 16-year-old Jaquan Brown were killed.

As we return to a pre-COVID routine, Governor Edwards says they continue to monitor case counts and positivity rates. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02(29)      “…Brooke Thorington”

An Abbeville man is dead after his tractor was hit by another vehicle in Vermilion Parish. State Police say Alvin Minnick’s tractor was rear-ended by a pickup as he drove on Highway 167. The impact caused the tractor to overturn, throwing the 64-year-old farmer from the vehicle. The pickup driver received moderate injuries. Charges are pending.

The U-S Department of the Interior is canceling oil and gas lease sales scheduled in the Gulf and Alaskan coast due to what it says is a lack of industry interest in drilling near Alaska and conflicting court rulings that have made drilling in the Gulf more complicated. While environmental groups laud the decision Louisiana Oil & Gas President Mike Moncla says it’s disastrous for the state.

Cut 7 (09) “…good for Louisiana.”

Moncla says that the Biden Administration is failing to respond in a time of crisis, with gas prices reaching a record four dollars and forty cents per gallon and consumer prices up 8.3 percent last month from a year ago.

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LSU and Ole Miss will pick up where they left off on Friday after rain put a stop to last night’s game in the bottom of the third with the Tigers trailing 4-2. The teams will complete the series opener starting at 11 am at The Box, with game two to follow 50 minutes after the conclusion. Also starting at 11 am the Division IV state baseball championship between Calvary Baptist and Ouachita Christian.

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An amendment by Republicans led to Oil City Representative Danny McCormick pulling his controversial bill that would have criminalized abortion. LaPolitic’s dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says even with the leak of a possible overturn of Roe v Wade the original bill is considered unconstitutional.

Cut 4  (08) “…race at all.”

Alford says the original bill that would have saddled abortion participants with murder charges will most likely not return for this legislative session since the bill’s criminalization element was removed from the legislation.

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Sunday night should present Louisianans with an ideal view of the lunar eclipse. LSU Astronomy Professor Jeffrey Clayton says it’s a unique occurrence and he highly recommends making plans to stay up a bit later than usual Sunday night. He says as long as you are in a dark location with few clouds you should be able to enjoy the show and you won’t even need a telescope.

Cut 15 (06) “…awesome sight.”

Thursday’s debate on Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s bill to charge a woman who has an abortion with murder is met with questions of fallout from the issue among the Republican Party in Louisiana. LaPolitic’s dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says it was Republicans who amended the legislation and pointed out the bill could also punish those who use in-vitro fertilization, and that the bill in its original form is unconstitutional.

Cut 3 (10) “….those amendments.”

If the bill had passed as originally written it was poised to be one of the most aggressive new restrictions on reproductive rights in the country.

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Another homecoming in New Orleans as the Saints sign former Lutcher High School and LSU standout Jarvis Landry to a reported one-year deal. In eight NFL seasons, Landry has been named to the Pro Bowl five times and should give a major boost to the Saints’ receiving corp.

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The U-S Department of the Interior is canceling oil and gas lease sales scheduled in the Gulf. Though new leases won’t have an impact on current gas prices, since it will take years for them to produce oil, Louisiana Oil & Gas President Mike Moncla says that the President’s strategy doesn’t prepare the country to become more “green”, address the current fuel needs of Americans, or take into consideration the wide range of businesses that will be impacted.

Cut 9 (11) “…of our product.”

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Sunday night should present Louisianans with an ideal view of the lunar eclipse. LSU Astronomy Professor Jeffrey Clayton says the earth will travel between the sun and the moon, and the earth’s shadow should be visible beginning at 9:30 and last a few hours.

A bill that would have charged a woman with murder if she had an abortion was pulled by its author after it was amended to remove criminal charges. The amendment also removed language that would have criminalized in-vitro fertilization. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (43) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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The U-S Department of the Interior is canceling oil and gas lease sales scheduled in the Gulf and Alaskan coast due to what it says is a lack of industry interest in drilling near Alaska and conflicting court rulings that have made drilling in the Gulf more complicated. Louisiana Oil & Gas President Mike Moncla says that the Biden Administration is failing to respond in a time of crisis, with gas prices reaching a record four dollars and forty cents per gallon and consumer prices up 8.3 percent last month from a year ago.

Cut 8 (09) “…would do that.”

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Child drownings are on the rise in the state. Louisiana Department of Health regional medical director Martha Whyte warns that drowning isn’t just confined to large bodies of water. For infants and toddlers, there are dangers inside the home as well that adults have to look out for.

Cut 11 (11) “…alone in it.”