The House Emergency Beetle Subcommittee is meeting in Baton Rouge today. The drought last summer made pine trees extremely susceptible to beetle infestations. Pineville Representative Mike Johnson says they are holding the hearing to discuss ways to combat the issue…
Cut 13 (11) “…undertaking.”
Johnson says the Ips (I.P.S) beetles move from treetop to treetop and in a short time can and have killed many pine trees.

Opponents of Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law are asking a federal judge to block the legislation before a new school year starts. Associate VP with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State Alex Luchenitser (looch-ah-nitz-er) says until the case is decided they want to keep a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments from going up.
Cut 10 (06) “…the litigation.”
Supporters of the law say the Ten Commandments are not an expression of religion but represent our moral code.

Louisiana Tech has launched a new doctoral program in engineering. It will give students an opportunity to learn technology management, strategic planning and decision analysis, skills crucial for many working professionals…
cut 5 (09) “…doctoral program”
Classes begin in September and DETM Program Coordinator Beth Hegab says the classes are online.

Frederick Burgess has been running an after school program called the Stop the Violence in Alexandria since 2018, but needs funds so that the hundreds of kids he mentors have a gym to play sports…
cut 9 (06) “…get in trouble”
Burgess says he was using the Charles Hayward Activity Center, but he says the gym is wanting money for them to use it. Burgess says his program also offers tutoring and financial literacy.