A rape victim finally gets justice 30 years later. Halen Doughty has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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TOPS is fully funded under the budget proposal that’s been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Two people are dead after a private plane went down in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says his deputies received a call yesterday afternoon in reference to a plane that went down in Collinston near the Morehouse Detention Center.

Cut 3 (07) “we arrived”

Tubbs says the identities of the victims have not been released. He says the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into what caused the crash.

Cut 4  (06) “on the scene”

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It’s a sad day in Ouachita Parish, as the community mourns the loss of 26-year-old Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Beard. State Trooper Michael Reichardt says Beard was responding to a burglar alarm early Sunday morning on Highway 34 when he was involved in a crash.

Cut 5  (08)  “this crash”

Reichardt says the roads were wet from rain, and Beard was not wearing his seatbelt. Beard was a deputy at OPSO for over three years and leaves behind a wife and three young children.

Cut 6 (08) “to anybody”

Glenn Springfield with OPSO says it’s been a tough day for everyone at the department.

Cut 7 (10)  “Deputy Beard”

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Rising waters are a concern today in Evangeline Parish, as flooding from that weekend storm system hit  at least two towns hard. Director of the Evangeline Office of Emergency Preparedness, Liz Hill says the city of Mamou sustained extensive damage.

Cut 8 (10) “that were affected”

Hill says the town of Basille on the Acadia Parish line was also affected. She says they’re still waiting on a count, but the flood damage could be as bad or worse as it was in Mamou.

Cut 9 (08)  “right now”

Hill says many residents are just getting power restored in their homes. She says although the water wasn’t as high as it was in the August flood, some people had to be rescued from their flooded homes.

Cut 10 (07) “higher ground”

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An 83-year-old Larose man has been found guilty of sexual battery of a 7-year-old that occurred over 30 years ago. Lafourche Assistant District Attorney Kristine Russell says a victim came forward to report the incidents with Warren Danos that occurred between 1984 and 1986.

Cut 11 (09) “he raped her”

Russell says Danos is set to be sentenced June 20th on a count of sexual battery. He faces a minimum of 25 years behind bars. She says two other victims came forward, but those cases had reached the statute of limitations, because the victims were not raped. She says this is a huge victory for the victim because they didn’t expect a guilty verdict.

Cut 12 (11) “years ago”

Russell says the victim said on the stand that’d she’d been a victim for 30 years, and she wanted her life back. She encourages any victim of sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, no matter how much time has passed.

Cut 13 (08) “have justice now”

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The House Appropriations Committee has voted to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program for the next fiscal year. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil amended the state’s spending plan to take 82-million dollars from the Department of Health’s budget so TOPS students would have their tuition fully paid for.

Cut 14 (11) “percent”

TOPS was only funded at 70 percent under the governor’s budget proposal, leaving lawmakers to find more than $81 million needed to fully fund the program. Foil says he will leave it up to LDH to decide where to allocate those cuts.

Cut 15 (09) “a priority”

The Appropriations committee’s version of the budget funds the Department of Health 235-million dollars below what Governor John Bel Edwards proposed. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger raised concerns in committee about how these cuts would impact LDH. He says the only areas of the health budget that can be cut are optional Medicaid programs, like behavioral health services. He says this cut will greatly impact Louisiana residents.

Cut 16  (12)  “on the streets”

The amendment was approved on a 19-5 vote and the entire budget was approved on a 17-5 vote, along party lines. The full House could take up the spending plan later this week.

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A measure to be heard before the House Ways and Means Committee would place a flat corporate income tax of 2-percent on the profits of businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (26) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Civil rights activists say protests can be expected if the Department of Justice chooses not to file charges against the Baton Rouge police officers who fatally shot Alton Sterling. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today the budget for next fiscal year is expected to move out of the House Appropriations Committee. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A measure gaining popularity with lawmakers that will be heard in the House Way and Means Committee today would place a flat corporate income tax from 1 to 2 –percent on the profits a business makes. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard says his bill would generate an estimated 200 million dollars in tax revenue.

Cut 4  (07) “for business”

Havard says the bill would eliminate exemptions and the franchise tax. He says this plan is the farthest thing away from Governor John Bel Edwards’ proposed gross receipts tax, which was pulled due to a major lack of support but he has received positive feedback on his measure.

Cut 5  (10)  “fiscal note”

Business groups like LABI are not supportive, because corporate loopholes will be closed. But Havard says companies or businesses will not have to pay this tax, if they don’t  make a profit.

Cut 6 (09) “your profit”

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The Capitol City is anxiously awaiting a decision from the Department of Justice on whether or not civil rights charges will be handed down against the Baton Rouge police officers involved in last summer’s fatal shooting of Alton Sterling. Former Metro Council member John Delgado says he’s heard the DOJ should announce its decision by Tuesday.

Cut 7 (09)  “civil rights violation”

The Mayor’s Office says speculation that a decision could be made this week is just that. After last July’s fatal incident outside a Baton Rouge convenience store, protestors called for justice. A week after the incident, a Missouri man attacked law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, killing three and wounding three more. Delgado hopes we don’t see that kind of tragedy again.

Cut 8 (10) “that are the problem”

But President of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the NAACP, Mike McClanahan says without justice, there can be no peace. He expects if DOJ does not bring forth charges, there will be protests and rallies around the city.

Cut 9 (07)  “change happen”

McClanahan doesn’t believe relations have improved between law enforcement and the public since the shooting. He says groups are planning to march if the DOJ doesn’t charge the officers responsible for Sterling’s death, and some are calling for an economic boycott.

Cut 10 (09) “their checkbook”

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President Donald Trump has reached 100 days in office, but what does that mean for Louisiana? ULM political science professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says Mr. Trump’s first 100 days in office have been turbulent and unorthodox. He says there’s been very little direct policy change at the federal level under the new administration.

Cut 11 (07) “100 days”

But Mr. Trump has won the support of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, business leaders, and officials from the oil and gas industry. Stockley says the president hasn’t really done anything at this point to help or hurt them one way or the other.

Cut 12 (11) “reason not to”

Stockley says it’s not surprising policy changes have not yet been made because the federal process takes a while.

Cut 13 (10) “to take time”

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The House Appropriations Committee is expected to approve a spending plan for the next fiscal year today. Chairman Cameron Henry of Metairie says they plan to hold back about 2 percent of the revenue forecast by the Revenue Estimating Conference. He says the REC is usually wrong, and withholding this money could prevent midyear cuts.

Cut 14 (09) “have shortfalls”

Under the governor’s proposed budget, TOPS was only funded at 70 percent for the next fiscal year. Henry says it’s his intention to fully fund the taxpayer funded scholarship program.

Cut 15 (11) “the process”

Henry says that means lawmakers will have to find $81 million from somewhere else to fund the program. He says a lot of legislators feel plenty of agencies have funds to spare. He says some agencies, like the Louisiana Department of Health gain money throughout the year.

Cut 16 (09) “billion dollars”

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The Saints selected five players on defense and two offense with their seven picks in the 2017 NFL draft. The franchise believes they found a lock down cornerback for the next decade with their first round pick of Marshon Lattimore of Ohio State. But Coach Sean Payton says Lattimore will have to earn his spot on the field…

Cut 17 (22)  “outside corner”

Despite recently signing Adrian Peterson, the Saints still drafted a running back in the third round, running back Alvin Kamara.  Payton believes Kamara can coexist on a roster featuring Mark Ingram and A-P….

Cut 18 (23)    “those guys” 

The Saints had a big need to draft a pass rusher and they waited until the sixth round to take one, defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. The 6-3, 253-pounder had his issues at Miami. He was suspended for a fight during spring practice and later kicked off the team after allegedly receiving improper benefits from a car rental company. Payton says Muhammad has made some mistakes, but he’s been a good teammate…

Cut 19 (13)   “if he fell”