The new action-drama film, Free State of Jones, starring Matthew McConaughey, comes out in theaters today. Emelie Gunn has an update on Hollywood South…

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There’s more turmoil with Grambling State’s administration. Halen Doughty reports…

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After 19 weeks of trying to come up with a way to solve a massive budget deficit, lawmakers are finally done with their work. Jeff Palermo tells us how they did…

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The Louisiana filmed movie, Free State of Jones, starting Matthew McConaughey comes out in theaters today. Executive Director of Celtic Studios Patrick Mulhearn says the movie revolves around a Mississippi farmer who tries to succeed from the Confederacy. He says the movie is set during the Civil War and was filmed in 10 different Louisiana parishes.

cut 4  (10)  “the map”

“Free State of Jones” is just one of several Louisiana shot films that will be shown on the silver screen later this year. The others are Bad Moms, When the Bough Breaks, the Magnificent 7 and Deepwater Horizon. He says unfortunately movie production is down this year, but there is still some activity…

Cut 5  (10)  “parish area”

Mulhearn says right now, Georgia is the hot state for movies as about 40 movies are filming in the Peach State. He says Hollywood South in Louisiana has hit a temporary lull and lawmakers can look at making changes to the state’s film incentive program next year, which could help spur movie production again…

Cut 6 (09) “fair share”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors will vote today on whether or not their AgCenter will grow medical marijuana that would be sold to patients who receive prescriptions for the drug. Spokesperson for the LSU AgCenter Frankie Gould says the law passed this year that expanded the diseases for which the drug can be prescribed, also outlined two possible growers for the plant.

CUT 7 (09)  “medical marijuana”

The new drug will be a pill containing cannabis oil, and it will not be smoke able. Gould says LSU has the ability to grow the plant in their AgCenter. But she says they have a lot to consider before committing.

Cut 8  (07)  “of things”

Gould says they are still unsure if growing medical marijuana is a worthwhile investment, especially since state funding for colleges has been slashed in recent years. She says it could take $10 to $20 million to produce medical marijuana.

Cut 9 (07)  “of ifs”

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An Abbeville man will spend the rest of his life in prison for fatally shooting a Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s deputy. District Attorney Keith Stutes says 22-year-old Quintylan Richard entered a plea of guilty on the two-year anniversary when he shot Deputy Allen Bares.

Cut 10 (07) “difficult circumstance”

Authorities say Bares was gunned down after confronting Richard and an alleged accomplice about a home they just robbed. Stutes says Richard will not get the death penalty, but he will spend the rest of his life in jail. He says the trial was set for next year, but everyone was ready to put this tragedy to rest.

cut 11 (11) “final decision”

Stutes says Richard did show some remorse for his crime. He says in the courtroom Richard apologized to the family and Bares’ wife.

cut 12 (10) “some remorse”

Bares was 51-years-old and spent 12 years as a deputy with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s office.

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Just before midnight, the Louisiana legislature gave final approval to a spending bill that calls for the TOPS scholarship program to be fully funded for the fall semester. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth says it’s the right thing to do…

Cut 13 (09)  “tuition free”

But legislators left Baton Rouge without fully funding TOPS. Under the plan approved by lawmakers, TOPS students would only have 42-percent of their tuition covered for the spring semester. Walsworth says hopefully the state will see higher than anticipated revenues as a result of taxes passed this year and rising oil prices…

cut 14 (09)  “we need”

Several democrats call the front-loading of TOPS a budget gimmick. Governor John Bel Edwards doesn’t anticipate a higher than expected amount of revenues rolling in, so TOPS students will be left with a big tuition bill for the spring semester…

Cut 15 (08) “time of year”

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As expected former LSU star Ben Simmons was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. He’s the second player from LSU to be taken with the top pick. Shaquille O’ Neal was the first in 1992. Simmons says this is a dream come true

Cut 16  (08)  “accomplish that” 

The 19 year-old averaged 19 points a game in his only season in Baton Rouge. He also averaged a dozen rebounds and five assists a contest. Simmons says he’s worked hard to get himself ready for life in the NBA.

Cut 17 (15)  “of experience”

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The Pelicans selected the shooter they craved with the sixth overall pick as New Orleans drafted Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield. The All-American averaged 25 points a game last season as he guided the Sooners to the Final Four. Hield made 46-percent of his 3-point shots. Hield says he’s thankful for the opportunity to play in New Orleans….

Cut 18 (14) “Anthony Davis”

General Manager Dell Demps says Heild is a phenomenal player and the player they targeted. Hield on what he’ll bring to the Big Easy..

Cut 19 (17) “organization better”

This morning two Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Deputies were serving a felony warrant in Monroe when the suspect tried to flee and shot both deputies. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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The US Supreme Court issues a ruling regarding affirmative action and it has a connection to Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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Two Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Deputies were shot while serving a felony warrant in Monroe. Sheriff Jay Russell says the deputies arrived at the home of 26-year-old Rickie Wade, Jr. when they were notified he was in the back of the house. One deputy went through the home and the other went around the outside of the house.

CUT 3 (12)  “once also”

Russell says one deputy was shot in the leg, and the other near his face. He says they are both undergoing surgery. He says Wade was found just a few blocks from the home a couple hours later. He says the Swat team pumped OC gas into the house to get the suspect out of the residence without hurting him.

CUT 4 (10)  “team members”

Wade has had several warrants in the past few years for everything from burglary and theft to violating a protective order and domestic violence battery. Russell says this so-called scumbag needs to be behind bars.

CUT 5 (08)  “this community”

Russell says one of the wounded deputies is a 25 year veteran with OPSO, and the other is a 30 year vet. Their names have not been released, pending family notification.

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A brand new state-of-the-art breast imaging center, offering revolutionary hi-tech methods for breast cancer detection, is opening today in Shreveport. Marilyn Joiner is the spokeswoman for the WK Breast Health Center. She says doctors there will use 3D technology which lets them do a mammogram and a biopsy at the same time…:

CUT 6 (09) “to get a report”

Joiner says the new center offers the northwest Louisiana region convenient hours for patients to come for screening exams before and after work. She says detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages makes treatment more effective:

CUT 7 (11) “surgery”

The American Cancer Society recommends that every woman over 40 be examined for breast cancer once a year. Joiner says they are very excited about this facility that is unlike any other in the region…:

CUT 8 (06) “of their patient”

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A new law goes into effect on August 1 that expands the felony for assaults on police officers. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth says under the previous law, assaulting an officer with anything other than a gun was a misdemeanor. He says this new law expands that language to include the use of any weapon in the felony language, not just a firearm.

CUT 9 (10) “is assault”

Walsworth says the idea for this law came about when two police officers in Monroe were attacked by someone wielding an ax last year. He says we need to ensure that people who go after law enforcement are put behind bars.

cut 10 (08)  “private citizen”

Beginning in August, the felony for assaulting an officer could land someone in jail for up to 10 years. Walsworth says this law means individuals who assault cops will receive consequences more in line with their actions.

Cut 11 (06) “a firearm”

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Since February, legislators have been trying to solve a massive budget deficit and in this second special session they’ve increased tax revenue by at least 258-million dollars. House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says that money will go toward mitigating cuts safety net hospitals and the TOPS scholarship program…

cut 12 (07) “are funded”

The second special session must conclude by midnight tonight. It appears based on the tax revenues available, the TOPS will only be funded at 70-percent, which means recipients of the state funded scholarship program will have to pay a portion of their tuition for the first time. Henry says he’s comfortable with how the legislature addressed funding for TOPS…

Cut 13 (09)  “fund TOPS”

Governor John Bel Edwards went into this special session asking legislators to raise 600-million dollars in revenues in order to avoid cuts to public schools, health care services, prisons and medical schools. Henry says there was only a certain point the legislature was willing to go to fully fund government…

cut 14 (06)  “we did”

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