A high-speed police chase through Caddo & Bossier parishes over the weekend, ends with a crash that killed a 13-year-old girl. State Police Trooper Jon Odom says the driver, 22-year-old Willie Player, fled a traffic stop on I-20, and –during the chase – hit a wall, rolled over and slammed into a utility pole. Two unrestrained juveniles in the SUV were ejected, and Player fled on foot. The girl died from her injuries and the other minor is in the hospital. Odom says the incident is under investigation…:

CUT 09  (08)        “…inside the vehicle.”

Another record high price for gas in Louisiana; $4.24 for regular as of today. Louisiana AAA’s Don Redman says this will cast a shadow over the coming Memorial Day weekend…:

CUT 13  (08)        “…anytime soon.”

The nationwide average for a gallon of regular gas is $4.60.

A tragic shooting in Lafayette last night claims the life of a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old is facing murder charges. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 01(34)      “…Brooke Thorington”

Deputies in Ouachita Parish say they’ve retrieved the body of an adult male from the water at the Prairion Bayou Rec Area, south of Monroe. The victim has been identified as Adarion James Holiday of Monroe, who went missing in the water Saturday.  Autopsy results are pending, but drowning IS suspected.

A new report from the state’s Legislative auditor shows a huge increase in complaints made against property insurance carriers in the state. Chris Magee is a data analyst with the Legislative Auditor’s Office. He says the number of consumer complaints has spiked in the wake of catastrophic storms that have hit Louisiana in recent years. He says, until 2019 there were an average of about 450 complaints per year…:

CUT 10(10)      “…after Hurricane Ida”

He says complaints about property insurance skyrocketed to over 5200 for 2021.

A 13-year-old is girl dead and another child is left injured after a crash following a high-speed pursuit in Bossier Parish. Trooper Jonathan Odom says Brenda Adler suffered fatal injuries in the wreck…:

CUT 07(11)      “…was killed.”

He says 22-year-old Willie Player was running from a traffic stop. Inside his vehicle they found a gun and illegal drugs.

Two people are dead after two boats collided on the False River in Pointe Coupee Parish on Friday night. State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesman Adam Einck says 31-year-old Shea Mouton’s body was recovered Friday night, and they searched most of the weekend for Kenneth St. Romain…:

CUT 03(10)      “…two injuries.”

St. Romain was a popular dentist in Baton Rouge.

Two Louisiana children died in separate drowning incidents on the Gulf Coast over the weekend. In Biloxi, a 2-year-old from West Baton Rouge Parish drowned in a hotel resort swimming pool. And in Orange Beach, Alabama…authorities say a 14-year-old Baton Rouge boy got caught in a rip current and pulled under.

COVID won’t let go. The Department of Health reports over 1500 new cases, with 144 people in the hospital with the virus. Five new COVID-related deaths are reported as well.

State higher education leaders are giving the “thumbs up” to the state budget passed last week at the Capitol. University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson says lawmakers did ‘amazing work” on crafting a budget that fully funds schools under his banner. He says there were a lot of fiscal resources available to legislators, but when you have a lot of available resources…:

CUT 10(11)      “…this investment”

He says this is the biggest budget investment in the U-L System in more than 15 years.

A House-passed bill that would allow adults over 21 to carry a concealed weapon without a permit is scheduled for Senate Committee review tomorrow. Oil City Representative Danny McCormick is the bill’s author. He stresses passing his bill will NOT end Concealed carry classes or permitting in the state…:

CUT 14(11)      “…right to carry”

Lafayette Police are investigating a tragic shooting that claimed the life of a 16-year-old female and another juvenile has been charged with her murder. Sgt. Robin Green says last night detectives found the victim and the alleged 14-year old shooter sitting inside a parked vehicle. The victim was shot in the chest. She was taken to a hospital, where she died. Now, as to a motive…:

CUT 06(07)      “…East Willow Street.”

The teen suspect is in juvenile detention.

Two Iberia Parish men who were trying to move a house without a permit are under arrest for hitting numerous power lines along the way; causing a blackout that affected hundreds of homes and businesses. Both are being held pending bonds of over $100-k.

And now today’s markets…

A tragic shooting in Lafayette last night claims the life of a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old is facing murder charges. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 01(34)      “…Brooke Thorington.”

Two Louisiana children died in separate drowning incidents on the Gulf Coast over the weekend. In Biloxi, a 2-year-old from West Baton Rouge Parish is reported drowned in a hotel resort swimming pool. And in Orange Beach, Alabama…authorities say a 14-year-old Baton Rouge boy got caught in a rip tide and pulled under.

Two people are dead after two boats collided on the False River in Pointe Coupee Parish on Friday night. State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesman says Adam Einck says the double fatality occurred when a 20-foot vessel and a bass boat hit each other nearly head-on…:

CUT 04(08)      “…in this.”

Baton Rouge dentist Ken St. Romaine and Fordoche resident Shea Mouton were killed.

The National Weather Service confirms an EF-1 tornado touched down near the town of Hosston, in Caddo Parish, very early Sunday morning. The twister was on the ground for about a mile & a half. Fortunately no one was reported killed or hurt.

That tornado was spun up as a result of a low-pressure tropical wave; the worst of which came ashore far to the east of us late last night. The 2022 Hurricane Season officially begins next week.

One man is in custody and more arrests are anticipated after three people were shot during Hammond High School’s Graduation Thursday night. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02         (35)    “…Brooke Thorington.”

A Guatemalan national who entered the U.S. illegally was arrested in Baton Rouge today on charges tied to an out-of-state child sex trafficking ring. Federal agents took 36-year-old Belter Arana Bautista without violent incident.

Louisianans – along with everyone else in America – are clamoring to find baby formula, but finding it is a REAL problem. Monroe area Congresswoman Julia Letlow wants some answers as to why and when relief may come from FDA commissioner Robert Califf. He had very few…:

CUT 13         (11)    “…is distribution.”

Our state will get a break from the recent heat, as a cold front will move through bringing clouds and rain. LRN Meteorologist John Wetherbee says showers and thunderstorms will develop along the coast on Saturday, spreading into southeast Louisiana…:

CUT 14         (11)    “…of then state.”

He says there is a fair chance some of those showers could be severe, with possible locally heavy downpours.

As the shortage of infant formula throughout the country continues, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are demanding answers to how we got here, and when we’ll be out of this crisis. Leading the charge is District 5 Congresswoman Julia Letlow, who was quite direct in questioning FDA commissioner Robert Califf…:

CUT 12(13)      “…24 by 7”

When pressed for an answer to WHEN consumer relief may come, Califf had no answers.

LRN meteorologist John Wetherbee says a cool front will move through; bringing us rain showers Saturday and Sunday…:

CUT 15(09)      “…locally heavy rainfall.”

The good news is the rain brings a break from the afternoon heat.

Lawmen in Hammond say they had a suspect in custody within a matter of minutes, for last night’s shooting at the Hammond High commencement ceremonies. 20-year-old Trent Thomas was involved in some “beef” with a juvenile male and shots were fired amongst a crowd outside the event; held at SLU’s University Center. Three people shot and hurt; a fourth injured trying to get away. Hammond Police Chief Ed Bergeron says this is a lousy memory for high school graduates…:

CUT 11(11)      “…situation like this.”

Thomas is in jail. More arrests in the shootout are expected.

Two arrests made in a 7-year-old murder & kidnapping case in Terrebonne Parish. 56-year-old Pamela Johnson was murdered in 2015. Sheriff Tim Soignet says new evidence led to the persons who did that and abducted two young girls, who were later found in Houma sitting in an abandoned car…:

CUT 07(06)      “needed that closure.”

Three people were shot Thursday night while attending Hammond High School’s graduation ceremonies, and a man has been arrested for it. Southeastern University Police Chief Michael Beckner says 20-year-old Trent Thomas was arrested within minutes of the shooting. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron says they do know that the shooting victims were innocent bystanders, and that more suspects than just Thomas are being sought…:

CUT 10(11)      “…person of interest”

A fourth person was injured trying to escape the gunfire. No one was killed. Bergeron says suspected gang violence was behind the shootings. He says high school seniors deserve better graduation memories than this.

A St. John Parish deputy hit and killed a pedestrian who was walking across U.S. Highway 61 in Laplace Thursday night. State Police say the area is not well-lit, and the deputy may not have seen the victim. Impairment of the officer is not suspected. The victim’s name is withheld until family are notified. The accident is under investigation.

The Senate Education Committee approves a House-backed measure that would hold back third graders from advancing to the fourth grade if they score poorly multiple times on a literacy test. Michelle Southern has more…:

CUT 01(32)      “…reporting.”

A Leesville woman is charged with falsely reporting a crime and with hiding drugs inside a sheriff’s patrol car. Vernon Parish deputies say Judith Smythe told them she witnessed her daughter being murdered, but she provided no evidence that had really happened. While she was detained in the patrol unit, she allegedly offloaded the dope from her person.

One man is in custody and more arrests are anticipated after three people were shot during Hammond High school’s Graduation Thursday night. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02(35)      “…Brooke Thorington.”

Police in Carencro say a local man who shot his own son Wednesday was trying to defend his son’s girlfriend from physical abuse. Officers say 70-year-old Cuba Valliere shot his 34-year-old son Terrence, when the latter attacked his dad with a knife. No charges have been filed against the elder Valliere as yet.

A House approved bill that would hold back third graders who score in the bottom tier in state reading assessments continues to move through the Legislature. Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson says the state has a literacy problem. Under his bill, if a 3^rd-grader fails a literacy test on the first try, he or she would get intensive tutoring…:

CUT 05(08)      “…cut score.”

Louisiana will get a break from the recent heat as result of a cold front that will bring cloud cover and rain. LRN Meteorologist John Weatherbee says showers and thunderstorms will develop along the coast on Saturday spreading into southeast Louisiana and there’s also a cold front coming…:

CUT 14(11)      “…of the state.”

He says the whole state will be under rain showers Sunday.

As Louisianans continue to cope with rising prices and inflation at over 8-percent, State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain advises we hunker down for at least several more months of this. He says everything from seed costs, to fertilizer prices, to the cost & scarcity of diesel fuel for hauling food to market are contributing to the current high prices. Strain says one thing we can all do to stretch our grocery dollar is to eat any leftovers we have; not toss them out…:

CUT 11(10)      “…the spices get better.”

The Caddo Parish woman accused of throwing two of her kids off Shreveport’s Cross Lake Bridge last fall – killing one of them – has changed her plea. Ureka Black initially pled not guilty, and has changed that to not guilty by reason of insanity. Her next hearing comes up late this summer. Black’s 10-month-old son was killed; her 5-year-old was injured.

A new study shows the connection between hormones, the brain, and our diet…David Grubb has the story…:

CUT 02(35)      “…David Grubb.”

I know it’s early in the year, but there is a low-pressure tropical system brewing. The system is over the central to western Caribbean; just east of the coast of Nicaragua. It’s still well over a thousand miles from Louisiana’s coast. Forecaster predict another active hurricane season; which starts in under 2 weeks.

A House-passed bill to prohibit smoking or vaping marijuana in a motor vehicle advances from Senate Transportation today. Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel says her bill is to address the rising number of incidents of motorists using cannabis and then getting behind the wheel…:

CUT 12(08)      “…in a car.”

She amended the bill in committee, after issues were brought to light during a previous House debate that the legislation could be used to profile motorists. Schlegel says there’s been data from other states showing that once marijuana is legalized some individuals believe it means they are allowed to drive and use marijuana also. That bill now moves to the full Senate.

Police in Carencro say an argument between father & son led to a fatal shooting. 70-year-old Cuba Valliere is in jail for the alleged murder of his 34-year-old son, Terrence. The younger reportedly pulled a knife on Dad first.

The Senate approved the $39-billion state budget yesterday, and today the House will vote on concurrence of Senate amendments, and what could be final passage. Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s pleased the majority of his budget requests have been approved but he wishes the $2,000 teacher pay raises had made the cut, instead of the $1500 that WAS approved…:

CUT 03(12)      “…working out.”

New research from Pennington Biomedical Research Center suggests that cutting the amount of protein in your diet could add to your life. Study director Dr. Chris Morrison says a hormonal link between the brain, the body and protein restriction has been known for year. He says this study used mice to compare the body’s response either with or without the hormone leading to a deeper understanding of that link…:

CUT 07(12)      “…protein restricted.”

Will vegans be saying “I told you so?”