State Police in Grant Parish are investigating a fatal crash that happened early this morning on Highway 71. Two adults and one child are reported killed. Another adult and a child were injured and have been taken to a hospital. We have little other details at this time.

The Department of wildlife & Fisheries has appointed Col. Rachel Zechenelly as its new head of enforcement. She is the first female to ever head up a major branch of DWF.

A skull fragment found some 40 years ago near Lake Ponchartrain has been determined to date back over three-thousand years. St. Tammany sheriff’s Office investigator Chris Knoblauch says the skull comes from a young woman – on older than 35 years of age – and Carbon 14 testing was able to even determine her basic diet…:

CUT 08(11)      “…as well.”

Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, The Steve Miller, and Kane Brown are some of this year’s headliners at the 38^th Annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival that kicks off today…:

CUT 01(31)      “….Teiko Foxx.”

A bill to limit what adult materials kids can see at the library moves out of a Senate Committee. Bill sponsor Heather Cloud, of Turkey Creek, says her bill will not BAN any book…:

CUT 11(06)      “…by a patron.”

It moves to the Senate floor.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival returns to the New Orleans Fairgrounds starting today, and running through May 7^th. Festival organizer Quint Davis says there are 16 musical stages with over 580 acts; covering everything from jazz, blues, and gospel to Cajun, zydeco, hip-hop, and more…:

CUT 05(09)      “…for everybody.”

Today’s weather should be great for the festival. However there is a chance of some Saturday rain. Sunday should start put pretty cool, but be sunny and 78 by mid-afternoon.

The state House unanimously approves a bill spending over $8-million to provide all law officers with bulletproof vests. It comes from Baton Rouge Rep. Rick Edmonds, who recalls officers shot and killed or badly hurt in a 2016 ambush attack…:

CUT 14(13)      “…of vest.”

That bill moves now to the Senate.

Almost 40 years after a skull fragment was found in the Lake Pontchartrain area, testing shows it’s thousands of years old. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02(31)      “…Thorington.”

LSU gymnast and current “it girl” Olivia Dunne will be one of the toned bodies featured in this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Dunne leads LSU athletes in the dollar value of her Name Image & Likeness deals, and at the age of just 20, is reportedly worth over $4-million.

A Senate bill aimed at keeping adult reading materials in public libraries away from impressionable young eyes passes its first legislative hurdle. More from Brooke Thorington…:

CUT 03(29)      “…Thorington.”

If you’re traveling on I-10 eastbound between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, be warned. Road work is underway today, meaning the right lane and shoulder will be closed right around Lake Pelba, as you cross the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge. Expect delays in that area, or take Highway 190 east as an alternate route.

A skull fragment discovered almost 40 years ago near Lake Pontchartrain is found to be 35-hundred years old.  In 2009 because of its degraded condition DNA testing could only tell them it was female. In January, Cold Case Investigator Chris Knoblauch with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, says Carbon-14 testing was performed…:

CUT 07(09)      “…it was.”

The skull dates to about 1600 BC.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival returns to the New Orleans Fairgrounds this weekend with a jam-packed two-weekend full of culture, crafts, and music. Festival Producer, Quint Davis says this is the second post-COVID event and people are excited…:

CUT 04(09)      “…that one.”

Jazz Fest ends next weekend, on Sunday May 7^th.

Legislation providing $8.5 million in funding for bulletproof vests for peace officers across Louisiana was passed by a full House with a 98-0 vote. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds says it’s about safety and protection…

CUT 13(13)      “…covers them.”

That bill moves now to the Senate for committee review.

The Senate Education Committee advances a bill to keep adult reading material in public libraries out of the hands of children. Turkey Creek Republican Senator Heather Cloud says this is a matter of importance to a great many parents and grandparents across Louisiana…:

CUT 10(11)      “…explicit material.”

That bill passed committee un-opposed. Next stop: the Senate floor.

Travelers along Interstate 10 between Baton Rouge and Lafayette: be warned. Road crews will be doing some repairs on the elevated Atchafalaya Basin Bridge today; meaning some lane closures in the eastbound right lane near Lake Pelba until about 3 pm.  Either allow extra drive time or take an alternate route.

Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, The Steve Miller, and Kane Brown are some of this year’s headliners at the 38^th Annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival that kicks off today…:

CUT 01(31)      “…Teiko Foxx”

It can’t hurt to ask….National Championship LSU Lady Tigers basketball coach Kim Mulkey calls for a newly-built, or majorly refit, basketball arena.  She made the ask (slash) demand while speaking to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club…:

CUT 06(12)      “…dangerous in there.”

The Pete Maravich Assembly Center is over 50 years old and hasn’t had any major renovations since 2009.

At the State Capitol, a Senate committee advances a bill requiring many petrochemical plants to have or install air quality monitoring systems and save that data. Here’s bill sponsor and Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields…:

CUT 12(12)      “…be warned.”

With only one “no” vote, the bill moves to the Senate floor. The legislature will conclude this year’s business in early June.

The murder of a six-year-old girl, whose body was found in a bucket shocks the small town of Harahan. Brooker Thorington reports…:

CUT 01(33)      “…Thorington.”

An employee at a McDonald’s in Kenner has been arrested for allegedly threatening a customer with a gun. The customer says she argued over an order with 21-year-old Troy Washington, who lifted his shirt and showed her a pistol in his waistband; moving to draw it. She called the cops and he was arrested a short time later for assault and possession of cannabis.

A Harahan woman is accused of murdering her boyfriend’s 6-year-old daughter and stuffing her body inside a large bucket. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says Bell Fontanelle’s dad reported her missing yesterday morning. She was later found inside the bucket. Lopinto says a neighbor’s security cam video from the night before showed a woman they believe is 43-year-old Hannah Landon…:

CUT 03(06)      “…that wagon.”

Women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey brought a national championship to LSU, now she wants a new or remodeled basketball arena. Speaking to WBRZ in Baton Rouge, Mulkey says build a new one or do major refit of the PMAC; either way she’s good. She says she’ll leave that up to university heads…:

CUT 08(10)      “…paint on it.”

The Pete Maravich Assembly Center is 51 years old. It has had no major work done since 2009.

Entergy Louisiana customers will receive refunds in the coming months; part of a $36-million settlement the Public Service Commission finalized with the utility after suing them over overcharging citizens. PSC member (and candidate for Secretary of State) Mike Francis says the amounts customers get back is yet to be determined…:

CUT 11(09)      “…electricity rates.”

A Baton Rouge woman is in jail, after stepping onto a school bus and assaulting the driver. The whole thing was captured on video and led police to arrest 18-year-old Carlicia Lewis with second-degree battery of a school bus driver and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

And TV talk show host Jerry Springer has died. Springer’s show was raunchy, rude and often violent…and a ratings winner in virtually every Louisiana TV market for over 25 years. He died this morning of an undisclosed cause. Jerry Springer; dead at 79.

The Jefferson Parish town of Harahan is shocked at the murder of a young girl; her body found stuffed in a bucket. Brooke Thorington reports…:

CUT 01(33)      “…Thorington.”

Entergy Louisiana agrees to refund some $36-million to customers they overcharged, to settle a lawsuit filed by the Public Service Commission. Here’s PSC member Mike Francis…:

CUT 10(07)      “…accountable.”

Legislation requiring air monitoring systems in certain permitted facilities advanced from the Senate Environmental Committee. Author of the bill – Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields says companies would have to maintain monitoring data records. Testifying for the bill, retired Army Lt. General Russell Honore says man chem plants have such or similar systems in place, but don’t necessarily alert communities nearby when they detect a leak…:

CUT 14(11)      “…community knows.”

Installing systems would costs plants less than $20k. The bill goes now to the Senate floor for debate.

Also at the Capitol, a Central Louisiana lawmaker’s bill to make the substance kratom a controlled substance advances out of committee, and is scheduled for House floor debate next week. Kratom is also known as mitragyna speciosa, and can have an intoxicating opioid-like effect.

A Wednesday fire at the West Carroll Parish Police Jury barn is expected to be declared a total loss. The early morning blaze caused extensive damage. No one was reported hurt.

At the State Capitol, a bill to keep auto insurers from setting premium rates based on gender narrowly passes in committee and is heading to the Senate…:

CUT 01(30)      “…Thorington.”

A House bill to legalize recreational cannabis use in Louisiana was killed in committee, when they voted to involuntarily defer the bill. 6 of the nine committee members who voted to shelve the measure gave no reason for their opposition. Bill sponsor Candace Newell, of New Orleans, says she’ll try again next year.

An ATV crash in Slidell claims the life of a 14-year-old girl and leaves another girl injured. St. Tammany Sheriff’s spokesperson Suzanne Carboni says it’s a parent’s worst nightmare…:

CUT 06(10)      “…a tree.”

The victim is identified at Samia Rogers. The injured girl is in the hospital but will recover.

More than 150 new jobs are coming to Shreveport as Prolec GE will invest 28-million dollars to expand its Caddo Parish facility to manufacture electrical transformers used in wind farms, solar parks and renewable energy applications. Prolec’s Sergio Fernandez says construction on the new line will begin in June…:

CUT 05(13)      “…June 2024.”

He says they’ll need to hire machine operators, maintenance personnel, supervisors and engineers.

Lawmakers at the State Capitol are hoping to address the ever-growing problem of drug overdose deaths. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt’s Senate Bill 49 in essence doubles the current penalties for those who manufacture fentanyl in clandestine labs…:

CUT 14(11)      “…with fentanyl.”

A first offense would carry a 10-to-40-year prison sentence, ten years without parole, and up to a $50,000 fine. It passes the full Senate by a 33-2 vote, and moves now to the House.

Rapides Parish Sheriff Deputies have arrested two men in the death of an Alexandria man found in a ditch on LA Highway 1 North last week. Sheriff’s spokesman Tommy Carnline says they’ve arrested 32-year-old Donald Ray Sias, Jr. and Othey Lee Tatum, Sr. for the death of 42-year-old Rochaune Prenell. He says Tatum was also arrested for obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy…:

CUT 09(05)      “…degree murder.”

Legislation to prohibit insurance carriers from using gender as a factor when setting auto insurance rates advances from Senate Insurance. Bill author Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says women are often charged a higher premium than men even if they have an identical driving record…:

CUT 10(12)      “…charged more.”

But Insurance Committee Chairman Senator Kirk Talbot opposes the legislation; saying it would cause insurance rates for male drivers to increase…:

CUT 13(06)      “…young woman.”

The legislation passed narrowly on a five to four vote and moves to the Senate floor.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival opens up Friday for two full weekends of major musical entertainment, plus all the great food, arts and crafts. You May be able to find tickets on a resale site, like StubHub.

At the Capitol, a Senate bill to keep auto insurance rates from using gender as a factor when determining premiums narrowly passes in committee but moves forward…:

CUT 01(30)      “…Thorington.”

Renters, a proposed House bill before the legislature would allow you to break your lease if you find you are in a high crime area. The bill would permit backing out of a lease if two or more criminal instances were reported within a half mile, within 6 months. It has yet to see a committee review.

An ATV crash near Slidell last night killed a 14-year-old girl and injured another 14-year-old girl. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Suzanne Carboni says both girls were ejected from the ATV, and neither were wearing a helmet, which is essential for minors…:

CUT 07(05)      “…very dangerous.”

The victim is identified as14-year-old Samia Rogers of Slidell. The other girl’s name has not been released. She is in the hospital.

More than 150 new jobs are coming to Shreveport as Prolec GE will invest 28-million dollars to expand its Caddo Parish facility to manufacture electrical transformers used in wind farms, solar parks and renewable energy applications. Prolec GE Business Unit Director Sergio Fernandez says the additional jobs will add to the 282 they currently have..:

CUT 03(06)      “…very excited.”

They hope to be at full capacity within about 14 months.