The Supreme Court says the most recent congressional map approved by lawmakers with two Black majority districts will be the one used in upcoming federal elections. Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry says the May 15th ruling came just in time…

Cut 3 (10) “…fall elections.” 

Baton Rouge plastic surgeon Doctor “Tre” Doucet and two of his three children were killed Wednesday when their single-engine airplane broke apart en route to Louisville. Aaron McCarter with the NTSB says they will try to determine if human error, mechanical malfunction, or weather caused the crash.

Cut 8 (13) “…to tell.” 

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms passes in the Senate on a 30 to 8 vote. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis challenged Bossier City Senator Adam Bass who presented the House Bill in the upper chamber.

Cut 10 (13) “…agree with that”

Duplessis said the bill is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment by promoting one religion over another.

Cut 11 (13) “…read and write.”

The bill was amended to recognize the 10 Commandments as a historical document. The amended bill now returns to the House for final passage.

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms passed in the Senate on a 30 to 8 vote. Opponents say it violates the first amendment by promoting one religion over another. Monroe Senator Jay Morris amended the bill to recognize the 10 Commandments as a historical document…

Cut 12 (11) “…mandate it.” 

The amended bill returns to the House for final passage.

National Safe Boating Week gets underway tomorrow. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries senior agent Thomas Wolf says make sure your life jackets are in good shape…

Cut 14 (07)  “…working order.”
Between 2019 and 2023 the state reported 107 boating fatalities and 82 percent of the victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is meeting with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana to look at the difficulties of importing much-needed resources to Cuba. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

After yesterday’s storms 104,000 customers remain without power in Louisiana. Much of south Louisiana is under a flood watch until tomorrow morning with more rain in the forecast today. Heavy rains could lead to flash flooding tonight and into the early morning.

The Louisiana Legislature is close to passing a law that would require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom from kindergaten all the way through college. But is it constitutional? New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis believes its not, because it promotes Christianity over other religions…
cut 11 (11) “…read and write’
But supporters of the legislation say the Ten Commandments is historical and is the foundation of our legal system.

NCAA Softball Regional action gets underway today. At 1:30 PM, LSU hosts Jackson State and at noon U-L Lafayette hosts Princeton. The Cajuns are hosting their first Regional since 2016. Infielder Brooke Ellestad says it’s good to be home…
cut 26 (07) “….more comfortable”

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain has spent the week in Cuba, which is experiencing a food shortage. The Cuban government is asking not just to buy seeds and fertilizer from the US but also for assistance and expertise from US farmers to help them become more self-sustainable. Strain says America needs to have a presence in Cuba and if they don’t someone else will.
Cut 6 (09) “…is our business.”

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents are participating in Safe Boating Week which gets underway tomorrow. Alcohol use is one of the leading causes of boating crash incidents L-D-W-F senior agent Thomas Wolf says the penalties for operating or driving a vessel while intoxicated are the same as driving a vehicle…
cut 15 (07) “…license”

Many are mourning the deaths of Baton Rouge plastic surgeon Doctor Lucius “Tre” Doucet and two of his three children. They were killed when when their single engine airplane broke apart enroute to Louisville on Wednesday afternoon. NTSB Aviation Investigator Aaron McCarter says an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway
Cut 7 (12) “..out of control.”
McCarter says weather could have been a factor as storms were brewing at the time.

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is wrapping up a week long trip to Cuba. Strain says Louisiana farmers could help the island nation as there is a food shortage. Strain says Louisiana already sends rice and poultry to Cuba, but they need more and it could lead to more opportunities for Louisiana…
cut 5 (07) “….very little equipment”

Safe Boating Week gets underway tomorrow. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

The NCAA Softball tournament gets underway today with action in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. The LSU Tigers host Jackson State at 1:30 and the Cajuns Coach Gerry Glasco’s team takes on Princeton at noon. Glasco has a scouting report on the Ivy League school…
cut 21 (09) “…on your infield”

The Louisiana Senate has passed legislation mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms on a 30 to 8 vote. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis challenged Bossier City Senator Adam Bass who presented House Bill 71 in the upper chamber.
Cut 10 (13) “…agree with that”
The measure still needs House approval on Senate changes and then it heads to the governor’s desk.

Governor Landry continues to push the Senate to pass the Gator Scholarship Program which will make public dollars available to families of all income levels to pay for private school. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat…
cut 20 (05) “…achievements”
One of Landry’s campaign promises was school choice. But senators are concerned about the cost of the program. One estimate has it costing the state 529-million dollars in the third year of the program.

Graduation ceremonies take place today at LSU but there is a sense of sadness as Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet, along with their father, Doctor Tre Doucet were killed in a plane crash near Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday. Officials say their 1966 Beechcraft V-35 Bonanza plane broke apart mid-air as it was heading to Louisville, Kentucky. The NTSB’s Aaron McCarter says the age of the plane is not a concern…
cut 9 (11) “….flying”
Doucet was known was an avid flight enthusiast and the Opelousas native was a plastic surgeon in Baton Rouge.

National Safe Boating Week gets underway tomorrow. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries senior agent Thomas Wolf says make sure your life jackets are in good shape…
cut 14 (07) “….working order”
Between 2019 and 2023 the state reported 107 boating fatalities and 82 percent of the victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket.

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms is nearing final passage. Brooke Thorington explains…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

There’s a little over two weeks left in the legislative session and Governor Jeff Landry is pushing lawmakers to approve the Gator Scholarship Program which would allow parents access to public dollars to pay for private school. How to pay for it is the big question, Landry is suggesting to use money that’s currently protected in the state constitution.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana, Cuba to connect US rice and poultry exporters with potential Cuba importers. Strain says the country is in desperate need of food and that need continues to climb.
Cut 4 (12) “….billion or more.”
Strain is meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture to lay out logistics on the type of imports the country can handle.

Tomorrow is the start of Safe Boating Week, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Senior Agent Thomas Wolf says now is the time to make sure everything on your boat is in working order….
Cut 13 (10) “…the action.”
Between 2019 and 2023 the state reported 107 boating fatalities and 82 percent of the victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is meeting with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana to look at the difficulties of importing much-needed resources to Cuba. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

_______________________________________________

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms is nearing final passage. Brooke Thorington explains…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

____________________________________________

Saturday isn’t just the beginning of spring, it also kicks off Safe Boating Week. Mel Bridges has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Mel Bridges.” 

___________________________________________

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana, Cuba to connect US rice and poultry exporters with potential Cuba importers. Strain says the country is in desperate need of food and that need continues to climb.

Cut 4 (12) “….billion or more.”

Strain is meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture to lay out logistics on the type of imports the country can handle.

The Cuban landscape is changing fast. With 80% of farmland privately owned by independent farmers or Co-op’s the issue will begin to look at how to get farmers the resources they need to be more productive.

Cut 5 (07) “…very little equipment.” 

The Cuban government is asking not just to buy seeds and fertilizer from the US but also for assistance and expertise from US farmers to help them become more self-sustainable. Strain said that we need to have a presence in Cuba and if we don’t someone else will.

Cut 6 (09) “…is our business.”

___________________________________________________________

Many are mourning the deaths of Baton Rouge plastic surgeon Doctor Lucius “Tre” Doucet and two of his three children. They were killed when when their single engine airplane broke apart enroute to Louisville on Wednesday afternoon. NTSB Aviation Investigator Aaron McCarter says the investigation into the cause of the crash is underway

Cut 7 (12) “..out of control.”

McCarter says the debris field is about a half-mile long near Nashville, Tennessee. He says they hope doorbell cameras or motor vehicle cameras caught the plane crash.

Doucet’s two children killed were set to graduate from LSU this weekend, Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet.

McCarter says they will try to determine if human error, mechanical malfunction or weather caused the crash

Cut 8 (13) “…to tell.” 

McCarter says they know there was plenty of fuel on the plane.

Doucet was known as an avid flight enthusiast and practiced at Williamson Cosmetic Center.

The Beechcrafh V35 was built in the mid 1960s, but McCarter the age of the plane is not a concern, because of the hours of maintenance that is done on them

Cut 9 (11)  “..flying.”

_________________________________________________________________

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms passes in the Senate on a 30 to 8 vote. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis challenged Bossier City Senator Adam Bass who presented House Bill 71 in the upper chamber.

Cut 10 (13) “…agree with that”

Donations or fundraisers would pay for the signs, but Duplessis argued the legislation is an unfunded mandate, requiring schools to display them but not providing the means to do so.

Duplessis said the bill is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment by promoting one religion over another.

Cut 11 (13) “…read and write.”

Duplessis, a practicing Catholic, said if parents want their children to learn the 10 Commandments they should take them to Sunday School.

Monroe Senator Jay Morris amended the bill to recognize the 10 Commandments as a historical document…

Cut 12 (11) “…mandate it.” 

The amended bill returns to the House for final passage.

______________________________________________

Saturday is the beginning of Safe Boating Week, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Senior Agent Thomas Wolf says now is the time to make sure everything on your boat is in working order….

Cut 13 (10)  “…the action.”

Between 2019 and 2023 the state reported 107 boating fatalities and 82 percent of the victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket. Wolf says it’s vital your life jacket is in working condition.

Cut 14 (07)  “…working order.”

Alcohol is the leading cause of boating accidents and deaths and Wolf says the same rules apply on land as on water.

Cut 15 (07)  “…license.”

Safe Boating Week runs until May 24th.

______________________________________________

The wake of the release of the Saint’s 2024 regular season schedule sees many fans questioning if the Saints could see the postseason for the first time since 2020. NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson covers the Saints and says early season games against the Cowboys, Eagles, Falcons and Super Bowl champion Chiefs will test the Black and Gold…

Cut 16 (17) “….three or four games of the season.” 

The Saints had one of the easiest schedules last year and failed to make the playoffs. Johnson says based on 2023 win-loss records, the 2024 schedule is not difficult…

Cut 17 (18) “…it doesn’t feel that way.”

Some games to look forward to this season are Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, Malik Nabers and the Giants, and perhaps the most anticipated reunion, Sean Payton and the Broncos. Despite how shaky the Saints may seem, Johnson says they have a fighting chance against their old coach.

Cut 18 (21)  “… on that one, I think.”

The Saints open the regular season with a game at home against the Panthers, kicking off at noon on September 8th.

______________________________________________

Cut 19 (17) “… for a championship.” 

Cut 20 (18) “….over that one.”

Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms passes in the Senate on a 30 to 8 vote. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplesis challenged Bossier City Senator Adam Bass who presented House Bill 71 in the upper chamber.

Cut 24 (13) “…agree with that”

Duplesis said the bill is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment by promoting one religion over another. Monroe Senator Jay Morris amended the bill to recognize the 10 Commandments as a historical document…

Cut 25 (11) “…mandate it.” 

The amended bill returns to the House for final passage.

Governor Jeff Landry held two town hall meetings Thursday pushing for passage of the Gator Scholarship Program, which would give all families the ability to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Landry is having trouble building support for the program in the state Senate…

PM Cut 12 (08) “…in the Senate.” 

Opponents are concerned about the cost of the program, an estimated 500-million dollars by the third year.

The US Supreme Court ruled Louisiana’s congressional map with two majority-Black districts will be used for the fall election. Opponents say the most recent map was based on race; NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney Jared Evans says it was politics that altered Congressman Garett Grave’s district into a second majority-Black district.

Cut 11 (06) ” …for governor.”

The US Supreme Court says the most recent congressional map with two black-majority districts will be used for Louisiana’s fall election. NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney Jared Evans believes the ruling came down to timing.

Cut 10 (06) “…a new map.” 

Qualifying for the fall election is mid-July.

Governor Jeff Landry is campaigning for the passage of the Gator Scholarship Program, which would give all families the ability to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private school education. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Landry is fighting opposition from public schools…

Cut  14 (10) “..as it is.” 

Authorities say a 15-year-old girl from Terrebonne Parish was sexually abused, set on fire and shot twice. Sean Richardson reports a car crash in Baytown, Texas likely saved her life

Cut 1 (35)  “…I’m Sean Richardson”

Most of Southwest Louisiana west of the Mississippi River is under a tornado watch until 10 PM. LSU Climatologist Barry Keim says the entire state will get hit with bad weather and the most severe areas being from Baton Rouge to Alexandria….

Cut 3 (14) “…next 36 hours or so.” 

The US Supreme Court ruled Louisiana’s congressional map with two majority-Black districts will be used for the fall election. After several years and back and forth and multiple maps passed by the legislature, NAACP Legal Defense Fund Attorney Jared Evans says he’s pleased to finally tell his clients…

Cut 9 (12) “…joy today.” 

Opponents of Governor Jeff Landry’s Gator Scholarship Program are concerned about the cost, an estimated 500-million dollars by year three of the program. Landry says E-S-A’s empower parents, putting them in control of the type of education they want their child to receive. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says school choice was a campaign pledge from the governor and it’s important an E-S-A bill reaches his desk for signature…

Cut 13 (11) “….brag about achievements” 

Authorities say a 15-year-old girl from Terrebonne Parish was sexually abused, set on fire and shot twice and a car crash in Baytown, Texas likely saved her life. At the hospital, it was clear that the teen’s injuries were from abuse. When questioned 41 year old Terrence Washington of Thibodaux admitted to shooting and sexually abusing the teen and both Washington and the Mother who allegedly blamed the teen for the abuse and set her on fire have been arrested.

Cut 8 (08)  “…course of my career.” 

Tabor says the teens drive to survive and fight to get better are nothing short of heroic.
Washington and the child’s mother face child cruelty charges and attempted 1st degree murder.

Most of Southwest Louisiana west of the Mississippi River is under a tornado watch till 10PM. LSU Climatologist Barry Keim says to batten down the hatches and get ready for a rough day of severe weather.

Cut 5 (12)  “…across Louisiana.”