The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission begins a statewide “Click It or Ticket” campaign today focusing on back seat passengers, pickup trucks, and low compliance areas. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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May is Foster Care Month which is why the Department of Children and Family Services is making an extra push to recruit foster families. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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17-year-old Koryn Hawthorne of Abbeville performs tonight in the finals of NBC’s “The Voice”. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (27) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission begins a statewide “Click It or Ticket” campaign today focusing on back seat passengers, pickup trucks, and low compliance areas. Their 2014 seat belt survey showed 84-percent of Louisiana motorists buckled up, the highest rate to date. Executive Director Lt. Col. John LeBlanc says this is a statewide campaign, but they will focus efforts in areas of the state where seat belt compliance is the lowest…

cut 4  (05)  “central Louisiana”

Seat belt compliance was lowest in the Alexandria area, 71-percent, followed by Monroe with a 75-percent seat belt use rate. LeBlanc says this campaign is designed to raise those rates as well as the compliance rate for back seat passengers. He says since the state expanded its seat belt law to cover back seat passengers in 2009, the compliance rate has doubled to 55-percent…

Cut 5  (06)  “about that law”

He attributes some of the noncompliance to a lack of awareness about the law for back seat passengers. The campaign, which runs through the end of the month, will also look to make sure those in pickup trucks are buckled up. LeBlanc says they provde extra funding for law enforcement to increase patrols through the campaign…

Cut 6 (09)  “rate goes up”

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The Department of Children and Family Services is recruiting Foster Families, especially those who can take larger sibling groups or children with special needs. DCFS Policy Advisor Kaaren Hebert says because of unsafe living conditions at home, they regularly have children who need a new place to stay. She says children enter foster care almost daily…:

CUT 7 (09)  “scheduling”

May is Foster Care Month which is why an extra push to recruit families is made. Hebert says this month, more than 4300 children will be served by Louisiana’s foster care system and just 2,000 certified foster homes are available. She says that’s a huge deficit for their agency…:

Cut 8  (09)  “older children” 

To find out more about becoming a foster parent, visit www.dcfs.la.gov/foster. Hebert says children do best in families and by having foster homes in all areas of the state, children in foster care can stay close to home and in the same school…:

Cut 9 (10)  “get to remain”

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17-year-old Koryn Hawthorne of Abbeville performs tonight in the finals of NBC’s “The Voice”. Since the start of the season, Hawthorne has impressed judges with her strong voice and commanding stage presence. Her principal at Lighthouse Christian School, Tiffany Spraggins, says the excitement on campus ranges from the youngest in class to the oldest adult

Cut 10 (10) “that night”

Hawthorne had to battle another contestant to advance last week and it was ultimately the Twitter vote that moved her into tonight’s finals. Spraggins says their students were showing teachers how to set up Twitter accounts so they could all vote for #TeamKoryn…:

cut 11 (09) “fun experience”

The show begins at 7pm. Spraggins says Koryn sings through the halls of the school all the time and it’s obvious that music is in her soul…:

cut 12 (11)   “the full record”

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The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee will discuss today the revenue generating bills that were approved by the House. The lower chamber passed 11 bills that would increase revenues by 615-million dollars. Jeremy Alford, with la-politics-dot-com, says Senate leadership wants to raise even more revenue to offset a one-point-six billion dollar budget gap

Cut 13 (10)  “control over”

The tax bills up for considerationin the Senate would reduce tax breaks businesses currently enjoy, there’s also legislation that scales back the film tax and solar tax credit programs. Alford says the senate will likely look at limiting even further those two programs, plus raising the cigarette tax to a higher amount already agreed upon by the House….

Cut 14 (09) “entire answer”

Alford says while the legislature is busy looking at ways to raise revenue, they also have to find a tax offset to satisfy Governor Bobby Jindal’s concerns about increased taxes. He says with less than a month to go in the session, there’s a lot of work ahead for lawmakers…

Cut 15  (11)  “totals”

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The Saints held a rookie minicamp over the weekend. A chance for the coaches to get a look at the players that were recently drafted or signed as free agents out of college. That includes third-round draft pick and quarterback Garrett Grayson. Coach Sean Payton says he was impressed with what he saw from Grayson

Cut 16  (13)  “really effective”

Grayson says running a pro style offense at Colorado State should help him learn the Saints playbook…

Cut 17 (15)  “for me”

Grayson says he’s looking forward to learning from starting quarterback Drew Brees…

Cut 18 (20) “a beat’

High School graduation season is underway and a recent statewide survey shows almost two-thirds of voters favor the TOPS scholarship program to remain fully funded despite lawmakers efforts to put a cap on the awards. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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This summer might the biggest ever for Hollywood South at the Box Office. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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High School graduation season is underway and a recent statewide survey shows almost two-thirds of voters favor the TOPS scholarship program to remain fully funded despite lawmakers efforts to put a cap on the awards. A bill that would put limits on TOPS scholarship awards has passed the Senate and will be considered in the House. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat, with Southern Media and Opinion Research, says the poll shows 64-percent of voters want TOPS to be left as is…

CUT 3 (10)  “pay for TOPS”

The poll shows only 28-percent of Louisiana voters approve of limiting the scholarship awards. Legislators are currently considering putting a cap on the program in an effort to address the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Pinsonat admits there is an inherent problem with TOPS…

CUT 4 (04)  “more money”

Supporters of the measure argue that the program is unsustainable because rising tuitions cause the amount of money the state spends each year on TOPS to rise. Pinsonat says this survey shows voters overwhelmingly reject that argument…

CUT 5 (07)  “fund it”

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This summer might the biggest ever for Hollywood South at the Box Office. Starting this weekend with the opening of the Baton Rouge filmed Pitch Perfect 2, if you hit up the theater this summer there’s a good chance you’ll see a movie that was filmed in Louisiana. That’s according to Louisiana Entertainment Executive Director Chris Stelly…:

CUT 6 (07)  “the next Terminator”

There are concerns among lawmakers that the film tax program in Louisiana is too generous, Stelly doesn’t think movie makers will be deterred. He says there are currently cameras rolling throughout the state…:

CUT 7 (10) “New Orleans”

Among films shot here hitting the big screen this summer are New Orleans filmed “American Ultra” staring Kristen Stewart, “Selfless” with Ben Kingsley and “The Fantastic Four” which was made in Baton Rouge. Stelly says Louisiana is well represented on the little screen and the big screen this summer…:

CUT 8 (06)  “have on record”

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Alexandria Police have arrested a man accused of throwing an eight-month-old baby against a wall. Deputy Chief Cedric Green says they received a call from the baby’s mother saying 20-year-old Devontee Smith kicked in the back door of her residence and threatened her and and the baby. Green says Smith was upset about something when he came to the residence…

CUT 9 (06)  “against the wall”

Green says Smith, who is reported to be the child’s father, grabbed the baby by the ankles and slammed him against the wall. He says Smith then took the baby’s milk and diapers before fleeing the residence. Green says authorities caught up with Smith and booked him into the Rapides Parish Jail…

cut 10 (06) “and theft”

Smith faces charges of domestic abuse battery, home invasion, simple assault, and theft. Green says the baby boy was examined by an ambulance crew at the scene… (The crew found no visible injuries to the child.)

cut 11 (06)  “to the child”

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There’s a good chance you’ve seen termites swarming the street lights as it’s that time of year. Dr. Dennis Ring, entomologist with the LSU AgCenter, says the Formosan subterranean termites are attracted to lights and swarm from dusk through early morning. He says this is the most destructive insect in the state of Louisiana…:

cut 12 (08)  “to the light”

Ring says the first major swarm happens right about Mother’s Day then several major swarms will go through May and June. He says the swarms lighten up in July and we may even get a few termites in August. Ring says there is an alternative for people who don’t want to turn off porch lights…:

cut 13 (07)  “to insects”

Ring suggests homeowners call at least three professional pest management companies to come out and draw a diagram to tell you exactly what they are going to do to protect your structure from termites…:

cut 14 (09) “once you get termites”

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The Baton Rouge-shot “Pitch Perfect 2″ opens nationwide today and expectations that it will be as loved as the first one are high. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A new political action committee targets US Senator David Vitter’s attempt to become governor of Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announces that Safe Boating Week begins Saturday. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 3 (27) “reporting”

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The Baton Rouge-shot “Pitch Perfect 2″ opens nationwide today and expectations that it will be as loved as the first one are high. The sequel will once again be set at the fictional Barden University but was filmed in and around LSU. Ashley Territo is a manager in the office charged with approving all film projects on campus…:

cut 4  (09)  “in the second”

During filming, producers issued an open invitation casting call to fill in a concert crowd for one of the scenes and over 3000 people showed up so many Louisianians will be looking to see if they made the cut. Territo says it’s great that the movie came back to Baton Rouge a second time around which is a testament to the film industry in Louisiana…:

Cut 5  (09)  “great for the city”

Territo says they held a screening at the university last week and the students absolutely loved it. She has no doubt that the sequel will be as well received as the first…:

Cut 6 (08)  “work with”

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The Louisiana Department of Revenue reminds residents that today is the deadline for residents to file their 2014 Louisiana individual income tax returns. Spokesperson Kizzy Payton says, as the deadline looms, they encourage taxpayers to file their return electronically…

CUT 7 (10)  “to do that”

She says electronic filing is the fastest, most error-free method for filing tax returns. Payton says there is no accurate way to determine exactly how many residents have yet to file, but so far 1.8 million have filed their taxes…

Cut 8  (10)  “that we receive” 

She says the average refund processing time for electronic returns is up to 21 business days. If you file a paper return, the wait is generally 8 to 10 weeks. Payton says if you are not ready to file your taxes just yet, there are options available. She says an extension can be filed on the Department of Revenue’s website…

Cut 9 (10)  “an extension”

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A new political action committee targets US Senator David Vitter’s attempt to become governor of Louisiana. Gumbo PAC has launched a website and released a video that takes a critical look at Vitter’s time in political office. Gumbo PAC Chairman Trey Ourso says their mission is to educate voters about Vitter’s record…

Cut 10 (07) “people of Louisiana”

A Vitter spokesman says this video does not deter the Senator and he’ll continue to lay out his plan for a brighter future for all Louisianians. Ourso says some are concerned because Vitter has served in Congress since 1999 and is basically a “career Washington politician”…

cut 11 (11) “to the state”

Almost half of the video takes aim at Vitter’s sex scandal with the infamous DC madam and claims from a former New Orleans prostitute. Ourso says this is part of the Senator’s record and it’s important that voters be reminded of this…

cut 12 (11)   “the full record”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announces that Safe Boating Week begins Saturday. In Louisiana, Safe Boating Week marks the start of the spring and summer boating season. LDWF spokesman Adam Einck says boaters can expect increased patrols and safe boating checks this weekend…

Cut 13 (12)  “sober operator”

Einck says these increased patrols are not designed to stop anyone from having fun, they just want to make sure everyone is safe on the water. In 2014, Louisiana reported 18 boating fatalities, the second lowest number ever recorded. So far this year, 9 fatalities have been reported and Einck says that has LDWF officials concerned…

Cut 14 (07) “come home safe”

He stresses the importance of using life jackets while boating as well as having a sober operator. Alcohol use is a leading cause of boating crashes and fatalities on the water. Einck says DWI laws on the water are the same as on the road…

Cut 15  (06)  “on the road”

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The Saints’ rookie mini camp takes place this weekend at the team’s headquarters in Metairie. The three-day camp is an opportunity get a first look at this year’s draft picks and un-drafted free agents will battle for an invite to training camp. Saints sideline reporter Kristian Garic says the Black and Gold stayed true to what they said they believed in with this draft class…

Cut 16  (08)  “off the field”

Garic is impressed with the players the Saints selected in this year’s draft. He says there is excitement around the team’s two first round draft picks, offensive tackle Andrus Peat from Stanford and linebacker Stephone Anthony from Clemson. Garic says a lot of eyes will be on third round pick quarterback Garrett Grayson from Colorado State…

Cut 17 (08)  “ability he has”

As far as the un-drafted free agents attending mini camp, Garic is high on wide receiver RJ Harris out of New Hampshire. Garic admits it may be a long shot for Harris to make the team, but he is intrigued…

Cut 18 (11) “of Missouri’

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The New Orleans Police Department report the bodies of a missing mother and her two children were found in a car in New Orleans East. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Louisiana House overwhelmingly approves legislation that would ban “sex-selection abortions” in Louisiana, but not without some concerns. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged a substitute teacher on counts of producing and possessing child pornography and carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Lt. Bill Davis says 26-year-old Christopher Kerr of Bossier City not only used his position as a teacher and umpire to get access to children, he used social media as well. Davis says a prior arrest of Kerr lead to an investigation where these charges were filed…

CUT 3 (06)  “of young girls”

Authorities have identified at least four female victims, aged 13-16, that Kerr either exchanged nude photos and videos or had sexual relations with over the last three years. Davis says they are working to identify even more victims…

CUT 4 (11)  “have unidentified”

Davis says they have at least 30 photos of victims they have yet to identify. He encourages these victims to come forward so they can levy the appropriate charges against Kerr. Davis says this is another reminder to be careful of what you post online…

CUT 5 (06)  “able to see”

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The New Orleans Police Department report the bodies of a missing mother and her two children were found in a car in New Orleans East. They say 25-year-old Michelle McCullum and her children, 5-year-old Caden and 3-year-old Cylie, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison says they received a call from family concerned about the safety of McCullum and her kids…

CUT 6 (10)  “her own life”

Harrison says McCullum told family members she was feeling homicidal and suicidal and was armed with a firearm with the intent to kill her children and herself. He says someone found a vehicle matching McCullum’s this morning with people inside. Harrison says when officers arrived, they found all three shot dead inside the vehicle…

CUT 7 (02)  “very tragic”

A firearm was found at the scene. Authorities are trying to learn more about McCullum’s mental health history. Harrison says the investigation is in its initial stages but they are determined to find out what exactly happened…

CUT 8 (05)  “with the family”

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The Louisiana House approves legislation that would prohibit gender based abortions. The bill’s author, Houma Representative Lenar Whitney, says there have been no documented cases in Louisiana. But she cited an article from Forbes Magazine about pregnancies ending early in US Asian communities because the sex of the unborn child was a girl…

CUT 9 (08)  “bear sons”

Whitney’s legislation passed on an 84-2 vote. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger voted “yes”, but he’s concerned language in the legislation will lead to frivolous lawsuits against abortion doctors

cut 10 (12) “this procedure”

The bill heads to the Senate for more debate. New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno was one of two House members to vote against the measure. She doesn’t like a provision that  requires a woman to know the sex of the fetus, if possible, before an abortion

cut 11 (10)  “more children”

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State Police say one person is dead and another three injured after a pickup truck struck a school bus head-on in Beauregard Parish this morning. Sgt. James Anderson says there were no children hurt in the crash and the investigation reveals a truck crossed a median and hit the school bus despite efforts of the driver to avoid the vehicle….:

cut 12 (11)  “serious injuries”

Anderson says the truck was driven by 21-year-old Vernon Player of Benton and he sustained serious injuries. A passenger in the truck, 22-year-old Terric Glover of Benton died in the crash and another passenger, 25-year-old Gustavo Rodelo-Espinal of Bossier City was ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries. Anderson says the bus was driven by 52-year-old Jess Mullican of DeRidder…:

cut 13 (05)  “of the crash”

Anderson says there were no children on the school bus at the time of the fatal crash. He says they have no idea why the truck crossed the median…:

cut 14 (06) “investigation”

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A recent Southern Media and Opinion Research poll shows that voters approve of a series of revenue generating bills the House passed to cover state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A bill that would ban someone from getting an abortion based on sex selection is scheduled for debate on the House Floor today. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The state house approves a bill that would let some motorists get an inspection sticker every five years. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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A recent Southern Media and Opinion Research poll shows that voters approve of a series of revenue generating bills the House passed to cover state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says 67-percent of respondents want to see the state raise revenue from several different sources to deal with the budget crisis…

cut 4  (06)  “to this poll”

The poll indicates that only 17-percent of voters would be okay with the budget balanced through deep cuts in funding or laying off state employees. Pinsonat says this survey shows the House is on the right track in dealing with the budget…

Cut 5  (11)  “Louisiana voters”

He says it’s clear voters want to see lawmakers generate additional funds rather than slash funding to higher ed, health care, and other state programs to balance the budget. Pinsonat says the budget situation comes down to one thing…

Cut 6 (10)  “are predicting”

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A bill that would ban someone from getting an abortion based on sex selection is scheduled for debate on the House Floor today. The measure by Houma Rep. Lenar Whitney made it out of committee without objection. Shivana Jorawar is a pro-choice and gender equality activist. She says this bill is not about gender selection it’s about banning abortions..:

CUT 7 (11)  “anti-choice”

Louisiana Right to Life says the use of abortion as a means of sex selection is a major social problem in a number of Asian countries where male children are widely preferred over females. Jorawar  calls this measure a rouse to confuse people into passing something that is bad for women…:

Cut 8  (12)  “next” 

Jorawar says sex selection abortion and a preference for sons is a problem in India and China, but it’s not happening in any widespread fashion in the United States…:

Cut 9 (08)  “abortion restriction”

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The state house approves a bill that would let some motorists get an inspection sticker every five years. Currently the brake tags are $10 a year and drivers can get either a one or two year sticker. Stonewall Rep. Richard Burford says his bill would only apply to vehicles 7 years old or less. Lafayette Representative Nancy Landry voted in favor…:

Cut 10 (06) “car inspected”

The vote was 58-33 and the measure now heads to the Senate for further consideration. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton opposed the measure saying there are many businesses who rely on the revenue the inspection stickers generate…:

cut 11 (08) “they may suffer”

Burford says there are areas of the state where this would not be allowed including New Orleans and Baton Rouge where ozone levels are high. The five year sticker would be $50 so Landry says inspectors aren’t going to lose any money they are just going to get it at different time intervals…:

cut 12 (06)   “the next year”

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Retired Army Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who gained fame in his no-nonsense approach to relief efforts in post-Katrina New Orleans, says he’s considering running for Governor. On the Jim Engster Show, Honore says the only reason he wouldn’t run is if another one of the candidates ended up mounting a serious challenge to US Senator David Vitter…:

Cut 13 (06)  “quite understand that”

Honore says Vitter is running away in the polls right now with the most money, but he would not be the right man to lead Louisiana. He says the state is in bad shape and something has to be done by the right person..:

Cut 14 (10) “we’re broke”

Honore says if he does decide to run, he would do so under “No Party” and make an announcement before July 4th. He says he’d be in it to win it and even though it’s late in the game, raising money for a campaign would be no problem…:

Cut 15  (07)  “if we needed to”

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Senior Jared Foster is expected to start at second base tonight when the number one ranked LSU baseball team visits South Carolina. Foster, who was ruled academically ineligible last week, was reinstated after an “obscure” NCAA rule was uncovered that restored his eligibility. Foster on his reaction to re-joining the team

Cut 16  (15)  “this way”

LSU has a chance with a win tonight and a Vanderbilt loss to clinch the Southeastern Conference regular season championship. Shortstop Alex Bregman says it’s a great opportunity for the team…

Cut 17 (15)  “tough test”

This is also a big series for South Carolina. The Gamecocks are 12-15 in the SEC and fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Paul Mainieri says they are expecting big crowds at Carolina Stadium, a place they’ve had some success at

Cut 18 (19) “than this’

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n a 21-16 vote, the state Senate advances New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s equal pay bill to the House. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The House Education Committee approves legislation that could put an end to the controversy over the Common Core education standards. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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In a narrow vote, the state Senate advances an equal pay bill to the House. New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s legislation would ensure that all employees receive the same pay for the same kind and quality of work. It also lays out a course of legal action if a worker is underpaid. Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue says this bill puts another nail in the coffin of business…

CUT 3 (07)  “pay fair wages”

The bill passed the Senate on a 21-16 vote. According to recent Census data, Louisiana has the largest gender pay gap in the nation. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says this bill is about shrinking the gender pay gap, not promoting lawsuits…

CUT 4 (07)  “all it does”

Data shows, on average, women in Louisiana are paid about two-thirds of what men are paid. Metarie Senator Conrad Appel questions the validity of those statistics…

CUT 5 (08)  “a real problem”

The measure is expected to run into problems in the House Labor Committee, which killed two similar equal pay bills this legislative session. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor says it’s time for Louisiana to close this pay gap…

CUT 6 (06)  “pay for everyone”

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A Louisiana based oil company is set to drill near the site of the BP well blowout that killed 11 workers and caused the nation’s largest offshore oil spill. LLOG (log) Exploration Offshore has been approved to drill into the Macondo reservoir. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, Professor Eric Smith, says this shouldn’t cause people to be concerned…

CUT 7 (08)  “up with LLOG”

Smith says LLOG has drilled the well closest to the Macondo blowout without any incident. He says the BP blowout was the cause of human error and the reservoir is safe to drill. Smith says people shouldn’t worry about another blowout…

CUT 8 (10)  “company like LLOG”

LLOG’s permit to drill was approved by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Smith says many companies have drilled in the region over the years without any problems. He believes LLOG will do a good job and it’s time to get production going in the area…

CUT 9 (09)  “except for BP”

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Supporters and opponents of Common Core have come together on legislation that puts a process in place that could lead to new public school education standards.  Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann, an outspoken critic of Common Core, says the compromise legislation, which was approved by the House Education committee today, allows for more public input in developing academic standards…

cut 10 (08) “embrace”

Geymann says under the proposed compromise, BESE will begin a comprehensive review of English and Math standards this summer and the process will also involve public meetings across the state

cut 11 (10)  “ended up”

The plan calls for BESE to approve new education standards in March 2016, but the next governor will have the authority to reject them.  A member of Governor Jindal’s staff expressed some concerns with the plan and so did members of the public who were there to testify…

cut 12 (08)  “playoff series ended”

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Governor Bobby Jindal’s approval rating in Louisiana is at an all time low according to a new survey. Bernie Pinsonat conducts the Southern Media and Opinion Resarch Poll. He says they found Jindal got a 31.8% positive job performance rating from likely Louisiana voters…:

cut 13 (08)  “more Republican”

Pinsonat says President Barack Obama remains unpopular in Louisiana, but not as unpopular as Governor Jindal. He says in the poll 42.1% rate the president’s job performance as positive and 57.3% negative…:

cut 14 (05) “square that”

Pinsonat says if Jindal does decide to run for president, low approval numbers like this won’t be very helpful to him…:

cut 15 (07) “popular you are”

A new statewide poll shows Republican Senator David Vitter’s lead in the governor’s race is growing. Scott Carwile has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The debate over whether Louisiana should keep the controversial Common Core education standards in place ramps up at the state capitol today. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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Researchers at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport are working on a new drug that could possibly help cure addiction. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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A new statewide poll shows Republican Senator David Vitter is separating himself even more as the front-runner in the governor’s race. In a survey conducted by Southern Media and Opinion Research, 38-percent of respondents said they would vote for Vitter, his closest challenger is Democrat John Bel Edwards at 25-percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat…

cut 4  (08)  “the conservatives”

Republican Jay Dardenne finished third in the poll as he received support from 17-percent of those surveyed, while Republican Scott Angelle got five-percent. Pinsonat says the poll also shows there’s very few white voters who are undecided, which is bad news for Vitter’s opponents

Cut 5  (07)  “to Vitter”

Pinsonat says Vitter would have to suffer a catastrophic melt down with his white support not to get into the runoff against Democrat John Bel Edwards…

Cut 6 (08)  “early in a race”

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The House Education Committee is scheduled to debate legislation today that would remove the controversial Common Core education standards from public schools and replace it with one developed by Louisiana residents. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authors the bill and he says Common Core was implemented with little public input and now parents see it’s not good for our students…1

CUT 7 (09)  “democratic process”

Harris says Common Core has created chaos in the state’s public schools and it’s time to come up with a better assessment test and curriculum…

Cut 8  (09)  “last time” 

But Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says ditching Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state…

Cut 9 (09)  “several years now”

Erwin says schools are wrapping up the second full year of implementation of Common Core. He says there were some bumps in the road at first, but things are proceeding along just fine now….

Cut 10 (08) “quite a bit”

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Researchers at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport are working on a new drug that could possibly help cure addiction. Dr. Nick Goeders (geh-derz) says they’re looking at whether or not the pill “EMB-001″ would work for people who have certain dependencies…:

cut 11 (10) “leads to relapse”

Goeders says many people enter treatment centers and do fine while they are there, but then they come back to their old lives and encounter triggers that lead to cravings then they begin using again. He says EMB-001 blocks the body’s stress responders which interferes with triggers that lead to cravings…:

cut 12 (05)   “going to relapse”

Goeders says the drug is being developed in partnership with Embera Neuro and they estimate it may be three to five years before it can go to market. He says the difference between their drug and other drugs that aim to block people from getting high or feeling the effects of drugs, EMB-001 goes directly after the cravings…:

Cut 13 (07)  “in the first place”

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New Orleans Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps says the decision to release Monty Williams as head coach was one agreed to by everyone within the organization. Williams led the Pels to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, but Demps says the firing decision was not based on what did or did not happen…:

Cut 14 (08) “moving forward”

Demps says he is going to lead the coaching search which is underway immediately. It’s been reported that the GM and Williams did not see eye to eye on many personnel moves, but Demps says he didn’t see it that way…:

Cut 15  (11)  “talked a lot”

Demps says he personally talked to certain players, including star Anthony Davis, about the decision to let Williams go after the fact but he’s keeping those conversations private. He believes the program will be attractive to potential coaches during the search…:

Cut 16  (09)  “right direction”

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The Attorney General’s office says two former St. John the Baptist Parish Water Works employees were convicted Tuesday for covering up their failure to properly collect water samples from testing sites. The Department of Health and Hospitals later found a brain eating amoeba at those sites. Kurt Wall directs the criminal division at the AG’s office.

Cut 17 (10)  “what happened here”

Wall says 55-year-old Kevin Branch of LaPlace and 43-year-old Danielle Roussel of Paulina, both pleaded guilty to false swearing. Branch was convicted on two counts and Roussel on one count. Wall says the two were lying about taking samples and also lying about chlorine levels. He says they were covering the areas where the brain eating amoeba was discovered

Cut 18 (09) “troubling fact’

Wall says both were sentenced to one year in parish prison, with that sentence suspended, and 6 months probation. He says they are appreciative to all who helped in this investigation…:

Cut 19 (12)  “very helpful”

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs more oversight over state government contracts in light of a report by the Legislative Auditor. Eric Gill reports..

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr. Trooper Evan Harrell says they received a tip from a concerned citizen about the vehicle they were looking for in this incident…

CUT 3 (09)  “that night”

Harrell says Friloux admitted to officers that she was driving the vehicle in question the night Clowder was killed. He says when they found the vehicle, it still had damage to the front fender and windshield as a result of the crash. Harrell says Friloux faces a number of charges…

CUT 4 (08)  “jail process”

Friloux faces charges including hit-and-run and negligent homicide. Harrell says this is a prime example how public assistance can help law enforcement bring criminals to justice…

CUT 5 (08)  “benefit, this time”

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A bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot that would double littering fines is full Senate approval away from going to the governor’s desk. The measure passed the House last week and advanced in the Senate Environmental Committee today. Berthelot says the additional revenue would go toward the arresting officers retirement…

CUT 6 (09)  “retirement systems”

Under the measure, first offense fines for simple littering would increase to $150, while subsequent offenses would result in a $1000 fine. Fines for intentional littering would climb to anywhere from $500 to $2500. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey questioned Berthelot about how much money the increased fines would raise…

CUT 7 (12)  “dollars a year”

In this bill, fines for the improper disposal of large litter, like furniture and appliances, could reach up to $10,000. Jennings Senator Dan Morrish wanted assurances this additional money would only be used for law enforcement retirement benefits…

CUT 8 (11)  “the general fund”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in state government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative Auditor. The report found that Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them. Kennedy says this is a sign of incompetence or subterfuge…

CUT 9 (10)  “nobody can find”

The audit found that nearly 4,600 consulting contracts totaling over $250 million were not included in the tracking system. Kennedy says it’s time to completely reform the way contracts are handled by the state. He says having this many state contracts out there is unacceptable…

cut 10 (12) “billion dollars”

Kennedy says many of these contracts are wasteful spending and millions could be saved with better oversight. He says House Bill 30 by Thibodaux Representative Dee Richard would create more legislative input into these contracts. Kennedy is hopeful the bill will fare better this year than last year when it was vetoed by Governor Jindal…

cut 11 (11)  “his signature”

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The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams after five seasons. In a statement, Pels Vice President Mickey Loomis says this wasn’t an easy decision to make, but now was the time and they wish nothing but the best for Williams in the future. Jake Madison, writer with Bourbon Street Shots, says this is a shocking development…:

cut 12 (08)  “playoff series ended”

The Pelicans finished the 2014-2015 season with a record of 45-37 and the 8th position in the Western Conference, earning New Orleans its first postseason berth in four seasons. Madison says we know there was, at times, a power struggle between GM Dell Demps and Williams…:

cut 13 (14)  “now out of a job”

Madison says the team could be eyeing a change in philosophy as Williams has been known to be bull headed and wants things to go his way. He believes Williams never adapted to his players the way some other coaches do…:

cut 14 (14) “never gonna do that”

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The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s office says the son of the police chief in St. Gabriel fatally shot two brothers Sunday night but authorities are waiting for more evidence before filing homicide charges.

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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A 24-billion dollar budget for next fiscal year that funds higher education at the same level as this year heads to the House floor. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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New Orleans Representative Austin Badon believes his anti-discrimination legislation has a decent chance of passing this year. Michelle Southern reports..:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi says the son of the police chief in St. Gabriel fatally shot two brothers Sunday night but authorities are waiting for more evidence before filing homicide charges. Stassi says the two deceased men had been fighting and then went to the home of Kevin Ambeau Jr. with a gun…:

cut 4  (09)  “with this”

Stassi says things became heated at Ambeau Jr.’s residence and witnesses say the two brothers went inside and that’s when the shots were fired. He says autopsies will be conducted today and the investigation will continue before any rush to judgement is made that this was murder…:

Cut 5  (10)  “invasion type”

Stassi says they are waiting on evidence and still interviewing witnesses, but it appears at this time that Ambeau Jr. was defending his home. He says there is a lot involved in this case and they are investigating it just as they would any other…:

Cut 6 (10)  “on the corner’s son”

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A 24-billion dollar budget that funds higher education at the same level as this year heads to the full House for a vote next week. The House Appropriations Committee has approved next fiscal year’s spending plan and Chairman Jim Fannin says revenue generating bills approved by the House last week will prevent any cuts to public colleges and universities…

CUT 7 (07)  “the process”

The House approved 615-million dollars in additional revenue last week, by raising the state’s cigarette tax and suspending or reducing tax benefits many businesses currently enjoy. Fannin says they were hoping to generate 900-million dollars or so in new revenue, but there’s still time to do that…

Cut 8  (07)  “30-percent” 

Governor Jindal has said he’ll veto a budget that raises taxes, which the proposed budget that’s heading to the House floor will do. Fannin was asked about a possible veto, if there are no tax cuts to offset the tax increases…

Cut 9 (08)  “I can’t answer that”

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Legislative leaders in the state House of Representatives say they are committed to an override veto session if Governor Jindal vetoes the revenue generating bills they have passed. The House has approved legislation that raises $615 million to protect higher education and reduce cuts to health care. If Jindal vetoes the tax bills, Ways and Means Chairman Joel Robidaux says the House will act accordingly…

Cut 10 (08) “veto override”

Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson, Chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, says there is one big factor in determining if lawmakers will be successful in this budget fight…

cut 11 (09) “enough is enough”

Jindal has said consistently that he will not approve any tax hike unless there is a tax reduction elsewhere. But, Jackson says she is pleased with what the House has done already…

cut 12 (08)   “throughout the process”

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New Orleans Representative Austin Badon believes his anti-discrimination legislation has a decent chance of passing this year. House Bill 612 would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. He says it needs to be realized that, across the board, all men and women are created equal…:

Cut 13 (05)  “anybody else”

Badon says this legislation corrects the injustice of it being legal to fire someone from a job because they are gay, bisexual or transgender. He says if we pass this law, it would send a clear message that Louisiana is a friendly place to live and work…:(Badon says the bill will likely come up in the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure next week.)

Cut 14 (08) “discrimination”

The proposal seeks to protect people from job and housing discrimination among other things. The Louisiana Family Forum has stepped up to oppose similar bills in the past but Badon says they shouldn’t stand in judgement of anyone…:

Cut 15  (11)  “are praising”

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The number one ranked LSU baseball team plays its final non-conference game of the season tonight as they visit the UNO Privateers. On paper this looks like a big mismatch as the Tigers 43-and-8 overall, while the Privateers are 14-and-36. But LSU Coach Paul Mainieri knows UNO will be fired up to play this game…

Cut 16  (11)  “for their season”

LSU has four more regular season games left than the SEC Tournament, before the NCAA Tournament field is released. It’s likely the Tigers will be a national seed, but Coach Paul Mainieri is not taking anything for granted…

Cut 17 (12)  “the end”

LSU heads into the final week of the regular season with some questions marks. Closer Jesse Stallings blew another save last weekend and the Tigers haven’t settled on a third weekend starter. But Mainieri says every team in college baseball has its issues, but championship teams overcome their weaknesses…

Cut 18 (17) ” get it done’

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Lt. Clay Higgins of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office is receiving national attention for his intimidating Crimestopper videos. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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Two LSU students develop a smart phone app that allows people to record and upload videos of police encounters and share it with media outlets. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Vivian teenager accused of stabbing his parents. Authorities say 17-year-old Shane Alexander is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder. Spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says Shane went into his parents’ bedroom at about 3AM this morning…

CUT 3 (07)  “injuries to them”

Shane’s step-mother, 61-year-old LaDonna Alexander, was stabbed once in the chest and his father, 64-year-old Jerry Alexander, was stabbed in the back and arm. Chadwick says LaDonna was able to drive herself to the hospital…

CUT 4 (05)  “call 9-1-1″

Jerry was later transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities have yet to release a motive for the crime. Chadwick says, when authorities responded to the call, Shane was still at the house…

CUT 5 (05)  “first degree murder”

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The spokesman for the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office is getting national attention for his intimidating Crimestopper videos created for a Lafayette news station. Lt. Clay Higgins is called the “Cajun John Wayne” for his stern demeanor when talking to perpetrators responsible for these unsolved crimes. He says he never expected all this…:

CUT 6 (07)  “contacting me”

Higgins says the Crimestopper videos were originally scripted but he decided he wanted to use his own words and feelings when talking about these criminal acts. He says he uses a certain way to communicate that if there’s a warrant out for your arrest, you should turn yourself in…:

CUT 7 (08)  “hang their hat on”

Known for the phrase, “Have your affairs in order,” Higgins says it was directed at whomever stole a generator from the home of a man who is confined to a wheelchair. He says he wanted to send a strong, stern message to the person who violated the man’s privacy…:

CUT 8 (09)  “in order”

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Two LSU students have developed a smart phone app that allows people to record and upload videos of police encounters and share it with media outlets. The Police Officer Watchdog Events Reporter, or POWER, app was developed by Wilborn Nobles and Elbis Bolton. Bolton says this app can be used to spread both negative and positive interactions with police…

CUT 9 (08)  “with newsrooms”

With cellphone cameras becoming more widespread, more and more incidents of police, both good and bad, are being caught on camera. This app would become a hub to share those videos with newsrooms nationwide. Bolton says the inspiration for this app came from watching events unfold in Ferguson, Missouri last year…

cut 10 (09) “current events”

The POWER App is currently available for download for Android devices. Bolton says they are working on an iPhone version. Nobles says this app can be a way to more efficiently get cellphone videos in the hands of journalists…

cut 11 (07)  “for that matter”

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State Police say two people are dead after a high speed crash this weekend in St. Tammany Parish that happened after a traffic stop. Trooper Dustin Dwight says an officer pulled over a vehicle speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour in Covington. Dwight says while the trooper was conducting a field sobriety test on the 14-year-old driver of the vehicle, something else happened…

cut 12 (08)  “the traffic stop”

Dwight says 21-year-old Brandon Bigner of Franklinton jumped into the driver’s seat of the car and fled the traffic stop with 14-year-old Sloan McDow of Folsom in the back seat. He says after the trooper secured the juvenile driver in his squad car, the officer left the scene in the direction the car had fled…

cut 13 (10)  “from him, earlier”

Dwight says the officer, who was not in pursuit of the vehicle, came upon the crash scene as he rounded a curve. He says alcohol use is suspected by Bigner. Dwight says this crash was extremely unfortunate… (McDow was pronounced dead at the scene and Bigner died today from his injuries.)

cut 14 (10) “make it, either”

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