The 2015 Hurricane season is off to an unusual early start. Subtropical storm Ana is said to make landfall on Sunday. Emelie Gunn has more.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The EPA approves the Louisiana Military Department’s recommended incineration method to dispose 15 million pounds of M6 propellant at Camp Minden. Eric Gill reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

===================

New Orleans Police say an alligator is to blame for a fatal accident on I-10 early this morning. Officer Frank Robertson says the gator was attempting to cross the interstate at around four this morning…

CUT 3 (04)  “in the road”

He says it appears the van came to a complete stop near the Michoud Exit after hitting the alligator. Robertson says then the van was struck from behind by a Mitsubishi Eclipse…

CUT 4 (03)  “on the scene”

The driver of the Eclipse was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the van and a passenger in the Eclipse were transported to a local hospital with undisclosed injuries. The dead alligator was found underneath the van. Robertson says this is another reminder to be cautious while behind the wheel…

CUT 5 (04)  “to use vigilance”

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This year’s Atlantic hurricane and tropical storm season has gotten off to an early start. 2015′s first named Sub-tropical storm Ana is now bringing an unusual threat to the east coast. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Ana lies southeast of South Carolina and is expected to make landfall on Sunday.

CUT 6 (09)  “the gulf coast.”

Keim says May storms are unusual because hurricane season begins June 1st. He says he doesn’t believe this will be a harbinger for the 2015 season.

CUT 7 (13)  “50 or 60 years.”

Keim says this is considered a sub-tropical storm because it is still ingesting the air from the middle latitudes. He says although these storms are unique, they will form during this time of the year.

CUT 8 (12)  “the right time”

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Louisiana Tech men’s basketball coach Michael White has accepted the head coaching job at the University of Florida. In White’s four years leading the Bulldogs, he accumulated a 101-40 record. “Bleed Tech Blue” Publisher Jonathan Ford says White left a positive legacy at Tech…

CUT 9 (11)  “that’s their goal”

White lead the Bulldogs to three conference regular season titles and two consecutive appearances in the NIT quarterfinals. The school says they will immediately begin a national search for White’s replacement. Ford believes there will be plenty of interest in the opening at Tech…

cut 10 (06) “in America”

In a statement, the university says White represented Louisiana Tech in a first class manner both on and off the court and wish him the best of luck at Florida. Although no time table has been announced for naming White’s replacement, Ford believes the school would like to have someone in place before summer break begins…

cut 11 (10)  “leaves a job”

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The EPA has approved the Louisiana Military Department’s recommended incineration method of disposal of the 15 million pounds of M6 propellant at Camp Minden. State Representative Gene Reynolds says this is a victory for the community who had strong objections to the original plan of the federal government to conduct an open burn to get rid of the explosives

cut 12 (10)  “conditions”

The method to be used will be a contained incineration burn method by the company Explosive Service International. Louisiana Progress Action released a statement saying they are glad there will be no open burn, they still don’t think incineration is the safest method. But Reynolds says you have to live within the parameters of what you have…:

cut 13 (08)  “best answer”

Reynolds says the chosen method is advanced proven technology where combustion will take place inside an enclosure that will trap, filter, scrub and after-burn for safe measure of all of the emissions from the disposal of the explosives. He says the container has to be built first then they’ll work to get rid of it as soon as possible…:

cut 14 (05) “started”

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron will receive an honorary degree this morning during Grambling State University’s Spring Commencement. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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The House approved a measure that would limit the amount of credits issued as part of the film tax program to $200 million dollars despite objections from lawmakers who thought the cap should be lower. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Former LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins goes from undrafted to a three-year guaranteed contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron will receive an honorary degree this morning during Grambling State University’s Spring Commencement. Aaron will be bestowed with a Doctor of Humane Letters. John Rosenthal, a university Vice President, says Grambling not only has a great football tradition, but a great baseball tradition as well…

cut 4  (10)  “to our campus”

The Doctor of Humane Letters is the university’s highest honor. Rosenthal says this degree recognizes an individual’s contribution to the world. He says Aaron will be honored for his work both on and off the field…

Cut 5  (10)  “charitable contributions”

In Aaron’s 23-year Major League career, he hit 755 home runs, a Major League record that stood for over 30 years. Rosenthal says Aaron is a great humanitarian, businessman, and an excellent role model…

Cut 6 (09)  “Grambling State University”

______________________________________

The House approved a measure that would limit the amount of credits issued as part of the film tax program to $200 million dollars despite objections from lawmakers who thought the cap should be lower. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris tried to amend it to $150 million dollars saying that other $50 million needs to be used elsewhere…:

CUT 7 (11)  “museums open”

There is currently no cap on the program and the state is issuing $226 million dollars in credits this year. Harris doesn’t think the lower cap is too much to ask of an industry that’s been thriving here since 2002 when there are so many other areas of the state that are struggling…:

Cut 8  (09)  “but two hours a day” 

The tax credit scale back measures approved by the House Thursday now head to the Senate. New Orleans Representative Jeff Arnold opposed the amendment saying that  it could lead to the state losing valuable business…:

Cut 9 (09)  “of a good list”

Metairie Representative Joe Lopinto says cutting the program this extra $50 million dollars is too much and would make Louisiana less competitive. He says they don’t want to risk the movie industry leaving the state and taking the jobs with it…:

Cut 10 (10) “of Louisiana”

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People go out to eat at least one night during Mother’s Day weekend, more than any other weekend of the year. Erika Burns with the Louisiana restaurant Association Mother’s Day itself is the most popular day of the year for going out in the United States. She says mom gets to pick the place for brunch, lunch or dinner…:

cut 11 (06) “more casual place”

Burns says it will probably be impossible to get a nice reservation this late in the game, but you can try your luck at any spot that doesn’t have a list…:

cut 12 (12)   “as usual”

Burns says while things tend to slow down for the restaurant industry after this weekend and over summer, people in Louisiana have a large appetite for going out to eat…:

Cut 13 (08)  “summer months”

_______________________________

The state House advances a package of bills to the Senate that would raise 670-million dollars that can be used to cover a one-point-six billion dollar shortfall. The legislation heading to the senate raises the tax on cigarettes and scales back tax programs. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says more work needs to be done to solve this budget crisis….

Cut 14 (09) “and universities”

Pinsonat says what the House did on Thursday is a good start, but even with these revenue generating bills heading to the senate, there’s still a big shortfall out there…

Cut 15  (09)  “and universities”

The revenue generating bills passed in the House face an uncertain future in the Senate and may get vetoed by the governor if they make it through the legislative process. Pinsonat says lawmakers have until the last day of the session on June 11th to figure it out..

Cut 16  (07)  “Russian Roulette”

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Former LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins is now a Dallas Cowboy. The Baton Rouge product signed a three-year, 1.65 million dollar guaranteed contract, after not getting drafted. NFL teams were scared to select Collins, because he was wanted for questioning about the murder of a pregnant woman. During a press conference in Dallas, Collins thanked his support system that was around him during a difficult time

Cut 17 (20)  “I’m extremely excited”

Collins was expected to be a first round pick in last week’s NFL draft, until news got out that police wanted to question the football star about a murder that happened on April 24th. Authorities have never called Collins a suspect in Brittney Mills and her one week-old son’s death. Dallas Coach Jason Garrett is impressed with how Collins weathered the storm

Cut 18 (19) ”  pretty remarkable’

Before signing with Dallas, Collins had dinner at owner Jerry Jones’ house and that’s when La’el knew he truly wanted to be a Cowboy….

Cut 19 (19)  “want to be “

It appears that Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne has fired the first shot in Louisiana’s governor’s race. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The state House approves several bills that will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to stave off large cuts to higher education and health care. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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State Police announce the arrest of 34 individuals over the last two months following numerous criminal investigations by their Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit. These people were involved in committing insurance fraud, including staged or “jump-in” crashes and falsifying documents to make injury claims. Sgt. Nick Manale says some think these crimes are harmless, but that is far from the truth…

CUT 3 (07)  “across the state”

Manale says these insurance fraud cases affect insurance rates and policies across the state. He says in one case a subject paid a friend to rent a truck and then staged a crash…

CUT 4 (11)  “payment on that”

It is reported that intentional or staged crashes costs the insurance industry billions of dollars each year in fraudulent claims. Manale says police aren’t the only ones watching out for these cases, insurance companies also have their own investigators…

CUT 5 (11)  “acts did occur”

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It appears that the first shot has been fired in Louisiana’s governor’s race. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne issued a statement calling US Senator David Vitter an absentee Senator after he missed a budget vote in the Senate. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says this is a sign of things to come…

CUT 6 (09)  “at one another”

Dardenne says instead of casting a Senate vote, Vitter was in Louisiana having a beer with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in an effort to boost his gubernatorial bid. Dubos says this campaign has been in the silent phase and hasn’t really gotten rolling yet…

CUT 7 (11)  “at each other”

Dubos says any political campaign has the potential to get personal. He says the more important the job, the more likely it is that rules are thrown out the window…

CUT 8 (09)  “at one another”

============================

Now that we know that former LSU Tiger La’el Collins was not the father of Brittney Mills’ deceased baby, where does the investigation into the murder go from here? Baton Rouge Police Department spokesman Don Coppola says this is still very much an ongoing active case they are working on…:

CUT 9 (09)  “her child”

Mills was gunned down and killed at her apartment on April 24th when she was 8 months pregnant and though EMS was able to deliver the baby, he died a week later. Coppola says investigators sought Collins out for questioning in the case and requested he take a paternity test because the relationship he had with Mills was a romantic one…:

cut 10 (05) “not the father”

Collins has reportedly signed a 3 year $1.65 million dollar contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Coppola says Collins fully cooperated in the investigation and was never a suspect. He says they are still working to identify one…:

cut 11 (06)  “violent crimes unit”

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The state House approves a series of bills that raises hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues to stave off large cuts to higher education and health care. Before the discussion began, House Speaker Chuck Kleckley explained to legislators how important it is to vote “Yes” on these bills…

cut 12 (10)  “what we are doing”

Among the bills passed today, a 32-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes. The author of the measure is Bogalusa Representative Harold Ritchie and he says it will generate 68-million dollars that can go towards health care costs….

cut 13 (10)  “where I want it”

A scale back of  tax credit programs also passed today. And legislators approved bills that will result in higher taxes on businesses. House Ways and Means Chairman Joel Robideaux explained the need to do this, even though there’s opposition from business and industry

cut 14 (12) “movie theaters”

Today House leaders as they will vote on what changes to make when it comes to tax hikes and scaling back incentives in order to balance the state’s budget. Among the issues up for debate are repealing of tax breaks for businesses and an increase in the state’s cigarette tax. Alford says today’s House session will be a long one and something we have not seen in recent history…

Cut 5  (10)  “the House floor”

He says the absolute linchpin this legislative session is the inventory tax.

Two bills that seek to control the wild hog population in Louisiana pass the House Natural Resources Committee. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham says something must be done…:

Cut 13 (11)  “static”

One measure would approve year-round hunting seasons on razorbacks and the other would create a lifetime hunting license for the animal.

Legislation that would legalize the sale of raw milk in Louisiana failed to make it out of a Senate Committee. Opponents argue there are dangers associated with consuming raw milk but Ville Platte Senator Eric LaFleur doesn’t think it’s bad enough to warrant government regulation…:

cut 11 (09) “against the law”

The same measure made it out of the house last year but died on the Senate floor.

New Orleans Representative Austin Badon’s legislation to reduce penalties for simple marijuana possession will move to House floor. Jill Trahan’s son is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for simple marijuana possession. Trahan wants lawmakers to really consider the penalties imposed on marijuana possession convictions…

CUT 7 (07)  “and strong”

The measure passed the House Criminal Justice Committee on a 10-4 vote.

Today House leaders will vote on various proposals that will go towards filling a massive budget shortfall. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

New Orleans Representative Austin Badon’s bill to reduce penalties for simple marijuana possession will be heard on the House floor. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

Legislation that would legalize the sale of raw milk in Louisiana did not make it out of a Senate Committee. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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Today is decision making day for House leaders as they will vote on what changes to make when it comes to tax hikes and scaling back incentives in order to balance the state’s budget. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher, Jeremy Alford, says this entire legislative session is about the budget and filling a $1.6 billion shortfall. He says today we’ll find out which way the budget will lean…

cut 4  (08)  “fill those holes”

Among the issues up for debate are repealing of tax breaks for businesses and an increase in the state’s cigarette tax. Alford says today’s House session will be a long one and something we have not seen in recent history…

Cut 5  (10)  “the House floor”

Alford says the House could meet well into the night. He says the absolute linchpin this legislative session is the inventory tax. Whether the tax credit is scaled back or the tax is repealed altogether, Alford says lawmakers must do something to the inventory tax system…

Cut 6 (11)  “the House side”

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New Orleans Representative Austin Badon’s bill to reduce penalties for simple marijuana possession will be heard on the House floor. Jill Trahan’s son is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for simple marijuana possession. Trahan wants lawmakers to really consider the penalties imposed on marijuana possession convictions…

CUT 7 (07)  “and strong”

The measure passed the House Criminal Justice Committee on a 10-4 vote. Livingston Representative Sherman Mack questioned the need for Badon’s bill since judges and district attorneys already have the ability to shorten a sentence for simple marijuana possession…

Cut 8  (12)  “could possibly get” 

Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman voiced her opposition to Badon’s measure saying this bill doesn’t do enough…

Cut 9 (10)  “not retroactive”

______________________________________

Legislation that would legalize the sale of raw milk in Louisiana did not make it out of a Senate Committee. The bill’s author, Ville Platte Senator Eric LaFleur, says there are many who believe purchasing raw milk is a basic human right and not something for government to be involved in…:

Cut 10 (09) “raw milk”

The same measure made it out of the house last year but died in the Senate. Opponents argue there are dangers associated with consuming raw milk but LaFleur doesn’t think it’s bad enough to warrant government regulation…:

cut 11 (09) “against the law”

The vote was 5-3 and the issue is essentially dead for the session. Many people believe the nutrition found in raw milk is far better than what’s in pasteurized milk. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says he struggles with this issue because he drank raw milk as a kid, but knows the risks are much greater now…:

cut 12 (09)   “pasteurized”

_________________________

Two bills that seek to control the wild hog population in Louisiana pass the House Natural Resources Committee. One measure would approve year-round hunting seasons on razorbacks and the other would create a lifetime hunting license for the animal. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham says something must be done…:

Cut 13 (11)  “static”

The bills now head to the Full House. Barham says the razorbacks destroy farm land and are tearing up levees. He says it’s a rural problem that’s about to become an urban one…:

Cut 14 (12) “one day”

Barham supports the lifetime license bill saying they want to be able to choose the price. Ouachita Parish DA Jerry Jones says it will be easier on farmers to have a one-time permit…:

Cut 15  (09)  “price”

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There’s been reports the Pelicans will hire former McNeese State star and Detroit Piston Joe Dumars. Dumars is a former team president of the Pistons and built a roster that won an NBA championship in 2004. Jake Madison, a writer for Bourbon Street Shots dot com says Dumars could be an asset to the Pelicans front office…

Cut 16  (20)  “key contributor”

Madison says if Dumars joins the Pels, Dell Demps will likely remain as the general manager. He says Demps did a terrific job this past season, making a key trade to reshape the roster with enough talent to get into the playoffs…

Cut 17 (18)  “that wasn’t playing”

It’s been reported Dumars is friends with Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and General Mickey Loomis. Loomis also has a role in the Pels front office and Madison could see Dumars joining the Pels in some type of role

Cut 18 (20) ”   a lot of success”‘

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s office says a man is behind bars accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend so badly, she lost their baby. Michelle Southern reporting…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The House Health and Welfare Committee approves a bill that would prohibit abortions in Louisiana that are based on the gender of the unborn baby.  Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s office says a man is behind bars accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend so badly, she lost the baby. Captain Dawn Foret says they received a complaint from a concerned citizen that there were multiple instances of abuse involving 36-year-old Tyson Cheavis of Gibson and his 27-year-old girlfriend…:

CUT 3 (08)  “pregnancy recently”

Foret says the victim admitted she went to a local hospital after being attacked by Cheavis and during an examination was informed her unborn child did not have a heartbeat…:

CUT 4 (08)  “with his girlfriend”

Foret says Cheavis admitted to beating his girlfriend when he was aware that she was pregnant with his child in her second trimester. She says he also confessed to causing multiple injuries to the victim that ultimately lead to the death of their unborn child…:

CUT 5 (07)  “feticide”

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Bossier Parish Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a Haughton man wanted for swindling nearly $3000 from a youth baseball league. Lt. Bill Davis says 25-year-old Robert Martin III applied to be a coach for a team in a local league and began accepting payments from sponsors and parents for uniforms and other items. Davis says it’s apparent that everything with Martin was not on the up and up…

CUT 6 (09)  “out the door”

When league officials discovered Martin had a criminal record which made him ineligible to coach the children, they asked him to return the money and any equipment but he never showed up. Davis says it’s obvious Martin had no intention of supporting the league or the players…

CUT 7 (05) “with our children”

Martin is wanted for felony theft. Detectives believe Martin may have fled the area or the state. Davis says they hope somebody comes forward who knows the whereabouts of Martin…

CUT 8 (10)  “pretty low down”

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The House Health and Wefare committee unanimously approves legislation that prohibits an abortion, if the decision to terminate the pregnancy is based on sex selection. Houma Representative Lenar Whitney is the author of the bill and she says the use of abortion as a means for sex selection is a social problem in a number of Asian countries where male children are widely preferred over females…

CUT 9 (09)  “baby girls”

According to the Louisiana Right to Life, sex selection is a significant problem in India and China. Natchitoches Representative Kenny Cox says  Louisiana should not follow what China does…

cut 10 (10) “their population”

The bill heads to the House floor for more debate. Committee Chairman Joe Lopinto read off the list of groups and individuals who oppose the bill, but none of them spoke out against the measure….

cut 11 (12)  “for choice”

============================

Baton Rouge Representative Dalton Honore has pulled his legislation that would have put recreational marijuana legalization on a ballot. Honore says times are changing and he’s glad the conversation about marijuana has been started this session, but his particular measure had too much opposition and he knew it wouldn’t pass…:

cut 12 (09)  “opposed to it”

The use of pot for recreational purposes is legal in Colorado and Honore says he recently visited with lawmakers there. He says marijuana generated 76 million dollars in taxes for Colorado in the first year and the incarceration rate went way down, but he doesn’t think the people of Louisiana are ready…:

cut 13 (06)  “little farther”

Honore says he talked to everyone on the House Criminal Justice Committee who agreed this might be something to do one day, but not at this time…:

cut 14 (08) “defer this bill”

=========================

The AARP of Louisiana wants to see more funding so that seniors can live at home instead of institutional care. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

A bill that would let voters decide whether or not they think pot should be legal for personal use gets a hearing at the Capitol today. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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There will be a homecoming celebration tonight in Abbeville for a local Top 6 finalist on NBC’s “The Voice”, Koryn Hawthorne. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

The AARP of Louisiana wants to see more funding so that seniors can live at home instead of institutional care. Based on their survey, 90-percent of Louisiana voters say home and community based services are important to stay in their own home as they age. Interim State Director, Denise Bottcher, says these services are necessary for seniors to live outside of a nursing home…

cut 4  (10)  “and independently”

The telephone survey interviewed a thousand registered voters age 45 and older. She says their survey shows that 83-percent of respondents support funding to provide more services for seniors living at home…

Cut 5  (11)  “it is they want”

Bottcher says the state only spends 37-percent of its Medicaid budget on services to help seniors stay at home. She hopes this legislative session produces funding so more seniors can avoid institutional care and take some of the burden off of family caregivers…

Cut 6 (11)  “at home”

______________________________________

The legislation by Baton Rouge Representative Dalton Honore that would let voters decide whether or not recreational marijuana should be legal in Louisiana gets a hearing today. LSU Public Policy Polling Research Director Mike Henderson says they’ve surveyed residents and there seems to be a decline in opposition to pot for adult use over the past couple of years…:

CUT 7 (05)  “three points”

Recreational marijuana for adult use is legal in Oregon, Washington D.C., Colorado, Alaska and Washington. Henderson says when it comes to pot, there used to be a 14 point difference with opposition out-polling support and that’s fallen by half in the last two years. He doesn’t think Louisianians would make it legal now, but likely in the next 10 years…:

Cut 8  (07)  “less often” 

The survey found support for legalization of marijuana for personal use is at 45 percent, lagging opposition at 52 percent. He says the strongest support comes from younger Louisianians who don’t show up at the polls as often…:

Cut 9 (08)  “of support”

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There will be a homecoming celebration tonight in Abbeville for a local Top 6 finalist on NBC’s “The Voice”, Koryn Hawthorne. The aspiring young singer will ride in a homecoming parade at 5pm then put on a special concert in Magdalen Square downtown. Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza says Koryn has been singing in their community since she was a child…:

Cut 10 (09) “great talent”

Piazza they couldn’t be more proud of Koryn and her success on the popular singing competition show and the exposure she is helping bring to their small town…:

cut 11 (06) “on her behalf”

Piazza says fans are encouraged to bring signs in support of Hawthorne to the parade which is open to all. He says they are expecting a huge crowd…:

cut 12 (09)   “great turnout”

_________________________

This is the last week Stephen Moret will be the Louisiana Economic Development Secretary before he begins his job as LSU Foundation President. He says one of the most rewarding things about the last 7 years for him is how much Louisiana’s business climate ranking has improved..:

Cut 13 (11)  “most of them”

Site Selection has rated Louisiana’s economic development efforts No. 2 in the nation in its ranking for Top Competitive States for 2014. Moret says the ranking is a tribute to the professional, diligent efforts of the outstanding staff at LSU. He says the best feeling over the years is meeting someone who’s gotten a job they helped bring here…:

Cut 14 (12) “single time”

On the Jim Engster Show, Moret says no LED Secretary successor has been named yet, but he believes it will be within in the next few days. Moret believes one of the biggest wins over the last several years has been the bringing in of Electronic Arts, or EA, to Baton Rouge…:

Cut 15  (08)  “industry sector”

______________________________________

It’s a busy week for the Ragin Cajuns baseball team. The players are taking finals and then on Friday, U-L Lafayette will welcome South Alabama to Tigue Moore Field for a three-game series. The Jaguars are in first place in the Sun Belt, while the Cajuns are 2.5 games back and in third place. Coach Tony Robichaux says his club needs to hit better after losing two of three to Appalachian State last weekend…

Cut 16  (11)  “gonna face”

Robichaux says South Alabama is the top hitting team in the Sun Belt, even though they’ve only hit nine home runs…

Cut 17 (12)  “in walks”

The Cajuns have been starting three freshmen in their weekend rotation and Robichaux says they’ll have to grow up a lot this week and pitch well

Cut 18 (18) ”   three things “‘

It has been announced that Governor Bobby Jindal has another book coming out in October. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The House Ways and Means Committee approved two proposed tax increases by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road and bridge projects in the state. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

===================

It has been announced that Governor Bobby Jindal has another book coming out in October. The book is entitled “American Will: The Forgotten Choices That Changed Our Republic.” ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says that while this book’s subject matter is history, this is really a campaign book…

CUT 3 (09)  “presidential field”

Jindal calls the book a call to arms for the future. In the book, the governor reviews historical events ranging from the Louisiana Purchase to the Cold War. Stockley says this is an example of Jindal trying to stay in the conversation in a Republican presidential field that is getting more and more crowded…

CUT 4 (10)  “cabinet possibility”

Jindal previously released the book “Leadership and Crisis” in 2010. The governor says he will not announce his decision on running for president until after the conclusion of the current legislative session. Stockley says, with more candidates entering the presidential race, Jindal is currently in a position where he has to decide sooner rather than later…

CUT 5 (10)  “is closing”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department says the missing two year old girl, whose mother was located murdered Saturday, has been found safe. Corporal L’Jean McKneely says A’Kyleana Latham, or AK as her family calls her, was discovered alone…:

CUT 6 (06)  “was notified”

McKneely says the child’s father, who is from Texas, is now in town and the little girl will probably be released into his custody. He says they do not believe AK’s dad is a suspect…:

CUT 7 (07) “all avenues”

McKneely says the little girl’s mother, 24-year-old Taylor Latham, was discovered shot and killed inside a vehicle on Monday. He says they are thrilled AK was found but this investigation isn’t over…:

CUT 8 (09)  “a call”

============================

The House Ways and Means Committee approved two proposed tax increases by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road and bridge projects in the state. There is currently a $12 billion backlog of road improvements in the state. St. Germain says Louisianians expect their roads to be properly maintained…

CUT 9 (08)  “actually usable”

The current gas tax in Louisiana is 20-cents per gallon. HB 777 was amended to raise the tax by 10-cents per gallon. St. Germain says that could generate up to $300 million for road and bridge improvements. She says improved roadways will also benefit the state’s business and industry…

cut 10 (10) “arduous task”

The last gas tax increase in Louisiana was in 1984. HB 778 increases the state’s sales tax by one percent with those revenues going toward specific highway projects. Both bills will now go to the House floor for debate. St. Germain says the state has waited too long to address this issue…

cut 11 (05)  “the can out”

============================

Slidell Police arrest 22-year-old Antwonetta Jones on second-degree murder charges as investigators believe she discarded her baby inside a trash compactor. Chief Randy Smith says Jones gave birth to the child in a bathtub and within 12 hours the child died…

cut 12 (10)  “infant child”

Smith says Jones put the infant in a box, and brought the deceased baby to the dumpster of an apartment complex. He says the baby was alive for several hours, but some point the newborn began choking and quit breathing and that’s when Jones panicked…

cut 13 (10)  “to a hospital”

Smith says Jones lived with her mother, but no one knew that the 22-year-old was pregnant…

cut 14 (07) “what to do”

============================

Two different tax increases proposed by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road projects will be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

A bill that would use funds from unclaimed gambling winnings to pay for rape victims forensic medical exams clears House appropriations. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department says after their interview Monday with former LSU Tiger La’el Collins, he is still not a suspect in the April 24th murder of Brittany Mills. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (27) “reporting”

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Two different tax increases proposed by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road projects will be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today. President of Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association Ken Perret says any effort to increase funding for Louisiana’s roads and bridges is good…

cut 4  (11) “in Louisiana”

The state currently has a $12 billion backlog of road and bridge projects. HB 777 would raise the state’s gas tax dependent on the price at the pump and HB 778 would increase the state’s sales tax by one percent. Revenue from both bills would pay for road and bridge projects. Perret says a first class transportation system is key for the state’s economic growth…

Cut 5  (07)  “products distributed”

Governor Jindal has said he would veto any tax increase that is not accompanied by a tax reduction somewhere else. But Perret sees these measures as an investment that will have a positive return on Louisianians on a daily basis…

Cut 6 (09)  “be upgraded”

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A bill that would use funds from unclaimed gambling winnings to pay for rape victims forensic medical exams clears House appropriations. New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno says under her measure, money from expired winning tickets from casinos and race tracks would go into the crime victim’s reparations fund. Alexandra Stillson is a rape victim.

CUT 7 (11)  “HIV”

Stillson says she was raped by two men who broke into her home while she was watching television. She feels like she relives the traumatic experience every time another bill comes in the mail…:

Cut 8  (08)  “now pay for it” 

Wade Duty, of the Louisiana Casino Association, says while they don’t oppose the bill on its merits, they don’t approve of the funding mechanism. He says winning money is the property of the gaming establishment until the player cashes the ticket…:

Cut 9 (07)  “property”

The bill passed without opposition and now heads to the House floor. Moreno says casinos keep about $1.2 million dollars in gambling money that was never claimed by the player. Duty says this money is not the same as unclaimed property…:

Cut 10 (04) “of the casino”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department says after their interview Monday with former LSU Tiger La’el Collins, he is still not a suspect in the April 24th murder of Brittney Mills. Corporal Don Coppola says Collins is fully cooperating…:

cut 11 (09) “have spoke with”

Cops say Mills was 8 months pregnant when she was gunned down in her home and the baby, Brenton, died a week later. Apparently she and Collins used to have some sort of relationship. Coppola says they may need Collins to stay involved in the investigation…:

cut 12 (07)   “clarification”

Coppola says they are still trying to gather information from people who may know the victim. He says Collins was never considered a suspect…:

Cut 13 (09)  “Brenton Mills”

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A bill that allows for the dispensing of medicinal marijuana to patients who suffer from certain medical conditions makes it off the Senate floor. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills says they’ve been working hard on this legislation to keep everyone happy…:

Cut 14 (06) “law enforcement”

Mills says under the proposed law, medical marijuana could only be prescribed by a doctor for someone clinically diagnosed with glaucoma, spastic quadriplegia (kwod-ruh-plee-jee-uh) or suffering symptoms from chemotherapy cancer treatment. He says it would be grown at only one site in the state and dispensed 10 places in non-smokeable form…:

Cut 15  (07)  “can’t be inhaled”

The vote count was 22-13 and the measure now heads to the House. Medical marijuana has technically been legal in Louisiana since 1991, but there were never rules put in place for ways to get it in the hands of patients. Mills says the bill 24 years ago was left wide open and no limitations were set…:

Cut 16  (12)  “the wild wild west”

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