Eglin Air Force Base officials say the wreckage of the Army helicopter that crashed Tuesday night over the Florida Panhandle, killing all eleven on board, has been found. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (27) “reporting”

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Candidate for Lt. Governor & Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden issued a statement today in response to sexual harassment claims made in a suit by a woman in Kansas City. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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

An allegation has been made that members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Louisiana Tech sang a racist song during a pledge event in 2010. A Louisiana Tech spokesperson says there has been no evidence of it and they have zero tolerance for that type of behavior. But Dr. Reginald Owens, head of Tech’s journalism program, says he wouldn’t be surprised if it did happen…

CUT 3 (05)  “time to time”

A former student says he witnessed the racist chant, similar to the song which resulted in the shuttering of the fraternity on the University of Oklahoma campus. But Owens, who is a Tech alum, says race relations between students on the Ruston campus is good…

CUT 4 (07)  “to be done”

A Tech spokesman says the university is looking into the matter. Owens says the one good thing about the incident at Oklahoma is that it brings the up topic of race relations, once again…

CUT 5 (06)  “that we have”

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

State Police have redeployed additional troopers to patrol in New Orleans. The funds for the extra support are provided by The Big Easy’s business community and members of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau who raised $2.5 million dollars. State Police Col Mike Edmonson…:

CUT 6 (08)  “patrol presence”

Edmonson says they developed a strategy with the CVB funds, based on the needs of the New Orleans PD and requests from business leaders. He LSP came up with a plan to use this extra money, but not take patrol efforts away from the rest of the state…:

CUT 7 (11)  “not gonna happen”

Edmonson says New Orleans is one of the top places in the nation that people want to visit and number 5 in the world. He says it’s important we protect the tourism industry…:

CUT 8 (05)  “parts of Louisiana”

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

Eglin Air Force Base officials say the wreckage of the Army helicopter that crashed Tuesday night over the Florida Panhandle, killing all eleven on board, has been found. Eglin Col. Monte Cannon says the wreckage was located yesterday in about 25 feet of water…

CUT 9 (08)  “safety investigation”

He says the search and rescue mission is now a recovery mission. Four Louisiana National Guard soldiers based out of Hammond were on the chopper and officials say two victims have been recovered. The remaining soldiers are believed to be located in the wreckage. Cannon says, due to the Department of Defense’s 48-hour grieving period, the names of the deceased soldiers have not been released…

cut 10 (10) “tragic event”

While the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, Eglin Fire Chief Mark Giuliano says it appears that this was a violent crash…

cut 11 (06)  “lot of debris”

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

Lt Governor hopeful Kip Holden is involved in a sex scandal as a four-year-old lawsuit has surfaced claiming the Baton Rouge mayor repeatedly sexually harassed a woman who was in Louisiana on business. The lawsuit does not name Holden as a defendant and it’s actually targeted at her former employer. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the allegation hurts Holden’s chances at becoming the state’s next Lt. Governor

cut 12 (06)  “this allegation”

In a statement, Holden denies the accusations that are made in the 2011 lawsuit, which was filed in Kansas City. Holden ended the statement by saying both he and his wife know the truth on this one. Pinsonat says it’s difficult for politicians to overcome harassment claims

cut 13 (10)  “what they can”

A poll was released this week showing Holden in good position to make the run-off in the lieutenant governor’s race. Pinsonat says Holden made a wise decision by responding to the claims quickly

cut 14 (10)  “type of defense”

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

State Police announce a crackdown of insurance fraud throughout Louisiana has netted several arrests. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The investigation continues today in the Army helicopter crash that killed all 11 servicemen on board during a training mission Tuesday night in the Florida Panhandle. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

The heirs to Tom Benson’s professional franchises say they would like to see the Saints and Pelicans flourish as world champions in New Orleans. Michelle Southern has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Tom Benson files a lawsuit that attempts to secure the ownership shares of the Saints and Pelicans from a trust fund that his relatives currently have control over. The federal suit is aimed at Robert Rosenthal who has blocked a previous effort by Benson to remove the teams from the trust. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this is a desperation move on Benson’s part…

cut 4  (08)  “from the trust”

Benson has proposed to swap the shares for the Saints and Pelicans for secured promissory notes equaling around $500 million. Meche says the terms of the trust require Benson to substitute the teams with assets of equal value…

Cut 5  (10)  “to do it”

Meche gives Benson very little chance of winning, here. The lawsuit, in part, asks a federal judge to order Rosenthal to sign off on the swap. Meche says the only people who will benefit from this suit are the lawyers…

Cut 6 (06)  “the runoff”

______________________________________

State Police announce that during a crackdown of insurance fraud throughout Louisiana, several arrests have been made of people who have tried to abuse the system various ways. LSP Spokesman Dustin Dwight says insurance fraud is a problem that affects all citizens here who pay some of the highest premiums in the country…:

CUT 7 (06) “reduce that”

This latest round of arrests include people who are accused of faking car accidents, filing fraudulent medical bills from injuries they’ve claimed to have received in vehicle crashes. He says some are in the insurance industry and have abused their position to benefit themselves…:

Cut 8  (09)  “area” 

Dwight says insurance fraud happens so often that there several active investigations into the crimes and they expect more arrests will be coming. He says another arrest made was from someone who claimed to be in a crash when in fact they weren’t even inside the vehicle…:

Cut 9 (11)  “those aspects”

______________________________________

The investigation continues today in the Army helicopter crash that killed all 11 servicemen on board during a training mission Tuesday night in the Florida Panhandle. Of the 11, four were Louisiana National Guard soldiers based out of Hammond. Louisiana National Guard Major General Glenn Curtis says this helicopter crew was experienced…

Cut 10 (11) “the blackhawk”

The four National Guardsmen were part of the 1st of the 244th Assault Helicopter Battalion. Curtis says this unit was deployed to Iraq twice and responded to numerous disasters in the state. Although the cause of he crash has not been determined, there are reports of foggy conditions when the accident occurred. Curtis says pilots are very conscious of weather conditions before they depart on a mission…

cut 11 (10) “a different story”

The other seven servicemen were Marines based out of Fort LaJeune in North Carolina. Curtis asks everyone to keep these servicemen and their families in your thoughts and prayers. He says National Guard units are hometown units and a tragedy like this reaches deep into the community…

cut 12 (06)  “care of them”

______________________________________

The story of two emaciated Shreveport pit bull terriers, that were removed from their home after a Facebook post, continue their recovery at the Caddo Parish Animal Services. The post created an outcry within the community for the dogs to be removed and their owner charged. Director Everett Harris says they have a plan in place for the care of the two dogs…

Cut 13 (09)  “and whipworms”

Harris says both dogs are comfortable, but did test positive for hookworms, whip worms, and heart worms. He says the investigation is ongoing, but this appears to more of a case of financial struggle than one of animal cruelty…

Cut 14 (11) “sad situation”

He says the dogs’ owner could not afford to have the animals cared for by a veterinarian. Harris says the owner loved and cared for the dogs, but couldn’t understand why they were not putting on weight. Harris says they’re hoping the dogs are adopted as soon as they are well enough…

Cut 15  (07)  “our goal”

______________________________________

Louisiana Tech men’s basketball begins play tonight in the Conference USA tonight. The Bulldogs won the regular season title and a conference tournament championship will give them an automatic berth in the Big Dance. Tech Coach Michael White believes the CUSA Tournament is up for grabs

Cut 16  (09)  “handful”

Tech plays tonight at 8:30 PM against the winner of last night’s game between Rice and North Texas. If the Bulldogs win tonight, they’ll play in the semi-finals on Friday at 5:30. White says it’s a disadvantage to play late tonight and then turn around and play another game in less than 24 hours…

Cut 17 (10)  “won’t be correct”

The tournament is taking place in Birmingham and White knows each team will give its best effort….

Cut 18 (12) “for the fences’

______________________________________

The video of a 7-year-old girl’s tearful reaction to tight end Jimmy Graham getting traded to Seattle has gone viral. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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We’re learning more about the deputy US Marshal who was fatally shot yesterday in East Baton Rouge Parish. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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

A blackhawk helicopter crash during a training exercise over the Florida Panhandle has left eleven servicemen missing and presumed dead, including four soldiers from a Hammond based National Guard Unit. Eglin Air Force Base spokesperson Amy Parr says two helicopters took off from the Destin airport to perform a training mission…

CUT 3 (05)  “reported missing”

The other seven servicemen on the helicopter were Marines assigned to Fort LaJeune, North Carolina. Louisiana National Guard Col. Pete Schneider says the two helicopters used in last night’s training mission were from their facility in Hammond…

CUT 4 (09)  “fly out of”

It has been reported that human remains have also been found. Parr says the investigation is continuing to determine why the helicopter crashed…

CUT 5 (05)  “the accident”

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

Jamie Croom, the New Roads man accused of killing three people including a US deputy marshal, has died from injuries suffered during a shootout with authorities yesterday in Baton Rouge. East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner, Dr. Beau Clark, says the exchange of gunfire in the attempt to arrest Croom has now claimed two lives…

CUT 6 (10)  “as well”

US deputy marshal, 27-year-old Josie Wells, died yesterday as a result of the shootout with Croom. Authorities were attempting to arrest Croom for a double murder that took place last month in Pointe Coupee Parish. Clark says an autopsy will be performed on Wells today…

CUT 7 (04)  “other autopsy”

Clark says an autopsy on Croom will be performed this afternoon or early tomorrow. He says the death of Wells is unfortunate as he was just doing his job trying to keep the public safe…

CUT 8 (07)  “in your prayers”

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

The video of a 7-year-old girl’s tearful reaction to tight end Jimmy Graham getting traded to Seattle has gone viral. The child, Lexia Woods, was devastated at what was one of the most surprising moves of the start of NFL free agency on Tuesday and her mother, Ashley Ann Woods, got it on video…:

CUT 9 (13)  “over there”

Woods’ family now lives in South Carolina. She says her husband is overseas serving in Afghanistan and when they were based in New Orleans, Lexia was born and became a huge Saints fan and Jimmy Graham was her favorite player. Mom says her young Who Dat loyal is feeling better today…:

cut 10 (10) “well loved there”

Woods says she sends a lot of videos of their daughter to her husband while he is serving his tour. She says she found out about Graham before picking Lexia up from school yesterday and that’s when she broke the news…:

cut 11 (10)  “see this (laughter)”

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

Payscale-dot-com’s ranks Louisiana Tech number one in the state in overall Return of Investment for both in-state and out-of-state students. This is the second straight year that Tech has received the top ranking in Louisiana. University spokesman Dave Guerin says the school puts an emphasis high quality education…

cut 12 (08)  “their careers”

In addition, Louisiana Tech ranks number 13 in the nation in highest annual percent ROI for students living on-campus and receiving financial aid. Guerin explains how Payscale calculates their college ROI…

cut 13 (06)  “a given university”

Guerin says this is a great accomplishment and it shows Louisiana Tech provides students with marketable skills to go into a company and make an impact…

cut 14 (08)  “respective industries”

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

Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards has received the endorsement of the Louisiana AFL-CIO in his quest to become the state’s next governor. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says two men are cited for allegedly changing freshness dates on seafood packages by almost three years. Michelle Southern reporting…:

Cut 2 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Many Saints fans are still trying to digest Tuesday’s blockbuster trade that sent tight end Jimmy Graham in Seattle. Jeff Palermo has the story..

Cut 3 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards has received the endorsement of the Louisiana AFL-CIO in his quest to become the state’s next governor. This announcement comes on the heels of a recent poll showing Edwards in a statistical tie in the race with Republican US Senator David Vitter. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this is significant for Edwards…

cut 4  (09)  “I’m running”

The Louisiana AFL-CIO is made up of over 100,000 members statewide in both the public and private sector. Edwards is the lone Democrat, so far, in this year’s governor’s race. Pinsonat says endorsements like this for Edwards, will make it more difficult for another Democrat to enter the race, like New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu…

Cut 5  (09)  “designated Democrat”

The group’s endorsement comes earlier than in past elections, months before official qualifying begins. Pinsonat says if Edwards can capitalize on this endorsement and grab some others, it will make him a real player in the governor’s race…

Cut 6 (06)  “the runoff”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says two men are cited for allegedly changing freshness dates on seafood packages by almost three years. LDWF spokesman Adam Einck says they were conducting a routine inspection of the Gulf Coast Atlantic Fisheries seafood wholesalers in New Orleans when they found two men changing packaging on frozen mahi-mahi filets which originally had a freshness date of September 2013…:

CUT 7 (09) “2016″

Einck says the bags that had the mahi-mahi filets had a best by date of September of 2013 and they were being repackaged into bags with May of 2016 best by dates. He says all of the fish was then taken by agents…:

Cut 8  (10)  “for this business” 

Einck says Louisiana law prohibits acts that are falsely represented using any mark, stamp, tag, label or other authorized information. He says further punishment could be coming to 26-year-old Seth Delaune and 49-year-old Thomas Smith, but right now they are cited with misbranding seafood…:

Cut 9 (03)  “year in prison”

______________________________________

Effective this week, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles will begin issuing a new format for all classes of Louisiana driver’s licences. State Police Sgt. Nick Manale says this includes identification cards and handicap placards..:

Cut 10 (11) “aware of it also”

Manale says the new card looks drastically different than the other ones..:

cut 11 (11) “across the country”

Manale says the new licenses contain multiple layers of security components and design features for greater security, protection of privacy and resistance to tampering. The updated credentials will be phased in by regions of the state and will be issued statewide within the next six to eight weeks…:

cut 12 (10)  “right away”

______________________________________

The Saints have made a trade that will be talked for years to come as they’ve sent tight end Jimmy Graham plus a fourth round pick to Seattle for Seahawks center Max Unger and a first round pick in this year’s draft. NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says Unger improves a Saints O-Line that has some holes in it

Cut 13 (11)  “in there”

Graham caught 85 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Detillier says it will be hard for New Orleans to replace that kind of production

Cut 14 (08) “give up something”

There’s a report the Saints are also looking at bringing back running back Reggie Bush. The former first round pick, who helped New Orleans win a Super Bowl is coming off an injury plagued season in Detroit. Detillier says Bush would be a nice pick up, if the price is right

Cut 15  (08)  “settle for”

______________________________________

According to a survey by the personal finance company SmartAsset, Covington and Mandeville top the list of best places to retire in Louisiana. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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According to a new General Social Survey, 32-percent of Americans either own a firearm or live in a household with firearms, but a local dealer says that could be misleading. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for most of south Louisiana through Thursday as heavy rains are expected throughout the area. Mike Shields, with the National Weather Service in Slidell, says this is due to a stagnant weather pattern over the area…

CUT 3 (08)  “into our area”

He says a very slow moving upper level trough is pumping moisture from the Gulf into the area. Shields says significant rainfall totals are expected today through Thursday…

CUT 4 (07)  “inches of rain”

He says three to six inches of rain could fall in south Louisiana over the next few days, with isolated areas receiving up to eight inches. Shields says some areas could receive repeat showers and thunderstorms, with heavy rainfall at times, throughout the course of this weather event…

CUT 5 (06)  “low lying areas”

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

According to a survey by the personal finance company SmartAsset, Covington and Mandeville top the list of best places to retire in Louisiana. Managing Editor A.J. Smith says they looked at key things which make the golden years happy and healthy including taxes, medical care and social life…:

CUT 6 (10)  “recreation center”

Smith says one of the main reasons Covington ranked so high on the list was because of the large number of doctors offices in the area per 1,000 people at 15…:

CUT 7 (09)  “also higher”

The top retirement cities in the state also include Thibodaux, West Monroe, Gonzales, Denham Springs, Slidell, Hammond, Morgan City and Lafayette made number 10. Smith says most of these top cities are above the national average in the number of doctors offices. She says our taxes are also really low which makes Louisiana in general a good place to spend the golden years…:

CUT 8 (06)  “as well”

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

According to a new General Social Survey, 32-percent of Americans either own a firearm or live in a household with firearms. That figure ties the record low set in 2010. However, Wade Duty, co-owner of Precision Firearms in Baton Rouge, says the report can be misleading because they base their report on a percentage of households…

CUT 9 (12)  “is definitely up”

Duty says his sales are up about 11-percent from the same month last year. Duty adds that there is a possibility that some the people surveyed may have not been completely truthful about owning a gun…

cut 10 (08) “protective measures”

Data from the FBI shows an increase in the number of background checks being run, which indicates that the number of firearms being purchased is going up. The survey does show a shrinking gender gap in gun ownership. Duty says he has noticed the increase in women who are seeking to purchase firearms…

cut 11 (08)  “training, too”

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

Mississippi-based Triumph Campaigns has polled this year’s governor’s race, and found that Republican US Senator David Vitter leading Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards by just two percentage points. Triumph owner Justin Brasell says their generic gubernatorial ballot revealed an interesting statistic…

cut 12 (10)  “percent lead”

In the Lt. Governor’s race, Democratic Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden leads the field with 33-percent, followed by Republicans former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser garnering 23-percent and Jefferson Parish President John Young with 20-percent. Brasell says this could be a very interesting race…

cut 13 (05)  “wide open”

In the Attorney General’s race, incumbent Republican Buddy Caldwell and Democratic Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy are in a dead heat with 30-percent each. The poll surveyed over 1,600 likely voters. Brasell says, overall, this survey shows Democrats faring much better than many thought…

cut 14 (08)  “a chance”

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

The newly elected president of Louisiana college officially begins April 7th, but Rick Brewer says he’s already started working. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

A new poll on Louisiana’s governor’s race shows Republican US Senator David Vitter leading with 35% followed by Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards at 33%. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil has filed a Constitutional Amendment for the 2015 session which would give colleges control of raising their own fees. Scott Carwile reports..:

Cut 3 (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

New Louisiana College president Rick Brewer is on the Pineville campus this week even though he doesn’t officially begin until April 7th. Brewer will meet with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools who placed the institution on academic probation. Brewer says he took the job, because he believes the private Baptist College has a great future…

cut 4  (08)  “think critically”

Brewer says he plans to turn things around for LC and make it a place students, faculty and alumni can be proud of again. He says they are under utilizing a lot of classroom space and one of the main things he’ll work towards is boosting enrollment…:

Cut 5  (06)  “I’m one of them”

Brewer says it’s time to change the dial at LC and that’s what he plans to do slowly, but surely…:

Cut 6 (07)  “the mind”

______________________________________

A new poll on Louisiana’s governor’s race shows Republican US Senator David Vitter leading with 35% followed by Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards at 33%. The survey by Triumph Campaigns shows Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne third with 15% and Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle with 7%. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross…:

CUT 7 (08) “vote totals”

Cross says Dardenne needs to find a way to get at least another 18% in order to get past Edwards and make it into the runoff which may be tough. He says there may be one too many Republicans in this race but there are also one few too Democrats..:

Cut 8  (12)  “into the runoff” 

11% of those polled remain undecided. Cross says Edwards numbers are fairly high and predicts the state lawmaker will probably top off with the Democratic support at about 40-42%. Angelle reportedly bought a $200,000 television ad schedule and Cross says even though he’s in the single digits, he’s come up from having nothing…:

Cut 9 (10)  “David Vitter”

______________________________________

Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil has filed a Constitutional Amendment for the 2015 session which would give colleges control of raising their own fees. Currently the legislature has to approve a hike in education fees at public institutions. Foil says this would be an important step to managing the higher education budget crisis…:

Cut 10 (10) “any fees”

Foil says currently our state constitution does not allow colleges the autonomy to raise their fees — it has to be approved by two-thirds vote of the members of each house. He says if this constitutional amendment passes, colleges would have the option to raise fees in certain areas as they see fit for the students…:

cut 11 (07) “can pay”

Foil says he hopes for favorable passage of this amendment in order to give our colleges more stability and control over their budgets. He says if tuition is raised then the state would have to raise the TOPS money to cover the tuition increases…:

cut 12 (07)  “in that respect”

______________________________________

A republican lawmaker describes Governor Bobby Jindal’s budget proposal as “insane” in a letter to supporters. Monroe Representative Jay Morris says the Americans for Tax Reform has okayed the Jindal administration’s plan, but it’s not the best way to handle a one-point-six billion dollar shortfall next fiscal year

Cut 13 (09)  “front of us”

Morris says the Americans for Tax Reform, which is an anti-tax group, has said its okay to scale back the inventory tax credit, but they do not approve of capping the state’s film tax credits and that’s why Jindal’s budget proposal doesn’t address the benefits the entertainment industry gets

Cut 14 (09) “fiscal problems”

Morris says it’s hard to say what the final budget will look like. He suspects there will be a combination of cuts to state government and measures to raise revenue that are supported by the Americans for Tax Reform

Cut 15  (07)  “another governor”

______________________________________

The NFL free-agency period begins today. Teams will be able to sign free agents to their roster beginning at 3PM. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the Saints will be looking to improve the team on both sides of the ball. He says they need to address a couple of issues going into the 2015 season…

Cut 16  (09)  “offensive line”

Detillier says the Black & Gold need to find a veteran starting cornerback and improve their offensive line this off-season. He says the team needs to revamp their linebacking corps, as well. Although the Saints are dealing with salary cap issues, Detillier says that won’t stop the team from getting the players they need…

Cut 17 (08)  “free agency process”

Detillier says you can expect more contract restructuring and personnel moves to create salary cap room to sign free agents. He says the Saints have always been a team to address obvious needs through veteran free agency…

Cut 18 (11) “in free agency’

______________________________________

No one is playing better basketball than U-L Lafayette heading into this week’s Sun Belt Tournament in New Orleans. The Ragin Cajuns have won six straight to raise their overall record to 19-and-12. Coach Bob Marlin says better play on the defensive end of the court has been the key…

Cut 19 (20)   “this stretch”

U-L Lafayette will play either U-T Arlington or Texas State in the semi-finals on Friday at Lakefront Arena. The Cajuns won the Sun Belt Tourney and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament last year. Marlin likes how his team is playing

Cut 20 (13)  “of the year”

A state audit looking at the “Road Home” program finds that $939 million was given out to homeowners who did not comply with the rules. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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

Central Casting Louisiana is looking for people with oil rig, merchant marine, and Coast Guard experience to work on the upcoming feature film, “Deepwater Horizon”. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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

A state audit looking at the “Road Home” program finds that $939 million was given out to homeowners who did not comply with the rules of the program. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera says recipients had certain requirements and deadlines to meet…

CUT 3 (11)  “supposed to get”

“Road Home” was set up following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to help homeowners repair and reoccupy their homes. Purpera says it’s possible the federal government will ask the state to return the money that was not used appropriately, but he says the feds also understand the complexity of the program…

CUT 4 (09)  “the very beginning”

Purpera the $939 million in noncompliant funds s just the tip of the iceberg…

CUT 5 (10)  “costs out there”

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

Central Casting Louisiana is looking for people with oil rig, merchant marine, and Coast Guard experience to work on the upcoming feature film, “Deepwater Horizon”. Director of Casting, Adam Hochfeld (HOCK-feld), says this movie is based on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion…

CUT 6 (11)  “in that tragedy”

He says the movie will tell the story of the rig workers on the platform when the explosion took place and the rescue of them. Those interested can e-mail their information, including work experience, to deepwater-at-centralcasting-dot-com. Hochfeld says they’re looking for people with various experience working on a rig…

CUT 7 (09)  “story of it”

The film will star Mark Wahlberg. The movie will be shot in New Orleans and production is expected to begin in May. Hochfeld says these are paying roles and there are some additional perks, as well…

CUT 8 (10)  “A-list celebrities”

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

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says swimming pools at four north Louisiana state parks will be closed this summer because they don’t have enough money to open them. Dardenne oversees the office of state parks and says mid year budget cuts have caused the office to make significant reductions in spending…:

CUT 9 (08)  “for this summer”

Dardenne says these closures do not impact the wave pool at Bayou Segnette (Sin-yet) State Park in Westwego and beach swimming will still be available. He says if the closures affect people who made reservations expecting to have a pool, they will be taking cancellations…:

cut 10 (07) “impacted”

(Swimming pools at Chemin-A-Haut, Lake Bistineau, Lake D’Arbonne and North Toledo Bend state parks will not open for summer 2015.) Dardenne says it’s too early to say if the pools will open back up for summer 2016 because that will depend on the next fiscal year’s budget which begins July 1…:

cut 11 (09)  “do that”

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

Trilby Lundberg, which monitors gas prices across the country, says Baton Rouge has the lowest national average gas price in the country at $2.16. Gas-buddy-dot-com’s Gregg Laskoski  says Louisiana’s statewide average of $2.24, ranks in the top ten for lowest gas prices in the nation

cut 12 (07)  “state taxes”

The lowest statewide average in the country is Wyoming and South Carolina at $2.14 a gallon. Laskoski says gas prices have been rising since the start of February and he expects that trend to continue…

cut 13 (05)  “week or two”

Laskoski says Louisiana has the seventh lowest statewide average in the country, just behind Alabama and Mississippi….

cut 14 (10)  “in the nation”

With the beginning of Daylight Saving Time over the weekend, everyone lost an hour of sleep. But State Police says that’s no excuse to drive fatigued. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Lafayette has been named as one of the top 20 hardest working cities in the US by the personal finance site badcredit-dot-org. Michelle Southern reports…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

A Baton Rouge lawmaker will file a bill for the upcoming legislative session that seeks to let citizens vote on whether or not marijuana should be legal in Louisiana for recreational use. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

With the beginning of Daylight Saving Time over the weekend, everyone lost an hour of sleep. But State Police says that’s no excuse to drive fatigued. Sgt. Nick Manale says they often see accidents that were caused by sleepy drivers, so it’s imperative to be sharp behind the wheel…

cut 4  (08)  “roadway, there”

Manale says if you do feel yourself becoming fatigued while driving, there are some things you can do to help yourself…

Cut 5  (06)  “do something”

Manale suggests pulling over and getting a breath of fresh air, stepping out of the car, or getting something to drink as ways you can revive yourself if you begin to feel fatigued behind the wheel. Manale says sleepy driving can be as dangerous as impaired or distracted driving…

Cut 6 (10)  “avoiding crashes”

______________________________________

A Louisiana physician is working on a way to perfect a permanent solution to sleep apnea. The condition, which causes people to not get enough air while they are sleeping, affects more than three million people in the US. Dr. G. E. Ghali, an oral surgeon and instructor with LSU Health Shreveport, says apnea patients are often given CPAP masks to ensure oxygen flow but the problem there is compliance…:

CUT 7 (08)  “necessarily fit”

Ghali says since CPAP masks aren’t perfect, some people choose surgery that removes excess tissue down the throat and at the base of the tongue. He says they’ve come up with a treatment for that which uses the daVinci Robot inside a person’s mouth…:(Ghali says if you are interested in learning more about the procedure, call 318-675-6101.)

Cut 8  (11)  “in the pallet” 

Ghali says recovery from the surgery can take several weeks, but many patients report that after a month or two they are feeling better, sleeping better and sleeping in bed with their spouse again. He says they’ve had a 90% success rate in the surgery permanently opening up airways of sleep apnea patients…:

Cut 9 (04)  “a mask, comfortably”

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Lafayette has been named as one of the top 20 hardest working cities in the US by the personal finance site badcredit-dot-org. Editor Steven Richmond says about 350 cities were ranked on four separate categories for this report…

Cut 10 (08) “making the list”

Richmond says they looked at percentage of population over age 16 in the workforce, average commute times, percentage of households with children, and average number of hours worked each week to compile their list. He says Lafayette scored high in the number of people in the workforce…

cut 11 (09) “in Lafayette”

Richmond says they used data from the US Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He says says this list represents some of the busiest, hardest working, and most workaholic populations in the US…

cut 12 (11)  “they put in”

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A Baton Rouge lawmaker will file a bill for the upcoming legislative session that seeks to let citizens vote on whether or not marijuana should be legal in Louisiana for recreational use. Representative Dalton Honore is also bringing back his medical marijuana bill which failed last year. He says people should be able to vote on the recreational pot law…:

Cut 13 (09)  “with the legislators”

Recreational marijuana for adult use is legal in Oregon, Washington D.C., Colorado, Alaska and Washington. Honore says he hopes other lawmakers will get on board with letting people decide whether or not marijuana for recreational use should be legal…:

Cut 14 (08) “people vote for it”

The legislative session begins April 13th. Honore says regardless of how lawmakers feel about the recreational use of marijuana, they should at least allow the issue to be put on a ballot…:

Cut 15  (08)  “in 2016″

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Spring football is underway for the LSU Tigers. A point of emphasis is the passing game. The Tigers ranked 114th in the country in pass offense last year and Coach Les Miles says they will throw it a lot this spring

Cut 16  (11)  “will be fun”

Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris will once again battle to be the starting quarterback. It’s the second spring practice for Harris, while Jennings is looking to be the starter for a second consecutive year. Miles says both Q-Bs have matured since last year

Cut 17 (19)  “those things”

Spring practice gives new LSU defensive coordinator Kevin Steele a chance to install his defense. Miles says the Tigers ‘D” should look to familiar to fans

Cut 18 (15) “carry over’

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A nice start to the weekend weather-wise in Louisiana, but it is not expected to last. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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Mike Danna, a staple in the agriculture broadcasting industry, has died of cancer at the age of 54. Danna was the director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau — spokesman Neil Melancon reports…:

CUT 2 (33) “I’m Neil Melancon”

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After waking up to cold temperatures this morning, it appears things will brighten heading into the weekend. Baton Rouge set a record low this morning of 26 degrees and record lows were tied in New Orleans and Shreveport. Andy Tingler, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, says the weekend will start with sunny skies and warmer temperatures…

CUT 3 (08)  “of next week”

Tingler says rain chances will increase Sunday and not really drop off until maybe Thursday of next week. He says much of the state can expect gray skies and light rain for much of the week…

CUT 4 (08)  “to three inches”

He says some areas of the state could pick up two to three inches of rainfall next week. Tingler says temperatures will be a little below average for the coming week…

CUT 5 (06)  “for the lows”

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A former tight end on LSU’s 2003 national championship team has been sentenced to five decades in prison for his involvement in a 2011 truck stop casino shooting in Port Allen. 32-year-old Demetri Robinson pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted second degree murder. West Baton Rouge Parish Prosecutor Tony Clayton says Robinson received the maximum sentence…

CUT 6 (07)  “what he did”

Robinson was sentenced to 50 years in prison on each count, but each count was set to be served concurrently. Clayton says Robinson walked into the casino in September 2011 after being banned from the establishment. He says a cashier asked Robinson to leave…

CUT 7 (12)  “hit the manager”

Robinson entered his plea one day before his trial was scheduled to begin. Clayton says when Robinson opened fire he missed hitting two employees in the casino…

CUT 8 (06)  “of it now”

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The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says a man is charged with the illegal killing of a Louisiana Black Bear while he was hog hunting in St. Mary Parish. LDWF spokesman Adam Eick says 52-year-old Richard Picard Jr. of New Iberia accidentally shot the animal thinking it was a feral hog…:

CUT 9 (07)  “12 gauge shot gun”

Einck says it happened last Saturday when Picard was out hunting with a group of friends on private land when their dogs starting chasing the bear…:

cut 10 (08) “with a buck shot”

The state citation brings a $900 to a $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail, but Picard also faces up to a $10,000 civil restitution for the replacement value of the black bear. Einck says one of the very first rules of hunter safety is to identify the target before pulling the trigger and know what you are shooting at…:

cut 11 (11)  “would be”

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Mike Danna, a staple in the agriculture broadcasting industry, has died of cancer at the age of 54. Danna was the director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau and host of This Week in Louisiana Agriculture. He passed away peacefully in his sleep shortly before 9am Friday morning. Louisiana Farm Bureau spokesperson Neil Melancon says Danna’s biggest passion was his career…:

cut 12 (11)  “or form”

Melancon says Danna spent more than 30 years in agriculture journalism coming to work for the Farm Bureau in 1985. Danna extended the public relations department to not only cover ag in Louisiana, but all over the world…:

cut 13 (10)  “to everyone”

Danna is quoted as saying that the most rewarding thing he’s ever done is work with farmers to bring the message that nothing is more important than the production of food and fiber. Melancon says Danna was born to be in public relations as he never met a stranger…:

cut 14 (10)  “friends with”

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“Marsh Madness” gets ramped up today in Lake Charles as three girls’ state championship basketball teams will be crowned tonight. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s office says the woman “Bossier Doe,” who was found murdered in January 1981, has finally been identified. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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BESE votes against a proposal that would have waived penalties against schools who have students that opt out from taking Common Core exams. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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“Marsh Madness” gets ramped up today in Lake Charles as three girls’ state championship basketball teams will be crowned tonight. Four more championships will be decided tomorrow and the boys’ Top 28 tournament will begin there next week. Sales Director of the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Eric Zartler, says these events are great for the local economy…

cut 4  (06)  “this year”

This is the second year Lake Charles has hosted both the boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments. Today’s state championship games will be highlighted by the Class 3-A title game between Mansfield and Baton Rouge’s University High. Zartler says they’re excited about tonight’s championship clash…

Cut 5  (05)  “that match-up”

Zartler says if you’re a hoops fan, the best basketball in the state will be played in Lake Charles over the next two weeks. He says they’re hopeful that they can make “Marsh Madness” a tradition.

Cut 6 (05)  “years, as well”

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Yesterday was a brutally cold day, but as things warm up today there’s hope that spring is just around the corner. Fred Zeigler with the National Weather Service in Slidell says temperatures across the state remained in the 30s most of Thursday but today we’ll be in 40s to low 50s…:

CUT 7 (10)  “about 15 to 20 degrees”

Zeigler says yesterday was about as miserable a day you can get weather-wise as it was not only cold but cloudy, damp and wind chills were in the 20s. He says while it’s not unusual in March to see that kind of cold, the dramatic difference from 70s and 80s one day to 30s and 40s the next was not the norm…:

Cut 8  (08)  “the deep south” 

Zeigler says today it’s still cool but it’s dry and nice outside. He says taking a look at the long range forecast, we can expect temperatures in the 50s and 60s the next couple of days, but get ready for some gloomy rain to return on Sunday…:

Cut 9 (12)  “rain chances”

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The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s office says they are pleased to announce that after 34 years “Bossier Doe” now has an identity. Sgt. Dave Faulk says in January 1981 hunters found a partially decomposed body of an unknown white female who had been murdered and left in the woods. He says all these years they didn’t know who she was or where she came from…:

Cut 10 (11) “all this together”

Faulk says in November of last year they launched a full DNA profile of Bossier Doe then in February, in a desperate attempt to find out who she was, detectives launched a Facebook page in the name of Bossier Doe. He says someone recognized the composite on Facebook as looking familiar to a picture of a woman missing from Michigan on a Craigslist ad..:

cut 11 (08) “lining up”

Authorities gathered more information about 17-year-old Carol Ann Cole of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and determined through DNA testing that she was Bossier Doe. Faulk says she was stabbed to death and this is now an open homicide investigation. He says they are grateful a family in Michigan has closure…:

cut 12 (11)  “looking for her”

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BESE rejects a proposal to waive penalties against schools who have students that opt out from taking the Common Core exam. In a 7-to-4 vote, BESE agreed with Superintendent of Education John White, who says let’s wait and see how many opt outs there are first

Cut 13 (09)  “somewhere else”

A zero score will be given for each student who doesn’t take the test, which could lower a school’s performance score. Critics say that’s not fair to the school or the child, but White says let’s wait and see what happens March 16th to the 20th when students take the standardized test

Cut 14 (08) “the situation”

Before the vote, BESE members heard from frustrated parents and educators who are upset over the new academic standards and the tests tied to them. This parent didn’t hide her feelings…

Cut 15  (07)  “you’re delusional”

Bossier Parish school board member Bill Lott complained to BESE that he’s for higher standards but Common Core teaches children liberal messages

Cut 16  (10)  “grand children”

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Spring football gets underway for LSU on Saturday and Tiger fans hope the the 14 practices that will lead up to the Spring Game on April 18th will result in improved play out of the quarterback position. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham expects the Q-B battle between Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris to continue into the fall

Cut 17 (14)  “football office more”

Worsham says spring football will give a chance for some of the Tigers young wide receivers to mature like Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn….

Cut 18 (10) “much better’

On the other side of the ball, LSU needs two new starting defensive ends. Worsham says this is a big spring practice for six-foot-five junior Tashawn Bower and the rest of the Tigers D-Line….

Cut 19 (16)   “the mix”