***Correction on AM Newscall***

Hey guys,

The last name of the woman on the Bill Cosby story is “Tucker” not “Turner.” We apologize for the error.

The embattled comedian Bill Cosby is appearing tonight at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. There are some who aren’t happy about that due to allegations which recently surfaced accusing Cosby of sexually abusing women. Ebony Tucker, Director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, is concerned people who still buy tickets to Cosby’s show don’t take these alleged victims seriously…:

Cut 13 (08)  “come forward”

The comedian released a statement thanking fans for love, support and trust and added he can’t wait to warm the hearts of the audience with the gift of laughter. Tucker says it’s their hope that people in the audience tonight realize that famous people also have private lives that are very different from who they portray…:

Cut 14 (06) “criminal activity”

The performance is set for 8pm. Tucker says there has been so much victim blaming surrounding the Cosby allegations that people are separating Dr. Huxabtable from someone who is capable of committing a horrible crime…:

Cut 15  (12)  “sexual assault”

PM LRN Newscall February 27

Republican gubernatorial candidate, US Senator David Vitter, is getting the endorsement of an ex-president. Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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The Jindal administration laid out its plan today on how to cope with a one-point-six billion dollar revenue shortfall for the fiscal year that begins July first. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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This week’s wintry weather that hit Louisiana could result in a lower supply of crawfish this weekend. Mark Shirley, with the LSU AgCenter, says pond water temperatures dropped into the 40′s this week, which keeps crawfish from crawling into traps. Shirley says if you want some crawfish this weekend, you may want to get them early…

CUT 3 (09)  “be there”

He says you will be able to find crawfish this weekend, but the supply will be below normal. Unfortunately, the decrease in production will see a rise in the price of mudbugs. Shirley says you should see an improvement in the price as temperatures warm up…

CUT 4 (10)  “to springtime”

Because of the cold temperatures, you may see some smaller crawfish on your plate, but Shirley says crawfish are good, no matter what size they are. He says, although the winter weather has slowed the crawfish harvest, it hasn’t shut it down completely…

CUT 5 (08)  “Louisiana crawfish”

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Republican gubernatorial candidate, US Senator David Vitter, is getting the endorsement of an ex-president. The Vitter campaign sent an e-mail to supporters announcing the endorsement of former President George H.W. Bush. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this is significant, especially on top of the endorsement of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul…

CUT 6 (11)  “hugely critical”

In his endorsement, Bush describes Vitter as an effective, conservative leader and urges people to contribute to his campaign. Stockley says the backing of Bush and Paul are a big boost to Vitter’s quest to become governor…

CUT 7 (09)  “on your side”

Vitter is the front runner in this year’s governor’s race, ahead of Republicans Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, and Democratic state Representative John Bel Edwards. Stockley says Vitter’s opponents will now have to step up their game…

CUT 8 (07)  “behind Vitter”

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The Jindal administration presented a proposed budget today that provides  a starting point on how to prevent drastic cuts to health care and higher education, despite a one-point-six billion revenue shortfalll for next fiscal year. Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says they want lawmakers to scale back a dozen  refundable tax credits which would save the state 526-million dollars

CUT 9 (14)  “take in”

Even with a cap on certain tax credits, the cut in the proposed budget to higher ed is 211-million dollars. Nichols offered solutions to further reduce cuts to higher education and one includes raising the cigarette tax and using those revenues to provide families with a tax credit to help offset the costs for higher fees at public colleges..

cut 10 (07) “100 million dollars “

The potential drop in funding for health care sevices is 235-million dollars according to the proposed budget. Lawmakers who serve on the budget committees seemed like some of the ideas and Delhi Senator Franics Thompson is glad the cuts to higher ed and health care are not as bad as once feared…

cut 11 (06)  “we have”

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The Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men in connection with the homicide of a Lake Arthur man. Spokesman Christopher Ivey says deputies were dispatched to the home of 73-year-old Charles Talen, Sr. to notify him that his stolen vehicle had been found burned…

cut 12 (06)  “inside his home”

18-year-old Roderick Cawthrone, Jr. and 26-year-old Brett Hebert, both of Lake Arthur, face first degree murder charges in the death of Talen. Ivey says arrest warrants for the pair were issued yesterday afternoon… (Detectives are expecting more arrests in this investigation.)

cut 13 (07)  “to us”

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The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office says a man is under arrest accused of pranking 911 calls because he was bored. Sheriff Jason Ard says 27-year-old Brandon Kirkland allegedly called 911 dispatchers and reported that 2 masked men were entering a business in Watson to rob it…:

cut 14 (07)  “as themselves”

Kirkland admitted he did this as a prank two times and that’s two counts of felony terrorizing. Ard says the suspect’s story to detectives obviously didn’t fly…:

cut 15 (07) “prank call”

 

AM Newscall February 27th, 2015

The Jindal administration will propose a budget for next fiscal year to lawmakers that’s expected to include significant cuts to higher education and health care. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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The new movie “Focus”, featuring Will Smith, hits theatres today and it’s just one of many major Louisiana shot movies to be released this year. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Comedian Bill Cosby is appearing tonight at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette and not everyone is laughing. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 3 (32) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal’s proposed budget for next fiscal year will be presented to lawmakers today and significant cuts to higher education and health care are expected. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says during today’s joint legislative budget committee there will be discussion on how to mitigate those cuts

cut 4  (09)  “be enough”

Drastic cuts are needed as the state faces a  one-point-six billion dollar revenue shortfall. Alford says the governor opposes any tax increase to close the deficit, but Jindal is open to changing the rules for refundable tax credits to increase revenue, but the budget ax will  likely still fall hard

Cut 5  (08)  “budget hole”

Alford says once lawmakers have a chance to see the proposed budget and how bad the cuts will be, ideas will start flowing on how to deal with it….

Cut 6 (08)  “session starts”

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Cleco’s shareholders have approved the sale of the Pineville-based company, but the Public Service Commission still has to give its consent. A North American investor group led by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets and by British Columbia Investment Corporation is seeking to purchase the utility company. PSC Commissioner Clyde Holloway says he will study this proposed merger carefully.

CUT 7 (10)  “present employees”

Holloway says their job is to take care of people who work for CLEO and its customers. He says he knows what they have now with CLEO, but they don’t know what they’d be getting with Macquarie — a company outside of the US…:

Cut 8  (09)  “and for the employee” 

Holloway says he expects a vote before the PSC during the latter part of the third quarter of this year…:

Cut 9 (07)  “their findings are”

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The new movie “Focus”, featuring Will Smith, hits theatres today and it’s just one of many major Louisiana shot movies to be released this year. Chris Stelly, Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, says “Focus” could top the box office this weekend…

Cut 10 (09) “really well”

The streak started last weekend with the release of “Hot Tub Time Machine 2″. Stelly says other Louisiana films scheduled to open this year include “Pitch Perfect 2″ in May and “Jurassic World” in June. Stelly says he’s looking forward to seeing “Get Hard” starring Will Farrell and Kevin Hart that will open next month…

cut 11 (11) “see that one”

This summer will also see the release of “Terminator Genisys” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in July and the reboot of the “Fantastic Four” franchise in August. Stelly thinks this summer is going to be a blockbuster season for films shot in Louisiana…

cut 12 (07)  “of films”

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The embattled comedian Bill Cosby is appearing tonight at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. There are some who aren’t happy about that due to allegations which recently surfaced accusing Cosby of sexually abusing women. Ebony Turner, Director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, is concerned people who still buy tickets to Cosby’s show don’t take these alleged victims seriously…:

Cut 13 (08)  “come forward”

The comedian released a statement thanking fans for love, support and trust and added he can’t wait to warm the hearts of the audience with the gift of laughter. Turner says it’s their hope that people in the audience tonight realize that famous people also have private lives that are very different from who they portray…:

Cut 14 (06) “criminal activity”

The performance is set for 8pm. Turner says there has been so much victim blaming surrounding the Cosby allegations that people are separating Dr. Huxabtable from someone who is capable of committing a horrible crime…:

Cut 15  (12)  “sexual assault”

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The LSU men’s basketball team looks to extend its winning streak to three games on Saturday when they host Ole Miss. The Rebels are led by five-foot-ten guard Stefan Moody, who is averaging 16 and a half points a game. Tigers Coach Johnny Jones Ole Miss likes to create shots for Moody by running him off screens…

Cut 16  (17)  “one look”

LSU has been led lately by Jarell Martin who is also 16.5 points a game. He’s coming off a 25-point performance against Auburn and Jones likes how the sophomore is playing

Cut 17 (19)  “vast improvement”

A win on Saturday for LSU gives them 10 conference wins. In Jones first two seasons in Baton Rouge, LSU won nine games in the league each year

Cut 18 (18) “important’

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PM Newscall 2/26/2015

The ongoing rift between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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The ongoing rift between Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter is getting national press. In a recent interview with the National Journal, Jindal told the reporter to turn the recorder off and he’d say what he really thinks about Vitter. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says voters in Louisiana do not want to see these two fighting amongst themselves…

CUT 3 (09)  “public trust”

Both the governor and senator have taken shrewd jabs at each other over the years. Pinsonat says it’s amazing that Jindal is getting involved in this now, seeing that he is eyeing a run for president. He says this could hurt the governor’s aspirations…

CUT 4 (05)  “United States Senator”

Vitter is in the midst of a gubernatorial campaign to succeed Jindal. Pinsonat says this rift could actually benefit Vitter in his quest to become the state’s next governor…

CUT 5 (08)  “doesn’t like him”

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As students in Northeast Louisiana miss their 4th winter weather day in a row, officials say all these days off could mean longer days for students. The state requires 63,720 instructional minutes per student per academic year, and Ouachita Parish Superintendent Bob Webber says they’ve already exceed extra time that is incorporated for inclement weather…:

CUT 6 (08)  “to each day”

Webber says the first option will be tacking minutes to the end of each day through the end of the year, but they are very close to adding entire extra days to the calendar. Webber says in his 13 and a half years as Superintendent, he’s never seen more than 2 inclement weather days in a row…:

CUT 7 (08)  “snow and ice”

In addition to the four days this week, Monroe City schools were also out a day in October last year because of an EF-2 tornado that tore through Ouachita Parish causing widespread damage. Webber says even though they have a significant amount of time to make up, you would always rather be safe than sorry when it comes to putting kids on buses in snow and ice…:

CUT 8 (12)  “concern”

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Two Slidell residents have been arrested after they allegedly forced a one-year-old to drink beer. Slidell police detective Daniel Seuzenau says the child’s grandfather noticed signs of abuse

CUT 9 (11)  “child’s throat”

Twenty-four-year-old Brett Flower and 23-year-old Krysten Verdin were arrested on cruelty to juvenile charges. Seuzenau says Flower poured the beer the down the infant’s throat, because he thought it was funny….

cut 10 (06)  “came forward”

Seuzenau says when Flower poured the beer down the child’s throat, it caused him to choke and regurgitate and Verdin then would get upset with the child…

cut 11 (08)  “witnesses”

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2014 Federal Highway Administration data shows that 29-percent of Louisiana’s nearly 13,000 bridges are deficient. That’s the 14th highest percentage in the United States. Louisiana DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says motorists should not take this description of bridges in Louisiana too literally…

cut 12 (11)  “that it’s unsafe”

He says DOTD is working to replace and repair as many bridges as they can. Mallett says most bridges are on an inspection schedule of once every two years, with some on a six month schedule. He says there are 81 bridge inspectors throughout the state…

cut 13 (08)  “as needed”

Mallett says, since 2008, DOTD has spent $1.3 billion to replace or repair 467 bridges across the state. He says motorists should not think that that they can’t safely cross bridges in Louisiana…

cut 14 (05)  “in the past”

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says a now former Alexandria Police Officer is under arrest amid allegations he had sex with a juvenile. Lt. Tommy Carnline says they first got the complaint on December 1st of last year…:(Carnline says the alleged inappropriate sexual conduct occurred while Reed was off duty and it was outside the City of Alexandria.)

cut 15 (08) “police department officer”

Carnline says the city of Alexandria conducted their own internal investigation after the alleged incident occurred and the accused, 38-year-old Deric Reed, was placed on leave immediately. He says the suspect no longer works as a cop..:

cut 16 (10) “of a juvenile”

 

 

AM Newscall, February 26th, 2015

The snow that impacted north Louisiana yesterday has moved out of the area, but some of the roadways are still slick. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Eleven children were injured in a single vehicle bus school bus crash in Rapides Parish Tuesday morning. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says The Bayou State now has the second highest number of bald eagles that are nesting. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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State Farm announces they’ve received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to use drones to inspect customers’ roofs. Spokesman Gary Stephenson says there are a number of different ways they can use this technology…

cut 4  (04)  “quickly”

Stephenson says they look forward to testing the unmanned aircraft systems on roof inspections to make things easier for their customers. He says they will be able to check out claims for damage quicker…:

Cut 5  (10)  “that are available”

Stephenson says they plan to use the drones to look at a roof before issuing policies, for renewals, catastrophe damage and in claims holding. He says the flying devices will assess damage at a faster pace in certain instances…:

Cut 6 (06)  “inspection”

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The snow that impacted north Louisiana yesterday has moved out, leaving slippery roadways in some areas. Department of Transportation spokesman Rodney Mallet says several roadways will remain closed until they are deemed safe for travel. He says if you do plan to venture out today, check for what roads are open…

CUT 7 (08)  “plan accordingly”

He says you can go to 511LA-dot-org to get the latest road closure information. If you do plan on driving this morning, give yourself some extra time to reach your destination and take it slow as ice on some roadways has not had sufficient time to melt. Mallet says even though temperatures will rise above freezing today, that doesn’t mean that roads will immediately re-open…

Cut 8  (09)  “so to speak” 

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Eleven children were injured in a single vehicle bus school bus crash in Rapides Parish Tuesday morning. Trooper Scott Moreau says the bus was traveling down muddy Highway 121 when the driver lost control and the bus overturned on its side..

Cut 9 (09)  “5 to 15.”

Moreau says State Police are not expecting any charges for the driver but the investigation is still ongoing. He says they are looking to find a reason why there was so much mud on the road.

Cut 10 (09) “is low”

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LSU says an audit they performed finds newly-elected US Senator Bill Cassidy provided services to the university that equaled the 20-thousand dollar salary that he received. There were allegations during the US Senate race that Cassidy was paid for work he didn’t perform. Political Blogger Lamar White helped break the story that started the controversy and does not think the audit completely clears Cassidy…(White’s comments were made on the Louisiana Radio Network’s Jim Engster Show.)

cut 11 (09) “extremely unusual”

Doctor Cassidy, who is a liver specialist, said in a written response that the audit provides sufficient facts to conclude that he provided services for equal or more than that of his compensation. But White says the audit confirms that gaps do exist in Cassidy’s time sheets, and he still questions whether Cassidy double-dipped

cut 12 (09)  “questions were answered”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says The Bayou State now has the second highest number of bald eagles that are nesting. Michael Seymour works with all non-game birds with LDWF and he says over the past couple of weeks they’ve been using helicopters to survey nests of bald eagles. He says in 2007 they discovered about 340 nesting pairs…:

Cut 13 (09)  “not a decrease”

Seymour says they looked at 647 nests and found that 356 were active with eggs, young and adults tending to them. He says most of them were located in the southeastern part of the state…:

Cut 14 (08) “pine trees”

Seymour says bald eagles build families during the first few months of the year which is why they have recently conducted a new survey. He says there are so many bald eagles flying around in Louisiana that it’s not unusual for you to spot one…:

Cut 15  (09)  “really helpful”

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Big college basketball game tonight in Ruston as Louisiana Tech hosts UTEP with the winner taking over sole possession of first place in Conference USA. The Bulldogs have won 26 straight home games, while the Miners are the hottest team in the league, with a seven game winning streak. Tech head coach Michael White says UTEP likes to show a lot of different looks defensively

Cut 16  (18)  “as possible”

The Miners are led by six-foot-eight sophomore Vince Hunter, who is averaging nearly 16 points and ten rebounds a game. White says UTEP is a tough team to defend…

Cut 17 (14)  “Conference USA”

Louisiana Tech beat the Miners in El Paso earlier this season and White says they need a big crowd tonight to help them sweep the season series

Cut 18 (15) “be successful’

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LRN PM Newscall Feb 25

The chance of you getting audited by the IRS is getting smaller. Eric Gill reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Legislative Black Caucus calls on Governor Bobby Jindal to stay in Louisiana and deal with the state’s budget crisis. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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The chances of you getting audited by the IRS is getting smaller. The IRS audit rate dropped to its lowest level in at least ten years last year and is expected to drop further this year. Since 2010, the number of IRS audits have fallen by over 20-percent. John Theriot, with the Louisiana CPA Society, says one reason for the drastic drop in the number of audits is money…

CUT 3 (10)  “qualified people”

He says drops in IRS funding is a leading cause in the decline in the number of audits. The IRS audited more than 162,000 fewer individual tax returns in 2014 than in 2013. Theriot says another reason for fewer audits could be that more individuals are having their taxes professionally done…

CUT 4 (11)  “better returns”

Theriot adds that tax preparation software has helped individuals file more accurate returns. He says this will probably have a bigger effect on the IRS and their ability to collect taxes from people they do audit than on the taxpayers themselves…

CUT 5 (10)  “then it’s going to re-freeze”

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The snow has arrived in north Louisiana and State Police urge residents to stay home and don’t travel unless it’s absolutely necessary. Trooper Matt Harris says if you do have to drive somewhere in areas where snow has fallen…take it easy

CUT 6 (09)  “destination”

Harris says there’s been dozens of weather related accidents on the highways, because of the snow

CUT 7 (10)  “of control”

Harris says if you drive on a snowy road, don’t panic and slam on the brakes at a slick spot. He says the snow may look pretty, but it doesn’t mix well with cold pavement and drivers who are NOT used to the snow…

CUT 8 (08)  “in a crash”

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The Department of Motor Vehicles is urging citizens to be sure their local driver education program is properly certified through the state — and now there’s a way you can check online. State Police Sgt Nick Manale says the OMV regulates driver education programs throughout Louisiana to make sure education is up to par and that they have a license to operate…:

CUT 9 (12)  “that’s required”

Manale says the new web resource is offered through expresslane.org and it provides information on state licensed driver education providers so new drivers can verify theirs has met all applicable standards and certifications…:

cut 10 (09)  “criteria too”

Manale says only applicants who have attended a properly licensed education provider will be eligible to receive a learner’s permit or new license….:

cut 11 (08)  “that permit”

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The Legislative Black Caucus calls on Governor Bobby Jindal to stay in Louisiana and deal with the state’s budget crisis. Monday, Jindal spoke against President Obama at a press conference outside the White House. Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson says the governor needs to set aside his presidential aspirations and concentrate on problems facing Louisiana…

cut 12 (10)  “budget crisis”

It is reported that Jindal spent 45-percent of his time outside of Louisiana in 2014. Jackson says Jindal is overly concerned with party politics and issues that are irrelevant in regards to the state’s budget shortfall…

cut 13 (07)  “education close”

Jackson says they are reviewing tax credits in an effort to bring money back into the state. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James says Louisiana is in the governor’s rearview mirror and is not optimistic that Jindal will have much bearing in his last months in office…

cut 14 (10)  “last session”

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Snow has blanketed several parishes in north Louisiana and as far south as Jonesboro. Forecasters predicted as much as four inches. Travis Washington, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says cold air  was already in place and it mixed with the right amount of precipitation to create the snow

cut 15 (10) “what happened”

Washington says they expect the snow to leave the state at 4 PM. He says at noon today, Shreveport reported two inches of snow and more was on the way…

cut 16 (09) “around there”

Updated AM Newscall for Feb 24 as sports has been added

Today is the deadline for the three physician team to be assembled that will perform the court ordered psychiatric examination of Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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North Louisiana could get multiple inches of snow today. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (26) “reporting”

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Viking Cruises announces they’ll begin offering trips along the Mississippi River from the Port of New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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Today is the deadline for the three physician team to be assembled that will perform the court ordered psychiatric examination of Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson in the legal fight involving his former heirs. Legal analyst Tim Meche says doctors will first sit down with Benson and ask him questions to test his memory…

cut 4  (10)  “ruled that out”

Meche says there will be no neurological testing on Benson. The physician team has until March 13 to report their findings. He says these examinations are meant to determine whether Benson is capable of making reasonable decisions concerning his care of his person and his property…

Cut 5  (12)  “he trusts”

He says the tests will consist of a series of questions and a free-flowing interview. The physician team will consist of one doctor chosen by Benson, one by his former heirs, and one agreed upon by those two doctors. Meche says when doctors know other doctors are looking over their shoulder, it’s rare for one to diverge from the group…

Cut 6 (12)  “differing opinions”

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The parishes along the Louisiana-Arkansas border are under a winter storm warning today as a significant snowfall is expected. Marty Mayeaux, with the National Weather Service, says they are expecting more than a light dusting…

CUT 7 (09)  “we can expect”

Traveling along I-20 has not been easy the last couple of days, and Mayeaux says the situation will only get worse with more sleet and snow

Cut 8  (08)  “still there” 

Several parishes along I-20 and to the south of the interstate are under a winter weather advisory. Natchitoches,  Lincoln, Ouachita, Grant, Franklin and La Salle are included in this advisory.  Mayeaux says these areas could also see snow…

Cut 9 (04)  “north Louisiana”

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The Board of Regents approved a plan which would create a uniform policy for Louisiana’s colleges in how they deal with sexual assault claims. Higher education commissioner Joe Wallo says higher ed institutions have to develop a protocol to follow when someone comes forward with a sexual assault allegation…:

Cut 10 (08) “fair treatment”

Wallo says all of their campuses are engaging in some type of education and prevention programs with their students when it comes to sexual assault, but they wanted to work to create a common expectation. He says they are all about letting the students know leaders are there to help and to listen…:

cut 11 (08) “be recourse”

Wallo says colleges must work with local law enforcement on response efforts and also ban retaliation against someone who files a sexual misconduct complaint. He says the policy is a process that first starts with the evaluating the complaint…:

cut 12 (07)  “by campus”

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Viking Cruises announces they’ll begin offering trips along the Mississippi River from the Port of New Orleans. The plan is to have the operation going by 2017 when two boats launch per year taking passengers on a journey upriver from The Big Easy to stops in Louisiana, Memphis, Tennessee, Minnesota and more. Port of New Orleans President Gary LaGrange:

Cut 13 (11)  “our restaurants”

The move means hundreds of jobs and a boost to the state’s tourism industry according to Governor Bobby Jindal. The specialty-built riverboats will have a full complement of luxury amenities and host up to 300 passengers. LaGrange says there will be amazing itineraries planned…:

Cut 14 (07) “that they can reach”

Viking’s new service will result in the creation of 417 new direct jobs for Louisiana-based operations and vessel crews with an average salary of $40,000. LaGrange says Viking’s cruises are renowned for their locally oriented educational and entertainment programs. He says the folklore will bring a lot to heart as the Mississippi River has a powerful history…:

Cut 15  (12)  “and maybe Asia”

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LSU basketball took care of business last night by easily beating Auburn 84-61. It was the Tigers 20th win of the year and Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says it was important for them to avoid another bad loss to Auburn as they look to lock-up an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament

Cut 16  (12)  “resume killers”

LSU got another big game last night from Jarell Martin, who scored 25 points. Worsham says has been attacking the rim more lately

Cut 17 (11)  “closer to the rim”

LSU’s next game is Saturday at home against Ole Miss. The Tigers beat the Rebels on their home floor earlier this season and Worsham says it will not be easy to sweep the season series

Cut 18 (20) “tournament’

PM LRN Newscall Feb 24

Gas prices have been on the rise for one month now. Jeff Palermo on the reasons why you are paying more at the pump…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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State Alcohol and Tobacco Control agents have arrested a Campti man for allegedly running an illegal bar out of his home. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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Winter storm advisories remain in effect for North Louisiana today, as the National Weather Service says there’s the potential for 4 inches of snow to fall in Northwest Louisiana after midnight. NWS-Shreveport meteorologist Mario Valverde says lower temperatures look to continue and interact with the moisture in the sky…:

CUT 3 (10)  “and snow”

Valverde says a winter storm warning is in effect for Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Union and Webster and they could be looking at a close to 4 inch accumulation of snow…:

CUT 4 (10)  “inch or two”

Several parishes south of I-20 and into the Monroe area and Northeast Louisiana are under a winter weather advisory or winter storm watch. Valverde says, unfortunately, it doesn’t look like temperatures will get too far away from freezing to melt the north Louisiana ice away…:

CUT 5 (10)  “then it’s going to re-freeze”

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The statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline reaches $2.15 cents, after jumping two cents from the previous day.  American Automobile Association fuel analyst Don Redman says gas prices have been on the rise for a month and it’s not a surprise

CUT 6 (08)  “spring time”

The statewide average a month ago was a $1.88. Redman says gas prices are expected to keep rising, but a return to three-dollars a gallon for gasoline is not expected

CUT 7 (08)  “coming months”

Refineries switching from a winter grade gasoline to summer gas is one reason for the rise at the pump. He says union strikes at two Louisiana refineries are also factoring into the price, but it shouldn’t lead to large price increase…

CUT 8 (07)  “this spring”

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State Alcohol and Tobacco Control agents have arrested a Campti man for allegedly running an illegal bar out of his home. 42-year-old Robert Williams was arrested and booked into the Nachitoches Parish Detention Center. ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert says the program Williams was running from his home was quite simple…

CUT 9 (09)  “that’s illegal”

Hebert says they were tipped after seeing Williams’ establishment advertised on social media. He says undercover agents were able to pay to enter Williams’ residence and buy beer and mixed drinks…

cut 10 (09)  “wind of it”

Williams faces charges of operating without a high-alcohol permit and operating without a low-alcohol permit. Hebert says these types of situations happen more than you would think. He says this type of illegal bar is called a “good house”…

cut 11 (07)  “can go”

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The four candidates for governor were in Shreveport for a forum today and Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne was the only candidate to come out in support of Common Core. When asked about the education standards, Dardenne said, “Now is not the time for Louisiana to retreat.” UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says this may be a good move for Dardenne right now…

cut 12 (07)  “abandoned it”

Cross says this clearly separates  Dardenne from the other candidates. He says that while there is a lot of negativity around Common Core, education leaders and chambers of commerce statewide support the education standards. Cross says Dardenne is keeping his ears and mind open when it comes to this issue…

cut 13 (08)  “right now”

Cross predicts that Common Core will be one of the bigger issues during this gubernatorial election. Cross says Dardenne’s stance on Common Core is not something he took lightly…

cut 14 (09)  “might occur”

AM LRN Newscall for Tuesday February 24th

State Representative and gubernatorial candidate John Bel Edwards calls himself the anti-Jindal candidate as he tries to woo voters. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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A combination of sleet, freezing rain and snow have closed several roads in Louisiana. Scott Carwile has more from the governor’s homeland security and emergency preparedness….

Cut 2 (25) “reporting”

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State Superintendent of Education John White is concerned the Jindal administration will cut funds used to pay for standardized testing. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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State Representative and gubernatorial candidate John Bel Edwards calls himself the anti-Jindal candidate as he tries to woo voters who are looking for a change in state government leadership. Edwards made the statement during an appearance on the Jim Engster Show. The Amite Democrat says the state doesn’t need a third Jindal term, which is what his opponents in the race are offering…

cut 4  (12)  “we’ve been doing”

Edwards says Senator David Vitter would be “Jindal on steroids”, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne “Jindal light”, and Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle “Jindal incarnate”. Edwards trails his three Republican opponents in fundraising for this election. He says it’s critically important to have the money necessary to deliver your message and he’s working on that…

Cut 5  (10)  “competitive campaign”

Edwards is the lone Democrat in this year’s governor’s race. There is a big question on whether or not Democratic New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will throw his hat into the ring. Edwards says Landrieu can run, but if he does, he violates a pledge he made to New Orleans before he was re-elected…

Cut 6 (07)  “to do that”

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State Education Superintendent John White is concerned the governor will not provide funding for standardized tests tied to Common Core. The Jindal administration will present a proposed budget for next fiscal year on Friday. White says it’s a state law to give out a standardized test…

CUT 7 (08)  “in the budget”

A Jindal administration spokesperson says there are no plans to cut student testing, but all state agencies will face strategic reductions to contracts. White says if the state doesn’t provide dollars for student testing, it could lead to big problems

Cut 8  (10)  “our state” 

Jindal opposes the use of any test that’s tied to Common Core. White says he’s heard rumors the governor will take away money that would go towards paying for standardized testing…

Cut 9 (12)  “federal funding”

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It’s a winter wonderland along the I-20  as a result of a winter storm that slamed the northern parishes. Kevin Davis, director of the governor’s office of homeland security and emergency preparedness, says numerous roads are closed despite the department of transportation’s best efforts

Cut 10 (10) “cleared”

Some roads over central Louisiana may have also closed overnight because of icy conditions. Davis says the National Weather Service reports temperatures should start rising after lunch time

cut 11 (07) “roadways open”

Davis says if wintry precipitation has fallen in your area, stay home, if there’s no need to travel

cut 12 (06)  “better off”

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The wintry precipitation that’s impacted a large portion of the state is expected to end this morning, but chilly temperatures will remain. State Climatologist Barry Keim says any freezing rain advisories that are still posted, will likely expire at 12:00 or earlier

Cut 13 (09)  “the forecast”

Keim says while the wintry precipitation comes to an end, we won’t see temperatures back above 60-degrees until the weekend

Cut 14 (11) “dries out”

Keim says this is the first winter storm Louisiana has experienced this season and hopefully the last….

Cut 15  (09)  “can happen”

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PM LRN Newscall Feb 23

Central Louisiana leaders are celebrating the news that an aluminum alloy manufacture plans to build a mill that would employ nearly 15-hundred workers. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Winter weather conditions in north Louisiana is causing ice accumulation on roadways and hazardous driving conditions for motorists. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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The city of Pineville is ecstatic over the news that American Specialty Alloys has announced they plan to build a two-point-four billion dollar aluminum mill where the International Paper mill once operated. Pineville mayor Clarence Fields says the project is expected to create nearly 15-hundred new jobs

CUT 3 (06)  “surrounding communities”

Fields says the average salary for those direct jobs is 70-thousand dollars and operations at the facility are expected to begin late next year. He says American Specialty Alloys estimates it will take two-thousand construction jobs to build the mill…

CUT 4 (07)  “we’re excited”

A-S-A officials say they considered building the plant in several southern states, when they announced plans last November to build a “mill of the future.” Fields says a 34-million dollar performance-based grant from the state and central Louisiana hospitality helped convince them to build the plant in Pineville…

CUT 5 (10)  “visit areas”

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Winter weather conditions in north Louisiana have caused the closure of several roadways and exit ramps. These conditions can cause ice accumulation on roadways and hazardous driving conditions for motorists. Trooper Michael Reichardt says driving conditions are far from optimal and not getting any better…

CUT 6 (10)  “of your house”

Reichardt says it would be best if motorists could avoid driving in these conditions. He says the state DOTD is working to keep I-20 open by pre-salting the roadway. Reichardt says, if you do need to need to drive, you should use extreme caution and make really smart decisions behind the wheel…

CUT 7 (11)  “for your safety”

If you do need to drive in these conditions, Reichardt says you should definitely slow down and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination safely. He says, from the information he’s gathered, these conditions could continue to impact the area for a couple of more days…

CUT 8 (08)  “prolonged event”

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Due to the recent rash of measles outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control is recommending adults between the ages of 57 and 43 get a measles shot, even if they were already vaccinated. Dr. Frank Lopez, with LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Diseases, has the specifics on the CDC recommendation…

CUT 9 (10)  “vaccinated appropriately”

He says anyone born between 1957 and 1971 should be evaluated by their primary care provider to make sure you were vaccinated appropriately. Lopez says there was some kind of vaccination gap between those years…

cut 10 (11)  “become available”

He says the gap resulted in people either not being vaccinated against the measles or receiving a vaccination that isn’t as effective as the current vaccine. Lopez says you should discuss this with your doctor since medical information from 40 to 50 years ago is limited…

cut 11 (07)  “primary care provider”

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Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency as a result of winter weather that’s impacting Louisiana.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says Shreveport-Bossier is under a winter storm warning, a winter weather advisory is in effect for the Monroe area and Lake Charles and Alexandria are under a freezing rain advisory until noon tomorrow…

cut 12 (10)  “warm up sufficiently”

The state department of transportation has closed a portion of I-49 in Caddo Parish, so is I-220 in Bossier and Caddo Parish and several on and off ramps of I-20 in Ouachita Parish have been shut down. Keim says freezing rain could be a problem for most of the state today

cut 13 (05)  “very, very careful”

Keim says over a tenth of an inch of ice is forecasted for the northern half of the state, including Alexandria. He says Lake Charles could also see icy conditions…

cut 14 (07)  “big question”