Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law legislation that reduces the penalties for simple marijuana possession. Eric Gill has more…:
CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

The National Weather Service now says the Red River will crest in Shreveport today at 31 feet, nearly two feet lower than previously thought. This is still a foot above flood stage, but authorities say flooding will probably be limited to some minor backwater flooding in southern Bossier Parish. The river is expected to begin a slow recede sometime Wednesday.

A Baton Rouge City Councilman is upset that they’re losing out on international exposure because NBC is dropping the Capitol City hosted Miss USA Pageant over offensive Donald Trump comments. As a guest on the Jim Engster Show, Councilman John Delgado says the three hour broadcast was a big infomercial for the city…:
CUT 9 (12) “backs out”

Wal-Mart has apologized for making a cake at its Slidell store with the ISIS flag on it after denying a man’s request to design one with the Confederate flag. Chuck Netzhammer outlines what happened in a YouTube video…:
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A spokesman for Wal-Mart told ABC News that the store associate did not know what the design meant and it was a misunderstanding.

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law legislation that reduces the penalties for simple marijuana possession. New Orleans Representative Austin Badon is thrilled this measure didn’t get the veto pen. He says the new law will help a lot of people in Louisiana…:
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One of the biggest changes in the law is that now a first offense for simple possession of less than 14 grams is 15 days in jail.

Jindal has also signed the medical marijuana dispensing bill. But Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says it could be another two years before this actually happens. He says they are totally starting from scratch with rules being made to even obtain seeks…:
CUT 15 (10) “being treated”

A study ranks Louisiana 5th in the country for the most couch potatoes per capita. Emelie Gunn has more on why we rank so high…:
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City leaders in Baton Rouge are trying to figure out what to do about the fact that NBC has decided not to air the Baton Rouge held Miss USA pageant. The Capitol City had boasted of the huge event’s national exposure on television, but the network announced that because of ties to Donald Trump, who made offensive comments about immigrants, they won’t be broadcasting the pageant.

Some are concerned that the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage could potentially lead to lawsuits against churches. Scott Carwile has more…

cut 1 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

The National Weather Service now says the Red River will crest in Shreveport today at 31 feet, nearly two feet lower than previously thought. This is still a foot above flood stage, but authorities say flooding will probably be limited to some minor backwater flooding in southern Bossier Parish. The river is expected to begin a slow recede sometime Wednesday.

Same-sex couples are turning up at clerks of court offices across the state to get their marriage license. Louisiana was the last state to start issuing licenses after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling legalizing gay marriage last week. Sarah Jane Brady, executive director for Forum for Equality, is thrilled that clerks of court around the state are allowing same sex couples to get married…

cut 9 (09) “good actions of people”

many parishes began issuing licenses on Monday.

Louisiana comes in at number 5 for the states with the most couch potatoes per capita, according to a study by Estately-dot-com. Lead blogger Ryan Nickum says the Louisiana summer heat is one factor on why we have so many couch potatoes. He says his study found that people who live in colder climates, tend to get out more expect for Ohio that ranked number one…

cut 12 (08) “air conditioning”

Nickum hopes this study will open people’s eyes and push them to get up and moving.

Same sex couples are showing up at clerks of court offices across the state to get their marriage license. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 3 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law two pieces of legislation dealing with marijuana. One measure sets up the framework so Louisiana can legally dispense medical marijuana. However, officials say it will be another two years before medicinal marijuana is available to residents. The second bill signed into law reduces the penalties for simple marijuana possession.

Some are worried that the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage could potentially lead to lawsuits against churches. Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn says, as he reads the ruling, lawsuits are not something that should be of concern. However, he says the four dissenting Supreme Court Justices seemed to be concerned about lawsuits against churches when they wrote their dissent…

cut 6 (04) “of concern”

Horn says it’s his understanding that the ruling gives protection to churches and pastors.

An Estately.com study shows Louisiana comes in fifth for states with the most couch potatoes per capita. Lead blogger Ryan Nickum says the state came in 5th for hours per day watching TV and saw a correlation with watching TV and the obesity ranking throughout all states. He hopes this study opens people’s eyes and pushes them to get up and moving…

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Nickum says the Louisiana summer heat is a factor on why we have so many couch potatoes.

Scott Kirkland and Kenneth Parker received one of the first same-sex marriage licenses in the state Monday. The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association initially advised parish clerks to wait 25 days before issuing the licenses, but many parishes started yesterday, knowing it was unlikely the nation’s highest court would reverse its decision legalizing gay marriage. Kirkland says it was important for them to get a license in Louisiana…

cut 8 (09) “ceremony and party”

Louisiana was the last state to start issuing licenses.

Some are concerned that that Supreme Court ruling could potentially lead to lawsuits against churches. Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn says lawsuits are not something that should overly concern churches. But he says the Supreme Court ruling sort of negates ultimate protection for churches who refuse to perform or host same-sex marriages due to their religious beliefs…

cut 5 (12) “right now”

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed legislation into law that establishes a framework for the legal dispensing of medical marijuana. State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says LSU and Southern’s AgCenter’s will have first opportunity to grow the weed that will turn into a pill for medical purposes…

cut 14 (11) “the product”

Strain says it could be another two years before anyone can get a prescription for medicinal marijuana filled.

According to a study by Estately.com, Louisiana comes in number 5 for the states with the most couch potatoes per capita. Lead blogger Ryan Nickum says they came up with this ranking by calculating 8 different factors, including hours per day watching TV and Laz-E-Boy retailers per capita…

cut 10 (10) “video games”

Nickum says the state also came in 5th for hours per day watching TV.

There is some concern that the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage in the United States could potentially lead to lawsuits against churches. Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn says it’s his understanding that the ruling gives protection to churches and pastors. But he says that doesn’t mean the issue could not come up in the future…

cut 4 (11) “in that regard”

But he says lawsuits are not something that should overly concern churches.

One of the first same-sex marriage licenses in the state went to Scott Kirkland and Kenneth Parker. Louisiana was the last state to start issuing licenses and Kirkland says it was frustrating when they couldn’t get one after the Supreme Court ruling on Friday…

cut 7 (09) “enough it did”

Kirkland and Parker arrived at the East Baton Rouge Clerk of court’s office shortly before 2 PM on Monday.

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law a bill that establishes a framework for the legal dispensing of medical marijuana. But state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says it could be another two years before anyone can get a prescription for medicinal marijuana filled. Stain says that’s because numerous steps need to be accomplished first…

cut 13 (13) “of rules”

Strain says they must start with the Board of Medical Examiners creating a set of rules for the prescription, then the Board of Pharmacy has to adopt a set of regulations and a document that describes the production parameters.

Many parishes have started issuing same-sex marriage licenses today, after holding off on doing so on Friday, when the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all 50 states. Scott Kirkland and his partner, arrived at the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court’s office shortly before two PM today. Kirkland says it was important for them to get a license in Louisiana…
cut 28 (09) “…and a party”
The Clerks of Court Association has given local officials the go-ahead to issue the licenses as soon as they are ready.

Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into two law two pieces of legislation dealing with marijuana. One of the measures sets up the framework so that Louisiana can legally dispense medical marijuana. But officials say it will be another two years before medicinal marijuana is available to Louisiana residents. And the governor signed into law a bill that reduces pot possession penalties.

The US Supreme Court rules a controversial drug called midazolam can be used for lethal injections. Gary Clements, an anti-death penalty lawyer in New Orleans, says midazolam is allowed in Louisiana but isn’t used. He wonders if it ever will…:
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Last week, a federal judge in Baton Rouge put on hold any execution in Louisiana until July of 2016, to give the state time to determine how they will carry out a death sentence.

The National Weather Service expects the Red River in Shreveport to crest at 31-feet. Hydrologist CS Ross says the impact from flood waters this time will be minimal as the Red should fall below flood stage on July 2nd, but remain high through the Fourth of July holiday weekend…
cut 14 (11) “…late August”
Ross says the projected 31-foot crest is six feet lower than the crest in mid-June.