The film industry in Louisiana says the state’s cap on film tax credits is keeping movies from coming to Hollywood South. Celtic Media Centre Executive Director Patrick Mulhearn says essentially Louisiana is limiting the number of credits they honor, not the number they hand out. He says the biggest film union in Louisiana reports that only 37% of their members are employed right now…:
CUT 7 (05) “out of work”
He hopes the legislature will consider changing the way Louisiana has capped the film tax credit program.

Four more parishes have been added to the Presidential Disaster Declaration area, which means victims of the historic flooding are eligible for federal assistance. One of those parishes is Rapides and their homeland security director Sonya Wiley-Gremillion says 60 homes were flooded along the Red River:
CUT 9 (06) “unrepairable”
There are now 30 parishes in Louisiana eligible for disaster aid.

GOP front runner Donald Trump says he’s going to sue over the fact that he won the primary in Louisiana, but rival Ted Cruz could end up with more delegates. Trump has 18 delegates from Louisiana and so does Cruz, who lost by two-percent in the primary. State republican party executive director Jason Dore says at issue is what will happen with the five delegates awarded to Senator Marco Rubio, who has since dropped out of the race, and five other delegates that have been unallocated since the primary…:
CUT 4 (11) “certain way”
He says it’s likely the 10 delegates up in the air will remain uncommitted until the Republican National Convention.

Detectives in Calcasieu Parish are investigating a body found partially inside a culvert in Sulphur on Easter Sunday. The investigation is in the preliminary stages.

The Saints announce they’ve signed veteran Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley to a one year contract. He spent last season with the St. Louis Rams.

Hollywood South has taken a major hit over the past year since the legislature passed a measure that puts a cap on Louisiana’s film tax incentives. That’s according to Celtic Media Centre Executive Director Patrick Mulhearn. He says what’s scaring films away is the manner in which lawmakers capped the movie credits, which he compares to retail mail in rebate coupons…:
CUT 6 (10) “somewhere else”
He says Louisiana’s film industry can rebound if lawmakers agree to transition from a redemption cap to an issuance cap.

This afternoon, lawmakers are slated to start hearing from state agencies that could be affected by cuts as legislators shift the focus now to next fiscal year’s $750 million dollar deficit. Several departments are facing steep cuts in the face of budget fixes for the financial year that begins July 1st, and today are expected to testify about what those cuts could mean for them.

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is not happy with how Louisiana is allocating its delegates and he’s threatening a lawsuit. Don Molino has the story…:
CUT 1 (27) “I’m Don Molino”

LSU basketball coach Johnny Jones says junior guard Tim Quarterman is declaring for the NBA draft and ending his college career. Rough news as Tiger star Ben Simmons has already said he’s going pro.

Republican presidential leader Donald Trump is threatening a lawsuit aimed at the Louisiana GOP. He tweeted Sunday he wasn’t happy that he won the primary here, but could get less delegates than opponent Ted Cruz. State GOP executive director Jason Dore says Trump & Cruz have 18 delegates but there are five out there for Senator Rubio who dropped out, and five yet to be allocated that will likely remain uncommitted until the Republican National Convention…:
CUT 5 (07) “final decision”
He says they’ve followed the rules when it comes to allocating the delegates.

State Officials announce four additional parishes will receive federal disaster declarations following historic flooding earlier this month. The new areas where residents can apply for public assistance are Jackson, Rapides, Red River, and Sabine. That brings the total number of eligible parishes to 30. You can register online at disasterassistance.gov.

The Lake Charles police department says a 26-year-old man died following an early morning crash. Investigators believe Steven Blaine Perrit left the roadway in his Nissan Titan for unkonwn reasons, and hit two mailboxes before crashing into a concrete culvert. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The invesitgation is ongoing.

Researchers at UL-Lafayette found that vipers surprisingly may not be the fastest striking snake. Doctoral student David Penning says they’ve got evidence showing all snakes, venomous and non-venomous, can strike quickly so people should never try to grab a poisonous snake before it lunges…:
CUT 9 (10) “alone”
Penning says it takes a snake 70 milliseconds to strike, and it takes a human 200 milliseconds just to blink.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has tweeted out that a lawsuit is coming over the possibility he could receive fewer delegates from Louisiana than Senator Ted Cruz, even though Trump won the Louisiana Presidential Primary. State republican party executive director Jason Dore says they’ve followed the rules when it comes to allocating the delegates…
cut 3 (08) “…40-percent of the delegates”
Dore says at issue is what will happen with the five delegates awarded to Senator Marco Rubio, who has since dropped out of the race and five other delegates that have been unallocated since the primary.

Another person has died at the Muddy Bottoms ATV and Recreation Park in Webster Parish. Authorities say a woman was killed when one ATV collided with another one. It’s the fourth fatal accident at the park since May 2014.

Cleco goes before the Public Service Commission again this afternoon, seeking to get their approval on a proposed deal that would result in the Pineville-based utility company being sold to a foreign investment group. PSC Chairman Clyde Holloway has been a major opponent of the sale…
cut 6 (10) “…with money”
Cleco says if the sale goes through, customers would receive 100-million dollars in immediate rate relief.

There’s legislation moving through the legislature that would require pharmacies interested in selling medical marijuana to pay five-thousand dollars for an application fee. Ville Platte representative and pharmacist Harvey Lebas says federal law also prohibits the sale of medical marijuana in the same facility where other prescriptions are sold…
cut 10 (07) “….medical marijuana”
It’s unclear when medical marijuana will be available.

It could be quite some time before medical marijuana is available in Louisiana, even though legislation passed allowing for its legal growth, prescription and dispensing. Ville Platte Representative and pharmacist Harvey LeBas says there’s a proposal moving through the legislature that says a $5,000 application fee would be needed if someone wants to become one of the 10 marijuana pharmacists in the state. He says some may not find it’s worth it..:
CUT 12 (07) “to be seen”
He says dispensaries in Louisiana would only offer medications derived from the plant for medical uses, not the actual plant itself.

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday that he was planning to sue the state GOP because he won the primary in Louisiana, but opponent Ted Cruz would end up with more delegates. The tweet reads, “Just to show you how unfair Republican primary politics can be, I won the State of Louisiana and get less delegates than Cruz…Lawsuit coming.”

Legislative hearings begin today on the state’s spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1st. Over the course of the next two months, legislators will have to pass a budget that will contain 750-million dollars in cuts from the previous year. Governor John Bel Edwards says since he’s been in office, 170-million dollars in budget cuts have been put in place…:
Cut 13 (07) “about to do”
He feels there will have to be another special session to raise more revenue.

Vipers, which are venomous snakes like rattlesnakes and cotton-mouths, were thought to have the quickest strike, but researchers at UL-Lafayette find that’s not the case. David Penning, who studies functional morphology, says to observe snakes striking they filmed them with cameras capable of capturing high-speed action. He says they noticed that nonvenomous Texas rat snakes struck with the same velocity and acceleration as vipers…:
Cut 8 (06) “as vipers”
Penning says it takes a snake 70 milliseconds to strike.

It appears pharmacies who want to sell medical marijuana in the state will have to jump through a lot of hoops. Based on a bill moving through the legislature, an application fee of $5-thousand would be needed to cover inspections, background checks and paperwork. Ville Platte Representative and pharmacist Harvey LeBas says there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding the issue..:
cut 11 (09) “start somewhere”
He says once medical marijuana is available, it will only be sold at ten different locations around the state.

Lawmakers are meeting today to discuss next fiscal year’s budget and the $750 million dollar deficit that remains. Governor John Bel Edwards says despite the recent cuts to state funding and revenue increases, legislators will have to make some more difficult cuts…:
Cut 14 (11) “750-million dollars”

Researchers at UL-Lafayette are getting nationwide attention for busting the myth that the venomous viper has the fastest strike. Emelie Gunn reports..:
CUT 2 (24) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Could CLECO be further building the case that the Pineville-based utility company be sold to a foreign investment group? The Public Service Commission is holding a special meeting today to hear revised proposals after rejecting the sale to Macquarie Infrastructure last month. Commissioner Lambert Boissiere says they all want to see rate reductions for CLECO customers…:
Cut 5 (04) “anyone else”
CLECO and Macquarie have offered additional commitments including 100 million dollars of immediate rate relief for customers,

At the Capitol today, lawmakers will be meeting to discuss Louisiana’s spending plan for next fiscal year. They are tasked by law to pass a balanced budget that will contain $750 million dollars in cuts from the prior year. Governor John Bel Edwards believes the legislature will find out during this regular session that state government can’t sustain anymore deep cuts…:
Cut 15 (07) “more revenue”
He says since he’s been in office, 170-million dollars in budget cuts have been put in place.

Thousands of fans in Acadiana gathered at Lafayette’s Parc International Saturday to close out a massive homecoming celebration for local celebrity MacKenzie Bourg who is one of the final four contestants in the final season of American Idol. Newly elected Lafayette Mayor Joel Robideaux greeted Bourg on stage and gave him a key to the city — the first key of his term. To keep Bourg in the running, you have to vote after Wednesday night’s show on April 6th.

The Public Service Commission holds a special meeting today on the sale of Cleco to a foreign investment group. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Myth busted: Venomous vipers were thought to have the quickest strike, but researchers at UL-Lafayette say that’s not the case. Doctoral student David Penning says their study shows that all snakes can strike quickly…:
CUT 7 (09) “snake world”

A proposed bill would establish the process by which pharmacies go about selling medical marijuana, including a 5-thousand dollar application fee. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A missing woman the New Orleans Police Department had been seeking over the weekend, was found dead around 5pm Sunday according to cops. They say Haley Saltaformaggio was in her locked vehicle with a gun reportedly in the front seat near her body, and authorities said she suffered a single gunshot wound to the head. Her cause of death has not been confirmed by the coroner’s office.

The Public Service Commission is expected to meet today for a special hearing on the sale of Pineville-based CLECO to Macquarie Infrastructure. The PSC rejected the proposal last month, and since then two sides have revised terms they say would further benefit the utility company’s employees and customers. PSC member Foster Campbell says “real” money from the sale should go to customers..:
cut 4 (06) “not enough”
CLECO says during the last meeting with the sale was turned down, inaccurate statements were made that they hope to clear up today.

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is threatening a lawsuit aimed at the Louisiana GOP. The billionaire tweeted out Sunday that he was not happy that he won the primary here, but still gets less delegates than opponent Ted Cruz, saying “lawsuit coming.”