The Baton Rouge mother who was arrested after allegedly beating her sons for robbing a neighbor’s house might not have to stand trial, according to District Attorney Hillar Moore. Don Molino has more…
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The rehabilitation of the Jimmy Davis Bridge in Shreveport-Bossier has been cancelled, and the state Department of Transportation says they’ll build a new four-lane bridge over the Red River instead. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”
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East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore is not sure yet if he’ll prosecute a Baton Rouge mother who was arrested after allegedly beating her children for breaking into someone’s home. Police say 30-year-old Schaquana Spears was charged with two counts of child cruelty for whipping her three children with an electrical cord. Moore understands parents need to discipline their children.
People from all over the nation have taken to social media in support of Spears’ actions. Authorities say the 10, 12, and 13-year-olds broke into a neighbor’s house and stole a hover board, electronics, and socks. He says there is a difference between discipline and child abuse, and his office is looking into the severity of the beating. But he says this may just be a family that needs help.
CUT 4 (11) “criminality there”
Moore says it will take a while to go through all the facts of this case and decide whether or not to prosecute.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has signed into law two bills that will regulate drone use in Louisiana. Baton Rouge Sen. Dan Claitor authored one of the measures and says under his bill, you could be charged with criminal trespassing if you use a drone to peep on your neighbors.
CUT 6 (10) “that’s prohibited”
Claitor says there are some exceptions included in his bill.
The other drone regulation law signed by the governor would prohibit the public from flying drones above schools or jails and prisons. The White House is also implementing rules that allow drones less than 55 pounds to fly up to 100 miles per hour and 400 feet high within the view of the operator. Claitor says he doesn’t expect to file any more legislation on the issue.
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The state Department of Transportation cancels plans to rehabilitate the Jimmy Davis Bridge over the Red River in Shreveport-Bossier and instead they decide to build a new four-lane bridge. DOTD spokesperson Cindy Dorfner says this new bridge will mean less congestion and an easier drive for commuters.
Dorfner says they aren’t sure at this point how much the new bridge will cost or when it will be complete. She says the old bridge will remain open during the construction. She says they have to get the design process started first.
Dorfner says they would have spent at least 20-million dollars on rehabbing a 60-year-old bridge, but that would not address the problem of congestion, which is why they’ve made the decision to move forward with a new bridge.
Cut 11 (11) “four lane bridge”
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The lawyer of a Marksville City Marshall accused of fatally shooting a 6-year-old boy has filed a motion to move the trial out of Avoyelles Parish. 31-year-old Derrick Stafford’s attorney, Christopher LaCour says with all the media coverage he doesn’t believe Stafford can get a fair trial in this parish…
Stafford and fellow officer Norris Greenhouse Jr. are facing second-degree murder charges in last November’s shooting death of Jeremy Mardis. LaCour says neither Stafford nor Greenhouse intended to kill the autistic boy. He says he wants to give Stafford the best defense he can and that won’t happen if the case is heard in Avoyelles Parish.
Stafford and Greenhouse are set to go to trial this fall.
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K-through-12 public schools will see a cut in state funding as a result of a spending plan approved by the Senate finance committee. The head of the Louisiana School Board Association, Scott Richard (Ree-shard), says if schools receive fewer state dollars, it will jeopardize the successes that have taken place in public education….
But on an 8-2 vote, the Senate Finance Committee decided to not to give public colleges a reduction in state dollars, instead K-12 public schools would be put on the chopping block. Shreveport Senator Gregory Tarver says universities have been cut enough….
This spending proposal still has to be approved by the full Senate and House before the special session ends at midnight on Thursday. Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns also supports the idea that public colleges shouldn’t be cut any further…
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