11:30 Newscast, May 31st, 2017

The full House approves a measure that would allow drug felons to be eligible for food stamps, as they currently are not. Winnsboro Representative Steve Pylant, a former sheriff, proposed an amendment to require those eligible to submit to routine drug tests in order to receive the benefits to ensure they are properly being used…:
Cut 4 (10) “most of em are”
The bill, with the amendment, heads to the Senate on a 77-17 vote.

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has released a statement about the incident in which a dog was killed after allegedly being dragged by a vehicle in the Slidell area. Captain Daniel Seuzeneau says they are not happy about The Humane Society sending out a news release on the matter because it’s has only hindered the investigation…:
Cut 6 (10) “accurate”
He says the man involved has been cooperating and the investigation’s findings will be released once complete.

This afternoon the House is slated to debate raising the state’s gasoline tax.:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A study out of Australia finds late night phone usage could hurt teens’ sleep quality and mental health. Clinical psychologist Michelle Moore with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans says the bright light on the screen isn’t the only thing keeping them awake…:
Cut 10 (09) “good sleep at night”
She says the best solution is to take the phone away from your kid at night.

 

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast May 31st

The LSU Baseball team takes an 11-game winning streak into the Baton Rouge Regional. During this hot streak, the Tigers have outscored opponents 87-25. Senior left-hander Jared Poche says this LSU team is capable of more….
cut 19 (17) “…front us”
Texas Southern will bring an RPI of 267 to the Box this weekend. There are 299 schools playing college baseball in Division One

Southeastern Louisiana Head Coach Matt Riser has yet to decide who will start on Friday night against Rice. He could go with either Mac Sceroler or Corey Gaconi. The Lions took two of three from Rice earlier this season.

And weather could be a factor, there’s a high chance of rain in Baton Rouge all weekend.

Wide receiver Lance Moore has retired as a New Orleans Saint. Nine of Moore’s eleven seasons in the NFL were in the Big Easy. He signed with the Saints in 2005 and finished fifth in franchise history in receptions and fourth in touchdowns with 38.

There’s a good chance the LSU-Alabama football game will once again be a night game. CBS has decided that day they’ll show two games, one at 2:30 and the other at 7:00. An official kick-off time won’t be known until late October.

LSU All-American golfer Sam Burns has announced he’s turning pro. The sophomore from Shreveport was ranked as the number one golfer in the country heading into the NCAA championships, but he finished 32 in the tournament. Burns started the year by finishing in the top 10 in his first 14 starts this season.

Cities looking to host LHSAA championship events will make their bids today. Lafayette wants to bring the boys basketball championships back to Cajundome and Alexandria has a proposal to host both the boys and girls basketball championships.

10:30 LRN Newscast May 31st

A vote is expected today in the House to raise the state’s gasoline tax to fund more highway construction projects. State Representative Steve Carter originally called for a 17 cent a gallon hike, but plans to push for a 10 cent increase. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says lowering the proposed tax means fewer mega-projects will be completed.
Cut 7 (10) “spend it”
A senate committee is scheduled to debate whether voters should have a say before military monuments, including confederate statues, are removed. Critics say the state shouldn’t get involved in decisions made by local elected officials, but Shreveport Representative Thomas Carmody says…
Cut 6 (12) “….this decision”
Drug felons would be eligible for food stamps for the first time in decades under a House-approved measure by New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno. In the 1990s offenders with drug related charges were barred from the assistance program, while all other felons remained eligible. Moreno says all but six states have lifted these restrictions because they don’t make sense anymore.

Cut 3 (09) “for success”

The measure passed on a 77-17 vote.

A study involving 11-hundred Australian high school students found increased phone use at night can lead to depressed mood and low self-esteem. LSU Health Sciences Center clinical psychologist Michelle Moore says that’s because teens may only be getting half as much sleep as they need. She encourages parents to set an example for their kids and put their phones away at bedtime too.
Cut 12 (07) “bedroom areas”

08:30 Newscast, May 31st, 2017

The bill to raise the state’s gas tax for roads is slated to be heard in the full House today. The measure originally called for a 17 cent per gallon increase, but backers say they are willing to go down to 10 cents. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says this means the number of highway projects would have to be scaled back…:
Cut 8 (11) “in Lafayette”
The Republican Party of Louisiana has asked residents to call their legislators and ask them to vote against the gas tax.

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has released a statement about the incident in which a dog was killed after allegedly being dragged by a vehicle in the Slidell area. Authorities are not happy about The Humane Society sending out a news release on the matter saying that it has only hindered the investigation. The sheriff’s Office says the man involved has been identified and is cooperating. The outcome of the investigation will be revealed once complete.

Statewide regulations for Uber and Lyft have been shelved for the session
Cut 3 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A new study out of Australia suggests teenagers who go to bed with their phones are more prone to sleep and even mental problems. Clinical psychologist Michelle Moore with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans says if kids are checking their phones they aren’t sleeping:
Cut 11 (09) “lot of sleep at night”
She says the best solution is to remove the phone from the bedroom at night.

 

07:30 Newscast, May 31st, 2017

A House-approved bill requiring voter approval before military monuments can be taken down will be heard in a Senate Committee today. Emelie Gunn reports it’s unlikely the legislation will advance…:
Cut 1 (22) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A mother and her two young children died in a crash in LaFourche Parish on Tuesday. State Police say 39-year-old Carmen Valle of Galliano and her 5-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter were traveling on a roadway in Larose when for unknown reasons the mother veered into the opposite lane of traffic and struck a box truck. The mom and her kids were all unrestrained, ejected upon impact and eventually succumbed to their injuries.

A vote is expected today in the House to raise the state’s gasoline tax to fund more highway construction projects. State Representative Steve Carter originally called for a 17 cent a gallon hike, but he’s willing to amend it to a 10 cent increase. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says lowering the proposed tax means fewer mega-projects will be completed…:
Cut 7 (10) “spend it”
The Republican Party of Louisiana has asked residents to call their legislators and ask them to vote against it.

A bill to put statewide regulations on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is dead for the session. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard didn’t have enough votes to get approval from a Senate committee, so he shelved the idea..:
Cut 13 (07) “something else again”
New Orleans lawmakers argued the city would lose $2 million annually without an agreement with the ride sharing services.

 

06:45 Sportscast, May 31st, 2017

It’s LSU and Texas Southern on Friday at Alex Box Stadium to begin the Baton Rouge Regional. Senior Shortstop Kramer Robertson says they are not looking past the SWAC Tournament champions, even though they are 12-games below .500…:
Cut 16 (15) “those guys”
Tigers right fielder Greg Deichmann is also taking it one game at a time:
Cut 17 (11) “our best”
LSU and Texas Southern face off at 2:30pm Friday. Following that game No. 3 seed Rice will face No. 2 seed Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m.

The winner of the Baton Rouge Regional will face the winner of the Hattiesburg Regional.

The New Orleans Saints have signed wide receiver Lance Moore to a one-day contract which will allow him to retire as a member of the team he was with from 2006-2013. The 10-year-veteran left the NFL in August of 2016, but he took a procedural step Tuesday by inking a deal with the Saints.

LSU star golfer Sam Burns of Shreveport has announced he’s going pro, after helping the Tigers get to their 4th straight top ten finish in the NCAA Championship. The sophomore made it official on Twitter that he will be foregoing his final two years, but will always be a Tiger.

Parkway quarterback Justin Rogers is scheduled to announce his college decision this evening. The four star prospect’s in-state offers include LSU, Louisiana Tech and UL-Lafayette — but recruiting analysts expect Rogers will commit to TCU.

The LHSAA annual summer meetings in Baton Rouge begin today, and the most anticipated item on the agenda is the announcement of championship sites that will be awarded in eight sports.

 

06:30 Newscast, May 31st, 2017

Today, the House is slated to debate raising the state’s gasoline tax.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A measure to prohibit local or state government from removing military monuments without a vote of the people is set to be heard in a Senate Committee today. Shreveport Representative Thomas Carmody says the votes are not there for it to pass which is disappointing as our veterans fought for our rights to vote…:
Cut 4 (05) “to vote”
He says he’s been told straight up that this bill will not pass.

A study out of Australia finds late night phone usage could hurt teens’ sleep quality and mental health. Clinical psychologist Michelle Moore with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans says the bright light on the screen isn’t the only thing keeping them awake…:
Cut 10 (09) “good sleep at night”
She says the best solution is to take the phone away from your kid at night.

With no winners in more than three months, the Powerball jackpot now stands at a whopping 302 million dollars for tonight’s drawing. Louisiana Lottery spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin…:
CUT 25 (05) “this year”
The jackpot tonight has a 187.3 million dollar cash Value.

 

LRN AM Newscall May 31st

A House-approved bill requiring voter approval before military monuments, including confederate statues, can be taken down will be heard in a Senate Committee today. Emelie Gunn reports it’s unlikely the legislation will advance…

Cut 1 (22) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Today, the House will debate raising the state’s gasoline tax. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Statewide regulations for Uber and Lyft have been shelved for the session. Halen Doughty tells us why…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

__________________________________

A measure to prohibit local or state government from removing military monuments, including Confederate, without a vote of the people will be heard in a Senate Committee today, but Shreveport Representative Thomas Carmody says the votes are not there for it to pass. He says our veterans fought for our rights to vote on matters like this, so it’s a disappointment.

Cut 4  (05) “to vote”

Carmody says he’s already been told by committee members this legislation will not pass. The Republican lawmaker says he’ll probably file a similar bill next year…

Cut 5  (10)  “enviornment”

Critics of the bill say the state shouldn’t get involved in decisions made by local elected officials. But Carmody’s argument is…

Cut 6 (12) “this decision”

________________________________________________________

A vote is expected today in the House to raise the state’s gasoline tax to fund more highway construction projects. State Representative Steve Carter originally called for a 17 cent a gallon hike, but he’s willing to amend it to a 10 cent increase. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says lowering the proposed tax means fewer megaprojects will be completed.

Cut 7 (10)  “spend it”

Wilson says a 17 cent increase would give his department $500 million more to spend on projects, but a 10 cent hike would only increase transportation funding by $300 million annually. He says the number of projects would have to be scaled back.

Cut 8 (11) “in Lafayette”

Wilson says without this gasoline tax increase, no megaprojects will be completed, and the state could even lose federal match dollars by 2019. He’s hopeful this measure will get the necessary 70 votes to pass the House and advance to the Senate.

Cut 9 (10)  “right now”

The Republican Party of Louisiana has asked residents to call their legislators and ask them to vote against it.

____________________________________________________________

A study out of Australia finds late night phone usage could hurt teens’ sleep quality and mental health. LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans clinical psychologist Michelle Moore is not surprised by the findings and says parents shouldn’t allow their kids to have cellphones in their rooms at night. She says the bright light on the screen isn’t the only thing keeping them awake.

Cut 10 (09) “good sleep at night”

The lengthy study involving 11-hundred Australian high school students found increased phone use at night can lead to depressed mood and low self-esteem. Moore adds that if young people can’t sleep and they check their phones, it can keep them awake even longer.

Cut 11 (09) “lot of sleep at night”

Moore says with increased cell phone use, many young people may only be getting half as much sleep as they need. She encourages parents to set an example for their kids and put their phones away at bedtime too.

Cut 12 (07) “bedroom areas”

____________________________________________________________

A bill to put statewide regulations on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is dead for the session. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard filed the bill in an effort to have standard rules, with the hope these companies would expand to smaller cities. The measure passed the House, but it didn’t have enough votes to get approval from a Senate committee, so Havard shelved the idea…

Cut 13 (07) “something else again”

The measure would end existing agreements between the companies and local municipalities. New Orleans lawmakers argued the city would lose $2 million annually without that agreement. But Havard says the measure would collect a 1 percent fee to be dispersed around the state.

Cut 14 (08) “in the country”

Havard says these services are great for local communities. He says not only do Uber and Lyft create jobs, they keep drunk drivers off the roadways.

Cut 15 (09) “been drinking”

_________________________________________________________

It’s LSU and Texas Southern on Friday at Alex Box Stadium to begin the Baton Rouge Regional. Senior Shortstop Kramer Robertson says they are not looking past the SWAC Tournament champions, even though they are 12-games below .500….

Cut 16 (15)  “those guys”

Tigers right fielder Greg Deichmann is also taking it one game at a time…

Cut 17 (11)  “our best”

Senior left-hander Jared Poche believes LSU’s experience will pay off in regional play….

Cut 18 (11)    “for the best”  

LSU has won 11 in a row, but Poche says this LSU team is capable of more…

Cut 19 (17)   “front of us”

1830 Newscast May 30

A bill to put statewide regulations on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is dead for the session. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard filed the bill in an effort to have standard rules, with the hope these companies would expand to smaller cities. The measure passed the House, but it didn’t have enough votes to get approval from a Senate committee so Havard shelved the idea for the session.

Cut 13 (07) “something else again”

A bill seeking to end the so-called sanctuary cities in Louisiana died in a Senate Judiciary Committee. One supporter argued that if an illegal immigrant gets arrested with no identification, police officers would let them go. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says that’s nonsense.

Cut 10 (11) “get out quickly”

Police say they’ve identified a man accused of killing a pit bull by dragging it behind a truck on Sunday night in Slidell. Director Jeff Dorson says a passing car pulled over and asked the man what happened, he claimed it was an accident, unchained the dog and fled the scene without the pit bull.

Cut 6 (10) “his dog”

Authorities say the un-identified man is cooperating with authorities.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased 55 percent in 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Patrick Gahan with Pennington Biomedical Research Center says this is the most costly disease we face as a country, and it has no treatment options. But he says Pennington has multiple ongoing drug trials.

Cut 5 (10) “to 10 years”

17:30 LRN Legislative Update

The so-called sanctuary city bill failed in a Senate Judiciary Committee. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Baton Rouge lawmaker Barry Ivey has ended his attempt to change the state’s tax laws. Ivey says his legislation would improve a tax structure that’s complicated and features too many loopholes. But the majority of lawmakers are not in the mood this session to pass any tax bills.

A vote is expected in the House tommorrow to raise the state’s gasoline tax to fund more highway construction projects. State Representative Steve Carter originally called for a 17 cent a gallon hike, but he’s willing to amend it to a 10 cent increase. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says lowering the proposed tax means fewer megaprojects will be completed.
Cut 7 (10) “spend it”
The Republican Party of Louisiana is lobbying against the tax hike.

A bill to put statewide regulations on ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is dead for the session. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard filed the bill in an effort to have standard rules, with the hope these companies would expand to smaller cities. Opposition came from New Orleans lawmakers, who were concerned the city would lose out in two-million dollars as part of existing agreements they have with Lyft and Uber.