LSU introduces its new athletics director at a noon press conference today. Connor Ferrill has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Connor Ferrill”
______________________________
Louisiana has now added jobs over the year for 13 straight months according to the latest jobs report. Matt Doyle also reports the state’s unemployment rate has hit an 11-year low
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”
_______________________________________________
A bill to allow parish voters to legalize sports betting will be heard Tuesday. Matt Doyle has reactions from both sides of the debate.
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”
__________________________________
Scott Woodward will be introduced as LSU’s athletic director today at noon. Woodward leaves Texas A&M after the Aggies won nine SEC titles over four years under his leadership. Commissioner of Administration and longtime friend of Woodward, Jay Dardenne, says the Baton Rouge native won’t need much of an introduction…
Cut 4 (12) “…LSU graduate.”
Dardenne says he doesn’t suspect lots of coaching changes immediately but the Will Wade saga may be Woodward’s first test as AD…
Cut 5 (12) “…next season.”
Woodward and Ed Orgeron are the first all Louisiana AD-football coach tandem since 1955. Dardenne says having local Louisianan’s running the show in athletics could bring a bright future…
Cut 6 (12) “…this program.”
___________________________________________________
Louisiana extends it’s streak of over the year job gains to 13 consecutive months. The state’s Workforce Commission Director Ava Dejoie says since March of 2018, the education/healthcare super-sector has led the way with an additional 7,400 jobs.
Cut 7 (12) “…people.”
But nearly all of the year to year job gains were powered by hiring in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette.
North Louisiana is still struggling, with Shreveport in particular down 1,700 jobs over the last year. Dejoie says to counteract this, they’re training up workers for jobs that start at 40,000 a year.
Cut 8 (09) “…CDL.”
The National Governor’s Association will also meet in Shreveport to discuss the possibility of turning the town into a cyber security hub.
Houma continues to see it’s economy slip, as it lost 2,100 job from last year in a city of roughly 34,000. Dejoie says she’s hopeful that rising oil prices can stem the losses.
Cut 9 (09) “…those.″
__________________________
A Senate Judiciary Committee will take up a proposal to allow voters to legalize sports betting at casinos and race tracks in their parishes today.
Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills opposes the legislation, and says any revenue generated would be offset by the social damage caused by increased gambling.
Cut 10 (12) “…a wash.”
Mills says a UL study indicated there were nearly 200,000 problem gamblers in the state.
But bill sponsor, Metairie Senator Danny Martiny, says there’s already an active sports betting black market, and while the law may increase the overall amount of gaming in the state…
Cut 11 (06) “…market.”
Martiny is pushing to direct any revenue generated directly from sports betting activities into early childhood education. The Senator says it’s a worthy cause, and will help the legislation pass, but Mills says the two causes should not be tied together.
Cut 12 (11) “…merit.”
The Metairie Republican says estimates show sports betting itself will not generate a substantial amount of tax revenue, and that the activity could be worth about 20-50 million dollars a year.
Martiny warned that not passing the legislation will result in depressed revenues for Louisiana casinos who will lose business to other states, and drive away new potential gaming investors.
Cut 13 (10) “again.”
If passed locally the activity would be limited to the physical premises of Riverboats, Tracks, and Land-Based Casinos.
_________________________
A constitutional amendment to exempt diapers and feminine products from the state sales tax unanimously cleared it’s first committee, and is on it’s way to Senate Finance, where it has previously died. Amendment sponsor New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says there’s precedent for the exemption…
Cut 14 (12) “…them”
If passed local municipalities would have the option of exempting the items from local sales tax as well.
The constitution calls for the exemption of necessities, and Morrell says for women and parents, having these products isn’t just some luxury, and the costs can add up for working class moms.
Cut 15 (08) “…items.”
The proposal comes with a roughly nine million dollar price tag. Morrell says it might be a little pricey, but most of that money will work it’s way right back into the economy.
Cut 16 (11) “…economy”
_______________________
The 14th LSU baseball team looks to win a midweek game for the first time since April 3rd when they host Lamar tonight. The Cardinals are 12 games under the .500 mark and then after tonight’s home game, LSU visits Alabama, who is in last place in the SEC West. Coach Paul Mainieri wants his team to build on its current two game winning streak
cut 17 (16) “.week for us”
LSU right-hander Cole Henry was named SEC Baseball Co-Freshman of the Week. The Alabama native struck out a career-high 12 Florida hitters in Friday night’s 13-1 win over the Gators. Henry says it’s a great honor…
Henry’s 12 strikeouts were the most since Alex Lange struck out 13 in a game in 2015. Henry says its not his goal to strike out hitters…
Cut 19 (18) in games”