LSU fans are upset with national sports reporter Darren Rovell after he said on Twitter that you should not put up a billboard celebrating second place. A billboard is up in Baton Rouge congratulating the LSU gymnastics team for finishing as runner ups at the national championships. Rovell did not back down from that tweet when he appeared on “Off the Bench” which is heard on ESPN Radio in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Alexandria…
cut 7 (07) “….of time”
LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette tweeted back to Rovell that the billboard helps promote the LSU brand.

Law enforcement agencies participate this week in the “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign. Deputy Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Dortha Cummins says pick up truck riders are less compliant of seat belt laws
Cut 3 (06) “…a crash ”
Cummins says the goal of the week is not just to write tickets, but raise awareness of the issue.

The House Transportation Committee has approved legislation to create a Team Gleason specialty license plate in honor of former Saints player and now A-L-S advocate. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger says Gleason, who was diagnosed with A-L-S in 2011, says his work to help those suffering with wheelchair bound disabilities is courageous…
cut 12 (12) “…devastating disease”
Gleason is set to receive the Congressional Gold Medal this year.

A bill waiting to be heard in the legislative session is a measure that would allow juniors and seniors at public high schools to take two college courses in high school for free….
cut 15 (08) “…very important”
That’s Higher Ed Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed and the bill has the governor’s support.

Community college students are being given a pathway to a career in agriculture with a new program that lets them transfer two years of credits to LSU Ag. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

New LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward is set to be introduced tomorrow at noon. The former LSU graduate has served as the Athletic Director for Texas A&M for the past four years with the sports program winning nine SEC titles.

A national reporter is criticizing LSU for a billboard that congratulates the school’s gymnastics team for finishing as national runner ups. Sports Business Reporter for the Action Network Darren Rovell tweeted on Sunday that a school should not put up a billboard for coming in second.

LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette tweeted back to Rovell and said the billboard recognizing LSU’s second-place finish helps promote the brand. But Rovell says his message on the billboard would have said something different…

Cut 8 (10) “…runners up”

Law enforcement agencies participate this week in the “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign, an effort to get more drivers and passengers in pickup trucks to wear seat belts. Deputy Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Dortha Cummins says the campaign means state troopers, deputies and police officers will increase their efforts to make sure those in a pickup truck are buckled up…

Cut 5 (07) “…through awareness”

The state is hoping to get more students involved in the Ag industry by letting eligable two year college grads transfer directly to LSU’s College of Ag, and start as a junior. Louisiana Community and Technical College President Monty Sullivan says while any student is eligible for the program…
Cut 10 (12) “…economy.”
Students looking to make the jump to LSU Ag for their last two years need to have a 2.5 GPA, and an associate degree in certain fields of study.
Hammond Representative Nicky Muscarello has legislation that would conceal the identities of companies that sell lethal injection drugs or equipment to the state. Louisiana has not performed an execution since 2010, and Muscarello says a big reason why is drug companies fear retaliation from anti-death penalty consumers.
Cut 10AM (11) “…them private.”

Should LSU promote a second place finish? A national sports reporter doesn’t think so. Jeff Palermo has more..

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

New LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward is set to be introduced tomorrow at 12pm.

Law enforcement agencies participate this week in the “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign, an effort to get more drivers and passengers in pick up trucks to wear seat belts. Deputy Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Dortha Cummins says pickup truck drivers are particularly prone to not buckling up.
Cut 4 (12) “ usage rate”
Pickup trucks make up a quarter of the vehicles on Louisiana roadways.
A national reporter is criticizing LSU for a billboard that congratulates the school’s gymnastics team for finishing as national runner ups. Sports Business Reporter for the Action Network Darren Rovell tweeted strong words opposing the billboard, and did not back down when pressed about it on a Baton Rouge morning show…
Cut 7 (07) “…of time.”
__________________________________
The state is hoping to get more students involved in the Ag industry by letting eligable two year college grads transfer directly to LSU’s College of Ag, and start as a junior. Louisiana Community and Technical College President Monty Sullivan says the 2+2 program will help get a wider range of skilled workers into the industry…
Cut 9, 11 seconds, a science
Students need to have a 2.5 GPA, and an associate degree in certain fields of study.
A Senate Bill up consideration in the legislative session would allowing every junior and senior public high school students to take two college courses free of charge starting next school year. It’s an effort that has the support of Gov. John Bel Edwards. Higher Ed Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says accsess can be scattershot…
Cut 13 (10) “dual enrollment courses.”

A national reporter is criticizing LSU for a billboard that congratulates the school’s gymnastics team for finishing as national runner ups. Sports Business Reporter for the Action Network Darren Rovell appeared on ESPN Radio in Baton Rouge, Alexandria and New Orleans said you shouldn’t celebrate a second place finish…
cut 6 (08) “….way to go”
Rovell tweeted on Sunday that a school should not put up a billboard for coming in second, which resulted in over one-thousand comments, many from LSU fans who disagreed with Rovell’s take.

A bill is expected to be heard in a Senate committee today that would exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from the state sales tax. Louisiana Budget Project Director Jan Moller says the precedent is already there, as the state constitution exempts “necessities” like groceries, prescriptions, and utilities.

Governor Edwards says if it reaches his desk, he would sign legislation concealing the identity of companies that sell the state lethal injection chemicals. Matt Doyle spoke to the bill’s sponsor…
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Two people died early Sunday when their vehicle hit a deer while traveling on Highway 821 in Lincoln Parish. State Police say after the Chevy Tahoe hit the deer, the vehicle struck several trees, killing 29-year-old Christopher Brady of Choudrant, and his passenger, 27-year-old Savannah Holden of Ruston.

Hammond Representative Nicky Muscarello has legislation that would conceal the identities of companies that sell lethal injection drugs or equipment to the state. Louisiana has not performed an execution since 2010, and Muscarello says a big reason why is drug companies fear retaliation from anti-death penalty consumers.
Cut 10 (11) “…them private.”
Arkansas and Texas have a similar law in place.

Another bill waiting for a hearing in the legislative session is a measure that would allow juniors and seniors at public high schools to take up two college courses for free. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed is behind the proposal…
cut 14 (06) “….support that”
The bill will get its first hearing in a Senate Education committee soon.

A ten-million dollar proposal to exempt feminine products and diapers from the state sales tax will be heard in a Senate committee today. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Law enforcement agencies are participating this week in the “Buckle Up in Your Truck” campaign, an effort to get more drivers and passengers in pick up trucks to wear seat belts. Deputy Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Dortha Cummins says pick up truck passengers are less compliant of the state’s seat belt laws….
cut 3 (06) “…a crash”

Lawmakers return to the captiol today after a four-day break from Baton Rouge. The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee will debate legislation this afternoon that would exempt certain feminine hygiene products and diapers from the state sales tax. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller supports the proposal…
cut 8 (10) “…budget”
But this legislation failed to get support in 2017.

A bill waiting to be heard in a House committee would not publicize the companies that provide the state with drugs to carry out lethal injections. Hammond Representative Nicky Muscarello says families who had loved ones killed by someone on death row were promised an execution and this legislation would help increase the odds of that happening…
cut 11 (07) “….progress”
Louisiana has not performed an execution since 2010.

Juniors and Seniors at public high schools may soon have the chance to take two college courses, free of charge starting next year…
voicer 3 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Advocate newspaper reporter Tyler Bridges says reports that indicate former Governor Kathleen Blanco’s death is imminent are not true and she is not under hospice care. But Bridges says it does appear Blanco is in her final stages in her battle against cancer…
cut 6 (07) “…her body’

Governor Edwards says if it reaches his desk, he would sign legislation concealing the identity of companies that sell the state lethal injection chemicals. Matt Doyle spoke to the bill’s sponsor…
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Two people died early Sunday when their vehicle hit a deer while traveling on Highway 821 in Lincoln Parish. State Police say after the Chevy Tahoe hit the deer, the vehicle struck several trees. The driver, 29-year-old Christopher Brady of Choudrant, and his passenger, 27-year-old Savannah Holden of Ruston, died at a local hospital.

The Blanco family wants to set the record straight when it comes to the health of former Governor Kathleen Blanco who has a terminal cancer. Tyler Bridges with the Advocate newspaper says Blanco is to weak to walk, but death is not imminent…
cut 5 (11) “…going forward”
Blanco was first diagnosed with a rare eye cancer in 2011 and she announced in 2017 the cancer had returned.

A Senate Committee is set to hear a proposal today that would exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from the state sales tax. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller says the proposal would cost the state 10-million dollars in revenues, but that’s not a lot of money in a 30-billion dollar budget…
Cut 7 (11) “…relief.”
There’s two versions of the proposal, one a bill, and one an amendment that would require two thirds legislative support and over 50 percent of the vote on the October ballot.