An Infrastructure advocate is speaking out against calls for toll roads to pay for infrastructure, instead of raising the gas tax. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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30-thousand Louisiana residents have been removed from the Medicaid program because their income is too high. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

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Investigators are trying to determine if three church fires in the span of a week, two in St. Landry Parish, the other in Caddo Parish are connected.  State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says the first blaze caused significant damage and occurred in the early morning hours of March 26^th at the St. Mary’s Baptist Church in Port Barre.

Cut 3 (10) “…go in that.”

Rodrigue says the second fire occurred in the Shreveport area at the Vivian United Pentecostal Church.  Investigators say that fire was set intentionally over the weekend and they are on the hunt for a suspect.

Cut 4 (10) “…the public’s assistance.”

Rodrigue says the final fire, the second in St. Landry Parish this week, occurred at the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas.  Responders got the call to fully-engulfed church early Tuesday morning.

Cut 5 (11) “…origin and cause.”

Both churches destroyed in St. Landry Parish were historically black Baptist churches.

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The Louisiana Good Roads Association says the state should steer clear of toll roads as a way to raise more funds to build highway projects President Kenneth Perret says toll roads have generated a lot of money in places like Houston, but only because that city has a large population

Cut 6 (10) “…in it”

He says unlike in Florida and Texas, Louisiana generally only has rush hour periods of intense traffic volume. Perret says Louisiana’s congestion problems are not because of abnormally high traffic volume, one that could be effectively tolled, but because the roads and bridges we do have were only designed to last for 20 years…

Cut 7 (08) “…originally”

Perret says tolls in Louisiana only have their place in very specific situations, like high traffic bridges.

Cut 8 (07) “…choke point”

This was in response to those who have called for toll roads instead of a proposed increase to the gas tax.

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The Louisiana Department of Health announces 30-thousand individuals have been removed from the Medicaid program, because they make too much money. LDH spokesperson Robert Johannessen says the people that lost their taxpayer funded health insurance are working adults, who have experienced a rise in income

Cut 9 (08) “…increased”

Johannessen says 40-thousand Medicaid enrollees were informed in February they could lose their insurance coverage, unless they could show that they still met the program’s income requirements

Cut 10 (09)“…for Medicaid”

Johanessen says the state has a new computer system that can conduct eligibility checks every quarter, instead of every year and it also uses more wage data…

Cut 11 (06)   “are eligible”

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Motorists traveling on I-10 near Baton Rouge received a surprise this morning when a small plane landed next to the interstate. State Police Trooper Taylor Scrantz says it happened near the Highland Road exit…

Cut 12 (10) “…his hand.”

The plane reportedly took off from Baton Rouge Regional Airport and it was supposed to land at Louisiana Regional near Donaldsonville. But Scrantz says during the short flight the Piper Cherokee began to experience engine failure…

Cut 13 (07) “…he could”

Scrantz says the plane landed in a grassy area next to the highway, only clipping an 18-wheeler on the way down…

Cut 14 (07) “…minor injury”

30-thousand Louisiana residents have been removed from the Medicaid program because their income is too high. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
Rouses is moving it’s corporate headquarters down the road from Thibodeaux into a new space in Schriever in ten miles away from their current location. The new spot will host the headquarter’s 150 workers at a 32 acre facility that was purchased last week. The company also revealed that they will be opening their first distribution center, which will add up to 300 jobs over the next year.
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The Louisiana Good Roads Association says the state should steer clear of toll roads as a way to raise more funds to build highway projects. President Kenneth Perret says because of the low traffic volume statewide, tolls in Louisiana only have their place in very specific situations, like high traffic bridges.
Cut 8 (07) “…choke point”
This was in response to those who have called for toll roads instead of a proposed increase to the gas tax.
Investigators are trying to determine if three church fires in the span of a week, two in St. Landry Parish, the other in Caddo Parish are connected. State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says they have determined the fire set at a Pentecostal Church in Shreveport was intential, and are hunting a suspect.
Cut 4 (10) “…the public’s assistance.”

An Infrastructure advocate is speaking out against calls for toll roads to pay for infrastructure, instead of raising the gas tax. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor Edwards issued a statement today on the passing of Shreveport music icon Maggie Warwick saying “Maggie lived life with everything she had.  There are many great names associated with Louisiana’s musical heritage and Maggie Warwick’s name is certainly in that number.”
Warwick passed away March 29^th from pneumonia.

The State Fire Marshal and ATF are investigating three church fires in the span of a week, two in St. Landry Parish, the other in Vivian in north Louisiana.  Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says the first fire was a significant one and occurred in the early morning hours of March 26^th at the St. Mary’s Baptist Church in Port Barre.
Cut 3 (10) “…go in that.”
The second fire happened over the weekend in the Shreveport area.  The third occurred early Tuesday morning. Both churches destroyed in St. Landry Parish were historically black Baptist churches. Investigators say it’s too early to say if there is a connection between any of the fires.
Motorists traveling on I-10 near Baton Rouge received a surprise this morning when a small plane landed next to the interstate. The plane reportedly took off from Baton Rouge Regional Airport and it was supposed to land at Louisiana Regional near Donaldsonville. But State Police Trooper Taylor Scrantz says during the short flight the Piper Cherokee began to experience engine failure…

Cut 13 (07) “…he could”

The Louisiana Good Roads Association is asking the state to steer clear of toll roads as the legislature considers how to raise more funds to build highway projects. President Kenneth Perret says toll roads have generated a lot of money in places like Houston, but only because that city has a large population….
Cut 6 (10) “…in it”
This was in response to those who have called for toll roads instead of a proposed gas tax bill.

Motorists traveling on I-10 near Baton Rouge received a surprise this morning when a small plane landed next to the interstate. State Police Trooper Taylor Scrantz says it happened near the Highland Road exit…
cut 12 (10) “…to his hand”
The plane reportedly took off from Baton Rouge Regional Airport and it was supposed to land at Louisiana Regional near Donaldsonville.

We’ll know around April 16th if the feds will allow those who received SBA loans after the 2016 floods whether they can also access RESTORE flood recovery grant dollars. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

More Louisiana residents believe the state is heading in the right direction compared to last year. Kevin Barnhart has more on a statewide poll conducted by LSU….
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Rouses Markets announces it will move its corporate headquarters from Thibodaux to a 32-acre piece of property located in Schriever. The grocery store chain also plans on opening their first distribution center, which will result in an additional 200 to 300 employees. Rouses employs over 63-hundred people across the Gulf South.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says another meeting on April 16th will take place with US Housing and Urban Development and the Office of Management and Budget as the state’s Congressional delegation attempts to free up federal grant money for thousands of Louisiana residents impacted by the 2016 floods. Cassidy says O-M-B is not willing to follow a federal law that says 2016 flood victims who received S-B-A loans should also be eligible for federal recovery grant dollars…
cut 7 (07) “…us up”
Cassidy says O-M-B’s concern is that disaster victims in the future will not take an S-B-A loan and just wait for the grant money.

Two people have been arrested in Mississippi for the murder of a 21-year-old female whose body was found in shallow water in Madison Parish on April 1st. Twenty-one-year-old Celeste McDonald was reported missing out of Scott County in Misssissippi. The two people arrested are from Jackson, Mississippi and they’ve been identified as 33-year-old Ryan Hopkins and 46-year-old Yolanda Torns.

A poll from LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab finds that more Louisiana residents believe the state is heading in the right direction….
cut 13 (05) “…39-percent last year”
That’s the director for the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs Dr. Jenee Slocum who says education and transportation were the top concerns among those who were surveyed, but the public’s confidence in state government to tackle these problems remain low.

The legislative session begins next week and a bill that would ban nearly all abortions in Louisiana has been pre-filed. Shreveport Senator John Milkovich has proposed legislation that would prohibit an abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Milkovich says he’s ready to debate pro choice lobbyists who are only concerned about…
cut 12 (09) “…generation”
The Center for Reproductive Rights is confident the courts will rule this legislation unconstitutional.

We’ll know around April 16th if the feds will allow those who received SBA loans after the 2016 floods can also access RESTORE flood recovery grant dollars. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state fire Marshal’s office is looking to see if there is any connection between two fires in St. Landry Parish that destroyed two historically black Baptist churches. Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas went up in flames on Tuesday and on March 26th, St, Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre was also burned to the ground. Officials say it’s too early to tell if the fires are linked.

State Senator John Milkovich has filed a fetal heartbeat abortion bill, which seeks to prevent abortions in Louisiana if a heartbeat can be detected in a fetus. Milkovich knows the legislation will be challenged in the courts, but the Democrat from Shreveport says the fight is worth the effort…
cut 11 (08) “….wrong thing”
The Center for Reproductive Rights says Milkovich’s measure is a near total ban on abortions and its unconstitutional.

LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab’s 2019 Louisiana Survey finds 47-percent of Louisiana residents believe the state is heading in the right direction, an increase from 38-percent a year ago. Director of the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs Doctor Jenee Slocum says Louisiana residents also have a more positve outlook about their own financial situation…
cut 15 (07) “…a year ago”
Education and transportation top the list of concerns among Louisiana residents.

Strong storms are possible tomorrow. The Storm Prediction Center says much of Louisiana is under a slight risk of severe weather. The main threats are strong wind gusts, hail and isolated tornaodes. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible.

A public hearing to discuss proposed improvements on I-12 in St. Tammany Parish will be held tonight in Mandeville at parish council chambers. Parish president Pat Brister says they recently received a 25-million dollar grant as they look to improve a stretch of highway near the Tchefuncte River, where four people were killed in a multiple vehicle wreck last Memorial Day…
cut 5 (11) “…to that”

Billboards are up in multiple states as the search continues for 15-year-old Domeanna Spell of Port Barre. She was last seen traveling with 47-year-old Shane Disotell, who is believed to be driving a silver 2003 Honda Civic.

The 2019 Louisiana Survey out of LSU finds that 47-percent of the respondents believe the state is heading in the right direction and that’s an increase from 39-percent last year. Director of the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs Doctor Jenee Slocum on Louisiana residents top priorities…
cut 14 (07) “…top concerns” (2x)
But 80-percent of the people surveyed do not expect the state’s elected leaders can solve the state’s biggest problems.

The state transportation department will hold a public meeting today in Mandeville to discuss proposed improvements to I-12. This comes after the state received a 25-million dollar grant from the feds. Four people died on the highway near the Tchefuncte River on Memorial day last year, and Parish President Pat Brister says local residents demanded action.
Cut 4 (11) “…and further.”
Brister hopes they can do a comprehensive overhaul of the I-12 from 1077 to Highway 59, but it will take more than 25-million dollars.

A Shreveport Senator has a bill that would ban Louisiana abortions after a heartbeat is detectable in the fetus…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

US Senators John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy met with federal bureaucrats yesterday in an effort to fix the duplication of benefits problem that has kept thousands of 2016 flood victims from receiving additional assistance. Cassidy says they may need to get Donald Trump involved…
cut 9 (07) “…of Congress”

A poll from LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab finds that more Louisiana residents believe the state is heading in the right direction….
cut 13 (05) “…39-percent last year”
That’s the director for the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs Dr. Jenee Slocum who says education and transportation were the top concerns among those who were surveyed, but the public’s confidence in state government to tackle these problems remain low.

Shreveport Senator John Milkovich has pre-filed a bill to ban abortions in Louisiana if the heartbeat of a fetus is detectable.
Cut 10 (10) “…acceptable.”
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a fetal heartbeat bill into law last month, but the Center for Reproductive Rights says they are confident the courts will rule this law unconstitutional.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says the Office of Management and Budget is the federal agency that remains hesitant in releasing flood recovery dollars for those homeowners who were impacted by the 2016 floods and have already received an S-B-A loan. Cassidy says O-M-B’s concern is that disaster victims in the future will not take an S-B-A loan and just wait for grant dollars…
cut 8 (10) “…of benefits”
Cassidy says if O-M-B doesn’t sign off on grant money going to S-B-A recipients, they’ll get President Donald Trump involved. Cassidy and fellow Senator John Kennedy plan to meet with O-M-B again on April 16th.