The U-S Supreme Court hears oral arguments today on whether a 2014 Louisiana law that requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital is constitutional. It’s the first abortion case heard by a new conservative-leaning court. If the law is upheld, it would leave only one doctor in Louisiana able to perform abortions. Louisiana Attorney General spokesperson Deanna Wallace….
cut 6 (10) “…competent care”
But Centers for Reproductive Rights Senior Counsel TJ Tu says the admitting privileges law is an assault on women’s rights…
cut 7 (11) “….clinics
A ruling is expected by late June. There are currently three abortion clinics operating in Louisiana.

LSU and Tulane researchers are among those working on a coronavirus vaccine. Most vaccines take years to develop, but Pathological Sciences Department head at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor Gus Kousoulas, says due to the pressing nature of the novel coronavirus outbreak, they may get authorization to speed up the process….
cut 13 (12) “…quickly”
But the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says it’s unlikely a deployable vaccine can be developed and tested in a year.

The storm system that spawned several tornadoes killing at least 24 in Nashville and other parts of Tennessee has made its way to Louisiana today which is why central and south Louisiana are under a slight risk for severe weather. Alexandria, Natchitoches and Monroe are under a severe thunderstorm watch until noon.

A 2014 Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges will be heard at the US Supreme Court today…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Louisiana ranks as the least happy state in the nation.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

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Coronavirus vaccine development is underway by LSU School of Veterinary Medicine researchers. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

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Today the US Supreme Court will take up a 2014 Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges to operate, a law opponents say would close all but one Bayou State clinic.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry will defend the law in court. AG spokespersons Deanna Wallace says it’s not an undue burden on clinics.

Cut 4 (11)_ “…hospital.”

But Center for Reproductive Rights Senior Counsel TJ Tu says all leading national medical groups, including the AMA, say that’s false. He says most doctors don’t need or have admitting privileges.

Cut 5 (11)  “…lower.”

TJ is also one of two lead counsels on the case today.

Wallace says the law is not designed to discriminate against abortion providers and says one provider in the state has proven they aren’t impossible to get.

Cut 6 (08) “…privledges.”

Tu counters saying privileges are only given to doctors who routinely send patients to a hospital, and abortion is so safe it’s almost never needed. He says if upheld, it’s an assault on women’s rights.

Cut 7 (11) “…clinics”

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According to the career resource website Zippia, Louisiana ranks as the least happy state in the nation. Among the metrics considered, the ranking looked at depression rates, employment factors, and marriage rates. Zippia spokesperson Kathy Morris says married people often report being happier than single people.

Cut 8 (12) “…lower marriage rate.”

Rhode Island has the lowest marriage rate at 44%.

Morris says the state’s unemployment rate is also contributing to the rating.

Cut 9 (07) “…to be happy.″

Louisiana’s average household income only exceeds that of Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico and Arkansas. Morris says Louisiana workers spend about 39.7 hours a week at work, throwing off a work/life balance.

Cut 10 (12) “…an unhappy life balance.”

Other southern states that made the top five least happy states were Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.

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The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is now involved in the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Pathological Sciences Department Head Dr. Gus Kousoulas says developing and testing the vaccine will be a team effort in tandem with Tulane.

Cut 11 (09) “…center.”

The SVM Department of Biotech and Molecular Medicine, in particular, has a history of working with coronaviruses, particularly bovine coronavirus, or coronaviruses in cows.

Kousoulas says dozens of institutions both public and private will be working on vaccine development, but the relationship with Tulane makes LSU SVM a prime candidate for development.

Cut 12 (11) “…effectively”

The Tulane National Primate Research Center has been cleared by the CDC for coronavirus testing.

Most vaccines take years to develop, but Kousoulas says due to the pressing nature of the novel coronavirus outbreak, they may get authorization to speed up the process.

Cut 13 (12) “…quickly.”

SVM’s work on the vaccine is part of the LSU-Tulane Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research.

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A stationary front is currently draped across central Louisiana which will bring rain on and off throughout the day.  Thunderstorms will be particularly problematic this afternoon. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the Storm Prediction Center has the state in the slight risk category for severe weather.

Cut 14 (08) “…very very careful.”

Keim says this same frontal system was responsible for the tornado outbreak in Tennessee.

Cut 15 (10) “…across Nashville, Tennessee.”

Keim warns with saturated soils in some sections of the state, flooding could also become an issue.

Cut 16  (08)  …weather service information.” 

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LSU basketball enters the final week of the regular season tied for second place with Auburn in the SEC standings. The Bayou Bengals are at Arkansas tonight. A couple of weeks ago, Coach Will Wade was not happy with his team, but he feels much better about them now

Cut 17  (15) “on Wednesday” 

A week ago, LSU suffered one of its worst losses of the year, a 15-point defeat at Florida. But the Tigers rebounded with a 14-point win over Texas A-and-M on Saturday. Wade expects his guys will give a good effort tonight in Fayetteville…

cut 18  (18) “as a group”   

Wade says they need to build on last Saturday’s win against the Aggies…

cut 19 (17) really quick”  

The legislature will debate whether or not college athletes should be able to profit off of their likeness while enrolled at Louisiana schools, legislation similar to a recently passed California bill. Marrero Republican Patrick Connick filed the Senate bill and says it would open up the opportunity for athletes to sell merch.

Cut 6 (10) “…university is getting.”

If passed, the proposal would go into effect January 1, 2023. Just a few years ago, the NCAA exceeded one-billion dollars in revenues, but the association does not allow college athletes to receive money for what they do on the field or court.

LSU Ag Center Entomologist Doctor Sebe Brown warns the two back to back warm winters we’ve seen will result in a wave of stinkbugs that could muck things up for Bayou State farmers…

Cut 5 (09)  “…they go.”

Twenty-one people have applied to be the state’s next education superintendent. Jefferson Parish school superintendent Cade Brumley and Central Louisiana Technical Community College Vice-Chancellor Heather Poole are among the local candidates. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says there’s also several out of state candidates as well

Cut 9 (08) “…good candidates″

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will meet in April to make a selection.

LSU-Shreveport Poli Sci Professor Jeff Sadow says polls show the democratic primary could be all but over by the time Louisianans vote on April 4^th. Louisiana usually holds it’s primary the weekend after Super Tuesday, but Sadow says we got kicked back about a month because other local elections on the ballot could lead to an inconvenient time for potential run-offs.

Cut 13 (10) “…essentially.”

Should college athletes be able to cash in on their name and likeness? Marrero Republican Patrick Connick files a Senate bill that would allow compensation in Louisiana. The topic of financial benefit for students is a nationwide issue, with thirty other states filing legislation making the push for compensation. Opponents say compensation taints the student-athlete culture. However, Connick says times have changed.

Cut 8 (10) “…treat them fairly.”

NCAA rules currently restrict students from making any money.

It’s Super Tuesday and an LSU-Shreveport Poli Sci Professor says recent developments in the Democratic primary indicate it’s likely the race will not be competitive by the time Louisianans vote on April 4^th. Jeff Sadow says the consolidation of candidates and the massive share of delegates up for grabs today means the race may be functionally over either by tomorrow or in the coming weeks.

Cut 12 (06) “…Louisiana.”

Twenty-one people have applied to be the state’s next education superintendent. Governor Edwards says he hopes The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will select someone who has worked in a variety of education roles, including as a teacher. But Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin doesn’t think classroom experience is necessary…

Cut 10 (06) “ legislature approve”

BESE plans to meet in April to pick a successor to John White, who is stepping down next week.

LSU Ag Center researchers are warning farmers that stink bug numbers will be high this year because of a series of mild winters. Stink bugs are capable of destroying soybean fields and other crops. LSU Entomologist Doctor Sebe Brown says early season control is vital…

Cut 4 (10) “…of damage”

Twenty-one individuals from around the country have applied to become Louisiana’s next education superintendent. Jeff Palermo has more…

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

31-year-old Mandy Rochelle was arrested after allegedly torching a home she was renting, while her three children were still inside. Investigators say Rochelle had just had an argument with her estranged husband prior to the arson, but that the husband was not currently at the home at the time of the fire. She was booked into the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail. Her three children are 12, 9, and six.

Louisiana Democrats are set to vote April 4^th for their choice in the Democratic presidential primary, but LSU-Shreveport Poli Sci Professor Jeff Sadow says recent developments in the primary indicate the race will likely no longer be competitive by the time you go to cast a ballot. Sadow says today is Super Tuesday, and a likely insurmountable lead of delegates are likely to go to Senator Bernie Sanders.

Cut 14 (07) “…nomination.”

Former VP Joe Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg remain as the only other contenders in the race.

Farmers of soybeans and other crops beware, the LSU Ag Center predicts a larger than usual stinkbug menace for the upcoming season thanks to an unusually mild winter. LSU Entomologist Doctor Sebe Brown says it takes temperatures below 20-degrees to kill off the redbanded stink bug which is from South America.

Cut 3 (09)  “…this year”  

Should college athletes be able to cash in on their name and likeness? Marrero Republican Patrick Connick thinks so. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

In an Ascension Parish courtroom today, a Dutchtown High School Teacher pleaded not guilty to one count of indecent behavior with juveniles. Thirty-two-year-old Mark Ebarb is accused of sending inappropriate messages and photographs to underage students. He’s a former Ascension Parish teacher of the year.

Today is Super Tuesday as voters in 14 states go to the polls to select who they want on the ballot in November for president. Louisiana usually holds its primary the weekend after Super Tuesday, LSU-Shreveport political science professor Jeff Sadow says they could not do that for this election cycle…
cut 13 (09) “…essentially”
Sadow says for the other items on the ballot, any run-offs would have to take place Easter weekend, if the primary election was this Saturday.

Twenty-one people have applied to be the state’s next education superintendent. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says he’s surprised to see that many people interested in replacing John White as the state’s public schools’ leader…
cut 11 (07) “…outside of the state”
BESE will meet next month to vote on a new superintendent.

Should college athletes be able to cash in on their name and likeness? Marrero Republican Patrick Connick files a Senate bill that would allow compensation in Louisiana. The topic of financial benefit for students is a nationwide issue, with thirty other states filing legislation making the push for compensation. Connick says the legislation is vital for Louisiana schools to remain competitive.

Cut 7 (12) “…of their future.”

NCAA rules currently restrict students from making any money.

It’s Super Tuesday and an LSU-Shreveport Poli Sci Professor says recent developments in the Democratic primary indicate it’s likely the race will not be competitive by the time Louisianans vote on April 4^th. Jeff Sadow says the consolidation of candidates and the massive share of delegates up for grabs today means the race may be functionally over either by tomorrow or in the coming weeks.

Cut 12 (06) “…Louisiana.”

Twenty-one people have applied to be the state’s next education superintendent. Jefferson Parish school superintendent Cade Brumley and Central Louisiana Technical Community College Vice-Chancellor Heather Poole are among the local candidates. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says there’s also several out of state candidates as well

Cut 9 (08) “…good candidates″

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education plans to meet in April to pick a successor to John White, who is stepping down next week.

LSU Ag Center researchers are warning farmers that stink bug numbers will be high this year because of a series of mild winters. LSU Entomologist Doctor Sebe Brown says stink bugs are able to survive a mild Louisiana winter by living under clover and weeds…

Cut 5 (09)  “…they go.”

Stink bugs are capable of destroying soybean fields and other crops.