Governor Edwards signed another batch of bills from the recently completed legislative session, including the legislation that requires five-year-olds to attend kindergarten. Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields is excited Louisiana is the 13th state in the nation to adopt this requirement…
cut 12 (08) “….education”
Fields will visit elementary schools in Alexandria and Shreveport today and tomorrow to discuss the legislation with parents.

Lumber prices skyrocketed to all-time highs during the spring, jacking up the cost for a new home. But after record highs in May, there’s been a 40-percent decline since then. Louisiana Homebuilders Association President Tommy Pinion says there is real housing bubble building and he is not sure what will happen when it pops…
cut 6 (09) “….here”

Beginning in July of 2022, wrongfully convicted individuals who are exonerated will be eligible for more money, to compensate them for each year they spent behind bars. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved a five-year contract for the system’s new president. William Tate will receive a 725-thousand dollar salary and he’ll also receive a 35-thousand dollar housing allowance and 15-thousand dollar per year vehicle allowance. His contract begins July 6th.

The price of lumber has dropped precipitously after hitting a record high early last month. Louisiana Homebuilders Association President Tommy Pinion says the price is down about 45 percent in just over a month, great news for first-time homebuyers.
Cut 4 (09) “…country”
Lumber peaked at 1,686 per thousand feet.

Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields visits elementary schools in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Alexandria today and tomorrow to discuss his recently signed legislation that mandates five-year-olds to attend kindergarten. Fields expects to get questions from parents who home-school their children. He says they have two options for homeschooling…
cut 11 (09) “….curriculum”
Governor Edwards has signed legislation that increases the compensation for individuals who are wrongfully convicted and served jail time. Gretna Representative Joe Marino says starting in July 2022, wrongfully convicted individuals will receive 40-thousand dollars, instead of 25-thousand dollars, for each year in jail. He says the maximum is 400-thousand dollars spread across ten years or a lump sum of 250-thousand dollars and the legislation is retroactive…
cut 9 (09) “….prior to this”
Financial analysis of the legislation says 15 people are receiving annual compensation for a wrongful conviction.

The father of LSU senior pitcher Ma’Khail Hilliard, Keith Hillard, died in a tubing accident on the Amite River. Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard…
cut 15 (03) “…weekend”
Ard believes the death will be ruled an accidental drowning after Keith Hilliard went under the water and never came up.

Lumber prices are down over 40 percent from May, a historic drop off after the commodity hit historic highs last month. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Louisiana has hit an all-time low. The state health department reported yesterday 245 people were hospitalized with COVID-19. The previous record low was 267. 34-percent of Louisiana residents are vaccinated against the virus.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields will speak at a few schools across the state today and tomorrow about his recently signed bill mandating Kindergarten for five-year-olds. Fields wants to explain the new law to parents. He says the concept is simple; if your kid turns five by September 30th next year they must be enrolled in kindergarten.
Cut 10 (13) “…first year.”
The law will kick in for the start of the 2022-23 school year.

The LSU baseball program is mourning the death of Keith Hilliard. He’s the dad of senior LSU pitcher Ma’Khail Hilliard. The 53-year-old Keith Hilliard died in a tubing accident on the Amite River. Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard..
cut 14 (07) “….unforgiving river”
Ard extends his thoughts and prayers to the Hillard family.

Registration began yesterday for a chance to win a million dollars as part of the state’s Shot at a Million campaign and over 160-thousand people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus signed up. The state will hold weekly drawings next month as two-point-three million dollars in cash and scholarships will be given away.

Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields will visit a few schools across the state today and tomorrow to explain his recently signed legislation mandating kindergarten attendance for five-year-olds…
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Compensation to those who have been wrongfully convicted and served jail time in Louisiana will increase beginning July of next year. Gretna Representative Joe Marino’s bill boosting the annual amount from $25,000 to $40,000 received near-unanimous support in the Legislature.
Cut 7 (11) “…away from them.”
A financial analysis of the legislation said 15 people are currently receiving annual compensation from the state for wrongful convictions.

For those looking to purchase a new home, it’s a seller’s market, and the President of the Louisiana Homebuilders Association, Tommy Pinion, does not expect the historically hot housing market to cool off in the near future…
cut 5 (08) “….down”
Pinion says the price of lumber has dropped about 45-percent after hitting a record high in May.

Lumber prices are down over 40 percent from May, a historic drop off after the commodity hit historic highs earlier last month. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Beginning in July of 2022, wrongfully convicted individuals who are exonerated will be eligible for more money, to compensate them for each year they spent behind bars. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields will be visiting a few schools across the state today and tomorrow to explain his recently signed legislation mandating kindergarten att3endance for five-year-olds. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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The price of lumber has dropped precipitously after hitting a record high early last month.

President of the Louisiana Homebuilders Association Tommy Pinion says the price is down about 45 percent in just over a month, great news for first-time homebuyers.

Cut 4 (09) “…country”

Lumber peaked at 1,686 per thousand feet.

Despite that drop in lumber prices, Pinion does not expect the historically hot housing market to cool off too much in the near future.

Cut 5  (08) “…down.”

Pinion says one thing is clear, there is a real housing bubble building and he isn’t sure what will happen when it pops.

Cut 6 (09) “…here.”

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Compensation to those who have been wrongfully convicted and faced jail time in Louisiana will increase beginning July of next year. Gretna Representative Joe Marino’s bill boosting the annual amount from $25,000 to $40,000 received near-unanimous support.

Cut 7 (11) “…away from them.”

Marino says the hurdle he encountered during the session was explaining to lawmakers that you are not automatically entitled to the funds once you are exonerated. He says you must have a second hearing.

Cut 8 (09) “…compensation.”

For example, if you were wrongfully incarcerated for three years you’d receive $120,00. The maximum one can receive is $400-thousand spread across 10 years or a lump sum of $250,000.

Cut 9 (09) “…prior to this.”

Marino says the Innocence Project who advocates on behalf of wrongly convicted individuals, asked him to increase the compensation. He says Innocence Project attorneys, who help exonerate individuals do so free of charge.

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Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields will be speaking at a few schools across the state Tuesday and Wednesday about his recently signed bill mandating Kindergarten for five-year-olds.

Fields wants to explain the new law to parents. He says the concept is pretty simple; if your kid turns five by September 30^th next year they must be enrolled in kindergarten.

Cut 10 (13) “…first year.”

The law will kick in for the start of the 2022-2023 school year next fall.

Fields says he expects to get quite a few questions from parents who’d rather homeschool their five-year-olds. He says they’ll have two options for homeschooling…

Cut 11 (09)”….curriculum”

Fields says following the state curriculum will make your child TOPS eligible.

Fields says he’s excited to have the state become the 13^th in the nation to adopt this requirement that five-year-olds go to kindergarten.

Cut 12 (08) “…education.”

Fields will visit Capitol Elementary in Baton Rouge and JB Nachman Elementary in Alexandria Tuesday, and Shreve Island Elementary in Shreveport Wednesday.

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The father of an LSU baseball pitcher died in a water accident on Father’s Day in Livingston Parish. Shortly after what started as a family outing tubing on the Amite River, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard says it was near the Watson area that 53-year-old Keith Hillard went under the water and never came up.

Cut 13 (11) “…able to.”

Hilliard was the father of senior baseball player Ma’Khail Hillard. Ard says boaters nearby were able to pull his body from the river.

The Upper Amite River as Ard says it’s known, is unpredictable and he cautions anyone in the water to pay attention and always wear protective life gear.

Cut 14 (07) “…unforgiving river.”

Ard extended his thoughts and prayers to the Hillard family and says while any drowning is tragic, the timing of this one is especially difficult to lose a father on Father’s Day.

Cut 15 (03)“…weekend”

A routine autopsy will be performed but Ard believes the cause of death will be ruled an accidental drowning.

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The search for LSU’s next head baseball coach continues as reports have surfaced that Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco has removed his name as a possible candidate and signed an extension with Ole Miss.  LSU beat reporter with the USA Today Network Glen Guilbeau says could not wait around for an offer.

Cut 16 (11) “…Ole Miss.”

With Bianco no longer a candidate, Guilbeau says LSU has now shifted its focus to three coaches in the College World Series.

Cut 17 (16) …keep Vitello.” 

It certainly seems like LSU is swinging for the fences but Guilbeau believes Corbin could be tough to get.

Cut  18 (16)”..situation there.”

A bit over a million dollars in state and federal unemployment benefits were paid out to 374 dead Louisianans since March of 2020 according to a Legislative Auditor’s report. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Matt Doyle.”  

It’s the first day when individuals vaccinated for COIVD can sign up for the Shot at a Million Lottery in Louisiana. Registration kicked off at noon and state officials say they received an average of 500 registrations per minute at ShotAtAMillion.com

Monroe Police continue to investigate Friday night’s fatal shooting of former Richwood High starting quarterback Michael Sherman. After learning of Sherman’s death Football Coach Marcus Yanez held a team meeting, with players, coaches, students, and the community. But says less than an hour after that meeting two more of his former players were shot in a drive-by shooting…

Cut 10 (10) “…doing ok”

Sherman had just graduated last month.

The 2021 KIDS COUNT report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows Louisiana’s rankings are towards the bottom. President and CEO Lisa Hamilton says the 2019 data shows the state at 49^th poverty-wise, but the American Rescue Act which allows families to receive an extra $300 a month through the child tax credit should help break the cycle of poverty.

Cut 4 (09) “…as adults.”

A Legislative Auditor’s report finds 374 deceased Louisianans received over a million dollars in unemployment benefits dating back to March 2020. Data Analytics Manager Chris Magee says due to delayed local reporting nothing could have been done to stop about half of that money from being paid out but 123,000 dollars could have been prevented if LWC were to start processing death data weekly, instead of monthly.

Cut 7 (08) “…quickly.”

Workforce Commissioner Secretary Ava Cates says LWC will review implementing weekly processing of Social Security death data.

Several hundred homeowners in the eastern half of Slidell are cleaning up after Tropical Storm Claudette dumped over ten inches of rain in a short amount of time, producing street flooding that got into people’s homes. Mayor Greg Cromer…

Cut 14 (12) “…of feet ” 

Monroe Police continue to investigate Friday night’s fatal shooting of former Richwood High starting quarterback Michael Sherman. Detectives say Sherman was gunned down after an argument involving two females. Richwood High Football Coach Marcus Yanez says Sherman was a great person to be around

Cut 9 (11) “…the state”

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2021 Kids Count report is out and Louisiana continues to find itself ranked amongst the worst states in the nation for quality of life for children. CEO Lisa Hamilton says our outcomes will likely improve a good bit once an American Rescue Act provision expanding the child tax credit kicks in in July.

Cut 4 (09) “…as adults.”

The tax credit will reportedly lift 4-million children above the poverty line.

Several hundred homeowners in the eastern half of Slidell are cleaning up after Tropical Storm Claudette dumped over ten inches of rain. Mayor Greg Cromer says between 40 and 50 high water vehicle rescues took place Friday night, including a pregnant woman…

Cut 15 (11) “…the hospital” 

Residents who sustained damage should report it to damage-dot-la-dot-gov.

A side-by-side crash in Webster Parish Sunday claims the life of an 11-year-old boy and injuries to the 14-year-old girl who was driving a UTV. State Trooper Jonathan Odom says the 11-year-old has been identified as Morris Naron of Plain Dealing. The 14-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries. Neither of the two children was wearing a seatbelt.

Cut 13 (07) “…seatbelts”

It is not currently known whether the 14-year-old will face charges as a result of the crash.

Monroe Police continue to investigate Friday night’s fatal shooting of former Richwood High starting quarterback Michael Sherman. Football Coach Marcus Yanez says he met with students and coaches after learning of the fatal shooting and an hour later two of his former players were shot in a drive by shooting. Yanez is joining other leaders calling for the violence to stop…

Cut  11 (11) “…of my kids” 

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor finds just over a million dollars in unemployment benefits were paid out to 374 dead individuals since March of 2020. Data Analytics Manager Chris Magee says the Louisiana Workforce Commission does have a process to weed out dead applicants and managed to catch roughly 8,000 with their current system…

Cut 6 (12) “..deceased.”