LRN PM Newscall June 4, 2015

The Louisiana National Guard says pilot error was the cause of the Black Hawk Helicopter crash which claimed the lives of four guardsman and 7 Marines in March. Michelle Southern reports..:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The rising waters of the Red River are causing some Caddo and Bossier Parish residents to be driven from their homes. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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The Louisiana National Guard says an investigation has determined the cause of the Black Hawk Helicopter crash which claimed the lives of four guardsman and 7 Marines in March was pilot error. Col Pete Schneider with LANG says spatial disorientation of both pilots caused them to lose control of the aircraft…:

CUT 3 (10)  “off of instruments”

Schneider says the thorough investigation was conducted jointly by LANG and US Special Operations Command. He says the spatial disorientation was due to the pilots failing to transition from visual flight procedures to instrument flight as a thick sea of fog rolled into the training area…:

CUT 4 (07)  “of the accident”

The accident occurred during a joint training mission. He says an 30% of all aviation accidents are caused by spatial disorientation and an important result of this investigation is to let everyone know what happened…:

CUT 5 (07)  “can be prevented again”

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The rising waters of the Red River are causing some Caddo and Bossier Parish residents to be driven from their homes. Floodwaters are approaching some neighborhoods and those residents are being encouraged to evacuate. Marty Mayeaux, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says the river is continuing to swell…

CUT 6 (07)  “Saturday evening”

The Red is now predicted to crest at 35.5 feet Saturday afternoon, possibly into Saturday evening. That will put the river at five-and-a-half feet over flood stage. Mayeaux says waters are now beginning to affect areas in Shreveport, itself…

CUT 7 (08) “entire area”

As of Thursday morning, the Red River was at 33.9 feet. NWS says this is the first time the river has reached flood stage in Shreveport in 25 years. Mayeaux says this flood event is something that should not be taken lightly…

CUT 8 (07)  “definitely significant”

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Officials with the “Hollywood South” movie industry are apprehensive about changes made by the Senate Finance Committee to a bill that reforms the film tax credit program. The committee lowered the cap for film tax credits from $200 million to $180 million. Louisiana film industry consultant, Sherri McConnell, says this causes concern about projects already in the pipeline, as well as the future growth of the industry…

CUT 9 (09)  “increased production”

She says a lowered tax credit cap will limit the ability for increased film production in the state. Lafayette Representative Joel Robideaux’s bill also featured a provision that would provide incentives to build an indigenous film industry in Louisiana. McConnell says that part of the measure was completely gutted…

cut 10 (11) “pay taxes here” 

McConnell says, at this point, this is not a very promising piece of legislation for the film industry on many levels. She says this bill was designed to grow Louisiana businesses and put Louisiana residents to work. McConnell says if lawmakers gain a better grasp of the measure’s intent, they will do the right thing…

cut 11 (07)  “more positive posture”

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The full House approves legislation that sets up rules and regulations for the dispensing of medical marijuana in Louisiana. New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno says under the proposed law, a patient who suffers from glaucoma, cancer or cerebral palsy will have the option of using medicinal marijuana in a pill form…

cut 12 (08)  “and need it”

The bill by state senator Fred Mills establishes where the medical marijuana will be dispensed and where it will be grown and who will handle the production of the medicine. But Leesville Representative James Armes expressed skeptism about the legislation…

cut 13 (08)  “enough”

Moreno added some more amendments to the bill, in an attempt to calm fears that the growing of medicial marijuana in Louisiana could lead to criminal activity or corruption. She made the case to the rest of the House that the bill has tight controls on it and it will be very beneficial…

cut 14 (10) “the option”

The vote was 70-29, Livingston Representative Sherman Mack voted against it, because he believes this legislation will open the door to Louisiana legalizing recreational marijuana…

cut 15 (10) “you’re doing”