A bill to require movie theaters to use metal detectors will be heard in a House committee today. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Louisiana is the least prepared state when it comes to a major health emergency. Jeff Palermo has more…
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The Supreme Court has ruled that juvenile offenders cannot be sentenced to life without the chance for parole, and Louisiana lawmakers are trying to figure out the implications of that ruling. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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A bill that would require movie theaters to install metal detectors is scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Justice committee today. Shreveport Rep. Barbara Norton wants to ensure movie goers are safe. Norton says she’s received many positive phone calls supporting this proposal.
Last summer a gunman walked into a Lafayette movie theater and killed two people and injured nine. Norton says nothing changes until you put something in place.
Norton says when a tragedy hits in your backyard, like the Lafayette Theater shooting, it makes you think something like this could happen anywhere. She says it would not cost theater operators a lot of money to install a detector or use a metal detecting wand.
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This year’s National Health Security Preparedness Index finds Louisiana is the least prepared state to respond to a major health emergency. The state scores 5.6 out of 10 on the index. Bob Johannessen with the Department of Health and Hospitals says the survey is somewhat misleading. But he says some aspects used to determine this ranking are true.
Johannessen says emergency preparedness in the state has greatly improved since Hurricane Katrina. He says different measures were asked to determine preparedness, like if Louisiana uses an electronic surveillance system to monitor diseases and reported and the answer was yes.
Johannessen says this report does show that we have access to care issues and there are more areas than not in Louisiana that have health care shortages. He also says the report penalizes Louisiana for using state agencies to man emergency shelters when other states can hire private contractors.
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State legislators are dealing with the repercussions of a Supreme Court ruling that says juveniles cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny’s would ensure that underage criminals with life sentences would become eligible for parole after 35 years behind bars. But Nathan Allbritton of Natchitoches Parish doesn’t think they should ever get parole. His wife and son were murdered by a 15-year-old, and he spoke in opposition to the bill.
Allbritton says if dangerous criminals are released from jail, other people will get hurt. He says it’s important that these juveniles realize that actions have consequences, because it’s not a game.
Allbritton’s niece, Andrea Pickett, also testified against the bill. She says not all of these cases are kids making bad judgement calls.
Martiny’s bill also mandates that the juvenile maintain a good behavioral record and participate in educational programs to qualify. He says the purpose of the bill is not to get criminals out of jail, but lawmakers have to do something because of the court ruling.
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An Amite man has been arrested following a fatal hit and run on highway 443 near Hammond early Tuesday morning. State Police Trooper Dustin Dwight says 32-year old Brandon Fowler hit 30-year-old bicyclist Anand Asi of Hammond with his truck.
Dwight says there were witnesses of the incident, but initially troopers did not have much information to go on. He says through the help of witnesses, other agencies, and local media, they were able to locate Fowler on Tuesday afternoon.
Asi was reportedly wearing an approved helmet and had both front and rear lamps on his bike. Dwight says Fowler’s Chevy pick-up damage has damage on the passenger side as the head light is busted out.
Troopers are reminding motorists that passing vehicles are required to allow at least three feet when passing a bicycle travelling in the same direction.
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Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler is in Chicago as he is one of 25 players that is attending the NFL draft after receiving a personal invitation from commissioner Roger Goodell. Butler is confident he’ll hear his name called when the first round takes place tomorrow night….
Butler was a standout player on Louisiana Tech’s defensive line the last two seasons as he recorded over 100 tackles, nearly two dozen tackles for a loss and four sacks. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier believes Butler will go late in the first round. Butler says he’s anxious to find out who he’ll play for…
Butler says he’s had individual work outs for Carolina, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle. He would love to be taken by the Saints, who have the 12th overall pick….