LRN AM Newscall January 30th

Could we one day see a self-driving bus pick up and drop off passengers in New Orleans? Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

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A study group for the state Department of Education finds a significant jump in the number of students completing the federal financial assistance application. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Two University of Oklahoma Students have been arrested for breaking into Tiger Stadium. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Department of Transportation announced construction will begin this summer in West Monroe to widen a 3.2 mile stretch of Arkansas Road between LA 143 and Caldwell Road. DOTD Spokesperson Marshall Hill says the road will be turned into four lanes and a center turn lane will be added to help alleviate traffic.

cut 4  (08) “not great”

Hill says four round-a-bouts will also be added at major intersections. He says the project should take three years to complete.

Cut 5  (11)  “the roadway”

Hill says the project will cost $32.9 million dollars. He says they are excited construction will begin soon because this project has been delayed since 1981.

Cut 6 (11) “to fruition”

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Now is your chance to ride in a self-driving automated shuttle, as a demonstration takes place in New Orleans today. Neil Hemenover with Transdev North America says the vehicle was created by EasyMile and is already in use in Europe. He says the technology is available for a self-driving shuttle to follow a set route.

CUT 7 (09)  “the speed”

Hemenover says about 4-thousand people a day use a self-driving shuttle in France and the Netherlands. He says these vehicles can also be seen in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Cut 8 (11) “public streets”

Hemeover says Transdev thinks New Orleans is a great place for this technology with the amount of visitors coming into the city. He says the public will get to go for a ride at 1 p.m. on Monday at the Convention Center.

Cut 9 (09)  “to stand”

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A Louisiana Department of Education study group finds a significant increase in the number of students completing the application for federal financial assistance. The rate of kids completing the FASFA form increased by 24-percent from last year. Educational Technology Consultant Stephanie Marcum attributes this jump to cuts in funding to the TOPS scholarship program.

Cut 10 (08) “by TOPS”

Marcum says in the past, Louisiana students have been bad about filling out the application and leaving that grant money on the table. She says a lack of education about what FASFA is, contributed to such low numbers of students actually completing the form.

cut 11 (11) “financial aid”

Marcum says the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance is now open for students to fill out in October, rather than in January. She says the hope is this increase becomes more than just a one year thing…

cut 12 (09) “our state”

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State Police say nearly two million dollars worth of drugs are off the streets of Central Louisiana as the result of the arrest of an Alexandria man. Trooper Scott Moreau says earlier this month detectives began investigating 37-year-old Derrick Felton for distribution of methamphetamine and he was taken into custody during a traffic stop

Cut 13 (10) “more cash”

Moreau says the street value of the drugs seized is approximately one-point-seven million dollars

cut 14 (11) “of heroin”

Moreau says they also seized over 100-thousand dollars worth of cocaine and 67-thousand dollars in cash. Felton was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center. He says the drugs were not only found in his vehicle, but also at multiple residences in Alexandria, so more arrests are likely

Cut 15 (04) “the beginning”

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Spring practice is underway for the LSU baseball team, who goes into this season with some of the best talent in the country. The Tigers pitching staff has two veteran starters along with a senior closer. LSU also has plenty of experience in the field and Coach Paul Mainieri is pleased about that…

Cut 16 (20) “in this league”

In the infield, Cole Freeman and Kramer Robertson return as LSU’s starting second baseman and shortstop. Freshman Josh Smith is expected to start at third and Mainieri plans to play Jake Slaugther at first base, which is a new position for the former Ouachita Christian standout

Cut 17 (23)   “so forth”

Opening day for the Tigers is February 17th against Air Force. Mainieri says it’s an open competition for a starter in left field between Beau Jordan and Brennan Breaux. Mainieri says Breaux looks like a different player this year…

Cut 18 (23) “for the job”