11:30 LRN Newscast March 31st

A crash involving two charter buses on Interstate 10 in LaPlace has reportedly sent two dozen students to the hospital. One of the buses involved is from Lee Magnet High School in Baton Rouge. The kids were on a field trip to the World War Two Museum in New Orleans because of good behavior. We’ll have more on this story as it develops.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana National Guard are getting together with several key state agencies for an Emergency Response Exercise on Saturday. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says this is an effort to synchronize response efforts the next time disaster strikes…:
Cut 3 (09) “that comes out”
Steele says experts continue to say our warm winter conditions could mean an increase in severe weather for the spring and early summer.

Governor Edwards has released his legislative proposals on criminal justice reform. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny, who is carrying many of the bills, says one would expand incentives for inmates to participate in recidivism reducing programs, like drug and psychiatric treatment…:
CUT 14 (10) “out bad people”
The session begins April 10th.

The University of Louisiana at Monroe is looking for new homes for some of the biology research collections at the Museum of Natural History. Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Eric Pani says some preserved specimens of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and plants will be given to other institutions…
Cut 6 (09) “the state”
The fish collection has three to six million specimens.