PM Newscall March 5

The curtain has all but fallen on the 2018 First extraordinary legislative session with nothing happening. Jim Shannon has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon”

______________________________________

Cameron Parish authorities have new information on the severed head found in a ditch alongside Highway 27.  Kelley Ray has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray”.

_________________________________________________

The special session is all but over as far as lawmakers are concerned. Time limitations have eaten up any real possibility of banging out a deal to plug the nearly billion dollar budget hole that opens up July 1st. Republican Jack McFarland of Jonesboro…

Cut 3 (:11) “going on.”

Democrats are crying foul on promises made and promises broken. Representative Gene Reynolds is the chairman of the Democratic Caucus.

Cut 4  (11) “things changed.” 

Republican Representative Jack McFarland was noticeably disturbed by the way things played out but more concerned about the damage going forward in the upcoming regular session..

Cut 5  (05 ) “the public.”

Reynolds says he plans on taking a different approach when the regular session rolls around because the old one isn’t working.

Cut 6 (10)  “plan together.”

__________________________________________________

The Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office has released the preliminary findings in connection with a partly decomposed severed head found south of Hackberry on Highway 27 last week. Sheriff Ron Johnson says they know it’s a 25-40 year old female with dark colored hair, with no trauma to the skull. They believe it wasn’t in the marshy area very long…

Cut 7 (09)  “the head.”

It appears there was a lot of dental work that had been performed and Johnson hopes it will be easy for forensics at the LSU FACES lab to identify the victim through dental records…

Cut 8 (06) “this point.”

Johnson says they know it’s more than likely not a missing persons case from Cameron Parish. He says they need more information before moving forward…

Cut 9 (09) “are released.”

_________________________________________________________

Parts of Louisiana could see some strong thunderstorms as a cold front invades the bayou. State Climatologist Barry Keim says expect the weather to take a turn this afternoon.

Cut 10 (08) “high winds.”

A half inch to two inches of rainfall is expected, which is raising concerns in north Louisiana after record breaking rain totals across north Louisiana for February. Along with some nasty storm systems, Keim says temperatures will plummet.

Cut 11 (12) “south Louisiana.”

Pierre C. Shadeaux, Louisiana’s rodent weather forecaster predicted an early end to winter back on ground hogs day, but Keim says the nutria’s prediction was premature.

Cut 12 (10) “of year.”

_________________________________________________________

The Corps of Engineers is recommending opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway just outside of New Orleans this Thursday as Mississippi River levels are expected to steadily rise after several weeks of intense rains in the Midwest. Colonel Michael Clancy says if the spillway is not opened, New Orleans could get swamped.

Cut 13 (10) “unnecessary risk”

The Bonnet Carre is expected to be operated at half capacity.

The spillway diverts river water into Lake Ponchartrain, and Clancy says it could see an extended tour of duty.

Cut 14 (10) “for longer”

The river was expected to rise more slowly, and later in the month, but has swelled rapidly. Clancy says the Mississippi is getting close to topping the New Orleans levee system.

Cut 15 (08) “designed for”

The river is currently at 14 feet. Once it reaches 15 feet, recreation and work near the levees will be restricted.

________________________________________