_______________________________________________

 

Governor Edwards is back in Louisiana after speaking with President Trump about criminal justice reform efforts. During an appearance on AM Baton Rouge on Talk 107-3, the governor defended what he called progress in reducing the state’s inmate population. Edwards says the way the state used to lock up non-violent offenders wasn’t working.

Cut 3 (12) “as florida”

Critics, like Attorney General Jeff Landry and Senator John Kennedy have slammed Edwards, saying the reforms are putting dangerous criminals back on the streets. Edwards countered by saying most of the excess prisoners that boosted the state’s incarceration rate were behind bars for getting busted for holding drugs.

Cut 4 (07) “do better”

Landry and Kennedy along with outgoing DA’s Association President Ricky Babin have pointed to rearrests linked to prisoners who’ve been released under the reforms, but Edwards says the number of people released under the program who’ve been rearrested would still be under the national average of 40 percent.

Cut 5 (05)  “numbers” 

The 2017 reform package reduced the state’s prison population by allowing earlier releases for non violent offenders, as well as parole reforms allowing parolees to work towards shorter supervisory periods. 70 percent of the money saved is reinvested in programs targeting recidivism.

_______________________________________

 

The Tigers are installing the largest video board in college baseball in Alex Box Stadium and it’s set to go online for the 2019 season opener in February. The goliath sits right off left field and is 71 feet wide and nearly 38 feet tall. LSU Baseball Publicist Bill Franques says it’s really going to add to the game day experience.

Cut 6 (08) “the past.”

The 16mm high def board will air crucial replays and an expanded suite of baseball stats for metric hungry fans. But it’s not going to be the only board on the field, Franques says off in right field, a separate board will provide additional info.

Cut 7 (11) “other games.”

to 1996. And for those worried that your tax dollars are going towards a fancy new video board….

Cut 8 (11) “the game.”

___________________________________________

 

The state has entered negotiations to purchase 10-thousand voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems, Inc, but the price tag has increased to repace their current machines. Interim Secretary of State Kyle Aroin had projected the cost at $60 million, but he says the more realistic price tag is now in the ballpark of $90-95 million dollars

Cut 9 (06)  “…bring down that cost.”

Ardoin has acknowledged one of the two losing companies bidding for the voting machine contract has expressed concern the selection process may be “rigged” …

Cut 10 (10) “…15 to 20 years.”

Ardoin says the plan is for the state to replace early voting machines, five parishes at a time, starting this year.  Phase two would include Election Day machines replaced in the same manner, with full implementation expected by 2020.

Cut 11 (11) “…end up with.”

_____________________________________________

A mother was stabbed to death while pushing her one-year-old son in a stroller in Gretna. That’s according to authorities who say the suspect 41-year-old Damone Ussin, and the victim 35-year-old Tarniel Gray of Gretna had a dating relationship. Ussin has been arrested for second degree murder and Gretna Captain Russell Lloyd says the scene created by the vicious act was hard to swallow…