A mother and son were killed from a tornado that ripped through Ruston causing significant damage to the city and the Louisiana Tech campus. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Following a 5-1 vote, an amendment that aims to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana to $9 an hour on July 1st, 2020, is headed to the Senate floor. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
cut 2 (33) I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Two people are dead, a mother and her son, from a powerful tornado that swept through Ruston in the early morning hours. Chief Deputy with the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s office, Stephen Williams, says trees are down, power lines mangled and several businesses are destroyed
Williams at least half of the city is without power.
Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker told the Associated Press that a quarter of the city will likely remain without power for rest of the day.
A shelter has been set up at Glenview Elementary for those without electricity. .
National Weather Service forecaster CS Ross says at least an EF-3 tornado struck Ruston just before two A-M…
Ross says there’s also been reports of damage in the Sabine Parish town of Converse and Downsville, which is located on the border of Lincoln and Union parishes. Wind damage has also been reported in rural Morehouse Parish.
The most extensive damage is in Ruston. State Police Troop F spokesperson Michael Reichardt says the clean up effort will take some time
Cut 6 (11) “…some of the parish”
State officials say the two victims died when a tree fell on their Lincoln Parish home.
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A bill to legalize the growing and processing of Industrial hemp is on it’s way to the full House after unanimously passing in the House Agriculture Committee. Gonzales Representative Clay Shexnayder says hemp is a highly profitable, and renewable crop.
According to PEW, 19 states harvested industrial hemp last year, but only 25,000 total acres.
Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says colonists began harvesting hemp in the early 1700s, and had a number of uses for it, including paper. He says these days hemp can be found in a range of products.
The first few drafts of the Declaration of Independence were on hemp paper.
Jennings Representative John Guinn says he supports the legislation, and in a back and forth with Strain, says the banning of hemp production in America can be traced to the rise of their competitors in big plastic…
The 2018 Farm Bill allowed states to regulate the production of industrial hemp, which while related to marijuana, has a THC level far below the amount necessary to get you high.
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Following a 5-1 vote, a constitutional amendment that aims to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana to $9 an hour on July 1, 2020, is headed to the Senate floor, where the effort died last year. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter says a bump in the minimum wage would show that the state is serious about helping its working poor.
Cut 10 (12) “…government to survive.”
Governor John Bel Edwards has sought an increase in the minimum wage since taking office in 2016.
Since its a a constitutional amendment, it will need a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate and voter approval in the fall.
President and CEO of Ochsner Health System Warner Thomas spoke in favor, saying Ochsner has decided to raise its own minimum wage to $12 an hour.
Cut 11 (10) “…experience has been.”
NFIB Louisiana director Dawn Starns says a mandated wage increase would negatively impact small businesses and result in a net loss of 36,000 jobs in the state.
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is also in opposition. Vice president of government relations Jim Patterson applauds the businesses that have decided to raise their minimum wages, but not all businesses have the resources to do it..
The current minimum wage is set at $7.25 an hour.
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The Louisiana Tech campus is recovering from significant damage suffered from a tornado that ripped through the area around two this morning.
Tech President Les Guice says thankfully the tornado skirted the edge of the core academic buildings, but the residential halls weren’t so lucky.
Most of the campus still has power, but classes have been canceled today to allow students to recover, and check in on family.
Despite the heavy damage, which Guice says may create long term roofing issues, the President celebrated the fact that everyone on campus appears to have avoided the worst.
The pictures from the campus are startling, with trees ripped up by the roots, and debris littering the grounds. Guice says walking the halls and fields that are usually teeming with students was heart-wrenching.
Students and locals have begun recovery efforts as the entire campus will need to be cleared of debris and uprooted trees removed. Guice says one of those locals pitching in is none other than Bulldogs basketball legend, the Mailman himself, Karl Malone.
The Louisiana National Guard has mobilized a unit to assist with recovery. They are equipped with chain saws, dump trucks and bobcats.