Federal forecasters are predicting a slighter weaker hurricane season than last year. Connor Ferrill has the story.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Connor Ferrill”
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A proposal to raise the legal age to purchase cigarettes, dip, and vape products from 18 to 21 is defeated on the House floor 24-55. Matt Doyle has the story.
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For only the third time in history the US Army Corps of Engineers may have to open the Morganza Spillway in early June because of the rising Mississippi River. That means water will be released into the Atchalfalya Basin raising the concern for flooding in several parishes. Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove
The Morganza spillway was completed in 1954 and opened for the first time 1973 for 56 days and 55 days in 2011. Dove says just like they did in 2011, a barge will have to be installed in Bayou Chene to prevent backwater flooding in Terrebonne and several other parishes…
Dove says they began preparing for possible flooding in February and they have several pumps working around the clock…
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NOAA predicts a near-normal 2019 hurricane season. US weather officials say that means between 9 to 15 named storms, 4 to 8 hurricanes and 2 to 4 major hurricanes. Lead hurricane season forecaster Gerry Bell says the near-normal hurricane outlook is occurring because of competing climate factors…
Bell says the prediction is made with a 70 percent likelihood…
The other 30 percent leaves a chance for a stronger or weaker season.
Bell does not expect any major hurricanes in June or July. Named storms may roll across the Atlantic in the early months of the season but Bell says anything like a category 3 hurricane won’t be on the way until peak months like August…
Last year there were 15 named storms, highlighted by two major hurricanes, Florence and Michael.
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Legislation that would have increased the legal age to purchase cigarettes, dip, and vape products to 21 dies on the House floor amid concerns the bill infringes on individual liberties of adults. Bill author, West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman, argued the bill could save lives…
The proposal was met with stiff opposition from Alexandria Representative, Lance Harris, who grilled Hoffman on why 18-year-olds can buy a house, get a tattoo, or make any number of other crucial life decisions, but not be allowed to smoke….
The bill led to an animated back and forth between Hoffman and Harris. Hoffman argued we already bar 18-year-olds from purchasing alcohol, but Harris countered, saying only one of those two substances can kill you overnight…
The final vote was 24-55.
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A Bossier City man is behind bars after he allegedly offered to fly a child in from Wisconsin for sexual purposes. State Police Trooper Brent Hardy says L-S-P got involved in the arrest of 49-year-old William Karmer after receiving a call from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office….
Kramer is facing seven counts of indecent behavior with juveniles. Hardy says more charges are possible, because they found evidence that Kramer chatted online with multiple underage children and some of the victims could live in the Shreveport-Bossier City area
Hardy says this case is a reminder that parents need to look for suspicious text messages on their children’s phones and apps on a phone can help lure child predators…