LRN AM Newscall Monday March 23

A Shreveport lawmaker feels the state legislature should look at different options in trying to shrink the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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The state Department of Transportation and Development is taking part in National Work Zone Awareness Week which runs through Friday. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Parks Senator Fred Mills is sponsoring legislation this session that looks at ways to change the way public school teachers are evaluated. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Sentencing is scheduled today for a Baton Rouge man who allegedly shot his girlfriend up with a fatal injection of heroin in 2013. 31-year-old Brandon Eirick pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and heroin distribution in the death of 31-year old Leah Hutchinson. Legal analyst Tim Meche says cases like this are not unique…

cut 4  (08)  “for years”

Eirick was originally charged with second degree murder in this case, but pleaded to the lesser charge of negligent homicide in October. Meche says this case is clearly a homicide case and not a murder…

Cut 5  (03)  “present, here”

Meche says Eirick faces up to 10 years in prison. He says since these cases are not unusual, the sentencing judge will be able to use prior judgement to help determine Eirick’s sentence…

Cut 6 (05)  “guided by that”

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A Shreveport lawmaker feels the state legislature should look at different options in trying to shrink the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Democratic Representative Patrick Williams it’s clear that the state needs to generate additional revenue. The House Ways and Means Committee member says a hike on cigarette and alcohol taxes is one way the state can raise funds quickly…

CUT 7 (04)  “point in time”

Williams feels Governor Jindal will veto any piece of legislation that is seen as a tax increase. The representative also feels that lawmakers should take a closer look at tax incentives offered by the state to shrink the budget gap. He says some of these are not paying dividends back to the state…

Cut 8  (07)  “from them” 

The film industry is the recipient of one of the state’s largest tax credits. Williams says, while it’s good to have movies being made in Louisiana, lawmakers should consider restructuring this incentive…

Cut 9 (06)  “support it”

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The state Department of Transportation and Development is taking part in National Work Zone Awareness Week which runs through Friday. DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says this is about bringing attention to the fact that safety should be a top priority through road construction areas..:

Cut 10 (11) “rules of the road”

Mallett says since 2013 in Louisiana there’s been about 580 people who have lost their lives in work zones…:

cut 11 (08) “lose their lives”

Mallett says drivers face fines, fees and other consequences if they’re caught speeding in a work zone or driving without their headlights on. He says there are so many things inside vehicles these days that it’s more important than ever to put distractions aside when you’re behind the wheel:

cut 12 (11)  “through the work zone”

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Parks Senator Fred Mills is sponsoring legislation this session that looks at ways to change the way public school teachers are evaluated. Currently educator effectiveness is determined by students’ standardized test results. Mills says his bill seeks to make a teacher’s job performance more accurately measured…:

Cut 13 (06)  “quantitative measurement”

Mills says he is speaking for this bill on behalf of constituents in his area who tell him that the value added assessment model is not a valid measurement tool. He says this measure would take things back to the way they used to be when it comes to checking out how a teacher is doing…:

Cut 14 (07) “set for the student”

Mills says the proposed law would not completely remove the use of test scores as a factor in deciding teacher effectiveness…:

Cut 15  (08)  “measurement”

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The “Dunkin Dogs” of Louisiana Tech will face Texas A&M tonight in the second round of the NIT.  Bulldogs Coach Michael White says his program doesn’t have many opportunities to beat a team from a major conference, so they need to take advantage of it when it comes…

Cut 16  (13)  “very very excited”

Tech enters the game with a 26-8 record, while the Aggies are 21-11 and beat Montana in the opening round of the NIT. White says A&M presents a tough challenge for his guys…

Cut 17 (15)  “strong and physical”

The Aggies are one of the better defensive teams out of the SEC. White says tonight’s game on ESPN could be low scoring…

Cut 18 (12) ”   College Station”‘

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The Pelicans are now three games back of Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference after completing an 0-for-3 road trip with a 107-100 loss to the Clippers. Coach Monty Williams is not happy with the 18 turnovers his team committed

Cut 19 (14)   “but it happens”

Anthony Davis returned from a sprained ankle and scored 26 points. Eric Gordon had a rare appearance off the bench as he did not start after missing a team meeting. Gordon still scored 23 points and Williams appreciated his performance on the court…

Cut 20 (08)  “played well”