17:30 Legislative Update, May 12th, 2015

The debate legislation that would remove the controversial Common Core education standards from public schools and replace it with one developed by Louisiana residents hits committee Wednesday. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authors the bill and he says Common Core was implemented with little public input and now parents see it’s not good for our students…:
CUT 7 (09) “democratic process”
But Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says ditching Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state…:
Cut 9 (09) “several years now”
The bill comes up in the House Education Committee.

A bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot that would double littering fines is headed to the full Senate. The House bill advanced out of the Senate Environmental committee Tuesday. Berthelot says the additional revenue would go towards law enforcement retirement…:
CUT 6 (09) “retirement systems”
Under the measure, first offense fines for simple lit erring would go to $150 up from $75.

New Orleans Representative Austin Badon says this year’s anti-discrimination bill should come up in committee next week. He says the legislation would protect someone from being fired someone from a job or denied housing because of sexual orientation. The Louisiana Family Forum has stepped up to oppose similar bills in the past but Badon says they shouldn’t stand in judgement of anyone…:..:
CUT 15 (11) “discrimination”
He says we need to pass this law to send the message that Louisiana is a friendly place to live and work.

 

LRN Sportscast 16:45 May 12

In a stunning move, the Pelicans announced the firing of head coach Monty Williams after five seasons, which included two trips to the playoffs. Jake Madison, a writer for a blog website called Bourbon Street Shots, says the move is surprising considering Owner Tom Benson recently wrote a letter expressing support for Williams, who just guided the Pels to the postseason. But Madison says general manager Dell Demps apparently wanted to go in another direction…
cut 14 (14) “…do that”
Williams told W-W-L TV that the decision made by the franchise hurts and this is the “toughest loss” he’s had in his career.

And the Saints have announced they’ve signed first round pick linebacker Stephone Anthony and third round pick, cornerback P-J Williams. Both contracts are four-year deals.

The number one ranked LSU baseball team begin its last road trip of the regular season as they visit UNO tonight. The Tigers have some question marks with the postseason right around the corner. Closer Jesse Stallings blew another save last weekend and the Tigers haven’t settled on a third weekend starter. But Coach Paul Mainieri says every team in college baseball has its issues, but championship teams overcome their weaknesses…
cut 18 (17) “…get it done”
First pitch tonight against the Privateers is at 6:30.

In other action tonight…Nicholls State looks for its ninth straight win as the Colonels host U-L Lafayette. The Cajuns have lost four of their last six. Louisiana Tech, who has won 11 straight non-conference games, hosts Northwestern State. The Demons have won five in a row overall.

LRN Newscast 16:30 05-12-15

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative Auditor. It shows Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them…
CUT 9 (10) “nobody can find”

A double littering fine bill is closer to becoming law, as it passes the House and goes to the Senate Environmental Committee today. The bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot would give the additional revenue to the arresting officers retirement fund. Jennings Senator Dan Morrish just wanted to make sure that was the case…
CUT 8 (11) Q: “The general fund”
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An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo reports…:
CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

The other team owned by Tom Benson has fired their head coach. The Pelicans announced the firing of Monty Williams today, and that move caught a lot of fans and sports writers and reporters off guard. The Pelicans finished the season with a record of 45-37 and the 8th position in the Western Conference, earning New Orleans its first postseason berth in four seasons.

LRN Newscast 15:30 05-12-15

More oversight and more transparency with state government contracts. That’s what State treasurer John Kennedy wants in light of a recent report from a Legislative auditor. With $250 million dollars in contracts that are not in the tracking system, he’s hopeful this will be the year it becomes law…
CUT 11 (11) Q: ‘his signature’

Those who litter could face double fines if the bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot goes into law. After House passage, the bill advanced to the Senate Environmental Committee today. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey asked Berthelot about how much money that would mean for the arresting officers’ retirement fund…
CUT 7 (12) Q: “dollars a year”
——————————–
A stand-off this morning with Shreveport Police, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies and some federal agents has ended with two people dead, and another injured. A woman was shot and killed at the residence, and the second victim was taken to University Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers later discovered the unidentified shooter was found dead inside the home from an apparent self inflicted gunshot.

The future of the New Orleans Pelicans will not include head coach Monty Williams, as he was fired today. While many were surprised at the move, writer Jake Madison with Bourbom Street Shots, says he suspects that Williams may have been a bit bull headed by not adapting to his players…
CUT 14 (14) Q: “never gonna do that”
Pelicans Vice-President Mickey Loomis said it was not an easy decision to make.

LRN Newscast 14:30 05-12-15

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs more oversight over state government contracts in light of a report by the Legislative Auditor…
CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

The Champion Square image of Tracy Porter interception to seal the deal for the Saints Super Bowl win in 2010 is coming down. The issue is not with the former Port Allen High School star; the problem is Darren Sharper running behind him. With Sharper pleading guilty to sex crimes in three states, Saints officials say they say some images need to be “freshened up.”
—————————-
The reported power struggle between New Orleans Pelicans’ GM Dell Demps and head coach Monty Williams has been resolved. Head coach Monty Williams has been fired, even after taking the team to playoffs for the first time in four seasons…
CUT 13 (14) Q: “out of a job”
That’s Jake Martin with Bourbon Street Shots.

State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr…
CUT 3 (09) “that night”
That’s State Trooper Evan Harrell.

LRN PM Newscall May 12

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs more oversight over state government contracts in light of a report by the Legislative Auditor. Eric Gill reports..

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

===================

State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr. Trooper Evan Harrell says they received a tip from a concerned citizen about the vehicle they were looking for in this incident…

CUT 3 (09)  “that night”

Harrell says Friloux admitted to officers that she was driving the vehicle in question the night Clowder was killed. He says when they found the vehicle, it still had damage to the front fender and windshield as a result of the crash. Harrell says Friloux faces a number of charges…

CUT 4 (08)  “jail process”

Friloux faces charges including hit-and-run and negligent homicide. Harrell says this is a prime example how public assistance can help law enforcement bring criminals to justice…

CUT 5 (08)  “benefit, this time”

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A bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot that would double littering fines is full Senate approval away from going to the governor’s desk. The measure passed the House last week and advanced in the Senate Environmental Committee today. Berthelot says the additional revenue would go toward the arresting officers retirement…

CUT 6 (09)  “retirement systems”

Under the measure, first offense fines for simple littering would increase to $150, while subsequent offenses would result in a $1000 fine. Fines for intentional littering would climb to anywhere from $500 to $2500. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey questioned Berthelot about how much money the increased fines would raise…

CUT 7 (12)  “dollars a year”

In this bill, fines for the improper disposal of large litter, like furniture and appliances, could reach up to $10,000. Jennings Senator Dan Morrish wanted assurances this additional money would only be used for law enforcement retirement benefits…

CUT 8 (11)  “the general fund”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in state government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative Auditor. The report found that Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them. Kennedy says this is a sign of incompetence or subterfuge…

CUT 9 (10)  “nobody can find”

The audit found that nearly 4,600 consulting contracts totaling over $250 million were not included in the tracking system. Kennedy says it’s time to completely reform the way contracts are handled by the state. He says having this many state contracts out there is unacceptable…

cut 10 (12) “billion dollars”

Kennedy says many of these contracts are wasteful spending and millions could be saved with better oversight. He says House Bill 30 by Thibodaux Representative Dee Richard would create more legislative input into these contracts. Kennedy is hopeful the bill will fare better this year than last year when it was vetoed by Governor Jindal…

cut 11 (11)  “his signature”

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The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams after five seasons. In a statement, Pels Vice President Mickey Loomis says this wasn’t an easy decision to make, but now was the time and they wish nothing but the best for Williams in the future. Jake Madison, writer with Bourbon Street Shots, says this is a shocking development…:

cut 12 (08)  “playoff series ended”

The Pelicans finished the 2014-2015 season with a record of 45-37 and the 8th position in the Western Conference, earning New Orleans its first postseason berth in four seasons. Madison says we know there was, at times, a power struggle between GM Dell Demps and Williams…:

cut 13 (14)  “now out of a job”

Madison says the team could be eyeing a change in philosophy as Williams has been known to be bull headed and wants things to go his way. He believes Williams never adapted to his players the way some other coaches do…:

cut 14 (14) “never gonna do that”

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13:30 Newscast, May 12th, 2015

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in state government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative auditor. It indicates Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them. Kennedy says this is unacceptable…:
CUT 10 (12) “billion dollars”
Kennedy says many of these contracts are wasteful spending and millions could be saved with better oversight.

The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams after five seasons. In a statement, Pels Vice President Mickey Loomis says this wasn’t an easy decision to make, but now was the time. Jake Madison, writer with Bourbon Street Shots, says this is a shocking development…:
CUT 12 (08) “playoff series ended”
The Pelicans finished the 2014-2015 season with a record of 45-37.

State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr. Trooper Evan Harrell says they were tipped off to the vehicle in question which just shows how helpful the public can be in cases like this…:
CUT 5 (08) “benefit, this time”
Friloux faces charges including hit-and-run and negligent homicide.

Shreveport Police say two are dead and one injured following a shooting this morning. They say officers were able to get the fatally shot woman away from a residence and the second victim, possibly the son of the woman, to a hospital. Investigators say after a standoff, they were able to determine the suspected shooter was inside the house dead apparently of a self inflicted gunshot.

 

12:30 Newscast, May 12th, 2015

The legislative auditor finds that Louisiana has nearly 15 thousand contracts worth about 21 billion dollars, with no way to keep track of many of them. State Treasurer John Kennedy says this shows that the right hand in this state has no idea what the left hand is doing, or somebody is trying to hide something when it comes to contracts…:
CUT 1 (11) “nobody can find”
Kennedy says it’s time to completely reform the way contracts are handled in state government.

The Shreveport Police Department says two people are dead and a third is injured after a morning shooting and standoff. They say a woman was killed and another man was shot in the leg and was taken to a hospital with non life threatening injuries. The suspected shooter barricaded himself inside a home and a robot later confirmed the man was dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation is ongoing.

An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams. In a statement, the team says making a decision like this is never easy, but they decided now was the time to act and they wish nothing but the best for Williams in the future.

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast May 12

The Saints say an image that has Darren Sharper on it that’s located in Champions Square will be coming down soon. Sharper can be seen on a banner that shows Tracy Porter returning that memorable interception for a touchdown in the 2010 Super Bowl. Sharper is now a confessed serial rapist and a spokesperson for the Saints says they don’t want the perception that Sharper is an individual they’re celebrating. The Saints also say some other banners may also be taken down to freshen up Champions Square, which is located next to the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

Former Saints kicker Garrett Hartley is looking for a job again. Hartley, who was on the Saints 2010 Super Bowl team, has been released by the Cleveland Browns.

W-W-L’s Kristian Garic reports the Saints have recently met with free agent defensive tackle Kevin Williams. The 34-year-old has been to six Pro Bowls and had three sacks for Seattle last year.

The number one ranked LSU baseball team hosts UNO tonight and then it’s off to South Carolina for the final three-game series of the regular season. It’s like the Tigers will be a national seed, but Coach Paul Mainieri is not taking anything for granted…
cut 17 (12) “…the end”
First pitch tonight is at 6:30 from Maestri Field in New Orleans.

Also tonight….Nicholls State looks for its ninth straight win as the Colonels host U-L Lafayette. The Cajuns have lost four of their last six. Louisiana Tech, who has won 11 straight non-conference games, hosts Northwestern State tonight. The Demons have won five in a row overall.

Also tonight…Tulane hosts Southern Miss.

11:30 Newscast, May 12th, 2015

A 24-billion dollar budget for next fiscal year that funds higher education at the same level as this year heads to the House floor. Scott Carwile has more…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

There’s a banner in Champion Square next to the Superdome in New Orleans that’s coming down. The image is of cornerback Tracy Porter clinching the 2010 Super Bowl with a late interception return for a touchdown but Darren Sharper is also in the image — a now confessed serial rapist.

A bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot that would double littering fines is headed to the full Senate. The House bill advanced out of the Senate Environmental committee today. Berthelot says the additional revenue would go towards law enforcement retirement…:
CUT 6 (09) “retirement systems”
Under the measure, first offense fines for simple lit erring would go to $150 up from $75.

State Police believe they caught the person responsible for a hit and run fatal crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebonne Parish. They say officers found the vehicle and it still had damage to the fender and windshield from the crash. Trooper Evan Harrell says 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces a number of charges…:
CUT 4 (08) “jail process”
He says a concerned citizen lead them to the vehicle in question. 46-year-old Robert Clowder Jr died at the scene.