Winnfield Representative Jack McFarland faces opposition on his proposal to increase the state’s gasoline tax by 22-cents over the next 12 years. He says the additional revenue will go towards improving the state’s roads and bridges. Governor Edwards has said he does not support the proposal, but McFarland says several small business owners are behind his effort…
cut 12 (12) “…closed bridge”
McFarland’s legislation will be heard in the regular session that begins April 12th.

Seven bars in New Orleans have been shut down for violating COVID restrictions. The city’s chief administrative officer, Peter Bowen, says these bars will not be allowed to reopen until…
cut 6 (10) “…safely”
No bars in New Orleans will be open from Friday to Tuesday to prevent large Mardi Gras crowds.

Ochsner Regional Medical Director Aldo Russo says he contracted the coronavirus even after he got the COVID vaccine. Russo says he received the vaccine on December 17th and came down with symptoms ten days later. Russo says his experience shows that it may take two weeks after the second dose to reach maximum immunity. He still strongly encourages people to get the vaccine
cut 15 (11) “…of this”

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles is selling a 2019 LSU National Championship specialty license plate. Tiger fans can purchase the plate for around 100 dollars and OMV spokesperson Matthew Boudreaux says the easiest way is to buy it online.
Cut 24 (10) “on our website”
Proceeds for the plate will go back to LSU.

At the next Public Service Commission meeting, the PSC plans to hire a third party to do an independent investigation into why many Entergy customers recently saw a spike in their utility bills. Entergy blames cold weather in December. P-S-C Chairman Craig Greene says that’s a possibility given heaters pull three to four times as many amps as air conditioners…
Cut 00357 (08) “…expensive”

The City of New Orleans shut down seven bars over the weekend for COVID violations as the city prepares to close all bars ahead of the upcoming Mardi Gras weekend. New Orleans Deputy CAO Peter Bowen says these business owners are risking lives and damaging the city’s economy.
Cut 00354 (11)“…tunnel.
The closed bars could also face penalties for state fire code violations.

Four state troopers in the Monroe area have been arrested for allegedly using excessive force. L-S-P says the charges stem from an incident in July of 2019 and last May in which the Troopers’ actions rose to the level of Battery and Malfeasance in Office. 30-year-old Jacob Brown was allegedly involved in both arrests that used unjustifiable force.

Despite opposition from Governor Edwards, Winnfield Representative Jack McFarland still plans on filing a bill that would raise the state’s gasoline tax 22-cents over the next 12 years…
Cut 00352 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The Public Service Commission plans to investigate why many Entergy customers saw their utility bills spike after December. P-S-C Chairman Craig Greene says a third party will be tasked with doing a random survey of customers’ bills and they will not rush to come to a conclusion…
cut 9 (07) “….answers”

Governor John Bel Edwards has said he does not support an increase in the state’s gasoline tax, but Winnfield Representative Jack McFarland still plans on filing a gas tax bill to be debated in the upcoming session. McFarland says 34 other states have increased the investment into their roads and bridges since 2013, including every southern state
Cut 10 (11) “…in infrastructure”

An Ochsner Regional Medical Director shares a warning to those who’ve just been vaccinated and think they can immediately return to pre-pandemic life…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Governor Edwards will receive his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this afternoon and he’ll also announce that the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge will serve as a mass vaccination site.

State Police has announced the arrest of four Troopers in the Monroe area for allegedly using excessive force during two different incidents.

Winnfield Representative Jack McFarland will file a bill for the upcoming regular session that would increase the state’s gasoline tax 22-cents over the next 12 years. He says each penny would result in 30-million dollars in additional revenue to improve the state’s roads and bridges. McFarland believes Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson might support the proposal…
cut 11 (08) “…coming down”
McFarland says his legislation will also help the state receive 780-million dollars in federal transportation dollars.

The city of New Orleans shut down seven bars for allegedly failing to follow COVID protocols. New Orleans Deputy CAO Peter Bowen says at the Red Eye in the Warehouse District, patrons entered through a back door, while the front door was locked to hide the bar’s operation from authorities…
cut 5 (09) “…casualty”
These bars will remain closed until they submit a plan to safely reopen.

The Public Service Commission will investigate why many Entergy customers saw their bills balloon after December. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

An overnight amber alert leads to two sanitation workers saving a 10-year-old New Iberia girl who authorities say had been kidnapped. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle”

W-B-R-Z-TV in Baton Rouge is reporting that four troopers with Louisiana State Police are facing criminal charges for using excessive force during arrests. The troopers are from Troop F, which covers the Monroe area. State Police from Troop F was involved in the death of Ronald Greene, who died during an encounter with Troopers in 2019.

Webster Parish native Devin White is a Super Bowl champion today as he helped lead the Buccaneers to a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. White had a team-high 12 tackles and picked off a pass in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Afterward, White broke down the play with the media…
cut 4 (10) “…run the clock out”
Fellow former LSU Tigers Leonard Fournette and Kevin Minter are also Super Bowl champs.

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles began selling specialty license plates commemorating LSU’s 2019 national championship season. O-M-V spokesperson Matthew Boudreaux says the purple license plate actually mentions all four of the Tigers national titles in football…
cut 13 (08) “….college football world”
He says you can order one at express-lane-dot-org.

A sanitation worker while on his route in St. Martin Parish helped rescue a 10-year-old girl from New Iberia who was allegedly kidnapped. State Police issued an Amber Alert in the overnight hours for help in finding Jalisa Lassalle. In a Facebook Live post, Dion Merrick saw the vehicle described in the Amber Alert and contacted authorities…
cut 11 (06) “…right now”
In the video, it appears police are taking a suspect into custody.

State Police is looking to arrest a suspect in the death of Erica Nicole Hunt, who disappeared during the Fourth of July in 2016 and her skeletal remains were found in December 2018. Trooper Thomas Gossen says Hunt was identified through genetic genealogy…
Cut 8 (11) “…past Friday.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact St. Landry Crime Stoppers.

LSU fans can purchase a specialty license plate that commemorates the Tigers 2019 national championship in football. Taylor Sharp has more…
cut 2 (30) …I’m Taylor Sharp”

The Saints are reportedly facing another penalty from the NFL for not following COVID-19 protocols. The league is looking into how Alvin Kamara got COVID. He reportedly got it from an interaction at the Saints facility with a person not employed by the team, who ended up testing positive for the virus as well.

Increased Moderna production means the state will see a five percent increase in its vaccine allocation this week. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The governor’s office says nearly one-point-two million Louisianans are eligible to get the COVID vaccine. As of last week, the state reported over 400-thousand Louisiananans received at least one shot. The governor will get his first shot tomorrow alongside some members of the Unified Command Group.

A missing 10-year-old New Iberia girl has been found safe. Two sanitation workers ID the kidnapper’s car thanks to an amber alert that went out overnight. A Facebook video of 33-year-old Michael Sereal being taken into custody was captured by Dion Merrick, who says after IDing the vehicle in a field they blocked it in and called 9-1-1…
Cut 9 (11) “…thing”
The kidnapping was rescued in St. Martin Parish. Seral is a registered sex offender, first convicted in 2006 of carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

The 2016 disappearance of 20-year-old Erica Nicole Hunt of Opelousas is now a homicide investigation after investigators were able to identify her skeletal remains, which were located in Evangeline Parish in December 2018. State Police Trooper Thomas Gossen says State Police hopes the public can provide clues on what happened to Hunt and how she ended up in Evangeline Parish
Cut 7 (06) “…Louisiana State Police.”
Gossen says Hunt was identified through genetic genealogy.

Starting today 275-thousand more Louisianans will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine because the minimum age for eligibility has been lowered from 70 to 65 years old. Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields is urging Governor Edwards to include K-through-12 educators. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter agrees…
cut 14 (11) “….reopening”

Construction is underway in Cameron Parish to turn open water into 308 acres of marsh. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Project Manager Jessica Diez says the added marshland will help protect southwest Louisiana from future storms and the area is part of the Mississippi Flyway which supplies stopover habitats for migratory birds…
cut 12 (06) “…as well”
Diez says they expect to have the project completed by the end of the year.

State Police is seeking information from the public about the July 4th, 2016 disappearance of Erica Nicole Hunt of Opelousas. Trooper Thomas Gossen says it’s a homicide investigation now that investigators have confirmed that skeletal remains found in December of 2018 were Hunt’s …
cut 6 (10) “…Erica Hunt”
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact St. Landry Crime Stoppers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 to win Super Bowl 55. A Trio of former LSU Tigers are now world champions including linebacker Devin White says who says this is the first major championship he’s won during his football career.
Cut 3 (12) “…best in the world”
On the losing end, former Tiger Clyde Edwards-Helairie. The Chiefs rookie running back hoped to win championships in back to back years.