Brusly High graduate, and now LSU freshman John Foster, is in the Top 7 on American Idol and continues to make Louisiana proud. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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A substance sometimes referred to as “gas station heroin” is one step closer to being banned in Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Legislation that would give parishes the option to increase the homestead exemption for property owners clears its first legislative hurdle. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Addis native and Brusly High graduate John Foster has made it to the Top 7 of American Idol. Brusly High Principal Walt Lemoine says the world is seeing the real John Foster.

Cut 4 (08) “…model human being.”

Lemoine says Foster, who’s now a freshman at LSU and was co-valedictorian last year, was a quiet, humble role model for the other students at Brusly High, and Foster’s success is no shock to him.

Cut 5 (12) “…Addis, Louisiana.”

Lemoine says he’s an unassuming star; and the first time he heard Foster perform, he says he never expected that voice from one of his students.

Cut 6 (10) “…out of him?”

Watch Foster perform this Sunday on ABC.

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A bill that would make kratom illegal in Louisiana moves to the House. The Senate passed S-B 154 yesterday on a vote of 26-to-11, split right down party lines. The author, West Monroe Republican Jay Morris, says kratom – sometimes known as “gas station heroin” – has already been banned in several places.

Cut 7 (09) “…grown in Asia.”

Senator Morris says while kratom can easily be purchased online or in many gas stations throughout the state, the FDA has not approved it and discourages its use.

Cut 8 (11) “…substance abuse disorder.”

Morris says he has heard many horror stories stemming from the use of kratom.

Cut 9 (12)  “…a legal substance.”

Morris says Deputy Health Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan (CROW-ghin) says he has treated more people for kratom overdose than those who have taken crack cocaine.

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SkyWest Airlines, the largest regional airline in the U.S., has chosen Shreveport Regional Airport as its 13th maintenance base, supporting its fleet of nearly 500 aircraft.  North Louisiana Economic Partnership CEO Justyn Dixon says the new facility is expected to create 150 direct jobs, averaging 70-thousand-dollars annually; and 375 indirect jobs, for a total of 525 new positions in Northwest Louisiana.

Cut 10 (12) “…power plant.”

Dixon says the project supports Louisiana Economic Development’s focus on aerospace and logistics, sectors in which the state has long-standing strengths, including underutilized space, low operational costs and port access.

Cut 11 (09) “…make their money.”

Dixon hopes that not only will the base keep skilled workers in the state but also believes that this project will draw talented workers to move to the region.

Cut 12 (10) “…great opportunities.”

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The House Ways and Means Committee has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give voters the opportunity to decide whether parishes should have the option to increase the homestead exemption from 75-hundred dollars 12-thousand-500 dollars in assessed value. The vote was 9-to-5. The bill’s author, New Orleans Democrat Matthew Willard, says since the homestead exemption has not increased since 1980, people are getting priced out of their homes.

Cut 13 (10)  “…it’s not affordable.”

Willard says if people can’t afford their homes, they’ll move to a state where they can, and Louisiana cannot afford that.

Cut 14 (11) “…their roots down.”

Jim Patterson with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry spoke out against Willard’s bill. He says if you increase the homestead exemption to lower property taxes, the government will need to make up that tax revenue somehow.

Cut 15 (09) “…taxes to others.”

Patterson says Louisiana already generates a disproportionately low amount of property tax revenue relative to other states.

Cut 16 (15) “…44-percent.”

The bill now advances to the House Civil Law for a review of the ballot language. Because this would be a constitutional amendment, it will need to pass in both houses of legislature by a two-thirds majority before it goes to the voters.

OMV offices across the state are jammed with people getting their REAL IDs on this deadline day. Andrew Greenstein is at the Express OMV office in Denham Springs.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Rayne Police Department is grieving over the loss of one of its officers who was killed by friendly fire. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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OMV offices across the state are jammed with people getting their REAL IDs, as regular driver’s licenses will no longer be adequate to board commercial flights starting tomorrow. As such, people are waiting a long time, even those who are there for something other than REAL ID.

Cut 3 (09) “…minutes at best.” 

One woman who showed up at the Express OMV office in Denham Springs has no immediate travel plans but needs a REAL ID for work. She says if you don’t have immediate travel plans, you can wait.

Cut 4 (08) “…at the moment.”

One woman says the Denham Springs Express OMV was so busy that their computers couldn’t handle it.

Cut 5 (07) “…say that yet.”

Last month, the OMV and Public Tag Agents processed more than 97-thousand REAL ID applications.

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Bogue Chitto State Park near Franklinton is undergoing a significant expansion with the acquisition of over 800 adjacent acres, increasing the park’s total area by 45-percent to nearly 2,600 acres. Office of State Parks Assistant Secretary Brandon Burris…

Cut 6 (07) “…has to offer.”

Burris says preliminary plans for the expanded portion of Bogue Chitto State Park include additional equestrian trails, mountain biking trails, and hiking trails.

Cut 7 (10) “…utilization we can.”

Burris says the newly acquired acres will need some restoration projects in the future to maintain the quality and standards for Louisiana State Parks.

Cut 8 (10) “…studying the ecosystem.”

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One of the bills in the legislature getting the most attention is the one that would give the insurance commissioner the authority to reject rates he or she deems to be excessive, regardless of market conditions. It has passed in the full House and is now awaiting debate in a Senate committee. Governor Landry supports it, but Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple – also a Republican – opposed it. Temple says he has rejected rates because they’re either too low or too high.

Cut 9 (06)  “…the drawing board.”

Temple says he has already rejected insurance rates that he has deemed to be too high – several times, in fact.

Cut 10 (09) “…I exercise it.”

Temple says the biggest reason he opposes the bill is because he already has the authority to reject excessive rates – and he has.

Cut 11 (11) “…we exercise it.”

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A large portion of Louisiana is under a tornado watch until 9 PM tonight. The watch area covers Shreveport, Monroe, Natchitoches, Alexandria, Opelousas, DeRidder, Lake Charles and Lafayette. LRN Meteorologist Bill Jacquemin says a few tornadoes are possible, plus there are other severe weather threats…

Cut 12 (06) “…large hail”  

Jacquemin says a flood watch also remains in effect for the entire state…

Cut 13 (09)  “…and evening”

Jacquemin says weather event features slow moving thunderstorms capable of dumping a lot of rain at once…

Cut 14 (15) “…into tomorrow.”

State Climatologist Jay Grymes says the heaviest rains will begin later tonight and extend into tomorrow morning before slowly subsiding. The flood threat remains a concern for Acadiana and portions of the Florida Parishes.