Oil prices rose to a two month high today at over 30 dollars a barrel on rising optimism about the world economy. Matt Doyle has the story.
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13 people are wounded following a shooting in Bogalusa at a memorial for a recent murder victim. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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A 27-year-old woman is dead and nine others are being treated at a hospital from severe weather that hit a rural area in northeast Acadia Parish last night. The one fatality took place on Prudence Highway north of Church Point. Sheriff KP Gibson says a suspected tornado damaged several homes.
Cut 3 (09) “with moderate damage.”
Gibson says the loss of life could have been much worse as many residents were unprepared for the impact of the severe weather.
Cut 4 (10)_ “…everybody off guard.”
Gibson says the community response in the aftermath has been tremendous.
Cut 5 (07) “…on their feet.”
Damage has also been reported in Evangeline Parish.
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The price of oil has rebounded to over 30 dollars a barrel after sinking to negative numbers just a month ago.
LSU Center for Energy Studies Executive Director David Dismukes explains why…
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Dismukes says today’s notable spike was the result of new positive news related to vaccine development.
Oil started the year over 60 dollars a barrel, and while that is unlikely to return this year Dismukes says the industry can sustain at these prices.
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An industry survey indicated producers were bracing for massive layoffs, but Dismukes says if prices stay over 35 a barrel we should only lose 5,000 of the state’s 35,000 oil workers.
Cut 8 (06) “…labor force”
Today’s prices in the low 30s represent a two month high for oil.
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The search continues for the gunmen involved in a mass shooting that wounded 13 people in Bogalusa on Saturday night. Major Wendell O’ Berry says between 500 to 800 people gathered at an intersection to remember the life of Dominique James, who was recently murdered. O’ Berry says as the crowd grew shots were fired…
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O’ Berry says 12 of the 13 victims were male and some are critically wounded.
Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal is calling on those that have information about shooting to come forward and talk to police, saying it is much more effective that marching in protest of the violence.
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Seal says various factors contribute to the city’s crime problem that produced the mass shooting.
Cut 11 (13) “…lets talk.”
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Governor Edwards is recommending to legislative leaders to use federal money to close a one-billion-dollar budget hole that’s been caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says a portion of the rainy day fund can be used as well, leaving just 80-million dollars in cuts
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Dardenne says most of the projected cuts would occur within the Louisiana Department of Health’s budget. He says many other agencies are taking a two-percent cut, including higher education and there’s also a possibility more cuts will be needed later this year if the economy doesn’t rebound
Cut 13 (08) “be spent”
Dardenne says their proposal to lawmakers is to keep TOPS fully funded and they are not recommending a reduction in public school funding. Lawmakers have until July 1st to pass a budget, and it may take a June special session to get it done.
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A woman is dead and two juveniles were taken to the hospital after a train collided with their stalled out vehicle in Webster Parish.
State Police Trooper Brent Hardy says 51-year-old Rebecca Woodard of Minden and one juvenile were attempting to push the vehicle when the train came into view.
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Woodard was transported to the hospital where she later died. The juvenile in the vehicle sustained moderate injuries.
Hardy says Woodard and the juvenile had not managed to get the vehicle very far when the impact occurred.
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Hardy says if your vehicle ever becomes stranded on the track, immediate exit and get all other passengers away from the vehicle, then call the number on the nearby white and blue sign.
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The crash occurred on LA Highway 163 south of LA Highway 164.