1:30 LRN Newscast May 31

A Senate-approved bill targeting labeling restrictions for plant-based meats, non-animal-based milks, and cauliflower rice clears another legislative hurdle. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
cut 2 (33) I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The SEC has lifted a ban on stadium-wide alcohol sales. LSU has pushed for beer sales as a way to generate more revenue and keep fans in their seat longer in Tiger Stadium. So, expect to see beer and wine sales at LSU sporting events in the general seating areas starting this fall.

The Louisiana Senate has approved a budget, but before the vote, New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson pushed for more state dollars for foster care, because getting an abortion will become more difficult if a fetal heartbeat abortion bill goes into effect….
cut 4 (06) “…uterus”
The amendment was defeated, but many Democrats like Peterson are upset Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards signed the bill.

Houma Representative Beryle Amedee’s proposal to extend Stand Your Ground laws to places of worship has been tabled for the session. Amedee made the decision to involuntarily defer the bill and Senate Judiciary Committee B Chairman Gary Smith believes Amedee has made the right decision…
cut 12 (11) “,..in it”

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU will send freshman right-hander Landon Marceaux to the mound tonight when the Tigers face Stony Brook in the Baton Rouge Regional opening round. The Destrehan native says he will not put any extra pressure on himself, because it’s a postseason game…
Cut 14 (09) “…who I am.”
Marceaux has battled arm injuries this season, but he’s been great his last three starts, posting an ERA of 1.45. Stony Brook counters with veteran right-hander Greg Marino, who is 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA.

Getting underway at noon, it’s Southern versus Mississippi State in Starkville and in Nashville, McNeese will take on Indiana State in another noon start. The Sycamores won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. They are one of three teams from the M-V-C that made the NCAA Tournament. The other two teams in the Nashville Regional are Vanderbilt and Ohio State.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved contract extensions for the football team’s strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit and receivers coach Mickey Joseph.

LSU’s first two home football games this season will kick-off at 6:30, August 31st versus Georgia Southern and September 14th against Northwestern State.

The Ragin Cajuns game against Mississippi State in the Superdome will kick off at 11 AM on Saturday, August 31.

When Louisiana Tech hosts Grambling State on September seventh. That game will be televised by the NFL Network. Tech will be the first Conference USA team to appear on the NFL Network since the announcement of the partnership between the league and network.

At Saints O-T-A’s, guard Larry Warford has missed the last two weeks rehabbing an unknown injury. Coach Sean Payton hasn’t said what the injury is.

The SEC Spring Meetings ends today, the presidents and chancellors could vote today on alcohol sales at games.

9:30 LRN Newscast May 31

Louisiana Radio Network, I’m Jeff Palermo….
cut 4 (05) “…stop the bans”
That’s Planned Parenthood supporters at the state capitol chanting “Stop the Bans.” Their demonstration occurred at about the time when Governor John Bel Edwards signed a bill that bans abortions when doctors detect a fetal heartbeat. The legislation does not go into effect until federal courts uphold a similar law passed in Mississippi.

Saturday marks the start of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA predicts a near-average season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the latest forecast calls for nine to fifteen named storms.
Cut 10 (11) “…long term average.”
The forecast calls for between two and four major hurricanes. There were two major hurricanes last year causing an estimated 50-billion dollars in damage.

Final legislative passage is expected today on a bill that would require restaurants to print on their menus whether their shrimp or crawfish comes from another country. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (30) “…Brooke Thorington.”

The National Flood Insurance Program was set to expire today, but Congress has extended the N-F-I-P for another two weeks. And then on Monday, the House is expected to pass another extension to keep the program going through the end of September. If there was no extension, the federal government couldn’t issue new flood insurance policies.

8:30 LRN Newscast May 31

Governor Edwards signs into law a fetal heartbeat abortion ban, making Louisiana the 5th state to do so. Matt Doyle has the story.
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A suspect is in stable condition after he was shot by a State Police Trooper on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Authorities say a man driving in a Kia Forte was traveling the wrong way towards a crowd of pedestrians and did not stop, despite efforts by Troopers on the scene. A trooper discharged his firearm and the suspect sustained one gunshot wound. The incident remains under investigation.

A bill that aims to notify restaurant consumers of the origin of crawfish and shrimp is up for final legislative passage today. Bill author Larose Representative Truck Gisclair says the measure will require restaurants u to make it clear if the seafood is not domestic…
Cut 7 (09) “…a shrimp po’boy.”
Gisclair says the argument he made for the legislation is that imported seafood contains a health risk, with potentially harmful chemicals and residues.

LSU has decided to send freshman right-hander Landon Marceaux to the mound tonight when the Tigers face Stony Brook in the Baton Rouge Regional opening round. Marceaux on what coach Paul Mainieri told him
Cut 13 (10) “…happens happens.”
First pitch tonight is at 6 Pm.

7:30 LRN Newscast May 31

Louisiana becomes the 5th state to enact a fetal heartbeat abortion ban after Governor Edwards signs the prohibition into law. The implementation is pending a legal challenge to a similar Mississippi law. The deep south’s only Democratic Governor says he’s always been upfront about his pro-life views.
Cut 3 (09) “..governor”
Edwards signed the bill on the same day hundreds of Planned Parenthood supporters rallied against the legislation on the State Capitol steps. They also conducted a 30-minute stand-in in Memorial Hall. Speakers at the rally say the fetal heartbeat bill infringes on a women’s right to choose. Unitarian Reverend Darcy Roake spoke against the ban…
Cut 6 (12) “…too.”

Final passage is expected today on a bill that would require restaurants to print on their menus if the shrimp or crawfish they serve is imported from another country. Larose Representative Truck Gisclair says the main argument he made for his bill is that imported seafood poses a health risk, because it contains potentially harmful chemicals and residues from the antibiotics sprayed on the product…
cut 8 (08) “…wondering why”
Country of orgin information is already required on seafood sold in grocery stores.

The 2019 hurricane season opens tomorrow. NOAA’s forecast calls for a near normal season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says there are two contributing weather systems that are pointing toward an average season…
cut 11 (10) “….each other out”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU has decided to send freshman right-hander Landon Marceaux to the mound tonight when the Tigers face Stony Brook in the Baton Rouge Regional opening round. Marceaux on what coach Paul Mainieri told him
Cut 13 (10) “…happens happens.”
Marceaux has battled arm injuries this season, but he’s been great in his last three starts, posting an ERA of 1.45 Stony Brook will send right-hander Greg Marino to the mound, he’s 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA.

McNeese will open play in the Nashville Regional at noon against second-seeded Indiana State. It’s the Cowboys first NCAA Tournament game since 2003. Southland Conference Tournament MVP Aiden Anderson will get the start today.

Southern will take on Mississippi State at noon at Dudy Noble Field. Both teams can hit the ball, the Jaguars led the SWAC with a team batting average .315.

The LSU Board of Supervisors will consider today contract extensions for the football team’s strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit and receivers coach Mickey Joseph.

LSU’s first two home football games this season will kick-off at 6:30, August 31st versus Georgia Southern and September 14th against Northwestern State.

The Ragin Cajuns game against Mississippi State in the Superdome will kick off at 11 AM on Saturday, August 31.

When Louisiana Tech hosts Grambling State on September seventh. That game will be televised by the NFL Network. Tech will be the first Conference USA team to appear on the NFL Network since the announcement of the partnership between the league and network.

At Saints O-T-A’s, guard Larry Warford has missed the last two weeks rehabbing an unknown injury. Coach Sean Payton hasn’t said what the injury is.

The SEC Spring Meetings ends today, the presidents and chancellors could vote today on alcohol sales at games.

The NFL Network will also televise the Louisiana Tech-Southern Miss game on October 19th. That will also be a 2:30 kickoff in Ruston.

6:30 LRN Newscast May 31

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards has signed the fetal heartbeat abortion bill, which bans abortions at about six weeks of pregnancy. And the legislation contains no exceptions for victims of rape and incest. Edwards signed the measure after supporters of Planned Parenthood rallied on the steps of the State Capitol against the anti-abortion law. But the governor says the bill is the will of Louisianians…
cut 5 (07) “….to that”
The law will not go into effect unless the courts uphold a similar law in Mississippi.

Today the legislature is expected to give final passage to legislation that requires restaurants to inform their customers if the crawfish or shrimp they are serving is foreign. Initially, The Louisiana Restaurant Association had concerns about the size of print in the menu, but the bill’s author, LaRose Represenative Truck Gisclair, says a happy medium was reached…
cut 9 (07) “….get it passed”

The opening of the Morganza Spillway has been delayed until Thursday June 6th. The U-S Army of Corps of Engineers says there’s been a change in the forecast that now shows overtopping of the Morganza structure will not take place until June 9th, the previous model showed overtopping on June 5th.

Tomorrow, marks the start of a new hurricane season. NOAA is predicting a near normal season. The peak of the hurricane season is typically late August and early September, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says…
cut 12 (12) “…in the United States.

16:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU Freshman right-hander Landon Marceaux will start on the hill for the Tigers when they face Stony Brook tomorrow night in the opening round of the Baton Rouge Regional. Marceaux has been really good in his last three starts, posting an ERA of 1.45 in those three starts.

Meanwhile, Stony Brook returns to the scene of its greatest athletic achievement. The Seawolves upset LSU in the 2012 Super Regionals to advance to the College World Series for the first time in school history. Stony Brook coach Matt Senk fondly remembers his last trip to Baton Rouge
cut 17 (20) at all”
LSU Coach Paual Mainieri says one reason why they are starting Marceaux is to show the rest of the team not to take Stony Brook lightly.

McNeese and Southern have arrived at their NCAA Baseball Regional Destinations. The Cowboys baseball team arrived in Nashville wearing cowboy hats, boots and Mardi Gras Beads. They’ll face Indiana State tomorrow afternoon. Southern faces Mississippi State at noon on the SEC Network. Jags third baseman Tyler LaPorte was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball today.

LSU’s first two home football games will kick off at 6:30. The Tigers open the season against Georgia Southern on August 31st, two weeks later, Northwestern State visits LSU for another 6:30 kick-off.

The Ragin Cajuns versus Mississippi State football game in the Superdome on August 31st gets an 11 AM kick off. When Louisiana Tech hosts Grambling State on September seventh. That game will be televised by the NFL Network. Tech will be the first Conference USA team to appear on the NFL Network since the announcement of the partnership between the league and network.

The NFL Network will also televise the Louisiana Tech-Southern Miss game on October 19th. That will also be a 2:30 kickoff in Ruston.

15:30 LRN Newscast May 30

There’s one week left in the legislative session. Kevin Barnhart looks at what lawmakers still need to get done…
cut 2 (27) I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office is mourning the loss of one of its deputies who was killed in a one-vehicle wreck on his way to work this morning. Sheriff Sid Geautreaux says 42-year-old Lt. Steven Whitstine was a deputy for eight years…
cut 10 (10) “…sheriff’s office”

The House Education Committee approved a legislative instrument that calls for teachers to receive a one-thousand dollar pay raise and direct 39-million dollars in additional funding for public schools. BESE President Dr. Gary Jones revealed that the 39 million could be used by poor school districts to further increase teacher pay.
Cut 14 (11) “…more”
House Approrpiations Chairman Cameron Henry says it remains to be seen if there’s enough money to give public schools an additional 39 million dollars.

An effort to decrease the state sales tax rate from 4.45 percent to four-percent was killed in a Senate committee. Gonzales Senator Eddie Lambert says the state needs these tax revenues, especially for roads…
Cut 7 (09) “…address that”

LRN PM Newscall May 30

A Senate committee rejects a Housed backed bill that proposes to reduce the state’s sales tax rate from 4.45 percent to four-percent over a four-year period. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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There’s one week left in the legislative session. Kevin Barnhart looks at what lawmakers still need to get done…

cut 2 (27) I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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The Morganza Spillway opens on Sunday and there are concerns on how this will impact the crawfish industry. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Professor Greg Lutz says some crawfish ponds in the Atchafalaya Basin will be impacted…

Cut 3 (10) “…from the crawfish.”

Lutz says for crawfish farmers in the Atchafalaya Basin area, it could mean bad news if water spills over their levees.

Cut 4 (09) “…in there too.” 

Farmers will not be able to fix the problem of trash fish and replenish their crawfish population until the water goes down, which means some farmers could be out of production for a season.

Lutz says while the industry will feel impact, with some farmers feeling it worse than others, he says the crawfish population should be okay after the flooding.

Cut 5 (07) “…kind of thing.”

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An effort to reduce the state sales tax from 4.45 percent to four-percent over a four-year period died in a Senate Committee. Lawmakers settled on a 4.45 percent sales tax rate last year as part of a budget deal to avoid significant cuts. Lafayette Senator Gerald Boudreaux says it’s too soon to change a tax deal that stabilized the budget…

Cut 6 (09) “…money back”

Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authored the House-backed measure. Harris argues the state is running a surplus of tax revenue and should give that money back. But Gonzales Representative Eddie Lambert says the state needs these tax revenues, especially for roads…

Cut 7 (09) “…address that”

New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says residents are expecting the state to pay for a variety of things and the tax deal approved last year, helps the government fund those wishes…

Cut 8 (14) “…their prisoners.”

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An East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s deputy is dead following a single vehicle crash in Zachary around 6:30 this morning.  42-year-old Lt. Steven Whitstine was on his way to work when his car veered off of Pride Port Hudson Road.  Sheriff Sid Gautreaux says the accident is still under investigation.

Cut 9 (07) “…in a canal.”

Whitstine worked with the K-9 division and had spent eight years with the Sheriff’s Department and more than nine years with Baker Police prior to that.

Gautreaux says he will be sorely missed by many.

Cut 10 (10) “…the Sheriff’s office.”

Gauthreaux says he worked with Whitstine for many years and has fond memories of the man behind the badge.

Cut 11 (11) “…than he impersonated.”

Whitstine’s K-9 partner, Sixx, was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash and is being treated for minor injuries.

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A Senate approved resolution that contains a 1,000-dollar teacher pay raise and an additional 39 million dollars for public education passes through the House Education Committee. But House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry wonders if the state can afford both the pay raise and additional money for schools…

cut 12(07)   “…something””

The resolution includes a 500 dollar support personnel raise.

The Senate says the state has the money to afford the 39-million-dollar block grant, but Henry says that will be confirmed when the proposal moves next to the House Appropriations Committee.

Cut 13 (06) “…came from”

BESE President Dr. Gary Jones revealed that the 39 million could be used by local school districts to further increase teacher pay if a poorer school district prioritizes that over classroom investment.

Cut 14 (06) “…more” 

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