GOP House Caucus Chairman Lance Harris tax bill that raises 366-million dollars of the 648 million dollar budget shortfall passed the House after a weekend of behind the scenes deliberations that got the legislation 76 votes, 6 more than it needed to make it to Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs. Harris, who Friday said this tax bill is designed to cut government, celebrated the passage.
Cut 14 (09) “opportunity”
But lawmakers are not close on approving a budget for next fiscal year and the special session ends June 4th.

If your home was damaged in the 2016 floods, there’s a July 20th deadline to complete a survey that starts the process for aid through the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program. Governor John Bel Edwards says there are a few ways flood victims can complete the survey
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Edwards says they believe many flood victims didn’t fill out the survey, because they already received a Small Business loan and are not eligible for any more federal money. The governor says his administration is trying to change the duplication of benefit rules, which is why they want homeowners impacted by the 2016 floods to fill out this survey.

LSU and Northwestern State are in the same NCAA Baseball regional as both teams will head to Corvaillis, Oregon. The Tigers are the two-seed, while the Demons are a four-seed. LSU’s first game is Friday against San Diego State. Coach Paul Mainieri says they knew they’d face tough competition….
cut 11 (13) “…get there”
Northwestern will play Oregon State late Friday night.

State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Lafayette. The shooting occurred at a Super 7 Motel on Evangeline Thruway. The officer was reportedly not injured and the suspect’s condition is not known.

LSU and Northwestern State are in the same NCAA Baseball regional, it just happens to be 24-hundred miles away. The Tigers and Demons are in the Corvallis Regional and the Demons will face number three national seed Oregon State, while the Tigers will take on San Diego State at 3 PM central time. Coach Paul Mainieri on the Aztecs….
cut 19 (25) “…San Diego State”
And Coach Paul Mainieri is unsure who he will pitch on Friday. Most likely it will be either Ma’Khail Hilliard or Zack Hess. Hess threw seven innings of one-hit ball in a 2-1 win over Arkansas on Saturday.

Northwestern State is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. They received an automatic bid by winning the Southland Conference Tournament title. Second-year Coach Bobby Barbier says it’s a great accomplishment to make the Field of 64….
cut 20 (28) “…town of Natchitoches”
Northwestern State will face a team on Friday night that’s won 100 games over last two seasons and the Beavers were eliminated in the College World Series by LSU last season.

The first major attempt to pass a tax bill to plug a portion of the state budget gap comes up a few votes short and the House is expected to try again today. Michael Farrar has more.
Voicer 2 (30) ” I’m Michael Farrar”

An 11-year-old was killed on Sunday during a police chase with authorities in Opelousas. Cops are looking for two unidentified males, who were with the 11-year-old girl, before the car she drove slammed into an embankment. The girl’s family say she left home with these men without telling her parents and when police came upon their truck, the two suspects fled.

Thousands of American flags have been planted on the grounds in front of the State Capitol to remember the 11-thousand Louisianans who died while protecting our country since the Revoultionary War. Alex Juan, with the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs on who brought the flags there…
cut 5 (11) “…Revolutionary War”
Gold Star Families then took time to plant the flags in front of the captiol.

LSU made an unexpected run in the SEC Tournament and ended up in the championship game before losing to Ole Miss 9-1. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says LSU’s pitching was not good in conference play, but it was great during the SEC Tourney….
cut 14 (10) “….lost”
LSU will play in an NCAA Regional this weekend away from Alex Box Stadium for the first time since 2010.

For Memorial Day, Louisiana honors the over 11,000 service men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Matt Doyle has more…
voicer 1 (30) “…Matt Doyle”

It’s been a deadly weekend on Louisiana highways. Four people were killed on Saturday on I-12 in St. Tammany Parish when an 18-wheeler failed to slow down while approaching congestion. It caused a chain rection that involved nine other vehicles.

Also an 11-year-old runaway girl was killed in Opelousas during a police chase.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to remind folks who are gearing up for some summer pool time that if you’re not careful, you can pick up a pretty nasty bug from a pool that hasn’t been treated properly. Chief of the CDC Healthy Swimming Program Michele Hlavsa. (Hill-lav-sa)
Cut 6 (07) “water playgrounds”

Northwestern State and LSU are in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. The Demons received an automatic berth by winning the Southland Tournament on Saturday nigth with a 7-5 win over UNO. Second-year head coach Bobby Barbier on the huge accomplishment….
cut 12 (11) “…the alumni”
The Demons and Tigers will find out where they’ll go in the NCAA Tournament, when the brackets are unveiled at 11 AM.

The Louisiana House is set to meet at 2 PM today and another vote could take place on a sales tax bill that would generate an estimated 360-million dollars in revenues that would go towards closing a 648-million dollar shortfall. The bill failed seven votes short of passing in the House and Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says everyone knows where each legislator stands….
cut 10 (11) “…against it”
The measure would renew a third of an expiring one-cent sales tax and also eliminate some sales tax exemptions.

It’s Memorial Day, a chance to honor the many lives lost while defending our country. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs spokesperson Alex Juan says…
cut 4 (07) “…will help”
Governor John Bel Edwards is at a Veterans Dedication Ceremony in his hometown of Amite today.

The NCAA Baseball Tournament Bracket will be unveiled this morning at 11:00. LSU and Northwestern State will be in the field of 64. The Tigers should receive an at-large bid, while the Demons are an automatic qualifier after winning the Southland Conference Tournament. Northwestern beat UNO 7-5 and David Fry hit the game winning home run. Coach Bobby Barbier has been their leader all season…
cut 13 (12) “….few years”
The Demons will make their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Michele Hlavsa (Hill-lav-sa) chief of the C-D-C’s Healthy Swimming Program says before bringing the family over for a summer swim and grill, check the water in your pool to make sure it doesn’t contain any nasty bacteria…
cut 8 (12) “….test strips”

The nation observes its 47th federally recognized Memorial Day today. The tradition memorializes those who died while serving in the US Military. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs spokesperson Alex Juan is asking people to keep in mind what that means for Gold Star Families who have lost a loved one in service to our country.
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Juansays visiting one of the eight veterans cemeteries in Louisiana is an apporpriate way to recognize the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

An eleven-year-old girl was killed in a police chase in Opelousas on Sunday morning and authorities are looking for two men she was with prior to her death. The family of Bryla Bell say she snuck out of the home and got into a truck with two people inside. When Opelousas Police approached the vehicle, two men jumped out and the girl took the wheel of the vehicle and which eventually struck an embankment and she died.

The summer swim season has begun, but unfortunately the C-D-C has to respond to U-S Recreational Water Illness outbreaks. Michele Hlavsa (Hill-lav-sa) says there’s one spot that seems to be teeming with nasty bacteria that could ruin a vaction and that’s a hotel pool….
cut 7 (09) “….the water”
For those who own their pool, make sure you are using test strips to make sure the chlorine levels are where they need to be.

Thanks to a 4-2 record at the SEC Tournament, the LSU Baseball team will likely make the NCAA Tournament by receiving an at-large bid. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says this is a more confident team then they were a week ago….
cut 15 (11) “…on Monday afternoon”
The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is at 11 AM.

The LSU Tigers are very close to advancing to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. They were leading Florida 10-0 in the sixth inning last night when a thick fogged rolled in and halted play. The game will resume at 10 AM this morning and if LSU can get three outs in the seventh inning without Florida scoring, they will win by mercy rule.

Louisiana Tech was bounced from the Conference USA Tournament as the Bulldogs lost to 27^th ranked Florida Atlantic 8-6. Tech grabbed a 3-0 lead in the 2^nd inning, but couldn’t overcome a four-run 4^th inning. Tech waits to see if its 39-20 record is good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. The field is revealed on Monday.

Ugly end to the Sun Belt Tournament for the Ragin Cajuns. After winning their first game 19-16, they lost 10-1 to Troy and then fell to Texas State 11-1 last night. UL Lafayette not expected to receive an NCAA Tournament bid.

Northwestern State is in the Southland Tournament title game for the first time since 2006 after beating seventh-seeded Nicholls three to two. The third seeded Demons scored two runs in the eighth inning. Southland Conference Player of the Year David Fry tied the game with an RBI triple and scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice. Jose Vasquez struck out the side in the 9^th inning for his fourth save of the year.

The Demons will play either UNO or Houston Baptist in the Southland Tournament Championship game which will begin at 6 PM. The Huskies beat the Privateers 4-3 in 12 innings in a game that ended early this morning. UNO’s Orynn Veillon hit a two-run homer in the 8th inning to tie the game. A rematch with Houston Baptist begins at 1 o’ clock in Sugar Land, Texas.

The LSU softball team is one win away from advancing to its fourth straight Women’s College Series after holding on for a six to five win over Florida State.  Game two of the best of three series is at 4 PM today.