Easter weekend is the peak demand for crawfish eating. LSU Ag Center aquaculture specialist Dr. Greg Lutz believes there’s enough mudbugs to go around…
cut 4 (09) “…we had”
Lutz says crawfish like to eat when the weather is warm, so the size of the mudbugs are excellent too.

Flu season is calming down but a particularly nasty strain is still out there…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

A Walker High Senior says he’s being threatened with expulsion over the length of his hair and has taken to social media to fight back. Jeremy McLain is nearing his goal of 17,000 signatures on a petition to overturn the Livingston Parish School Board regulation on hair length. McLain says Assistant Princpal Tim Rodgers threatened to have him thrown out of school for not following the policy…
cut 13 (09) “…..I’m expelled”
Walker High says they are just following the Livingston school system’s dress code policy.

Many people this weekend will enjoy the Gold Brick Egg and Heavenly Hash easter candies. They are made in Ponchatoula and CEO Rob Nelson says they’ve been making them the same for decades….
cut 8 (09) “…can’t change”
Nelson says their chocolate pecan eggs have been gaining in popularity in recent years.

After a slow start, the crawfish supply is ready to match the Easter weekend demand. Freezing temperatures in January temporarily halted production, but LSU Crawfish expert Doctor Greg Lutz says the mudbugs have bounced back….
cut 3 (07) “…started to eat”
Lutz says not only is the crawfish plentiful, the quality is good too.

Louisiana is recovering from one of the worst flu epidemics in recent memory, and while the numbers have come down, Louisianans, specifically those with children, should remain vigilant. State health department immunization director Dr. Frank Welch says a particularly nasty strain of flu is still out there…
Cut 4 (12) “of infection.”
The C-D-C says nearly 58-percent of all confirmed flu cases are caused by B-strain viruses.

A Walker High School student is using social media to get support on his side after the school threatened to expell him because of his long hair….
cut 15 (06) “…every student”
That’s Jeremy McLain, who says he’s nearing his goal of 17-thousand signatures on a petition to overturn the Livingston Parish School Board regulation on hair length. The Walker High Principal says they are just enforcing the district’s dress code policy.

Elmer chocolate in Ponchatoula has once again delivered the very popular Easter egg candies Gold Brick Egg and Heavenly Hash. The family owned chocolate maker completed an expansion in 2016 and CEO Rob Nelson says it’s really help them produce different and new types of chocolate for Valentine’s Day….
cut 9 (11) “…the pieces”
Elmer chocolate employs 270 in Ponchatoula.

A bill to establish one set of rules for ride sharing companies has come up in the legislature. If passed Uber and Lyft will be riding high. Jim Shannon explains.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon”

The House Agriculture committee approved a bill today that would repeal the requirement for florists to have a license. Carencro Representative Julie Emerson sponsors the measure…
cut 11 (06) “…oversight”
The legislation still requires florists to have a permit, but they would no longer have to pass a 40-question test to get a license.

71 people were arrested in Shreveport during a three-day crime fighting operation targeting prostitution and human trafficking. Most of those arrested were men and the oldest person was 68 years-old. Shreveport Police Corporal Angie Whillhite says…
Cut 13 (06) “very successful”
Law enforcment also seized firearms and guns.

The Louisiana SPCA says think twice before giving a live rabbit as a gift for the Easter holiday. After a month or so, shelters usually see an uptick in the number of people turning in bunnies. Louisiana SPCA spokesperson Alicia Haefel Vile says if you find you can’t care for a rabbit, don’t let the animal try to survive in the wild….
cut 8 (10) “….that rabbit”

Louisiana’s minimum wage will not be changing anytime soon. The House Labor committee rejected a measure that would have implemented a 15-dollar an hour minimum wage. On Tuesday, the Senate also killed a bill to raise the minimum wage from the current level of $7.25. Business groups oppose the legislation, because they say it will lead to higher costs for consumers.

Ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft may soon be regulated by the state rather than parishes or cities in Louisiana. A bill to create statewide regulations over Uber drivers has been introduced. Uber spokesperson Nick Juliano says Louisiana has been lagging behind other states when it comes to regulations.
Cut 3 (13) “differ.”
Juliano says by creating statewide rules for ridesharing companies, it will allow all of Louisiana to have access to Uber.

Shreveport police arrest 71 individuals during a three-day sting named “Slick John”. Corporal Angie Willhite says the crime fighting operation was an effort to fight prositution and human trafficiking…
cut 14 (11) “…those places”
Most of those arrested were men and as old as 68-years-old. A juvenile was also arrested.

If you plan on giving a rabbit as a gift during this Easter weekend, make sure it’s not able to reproduce, because rabbits have a quick reproduction cycle…
cut 7 (12) “”…local veterinarian”
That’s Louisiana SPCA spokesperson Alicia Haefele Vile, who says it also takes a lot of time to care for a rabbit, so make sure your family is ready to handle that responsibility.

An 85,000 dollar settlement has been reached in a sexual harassment case against a former aide to Gov. John Bel Edwards. Matt Doyle has more.
voicer 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Former LSU and Rummel standout Craig Steltz has filed a lawsuit against the NFL because of traumatic brain injuries he suffered while playing for the Bears. Steltz played in Chicago from 2008 to 2014 and the suit says he sustained repetitive and traumatic concussive head impacts. The suit says Steltz is seeking unspecified damages.

Legislation that eliminates the need for florists to have an occupational license passed out of the House Ag committee today on an eight to six vote. Committee chairman Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales is afraid if the requirement to license florists is done away with, it will be bad news for consumers….
cut 10 (09) “…back home”
The legislation has the support of Governor Edwards, who believes the license requirement is overly burdensome on businesses.

And a bill has been filed for this legislative session that would put ride-sharing companies under state regulation, instead of the current way, which results in different rules for each local government that allows Uber and Lyft to operate. Uber spokesperson Nick Juliano…
cut 5 (07) “….opt out”
The bill is authored by House Speaker Tayor Barras and is waiting for its first committee hearing.

Governor John Bel Edwards is seeking legislative approval for his plan on how to spend 123 million dollars in surplus money from the last fiscal year. If he has his way, 40 million dollars of the excess would be dumped into transportation projects…
Cut 13 (10) “and safety.”
The spending will need legislative approval.

71 people were arrested in a Shreveport bust targeting prostitution and human trafficking. The sweep took place from March 20th-23rd. Authorities have released the names, with ages ranging from 68 years-old to a juvenile. Shreveport Police Corporal Angie Willhite says the charges involve a wide range of criminal behavior.
Cut 12 (09) “weapons arrest”
Those arrested were from multiple states as far away as Nebraska.

A bill to establish one set of rules for ride sharing companies has come up in the legislature. If passed Uber and Lyft will be riding high. Jim Shannon explains.
Voicer 1 (29 “I’m Jim Shannon”