A Louisiana congressman stands by statements he made on Facebook saying terrorists should be hunted down. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (26) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A bill on its way to be signed by the governor would prevent a college from asking an applicant about their criminal history. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Congressman Clay Higgins stands by his controversial Facebook post saying all conceivable means must be taken to hunt down radical Islamic terrorists. He says in the post not a single radicalized Islamic suspect should be granted any measure of quarter. The Republican from St. Landry Parish says probable cause could result in search warrants that could lead to an arrest.

Cut 3 (13) “in jail”

The Facebook post goes so far to say “For the sake of all that is good and righteous. Kill them all.” Critics of Higgins’ post say the comments could be used as propaganda for radicals. Higgins says he’s even been asked why he would want to make the terrorists mad. He says they’re already mad.

Cut 4  (12)    make them”

Higgins says the US should air strike known terrorists training camps and detain suspects on terrorist watch lists. He says if he was in charge, he’d pick up all of them. He says we cannot take these threats lightly, and force must be used to protect U.S. citizens.

Cut 5  (13)  “in the head”

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With only two days left in the legislative session, lawmakers need to come to an agreement on a 28-billion dollar spending plan for next fiscal year. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the House does not want to spend all the money that’s been recognized by the Revenue Estimating Conference but the Senate does. He says it’s all about negotiations now.

Cut 6 (09) “side does”

Pinsonat says the biggest issues arise with the House’s budget as it would result in cuts to health care, state prisons and child welfare. He says negotiations are expected to be positive but nothing is predictable during a legislative session.

Cut 7 (10)  “fighting about”

Governor John Bel Edwards has voiced his disapproval of the House’s latest budget plan. But Pinsonat says that likely won’t affect what the House decides to do.

Cut 8 (08) “on spending”

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The Eunice Police Department says they’ve arrested a teenager in a bizarre series of criminal acts including a 7-year-old passerby being shot and injured. Chief Randy Fontenot says the first shooting happened around 8pm Tuesday when 17-year-old Jamie Ned allegedly shot at a car:

Cut 9 (10)  “shot him in the hip”

The child was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The shootings allegedly stem from an on-going dispute between two factions of people in Eunice. Fontenot says about 3 hours after the child was hit, they responded to a report of another shooting…:

Cut 10 (10) “the same shooter”

Ned has been booked with five counts attempted first-degree murder. Fontenot said they discovered that two victims in the second shooting were relatives of the 7-year-old. He believes it appears they tried to take the law into their own hands, and this may not be the end of it:

Cut 11 (10) “going on”

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Colleges would be prohibited from asking students about their criminal history when filling out an application under legislation heading to the governor’s desk. Executive Director of Operation Restoration Syrita Steib-Martin spent nine years in prison on a theft charge. Once released, she applied to the University of New Orleans where she checked the felon box on her application.

Cut 12 (09) “institution”

Martin says a few years later, she applied to UNO again with exact same information and was admitted because she did not check the box on her application. She says education plays a big factor in an individual’s success after being released from prison.

Cut 13 (09) “life over”

Martin worked with state representatives Vincent Pierre and Ted James on the legislation. A study finds that two-thirds of felons stopped filling out their application when asked about their criminal history. Martin says if that box was removed, the recidivism rate drops significantly.

Cut 14 (08) “Bachelor’s”

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A Denham Springs man is behind bars after a missing massage therapist’s body was discovered in a vacant building. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Bills heading to the governor’s desk will implement the criminal justice reform lawmakers promised at the start of the regular session. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Livingston Parish Sheriff deputies arrest a Denham Springs man following the discovery of a missing massage therapist’s body in an abandoned building. Sheriff Jason Ard says 24-year-old Kayla Ann Denham of Baton Rouge never returned from a home visit in Denham Springs, where she was meeting first-time client Christopher Landry for a massage. Ard says detectives searched the residence near where the girl’s vehicle was found.

Cut 3 (11) “on the property”

The 22-year-old Landry is booked at the Livingston Parish Detention Center for obstruction of justice and second degree murder. Ard says the charges could be upgraded as the investigation unfolds. He says the victim did not know the suspect, and this was the first time they had met.

Cut 4  (08) “drug charges”

Ard says they still have a lot of unanswered questions and the investigation is ongoing. He asks the public to keep the family of the victim in their thoughts during this difficult time.

Cut 5  (10)  “to the family”

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Bills seeking to reform the state’s criminal justice system are heading to the governor’s desk. The measures implement sentencing reform for some offenders and offer parole eligibility for more inmates. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala spoke in opposition because he says the state’s high incarceration rate is driven by crime.

Cut 6 (10) “isn’t even close”

But Houma Representative Tanner Magee disagrees. Supporters of the governor’s criminal justice reform package say it will help reduce the state’s inmate population by 10-percent over the next decade. Magee says these bills will do just that.

Cut 7 (10)  “number one”

One measure would provide parole eligibility for about 160 murderers convicted in the 1970s. Magee says the law at the time said these offenders would have parole eligibility after 20 years. He says the legislature later removed that eligibility, and this measure simply rights that wrong.

Cut 8 (10) “40 years” (2x)

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Students with disabilities will now be protected from corporal punishment in public schools after a measure to prohibit the spanking of children with ADHD and other developmental disabilities received final legislative approval. Mom of an autistic child in St. Charles Parish, Allison Badgerow, says teachers physically restraining her son to say the pledge of allegiance significantly set him back.

Cut 9 (09)  “restraining him”

Badgerow says in a school where physical punishments were allowed, her son was showing violent behaviors. But she says her family moved to another town where corporal punishment is not permitted and her son is thriving.

Cut 10 (11) “three weeks”

Michelle Hurst with the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council also voiced her support for the measure. She says often times students with limited social or communication skills possess more intense and challenging behaviors.

Cut 11 (09) “strategies”

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A bill to allow public school students to bring sunscreen to school and apply it themselves without a doctor’s note heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Sarah Gray of Baton Rouge who heads a skin cancer awareness foundation advocated for the passage of this bill because it protects our kids.

Cut 12 (07) “as well”

Gray says studies have found the regular use of sunscreen can significantly reduce someone’s risk of skin cancer.

Cut 13 (09) “skin cancer”

Gray says along with hats, sunglasses, and long sleeve shirts, it’s sunscreen that protects us for damaging UV rays.

Cut 14 (08) “apply sunscreen”

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