Louisiana will receive 5.8 million dollars from the federal Election Assistance Commission to purchase thousands of new voting machines as part of a proposed 50 to 60 million dollar project to overhaul the state’s aging voting equipment. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says we have a looming crisis with our decade old voting booths.
Cut 10 (12) “precarious position.”
The state will begin accepting bids for new voting machines on May 1st.

There were two officer-involved shootings in Louisiana on Easter Sunday. One in Vernon and another in St. Tamany Parish. In both cases a deputy was shot, but is expected to survive, while a suspect was fatally shot. The incident in St. Tammany involved in a car burglary suspect who led authrorities on a pursuit.

The parents of Maxwell Gruver, who died last year in an alleged hazing incident at LSU, are expected back at the state capitol to show support for a bill that would stiffen criminal penalties for those found guilty of hazing. The “Max Gruver Act” is set to be heard today on the House floor.

A suspect has been arrested and charged with first degree murder in connection to a weekend shooting in Natchitoches. Police spokesperson Kelly Parks says 21-year-old Jaquarious Ardison of Campti shot Jamel Haskett after an argument at a Shop Right at 11PM Saturday night..
cut 8 (06) “….Keyser Avenue”
Haskett died at a local hospital, while Ardison turned himself in on Easter Sunday.

A suspect involved in a domestic disturbance in New Llano (New Lan-no) was shot dead by a Vernon Parish Sheriff’s deputy. Sheriff Sam Craft says 60-year-old Bobby Hinton tried to shoot the unidentified sheriff’s deputy moments after he arrived on the scene…
cut 3 (11) “…left forearm”
Craft says his deputy returned fire striking Hinton, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Baton Rouge Police investigators have decided against charging a man in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old. Sergeant L’Jean Mckneely says the teenager, Ke’irie Grayer, pointed a gun at a 25-year-old and tried to rob him, as he walked out of a conveinence store…
cut 6 (10) “…justifiable shooting”
Mckneely says they are turning over their evidence to the District Attorney’s office, leaving open the posisibility the D-A could purse charges.

A bill that would prevent schools from taking school lunches away from students with unpaid lunch debt will be heard on the House floor this week. Jeff Palermo has more.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A vote will take place on the House floor on the Max Gruver Act this afternoon which would increase criminal penalties for those convicted of hazing. Max Gruver is the LSU student who died in a suspected hazing incident, his father Steve is pushing for passage of this bill….
cut 15 (08) “….real deterent”

The parents of Maxwell Gruver, who died last year in an alleged hazing incident at LSU, are expected back at the state capitol to show support for a bill that would stiffen criminal penalties for those found guilty of hazing. The “Max Gruver Act” is set to be heard today on the House floor. Gruver’s father Steve says this bill will save lives.
Cut 14 (09) “of them”

State Representative Pat Smith’s legislation that would prevent schools from taking lunches away from students with unpaid school debts will be heard on the House floor this week.
cut 7 (08) “…a bill”
Smith says she’s seeking to prevent schools from publicly rejecting lunches for students, and stop them from “shaming” kids whose parents are either negligent or unable to afford the meals.

Work is underway on the elevated portion of Interstate 10 just west of Baton Rouge. Matt Doyle talked to DOTD for more.
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

State Police is seeking the public’s help in searching for a missing child from northeaset Louisiana. 10-year-old Jazzmyne Taylor was last seen yesterday at 3:00 on Second Street in Lake Providence. The five-foot-ten black girl was wearing a striped short-sleeve shirt.

The Natchitoches Police Department is searching for 21-year-old Tyjuan Ardison of Campti in the fatal shooting of Jamel Haskett. Haskett was shot multiple times following an argument on Saturday night in a Shop Rite.

Two fatal police shootings on Easter Sunday. One occurred in Vernon Parish where a sheriff’s deptuy fatally shot 60-year-old Bobby Hinton while responding to a domestic disturbance call. Authorities say as soon as the deputy got out of his patrol vehicle, Hinton started shooting at the officer. The deputy was struck in the forearm, but fired back, killing Hinton.

The other fatal shooting happened in St. Tammany Parish. Officials say a deputy fatally shot a car burglary suspect after a pursuit that ended in the Goodbee area. The deputy was also struck and underwent surgery.

A vote will take place on the House floor on the Max Gruver Act this afternoon which would increase criminal penalties for those convicted of hazing. Max Gruver is the LSU student who died in a suspected hazing incident, his father Steve is pushing for passage of this bill….
cut 15 (08) “….real deterent”

It appears Les Miles coaching career is over as very few schools have shown interest in the Mad Hatter. But a new career for the former LSU coach is developing and that is acting. Patrick Mulhearn, a Senior Director at Louisiana Economic Development, says being a team player will take him far in the business…
cut 12 (06) “…for him”
Miles will appear in a film inspired by the 1986 Challenger explosion called Angry Men and it will be released in June. Miles plays a NASA chief.

Crews have begun rehab work on Interstate 10 in St. Martin and Iberville Parishes. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says years of wear and tear, as well as recent wrecks have damaged crucial pieces of the route…
cut 5 (09) “…some rehab”
The 18-million dollar project will be completed in June 2019 and it may result in lane closures at night.

The “Max Gruver Act” is set to be heard on the House floor today. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The totals are in on how much the special session cost the state. The dollar figure is 643-thousand dollars. Out of that total, legislators were compensated 324-thousand dollars for the 15-day session that failed to produce any legislation to address a looming one billion dollar budget deficit. Another special session is expected in late May or June.

Former LSU football coach Les Miles is dipping his toes into the film industry, looking to take his distinctive character to the silver screen. Patrick Mulhearn a Senior Director at Louisiana Economic Development says the transition from pigskin to productions should be smooth for the Mad Hatter.
Cut 11 (07) “a play”
Miles has been taking acting classes and he’ll appear as a NASA chief in movie called Angry Men, which will be released in June.

Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith is pushing legislation that would prohibit a public school from denying a student a meal at lunch, even if the child’s parents has unpaid debts to the school. Smith says her bill was inspired by hearbreaking stories…
cut 8 (12) “….from them”
The measure is scheduled for a hearing on the House floor later this week.

State lawmakers return to the capitol today and so do the parents of Max Gruver as they will see if the full House approves a bill to increase the criminal penalties for those convicted of hazing. Max’s mom, Rae Anne, says the family is still struggling with the loss of their 18-year-old son who was found dead with a blood alcohol content of .495 in a suspected hazing death on LSU’s campus last September….
cut 16 (09) “…our lives”
The measure would make the crime of hazing a felony.

Later this week on the House floor is a bill that would prevent schools from not providing a student a meal at lunch, even if their parents have unpaid debts to the school. Louisiana Association of Educators President Debbie Meaux says if students are hungry, they can’t learn….
cut 9 (08) “….do something”

State Police has issued a Level Two Endangered—Missing Child Advisory as authorities are looking for a 10-year-old girl from northeast Louisiana. Her name is Jazzmyne Taylor and she was last seen yesterday afternoon on Second Street in Lake Providence wearing a gray and white stripled short-sleeve shirt and light blue jeans. She is black, with long black hair and she wears her hair in chocheted braids.

And Natchitoches Police are searching for 21-year-old Tyjuan Ardison of Campti. He’s wanted in the murder of Jamel Haskett. Authorities say Ardison fatally shot Haskett multiple time after an argument broke out between the two at a Shop Rite on Keyser Avenue.

Work is underway on an 18-million dollar construction project on I-10 in St. Martin and Iberville Parishes as crews will be cleaning, painting and repairing concrete and metal bridge structures. Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says if there are any lane closures, they will happen at night….
cut 6 (09) “…those notices”