A report in the New York Times mentions Democratic New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu as a potential candidate for president in 2020. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State leaders at every level seem to have no idea where the Justice Department is with its decision on the Alton Sterling case. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The number of high school students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the highest in the state’s history. Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Student Opportunity Ken Bradford says students are already at a 51-percent completion rate and the deadline to fill out the form is still two months away.

Cut 3 (12) “completion rate”

The national average for FAFSA completion is 55-percent. Bradford attributes this increase to the forms becoming available in October rather than January. He says if every student filled out a FAFSA form millions of dollars would be available for students to go to college.

Cut 4  (10) “pay back”

Bradford says FAFSA covers the cost of attendance, like books and room and board, unlike TOPS, which is strictly tuition. He also says this financial assistance applies to more than just two and four year colleges.

Cut 5  (09)  “truck driving”

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Speculation said the U.S. Department of Justice would issue its decision in the Alton Sterling case, but there’s nothing yet from DOJ. Federal investigators are determining whether civil rights charges should be brought against the Baton Rouge police officers involved in Sterling’s death. Former US Attorney Don Cazayoux imagines this has been an extensive investigation.

Cut 6 (10) “ballistic evidence”

Cazayoux was a guest on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster this morning. New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond has been pressing the Justice Department for a timeline on a Sterling announcement and had this to say during a twitter town hall…

Cut 7 (11)  “time period”

The community has become restless awaiting the decision from the feds, and rumors a verdict could be coming soon have only added to the unrest. Cazayoux says these cases take a long time, so 10 months is not out of the ordinary. He says some even take years.

Cut 8 (08) “easy decisions”

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A New York Times report names New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu as a potential 2020 presidential contender. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says he hasn’t heard the mayor say anything about a potential White House bid. He believes the article reflects the need for a generational change within the Democratic Party.

Cut 9 (13)  “of his generation”

Dubos says it’s still too early to guess who could be on the ballot in 2020. He says Landrieu is someone who could step up and be influential in the party. But he says the Democratic mayor doesn’t have name recognition outside of the Bayou State.

Cut 10 (11) “long shot”

Landrieu is gaining national attention over the removal of four confederate-era monuments in New Orleans. Dubos says there’s speculation the monument controversy is a political move by the mayor to gain recognition around the country.

Cut 11 (09) “Deep South”

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A portion of Governor John Bel Edwards criminal justice reform package received approval from a Senate Committee today. The bills would shorten sentences for non-violent offenders and strengthen their probation and parole requirements. Edwards’ says changes are needed, because too many people are incarcerated and the state is spending too much money.

Cut 12 (09) “not less”

The governor wanted to overhaul sentencing guidelines for felons, but he says that will be discussed in next year’s legislative session. Edwards says the state needs to invest in programs to reduce recidivism. He says 95-percent of inmates in Louisiana will be released from prison, but many go right back in…

Cut 13 (05) “of prison”

Another measure would address habitual offenders and more legislation could be created to reinvest savings into anti-recidivism courses. Edwards’ says Louisiana is spending too much money keeping too many people in prison for too long.

Cut 14 (09) “a result”

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A 16-year-old driver who wasn’t buckled up has died in a crash after she hit livestock that was standing in the middle of the road near the St. Landry/Evangeline Parish line. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer says the female victim is identified as Adrian Johnson of Washington…:

Cut 15 (10) “that crash”

Sandifer says responding troopers reported that Johnson wasn’t wearing a seat belt when she struck the cow and crashed into a culvert. He reminds all drivers that Louisiana law requires everyone in a vehicle to be restrained..:

Cut 16  (08)  “the crash”

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A rape victim finally gets justice 30 years later. Halen Doughty has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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TOPS is fully funded under the budget proposal that’s been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Two people are dead after a private plane went down in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says his deputies received a call yesterday afternoon in reference to a plane that went down in Collinston near the Morehouse Detention Center.

Cut 3 (07) “we arrived”

Tubbs says the identities of the victims have not been released. He says the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into what caused the crash.

Cut 4  (06) “on the scene”

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It’s a sad day in Ouachita Parish, as the community mourns the loss of 26-year-old Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Beard. State Trooper Michael Reichardt says Beard was responding to a burglar alarm early Sunday morning on Highway 34 when he was involved in a crash.

Cut 5  (08)  “this crash”

Reichardt says the roads were wet from rain, and Beard was not wearing his seatbelt. Beard was a deputy at OPSO for over three years and leaves behind a wife and three young children.

Cut 6 (08) “to anybody”

Glenn Springfield with OPSO says it’s been a tough day for everyone at the department.

Cut 7 (10)  “Deputy Beard”

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Rising waters are a concern today in Evangeline Parish, as flooding from that weekend storm system hit  at least two towns hard. Director of the Evangeline Office of Emergency Preparedness, Liz Hill says the city of Mamou sustained extensive damage.

Cut 8 (10) “that were affected”

Hill says the town of Basille on the Acadia Parish line was also affected. She says they’re still waiting on a count, but the flood damage could be as bad or worse as it was in Mamou.

Cut 9 (08)  “right now”

Hill says many residents are just getting power restored in their homes. She says although the water wasn’t as high as it was in the August flood, some people had to be rescued from their flooded homes.

Cut 10 (07) “higher ground”

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An 83-year-old Larose man has been found guilty of sexual battery of a 7-year-old that occurred over 30 years ago. Lafourche Assistant District Attorney Kristine Russell says a victim came forward to report the incidents with Warren Danos that occurred between 1984 and 1986.

Cut 11 (09) “he raped her”

Russell says Danos is set to be sentenced June 20th on a count of sexual battery. He faces a minimum of 25 years behind bars. She says two other victims came forward, but those cases had reached the statute of limitations, because the victims were not raped. She says this is a huge victory for the victim because they didn’t expect a guilty verdict.

Cut 12 (11) “years ago”

Russell says the victim said on the stand that’d she’d been a victim for 30 years, and she wanted her life back. She encourages any victim of sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, no matter how much time has passed.

Cut 13 (08) “have justice now”

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The House Appropriations Committee has voted to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program for the next fiscal year. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil amended the state’s spending plan to take 82-million dollars from the Department of Health’s budget so TOPS students would have their tuition fully paid for.

Cut 14 (11) “percent”

TOPS was only funded at 70 percent under the governor’s budget proposal, leaving lawmakers to find more than $81 million needed to fully fund the program. Foil says he will leave it up to LDH to decide where to allocate those cuts.

Cut 15 (09) “a priority”

The Appropriations committee’s version of the budget funds the Department of Health 235-million dollars below what Governor John Bel Edwards proposed. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger raised concerns in committee about how these cuts would impact LDH. He says the only areas of the health budget that can be cut are optional Medicaid programs, like behavioral health services. He says this cut will greatly impact Louisiana residents.

Cut 16  (12)  “on the streets”

The amendment was approved on a 19-5 vote and the entire budget was approved on a 17-5 vote, along party lines. The full House could take up the spending plan later this week.

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