LRN AM Newscall March 20th

Opening arguments are scheduled to begin today in the murder trial of a law enforcement officer accused of fatally shooting a six-year-old boy. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The state is taking new bids from companies that want to oversee the homeowner assistance program for flood victims. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Governor Edwards hopes to revamp the Louisiana tax system in the upcoming legislative session. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana expands their KIDLINE services to 24 hours a day. The hotline services parents, victims of child abuse, and others who need a listening ear. PCA Louisiana Executive Director Amanda Brunson says a grant from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement provided dollars to have counselors available around the clock.

Cut 4  (09) “chat online”

Brunson says the hotline offers confidential emotional support, information on child development, and positive discipline tips.

Cut 5  (09)  “and resources”

Brunson says the KIDLINE also connects families to local counselors and community services. She says that includes help meeting basic needs with resources like food banks and local shelters.

Cut 6 (07) “appropriately”

The 24 hour hotline is 1-800-CHILDREN, and counselors can be reached via text at 225-424-1533. She says counselors are also available for web chat at pcal.org/kidline. Calls to report child abuse should be made to law enforcement.

______________________________________

Opening arguments in the Derrick Stafford trial are set for 9 a.m. in Marksville. The former deputy marshal faces murder and attempted murder charges after he and another officer allegedly shot at a vehicle killing a 6-year-old boy and injuring his father. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the main issue is whether the shooting was justified

Cut 7 (05)  “deadly force”

The shooting happened in November of 2015. Stafford and deputy marshal Norris Greenhouse Junior chased a vehicle driven by Christopher Few. The chase stopped at the end of a dead-end street and Few and his six-year-old autistic child were shot. The boy was fatally struck. It took five days for 12 jurors and two alternates to be selected and Ciolino says it will be an emotional trial…

Cut 8 (09) “circumstances”

The defense is expected to argue there was another shooter involved, possibly with testimony from experts and video simulation. Legal analyst Bryan Jeansonne says how it’s presented will make a difference.

Cut 9 (08)  “lose interest”

_________________________________________________________

The Office of Community Development is seeking new offers from companies that want to oversee the homeowner assistance program for flood victims. The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says there won’t be any delay in getting assistance to those who need it. She says they’re reopening the bidding process because they weren’t pleased with the initial offers.

Cut 10 (09) “best cost”

Payer says they will expedite this second round of bidding, and she’s confident a contractor will be in place in a month. As of right now, the federal government has yet to give the state access to the federal dollars made available for homeowners, so the only delay is in Washington.

Cut 11 (10) “opened up yet”

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says it’s disappointing the state is reopening the bidding process to find a new administer for the program. He says it’s just another delay and it’s frustrating because Congress approved one-point-six billion dollars last year…

Cut 12 (09) “out the door”

A program manager is needed to dole out money to homeowners and arrange state contractors to repair homes. Even though Louisiana has a Democratic governor, the Republic Congressman says this isn’t about politics, it’s about helping those that were affected by the flood.

Cut 13 (09) “people are in”

_________________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards is seeking to give the Louisiana tax system a facelift during the upcoming legislative session. Port Allen Senator Rick Ward supports the effort to repeal many business tax exemptions, so that large companies are paying taxes to the state, instead of getting a big refund.

Cut 14 (10) “pay something”

Ward says the plan to eliminate more corporate tax breaks is a much more fair approach.

Cut 15 (04) “right now” 

But Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh is skeptical of Governor Edwards attempt at tax reform. He’s concerned that with the state searching for more dollars, higher taxes will be proposed when legislators meet in April.

Cut 16 (09) “gas tax”

Seabaugh also says if the state cuts exemptions and credits that businesses currently benefit from, then that will hurt economic development efforts…

Cut 17 (08)  “for everybody”

10:30 LRN Newscast March 18th

Governor John Bel Edwards hopes to revamp the Louisiana tax system in the upcoming legislative session. Emelie Gunn has more…
Cut 3 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

An effort to recall Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni has unsuccessfully ended. Attorney Robert Evans the Third had six-months to get 90-thousand signatures to force a recall and three weeks before the deadline he only had 55-thousand signatures. Evans sought a recall after Yenni reportedly sent sexually explicit texts to a 17-year-old boy.

As federal lawmakers devise a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, US Senator John Kennedy says he will vote for any plan that’s better than Obamacare. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

What a night at Alex Box Stadium for Lafayette native Antoine Duplantis. The sophomore left fielder drove in seven runs on a single-game school record six hits as the 6th ranked LSU Tigers belted Georgia 22-9. Duplantis was 6-for-6 on the night. LSU and Georgia meet again tonight at 6:30.

09:30 LRN Newscast March 18th

20-year-old Armande Stephen Tart faces four counts of first degree murder. Jefferson Parish investigators believe he’s the man who killed four people at a Metairie apartment complex earlier this week. Three of the victims were fatally shot and the fourth victim was reportedly stabbed over 40 times. Sheriff Newell Normand calls Tart a cold-blooded killer, who murdered these people over drugs.

There are 12 confirmed cases of the mumps and it will likely keep rising, according to Dr. Frank Welch with the state Department of Health. He says the viral infection has a long incubation period which is why it’s important to know how to prevent the spread of mumps this St. Patrick’s Day weekend…:
cUT 5 (11) “through saliva”
He says know the symptoms, such as headache, fever, fatigue, and jaw swelling just below your ear.

The St. Landry Sheriff’s office announces three teenagers have been arrested for the hanging of a noose on the campus of Westminster Christian Academy. Major Eddie Thibodaux says one of the juveniles involved performed well in school, but made a very bad decision…
cut 14 (10) “….his life”
The school says all three students are no longer enrolled at Westminster.

A Washington Parish man is behind bars after police say he shot and killed five abandoned puppies in February. Chief Deputy Mike Haley with the Sheriff’s Office says a concerned citizen contacted the Humane Society after seeing the abandoned puppies on the side of the road:
Cut 9 (10) “they were dead”
25-year-old Shawn Glen Jones of Angie faces animal cruelty charges.

08:30 LRN Newscast March 18th

LSU police arrest a 20-year-old man in the reported kidnapping and sexual assault of an LSU student on campus. Frank Herrera was booked on numerous charges after detectives say they found his DNA in the victim’s vehicle. Authorities say Herrera kidnapped his victim, as she was walking into a sorority house and forced her to perform oral sex at another location. The victim was able to call for help after Herrera dropped her off at a convenience store to buy condoms.

The major criticism with the House Republicans plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system is that fewer people will be insured as they are now under the Affordable Care Act. But Senator John Kennedy says that’s because the GOP’s plan repeals the individual and employer mandates. He says residents will decide whether they want insurance or not…
cut 8 (08) “….American way”

Three arrests have been made after a noose was hung at the baseball field of Westminster Christian Academy following an argument between three black boys and three white boys. Maj. Eddie Thibodaux with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office says even though it was meant as a joke, a noose is humiliating and hateful.
Cut 13 (06) “lives”
Two juveniles and one 18-year-old are charged with public display of a noose with intent to intimidate.

The State Department of Health predicts the mumps outbreak in Louisiana will get worse. Medical director of the state Immunization Program Dr. Frank Welch says the viral infection has a long incubation period so it could be a few weeks before cases are reported. He says it’s a good idea to know the symptoms…:
cut 4 (08) “both sides”
So far, LDH has confirmed 12 cases.

07:30 LRN Sportscast March 18th

What a night for Lafayette native Antoine Duplantis. The sophomore left fielder drove in seven runs on a single-game school record six hits as the 6th ranked LSU Tigers belted Georgia 22-9. Duplantis was 6-for-6 on the night. Senior shortstop Kramer Robertson was 5-for-5, including a school record-tying three doubles. It was not a good game for starting pitcher Alex Lange, who gave up eight runs in 4.1 innings. Austin Bain earned the win in relief.

Junior left-hander Gunner Leger was good again for the Ragin Cajuns last night as he allowed just two hits in seven innings as UL Lafayette blanked Appalachian State 3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference opener. Leger also had 10 strikeouts.

ULM and Arkansas State were rained out last night and they’ll play a doubleheader at two PM. Louisiana Tech started Conference USA play with a 5-2 loss to Southern Miss.

McNeese improved to 4-0 in league play with a 4-1 win over Stephen F Austin. Matt Gallier homered and Shane Selman drove in two runs as the Cowboys have won 11 straight home games.

Southeastern Louisiana won its 9th straight game overall as the Lions edged Lamar for six to five win. Jacob Seward’s squeeze bunt in the fifth inning brought home two runs.

Northwestern State gave up five runs in the fourth inning and lost to Oklahoma State six to three in Stillwater.

Cole Stapler tossed a complete game as Nicholls edged Houston Baptist two to one. UNO outscored Abilene Christian eight to six, Tulane crushed Columbia seven to zip. Dallas Baptist blanked Grambling 3-0.

In the WNIT last night, Louisiana Tech blew a 14-point lead and lost to SMU 75-70. LSU faces California in the NCAA Tournament tonight at 8 PM.

In the NBA…DeMarcus Cousins did not play last night because of left knee and rib soreness, but Solomon Hill stepped up and scored a career-high 30 points as the Pelicans knocked down the Rockets 128-112.

16:45 LRN Sportscast March 17th

SEC play begins tonight for the LSU Baseball team as they host the Georgia Bulldogs. The Tigers are still searching for a regular designated hitter. Coach Paul Mainieri says he continues to wait for someone to step up and take that role on a permanent basis…
cut 18 (19) “….step up”
LSU will also be without closer Hunter Newman. He’s out indefinitely with a bad back.

Sun Belt play also begins tonight. The Cajuns host Appalachian State. Gunner Leger starts for UL Lafayette, he nearly threw a no-hitter last time out. ULM is at Arkansas State.

Louisiana Tech hosts Southern Miss to begin Conference USA play.

The big upset in the NCAA tournament took place in the east region as 11th seeded USC knocked off sixth seeded SMU 66-65. The Mustangs missed a shot at the buzzer to advance.

The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters makes their first postseason appearance since 2011 when they visit SMU for a matchup in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Tech has never lost to SMU in women’s basketball.

Grambling pulled off a big upset in the WNIT last night. The Tigers defeated Ole Miss 78-75. Jazmine Torian had 23 points to lead Grambling, who is 19-14 on the year.

The Pelicans are home to take on Houston. The Rockets have won seven of the last eight meetings played between the two teams in the Big Easy.

In the NFL, Saints Head coach Sean Payton says he was impressed with restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler. Butler was at the team’s headquarters yesterday. Still no word on a possible deal with New England to send Butler to the Black and Gold.

16:30 LRN Newscast March 17th

As federal lawmakers devise a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, US Senator John Kennedy says he will vote for any plan that’s better than Obamacare. …
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The state has restarted the process of selecting a contractor who will manage the distribution of one-point-six billion dollars in federal flood relief dollars for homeowners. U.S. Representative Garret Graves says this will lead to further delays, but the governor’s office says they plan to hire a program manager next month.

There are 12 confirmed cases of the mumps and it will likely keep rising, according to Dr. Frank Welch with the state Department of Health. He says the viral infection has a long incubation period which is why it’s important to know how to prevent the spread of mumps this St. Patrick’s Day weekend…:
cUT 5 (11) “through saliva”
He says know the symptoms, such as headache, fever, fatigue, and jaw swelling just below your ear.

A Washington Parish man is behind bars after police say he shot and killed five abandoned puppies in February. Chief Deputy Mike Haley with the Sheriff’s Office says a concerned citizen contacted the Humane Society after seeing the abandoned puppies on the side of the road:
Cut 9 (10) “they were dead”
25-year-old Shawn Glen Jones of Angie faces animal cruelty charges.

15:30 LRN Newscast March 17th

The major criticism with the House Republicans plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system is that fewer people will be insured as they are now under the Affordable Care Act. But Senator John Kennedy says that’s because the GOP’s plan repeals the individual and employer mandates. He says residents will decide whether they want insurance or not…
cut 8 (08) “….American way”

The State Department of Health predicts the mumps outbreak in Louisiana will get worse. Medical director of the state Immunization Program Dr. Frank Welch says the viral infection has a long incubation period so it could be a few weeks before cases are report. He says it’s a good idea to know the symptoms…:
cut 4 (08) “both sides”
So far, LDH has confirmed 12 cases.

A man in Washington Parish is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly shooting and killing 5 puppies. Deputy Mike Haley with the Sheriff’s Office 25-year-old Shawn Glen Jones of Angie initially denied being involved in the February incident, but then the truth came out…:
CUT 10 (09) “at the location”
Jones is booked on five counts of cruelty to animals, and he’s being held in the Washington Parish Jail on a $15,000 bond.

The St. Landry Sheriff’s office announces three teenagers have been arrested for the hanging of a noose on the campus of Westminster Christian Academy. Major Eddie Thibodaux says one of the juveniled involved performed well in school, but made a very bad decision…
cut 14 (10) “….his life”
The school says all three students are no longer enrolled at Westminster.

LRN PM Newscall March 17th

The State Department of Health predicts the mumps outbreak in Louisiana will get worse. Michellle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

As federal lawmakers devise a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, US Senator John Kennedy says he will vote for any plan that’s better than Obamacare. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Health confirms 12 mumps cases, and a state health official predicts this developing outbreak will only get worse before it gets better. Medical director of the state Immunization Program Dr. Frank Welch says mumps has a long incubation period, which means it can be two to three weeks after someone is exposed before they show symptoms.

Cut 3 (09) “lag time”

The first cluster of cases has been identified on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. The university is taking extra precautions to prevent the spread among students and faculty. Welch says you can protect yourself by receiving two doses of the mumps vaccine and know the symptoms of mumps.

cut 4  (08) “both sides”

Welch says if you see anyone exhibiting those symptoms, tell them to self-isolate and avoid other people. He says following these precautions will slow the mumps outbreak. He says with this being St. Patrick’s Day weekend, there’s a concern the disease will spread.

Cut 5  (11)  “through saliva”

_________________________________________________________

US Senator John Kennedy says there are problems with the House Republican’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care law, but he’s confident it will be improved as it moves through the legislative process. Kennedy likes that the House bill is not as generous with tax credits as Obamacare, but it’s not ungenerous either.

Cut 6 (10) “to buy insurance”

Giving states more flexibility with how they operate Medicaid is one of the changes Kennedy would like to see with the GOP health care plan. He also wants to see more healthcare assistance for those that need it.

CUT 7 (08)  “the help”

Opponents of the proposal say more people will become uninsured. But Kennedy says that’s because their plan repeals the individual and employer mandates. He says at least some people will decide not to purchase insurance and give up their coverage.

Cut 8 (08) “the American way”

_________________________________________________________

A Washington Parish man is behind bars after police say he shot and killed five abandoned puppies in February. Chief Deputy Mike Haley with the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office says a concerned citizen contacted the Humane Society after seeing the abandoned puppies on the side of the road.

Cut 9 (10)  “they were dead”

Haley says they launched an investigation, and a tip led them to 25-year-old Shawn Glen Jones of Angie. He says initially, Jones denied knowing anything about the puppies, but as the questioning continued, the truth eventually came out.

Cut 10 (09) “at the location”

Haley says Jones still denied shooting the puppies, until detectives learned he had obtained a .22 caliber rifle just before the shooting. He says the suspect did not have the weapon with him when he dropped off the puppies, but…

cut 11 (08) “the puppies”

Jones is booked on five counts of cruelty to animals, and he’s being held in the Washington Parish Jail on a $15,000 bond.

_________________________________________________________

There have been three arrests made in the case of a noose that was found hanging at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Landry Parish. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Major Eddie Thibodeaux says detectives began investigating the incident on March 7th. He says two juveniles and one 18-year-old, Judah Barber of Opelousas have been charged with…

cut 12 (06) “to intimidate”

The incident began after three black boys and three white boys were arguing on the baseball field. Thibodeaux says even though hanging the noose was meant as a joke, it is humiliating and hateful.

Cut 13 (06) “lives”

Thibodeaux says one of the juveniles involved performed well in school but made a very bad decision when participating in hanging the noose.

cut 14 (10) “his life”

_______________________________________________

10:30 LRN Newscast March 17th

Proposed changes to the state’s criminal justice system have been sent to the governor and now the work begins to get the legislature to support the plan, which supporters say would save the state 151-million dollars over the next 10 years. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger is a member of the task force that came up with the proposals…
cut 4 (10) “…across the board”
Some of the reforms that will be discussed include new sentencing guidelines and expanding probation and parole eligibilty.

Jury selection is complete in the murder trial of Derrick Stafford. Stafford, who was working as a Marksville deputy marshal, is accused of killing a six-year-old boy during a police chase in 2015. The attorneys on both sides selected two alternates today and opening arguments begin Monday.

A Tulane stufy finds cancer patients are more receptive to palliative (pay-lee-ay-tive) care once they know more about it. Researcher Michael Hoerger says there’s a resistance to this kind of care, because some patients confuse it for hospice…
cut 11 (11) “….two months longer”

The Greater Ouachita Water Company is looking for a buyer and Ouachita Parish Police Jury President Scotty Robinson says this is good news for the 25-thousand customers who have been dealing with discolored water and billing errors for year from G-O-W-C. Robinson on why the water has been bad…
cut 8 (12) “….slimy stuff”
Robinson says the police jury will have a say in the buyer.