We could see an above average hurricane season this year, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Halen Doughty has more…
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The family of Alton Sterling is demanding the immediate termination of the cops involved in the man’s death. Michelle Southern reports..:
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A state judge has ruled Ronald Gasser’s arrest in a similar road rage incident can be admitted in his trial in the shooting death of former-NFL player Joe McKnight. Legal analyst Tim Meche says like most states, Louisiana allows prior incidents of a similar nature into evidence if it is relevant. But he says in this case, it’s a stretch for the prosecutor.
The incident occurred 10 years ago at the same intersection in Terrytown where Gasser allegedly gunned down McKnight. Meche says the ruling to allow this as evidence is wide open for reversal on appeal. But he says if the incident is brought up in the courtroom, the defense could even use it to their advantage.
In the decade-old case, Gasser was charged with a misdemeanor and never prosecuted. Meche says the prosecutor should think twice about using the prior incident as evidence. He says it’s possible with Gasser’s testimony, it could backfire.
A trial date has not been set.
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NOAA predicts an above average 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season with the potential for as many as 17 named storms and a half a dozen hurricanes. Acting administrator Ben Friedman says they are anticipating a weak or nonexistent El Nino, which typically leads to an above normal season.
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Friedman says they predict two to four of those hurricanes will become major hurricanes of category 3 strength or higher. Freidman says when an El Nino is nonexistent, conditions are more conducive for tropical development.
Friedman says their predictions cover the entire 6 month season in the Atlantic. He says they do not predict when, where, or how these storms might hit and if they will make landfall. He says we can’t prevent hurricanes, but we can prepare.
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The House rejects a proposal to prohibit children under 12 from handling Uzis and automatic weapons. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton authored the measure after a child in Arizona accidentally killed a gun safety instructor with an Uzi.
Lafayette Representative Stuart Bishop raised concerns about automatic weapons not being defined in the bill. He says the bill would not allow kids to use pellet guns either, which he says many children have to learn about gun safety.
Norton argues the measure is about keeping children safe. But River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot asked why the bill only included automatic weapons. He says any gun can be dangerous in the hands of an unsupervised child.
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The measure failed on a 59-21 vote.
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Legislative leaders and Governor John Bel Edwards agree another special legislative session is likley to address the state’s looming $1.3 billion dollar fiscal cliff. In July 2018, over a billion dollars in temporary sales taxes expire. President of the Council for a Better Louisiana Barry Erwin says the push to address this latest fiscal problem is not there.
Democrats are blocking the financing bill for construction and criminal justice reform measures in an effort to push Republicans to develop a budget balancing plan rather than going to a special session. Erwin says this kind of move is part of the political process.
This legislative session is set to end June 8th. Erwin says waiting to the last minute to come up with solutions always happens during the session but…
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