Republican Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says he plans to amend the religious freedom bill he has filed amid public concerns but gay rights advocacy groups want the legislation pulled altogether.  Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Colorado State University forecast team is predicting a below-average 2015 Atlantic hurricane season. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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Republican Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says he plans to amend the religious freedom bill he has filed amid public concerns but gay rights advocacy groups want the legislation pulled altogether. Johnson told the Jim Engster Show he’ll remove a paragraph in the bill that some believed gave businesses the right to deny benefits to same-sex couples as other married couples based on religious beliefs…

CUT 3 (09)  “has been alleviated”

Gay rights groups feel this bill legalizes discrimination and are banding together in opposition to Johnson’s legislation. Bruce Parker, Executive Director of Louisiana Progress Action, says a campaign is underway to defeat this piece of legislation…

CUT 4 (10)  “be focused on”

Johnson says HB 707 would prevent adverse treatment from the state of any person or entity on the basis of their views on marriage and it applies equally…

CUT 5 (11)  “under the bill”

Parker says there is a lack of clarity about what Johnson’s bill is intended to do and what it does and it is alarming. He hopes people will contact Johnson and ask him to pull the legislation…

CUT 6 (08)  “our energy on”

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Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo is very concerned about how some universities will be able to operate if lawmakers are not able to come up with a funding solution to the state’s one-point-six billion dollar budget deficit. Rallo says higher ed is facing a potential cut of about 600-million dollars in state funds…

CUT 7 (10)  “would not be viable”

LSU president and chancellor F King Alexander says every parish will feel the impact if these deep cuts go through. He says it will force them to eliminate the parish-based Ag Center programs, which concerns Crowley representative Jack Montoucet….

CUT 8 (08)  “rural areas”

Over the next several weeks lawmakers will discuss ways to generate revenue so that the cuts to higher ed are mitigated. Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith questions why the governor is proposing to increase the funding for TOPS scholarships, but dramatically cutting funds for colleges

CUT 9 (12)  “go to”

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The Colorado State University forecast team is predicting a below-average 2015 Atlantic hurricane season. The lead author of the report is Dr. Phil Klotzbach who says a typical hurricane season has 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and two major hurricanes…:

cut 10 (07) “hurricane season”

The CSU team will issue forecast updates on June 1st, July 1st and August 3rd. Klotzbach says the tropical Atlantic has cooled over the past several months and the chance of an El Nino forming is high. He says historical data indicates fewer storms form in these conditions…:

cut 11 (10)  “in the Atlantic”

The team predicts that 2015 tropical cyclone activity will be about 45 percent of the average season. By comparison, 2014’s tropical cyclone acticity was about 75 percent average. He says if the forecast holds true, it would be the third quiet Gulf hurricane season in a row…:

cut 12 (04)  “this year”

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The 32-year-old Destrehan teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student has reached a plea deal with the St. Charles Parish District Attorney’s office. Under the terms of the deal, Shelley Dufrense avoids jail time, but she’ll have to complete 90 days of treatment at a mental health facility. Legal analyst Tim Meche says most people will think Dufrense got a good deal…

cut 13 (10)  “resolution”

Dufrense will also have to forfeit her teaching certificate and while on three years of active probation, she’s not allowed to have contact with the victim or his family. Meche says based on the conditions of the deal, she avoids having to register as a sex offender for now…

cut 14 (08) “sporting activities”

Meche says if it was a male teacher involved with a female student, the punishment would likely be more severe..

cut 15 (07) “ever change”

Dufrense also faces charges out of Jefferson Parish, along with another former teacher, where an alleged threesome took place with the same 16-year-old student.

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State Police are investigating a crash in Iberia Parish that killed a Jeanerette Police officer last night. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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An Orleans Parish grand jury has indicted millionaire murder suspect Robert Durst on gun charges in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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State Police are investigating a crash in Iberia Parish that killed a Jeanerette Police officer last night. Master Trooper Brooks David says 22-year-old officer Juandre Gilliam radioed that he was pursuing a vehicle in an attempt to make a traffic stop…

CUT 3 (08)  “his vehicle”

David says Gilliam’s vehicle ran off the road, struck a culvert, and overturned. It is unknown if the chase was high speed or at the speed limit. Detectives are currently working to make that determination. He says responding personnel found Gilliam in his overturned police unit…

CUT 4 (08)  “pronounced dead”

Gilliam was transported to a local hospital where he later died of injuries sustained in the crash. David says authorities found the two suspects in the car Gilliam was chasing, 21-year old Antre Joseph of New Iberia and an unnamed 16-year-old juvenile… (Charges against the two are pending at this time.)

CUT 5 (06)  “sheriff’s office”

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Abita Brewing Company announces their $30 million dollar expansion in Abita Springs is now complete. In a release the company says they produce 160,000 barrels of their popular craft beer annually, and with the expansion they will now be able to brew up to 400,000 barrels. President David Blossman says this will allow them to expand the brand nationally..:

CUT 6 (09)  “capacity constraints”

Blossman says they have also added on to their visitors center and retail space which will allow them to have more tours more often. He says over the past several years they’ve had capacity restraints during their peak times…:

CUT 7 (06)  “and marketing”

Blossman says they are also becoming a Founding Brewery Partner of Enjoy Beer Inc which is an enterprise created to provide resources to top independent craft brewers on a national scale…:

CUT 8 (06)  “in more places”

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An Orleans Parish grand jury has indicted millionaire murder suspect Robert Durst on gun charges in Louisiana. Durst’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin, has been attempting to get Durst extradited to California to face murder charges there. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this indictment means Durst won’t be going to California any time soon…

CUT 9 (09)  “to get out”

This indictment puts any extradition plans for Durst on hold. Durst is wanted in California for the 2000 shooting death of Susan Berman. Meche says this also cancels a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not there was probable cause in Durst’s arrest last month…

cut 10 (09) “of the case”

Durst is indicted on charges of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance. Meche says Durst is facing some pretty severe consequences…

cut 11 (10)  “means ten years”

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The coming National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in Lake Charles receives a $1 million dollar pledge toward the building and operations. The gift from the Stream family is the largest private donation since fundraising for facility began four years ago. Gray Stream says they are motivated by the fact that the Center promises to save lives…:

cut 12 (08)  “educated by it”

The NHMSC will be open to daily visitors, but it will also offer teaching materials online covering science, technology, engineering, math and social sciences. The donation brings the total amount contributed to $40 million dollars and Stream says they are about $15 million dollars away from what they need to break ground in June 2016…:

cut 13 (09)  “big part of that”

The NHMSC should begin construction in southwest Louisiana next year for Phase One of the project. Stream says the facility will educate people about how to better prepare for, respond to and be resilient to natural disasters…:

cut 14 (09) “weather events”

A recent LSU Public Policy Research Lab poll finds support for legally recognized same-sex marriage in Louisiana lags well behind the national average. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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A lawmaker from Kenner is sponsoring legislation for the upcoming session that would criminalize so-called “revenge porn.” Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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A recent LSU Public Policy Research Lab poll finds support for legally recognized same-sex marriage in Louisiana lags well behind the national average, but the gap between supporters and opponents is shrinking. Director Michael Henderson says national support for same-sex marriage is between 55- and 60-percent…

CUT 3 (09)  “as the nation”

The survey shows only 42-percent of residents support legalizing same-sex marriage. The disparity between supporters and opponents is down to 9-percent, compared to 17-percent two years ago. Henderson says there appears to be a generation gap when it come to the support of legalizing same-sex marriages…

CUT 4 (06)  “strong support”

The poll shows that 62-percent of residents age 65 or older oppose legalizing same-sex marriage, while 59-percent of those age 18 to 29 support the issue. Henderson says change could be on the way as younger generations replace older generations…

CUT 5 (07)  “these trends”

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A lawmaker from Kenner is sponsoring legislation for the upcoming session that would criminalize so-called “revenge porn.” The measure would make it illegal to disclose a sexual image of someone without their consent. Representative Julie Stokes says House Bill 489 would ensure that people who spread private pictures without permission are held accountable…:

CUT 6 (05)  “in Louisiana”

Stokes says this bill protects people who are 17 years of age or older as minors are already covered under a different set of laws when it comes to sexually explicit photos. She says there are many instances in which young adults will send a private photo to another person who they think can be trusted…:(Penalties for this offense include a fine of up to $10,000 and up to two years in jail or both.)

CUT 7 (08)  “or high school”

Governor Bobby Jindal announced this week that he fully supports this legislation saying the number of individuals who have been victimized by this form of abuse is inexcusable and needs to be stopped. Stokes says this crime happens when a person spreading private photos, usually online, intends to harm or harass another. She says they also want to send a message that it’s usually not a good idea to send out naked pictures…:

CUT 8 (05)  “these images”

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Four underage Louisiana college students were issued summonses in Alabama for attempting to haul a trailer full of alcohol to Gulf Shores for spring break. Mobile County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Paul Burch says deputies noticed a trailer traveling on Interstate 10 with an expired tag…

CUT 9 (07)  “amount of alcohol”

Burch says deputies found over 100 18-packs of beer and numerous bottles of hard liquor and wine from the trailer. He says the four students, ages 18 and 19, were taken to a police substation where the alcohol was seized and they were cited…

cut 10 (10) “happens in court”

The four will be charged with minor in possession of alcohol. Burch says no drugs or weapons were found on the students, so authorities allowed them to go on their way. Burch says he isn’t sure if they continued on to Gulf Shores…

cut 11 (09)  “headed back out”

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There was an unexpected turn today in the Darren Sharper case. The former New Orleans Saints star was expected to plead guilty in state court to charges related to drugging and raping women, but the judge delayed the arraignment until the federal case is resolved. Legal analyst Chick Foret says this could be a sign Sharpers “global” plea deal is going to change:

cut 12 (09)  “an alternative”

The deal that was struck would have reportedly sent Sharper to jail for 9 years and that would have covered all the charges in the four states he’s accused. Foret says the Orleans Parish DA, Leon Cannizzaro, is the one holding the cards at this point..:

cut 13 (12)  “this deal is gonna get done”

The new state hearing was set for June 15th. It’s expected Sharper will enter a guilty plea for federal drug charges in district court on May 21st. Foret says when the word was out that Sharper struck a deal to cover the charges in all four states, many called it a “sweet-heart” deal and it’s not likely Cannizzaro liked that…:

cut 14 (08) “in Orleans Parish”