At the Capitol today, the House Transportation Committee will consider a bill to ban using a handheld cell phone while driving. Kevin Gallagher reports…:

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Sunset today, promoting the $30-million grant for high-speed internet in Acadiana. Brooke Thorington hare more

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The Southern University Law Center has 50 of its best and brightest in the nation’s capital to witness history. David Grubb has more…

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m David Grubb.” 

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A House committee, will once again this year, consider a bill to enact a complete ban on using a handheld cellphone while behind the wheel. Breaux Bridge Republican Representative Mike Huval is the sponsor, and says it would apply to making HANDHELD calls only…:

Cut 4 (12)  “…the car system.”

Huval’s bill expands on the existing ban on using a handheld cellphone in a school zone to include ANY public highway. Fines would bet set at $100 maximum for a first offense; $300 for a second. Offenders could opt for community service. Further offenses could mean license suspension. Huval says all that can be avoided by just learning to use Bluetooth technology…:

Cut 5 (05) “…a lot easier and safer.”

Huval is bringing the bill again this year after it failed final passage by a very slim margin last year…:

Cut 6 (13)  “…we’ve addressed it.”

Huval’s bill is before the state House Transportation Committee today.

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Vice President Kamala Harris is expected in the Bayou State today to highlight the allocation of federal dollars to expand rural broadband access. Harris will be in Sunset announcing a $30-million grant for high-speed internet in Acadiana. New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says limited access to broadband discourages business investors…

Cut 7 (11) “…a necessity.”

Carter who also served the state legislature worked on legislation to expand broadband access in the state, and now as a Congressman, says he’s very excited about how the infrastructure bill will impact even more individuals.

Cut 8 (12)  “…state of Louisiana.”

Carter will accompany VP Harris on her flight to south Louisiana today. Carter says he’ll use the time to discuss resources to help small businesses and restaurants recover from the pandemic and natural disasters…

Cut 9 (08)  “…previous storms.”

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Fifty students from the Southern University Law Center made the trip to Washington DC to watch the start of Senate Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Jackson would be the first Black woman to join the nation’s highest court, and third-year law-student Quiana-Joy (Key-ana) Ochiagha (Oh-chi-aga) is ready to witness history.

Cut 10 (12) “…Justice Brown Jackson.”

Ochiagha, who will graduate this May, believes a needed perspective has been missing from the justice system for too long, with Black women making up less than two percent of federal judges in U-S history. She sees Jackson’s potential confirmation as a starting point for greater inclusion moving forward.

Cut  11 (12)  “…my new profession.”  

The students made the trip knowing they might not have the opportunity to meet Judge Jackson, but Christopher Jordan is honored to be able to lend his support in any way that he can, even if it is from a distance.

Cut 12 (11) “…enough for me.”

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The new Metamor institute at the LSU Pennington Biomedical which seeks to treat obesity and diabetes is now open. Director of Metamor Dr. Philip Schauer says the institute provides counseling, surgery, and medication to help solve one of the nation’s biggest health crises…

Cut 13 (10) “…that is obesity.”

The institute will also conduct studies and research on the Pennington campus in order to further the understanding of obesity and provide better treatments. 9% of the United States population are considered severely obese and Schauer says that if this were to go untreated it would result in further medical complications…

Cut 14 (11)  “…effective obesity treatment.”

While patients usually get into the center through referrals from physicians they can also get there directly. Schauer says one of the major challenges is insurance coverage…

Cut 15 (12)  “…with the win.”

More information about the types and services can be found at metamorinstitute.org

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The LSU women’s basketball team can earn its first trip to the Sweet 16 with a win tonight versus Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes are 24-and-6 and as Coach Kim Mulkey points out, O-S-U won a share of the Big 10 regular season conference championship….

Cut 16 (16)  “…so quick.”

Jacy Sheldon is Ohio State’s leading scorer. The five-foot-ten junior guard is averaging 20 points a game and had 25 points in Saturday’s win over Missouri State. LSU guard Ryann Payne on defending Sheldon…

Cut 17 (19) “ …three balls too.” 

Mulkey says defending the three is a key for tonight…

Cut 18 (18) “ ..March madness.” 

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The LSU baseball team rallied back from a 6-2 deficit in the 5th inning to beat Texas A-and-M seven to six yesterday to salvage the final game of the first SEC series of the year. After Ma’Khail Hilliard gave up five runs in four innings, the Tigers got great work from their bullpen and Dylan Crews drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning. Coach Jay Johnson on his first SEC win…

Cut 19 (19)_“…better today” 

LSU dropped the first two games of the series. They lost the SEC opener six to four and were defeated 11 to 7 on Saturday in a game which the Tigers struck out 15 times. LSU also committed two errors in each of the three games. But Johnson liked how his team battled back Sunday…

Cut 20 (17) “ ..that stuff.” 

A proposal to use tolls to fund the construction of a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles receives strong opposition from Louisiana truckers.  Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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As the Fed raises interest rates a quarter point, what effect will that have on Louisiana home buyers? Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 2 (34)…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”  

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Governor John Bel Edwards’s proposal to allocate 500-million dollars towards building a new I-10 Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge is facing some pushback from legislative leaders. Senate President Page Cortez says that’s a lot of money to set aside when environmental impact studies have not been done or a corridor for a new bridge has yet to be selected

Cut 3 (08) “…it gets spent.”

During his State of the State address, Edwards says now is the time to make a major investment towards a significant traffic problem for the Baton Rouge area.

Speaker Pro Tem and Houma Representative Tanner Magee says he supports funding for a new Mississippi River Bridge, but he would like to see attached to a plan to secure the rest of the funding so that the project is more shove ready…

Cut 4 (12) “…the sidelines”

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Sam Jenkins of Shreveport is also hesitant about setting 500-million dollars aside for a new Mississippi River Bridge. He’s also concerned about using 550-million dollars in federal pandemic aid to help replenish the Unemployment insurance trust fund…

Cut 5 (06) “..different direction.”

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The state’s trucking industry says they’re not happy with proposals of tolls to build a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles.  Louisiana Motor Transport Association executive director Renee Amar says while members agree the Calcasieu bridge is in dire need of replacement not a single one is in favor of tolls to fund the project.

 Cut 6  (12) “…deliver goods” 

Amar says not only does a toll bridge place a burden on truckers, but the ultimate cost is passed on to taxpayers. She says studies show if you take for example a $100-million dollar project it will end up costing $120-million because of a public-private partnership.

Cut 7 (07) “…break even” 

Amar believes the administration needs to put the Calcasieu Bridge on the front burner and rethink how they will spend federal infrastructure monies. She says doing so can also help relieve supply chain issues.

Cut 8 (09) “…goods to us.” 

The most recent estimate for the project is $600 to $800 million.

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Positioning the state’s flagship university as a leader in cybersecurity is one of LSU President William Tate’s top priorities, and now the university has a strategy in place to make that happen. Provost Matt Lee said that step one is increasing faculty and expanding research in LSU’s highly-respected engineering college.

Cut 9 (12) “…at a university.”

Cross-training of students from different disciplines is a critical component of the expansion. Lee says LSU will strengthen its ROTC program with facility and training upgrades and add new skill development tracks for civilian students as well.

Cut 10 (12)  “…development training.”

This is uncharted territory for LSU, as there isn’t another program like this in the country. Lee says the university is ready for the challenge and believes business and industry leaders will flock to graduates of this unique combination of cyber security and defense studies.

Cut 11 (09)  “…academic endeavors.”  

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In an effort to stave off record-high inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised the prime short-term lending rate by ¼ of a percent; meaning higher loan rates for businesses and consumers. Louisiana Realtors Association CEO Norman Morris says standard mortgage rates are now at over 4-percent; their highest since April of 2019…:

Cut 12 (08) “…the week before.” 

Morris says, yes, the rate increase will mean buying a home may be a bit harder – especially for first-time buyers – but the real estate industry remains positive for the economy to stabilize…:

Cut 13 (11) “…to fight this inflation.”

Despite the interest rate hike, Morris says real estate is a sellers’ market right now, and prospective buyers will still be motivated to make that big purchase….:

Cut 14 (11)  “…great time to buy.”  

Morris says – even at over 4-percent – mortgage rates are still pretty low, when compared to the double-digit rates of the 1980’s and early 90’s.

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