After a tough loss to South Alabama, LSU welcomes SEC foe Auburn to Alex Box Stadium for the start of a three-game series tonight. The Tigers blew a five to one lead on Tuesday and lost to the Jaguars seven to six. Coach Paul Mainieri says they can’t dwell on that loss…:
Cut 16 (19) “I think”
This is the final home weekend series for the Tigers, but LSU’s 32-17 overall record has them in position to host at least a regional.

UL-Lafayette defeated visiting McNeese State 4-1 last night. The Cajuns saw a strong performance by sophomore right-hander Nick Lee who limited the Cowboys to one run scattering six hits over seven innings with four walks and six strikeouts.

Nicholls State topped Jackson State 4-2 last night in Thibodaux. Colonels Cayden Hatcher tossed 5.1 innings and allowed just two runs on four hits.

Also last night, Grambling fell to Alabama 12-2.

The LSU softball team landed a hard fought 6-5 win over Missouri in their opening game at the SEC Tournament in Knoxville last night.

Louisiana Tech softball hammered Charlotte 11-1 in the first game of the C-USA Tourney.

The LSU football team’s Academic Progress Rate improved 18 points to 959, meeting the national average, according to NCAA documents released Wednesday. Elsewhere, 17 teams are ineligible to participate in NCAA tournaments next year including Southern University who will be banished in baseball, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s track and field. Grambling received postseason bans in men’s basketball, men’s cross country and men’s track and field.

The Independence Bowl has announced that it’s bowl game will be played on Wednesday, December 27th in Shreveport. The New Orleans Bowl will kickoff in the Superdome on December 16th at noon.

Louisiana moves up three spots to number 47 on United Health Foundation’s report on the healthiest states for seniors. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The second Confederate era monument has been taken down in New Orleans. Around 3am this morning, a crane moved down Canal St. and removed from its base the Jefferson Davis statue. The process was completed around 5am when New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu tweeted pictures of the operation saying, “This historic moment is an opportunity to join together as one city and redefine our future.” There are two more statues slated for removal.

A report from Wakefield Research finds more couples than ever are fighting over politics since President Donald Trump took office. Clinical Psychologist with LSU Health Sciences Center Dr. Michelle Moore…:
Cut 4 (09) “about things”
The data found 24-percent of Americans in a relationship say they’ve argued more about politics than any other time they’ve been together.

A measure that would require the ID of a parent before a minor gets an abortion received approval from a Senate Committee. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell says there is an abuse with the law already in place..:
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Planned Parenthood opposes SB 111.

TOPS students in the Class of 2021 would need at least a 2.75 GPA, under a proposal heading to the House floor. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A measure approved by the full House would make it easier for Louisiana voters to recall elected officials. The proposal by Covington Representative Paul Hollis would lower the required number of signatures for a recall petition. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Louisiana Economic Development receives a $7 million donation from Cleco for job-creating projects. Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says Cleco executives presented Governor John Bel Edwards with the check for a fund that will be administered by LED.

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The fund seeks to grow economic development in Cleco’s 23 parish service area.

A 12-year-old boy is dead after he accidentally fatally shot himself in the head. Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot says they believe the boy was trying to intimidate his little brother with the gun.

Cut 4 (10) “intentional thing”
Fontenot says no charges will be filed.

TOPS students in the Class of 2021 would need at least a 2.75 GPA, under a proposal heading to the House floor. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Confederate era monuments in New Orleans will come down sooner rather than later, according to Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who made the comments after a court tossed out a suit aimed at keeping the statue of PGT Beauregard in place in front of City Park. Monument supporters say the fight to keep the memorials in place isn’t over yet.

A House committee shoots down a proposal to allow people to concealed carry firearms without a permit. Cissy Rowley opposes the bill, as a survivor of the Lafayette movie theater shooting. She says the permitting process is also needed to vet people who should not be concealed carrying a firearm.

Cut 9 (08) “respect that”

The measure failed on an 8 to 5 vote.

A 12-year-old in Eunice has died after accidentally shooting himself in the head. Police Chief Randy Fontenot says the gun was readily accessible in the boy’s home.

Cut 5 (09) “self-defense”

Fontenot says the boy thought the gun was unloaded. He says this was purely an accident, and no charges will be filed.

A proposal to allow Louisiana residents to concealed carry a gun without a permit was shot down by the House Criminal Justice Committee. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A bill that would allow people convicted of drug-related felonies to get food stamps and welfare benefits when they leave prison advanced today. There is currently a one year ban. Lawmakers are trying to lessen Louisiana’s prison rate and help inmates once they are released.

Louisiana Economic Development receives a $7 million donation from Cleco for job-creating projects. Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says Cleco executives presented Governor John Bel Edwards with the check for a fund that will be administered by LED…:
Cut 10 (11) “job creating projects”
The fund seeks to grow economic development in Cleco’s 23 parish service area.

Officials with Jazz Fest announced that this year’s two-weekend event at the New Orleans fairgrounds was attended by about 425,000 fans. Highlights of the seven days of the festival included a triumphant performance by Stevie Wonder the second Saturday.

The 2017 R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will kick off on Saturday, December 16th at noon, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation confirmed today. The game hosts teams from the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The House Criminal Justice Committee shot down a bill that would have allowed Louisiana residents to conceal carry a gun without a permit. Dr. Kenneth Flaming of Louisiana Carry says it can take up to a year before a CCP is approved, and can cost between $300 and $500…:
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Cissy Rowley is a Lafayette theater shooting victim. She says without the permit requirement, gun owners could carry their weapons concealed with little or no training…:
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The bill was shelved on a 9-5 vote. Now being discussed is the measure that would give parole to certain inmates who were sentenced as juveniles to life without parole.

Legislation backed by Governor John Bel Edwards’ that called for shifting the tax burden from individuals to businesses died in the House Ways and Means committee. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says it appears the Republican dominated legislature is not interested in overhauling the state’s tax structure…:
Cut 14 (11) “this minute”

A judge in New Orleans today denied a request that would prevent the city from removing a statue of Confederate Army General P.G.T. Beauregard. Supporters of preserving the monuments claimed that newly uncovered documents showed New Orleans doesn’t own the statue, City Park does. The judge said the monument debate has gone on long enough and the city can take its own statues down.

A bill that would allow Louisiana residents who could legally own firearms to carry them concealed without a permit has been shelved in committee following testimony from one of the Lafayette theater shooting victims. Also opposed to Representative Barry Ivey’s bill were DAs, sheriffs and chiefs of police. It was the third time the Baton Rouge lawmaker tried to bring similar legislation. Ivey argued the Constitution guarantees our right to carry guns, and it doesn’t dictate how.

A 12-year-old is dead after cops say he accidentally shot himself in the head. Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot says the boy was handling a semi-automatic handgun…:
Cut 3 (11) “the chamber”
He says the child later died from his injuries, and this is a tragic accidental incident in which no charges will be filed.

Governor John Bel Edwards today announced that Pineville based CLECO has provided the state $7 million dollars to be administered by local economic development agencies in the utility company’s service territory. The grants are one of several incentives the PSC approved as part of a buyout offer for CLECO. The purchase was completed in April of 2016. The governor says the primary use of the funds will go towards infrastructure improvements to attract new capital investment and job-creating projects.

Louisiana is the worst state to be a police officer according to a study by the personal finance website, WalletHub. Don Molino has more…:
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”.

Taking aim at New Orleans, the bill to ban sanctuary cities fails to get the necessary votes to pass the full House. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges says the measure would withhold funds from cities that don’t allow cops to question the status of individuals who commit crimes…:
Cut 11 (07) “come first”
Hodges says under the measure, questions of immigration status would only be allowed post-arrest. But New Orleans Representative Gary Carter opposes..:
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The House voted 64-32, which was just six votes shy of the required super majority.

Governor John Bel Edwards is making an announcement this morning at Cleco in Pineville. The economic development news is slated to come down after 10am.

The effort to try to have the courts intervene in the city of New Orleans’ plans to take down a monument of a Confederate Army general comes up today, as a hearing in the suit to prevent the removal of the Beauregard statue takes place. Supporters of preserving the monuments claimed that newly uncovered documents show the city is not the rightful owner of the statue, but that it actually belongs to the City Park Improvement Association.

The governor’s agenda item he said would have reduced taxes for 90 percent of Louisiana households failed in the House Ways and Means Committee. Lawmakers don’t seem to want to raise taxes on business in return as a way to help address the state’s budget gap, according to Council for A better Louisiana President Barry Erwin. The session ends June 8th…:
Cut 16 (12) “the end”
The governor began the session pushing several different tax proposals, because one-point-three billion dollars in temporary taxes are set to expire in July of 2018.