Deputies in Iberville Parish say they have made the largest gas pump skimmer arrest in the state’s history. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

It’s a beautiful weekend for a crawfish boil and there are plenty out there. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

This Sunday high school seniors have the opportunity to receive free professional assistance in filling out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It’s called College Goal Sunday. Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Spokesperson Gus Wales says any soon to be high school graduate can get help at 15 locations around the state.

Cut 3 (08) “FAFSA”

Doors open at 1:30 and the program runs until 4:00 p.m. and students are encouraged to pre-register at www.osfa.la.gov to ensure there are enough professionals to assist. The 15 sites are located in every region of the state at select community colleges, technical schools and universities. Wales says this allows for a painless application process.

cut 4  (08) “free event”

Wales says this event is specifically for high schools seniors but juniors are welcome to attend to get general information about the process. He says a brief informational session takes place before the program begins.

Cut 5  (11)  “the FAFSA”

_________________________________________________________

A Phillips 66 employee remains unaccounted for after a pipeline explosion that took place in St. Charles Parish on Thursday night. The company says six people were working at the site in Paradis when the blast occurred. Todd Denton with Phillips 66 expressed his sorrow for those involved at a press conference Friday morning

Cut 6 (12) “those impacted”

The missing person has not been identified. Denton says regular maintenance was taking place at the time of the explosion. Phillips says three workers were treated at the scene and one other worker is listed in fair condition at Baton Rouge General….

CUT 7 (06)  “second remains hospitalized”

Phillips says the pipeline is blocked and so is the valve and the remaining product will continue to burn off. There is a very large flame coming out of the damaged pipeline and it could take days before it’s extinguished. State Police Trooper Melissa Matey says the evacuation has been lifted, but there are still some closures on Highway 631

Cut 8 (09) “out there”

_________________________________________________________

Iberville Parish authorities say they have made the biggest gas skimmer arrest in the state’s history. Sheriff Brett Stassi says deputies arrested Serafin and his son, Juan Fuentes, of Miami, Florida, during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 where they discovered illegal equipment in the vehicle.

Cut 9 (09)  “gas machine”

Stassi says there is the potential that 2 million dollars was illegally collected on the Fuentes’ skimmers. He says they are issuing search warrants to find out how many credit card numbers were stored on the devices but detectives believe this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Cut 10 (08) “criminal families”

Stassi advises drivers to use credit cards when pumping gas or run their debit card as credit because skimmers can pick up pin numbers. He also says to alert an attendant if things don’t seem right at the pump.

cut 11 (10) “correctly”

_________________________________________________________

It’s a beautiful weekend to have a crawfish boil and the good news for restaurants, farmers and consumers is that the supply of mudbugs continues to be great for this time of year. LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist Mark Shirley says the catch is only going to get better..:

cut 12 (08) “about everyday”

Shirley says you’re starting to see the prices come down big time from the January high…:

Cut 13 (10) “any longer“

Shirley says while the mild winter has kept the crawfish a bit larger than usual for this point in the season, they’re still in the small-medium range right now…:

cut 14 (10) “nice size crawfish”

______________________________________________________________

LSU basketball will look to avoid its 11th straight defeat on Saturday when they host Arkansas at the Maravich Center. Coach Johnny Jones team is 9-14 overall, 1-and-10 in the SEC. During an appearance on the Jim Engster Show, LSU President F King Alexander was asked about whether a coaching change is needed

Cut 15 (10) “the year”

During the 10-game losing streak, all but two of the defeats have been double digits. Alexander admits it’s been a tough season for the Tigers, but any decisions on Jones’ future will be made later this year

Cut 16  (05)  “season left”

A recent survey by insurance Quotes finds 39-percent of motorists have never looked around for a cheaper policy. Don Molino has more…

Cut 1 (26) “I’m Don Molino” 

______________________________________

Valentine’s Day sales are expected to be about 18.2 billion dollars this year, compared to 19.7 billion dollars last year. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

A UNO survey finds most Louisiana residents blame former Governor Bobby Jindal for the state’s current budget problems. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

A survey by insuranceQuotes finds 39-percent of drivers in the U.S. have never shopped around to find cheaper auto insurance. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says looking for the best policies and rates is a great idea given that auto insurance prices are on the rise….

Cut 4  (10) “cell phones”

Donelon says an easy way for drivers to save money on auto insurance is to increase your deductible or lower your coverage limits. He says this is considered self-insuring and taking as much risk as a motorist can reasonably afford.

Cut 5  (11)  “calamity”

The survey also finds over half of drivers haven’t switched auto insurance companies in at least eight years and 6-percent of motorists have stuck with the same provider for over 30 years. Donelon says there is a comparison rate guide on the department of insurance’s website to view different policies.

Cut 6 (10) “.gov”

______________________________________

The National Retail Federation finds this Valentine’s Day consumers are expected to spend 18.2 billion dollars. That’s down from 19.7 billion dollars last year. LSU Marketing Professor Dan Rice says we might be seeing a shift in how people celebrate this romantic holiday as couples are doing more things for each other around the year.

Cut 7 (07)  “Valentine’s Day”‘

The report also finds the number of people who celebrate the holiday has dropped by nearly 10-percent from 2007 to 54-percent this year. But Rice says this is still a big holiday for retailers.

Cut 8 (10) “for them”

Consumers are expected to spend about 85 dollars on their significant other or spouse. Rice says many couples are moving away from the chocolates and jewelry and giving their partner experimental gifts.

Cut 9 (10)  “the rush”

________________________________________

U.S. Representative Clay Higgins urges new Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to use social media as a way to vet immigrants. Higgins made the comments during a Homeland Security Committee meeting. The Republican from St. Landry Parish says the Obama administration failed to use this publicly available data…

Cut 10 (09) “social media”

Higgins believes a good way to prevent a terrorist from entering the U.S. is to review the social media use of immigrants who apply for a visa…

Cut 11 (10) “domestic terrorists”

Higgins says he is encouraged with the direction of the Homeland Security Department after hearing Secretary John Kelly speak. He says a visa applicant should also be required to provide their social media accounts and passwords

Cut 12 (04) “their intent”

_______________________________________

A UNO statewide poll finds six-out-of-10 Louisiana residents blame former Governor Bobby Jindal for the state’s budget problems. The Louisiana legislature is set to begin a third special session to correct a budget deficit since Jindal left office. UNO political scientist Ed Chervenak says the state’s fiscal troubles started early in Jindal’s term

Cut 13 (08) “institutional”

Chervenak says even though legislators are set to enter another special session where budget cuts will be required, Governor John Bel Edwards continues to have a strong approval rating of 49-percent…

Cut 14 (09) “the situation”

The telephone survey interviewed about nine-hundred Louisiana residents earlier this week. Chervenak says two-thirds of respondents say there is a need for a special legislative session…

Cut 15 (10) “wants to do”

___________________________________________

The Saints will stay in Louisiana for training camp this season. The NFL team will train at their facilities in Metairie after holding camp in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia the last three seasons. Saints analyst Mike Detillier says it’s good news for the fans

Cut 16 (15) “for that”

Coach Sean Payton was very complimentary of the setup at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virgina. But the team let the contract expire after three years and three straight non-playoff seasons. Detillier says practicing at the resort was not the reason for the losing seasons

Cut 17 (17)      ” talent “

Detillier says the team’s indoor facility is a reason why the Saints might have elected to stay home for training camp

Cut 18 (18) “in Metairie”

Marvel has selected Louisiana as their filming location for a new TV series to air on the Freeform network. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Flu season in Louisiana is in full swing. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Filming is underway in Louisiana for a new TV series from Marvel. Louisiana Entertainment Executive Director Chris Stelly says they’re very excited to have the Marvel brand in Louisiana. He says the new show is a spinoff from a Marvel classic, The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Cut 3 (11) “their own thing”

Stelly says crews began filming the pilot episode this week, and they’ll continue production for a 10 episode run. He says they’ll be filming in New Orleans and likely in other areas of the state as well. He hopes this encourages more production crews to choose the Bayou State as their filming destination.

cut 4  (07) “to have it”

Stelly says television production tends to be in the state longer than a feature film. He adds that they employ Louisiana residents for a longer period of time, usually 8 to 10 months out of the year. He says there’s also the potential to pick up year after year.

Cut 5  (07)  “the state”

Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger will air on Freeform after production is completed.

_________________________________________________________

The flu season in Louisiana is ramping up and as the Bayou State has surpassed other states with the number of influenza cases. The state’s flu bug expert, Dr. Frank Welch, says five out of 100 visits to the doctor are for flu like symptoms. He says there is a very nasty stain of flu going around this year.

Cut 6 (11) “flu season”

An elementary and middle school in the Shreveport area are closed for the next two days because of the number of kids absent due to the flu. Welch says swine flu along with Influenza B are other popular strains but are not as dominate as H3N2. And he says the flu can lead to other serious illnesses.

CUT 7 (10)  “pneumonia”

Welch says this bad flu season will likely last from six to eight weeks. But he says it’s still not too late to protect yourself…

Cut 8 (10) “fired up”

_________________________________________________________

As many residents are picking up the pieces after tornados ravaged south Louisiana, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon advises tornado victims not to hesitate to file a claim.  He says some policyholders do hesitate for fear that their premiums would go up or they would be non-renewed by their insurer.

Cut 9 (09)  “that category”

Donelon says residents should not begin permanent repairs until an inspector has come to assess the damage. But he says temporary repairs should be made because policy holders have a legal obligation to minimize their damage.

Cut 10 (11) “further damage”

Donelon encourages policyholders to document their loss with pictures of the damage. He says while it’s important for consumers to know what their coverage is, there won’t be any flood versus wind controversy with this event.

cut 11 (08) “homeowners policy”

_________________________________________________________

A contractor in Ascension Parish has been arrested amid allegations he defrauded more than dozen homeowners who flooded in August. That’s according to Sheriff Jeff Wiley who says the suspect, 39-year-old Matthew Morris, is the owner of Complete Construction Contractors. He says they would complicate agreements to rack up thousands in claims:

cut 12 (08) “price gouging”

Wiley says Morris faces a number of charges including residential contractor fraud, 11 counts of engaging in the business of contracting without authority and 6 counts of theft of aged persons. He says some of these victims were elderly and it’s disgusting that someone would take advantage of people who are stressed and had just lost everything…:

Cut 13 (08) “of greed“

Wiley suspects there are more victims in other parishes where homeowners may only think they have a civil complaint, but this is a criminal matter. He says any other contractors who are doing the same thing need to take heed…:

cut 14 (07) “to operate”

______________________________________________________________

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s office has released the names of the three victims killed in Wednesday’s explosion at a packaging plant near DeRidder. 32-year-old William Rolls,  40-year-old Sedrick Stallworth and 40-year-old Jody Goch were working at the plant when two tanks exploded. State Police Sergeant James Anderson says they do have a preliminary cause…

Cut 15 (10) “ensued”

Seven other workers were injured by the blast, but Anderson says only one of them remains hospitalized. He says welding activity was taking place near the tank that exploded and they have an idea what was inside the tank…

Cut 16  (09)  “this time”

Today the governor is expected to announce his tax reform proposals that legislators will consider during the regular session in April. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Tuesday’s tornado that struck New Orleans east was unfortunately one for the record books. Jeff Palermo explains…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

A state judge in Baton Rouge has been banned from a popular local restaurant chain after he allegedly used racial slurs towards a black woman. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agent Tyler Wheeler, who was shot five times during a traffic stop last month, will return home to Monroe this weekend. Wheeler has been in rehab in Mississippi where he is now walking half a mile each day on a treadmill. LDWF Col. Joey Broussard says it’s a miracle Wheeler is doing so well.

Cut 4  (08) “thankful of”

Amethyst Baird and Jeremy Gullette have both been arrested in connection to Wheeler’s shooting. Broussard says Wheeler is already able to walk up a short flight of steps.

Cut 5  (09)  “to us”

Broussard says upon his return, Wheeler will continue outpatient rehab at Shreveport’s University Health Center. He says there has been an outpouring of support from all across the country.

Cut 6 (09) “help out”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to unveil his tax reform plan today when he meets with the Committee of 100 in Washington, D.C. President of the Council for a Better Louisiana, Barry Erwin, says comprehensive tax reform is needed because many of the taxes raised in la year’s special sessions will expire next year.

Cut 7 (07)  “a decade now”‘

Erwin says currently the state relies too heavily on the sales tax to bring in revenue, which has caused sales tax rates to climb over the years. He says Louisiana has the highest combined state and local sales tax in the country. But sales tax revenues fluctuate with the economy.

Cut 8 (08) “does not work”

While taxes cannot be raised in the special session that begins next week, tax changes could be made during the regular session, which is set to begin in April. Erwin expects the governor will propose lowering the sales tax and raising the income tax, which would provide a more consistent flow of tax revenue.

Cut 9 (10)  “income tax side”

________________________________________

Mardi Gras season is kicking off in Washington D.C. The Mystick Krewe of Louisiana celebrates the carnival season today through Saturday in the nation’s capital. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Saturday’s ball is considered the hottest ticket in town.

Cut 10 (10) “quite unique”

The festivities take place at the Washington Hilton. Pinsonat says while the celebrations are a lot of fun, a lot of meetings take place during the day. He says corporate leaders from around the country are invited to attend economic development functions selling Louisiana.

Cut 11 (08) “DC”

Pinsonat says this is a great time for Louisiana lawmakers to have fun, because when they get back to the Bayou State, they head straight into a special legislative session on Monday with a hangover.

Cut 12 (10) “deficit”

_______________________________________

A Baton Rouge judge has been banned from a local restaurant after he allegedly used racial slurs against an African American woman. Kaneitra Johnson posted on Facebook about the incident, saying Judge Mike Erwin called her the n-word while arguing over a bar seat at Sammy’s on Highland Road. Louisiana NAACP President Ernest Johnson says we should expect more from our leaders, and words do matter.

Cut 13 (08) “or white”

Legal analyst Tim Meche says the Louisiana Judiciary Commission will investigate the incident, and if the allegations are proved true, Erwin will be disciplined. Meche says a similar instance occurred when a Houma judge went to a Halloween party in a blackface costume in 2004. He says that judge was suspended for a year.

Cut 14 (12) “being suspended”

Meche says this incident just propels that stereotype that old, white southern judges have racial biases. He says with these allegations brought to light, it is possible future defendants will file motions to have Judge Erwin recused.

Cut 15 (12) “other judges”

Meche says he has never known Erwin to be racist in the courtroom or in the way he spoke to defendants. He says it will take an investigation by the Judiciary Committee to get to the bottom of what happened.

Cut 16 (11) “look at”

No charges have been filed against Erwin, but the owners of Sammy’s say he is no longer welcome in any of their restaurants. Erwin has not issued a response to the incident.

_____________________________________________

LSU’s All-SEC designated hitter Bryce Jordan will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Coach Paul Mainieri says the injury occurred at practice as Jordan was chasing a foul ball down the left field line and felt his knee buckle. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says the injury is a blow to the Tigers

Cut 17 (11)   “line-up”

The former Barbe standout was expected to bat clean-up after hitting .293 last season. Moran says Bryce Jordan would have been the perfect hitter behind LSU’s best power hitter Greg Deichman, who is slated to bat third…

Cut 18 (18) “of stuff”

Mainieri has also announced that junior right-hander Alex Lange will start on opening night against Air Force on February 17th. Moran says it’s not a big surprise, since he’s the ace of the staff…

Cut 19 (10)   “arm strength”

State and local officials attempt to get an estimate on how much damage was created by a series of tornadoes on Tuesday. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says a man who was jailed on a probation violation was beaten to death by at least a dozen inmates. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The cleanup continues today after the Governor’s Office estimates at least 7 tornadoes touched down in southeast Louisiana on Tuesday. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is very lucky that no one was killed.

Cut 3 (08) “were hit”

A total of 39 injuries were reported. Steele says damage assessment is underway in the impacted areas. He says teams are gathering data, so Louisiana can make a case for federal assistance to help those that lost everything and rebuild public infrastructure.

cut 4  (09) “those teams”

New Orleans East was the hardest hit area, but twisters also touched down in Jefferson, Livingston, Ascension, St. James, Tangipahoa, and St. Tammany Parishes. Steele says shelters have been set up in New Orleans and Donaldsonville for those whose homes were destroyed.

Cut 5  (12)  “down there”

________________________________________________________________

Just one day after a tornado ravaged the town of Donaldsonville, Mayor Leroy Sullivan says residents have a lot to be thankful for. He says 15 to 20 homes inside the city limits sustained at least moderate damage, while several more were impacted outside the city, but fortunately no one was seriously injured.

Cut 6 (09) “to me”

Sullivan says cleanup and damage assessment is underway throughout the city. He says they’re hopeful the feds will be able to provide some assistance for those who lost their homes. He says many are still without power as they pick up the pieces. Entergy reports more than 18-hundred Donaldsonville residents do not have electricity yet. Sullivan asks that people stay clear of the area, as crews are working to clear debris out of the roadways.

CUT 7 (11)  “some normalcy”

_________________________________________________________

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore addressed the thought on many people’s mind: when will the results of the federal investigation into the officer-involved shooting of Alton Sterling be made public? Moore says since his office recused itself early on in the case, he can’t be exactly sure but…

Cut 8 (10) “have taken”

Moore says Baton Rouge has proved itself to be a city of non-violent protests and encourages everyone, regardless of the ruling in the case, to protest peacefully when the U.S. Department of Justice announces the results its probe.

Cut 9 (11)  “that purpose”

Moore says protests are also allowed on sidewalks as long as it does not obstruct other pedestrians. He also encourages everyone to work with city officials and law enforcement to ensure all protests in the future are done peacefully and factually.

Cut 10 (10) “for months”

_________________________________________________________

An explosion near DeRidder has killed at least three and injured several others, according to the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Joe Toler says authorities received a call just after 11 a.m. of an explosion at Packaging Corporation of America on U.S. 190. He says the scene has been contained and the fire is out.

cut 11 (10) “they do”

Toler says the facility was previously the Boise paper mill and PCA took over the operations in 2013. He says he is not sure the exact number of people injured in the explosion…

cut 12 (05) “air med”

Toler says authorities are working to determine what caused the explosion. He says this is an all hands on deck situation.

Cut 13 (10) “out there“

________________________________________________________________

State Police are seeking a father and son from Thibodaux in connection with a kidnapping of a Lafayette man. Trooper Jesse Lagrange says four men have already been arrested.

cut 14 (11) “the night”

Lagrange says the four men arrested range in ages 19 to 32 years old and they’ve been charged with aggravated kidnapping. The 19-year-old is from Monroe and the others are from south Louisiana. He says police are still actively seeking 45-year-old Jeffery Slack Sr. and 20-year-old Jeffery Slack Jr.

Cut 15 (08) “these subjects”

________________________________________________________________

A meeting to discuss the proposed Bayou Bridge Pipeline will be held tonight in Assumption Parish. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards heads to Washington D.C. again today to push for more federal flood aid. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The Bayou State has once again been declared a state of emergency after tornadoes ripped through southeast Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

A public meeting will be held tonight in Assumption Parish on the proposed Bayou Bridge Pipeline, which will need a permit from the Department of Natural Resources. The 163-mile oil pipeline would run from Lake Charles through the Atchafalaya Basin to St. James Parish. Anne Rolfes with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade says the Atchafalaya Basin is already suffering from too many pipelines.

cut 4  (08) “of mess”‘

Energy Transfer Partners is one of the companies involved in the pipeline. Rolfes says they’ve had 35 pipeline accidents in two years, and there’s nothing safe about that.

Cut 5  (09)  “east coast”

Supporters of the project say it will create jobs and that moving oil through a pipeline is safer than other transportation means like trains and trucks. Energy Transfer Partners Executive Vice President Joey Mahmoud says if there’s ever been a project that is by Louisiana and for Louisiana, it’s this pipeline.

Cut 6 (13) “be from Louisiana”

Mahmoud adds that pipeline construction is much more environmentally conscious than in previous years, as they take steps to ensure water flow is not interrupted by the pipe. He says Energy Transfer Partners is not as accident prone as the Bucket Brigade makes it seem because the environmental group is mischaracterizing the data.

CUT 7 (11)  “really represents”‘

The meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the Assumption Parish Public Library in Napoleonville.

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards travels to Washington D.C. today to push Congress for more federal flood aid. This is the governor’s 6^th trip to the nation’s capital since the August flood. Edwards says we’ve received 1.6 billion dollars in grant money so far but another two billion is necessary to get victims back in their homes..

Cut 8 (10) “Louisianans”

Edwards says as part of the two billion dollars, he’s looking to receive federal assistance to construct flood mitigation infrastructure so homes in flood zones are not forced to elevate.

Cut 9 (05)  “make sense”

Edwards says he will meet with all members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation today to discuss his ideas. He says one of his proposals is to allow flood victims to use grant money to pay off Small Business Administration loans.

Cut 10 (11) “allow it”

________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared yet another state of emergency in the Bayou State, as his office says at least 7 tornadoes touched down in 6 parishes on Tuesday. New Orleans East sustained the most damage, after a massive twister moved through the Crescent City around 11 a.m.  New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says they were extremely lucky there was no loss of life.

cut 11 (09) “serious injuries”

The Governor’s Office estimates at least 20 people in southeast Louisiana sustained injuries, but no deaths were reported as a result of the twisters. Landrieu says shelters are available for people who lost everything, and they are still assessing how many homes and businesses were damaged.

cut 12 (09) “really devastating”

Landrieu says NOPD, along with the Louisiana National Guard, will patrol the area to prevent looting and conduct search and rescue operations. He asks that people not from the area stay away because this is not the time to sight see. He says cleanup is underway so that people can transition into recovery as quickly as possible.

Cut 13 (09) “each other up”

Entergy says customers could be without power for two to three days.

_______________________________________

The National Weather Service is working to confirm exactly how many tornadoes touched down in Louisiana and how much damage they caused. Slidell forecaster Mike Efferson says their preliminary estimates are that 60 homes were damaged by a twister in New Orleans. He says they believe it was at least an EF2.

cut 14 (07) “New Orleans”

But he says that estimate could be upgraded as the numbers come in today. Efferson says other twisters touched down in Ascension and St. James parishes, as well as two tornadoes in Livingston Parish. He says one of the twisters went from Killian in Livingston Parish to Madisonville in St. Tammany Parish.

Cut 15 (09) “down there”

Efferson says in the days leading up to yesterday’s tornado outbreak, it didn’t even look like south Louisiana would get much rain, much less severe weather. He says they had to issue as many warnings as possible at the last minute as the severe weather threat increased.

Cut 16 (08) “hear one”

Lawmakers are looking at proposed budget cuts ahead of next week’s deficit eliminating special session. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Southeast Louisiana dealt with several tornado touchdowns today as a storm system ripped through the Deep South. Michelle Southern reports..:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

Lawmakers are looking over the Governor’s proposal to eliminate a $304 million midyear deficit, ahead of next week’s special session to debate the plan. Statewide elected officials would see budget reductions, but higher education would be spared. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says it’s important no stone is left unturned when it comes to spending reductions, but he doesn’t want students to be impacted again.

Cut 3 (09) “looking at”

The governor’s plan also includes using $119 million in the rainy day fund to minimize cuts to state agencies. But Harris says we need to look at what the state is spending annually and address the real problem.

cut 4  (08) “and year out”

Once the special session begins on Monday, the House will begin discussions on what cuts will be made and they’ll send their plan to the Senate. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny says he’s not opposed to using rainy day dollars to prevent cuts that will really hit home with residents.

Cut 5  (08)  “can do that”

Franklin Senator Bret Allain says he’s glad the governor spread the cuts around in his plan, and that he did not seek any additional revenue. But he says he is concerned that Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office would take a combined almost $6 million hit.

Cut 6 (10) “his job”

_______________________________________________________

Officials in Livingston Parish say at least two tornadoes touched down in Killian today, damaging homes and injuring two people. Mark Harrell, director of the Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says they know of several residences impacted:

CUT 7 (07)  “and moved”

Harrell says two people that were inside their home when the twister hit were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. He says the police chief in Killian witnessed the tornadoes with his own eyes…:

Cut 8 (09) “he watched them”

Another twister was reported in the Ascension Parish town of Donaldsonville where officials say some damage was sustained and debris widespread.
The path of damage and destruction also went through parts of New Orleans East, causing damage to homes and businesses, overturned vehicles and downed power lines and trees. This man describes what he witnessed of the tornado touchdown in New Orleans East..:

Cut 9 (07)  “freight train”

There was also damage reported at the NASA facility in the Michoud area of New Orleans. Mayor Mitch Landrieu says they are dealing with a substantial situation…:

Cut 10 (10) “yet”

________________________________________________________________

Louisiana U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy were among the 51 who voted to confirm Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education today. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says as a proponent of school choice and vouchers for low-income students DeVos will bring a welcomed change to the education system.

cut 11 (11) “on education”

The voucher program uses taxpayer dollars so students zoned for poorly performing schools can attend charter or private schools at cost. Duplessis says DeVos wants to provide the right opportunities for our children. She says the people who are against the appointment are entrenched in special interests.

cut 12 (12) “special interests”

One of the state’s largest teacher unions has been an opponent of school vouchers. Louisiana Federation of Teachers spokesperson Les Landon says DeVos’ longtime support of vouchers is a concern to them.

Cut 13 (11) “public schools“

LFT President Larry Carter says DeVos lacks experience as an educator. Landon says they would prefer an Education Secretary who was a strong supporter of public schools.

cut 14 (11) “religious schools”

________________________________________________________________

There’s extensive tornado damage in New Orleans east after a large twister ripped through the area around 11 o’ clock this morning. Craig Smith was working at New Orleans East Hospital when he saw the menacing tornado…

Cut 15 (11) “down in”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has told the public not to come to New Orleans east as it’s totally shut down because of gas leaks and the large number of first responders. Smith says it’s bit of a chaotic scene…

Cut 16  (10)  “non stop”

State Senator JP Morrell is again bringing equal pay legislation before lawmakers for the upcoming session. Jeff Palermo reports..:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

LSU Student Government believes the Board of Regents’ proposed changes to the TOPS program will force students out of the state for college. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The governor has released his plan to close the state’s $304-million deficit for this fiscal year. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (32) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

State Senator JP Morrell is again bringing equal pay legislation before lawmakers for the upcoming session. The Democrat from New Orleans authored a similar bill last year that failed to make it out of a House committee. Morrell says one of the changes to this measure is that employers would be given a chance to correct a pay inequality…:

cut 4  (10) “remediate the pay”

Morrell says business groups asked him to give companies the benefit of the doubt that if they didn’t know about a pay inequality, they should change it themselves before litigation would be on the table. He says this bill also includes language that says equal pay laws should cover both women and men…:

Cut 5  (10)  “everyone should be paid equally”

Morrell says groups who support pay secrecy and don’t want transparency will oppose this bill in any posture. But he says Louisiana women make less than 70 cents per dollar that a man does, and this measure is simply about getting people paid what they are owed…:

Cut 6 (10) “those children”

______________________________________

LSU Student Government believes proposed changes to the TOPS scholarship program made by the Board of Regents will have detrimental effects on students and might force some to attend schools in other states. President Zack Faircloth says one proposed change by the board is to require students to take 30 credit hours a year in order to keep the scholarship.

CUT 7 (06)  “about it”‘

Faircloth says they’ve written a two-page letter with their concerns to the board that oversees public colleges. The Board of Regents also proposed that freshman on TOPS should only have 80-percent of their tuition paid for by the state, while sophomores receive 90-percent, and juniors and seniors receive 100-percent. Faircloth says these are regressive ideas.

Cut 8 (10) “any sense”

The Board of Regents have asked for public input on their plan addressing TOPS spending and they’ll make a final recommendation later this month. Faircloth says Louisiana should be doing all it can to make sure our best students stay in the Bayou State.

Cut 9 (10)  “first step”

________________________________________

State Superintendent of Education John White travels to Caddo Parish to host a public meeting tonight to discuss recommendations on improving struggling schools in Shreveport. White says 15 out of 66 schools in the parish have “F” letter grades and 22 have “D” letter grades.

Cut 10 (09) “about this”

White says there are several schools under the governance of the local school board plus a charter school, Linwood Public Charter that have persistently struggled. He says a plan dealing with the future of these schools will be presented to BESE next month, so White says they want to get the public’s input on how to improve them…

cut 11 (07) “his vision”

White says this is a critical issues, because only two percent of students in Caddo Parish’s “D” and “F” rated schools receive an ACT score to be eligible for TOPS. The meeting takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport. White encourages the public to attend.

cut 12 (09) “communities first”

_______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has unveiled his plan for resolving a $304-million midyear budget deficit. The governor’s Communications Director Richard Carbo says the proposal calls for using money from the rainy day fund, a large cut to the Department of Health’s budget, and state elected officials would also make cuts to their budgets, but…

Cut 13 (08) “and family services”

Carbo says the plan would impose the biggest cut on the Louisiana Department of Health at a $128 million budget reduction. But he says vital services for patients and hospitals that provide care for the poor would not be impacted.

cut 14 (10) “by the governor”

The governor’s deficit elimination plan will be debated in a special session that begins next week. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed opposition to using $119 million from the rainy day fund to minimize the cuts to state services. But Carbo says using the rainy day fund is a wise fiscal decision.

Cut 15 (10) “the budget”

_____________________________________________

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the governor for not providing enough funding for Louisiana’s public defender system. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

Brittney Spears’ niece is reportedly in stable but critical condition after ATV accident in Tangipahoa Parish. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Two men from Cameron Parish must pay hundreds of dollars in fines for stealing over 500 alligator eggs. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck says 48-year-old Paul Canik and 25-year-old Christopher Trahan, both of Grand Chenier,  have been sentenced by a state judge for what they did in July of 2015.

Cut 3 (07) “that property”

Canik pled no contest to illegal possession of alligator eggs and criminal trespass, while Trahan pled no contest to not abiding by rules and regulations. Einck says Canik took the eggs illegally and Trahan helped transport them.

cut 4  (08) “from then”

Einck says Trahan was ordered to pay a $293 fine. He says Canik’s egg collection privileges have been suspended for 18 months, and he was issued a $593 fine.

Cut 5  (10)  “trailer as well”

_______________________________________________________

State Education Superintendent John White releases revised plans designed to improve public schools to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. White says one way to raise expectations is to increase the benchmarks for a school to achieve an A grade in the state’s rating system. He says right now students only have to earn “basic” scores on math and literacy tests for the school to be rated an A.

Cut 6 (11) “the ACT”

White says in addition, graduation rates for “A” schools will also have to be at 90-percent, rather than 75-percent. The Every Student Succeeds Act also requires states to show how they plan to measure student achievement as part of their grading system, and White says for the first time ever schools will be judged by how well a student improves over the course of a year.

CUT 7 (06)  “over time”

White says they hope to have these new policy changes in place by the 2017-18 school year. They will need to be approved by both BESE and the US Department of Education. He says the new federal law also provides additional dollars to help students get a well-rounded education.

Cut 8 (09) “change this”

_______________________________________________________

A class action lawsuit filed today claims Governor John Bel Edwards and the state’s public defender board are not doing enough to adequately fund public defenders. Deputy Legal Director at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Lisa Graybill, says the US Constitution requires that all accused be provided a suitable defense. But she says that’s not happening in Louisiana.

Cut 9 (10)  “to them”

Graybill says budgetary strains leave public defenders carrying two to five times the number of cases recommended. She says 85-percent of defendants in Louisiana are poor, and without proper counsel, they are denied advocacy during arraignments, access to evidence, and assistance with plea negotiations.

Cut 10 (11) “prison population”

The suit notes that Louisiana is the only state that relies primarily on court fees to fund public defender legal services, which includes a fee assessed against indigent defendants. Mark Cunningham, a senior partner with Jones Walker LLP, says that means public defender offices receive more funding for losing cases than winning them.

cut 11 (11) “to intercede”

The lawsuit on behalf of 13 plaintiffs seeks require the state to change its public defender system and for a monitor to be appointed to supervise the system until a new one can be implemented.

_______________________________________________________

One student has been arrested in connection with a shooting at Scotlandville High School. East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Casey Rayborn Hicks says deputies received a call at around noon reporting shots fired at the school. Hicks says deputies have learned a juvenile student fired a weapon in a hallway…

cut 12 (10) “a building”

Hicks says no one was injured during the shooting. She says a detective took the juvenile into custody, along with the weapon about 10 minutes after the incident was reported to authorities.

Cut 13 (07) “school campus“

________________________________________________________________

Schools around the country are using Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine as a model for their medical curriculum. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

If you’re like most people, you’re probably sick of seeing political posts on Facebook. Halen Doughty has more on an app that takes politics off your newsfeed…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

A budget deficit eliminating special session begins next week. Jeff Palermo reports we are waiting to hear how the governor proposes to cover the midyear shortfall…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Tulane University’s School of Medicine has become a model for new culinary medicine courses that are being taught around the country. Executive Director of the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, Dr. Tim Harlan, says they’ve been offering the courses at Tulane for about 7 years, and now other universities are following suit.

cut 4  (11) “that we do”

There’s even an international school licensed in the UK. Harlan says healthy eating is important in both preventing illnesses and coping with them, especially in cases of diabetes and heart disease. He says this program helps doctors explain nutrition and how it works in layman’s terms.

Cut 5  (12)  “can understand”

A 2014 study shows 75-percent of physicians feel undertrained in counseling patients on nutrition and diet. Harlan says for centuries, culinary medicine wasn’t part of a medical curriculum, but he thinks that will change.

Cut 6 (11) “of that”

______________________________________

Are you sick of seeing political posts on Facebook? There’s an app for that.  Matt Kruse (Krew-zee) developed the app Social Fixer. He says right now it’s only available for desktop browsers, but he’s working to develop a mobile version. He says the plug in is easy to use once you download it at SocialFixer.com.

CUT 7 (09)  “in your feed”‘

Kruse says more and more Facebook users are downloading Social Fixer, as political discussions are becoming more heated on social media. He says a lot of people are getting upset with friends and family obsessively posting about politics.

Cut 8 (07) “their sanity”

Kruse says Facebook doesn’t currently allow people to filter posts by content. He says this poses a problem for people who want to see what they’re friends are doing, but not their political commentary.

Cut 9 (12)  “in your life”

________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to release a detailed plan today on how he would like lawmakers to address a 304-million dollar midyear budget deficit. Edwards says the plan will include cuts and money that’s available in the state’s savings account

Cut 10 (05) “rainy day fund”

If the legislature adopts Edwards proposal to use 119-million dollars from the rainy day fund that means legislators will need to make 185-million dollars in cuts to eliminate the rest of the deficit. The governor says there are areas in the budget he wants to protect

cut 11 (10) “family services”

Edwards says he’ll also ask legislators to minimize cuts to public colleges, waivers for families who care for those with developmental disabilities and hospitals who provide care for the poor and elderly

cut 12 (09) “make that happen”

_______________________________________

Arraignment for the man accused of killing former-NFL player Joe McKnight is today. Legal analyst Chick Foret says 55-year-old Ronald Gasser will enter a plea of not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder. He says this is the first step in the criminal prosecution, and from here a hearing date and a trial date will be set.

Cut 13 (10) “the prosecutors”

Gasser’s attorneys sent a letter to the AP saying Gasser acted in self-defense. The lawyers assert that McKnight tried to open Gasser’s car door, and their client feared for his life. Foret says under Louisiana law, people do have extra protections in their vehicles, but the case won’t be that cut and dry.

cut 14 (11) “the evidence”

Gasser was originally charged with manslaughter when he was arrested on December 5, but the grand jury returned an indictment of second degree murder last week. Foret says that’s not surprising, but this case is far from over. He says there’s still a lot of unanswered questions about what happened that day in Terrytown.

Cut 15 (11) “defense team”