A group of high school aged kids will rally on the state Capitol steps in support of legislation to prosecute 17-year-olds in juvenile court. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A Senate committee approved a proposed bill that would prohibit selling organs collected from aborted fetuses. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today the House Education Committee will discuss several proposed changes to the TOPS Scholarship Program. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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US Representative Ralph Abraham arrives in Cuba today seeking to make Louisiana a trade partner with the island once the U.S. lifts the trade embargo. The Richland Parish Republican says exporting Louisiana rice to Cuba would make a lot of sense for both sides and the Port of New Orleans is only 36 hours away…

cut 4  (09)  “farmers”

Abraham says beef, poultry, corn, and soybeans will hopefully follow shortly after they secure a deal to send Louisiana rice to Cuba. He says right now Cuba is getting their rice and other imported goods from Vietnam and Taiwan.

Cut 5  (10)  “the globe”

Abraham says it’s time to empower the Cuban people and help their economy grow. He says that can happen once the trade embargo is lifted…

Cut 6 (08)  “the latest” 

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The House Education Committee meets today to discuss a variety of proposals that would change the TOPS Scholarship Program as we know it. Kenner Representative Julie Stokes has a bill that would make the scholarship a loan that students would have to pay back if they drop out or fail classes. She says when you offer something for free, there will always be people who will abuse the system.

CUT 7 (05)  “for me”

Stokes says many students who drop out of college do it in their freshman year. She says lawmakers will look at an amendment so student would not be penalized if they are able to graduate later.

Cut 8  (06)  “a loan”

Baton Rouge Representative Barry Ivey has a proposal that would raise the GPA requirement to retain the scholarship once a recipient is in college. The bill would raise the minimum GPA from a 2.3 to a 2.5 for the first year, and from a 2.5 to a 2.75 for the last three years. Ivey says it’s a very small increase to the minimum GPA.

Cut 9 (10)  “increase performance”

Ivey says the TOPS program was always intended to be performance-based. He says these small changes to TOPS will keep the program intact for more students in the future.

Cut 10 (05) “pretty quickly”

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A rally in support of legislation to have 17-year-olds charged as juveniles rather than adults takes place on the State Capitol steps today. Meg Garvey with the Youth Justice Coalition says Louisiana is one of only 9 states that routinely prosecutes 17-year-olds as adults… with a law like this.

cut 11 (09) “and unfair”

Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to speak at the rally. Garvey says a 17-year-old in the juvenile justice system could help kids get back on the right track, as studies show convicted teens are 34 percent less likely to reoffend.

cut 12 (09) “in life”

Garvey says this bill allows 17-year-olds the opportunity to be in a system that’s rehabilitative and that addresses their needs. She says passing this legislation is simply the right thing to do.

Cut 13 (11)  “public safety”

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A Senate Committee has unanimously approved a proposal that would ban the sale of aborted fetal tissue. The bill would create a $5-thousand fine and mandatory 10 year prison sentence for people who sell or transfer organs or other body parts from aborted fetuses. Bossier City Senator Ryan Gatti says he doesn’t want abortion doctors to profit from selling “baby parts.”

Cut 14 (11)  “for research” 

Before heading to the Senate floor, the bill was amended so mothers would not be criminalized for donating stem cells or umbilical cord blood. Gatti says his main emphasis is to make sure people can’t profit from the selling of parts of an aborted fetus.

Cut 15 (10) “that process”

This bill comes as a response to allegations that Planned Parenthood sold organs from aborted fetuses. Gatti says there are already laws in place about killing babies in the womb or immediately after birth. He hopes this bill fills a gap in the law about selling organs.

Cut 16  (07)  “an organ”

The measure that would allow people to be buried with their pets in cemeteries did not make it out of a Senate Committee today. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A state lawmaker says its time to restructure higher education. Jeff Palemro has the story…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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LSU Vice President for Agriculture Bill Richardson says the school is debating whether or not it will grow medical marijuana. He says several bills in this regular session outline the regulations that could help them make a decision. Richardson says they are still a ways away from offering medical marijuana to the public.

CUT 3 (09)  “years away”

When lawmakers approved legislation last year allowing for the dispensing of medical marijuana, it gave the ag centers at LSU and Southern the first right of refusal to produce the prescription drug. Richardson says they are keeping an eye on the proposed legislation this year and considering their options.

CUT 4 (08)  “or out”

Richardson says growing the prescribed marijuana could cost u to $15 million, and the school doesn’t have that in the budget right now. He says they are looking into third-party investors, but there is a lot of uncertainty about the financial impact.

CUT 5 (08)  “next week”

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A bill has passed out of the House Transportation Committee to increase the penalty for violating the state’s seatbelt law.  New Orleans Rep. Walt Leger says under the proposed law, the fine would double to 50 dollars for the first offense of not wearing a seatbelt. He says the higher the penalty, the better your compliance

CUT 6 (09) “a year”

Leger says under this legislation, the second and third offense would increase to 75 dollars from 50 dollars. He says with this increase we can expect to see increased seatbelt usage and the saving of additional lives each year.

CUT 7 (10) “seatbelt”

The bill now moves to the full House. The legislature has also advanced a bill to the Senate floor that would increase the fines against drivers who are caught texting or using social media while behind the wheel. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor helped move the bill out of committee.

CUT 8 (10) “the distraction”

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The measure that would allow people to be buried with their pets in cemeteries did not make it out of a Senate Committee today. Gerald Melancon, with the Louisiana Cemetery Association, says the language in the bill that says pets would be in different sections needs clarification. He says cemeteries already have spots sold with the promise there would only be human remains there…:

CUT 9 (10) “this section”

It’s Metairie Senator Conrad Appel’s bill and he says it states folks who would want to be buried with their pets would have to buy a spot in another section, and do it in advance…:

cut 10 (08)  “goldfish section”

Melancon believes this law would give cemeteries problems if the owner never said he wanted to be buried with the pet, but the family wants it to happen..:

Cut 11 (09) “that owner”

But Appel says there is plenty of language in the bill that gives cemeteries the power to figure out how they want to do this, and also the right to refuse burying pets…:

cut 12 (08) “the cemetery”

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A state lawmaker tells higher education officials not to expect any additional revenue and they need to come up with a plan on how to educate our future workforce with existing dollars. Covington Representative John Schroeder says after raising hundreds of millions of dollars in the special session, he doesn’t see legislature any more tax increases…

Cut 13 (09)  “money coming”

Schroeder says higher education should restructure itself based on the dollars that are available now…

cut 14 (07)  “down the road”

Public colleges and universities have been on the receiving end of multiple budget cuts over the last several years. Lake Charles Representative and former Board of Regents member  Mark Abraham says if the legislature wants bold ideas from higher education officials, universities will need money to get it done…

cut 15 (09) “stay in mediocrity ” 

A federal judge has reached a $20-billion settlement with BP over the 2010 Gulf oil spill. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

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Today a Senate Committee will hear a proposal by Metairie Senator Conrad Appel that would allow people to have their pets buried next to them in cemeteries. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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 A New Orleans entrepreneur has developed an app which consumers can use to find the best price on seafood in town. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today a Senate committee will hear testimony on a proposed bill that would increase the fine for texting or using social media while driving from $175 to $500. Sgt. Nick Manale with Louisiana State Police says distracted driving causes accidents every day.

cut 4  (03)  “behind the wheel”

Manale says the use of a phone to text or check Facebook is considered distracted driving, which is a big problem in Louisiana.

Cut 5  (11)  “vehicle”

Meanwhile in the House, the Transportation Committee is scheduled to consider a proposal to double the fine for not wearing a seatbelt from $25 to $50 for first offenses. Manale says not wearing a seatbelt can turn a fender bender into a fatal accident.

Cut 6 (07)  “laws of physics” 

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A $20-billion settlement has finally been reached regarding the BP oil spill in 2010. The money will go towards Clean Water Act penalties and to cover environmental damage, and it will be paid out over 16 years. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, Eric Smith says Louisiana will get some money out of the deal.

CUT 7 (06)  “restoration efforts”

Smith says with all the uncertainty surrounding the budget, it’s unclear if the money will still go towards the coast. He says the settlement isn’t even close to what BP has actually doled out because of the spill.

Cut 8  (06)  “double that”

Smith says the settlement does contain some good news for BP. He says the judge ruled that other oil companies could not file lawsuits against BP in relation to the spill. He says this should put a stop to any potential litigation against the oil giant.

Cut 9 (10)  “as a result”

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A Senate committee will hear a proposal today that would allow people to be buried next to their pets in cemeteries. Patrick McCausland, president of Heaven’s Pets in Metairie, says he knows this is something many pet owners would like to do for their pets.

Cut 10 (08) “as well”

The proposal by Metairie Senator Conrad Appel, specifies that pets would have to be interred with their owners in a specific area of the cemetery. McCausland says a few other states have already started allowing this.

cut 11 (04) “this decision”

If the measure gets through the legislative process and signed by the governor, it would take effect January 1^st. McCausland says this would simply give cemeteries the option to allow this.

cut 12 (09) “from there”

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A New Orleans entrepenuer has developed an app which consumers can use to find the best price on seafood in town. Sheldon Williams says the Seafood Locator App does the searching for you…:

Cut 13 (12)  “favorite places”

Williams says the establishments they work with are mostly in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas, but they are working to get more on board throughout the state. He says he launched the app in January after years of thinking about new, innovative ways to export our culture to people…:

Cut 14 (13)  “all on the app” 

The free app is available on iTunes or the Google play store. Williams says once you launch the app, you’ll see the 15 affiliate establishments closest to you that sell things like boiled crawfish, boiled shrimp, boiled crabs, raw oysters and more…:

Cut 15 (09) “in the app”

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After scoring 18 runs in its last two games, LSU Coach Paul Mainieri is hopeful his team has broken out of its offensive slump. Prior to Saturday’s doubleheader, the Tigers scored six runs in their last four games. Mainieri believes the team started gaining confidence in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 8-5 loss to Auburn.

Cut 16  (20)  “with your mind”

Mainieri credits catcher Jordan Romero for helping LSU overcome its offensive struggles, as he hit a home run and drove in seven runs during the series against Auburn.

Cut 17 (12) “seizing the moment”

Mainieri is not concerned about ace pitcher Alex Lange despite the sophomore right-hander giving up seven in a loss to Auburn. The Tiger’s skipper credits Lange for battling through a tough performance.

Cut 18 (21) “two to three innings”

Kenner police are investigating a double murder that took place at a home with three young children inside. Michelle Southern has the story…

CUT 1 (27)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Budget cuts are putting Louisiana’s state parks and historic sites at risk, according to Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A man and a woman were fatally shot in their Kenner home early this morning. Three children were also in the home, but they were not hurt. Lt. Brian McGregor with the Kenner Police Department says the discovery was made after one of the children went to a neighbor’s house.

CUT 3 (07)  “were notified”

Police say the couple was shot multiple times in their bed, where an infant girl was also sleeping. A 2-year-old boy and a 10-year old boy were also in the home. McGregor says none of the shots were self-inflicted….

CUT 4 (04)  “at this time”

McGregor says the children will be placed with family members through Child Protective Services. He says there were no signs of forced entry, but a vehicle was seen fleeing the scene this morning.

CUT 5 (07)  “at this time”

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Police have arrested a 12-year-old and 13-year-old in connection with the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver in Houma. Authorities are also looking for a third suspect, 17-year-old Leroy Miles. Captain Dawn Foret with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office says the three adolescents robbed the delivery driver in the apartment complex where they live.

CUT 6 (08) “rob him”

Foret says the two juveniles have been arrested for armed robbery, and Miles is wanted for theft of a motor vehicle and armed robbery. She says unfortunately they see kids of all ages commit crimes.

CUT 7 (10) “his vehicle”

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A man was shot by an off-duty State Police detective after allegedly breaking into his unmarked police unit early Sunday in Ascension Parish. Sheriff Jeff Wiley says a neighbor alerted the cop around 430am that his police unit was being burglarized, so he armed himself, went outside and caught the man in the act…:

CUT 8 (06) “prepared to use it”

Wiley says the alleged thief and the officer got into a tussle which is when the suspect reached for his gun. He says the off-duty detective then shot the man with a shotgun in close proximity…:

CUT 9 (10) “Ascension Parish Jail”

Wiley says the thief had several stolen items in his possession and deputies also recovered a handgun believed to be owned by the suspect. He says the incident is under investigation…:

cut 10 (09)  “as yet complete”

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Authorities say a Sulphur man participating in a triathlon drowned in the Calcasieu River. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Kim Myers says this was a sanctioned triathlon at the Sam Houston State Park where lifeguards, Marines, and spotters in kayaks were on hand. Myers says 25-year-old Taurean Blake swam about 100 yards out when he started to struggle and a Marine jumped in to help.

Cut 11 (11) “eventually did”

Myers says they pulled Blake out of the water and revived him. She says a lifeguard also tried to swim out to Blake, as well as one of the kayaks. She says they made every effort to help Blake.

cut 12 (10) “continued CPR”

Myers says after Blake was revived, he was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Cut 13 (07)  “the drowning”

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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser told lawmakers today that further budget cuts to the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism could force him to close several state parks and historic sites. He says with all the money problems Louisiana is facing, the state needs tourism dollars.

cut 14 (10)  “the tracks”

Nungesser says they are looking into private-public partnerships, naming rights, increasing fees, and even using prison workers to save money. He says they are open to any suggestions.

cut 15 (10) “save money” 

Leesville Representative James Armes voiced his concerns for our parks and historic sites, saying all the budget cuts put them at risk. He says lawmakers have cut the budget as much as they can, but tourism can’t take any more cuts.

cut 16 (10) “million dollars”

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The massive amounts of rainfall Louisiana has experienced in the last month has caused some problems with the corn crop. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The House will hear three measures this week that seek to help ex-inmates reenter society. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Only two weeks are left until Tax Day, which means time is running out to file federal taxes. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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This season’s corn crop is off to a soggy start after record amounts of rainfall during March. LSU Ag Center corn specialist Dan Fromme says it’s been a challenging year so far. He says we’ve seen rain in excess of 20 inches and some corn fields are still underwater.

cut 4  (09)  “as well”

Fromme says this will have a significant impact on the economy. He says the corn that came up early on in the year has been sitting in water for a while.

Cut 5  (07)  “root system”

Fromme says there are still a few weeks left to plant corn and the hope is for dry weather. He says before the corn planting season is over, they’ll have around 400 to 450-thousand acres planted.

Cut 6 (09)  “the air” 

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Three proposed bills aim to help ex-prison inmates reintegrate into society are set to be heard on the House floor this week. One would create a certificate of employability that former-felons could show potential employers. Holly Harris, Executive Director for the US Justice Action Network, says people getting out of jail need opportunities to help reduce the recidivism rate.

CUT 7 (12)  “to prison”

Another proposal would establish three new “reentry courts” in the state, in addition to 9 that are already in place. The new programs would be established in Houma, Lake Charles, and Livingston. Harris says these programs are essential to criminals who are trying to get their lives back on track.

Cut 8  (08)  “reentry process”

One of the bills would encourage people to become mentors to offenders who are under court supervision. Harris says there are of other ways Louisiana can reduce its incarceration numbers down.

Cut 9 (06)  “sentencing reform”

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There are only two weeks left until Tax Day, which is April 18, and time is running out to file federal taxes. IRS Spokesperson Lea Crusberg says usually April 15^th is the deadline, but those who like to wait until the last minute have a couple of extra days to work with.

Cut 10 (10) “this year”

Crusberg advises people not to get in a hurry filing taxes, because careless mistakes can be made, like forgetting to sign or putting the wrong social security number on their return. She says filing taxes electronically can help avoid these errors.

cut 11 (04) “the math”

Crusberg says people who make less than $62-thousand a year are eligible for free electronic filing. She says those individuals who live in one of the 30 parishes that have been declared a federal disaster area are allowed to file after April 18^th and that information can be found at I-R-S-dot-gov.

cut 12 (07) “this year”

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Governor John Bel Edwards has told state Democratic Party leaders to get behind Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell in the US Senate race.  UL Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says Edwards endorsement of the populist politician from north Louisiana is a real boost for his campaign….

Cut 13 (08)  “Foster Campbell”

Edwards says Campbell has shown he can win elections when people don’t believe a Democrat can or should win. But Cross says Edwards endorsement does not guarantee a spot in the runoff, because this will be a race that will focus on national issues…

Cut 14 (09)  “inside track” 

Cross says Edwards endorsement does not bode well for the other prominent Democrat in the race, New Orleans lawyer Caroline Fayard, who comes from a family that’s been long supported by the Democratic Party….

Cut 15 (08) “Memorial Day”

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There’s about two more weeks to go in spring football and LSU Coach
Les Miles likes the improvement from his quarterbacks. Brandon
Harris, Danny Etling and Justin McMilan each completed passes for a high
percentage in a scrimmage on Saturday, with Harris leading the trio with
246 passing yards. Miles says there’s more confidence with the group…

Cut 16  (16)  “good offense”
Miles liked what he saw from sophomore defensive end Arden Key, who had
six tackles and one sack. The coach freshman linebacker Devin White from
North Webster High School was also impressive…

Cut 17 (10) “in tackles”

Miles says the story of Saturday’s scrimmage was the play of the
quarterbacks…

Cut 18 (12) “today”

Slidell police are searching for a wanted man after a search of his home found human remains and animal bones in a makeshift altar. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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With all the new sales tax laws going into effect today, compliance could be a problem. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Police are searching for a man in the New Orleans area after a search warrant led to a gruesome discovery of human remains and animal bones in a Slidell home. Sgt. Daniel Seuzeneau with the Slidell Police Department says 31-year-old Joshua Roques’ home contained ritualistic items unlike anything he’s ever seen.

CUT 3 (12)  “animal bones”

Seuzeneau says the makeshift altar was surrounded by ritualistic materials, candles, and blood. But he says they do not think the human bones are related to a homicide.

CUT 4 (09)  “very bizarre”

Seuzeneau says Roques is wanted on multiple charges, including cremating human remains, unlawful disposal of remains, opening graves, mutilating human remains, and possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He says they believe Roques maybe trying to flee the state, as he is originally from California.

CUT 5 (09)  “Louisiana plates”

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Compliance could be a problem for businesses and vendors as new sales tax laws go into effect today. That’s according to Jason Decuir, an attorney with Ryan’s tax service. Decuir says the numerous sales tax exemptions that have been temporarily removed are causing headaches for those who are in charge of collecting taxes.

CUT 6 (10) “how long”

Decuir says some businesses will find it difficult to collect the right amount of tax. For instance, sales of Girl Scout cookies is subject to a tax, as well as, admission to various museums and the selling of newspapers at a grocery store. He says Louisiana already has a sales tax system that ranks the worst in the country.

CUT 7 (06) “to navigate”

Decuir says if vendors don’t collect the right amount of taxes, it will cause problems with the state trying to solve the budget deficit. He says this is difficult for some businesses, because many haven’t had to collect sales taxes on certain items before.

CUT 8 (09) “of tax”

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Monroe and Shreveport broke records for rainfall totals during the month on March. Shreveport received 12.8 inches, which is the highest amount since 1945 and Monroe set a record with 24.4 inches of rain. Jason Hansford with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says much of this rain fell during the span of a few days.

CUT 9 (10) “day record”

Hansford says historic amounts of rain fell in north Louisiana during the month of March. He says there are many bayous and rivers still at flood stage and the recent rainfall isn’t helping, but…

cut 10 (06)  “next week”

Hansford says it’ll be tough to beat the rainfall amounts north Louisiana saw during March 2016. He says we likely won’t see these levels again during our lifetime.

Cut 11 (09) “to go”

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Seven Louisianans have died in crashes between cars and trains within the last three months. These tragedies have prompted the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to urge motorists to always obey alerts at railroad crossings. Spokesperson Mark Lambert says for the entire year of 2014, there were seven train related deaths so this increase is alarming…

cut 12 (10) “as well”

Lambert says train related crashes are tragic accidents that we see far too often. He says sometimes, motorists get impatient and drive around the railroad crossing arms.

Cut 13 (08)  “can’t win”

Lambert says when you see train tracks, even if they don’t have crossing arms or lights, always think a train is coming. Also, he says don’t get too close to the tracks when you’ve stopped.

cut 14 (07)  “the tracks”

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Legislation to allow drivers to park on the wrong side of the road in residential areas passed in the Senate Transportation Committee. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (26) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A proposed bill that seeks equal pay for men and women was approved by the Senate Labor Committee. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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According to AAA, quarterly gas prices are lower than they’ve been in over a decade, as the average price for a gallon of gas in the state is $1.88. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Three weeks into the regular legislative session and things are still moving slow. The biggest piece of legislation so far has been the minimum wage bill clearing the Senate Labor Committee. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says legislators were burnt out after a tough special session.

cut 4  (08)  “school reform”

Pinsonat expects the voucher program along with teacher reforms to be big issues discussed during this session. He says the TOPS program is also another topic that will be heard.

Cut 5  (08)  “have TOPS”

Pinsonat says legislators have raised various taxes like on alcohol and cigarettes but still haven’t raised enough revenue for the next fiscal year. He says anything that has to do with the budget will be a hot topic in the coming weeks before the session ends on June 6^th.

Cut 6 (10)  “next year” 

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A bill to make it legal to park on the wrong side of the road in residential areas has passed in the Senate Transportation Committee. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny says currently it’s illegal to park in the opposite direction, but he believes the law was intended for highways only. He says it doesn’t pose a public safety hazard in residential areas.

CUT 7 (10)  “an hour”

Martiny says parking the wrong way on a residential street is not a safety problem. He says ticketing drivers parked like this is subject to abuse by local officials for economic gain.

Cut 8  (09)  “budget problem”

Martiny says uniformly parked cars look nicer, but it isn’t the government’s place to make sure everything looks pretty in your subdivision.

Cut 9 (08)  “statute”

___________________________________________________

A bill seeking equal pay for men and women in Louisiana has been approved by the Senate Labor Committee. According to data from the US Census Bureau, women make 65-cents for every $1 a man makes, and that gap is even wider for minority women Author of the bill, New Orleans Senator JP Morrell, says this is not acceptable.

Cut 10 (10) “than men”

Governor John Bel Edwards went before the committee to tout his support for the measure. He says women deserve equal pay for equal work to their male counterparts.

cut 11 (07) “of us”

Dawn Starns, with the National Federation for Independent Business, opposes the legislation. She says legislation is already in place to protect equal pay.

cut 12 (07) “business owners”

Renee Amar, with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says determining what is “comparable work” could pose a problem for employers. She also says things like education, experience, and market prices determine how much an employee is paid.

Cut 13 (06)  “their wages”

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Drivers are paying the cheapest quarterly gas prices in 12 years. That’s according to Triple-A, who says Americans have saved almost $10-billion on gas this year compared to the same period in 2015.  AAA spokesperson Mike Right says people are well on their way to significant savings on gas this year.

Cut 14 (06)  “gasoline bill” 

Right says this is leading to a record-breaking number of motorists out on the roads, according to US Department and Transportation numbers. The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana is about $1.88. Right says we could see prices at the pump increase in the coming months.

Cut 15 (08) “Memorial Day”

Right says greater demand for gas and refineries’ annual maintenance are driving up prices. But he says even with those factors, gas prices will not get as high as they were this time last year.

Cut 16  (06)  “last year”

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The 14th ranked LSU Baseball team looks for its first series win in SEC play this weekend as they visit Auburn for a three-game series that starts tonight. The Tigers are 2-and-4 in league play and have lost three of their last four overall. Sophomore right-hander Alex Lange will start tonight on the mound tonight for the Tigers.

Cut 17 (10) “as possible”

LSU enters this weekend’s action, tied for fifth place in the SEC West. Starting shortstop Kramer Robertson says they are trying to remain loose.

Cut 18 (12) “good results”

Southeastern Louisiana takes a 15-game winning streak into this weekend’s home series against Nicholls. The Lions are led on the mound by senior left-hander Kyle Cedotal, who is 4-2 with a 1.15 ERA. S-L-U Coach Matt Riser says Cedotal will get the start tonight.

Cut 19 (17) “go out”

The Lions are 20-6 on the season, 9-0 in the Southland Conference. Riser says his team is motivated to reach the NCAA Tournament after missing it last year.

Cut 20 (18) “ballclub”

Lafayette’s own local celebrity, 23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg, will find out tonight if he’ll advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (32)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Senate Labor Committee has approved the bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.00 an hour in 2017 and then to $8.50 in 2018. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A bill to allow hunters to wear blaze pink in addition to hunter’s orange passes out of the House. Author of the legislation Bogalusa Rep. Malinda White says all this does is give another option that has been proven to be safer. She says Wisconsin has already passed this law and other states are looking into doing the same…

CUT 3 (07)  “safety”

White says the blaze pink attire would be simple and without embellishment to meet the 400 square inches of color requirement. She says pink will stand out in the woods.

CUT 4 (08)  “and yellows”

White says men can wear blazing pink too.

CUT 5 (09)  “that here”

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Lafayette’s own local celebrity, 23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg, will find out tonight if he’ll advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. The Fox signing competition show resumes at 7pm where the voting results from last week will be announced, at the contestant with the lowest total will be eliminated. MacKenzie’s dad, Rudy Bourg, says his son is an inspiration…:

CUT 6 (08) “last second shot”

If MacKenzie makes it through tonight, fans can vote for him by texting “7” to 21523, call 1-866-IDOLS-07 or online at american-idol-dot-com-slash-vote. Lots of folks from Acadiana will be on tonight’s show from footage taken at MacKenzie’s homecoming parade last Saturday in Lafayette. Thousands of fans gathered for the celebration and Mr. Bourg says it was absolutely surreal…:

CUT 7 (07) “overwhelming”

Mackenzie made local headlines when he made it onto “The Voice” during season 3, but was eliminated in the live rounds. Mr. Bourg says it’s incredible that five years ago his son was fighting for his life due to a sudden illness, and now he’s where he’s at today…:

CUT 8 (09) “at life”

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The bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.00 an hour beginning next year, and then to $8.50 in 2018 passed out of the Senate Labor Committee with a 4-3 vote. Governor John Bel Edwards testified in support of increasing the minimum wage today. Edwards says Louisiana households are unable to afford their basic necessities. He says it’s not just high school and college students who are working for minimum wage.

CUT 9 (06) “monthly expenses”

The bill now heads to the Senate floor. Edwards says this is an investment in Louisiana families, which is an investment in our state as a whole. He says this slight increase in minimum wage would help solve the problem of childhood poverty in the state.

cut 10 (08)  “and raising”

Baton Rouge business owner Mark Johnson opposes the increase because he says it would impact small businesses production costs.

Cut 11 (09) “bottom line”

Johnson says this would leave business owners with difficult decisions about absorbing the new costs.

cut 12 (06) “your choices”

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Even though Republican US Senator David Vitter is leaving office at the end of this year, he’s still holding town hall meetings across the state getting feedback from voters. Vitter held a town hall meeting in Ascension parish this morning, and he will have another one today in Rapides parish. Vitter says he’s hearing primarily about jobs and highway improvements.

Cut 13 (09)  “is important”

Vitter says during his final year in office he will be focusing on chemical safety reform and improving infrastructure access. He says he still plans on getting out of politics once his term ends in January.

cut 14 (09)  “our lives”

There are eight well-known candidates that are running for the open seat. Vitter doesn’t plan on making any endorsements for the US Senate race until after the primaries.

cut 15 (08) “the race” 

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Today the Senate Labor Committee is scheduled to hear a proposal that would raise the minimum wage to $8.00 an hour beginning next year, and then to $8.50 in 2018. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The state sales tax will increase to five cents starting tomorrow along with a few other taxes. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A bill has been approved by the House Health and Welfare Committee that would require legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamp benefits. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Senate Labor Committee is expected to hear a proposal today to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana from $7.25 to $8.00 an hour, beginning next year, and then to $8.50 in 2018. State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business Dawn Starns says businesses already pay competitively based on what they can afford.

cut 4  (07)  “of poverty”

Starns says once entry-level employees get this pay raise, upper-level employees will expect one as well. She says this will hit smaller businesses’ bottom line, and they just can’t afford that right now.

Cut 5  (07)  “in jobs”

Governor John Bel Edwards is in support of a higher minimum wage and so is Louisiana Budget Project director Jan Moller. Moller says $7.25 an hour is not a living wage…

Cut 6 (12)  “ends meet” 

Moller says the current minimum wage is not enough to get by. He says this is a modest proposal that will not lead to job loss in Louisiana.

CUT 7 (06)  “25-cents”

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Tomorrow the state sales tax will increase from four cents to five cents until June 30, 2018. LSU Marketing Professor Dr. Dan Rice expects some people looking to make a major purchase will try to get that out of the way before the increase goes into effect. But he says this likely won’t change consumer’s purchasing habits.

Cut 8  (10)  “quite frankly”

Rice says most consumers are aware of the higher sales tax, but doesn’t see many stores reducing their prices to offset the tax increase.

Cut 9 (09)  “minority”

Also, state taxes on cigarettes and alcohol will increase on Friday. Rice says shoppers making big purchases, like vehicles or furniture, will likely see a difference after the sales tax goes up.

Cut 10 (08) “situation”

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A bill to prevent peeping Toms from using drones to spy on people received unanimous support from the House Criminal Justice Committee. Monroe Representative Marcus Hunter says his bill will somewhat duplicate existing laws by adding the use of an unmanned aircraft to video surveillance crimes.

cut 11 (09) “those crimes”

The bill now heads to the House floor for debate. Hunter says the purpose of this bill is to keep up with the times and make sure criminals do not have an out for using a drone as a way to invade someone’s privacy.

cut 12 (08) “and prosecuted”

Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle says she wants to make sure that kids playing with drones can’t get arrested under this new proposal.

Cut 13 (07)  “with that”

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The House health committee approves a bill that calls for legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamp recipients. Under federal law, people are required to either work or perform 20 hours a week of community service in order to qualify for food stamps, but that isn’t the case in Louisiana, because it receives a waiver. Monroe Representative Jay Morris says this legislation would require people to work to receive SNAP benefits.

Cut 14 (10)  “time to time” 

Republicans have criticized Governor John Bel Edwards’ decision to waive the work requirements for food stamp recipients, which average nearly 200-dollars in monthly benefits.  Morris says unemployed able-bodied adults should be required to take steps towards getting a job before they receive government assistance…

Cut 15 (07) “for society”

The state Department of Children and Family Services recently estimated there are 31-thousand able bodied adults who would lose their benefits, if they were required to find work. The governor’s attorney Matthew Block says they are working to make sure there are enough job training and job placement services before re-instating the work requirements.

Cut 16  (13)  “SNAP benefits”

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It’s the final day at LSU for the legendary voice of the Fighting Tigers, Jim Hawthorne, as he is retiring effective today. Hawthorne has been on the radio call for thousands of LSU events over the past 35 years. He says he has enjoyed his time announcing for the Tigers.

Cut 17 (06) “forget it”

As the Voice of the Tigers, he has broadcast all six of LSU’s national championships in baseball, two national titles in football and three Final Four appearances for the men’s basketball team. Hawthorne says his only regret is the ending of this year’s men’s basketball season.

Cut 18 (12) “so be it”

Hawthorne is looking forward to retirement and spending more time visiting his family and traveling with his wife. He says he is just about done cleaning out his office.

Cut 19 (13) “so many years”

A bill heading to the House floor would extend the waiting period for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Department of Corrections is investigating whether incarcerated rapper C-Murder recorded a new single while in Angola. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A bill has passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee that would extend the waiting period for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours. The only exception is if the women has to travel more than 150 miles to the nearest abortion clinic. Cindy Collins with the Louisiana Abortion Recovery Alliance says the current law does not give women enough time to reflect on their options.

CUT 3 (12)  “enough time”

The bill now heads to the House floor for further consideration. No one spoke out in opposition, but pro- choice groups are concerned about another legal hurdle that could be facing women who are seeking an abortion. Haughton Representative Dodie Horton says extending this longer waiting period is necessary to allow women to make the right decision.

CUT 4 (04)  “can do”

Five other states have similar waiting periods. Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson says this decision will emotionally affect a woman for the rest of her life.

CUT 5 (10)  “time period”

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The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in the spillway canal near Palmetto. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says 52-year-old Sam Clark, Jr. admitted to police he shot 28-year-old Kimberly Perkins Clark twice in the head on the spillway levee bridge. Guidroz says the couple had a very abusive relationship…

CUT 6 (05) “pretty rough”

Guidroz says detectives had plenty of physical evidence to tie Clark to the murder of his wife before he confessed. He says the couple was driving over the bridge in Sam Clark’s truck before she was killed.

CUT 7 (10) “the water”

Clark is charged with second degree murder.  Guidroz says they believe Kimberly Clark was dead for about 12 to 15 hours before her body was found.

CUT 8 (10) “called us”

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Louisiana could get hit with two to four inches of rain today as a severe weather system moves into the state. Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Shreveport Patrick Omundson advises people to be on the lookout for severe weather threats.

CUT 9 (09) “winds too”

Omundson also cautions people to watch out for lightening today. He says much of the state will get around two inches of rain, but isolated areas could get more.

cut 10 (04)  “as well”

Much of north Louisiana is under a flash flood watch. Omundson says the flash flooding risk is greater, because of all the backwater left from the recent flooding.

Cut 11 (11) “significant flooding”

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A measure to create protection for public school students who are parents or expectant mothers has been passed out of the Senate Education Committee. New Orleans Senator Wesley Bishop says the Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act will help both mothers and fathers receive a diploma.

cut 12 (09) “young people”

The bill now heads to the full Senate for more debate. Metairie Rep. Stephanie Hilferty is a co-author of the legislation. She says statistically only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school and 30 percent of female students that drop out say the reason was due to pregnancy.

Cut 13 (10)  “child’s birth”

Hilferty says as much support a mother can get from the state while in the high school environment will reap substantial rewards. She says teen pregnancy has a generational effect if we don’t help these parents return to high school after their maternity leave.

cut 14 (10)  “older parents”

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The Senate advances legislation that would make Louisiana in federal compliance with the Real ID Act. The bill’s author, Baton Rouge Senator Yvonne Colomb, says this is a measure that was passed by Congress…:

cut 15 (09) “Homeland Security” 

The proposal passed 31-7 and heads to the House. A similar bill received legislative approval last year, but it was vetoed by former Governor Bobby Jindal. Colomb says her bill this year includes language that would give citizens the option…:

cut 16 (04) “to get one”

(Governor John Bel Edwards says he will sign the bill if it passes.)