Republican US Senator David Vitter begins to unveil his plan on leading Louisiana into the future as governor. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The state Department of Education says Louisiana’s four-year high school graduation rate was at a record high in 2014 and increased for the fourth straight year. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association says a study they commissioned found that movies made here created up to $4 billion dollars in economic output in 2013. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Funeral services will be held today for Loreauvile Mayor Albert Broussard. Broussard was killed in a car crash Friday night. New Iberia State Representative Taylor Barras (BAR-ra) says it’s a sad day for the small, tight-knit community…

cut 4  (10)  “the village forward”

Services are scheduled for 1PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Loreauville. Broussard is survived by his fiancee, a son, and two daughters. Barras says Broussard loved Loreauville and loved serving his community…

Cut 5  (09)  “the same time”

Broussard served as Alderman for 24 years and was serving his third term as mayor at the time of his death. He was also a 1st Lieutenant in the Louisiana National Guard. Barras says Broussard’s death is a loss that will be felt beyond Loreauville…

Cut 6 (07)  “miss him greatly”

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Republican US Senator David Vitter begins to unveil his plan on leading Louisiana into the future as governor. Vitter calls the plan “Together, Louisiana Strong”. He has released the first two chapters; one dealing with staying in touch with Louisiana citizens while governor and the second focusing on stabilizing the budget through spending and tax reform…

CUT 7 (09)  “crisis level”

Vitter says he would immediately call a special legislative session to deal exclusively with the budget crisis, if elected. Two big concerns among residents are roads and education. He says specific chapters on each will be released in the coming weeks. Vitter says one of the key areas of focus in that special session would be to protect and enhance the Transportation Trust Fund…

Cut 8  (05)  “roads and bridges” 

Vitter calls this a blueprint for building a brighter future for all Louisianians. You can get more information at DavidVitter-dot-com. Vitter’s education plan includes getting Louisiana out of Common Core and enhancing technical and skills training for high school students…

Cut 9 (09)  “a four-year degree”

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The state Department of Education says Louisiana’s four-year high school graduation rate was at a record high in 2014 and increased for the fourth straight year. Superintendent John White says about 75% of students who entered 9th grade, graduated in 2014 which is a 1.1% increase over the prior year…:

Cut 10 (07) “four years ago”

White says this increase is a great sign for our state and a true testament to the hard work and devotion of teachers, principals and families. He says in the class of 2014, nearly 1600 more students graduated than did in the class of 2013 and nearly 3,440 more students than in 2011…:

cut 11 (09) “annually”

White says of the nearly 1600 additional students graduating in 2014, more than 1200 are of a minority racial group and more than 1230 are from low income homes…:

cut 12 (09)  “backgrounds”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association says a study they commissioned found that movies made here created up to $4 billion dollars in economic output in 2013. HR&A Advisors Partner Shuprotim Bhaumik (Shoe-pro-teem Bah-Mick) says over 33,000 jobs and over $1.2 billion in personal income can be attributed to the state’s film tax credits. He also says the movie industry attracts tourists…:

Cut 13 (09)  “induced tourists”

Bhaumik says based on a survey of nearly 1400 recent visitors to Louisiana, 14.5% said they were spurred to visit Louisiana because of a television show or movie that was filmed here…:

Cut 14 (08) “activities”

Changes to the state’s film tax credit program have already been proposed for the upcoming legislative session. Those include capping the program and making administrative changes to help prevent fraud. LFEA executive director David Tatman says the economic impact of the incentives are felt throughout the entire state of Louisiana…:

Cut 15  (10)  “healthy industry”

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LSU’s Austin Bain has been named SEC Co-Freshman of the week. Bain was outstanding out of the pen on Saturday as he pitched 6.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and a career-high nine strikeouts in a win over Alabama. Coach Paul Mainieri has announced Bain will start Sunday’s game against Auburn and the former Dutchtown star is looking forward to the opportunity…

Cut 16  (07)  “that I have”

LSU hosts UNO tonight. Senior catcher Kade Scivicque likes the qualities that Bain brings to the mound….

Cut 17 (11)  “to play”

Bain will take Jake Godfrey’s spot in the weekend rotation. The freshman from Illinois has struggled in his last two outings and Mainieri plans to start him on Wednesday against Northwestern State. Mainieri says Godfrey is having trouble locating his breaking ball in the strike zone and opposing hitters are sitting on his fastball

Cut 18 (16) ” bigger times’

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The Pelicans, who are fighting to get into the NBA Playoffs, will host Golden State tonight. The Warriors have the best record in the NBA and they are led by MVP candidate Stephen Curry. Pelicans guard Norris Cole on trying to slow down Curry

Cut 19 (13)  “as possible “

New Orleans has lost 11 straight games to Golden State. The Pels enter tonight’s action a half game back of Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Coach Monty Williams has told his team not to worry about O-K-C…

Cut 20 (15)  “as well”

According to the United States Public Interest Research Group, federal data from 2014 indicates that over 1,800 bridges in Louisiana need repairs. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne officially kicked off his campaign for Governor today. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal made an appearance on NBC’s Meet The Press to talk about the religious freedom debate that’s created a national controversy. Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson has filed a religious freedom bill in Louisiana. Jindal says this issue is about business owners that don’t want to have to choose between their religious beliefs and being able to operate their businesses…

CUT 3 (09)  “those ceremonies”

Johnson’s proposed bill would permit private businesses to deny the same benefits to same-sex couples as other married couples based on a religious objection. Jindal says there used to be a bi-partisan consensus in the US about religious liberty…

CUT 4 (11)  “held beliefs”

The governor said that he has not read Johnson’s bill but supports the defense of religious liberty. Jindal says forcing businesses to participate in a same-sex wedding ceremony, when they have a religious objection, is a Constitutional issue…

CUT 5 (06)  “their religious beliefs”

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According to the United States Public Interest Research Group, federal data from 2014 indicates that over 1,800 bridges in Louisiana need repairs. The Federal Highway Administration lists 1,837 bridges in Louisiana as “structurally deficient”. Louisiana Department of Transportation spokesman Rodney Mallett says motorists should not be frightened by this designation…

CUT 6 (07)  “for repairs”

A “structurally deficient” designation doesn’t mean a bridge is unsafe. It means the bridge has at least one component that needs repair or replacement. Mallet admits that DOTD has prioritized interstate improvements in recent years, but that doesn’t mean bridges across the state have been neglected…

CUT 7 (10)  “replacement projects”

The state faces a $12 billion backlog in delayed road and bridge maintenance projects. Mallett says, with the current financial problems facing the state, it all comes down to money…

CUT 8 (09)  “address those”

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State police say one of their troopers was injured in a crash involving a drunk driver Sunday morning while investigating another DWI related accident in East Baton Rouge Parish. Trooper Dustin Dwight says the unidentified trooper had the first DWI suspect inside his vehicle parked on the side of I-12 and was finishing up the paperwork for that accident report…:

CUT 9 (06)  “back of him”

Dwight says both the trooper and the first DWI offender were inside the fully marked Tahoe when it was hit and suffered minor to moderate injuries. He says the vehicle which slammed into the back of the cop car was driven by 24-year-old Magen Hall of Zachary…:

cut 10 (09) “minor injuries”

Dwight says it’s a shame that the trooper was taking care of one drunk driving crash then he was hit by another drunk driver. He says they investigated several DWI crashes over the Easter weekend which is unacceptable…:

cut 11 (10)  “for Megen”

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne officially kicked off his campaign for Governor today. In his announcement, Dardenne said he’s traveled thousands of miles across Louisiana in his current job which is what he plans to do if he’s elected to be the next leader of the state…:

cut 12 (08)  “and Shreveport”

Dardenne says he’d work out of an existing state office in each location so it wouldn’t cost any more money. He says Louisiana is in horrible financial shape right now and he plans to go to work on budget matters from day one…:

cut 13 (09)  “to celebrate”

Dardenne says his office will work to create stability in the state’s budget and end the practice of using one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses. He says higher education will be a top priority and it will be funded as such. Dardenne says it’s okay that he doesn’t have the most cash to run his campaign…:

cut 14 (08) “the best idea”

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Lt Governor Jay Dardenne begins a statewide tour today to officially announce that he’s running for Governor. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A contentious legislative session has another hot button item to discuss. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper is scheduled for arraignment today in federal court and tomorrow in state court. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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Lt Governor Jay Dardenne begins a statewide tour today to officially announce that he’s running for Governor. Dardenne will begin in Baton Rouge and Lafayette today, tomorrow he’ll visit Alexandria and Lake Charles. Wednesday it’s New Orleans then Thursday Monroe and Shreveport. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat believes Dardenne has a tough road ahead

cut 4  (08)  “in the middle”

Recent polls have shown Dardenne a distant third in the race behind the leading Republican David Vitter then the Democratic candidate John Bel Edwards. Pinsonat says not only is Dardenne a moderate conservative, the fact that he supports Common Core might also be a problem for his campaign

Cut 5  (09)  “dislike Common Core”

Pinsonat says Vitter is a very powerful Senator and has a strong ability to raise plenty of cash while Dardenne’s war chest is lacking. He says in order for Dardenne to have a fighting chance at making the runoff, something major would have to happen with Vitter…:

Cut 6 (09)  “in the runoff”

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What is expected to be a very difficult legislative session begins a week today as state lawmakers will try to come up with a fiscal plan to avoid large budget cuts to health care and higher education. Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert has been appointed as Governor Jindal’s legislative liaison. Hebert is optimistic a workable solution can be had…

CUT 7 (11)  “in the past”

Heading into the session, there are numerous bills seeking to raise revenue as a way to close the budget deficit, but the Jindal administration has said if lawmakers raise taxes in one area, they have to be lowered somewhere else, so it’s revenue neutral. Hebert believes that’s what the public wants too

Cut 8  (07)  “anymore either” 

Hebert is familiar with the legislature as he’s served in the House and the Senate prior to becoming A-T-C Commissioner. He says while the state’s budget problems are difficult, he believes every crisis is an opportunity….

Cut 9 (11)  “solution”

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Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper is scheduled for arraignment today in federal court and tomorrow in state court. The 39-year-old is accused of drugging and raping women in four states and struck a “global” plea deal to resolve all of the charges where he’s been indicted. Legal analyst Chick Foret says the end results of both hearings this week will be guilty pleas…:

Cut 10 (12) “serve his time”

It’s been reported that Sharper will get 20 years in Louisiana, but will serve just nine under the multi state deal. Foret feels it will be far more complicated than that. But he says either way many people aren’t happy about the leniency Sharper is getting for these very serious charges…:

cut 11 (10) “been reduced”

Foret believes Sharper will definitely serve nine new years in jail, but once all the details in the case are hammered out this week we’ll know a lot more…:

cut 12 (10)  “complicated plea bargain”

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The religious freedom debate which made national headlines in Indiana and Arkansas is coming to Louisiana. Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson has filed a bill that would prevent state government from penalizing a business or person for decisions made based on their religious views about marriage. Jeremy Alford of la-politics-dot-com, says with the state facing a huge budge deficit, will some legislators be willing to debate this issue…

Cut 13 (09)  “hallways”

Gays rights organization, Equality Louisiana, has already come out in opposition to Johnson’s measure, because they believe it will lead to the discrimination of gays, lesbians and transgender individuals. Alford says this bill has a chance to bring national attention to Louisiana…

Cut 14 (10) “violently”

Common Core and the budget are expected to dominate the legislative session that begins Monday. Alford says some veteran lawmakers might not be willing to debate this bill, with some big issues already on the table

Cut 15  (10)  “through the system”

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The author of a bill to require a designated driver before drinks can be served to a person at a bar or restaurant, now plans on not seeking approval of his legislation. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (26) “reporting”

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This is the biggest weekend of the seafood year and a distributor says the crawfish are in good supply, but the sooner you get your orders in the better. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 2 (26) “reporting”

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Haughton Representative Henry Burns, who has filed a bill that would require bar and restaurant patrons to have a designated driver, is now saying he will not try to seek approval of his measure in this session. Burns says his legislation would be difficult to enforce…

CUT 3 (08)  “smooth transition”

Burns says he still would like to have a committee hearing on his bill, to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving….

CUT 4 (06)  “do some good”

Burns says he filed the legislation after hearing from families who have lost loved one as a result of drunk drivers, but he hasn’t figured out how the legislation could be enforced

CUT 5 (09)  “goes from here”

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This is the biggest weekend of the seafood year and a distributor says the crawfish are in good supply, but the sooner you get your orders in the better. Gulf Seafood Institute Chairman Harlon Pearce says the product and prices are so good right now, mudbug lovers can’t get enough…:

CUT 6 (07)  “get em and enjoy em”

Pearce says the Easter weekend is the peak of the season and prices tend to drop from here. He says it’s been years since he’s seen crawfish as beautiful as they are this season…:

CUT 7 (08)  “really great season”

Pearce says there is also a ton of other delicious seafood available if you’re not a crawfish person. He says the shrimp are plump and oysters are extremely delicious right now…:

CUT 8 (06)  “fairly tight”

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Spring festival season is officially underway and there is no shortage of fun filled events happening in Sportsman’s Paradise. There is essentially a fair or festival on the calendar every weekend from now until the end of June. Jacques Berry with the Lt. Governor’s Office says Louisiana festivals are loved by locals and tourists…:

CUT 9 (09)  “promote the state”

Berry says the festivals range from the massive Jazz Fest in New Orleans to smaller historic events which have been years long traditions…:

cut 10 (15) “last weekend in April”

He says you can log on to www.louisianatravel.com to see a full calendar of events happening this spring. Berry says the greatest thing about these Louisiana gatherings is that they celebrate local communities and Louisiana’s many passions…:

cut 11 (08)  “gumbo pot”

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Data from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, shows Louisiana’s personal income for the fourth quarter in 2014 grew by just 0.6 percent, which is last in the country. But LSU economist Loren Scott says a reason for the low growth is because Louisiana did not accept federal dollars to expand its Medicaid program

cut 12 (07)  “bad thing”

The fourth quarter of 2014 coincides with a drop in oil prices and layoffs in the oil and gas industry. But Scott doesn’t see Louisiana being impacted as much as some other states who depend on large oil shale plays

cut 13 (07)  “hurt some”

Scott says there’s fewer federal dollars flowing into the state to assist low-income or unemployed workers and that’s what led to the lowest personal income growth number in the country for the fourth quarter of 2014…

cut 14 (10)  “in the country”

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The Louisiana Department of Education announces that 22,972 recent public high school graduates enrolled in college in 2014, an all-time high for the state. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Pounchatoula-based Elmer’s Chocolates are a must-have for many Louisiana Easter baskets this Sunday. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (27) “reporting”

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New Orleans Senator JP Morrell files a package of bills that seeks to reform the state’s film tax credit program. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Education announces that 22,972 recent public high school graduates enrolled in college in 2014, an all-time high for the state. That’s a six-percent increase from 2013. Education Superintendent John White says the numbers in this report are very exciting…

cut 4  (08)  “several years”

He says this year’s gains are fueled by an increase in low-income and minority students attending college. Those two groups account for over half of the overall growth. White says recently implemented programs like Advanced Placement, dual enrollment classes, and Jump Start are creating chances for students…

Cut 5  (10)  “for our kids”

He says the number of graduates enrolling in college directly after high school has increased 16-percent since 2011. Statewide, 59-percent of the class of 2014 enrolled in college for the fall semester. White says this is not the time for education in Louisiana to take a step backwards…

Cut 6 (08)  “political whims”

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A must-have for many Louisiana Easter baskets this Sunday is a candy manufactured in Ponchatoula. Elmer’s chocolates have been around over 160 years and President Rob Nelson says the Easter Sunday tradition is highlighted by their top sellers — Heavenly Hash and Gold Brick…:

CUT 7 (08)  “turn of the century”

The company started in The Big Easy in 1855 as a pastry business but eventually became Elmer Candy Corporation. Nelson says even Easter is falling a little early this year, sales this Holiday have been great…:

Cut 8  (10)  “this weekend” 

Nelson says Heavenly Hash is their second most popular Easter candy, but the Gold Brick Eggs and their different flavors top the charts every year. He says they attribute a large part of their success to being in one of the best Easter candy markets in the country — from Houston, Texas to Pensacola, Florida…:

Cut 9 (08)  “family traditions”

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Legislation to reform the state’s film tax credit program has been filed for the upcoming session. The program has made Louisiana a major player in the motion picture industry, but the department of economic development says it costs $4.48 for every dollar of state revenue it creates. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says one of the goals with his legislation is to make the tax credit more predictable…

Cut 10 (09) “unsustainable”

Morrell says the most the state has paid out in a given year is 250-million dollars and one of his bills would cap the amount of tax credits paid in a fiscal year to 300-million dollars. The state senator says he also has three different bills that attempt to control fraudulent behavior

cut 11 (12) “itself is truthful”

Morrell says the legislation he’s filed is not designed to ruin Louisiana’s reputation as “Hollywood South.” He says the goal is to make it better and that includes legislation to help college graduates get involved in the movie and TV industry…

cut 12 (11)  “native industry”

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office is investigating an officer involved shooting which left one man dead in Pineville. Lt. Tommy Carnline says deputies responded to reports of a disturbance in which a person was threatening another person in the residence and also threatening to do harm to himself…:

Cut 13 (11)  “at our deputies”

Carnline says they tried to calm the subject down for over an hour until he suddently left the room then began pointing a gun at deputies…:

Cut 14 (07) “on the scene”

Carnline says the subject did not listen to orders to drop the weapon which is when he was shot and killed by cops. He says the deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave as standard procedure…:

Cut 15  (09)  “choice that we’re given”

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US Senator David Vitter has picked up the endorsement of fellow Republican Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany in this year’s governor’s race. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (27) “reporting”

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For the third year in a row, Louisiana has increased the number of tourists and set another record for the industry.

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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US Senator David Vitter has picked up the endorsement of fellow Republican Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany in this year’s governor’s race. Vitter is one of three Republicans eyeing the state’s highest elected office. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says being endorsed by a sitting congressman is a good thing…

CUT 3 (05)  “means something”

Vitter also picked up the endorsement of three-term Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel. Cross says the combination of these two endorsements are an indication of Vitter’s strength in the upcoming gubernatorial election…

CUT 4 (05)  “favorite to beat”

Cross says this is kind of a slap in the face for Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle as these endorsements come from his home region. He says the backing of Boustany and Durel is a real win-win for the Vitter campaign…

CUT 5 (07)  “and Angelle”

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An escaped inmate charged with murder has been captured and a guard at a mental facility in East Feliciana Parish has been arrested in connection with the prisoner’s escape. State Police trooper Melissa Matey says 37-year-old Antonio Webb was arrested after they interviewed several employees at the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health Hospital where prisoner Lorenza Conner was being held..:

CUT 6 (07)  “helped Conner escape”

Conner got out of a DHH transport vehicle in Orleans Parish and he was re-arrested this morning at a laundromat in Jefferson Parish.  Matey says the investigation into Conner’s escape is still ongoing….

CUT 7 (06)  “he escaped”

Matey says Webb has been booked with Malfeasance in Office…:

CUT 8 (12)  “to his escape”

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Former four-term governor Edwin Edwards is now a licensed real estate agent. Edwards says he got his broker’s licence last week and he’s excited at the prospect of getting back to work. He says that just because his political career has ended, he’s not completely retired…

CUT 9 (09)  “obvious reasons”

Edwards says he has to supplement his retirement income because he has a family to support. His wife Trina also received her real estate license. Edwards says as a team, he will concentrate on commercial properties while she will focus on residential properties…

cut 10 (10) “very much doing”

Edwards says he had a broker’s license years ago but gave it up. He lost in last December’s runoff election for the Sixth District Congressional seat. Edwards says that while he wants to focus on commercial properties, he’s just getting started and all options are open…

cut 11 (10)  “to list it”

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For the third year in a row, Louisiana has increased the number of tourists and set another record for the industry. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says there were 27.7 million people who visited Louisiana in 2014 which is a 5 percent increase over the year before…:

cut 12 (09)  “who don’t live here”

Dardenne says the revenue generated through visitors represents a more than 38-1 return on investment of state funding. He says this is great news for Louisiana and also means a lot of spending around the state at restaurants, bars, attractions, hotels and more…:

cut 13 (09)  “generated”

Dardenne says there was $11.2 billion dollars in total visitor spending in 2014 and $836 million dollars in state tax revenue generated. He credits the great year in tourism to creative marketing, dedicated industry leaders throughout the state and an incredible product in the many passions Louisiana offers…:

cut 14 (10)  “major conventions”

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The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested an Avoyelles Parish corrections officer in connection with the escape of a female inmate last week. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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The Louisiana SPCA is encouraging folks to celebrate Easter responsibly and think before you buy live bunnies and chicks as pets. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (26) “reporting”

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Opelousas Senator Elbert Guillory wants Louisiana residents to vote on whether an unborn child should have legal rights at the moment of conception. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 3 (26) “reporting”

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The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested an Avoyelles Parish Correctional Center officer in connection with the escape of a female inmate last week. Sheriff’s office spokesman Robert Martin says 47-year-old Michelle George reported that Felicia Daigle escaped while being transported from Assumption to Avoylles parish. He says their investigation found that George actually stopped the vehicle in Paintcourville…

cut 4  (07)  “to buy drugs”

He says George allowed Daigle to exit the vehicle so she could go and buy drugs. When Daigle didn’t return, George sent another inmate to find her. That inmate returned unable to find Daigle. Martin says George then met a third party at a gas station and came up with the story that Daigle escaped…

Cut 5  (08)  “has escaped”

Daigle was found hiding at her home in Labadieville and now faces an additional charge of simple escape. George is charged with assisting escape, obstruction of justice, and malfeasance in office. Martin says it’s shocking that a corrections officer would do this, but hopefully some good will come out of it…

Cut 6 (10)  “above reproach”

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The Louisiana SPCA is encouraging folks to celebrate Easter responsibly and think before you buy live bunnies and chicks as pets. Spokeswoman Destinie (Destiny) Hammond says hundreds of rabbits are turned in to local shelters or released into the wild shortly after the Easter holiday…:

CUT 7 (07)  “might adopt”

Hammond says when it comes to Easter bunnies, they encourage you to go chocolate. She says while rabbits can make a great companion animals, they encourage people to thoroughly research the care of these fragile creatures before making a casual decision to bring one home…:

Cut 8  (07)  “things like that” 

Hammond says rabbits can live 10-15 years and require as much care as a dog or a cat. She says they want to discourage impulse purchases of cute little bunnies and chicks…:

Cut 9 (09)  “they come here”

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office says a man is behind bars on felony stalking charges after allegedly continuously harassing a female victim. Lt. Tommy Carnline says the woman told cops that 47-year-old Christopher Charles LAmmons of Alexandria would not leave her alone…:

Cut 10 (09) “had given”

Carnline says a warrant was obtained for Lammons’ arrest as well as a search warrant for his residence for additional evidence…:

cut 11 (08) “to our victim”

Carnline says because Lammons’ charges are domestic in nature, a new law that went into affect last year mandates that he stay in jail without bond under “Gwen’s Law”…:

cut 12 (05)  “just cause”

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Opelousas Senator Elbert Guillory files a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide if life begins at conception. Guillory’s proposed change to the constitution would give unborn children the same legal rights that all other people enjoy….

Cut 13 (11)  “is pro life”

Guillory says this constitutional amendment would not make abortions illegal in Louisiana, but it lets the world know that Louisiana is a pro life state

Cut 14 (10) ”  beyond that”

Guillory says the constitutional amendment will also make abortions automatically illegal, if Roe versus Wade is overturned. The legislation is referred to as “personhood” but similar proposals have failed to pass in other states. But Guillory likes his chances in Louisiana….

Cut 15  (07)  “pro life”

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The LSU baseball team begins a three-game series tonight against Alabama. Sophomore left-hander Jared Poche will get the start on the mound for the Tigers, and Coach Paul Mainieri has all the confidence in the world in Poche…

Cut 16  (16)  “good start”

The series will NOT be played in Tuscaloosa, because of ongoing renovations with Alabama’s ball park. So the games will be played just outside of Birmingham at the same ball park where the SEC Tournament is held. Mainieri says his teams have won five SEC Tournament titles at the Hoover Met….

Cut 17 (15)  “big hits”

LSU blew a couple of late leads in dropping its series with Kentucky this past weekend. But Mainieri says he still has faith in his bullpen and he’s seen arms emerge as the season has gone on….

Cut 18 (13) ” count on’

Governor Bobby Jindal takes another step toward a potential presidential run by sending two members of his staff to Iowa. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The New Orleans Police Department says they’ve arrested a suspect in the killing of a Dominos pizza delivery driver. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal takes another step toward a potential presidential run by sending two members of his staff to Iowa. Taylor Teepell and Matt Parker will move to the Hawkeye State where they’ll work for the governor’s new political organization called the America Future Project. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says this shows how serious Jindal is about running for president…

CUT 3 (09)  “governor’s office”

Recent poll numbers have not been kind to the governor. They show Jindal polling in the single digits, well behind other expected Republican candidates for the nomination. Alford says no eventual president has polled below 15-percent at this point in the process and been successful with the exception of Bill Clinton…

CUT 4 (10)  “comeback kid”

Alford says despite the seemingly steep uphill battle in front of him, Jindal is moving forward with his campaign plans. The governor is expected to make an announcement following this year’s legislative session. Alford says presidential candidates often run for the office with other aspirations in mind…

CUT 5 (08)  “in their future”

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The prison population in Louisiana is going down for the first time in years. Secretary of Corrections Jimmy LeBlanc told the House Appropriations Committee that from 2006-2009 the state added about 1200 new prisoners a year. He says if that would have continued, there would have been about 44,000 inmates at the end of 2014 instead of closing the year with about 38,000 prisoners…:

CUT 6 (07)  “on that same pace”

LeBlanc says since 2012, Louisiana has seen a drop of almost 3000 inmates. He credits changes in sentencing laws and strong re-entry programs…:

CUT 7 (05)  “annually”

Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the nation. LeBlanc says the numbers not coming back to prisons annually is a huge financial gain for the state and it continues to get better. He says these numbers indicate that what they are doing to keep people from coming back to prison after the leave is working…:

CUT 8 (05)  “good things”

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A former Elton High School teacher and basketball coach has pleaded guilty to having inappropriate sexual relationships with students. 35-year-old Justin Fruge (froo-JHAY’) pleaded guilty to one count of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Jeff Davis Parish District Attorney Michael Cassidy says Fruge faces up to ten years in prison…

CUT 9 (10)  “for 15 years”

Fruge will also lose his teaching certificate and have to register as a sex offender for 15 years. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20. Cassidy says most of Fruge’s victims preferred to not have to testify in court, but thought Fruge should have a felony on his record and not be allowed to teach again…

cut 10 (07) “his actions”

Fruge was facing numerous charges of sexual misconduct, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge after parents of the victims requested the charges be reduced. Cassidy says all of the victims supported the plea. He says by pleading this quickly, it allows the victims and the Town of Elton to move on and let the healing begin…

cut 11 (08)  “or coach, again”

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The New Orleans Police Department says they’ve arrested a suspect in the killing of a Dominos pizza delivery driver. They say 24-year-old Michael Portis is believed to be responsible for the fatal shooting of 36-year-old Michael Price who was a married father of three. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the community is sending a strong message…:

cut 12 (06)  “gonna convict you”

There was a $15,000 reward being offered in the case and cops say it was multiple tips to Crimestoppers which help lead detectives to Portis. Robert Redesco is the regional vice president for local Domino’s franchisee RPM Pizza LLC. He says their number one goal is to keep their team members safe…:

cut 13 (09)  “by voice”

Redesco says online donations for Price’s family have gone over $30,000 and there have also been several thousands of dollars given by Dominos chains across the region. Darlene Cusanza, president and CEO of Crimestoppers GNO says the entire $15,000 reward will be paid out…: (Portis is expected to face first-degree murder charges.)

cut 14 (06)  “a reward”

Tonight, the Investigation Discovery show “Web of Lies” will feature the story of the kidnapping, murder, and arrest of 12-year-old Justin Bloxom’s killer. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (27) “reporting”

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A proposal designed to control the cost of TOPS will be promoted an 11:00 press conference today. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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An $8,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot a bald eagle in Caddo Parish. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Tonight, Investigation Discovery’s documentary style show “Web of Lies” will feature the story of the kidnapping, murder, and arrest of 12-year-old Justin Bloxom’s killer. Bloxom’s body was found in a shallow pool of water in Stonewall in March of 2010. DeSoto Parish Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle says the show can bring to light how vulnerable our children are and how predators operate…

cut 4  (10)  “in this case”

Brian Horn, a previously convicted sex offender, was sentenced to death for Justin’s murder last year. Horn lured Bloxom to his death with fake text messages, pretending to be a girl from his school. Arbuckle says Justin’s story should be a reminder to parents to keep up with what their kids are doing…

Cut 5  (09)  “on with them”

Amy Bloxom Fletcher, Justin’s mom, agreed to share the story to remind people about the dangers children can face from predators through social media and texting. Several people involved in the case were interviewed for the show. Arbuckle says he supports the program airing tonight at 9…

Cut 6 (07)  “what they’re doing”

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Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue files legislation that he says will control the cost of the TOPS scholarship program. Donahue says under his bill a baseline would be set on how much a student receives for tuition and that dollar amount will not go up in future years, unless the legislature votes to change it

CUT 7 (09)  “school increases”

Every year the cost of the TOPS program for the state grows by the millions, because of rising tuition costs at public colleges. Donahue under his bill the TOPS award stays the same for a student through their college career, even if tuition goes up

Cut 8  (08)  “53 hundred” 

Higher education officials and the Taylor Foundation, which started the TOPS program, will promote Donahue’s bill at an 11 o’ clock press conference today in Baton Rouge. Donahue says there’s support for each TOPS recipient receiving the same amount of money, regardless if tuition is up from the year before

Cut 9 (10)  “increased by the legislature”

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It’s the peak of crawfish harvest season and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office is increasing patrols around crawfish ponds to deter thieves from stealing crawfish. Lt. Clay Higgins says deputies have been guarding ponds annually since 2011…

Cut 10 (08) “across the parish”

Higgins says the sheriff’s office is determined to protect the crop for the parish’s crawfish farmers. He says officers often are waiting in the dark, blacked out in their patrol unit, watching for any suspicious activity. Higgins says if you steal just $300 in crawfish, that’s a felony and the penalty is very stiff…

cut 11 (04) “hard labor”

He says a thief could get two years of hard labor for stealing just a few sacks of crawfish. Higgins says these additional patrols have been very successful in keeping the number of crawfish thefts down…

cut 12 (08)  “over four years”

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Bel Edwards, blames republican candidate Scott Angelle for helping to create the state’s one-point-six billion dollar budget deficit. Angelle is currently a Public Service Commissioner, but he previously served in Bobby Jindal’s administration. Edwards made the swipe at Angelle during a governor’s forum in Baton Rouge

Cut 13 (09)  “light the match”

During Angelle’s opening statement, he said his door would be open to solutions from anyone when it comes to the state’s budget problems

Cut 14 (11) “tax program”

Governor Bobby Jindal is using the Americans for Tax Reform and it’s “no tax” pledge to develop solutions for the state’s current budget woes, but Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says the answer to Louisiana’s problems are not in Washington D-C

Cut 15  (06)  “our state”

The candidates appeared at a lunchtime forum that was put together by Louisiana’s small business community. Republican Senator David Vitter expressed his strong opposition to Jindal’s plan to scale back the state’s inventory tax credit as a way to raise revenues for state government

Cut 16  (12)  “job creators”

A poll from LSU finds Louisiana residents like the concept behind Common Core, until you call it “Common Core.” Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana alleges that Albert Hardison, principal at Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle School in Shreveport, engaged in unlawful religious coercion by using God, prayer, and Christianity in school publications. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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As body cameras are being introduced to more law enforcement agencies across the state, a Baton Rouge lawmaker wants to make it a requirement that all law enforcement officers are equipped with the new technology. State Representative Dalton Honore says the use of body cameras can protect both citizens and police officers…

CUT 3 (08)  “down tremendously”

Honore says body cameras can solve a lot of issues between citizens and law enforcement, similar to what dashboard cameras on police vehicles have done…

CUT 4 (05)  “a vehicle”

He says there have been recent incidents around the country where the use of body cameras would have answered a lot of questions. Honore feels that a body camera is a great tool in keeping everyone honest…

CUT 5 (07)  “great protection”

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A poll conducted by LSU finds Louisiana residents oppose education standards that are called Common Core, but support the concept. Doctor Michael Henderson, director of LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, says when citizens were asked if they support Common Core, only 39-percent said yes….

CUT 6 (07)  “67-percent support it”

Henderson says when they didn’t use the term “Common Core” and asked residents if they support higher academic standards that allows Louisiana to compare student achievement with other states 67-percent support it.

Henderson says the poll also shows the public is poorly informed on who developed the education standards for common core. He says that’s based on the answers they got when they asked who developed the standards, the federal government or the state

CUT 7 (06)  “some guessing”

Henderson says the political fighting over Common Core shows that it has tainted the Common Core brand….

CUT 8 (11)  “Common Core”

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana allegesthat Albert Hardison, principal at Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle School in Shreveport, engaged in unlawful religious coercion by using God, prayer, and Christianity in school publications. Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman says they recently learned of a newsletter Hardison sent home to parents ahead of standardized testing…

CUT 9 (09)  “on the test”

She says the school’s website also features a “Principal’s Message” that includes references to God and Christ. Esman says these references are a direct violation of the separation of Church and State. She says it’s troubling because Hardison should know what the Constitution says about this…

cut 10 (11) “good example” (2x)

In a statement, Caddo Parish Public Schools say they are investigating and taking steps to ensure school employees are not violating the Constitution. Esman says a letter has been sent to Caddo Parish School Superintendent Lamar Goree asking that all religious references be removed from the school’s website…

cut 11 (08)  “breaking the law”

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Indiana is taking a lot of heat for its new “religious freedom” law. Sarah Jane Brady, with the Forum for Equality, hopes Louisiana can learn from Indiana when they push a law in the upcoming session that protects discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity…

cut 12 (10)  “here in Louisiana”

Every year, lawmakers in Baton Rouge shoot down bills to protect the L-G-B-T community and there’s also a constitutional amendment on the books that bans gay marriages in Louisiana. Brady hopes what has happened in Indiana will lead to changes with Lousiaina’s discrimination laws

cut 13 (10)  “need protection”

Critics of Indiana’s law says it allows businesses to discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender individuals. Brady says they’ll seek to pass a law in the upcoming session to make sure the LGBT community is protected from discrimination in Louisiana

cut 14 (11)  “community”