LSU’s annual survey of Louisiana residents  reveals that 83-percent of Louisianians want the state’s budget deficit to be resolved through a combination of spending cuts and additional revenue. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A former Iberia Parish Sheriff’s deputy pleads guilty to striking a handcuffed man. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (27) “reporting”

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The NAACP in Tangipahoa Parish is meeting with leaders in Ponchatoula today to further efforts to have the sale of the controversial Strawberry Festival poster yanked. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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The 2015 Louisiana Survey reveals that 83-percent of Louisianians want the state’s budget deficit to be resolved through a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes. LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab Director Michael Henderson says people would prefer one over the other…

cut 4  (05)  “than tax hikes”

Of those preferring a combination, 59-percent would rather see the the focus mostly on the side of spending cuts. The way the Louisiana Constitution is written, higher education and health care will take the brunt of budget cuts. Henderson says that is not what the public wants…

Cut 5  (05)  “spent on that”

Henderson says people actually want more money spent in areas of education, health care, and transportation, which puts policy makers in a bind. When it comes to raising revenue, Henderson says the public seems to behind a hike in the so-called “sin taxes”: alcohol, tobacco, and gaming…

Cut 6 (06)  “and fees”

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The financial planning website Bankrate.com lists Louisiana as the fifth worst place to retire. Bankrate’s research analyst Chris Kahn says Louisiana scores low when it comes to its crime rate, health care services and weather

CUT 7 (07)  “our rankings”

Kahn says retirees in Louisiana do not face a huge tax burden, which is good, but the state has the second highest crime rate in the nation, which does NOT make the bayou state a dream retirement spot

Cut 8  (08)  “in the country” 

Kahn says Louisiana also performed poorly in their study when it comes to well-being, which looks at how satisfied senior citizens are with their surroundings….

Cut 9 (07)  “liked it”

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A former school board candidate in south Louisiana has been charged with felony sexual battery of a 12-year-old girl whom he used to coach basketball. Lawrence McLeary with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office says the juvenile told her doctor that she was assaulted by 34-year-old Philip Ziegler of Central about a year and a half ago…:

Cut 10 (10) “to report it”

McLeary says the allegation is that Ziegler had come over to the victim’s house for a bonfire and ended up staying the night. He says the juvenile contends that at some point in the night, the suspect came to her room.:

cut 11 (11) “inappropriately”

Ziegler ran for a school board office in Central in the November 4th, 2014 election but did not win. According to court documents, the victim claims she had to hit Ziegler several times with a baseball bat in order to stop his advances before the suspect walked out of her room saying, “This isn’t worth it.” McLeary says sexual battery is the charge…:

cut 12 (04)  “and his age”

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The Greater Tangipahoa Parish NAACP Branch is meeting this morning with the Mayor of Ponchatoula and other leaders to discuss the controversial Strawberry Festival poster. They believe the painting is racist and want the Kiwanas Club to stop selling it. Christina Rusca is a former member of the Ponchatoula Kiwanis Club. She believes they will keep the poster…:

Cut 13 (09)  “stick to their guns, yes”

In a prepared statement, Mayor Bob Zabbia says because negative feelings about the poster go against the purpose of the Strawberry Festival, which has brought the community together for decades, he would recommend that Kiwanis reevaluate their decision to sell the poster. Rusca says there have been racist overtones in the Kiwanis Club for a long time…:

Cut 14 (09) “that conversation”

Rusca says when she was on the Kiwanis club board, she presented an idea that there should be more cultural diversity among their leaders when you’re dealing with something the size of the strawberry festival. She says that thought was not at all popular…:

Cut 15  (09)  “and it’s always been that way”

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U-L-M men’s basketball will host Vermont tonight at seven P-M in the semifinals of the C-B-I tournament. The Warhawks started the tournament by beating Eastern Michigan and then rallying on the road to defeat Mercer by 20. ULM Athletics Director Brian Wickstrom this postseason run has brought excitement to the campus…

Cut 16  (13)  “for our program”

ULM starts one senior in its starting line-up and Wickstrom hopes this postseason run will result in a NCAA Tournament berth next season

Cut 17 (15)  “extra games”

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ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman reports that LSU sophomore forward Jordan Mickey is leaning towards entering the NBA draft. Mickey was a first-team ALL SEC selection this past season as he led the league in rebounding and he’s also the top shot blocker in the country. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says it’s not a surprise to hear this news…

Cut 18 (13) ” weren’t great’

Mickey averaged 15 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game this season, but Worsham believes the six-foot-eight forward from Dallas could use another year of college basketball

Cut 19 (13)   “game more”

A study released by the state department of economic development finds that the state’s film tax credit program cost the state 171-million dollars last fiscal year. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Republican Congressman Charles Boustany announces that a contract has been awarded to build a new VA clinic in Lafayette. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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A Franklin Parish woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree cruelty to a juvenile after causing her 20-month-old daughter to fall out of her moving car last June. District Attorney Mack Lancaster says he’s satisfied with the sentence handed down to 24-year-old LaSasha Allen of Winnsboro…

CUT 3 (10)  “appropriate sentence”

The child sustained multiple injuries, including a broken arm and skull fracture. Lancaster says there is no doubt in his mind that Allen intentionally tried to hurt her daughter…

CUT 4 (06)  “fall out”

Lancaster says Allen placed her daughter in an unrestrained position and opened the car door while rounding a curve, allowing her daughter to fall out. He says Allen has shown no remorse for what she did to her daughter…

CUT 5 (05)  “somewhat silently”

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Republican Congressman Charles Boustany announces that a contract has been awarded to build a new VA clinic in Lafayette. Last year, Boustany passed legislation authorizing the construction of new clinics in Lafayette and Lake Charles. Boustany says this is a great day for Lafayette veterans…

CUT 6 (11)  “long overdue”

The Lafayette clinic will be built on Ambassador Caffery Parkway and is expected to be completed 18 months after construction begins. Boustany says this clinic is something veterans in the Acadiana region have been waiting too long for…

CUT 7 (07)  “of this clinic”

However, Boustany says there is still no word from the VA on the construction of a new clinic in Lake Charles. He says the VA is dragging its feet on this and that’s not acceptable…

CUT 8 (08)  “on construction”

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A study examining the state’s film tax credit program finds that it created nearly 13-thousand jobs in Louisiana, but cost the state 171-million dollars last fiscal year. LSU Economist Loren Scott conducted the study for the state department of economic development and he says the film tax credit program costs more than it brings in

CUT 9 (10)  “film industry”

Reforming the state’s film tax credit program is expected to be a major topic in the upcoming legislative session. Some lawmakers will point to the number of jobs it has created, but Scott says is it worth the 171-million dollar negative impact on the budget

cut 10 (05) “jobs as well”

Scott says even though the state’s film tax credit program produced nearly 13-thousand jobs last fiscal year, that doesn’t mean the jobs produced actually benefited Louisiana…

cut 11 (09)  “be spent”

============================

The Department of Health and Hospitals says Louisiana has cut the rate of Tuberculosis cases by more than half from 2010 to 2014. DHH TB Control Program Director Charles DeGraw says that puts us 12 percent below the national case rate…:

cut 12 (10)  “at that point”

DeGraw credits the TB Control Program for its successful implementation of new tools which have lowers the instance of the disease and working toward the ultimate eradication of Tuberculosis in Louisiana. He says this is great news…:

cut 13 (10)  “over that period of time”

DeGraw says this also helps because doctors no longer have to treat problem cases which makes the other end of treatment and follow up and completion of treatment easier to do. He says they also reduced the percentage of TB cases with HIV infection from 10% in 2010 to 4 percent in 2014…:

cut 14 (10)  “who have Tuberculosis”

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Today, a grand jury considers the case against a Terrebonne Sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed 14-year-old Cameron Tillman last September. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

LSU President and Chancellor F King Alexander says he’s waiting for a plan to gain traction that will minimize potentially deep budget cuts to higher ed. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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In the latest in the ongoing Robert Durst matter, the multi-millionaire New York real estate heir was denied bond in court in New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Today, a grand jury will consider the case against a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed 14-year-old Cameron Tillman last September. The Sheriff’s Department says Deputy Preston Norman fired in self-defense after Tillman appeared to be holding a gun. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the grand jury will hear evidence and testimony, possibly from Norman, himself…

cut 4  (05)  “his weapon”

Relatives of others who were at the abandoned house with Tillman say he was not holding a weapon. Testimony could last until tomorrow. Meche says there are two keys to this grand jury investigation: Norman’s ability to articulate the reasons he fired and the demeanor of the prosecutor…

Cut 5  (11)  “little more fair”

The FBI is also looking into this case. Meche says it’s difficult to predict what the grand jury will decide. But he says if the case is presented fairly, it should turn out in Norman’s favor. Meche says the big question here is whether it was necessary for Norman to fire in order to protect human life…

Cut 6 (07)  “for doing so”

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LSU President and Chancellor F King Alexander says 2,000 classes will be cancelled and every LSU employee will have to be furloughed if the legislature doesn’t restore the massive cut to higher education that’s proposed in Governor Bobby Jindal’s budget. Alexander says he and five members of the LSU Board of Supervisors recently met with Jindal about the dire situation

CUT 7 (09)  “it would win”

Alexander says says there are numerous plans floating around that  seek to prevent huge cuts to higher education. But it’s unclear if any of them will receive the support of the legislature and the governor

Cut 8  (09)  “revenue generation” 

Alexander says the proposed budget for next fiscal year will only provide LSU with 30-million dollars in state funding, a reduction from 110-million dollars this fiscal year. He says students and alumni need to speak up loudly against this type of cut

Cut 9 (06)  “not being passive”

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In the latest in the ongoing Robert Durst matter, the multi-millionaire New York real estate heir was denied bond in court in New Orleans. Durst, who is accused of killing Susan Berman 15 years ago in California, is facing weapons and drug charges in The Big Easy. New Orleans criminal defense lawyer Chick Foret says bond hearings determine flight risk which Durst certainly is:

Cut 10 (08) “bond jumping”

Foret says now the DA has to decide what they will formally charge Durst with. The multi-millionaire will remain in jail pending the disposition of those charges. Durst’s attorney Dick DeGuerin says his client was arrested illegally on March 14th and it was orchestrated to coincide with the HBO documentary “The Jinx.” Foret says the New Orleans case will be first…:

cut 11 (09) “gets to LA”

Foret says the guns/drug charges will likely be a harder fight than even the murder case in LA and if the 71-year-old is sentenced to 20, 15 or even 10 years it would essentially be a life sentence because of his condition and age. He doesn’t think the DA in Los Angeles minds that Durst is in Louisiana…:

cut 12 (10)  “convicted on”

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A 30-year-old Baton Rouge heroin user will spend at least 6 years in prison on charges related to the death of his girlfriend from a fatal overdose. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore says Brandon Eirick pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin…:

Cut 13 (10)  “death of his girlfriend”

Moore says the evidence showed that Eirick purchased the heroin earlier in the day, and he and Leah Hitchinson shot each other up. He says since the Eirick supplied Hitchinson with the heroin that lead to her death, he was charged…:

Cut 14 (11) “negligent homicide”

Law enforcement have raised concerns about the explosion of heroin use. Moore hopes a sentence like this will be an example of the consequences of being associated with this deadly drug. He says now the lives of two families have been completely wrecked because of this…:

Cut 15  (09)  “deadly consequences”

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The number one ranked LSU baseball team will resume its rivalry with Tulane tonight at Turchin Stadium in New Orleans. The Fighting Tigers are 21-and-3 overall, while the Green Wave are 17-and-7. LSU Coach Paul Mainieri says he’s been impressed how Tulane is playing this year, under first year head coach David Pierce

Cut 16  (13)  “good about themselves”

It should be an emotional game for LSU hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Andy Cannizaro, who is a former all-american shorstop at Tulane. He helped the Green Wave reach the College World Series in 2001. Mainieri is interested to see how Tulane fans will react to Cannizaro

Cut 17 (14)  “baseball history”

Looks like LSU has found a new lead-off hitter. Senior Chris Sciambra was inserted into the line-up on Friday and drove in four runs in game two against Arkansas and then had four hits in the series finale. Mainieri is proud the Baton Rouge native is able to contribute…

Cut 18 (19) ”  our team ‘

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Texas Senator Ted Cruz has officially announced that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination, but Governor Bobby Jindal says he will wait until the legislative session ends in June before announcing whether he will enter the race. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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Gas prices are once again starting to fall. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Texas Senator Ted Cruz has officially announced that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination, but Governor Bobby Jindal says he will wait until the legislative session ends in June before announcing whether he will enter the race. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it’s smart for Jindal to wait…

CUT 3 (09)  “to Louisiana”

Cruz made his announcement in a Twitter message just after midnight and formally launched his campaign at an event in Virginia this morning. Cross says Cruz, along with Rick Santorum and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, will have some impact on a Jindal candidacy due to their similar political stances…

CUT 4 (08)  “as the vice-president”

Cruz is the first major presidential hopeful to officially declare his intent to run. Cross says he fully expects the governor to enter the race and make a run of it…

CUT 5 (07)  “after that”

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Gas prices are once again starting to fall. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $2.22 which is down three cents from this time last week according to the American Automobile Association. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman…:

CUT 6 (09)  “spring transition”

Redman attributes the falling price at the pump on a very healthy supply. He says a forecast from the US Department of Energy indicates that the national average won’t get above $2.50 a gallon for the entire year…:

CUT 7 (07)  “a gallon”

Redman says a lot of refineries are wrapping up the transition of the winter to summer blend which they are required to have complete by May. He says they are working on those maintenance programs which may cause a hiccup in the price here and there before summer, but it won’t be anything major…:

CUT 8 (07)  “which is great”

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Baton Rouge Police say 58-year-old Eldridge Dukes is facing attempted manslaughter charges after he allegedly shot his son during an argument over orange juice. Cpl. Don Coppola says officers were dispatched to a disturbance at Dukes’ home early Sunday morning…

CUT 9 (11)  “threatening injuries”

He says 18-year-old Brentin Dukes was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Coppola says the situation began over an argument about a lack of orange juice in the home. He says the altercation escalated when Brentin broke a porcelain vase…

cut 10 (11) “in the buttocks”

He says Eldridge chased Brentin outside the home and fired several shots at him, striking Brentin in the buttocks. Coppola says the elder Dukes was taken into custody… (Dukes is charged with attempted manslaughter and illegal use of a dangerous weapon.)

cut 11 (07)  “of a weapon”

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Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper, who entered a global plea deal to resolve sexual assault charges in four states including Louisiana, was sentenced today. He will get 8 years in jail in Nevada and he was sentenced to 9 in Arizona. Legal analyst Doug Sunseri says it’s likely the sentences in all states will not run consecutively…:

cut 12 (11)  “is concerned”

The charges involve drugging and sexually assaulting women. Sunseri says Sharper a global plea deal means he essentially agreed to have one punishment for all of the charges…:

cut 13 (07)  “four jurisdictions”

Sunseri says this is likely a good move for all parties involved. He says if Sharper were convicted on one of these crimes he could get life in prison, and it’s also probably better for the victims because rape cases are extremely hard to prove without a reasonable doubt…:

cut 14 (08)  “took the plea deal”

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A Shreveport lawmaker feels the state legislature should look at different options in trying to shrink the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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The state Department of Transportation and Development is taking part in National Work Zone Awareness Week which runs through Friday. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Parks Senator Fred Mills is sponsoring legislation this session that looks at ways to change the way public school teachers are evaluated. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Sentencing is scheduled today for a Baton Rouge man who allegedly shot his girlfriend up with a fatal injection of heroin in 2013. 31-year-old Brandon Eirick pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and heroin distribution in the death of 31-year old Leah Hutchinson. Legal analyst Tim Meche says cases like this are not unique…

cut 4  (08)  “for years”

Eirick was originally charged with second degree murder in this case, but pleaded to the lesser charge of negligent homicide in October. Meche says this case is clearly a homicide case and not a murder…

Cut 5  (03)  “present, here”

Meche says Eirick faces up to 10 years in prison. He says since these cases are not unusual, the sentencing judge will be able to use prior judgement to help determine Eirick’s sentence…

Cut 6 (05)  “guided by that”

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A Shreveport lawmaker feels the state legislature should look at different options in trying to shrink the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Democratic Representative Patrick Williams it’s clear that the state needs to generate additional revenue. The House Ways and Means Committee member says a hike on cigarette and alcohol taxes is one way the state can raise funds quickly…

CUT 7 (04)  “point in time”

Williams feels Governor Jindal will veto any piece of legislation that is seen as a tax increase. The representative also feels that lawmakers should take a closer look at tax incentives offered by the state to shrink the budget gap. He says some of these are not paying dividends back to the state…

Cut 8  (07)  “from them” 

The film industry is the recipient of one of the state’s largest tax credits. Williams says, while it’s good to have movies being made in Louisiana, lawmakers should consider restructuring this incentive…

Cut 9 (06)  “support it”

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The state Department of Transportation and Development is taking part in National Work Zone Awareness Week which runs through Friday. DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says this is about bringing attention to the fact that safety should be a top priority through road construction areas..:

Cut 10 (11) “rules of the road”

Mallett says since 2013 in Louisiana there’s been about 580 people who have lost their lives in work zones…:

cut 11 (08) “lose their lives”

Mallett says drivers face fines, fees and other consequences if they’re caught speeding in a work zone or driving without their headlights on. He says there are so many things inside vehicles these days that it’s more important than ever to put distractions aside when you’re behind the wheel:

cut 12 (11)  “through the work zone”

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Parks Senator Fred Mills is sponsoring legislation this session that looks at ways to change the way public school teachers are evaluated. Currently educator effectiveness is determined by students’ standardized test results. Mills says his bill seeks to make a teacher’s job performance more accurately measured…:

Cut 13 (06)  “quantitative measurement”

Mills says he is speaking for this bill on behalf of constituents in his area who tell him that the value added assessment model is not a valid measurement tool. He says this measure would take things back to the way they used to be when it comes to checking out how a teacher is doing…:

Cut 14 (07) “set for the student”

Mills says the proposed law would not completely remove the use of test scores as a factor in deciding teacher effectiveness…:

Cut 15  (08)  “measurement”

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The “Dunkin Dogs” of Louisiana Tech will face Texas A&M tonight in the second round of the NIT.  Bulldogs Coach Michael White says his program doesn’t have many opportunities to beat a team from a major conference, so they need to take advantage of it when it comes…

Cut 16  (13)  “very very excited”

Tech enters the game with a 26-8 record, while the Aggies are 21-11 and beat Montana in the opening round of the NIT. White says A&M presents a tough challenge for his guys…

Cut 17 (15)  “strong and physical”

The Aggies are one of the better defensive teams out of the SEC. White says tonight’s game on ESPN could be low scoring…

Cut 18 (12) ”   College Station”‘

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The Pelicans are now three games back of Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference after completing an 0-for-3 road trip with a 107-100 loss to the Clippers. Coach Monty Williams is not happy with the 18 turnovers his team committed

Cut 19 (14)   “but it happens”

Anthony Davis returned from a sprained ankle and scored 26 points. Eric Gordon had a rare appearance off the bench as he did not start after missing a team meeting. Gordon still scored 23 points and Williams appreciated his performance on the court…

Cut 20 (08)  “played well”

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for northwest Louisiana through most of the weekend. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival poster is getting a lot of attention this year as some are calling it beautiful art and others feel it’s offensive and racist. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for northwest Louisiana through most of the weekend. The watch will remain in effect through Sunday morning. Meteorologist Michael Berry says scattered showers began moving into the area this morning…

CUT 3 (08)  “Saturday night”

He says that rain is expected to increase in coverage and intensity through Saturday night. Berry says these weekend showers and thunderstorms will bring a significant amount of rainfall to the area…

CUT 4 (11)  “six inch amounts”

Berry says they’re expecting rainfall amounts of two to four inches, with some areas possibly getting six inches of rain. He says there is definitely a threat of flooding with high waters in rivers and lakes across north Louisiana. Berry adds that the ground in northwest Louisiana is already soaked…

CUT 5 (07)  “through the weekend”

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The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting death of two horses in Bertrandville. Sheriff Mike Waguespack says they were contacted by the owner after he discovered his horses lying on the ground. Waguespack says when officers arrived they found that the two horses had been shot multiple times…

CUT 6 (08)  “gunshot wounds”

He says one horse was dead when officers arrived and the other had to be euthanized due to its injuries. The horses were reportedly in their stable when they were shot. Waguespack says it appears that the horses were shot at close range…

CUT 7 (09)  “shoots them”

Waguespack says they are working on this case with agriculture and livestock investigators to get to the bottom of this case. He adds that reward will be offered in this case soon. Waguespack says this is an alarming case…

CUT 8 (07)  “animal cruelty”

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The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival poster is getting a lot of attention this year as some are calling it beautiful art and others feel it’s offensive and racist. The painting depicts two faceless black children surrounded by strawberries. Festival spokeswoman Shelley Matherne says art is subjective and interpretive…:

CUT 9 (04)  “strawberry industry”

But the Greater NAACP of Tangipahoa Parish says the poster is a reminder of blackface performers and is offensive and distasteful. The painting is by Kalle’ Siekkinen and Matherne says the depiction is meant to build a bridge between cultures..

cut 10 (07) “she is everybody”

Some on social media are saying they will boycott the festival because of the poster and others are calling for it to stop being sold. There are reports that the controversy surrounding the poster has put it in extremely high demand and the Ponchatoula Kiwanis Club had to order more — there is no plan to stop printing. Matherne says Siekkinen’s intent was to pay tribute to the festival and southern heritage…:

cut 11 (06)  “and laughter”

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According to state officials, Louisiana casinos brought in $224.1 million dollars last month which is 6.8 percent higher than February the year before. Casino Association Executive Director Wade Duty says while the revenues are up, this isn’t an accurate year-to-year comparison because of the mid-December opening of the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles…:

cut 12 (10)  “being reported”

Shreveport-Bossier City was up 1 percent. Opelousas and Evangeline Downs was up by 1.7 percent. Baton Rouge’s riverboat casinos brought in 8.9 percent more in February this year compared to last year. Duty also says they also believe the big gains can be attributed to the lower gas prices…:

cut 13 (09)  “increase visits”

Lake Charles saw the biggest gain with a 28 percent increase from February 2014…the difference likely inflated by the brand new Golden Nugget which opened in December. Duty says so far things look promising for the new southwest Louisiana Golden Nugget site…:

cut 14 (10)  “good things from it”

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The Spring Equinox occurs later today at precisely 5:45pm our time, marking the end of winter and the very beginning of Spring. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A survey by MarblePort Polling shows it could come down to Republican US Senator David Vitter and Democratic state representative John Bel Edwards in a runoff. Eric Gill reports…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

Crawfish season is in full swing in Louisiana and it looks like this weekend will be prime for a boil. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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The Spring Equinox occurs later today at precisely 5:45pm our time, marking the end of winter and the very beginning of Spring. State Climatologist Barry Keim says this past winter will go into the record books as a cold and dry one in Louisiana…:

cut 4  (09)  “past three months”

Keim says as far as the Spring outlook, expect more precipitation over the next couple of months than we usually get because of the current El Nino…:(Keim says it would be great if the El Nino would stick around through summer because they tend to mitigate the opportunity for Hurricane activity.)

Cut 5  (10)  “rivers in Louisiana”

Keim says The Bayou State has been getting a lot of rain over the past few weeks and it’s setting the stage for what we can expect this spring. He says the good news is that the Climate Prediction Center says we should have normal temperatures throughout the season…:

Cut 6 (08)  “much much welcome”

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A survey by MarblePort Polling on Louisiana’s governor’s race shows Republican David Vitter leading the field with 34-percent of the vote. Democrat John Bel Edwards is close behind with 31-percent, followed by Republicans Jay Dardenne with 14-percent and Scott Angelle with 7-percent. MarblePort Founder Ethan Zorfas says the early picture in this race is clear…

CUT 7 (09)  “those Republicans”

The automated phone survey polled just over 1000 Louisiana residents. Zorfas says there appears to be a bit of a resurgence of the Democratic Party. He says Edwards is getting support from White Independent voters and looks to be sitting pretty good for a runoff spot…

Cut 8  (08)  “Mary Landrieu did” 

Zorfas says there is still time for Dardenne and Angelle to make an impact in this election. He says both candidates will need to work hard to expand their name recognition and message…

Cut 9 (06)  “media markets”

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Spring is in the air and crawfish season is in full swing in Louisiana. Gulf Seafood Institute Chairman Harlon Pearce says they expected a substantial change in the price of the mudbugs once we got those crazy early March winter temperatures out of the way and you’ll certainly see it this weekend…:

Cut 10 (06) “that’s normal”

Pearce says you could easily see boiled crawfish this weekend at about $3.50 a pound…:

cut 11 (07) “I would believe”

Ray McClain is an aquaculture professor with the LSU Agcenter Rice Research Center in Rayne and he says not only will the prices be down this weekend, there will be plenty of mudbugs out there. He says when the temperatures are up, the catch is up…:

cut 12 (04)  “holds up”

McClain says this could be one of the better crawfish seasons that Louisiana has seen in the past several years…:

Cut 13 (10)  “a good supply”

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The Louisiana National Guard says they’ve gotten 10 bids from companies with ideas on ways to get rid of the 15 million pounds M6 propellant at Camp Minden. The EPA agreed to delay an open tray burn of the explosives and said they would entertain alternative methods. Col Pete Schneider says these 10 companies have all submit proposals on what should be done…:

Cut 14 (10) “these proposals”

Schneider says in addition to various state agencies, area residents who opposed the open tray burning will also be part of the team formed to evaluate the situation…:

Cut 15  (10)  “was on it” (2x)

Not many details are being released about the bids themselves or the ideas being presented. Schneider says based on analysis of all the proposals by all committee members, hopefully a recommendation will be made…:

Cut 16  (11)  “process is thorough”

____________________________________________

The LSU men’s basketball team’s season ended in heartbreaking fashion last night as the Bayou Bengals blew a 16-point lead and lost 66-65 to North Carolina State. LSU missed its last 12 shots from the field and six free throws in the final four minutes to allow the Wolfpack to steal the victory. Head Coach Johnny Jones on the missed free throws

Cut 17 (12)  “tonight”

LSU’s leading scorer was Tim Quarterman, who had 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. But the sophomore from Georgia says they were just one play away from advancing to the round of 32….

Cut 18 (14) “tonight’

Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey each posted double-doubles, but Mickey was four of nine from the free throw line and missed a lay-up with 22 seconds left that would have given LSU a three-point lead. Martin finished with 16 points in what could be his last game as a Tiger…

Cut 19 (10)   “great shot”

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the Jindal Administration is considering selling the Louisiana Lottery as a way to help plug the state’s massive budget hole. Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says they have never entertained this option. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab’s 2015 Louisiana Survey shows more Louisianians feel the state is heading in the right direction. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy says the Jindal Administration is considering selling the Louisiana Lottery as a way to help plug the state’s massive budget hole. The Administration is denying this. But Kennedy says he knows for a fact that it’s being actively studied…:

CUT 3 (10)  “considered”

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols has issued a statement regarding the Louisiana State Lottery: “We are not considering selling the lottery. Periodically, firms pitch revenue-generating ideas to the state and a lottery bond sale has been pitched several times over the past few years. However, we have never entertained this option and are not considering it this year. “

Kennedy says getting rid of the state’s Lottery would be a bad idea because it would only be non-recurring revenue we wouldn’t have next year which would add to the problem. He says he hopes this comes to light before the legislative session is over…:

CUT 4 (09)  “to talk about it”

The comments were made on the Jim Engster Show. Kennedy says he has reports from CitiGroup and Goldman Sachs which essentially say that selling the Louisiana Lottery would provide significant general fund relief. He says these documents are irrefutable evidence that these discussions are ongoing…:

CUT 5 (11)  “sale of your lottery”

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The Jindal administration’s budget for next fiscal year does not fund a presidential preference primary for Louisiana in 2016. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says he was assured that elections would be covered by the state through the spring of next year. He says when his office looked at the budget, he found that there was no money for the primary…

CUT 6 (05)  “leave office”

Schedler says budget cuts to his office will force him to close a voter outreach program, limit most state museums to one day weeks, and not hold elections in the first half of 2016. He says, by law, he has to conduct elections unless instructed otherwise…

CUT 7 (07)  “the election”

A presidential primary election would cost the state approximately $3.5 million. In a statement, the Jindal administrations says Schedler should find other ways to balance his budget and fund the primary. Schedler says he’s told legislators that unless they command differently, the state will move forward with the primary…

CUT 8 (08)  “to give me”

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LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab’s 2015 Louisiana Survey shows more Louisianians feel the state is heading in the right direction. The survey indicates that 44-percent of residents feel Louisiana is moving forward, up from 38-percent two years ago. Director Michael Henderson says this year’s survey has bucked the trend…

CUT 9 (06)  “up ticks”

The survey shows that education and the economy continue to be most important problem facing the state. Henderson says 26-percent of Louisianians say the state business climate is better than it was a year ago…

cut 10 (10) “things are going”

Public confidence in state government to effectively deal with the most pressing issues has increased for the first time in five years. But legislators are facing a huge budget crisis heading into the legislative session and Henderson thinks there could be another shift as the session unfolds…

cut 11 (10)  “back down again”

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State Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret tells lawmakers it’s time to reign in the state’s film tax credit program. Moret says the state’s film program has created an estimated ten-thousand jobs and brought positive attention to the state, but it only produces 20-cents in revenue for every dollar of tax credit….

cut 12 (09)  “state priorities”

Moret also suggests tighter controls on who is getting the tax credits as there have been recent reports of fraud in the program. But he says the most important thing is limiting the program’s benefits so the state has a greater control of how much they are spending on it

cut 13 (09)  “the industry”

Legislation is expected to be filed soon that addresses the money spent on film tax credits. Covington Representative John Schroder told Moret in the House Appropriations Committee that he favors a cap on spending for the film tax program…

cut 14 (09)  “about now”

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A new study from the University of Texas Health Science Center links drinking diet sodas to increasing waistlines in senior citizens. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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New Orleans Senator JP Morrell files a bill that would allow public students in Orleans Parish to be ask about what type of sexual behaviors they are involved in. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (27) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal calls eliminating Common Core a top priority in the upcoming legislative session, but education leaders plan to fight his efforts. Scott Carwile…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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A new study from the University of Texas Health Science Center links drinking diet sodas to increasing waistlines in senior citizens. The study followed seniors for nine years and found that waistlines increased by more than 3 inches in those who consumed diet sodas every day. LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center registered dietitian, Cathy Champagne, says this study was not a controlled study…

cut 4  (06)  “diet beverages”

This study wasn’t designed to prove whether diet soda had a direct cause to weight gain, but did find an association. Champagne says obesity and increasing waistlines are two very complicated subjects…

Cut 5  (08)  “someone else”

The study suggests that artificial sweeteners could increase weight gain by altering the way the body processes sugar, making people hungrier. While the study doesn’t prove a direct connection with diet sodas and a bigger waist, Champagne says moderation will always be your best bet…

Cut 6 (08)  “not so good”

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The IRS says there are about 22,000 people in Louisiana who did not file a tax return in 2011 which amounts to potential refunds of up to $21.4 million dollars. Spokeswoman Lea (Lee) Crusberg says tax payers only have until April 15th of this year to file their 2011 return to get their refund or else the money will go into the US Treasury…:

CUT 7 (10) “for taxpayers”

Crusberg says the average potential refund in Louisiana is $693. She says in cases where a tax return was not filed, the law provides most citizens with a three-year window of opportunity for claiming a refund…:

Cut 8  (11)  “used against that” 

Crusberg says by failing to file a tax return, people stand to lose more than just their refund of taxes withheld or paid during 2011 — she says many low-and-moderate income workers may not have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit which was much higher three years ago. Crusberg says time is running out for you to get this done…:

Cut 9 (10)  “2011 return”

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New Orleans Senator JP Morrell files a bill that would allow public students in Orleans Parish to be surveyed about what type of behaviors they are involved in — including sexual behavior. He says results of such a review would help with coming up with a sex ed class that would actually be effective…:

Cut 10 (11) “these days”

Morrell says Louisiana has a law on the books that prohibits students from being asked about their personal beliefs in sex, morality or religion…:

cut 11 (11) “more effective”

Baton Rouge Representative Pat Smith introduced similar legislation last year but it failed after a massive push-back from the Louisiana Family Forum. Morrell says opponents believe that by addressing sexual education you are making kids promiscuous…:

cut 12 (12)  “pregnancy mothers”

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Governor Jindal’s plan to rid Common Core from Louisiana a disgrace. Jindal announced his intentions to remove the controversial education standards with three pieces of legislation that will be heard in the upcoming legislative session. But BESE President Chas Roemer says it makes no sense to turn back now

Cut 13 (08)  “pointed to”

Jindal announced that he wants to replace Common Core with an education standard and assessment test developed by Louisiana teachers and parents. But Roemer says Louisiana had input on Common Core and the early results are encouraging

Cut 14 (05) “deserve comment”

Jindal’s announcement sets the stage for a big battle in the upcoming legislative session.  State Superintendent of Education John White says turning back from Common Core will create problems for Louisiana teachers

Cut 15  (07)  “outliers”

But Jindal says parents are frustrated with the way their children are being taught, because of Common Core…

Cut 16  (09)  “our classrooms”

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Ninth-seeded LSU faces 8th seeded North Carolina State tonight in the NCAA Tournament. The oddsmakers have the Wolfpack as a two-point favorite. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says it’s hard game to decide who will win….

Cut 17 (13)  “of the ball”

Worsham says for LSU to win, they’ll need great performances from their two big men, Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey

Cut 18 (17) “for LSU’

Worsham says LSU needs to be concerned about North Carolina State’s guards….

Cut 19 (15)   “the perimeter”

A former caretaker of LSU’s mascot Mike wrote a letter to a Baton Rouge newspaper expressing concern over the fact that the live Tiger doesn’t go to games anymore. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A new statewide poll by MarblePoint Polling shows support for higher cigarette taxes, but residents do not approve of Common Core or Governor Bobby Jindal’s job performance. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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A Natchitoches man is under arrest for simple battery and hate crimes after an incident at a local business. 35-year-old Roderick Rachal was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center. Police Captain Chris Payne says responding officers spoke to a female victim that said a man she did not know grabbed her buttocks…

CUT 3 (08)  “upon the victim”

Payne says Rachal is charged with simple battery in this case. He says as officers looked into this case, they discovered this wasn’t the first time Rachal had done this…

CUT 4 (10)  “of 2006”

He says Rachal had been arrested multiple times in the past for similar incidents. Payne says officers discovered that in each case, Rachal targeted a specific race and gender… (Because Rachal targeted a specific race and gender, he was additionally charged with hate crimes.)

CUT 5 (08)  “hate crimes”

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A former caretaker of LSU’s mascot Mike wrote a letter to a Baton Rouge newspaper expressing concern over the live Tiger’s increasing lack of appearing in the stadium at home football games. Mike the VI did not go to a single contest last season. Paul Marks Jr. says he was responsible for Mike III from 1963-1965 and they never had a problem getting him to games.
He says the difference is that they altered his feeding patterns…:

CUT 6 (10)  “there ya go”

The comments were made on The Jim Engster Show. Marks Jr. says he truly hopes that a new satisfactory method can be developed to bring Mike back to Tiger Stadium so that fans can enjoy his splendor. He says they would not feed Mike III on Friday’s to get him ready for Saturday night…:

CUT 7 (12)  “when he got to the stadium”

Last November Mike VI made a post on Facebook letting fans know that his trainers practice with him all summer to get into the cage, but he refuses to do so on gameday and is not food motivated even if he is fasted on Friday night. Marks Jr. says back in his day their Mike wasn’t in a 5 million dollar enclosure the way Mike VI is…:

CUT 8 (05)  “happy there”

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A new statewide poll shows support for higher cigarette taxes, but residents do not approve of Common Core or Governor Bobby Jindal’s job performance. The survey found that 56-percent of residents support an increase in the state’s cigarette tax. La-Politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford thinks the tax will pass this legislative session…

CUT 9 (09)  “get the money”

The automated phone survey of over 1000 residents was conducted by MarblePoint Polling. The poll shows that 54-percent of respondents disapprove of the Common Core education standards. Alford says this will be a passionate issue in the upcoming legislative session…

cut 10 (10) “for lawmakers”

As far as Governor Jindal’s approval numbers go, only 28-percent of respondents gave him a positive rating. Alford says there’s no doubt that Jindal is not nearly as popular as he was seven years ago, but he’s not convinced that the governor’s numbers have dropped to that extent…

cut 11 (10)  “more believable”

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Governor Bobby Jindal announces a plan to remove Common Core from Louisiana’s public schools and replace it with educational standards and a standardized test developed by Louisiana teachers and parents. Jindal says the plan will be presented to lawmakers in the legislative session that begins next month…

cut 12 (13)  “our classrooms”

Jindal’s announcement comes as 316-thousand students are taking the Common Core tests. The governor says his 10-year-old son, is like many children, who are frustrated with the “Fuzzy Math” questions on the test

cut 13 (13)  “the school”

There are three different bills that make up Jindal’s plan to replace Common Core. He made the announcement as a several lawmakers stood by his side, including Alexandria Representative Lance Harris…

cut 14 (09)  “federal government”