Residents will soon have to pay more for flood insurance. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Latest employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling tobacco settlement money that would result in an estimated 750-million dollars in cash.  Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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State Police say a truck driver from Alabama died when he was run over by a trooper who was looking for him in Madison Parish. Sgt. James Anderson says they received a report early Tuesday morning that an 18-wheeler was stuck in the lane of travel on US Highway 65 about 6 miles north of Tallulah…:

cut 4  (11)  “were looking for him”

Anderson says 47-year-old David Watford of Cottonwood, Alabama was walking in the middle of the road wearing blue jeans and a camouflage shirt when the trooper in a Tahoe approached…:

Cut 5  (08)  “lane of travel”

Anderson says Watford was pronounced dead at the scene by the Madison Parish Coroner’s office. The driver of the Tahoe was wearing a seal belt and was not injured. He says an investigation into the crash is underway:

Cut 6 (07)  “examined thoroughly”

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Residents will soon have to pay more for flood insurance. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the increases are the result of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that were passed by Congress last year.  He says the premium hikes for primary residences are capped at 18-percent each year…

CUT 7 (08) “a higher premium”

Donelon says the increases will go into effect April 1, when policies come up for renewal. If you have a camp, you can expect an even higher premium boost…

Cut 8  (06)  “maximum increase” 

He says premium increases for second residences, commercial, and rental properties are capped at 25-percent per year. In addition to the rate increases, property owners will have to pay a surcharge, $25 per year for your primary residence and $250 for businesses, rentals, or secondary residences. Donelon says these changes are complicated, so you may want to get some advice…

Cut 9 (10)  “Insurance Program”

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Latest employment numbers show that there were 7500 less people working in January than in December, ending a long streak of monthly employment gains. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink says it’s not unusual to see a decline in jobs at the start of the year…:

Cut 10 (10) “usually are shed”

Eysink says even though there was the typical job drop that you see in January, we’re still employing far more people this year than we were this time last year…:

cut 11 (09) “January of 14”

At 7 percent the unemployment rate for January ranked as the third highest among states, but Eysink believes that’s because more people are joining the workforce in Louisiana at a faster rate than they can find work. He says the drop in oil prices has caused about 1,000 layoffs over the past few months…:

cut 12 (12)  “short term thing”

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Governor Bobby Jindal is looking at selling the remainder of a multi-billion dollar settlement from tobacco manufacturers to help the state’s budget problems. The Jindal administration says it could be used finance the TOP’s scholarship program for the next seven to eight years, but State Treasurer John Kennedy doesn’t like this idea

Cut 13 (10)  “through a goose”

The money under discussion is from a 1998 settlement involving tobacco companies who paid billions of dollars to numerous states for health care costs associated with smoking. Kennedy says the Jindal administration has raided all other pots of money and this is the last one left

Cut 14 (06) “financial pressure”

Despite Kennedy’s concerns, the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation, voted to begin the process of selling the tobacco settlement. House Speaker Chuck Kleckley says the sale will need legislative approval, which means several public hearings on the issue

Cut 15  (07)  “to continue”

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Former US Open Champion Justin Rose, who is ranked as the 10th best golfer in the world, has committed to play in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which will take place April 23rd to the 26th at TPC Louisiana in Westwego. Fore Kids Foundation president Steve Worthy says they are working to bring more big names to the P-G-A event

Cut 16  (09)  “attracted here”

Rose’s commitment to play in the Zurich Classic, comes about a week after Billy Horschel’s announcement that he would play in New Orleans next month. Horschel won the Zurich Classic in 2013 and he’s ranked 17th in the world. Worthy credits the golf course in helping them get some of the best players in the world…

Cut 17 (11)  “with them”

Jury selection begins today in Lafayette in the first-degree murder trial of Seth Fontenot, accused of a 2013 shooting that killed a 15-year old and injured two others. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Shreveport Representative Barbra Norton has filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would make it illegal to supply a child 12 or under with an Uzi sub-machine gun. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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State Superintendent of Education John White says after the first day of PARCC testing, concerns that there would be widespread non-participation did not bear out. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Jury selection begins today in Lafayette in the first-degree murder trial of Seth Fontenot, accused of a 2013 shooting that killed 15-year old Austin Rivault and injured two others. Fontenot claims he fired to scare the teens, who he thought were breaking into his truck, not to hurt them. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this will be a tough case for Fontenot…

cut 4  (10)  “the consequences”

He says Fontenot appears to be going after a manslaughter verdict. Meche feels that Fontenot will testify that, because his truck had been broken into several times prior, it caused him to act in a heat of passion…

Cut 5  (09)  “his actions”

With a manslaughter conviction, Fontenot could face up to 40 years in prison. Meche believes this this case will result in either a manslaughter or a second-degree murder conviction, which comes with a mandatory life sentence…

Cut 6 (06)  “explained to me”

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Shreveport Representative Barbra Norton has filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would make it illegal to supply a child 12 or under with an Uzi sub-machine gun. She says kids are not big enough to handle such a large weapon in a safe manner…:

CUT 7 (11) “concern about that”

Norton says she realizes that some parents want to teach their children how to shoot guns for hunting or for general safety reasons, but she sees no reason for kids to ever have a machine gun…:

Cut 8  (10)  “could go anywhere” 

Norton says people are accidentally shot all the time and she feels that the risk for a tragedy is greatly increased when a Uzi is in the hands of a child. She says kids 12 and under don’t have the size to be able to handle shooting a machine gun…:

Cut 9 (12)  “hold it steady”

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State Superintendent of Education John White says after the first day of PARCC testing, concerns that there would be widespread non-participation did not bear out. He says preliminary findings show more than 320,000 students took the test associated Common Core which is about 99% participation:

Cut 10 (13) “in the test”

White says of the about 1% who did not participate in the test on day one, Calcasieu Parish — which makes up about 4% of the student population in the state, is roughly 50% of the non-participants…:

cut 11 (12) “number”

White says they are committed to not unfairly criticizing districts and communities in the small number of cases where students didn’t take the test. He says there are three other school systems where he would call the percentage of non-participants moderate to significant and those are Jackson, Red River and Central. White says he has invited the Superintendents in these parishes to meet with him face to face…:

cut 12 (11)  “outliers”

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Motorists who commute between Alexandria and Pineville and take the O.K. Allen Bridge will be redirected to begin utilizing the the Curtis-Coleman Memorial Bridge starting this morning at 10am. Deidra Druilhet with the state Department of Transportation says during the shift they will also be closing exit 71B (I-49 North to Shreveport) to all southbound traffic..:

Cut 13 (10)  “project”

Druilhet says only the northbound span of the new bridge has been built and it will be used for the two-way traffic while the O.K. Allen Bridge is torn down…:

Cut 14 (12) “2016”

Druilhet says traffic delays should be expected while the shift is implemented and motorists are urged to drive with caution. She says over 20,000 motorists cross the Red River over the O.K. Allen Bridge on a daily basis…:

Cut 15  (10)  “both directions”

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The LSU men’s basketball team leaves today for Pittsburgh, where they’ll play North Carolina State on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers bring a 22-and-10 record to the Big Dance and some of those losses were against bad teams. LSU guard Keith Hornsby says now that they are in the field of 68, they should not look past anyone…

Cut 16  (17)  “this point”

LSU needs to win six straight games to win a national championship. Guard Tim Quarterman says after an up and and down regular season, the team is ready to play its basketball…

Cut 17 (11)  “upcoming games”

The only player on LSU’s squad to experience an NCAA Tournament game is Keith Hornsby. The shooting guard was a freshman on UNC-Asheville’s team that made the NCAA Tournament in 2012. LSU sophomore Jordan Mickey is not worried about the lack of March Madness experience on his team…

Cut 18 (13) “ready to play’

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Louisiana Tech hosts Central Michigan tonight in the N-I-T. It’s the second straight year the Bulldogs will get to host a postseason game. But this year Tech is coming off a disappointing loss in the Conference USA tournament and Coach Michael White is interested to see how his team will react

Cut 19 (09)   “situation deserves”

Central Michigan was the regular season Mid-American Conference West Division champions this season and they boast a record of 23-and-8. White says the Chippewas are hard to defend…

Cut 20 (12)  “all year”

A Washington Post article refers to Governor Bobby Jindal as one of the great mysteries of the early 2016 presidential campaign. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Louisiana National Guard has released the identities of the four soldiers killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise over the Florida Panhandle last week. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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A Washington Post article refers to Governor Bobby Jindal as one of the great mysteries of the early 2016 presidential campaign. They said that not long ago, Jindal was considered a fresh new face in the Republican Party, but his star has since fallen. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley agrees…

CUT 3 (12)  “in that conversation”

The Post says, for the first time in Jindal’s political career, he appears to be lost. They say the governor looks like he’s trying to be every politician at once. Stockley says it does appear that Jindal is struggling to find his identity on the presidential campaign trail…

CUT 4 (06)  “from everybody else”

According to The Post, Jindal is polling at around two-percent in national Republican polls. Stockley doesn’t think this is a “gotcha” piece or an unfair article toward the governor…

CUT 5 (10)  “the last year”

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State police say a man and a woman from Texas died on their motorcycle in a Rapides Parish crash over the weekend. Master Trooper Scott Moreau says 59-year-old Ronnie Fillingim and 59-year-old Sharon Fillingim, both of Livingston, Texas, were traveling on their bike south on LA Hwy 21. He says that’s when a Chrysler PT Cruiser, driven by 62-year-old Larry Callahan of Calcasieu entered that lane…:(FILL in GEM)

CUT 6 (11)  “to stop”

Moreau says both Filligim’s were transported to local hospitals where they were pronounced dead…:

CUT 7 (05)  “too severe”

Moreau says the motorcycle attempted to stop but was unable to avoid hitting the Chrysler. He says Callahan was cited with improper turning but the investigation is still ongoing…:

CUT 8 (07)  “proceed from there”

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The Louisiana National Guard has released the identities of the four soldiers killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise over the Florida Panhandle last week. Louisiana National Guard Major General Glenn Curtis says 37-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Wayne Griffin, Jr., a Delhi native from Hammond, leaves behind a wife and four children. He says Griffin joined the National Guard in 1994…

CUT 9 (10)  “in 2008”

He says 44-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 4 George David Strother of Alexandria is survived by his wife, son, step-daughter, and mother. Curtis says Strother served in the military for 26 years…

cut 10 (11) “in 2013”

He says 40-year-old Staff Sergeant Lance Bergeron leaves behind his wife and two children. Curtis says the Thibodaux native joined the Marines in 1998 before enlisting in the National Guard in 2001…

cut 11 (08)  “in 2008”

26-year-old Staff Sergeant Thomas Florich is survived by his wife, who is expecting the couple’s first child. Curtis says the native of Virginia, who resided in Baton Rouge, enlisted in the National Guard in 2007… (Florich was posthumously promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant.)

cut 12 (06)  “8 years ago”

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Prominent New Orleans restaurateur Dick Brennan Sr, a driving force behind the highly popular Commander’s Palace, died over the weekend at the age of 84. Big Easy restaurant write and critic Tom Fitzmorris says the chefs who worked at the award winning eatery in New Orleans under Brennan couldn’t be more popular…:

cut 13 (12)  “had ever met”

A spokesman for the family says Brennan died of natural causes. Brennan led and managed some of New Orleans’ best-known dining destinations and along with his siblings were instrumental in the transformation of Commander’s Palace into the definitive modern Creole restaurant of its generation. Fitzmorris says Brennan and his siblings dealt with a family split in 1970 and were tasked with taking over Commander’s…:

cut 14 (10)  “beat it”

With his family, Brennan opened a string of restaurants including Mr. B’s Bistro and with his children, Dickie Brennan Jr and Lauren Brennan Bower, Palace Cafe and Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse. At Commander’s, Brennan is credited with starting the tradition of the Sunday jazz brunch…:

cut 15 (06) “see this now”‘

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and it is reported that nearly 23 million Americans between the ages of 50 and 75 are not getting tested as recommended. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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Students in third through eighth grades will begin taking the controversial tests tied to Common Core today. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The state Department of Health and Hospitals announces a new initiative aimed at reducing c-section rates among Louisiana mothers. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and it is reported that nearly 23 million Americans between the ages of 50 and 75 are not getting tested as recommended. Last year alone, more than 50,000 people died of colorectal cancer in the United States. Tulane Gastroenterologist, Dr. Jordan Karlitz, says this is a major public health problem in the state…

cut 4  (09)  “United States”

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. But Karlitz says it is preventable with screening. He says a colonoscopy is recommended because it can identify pre-cancerous polyps and remove them before they turn into cancer…

Cut 5  (07)  “their screening”

Karlitz says many insurance plans, including Medicare, help with the expense of colorectal cancer screenings. He says, by getting screened appropriately, you can really have a profound effect on this illness…

Cut 6 (09)  “least in half”

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Students in third through eighth grades will begin taking the controversial tests tied to Common Core today. This is the first time PARCC will be administered in Louisiana. State Department of Education Superintendent John White says this is about getting a basic description of what kids should be able to do at the end of each grade level…:

CUT 7 (10) “we’re doing that”

The DOE says if a child chooses not to take the PARCC test, the score for that student in the accountability system is counted as a zero — but the child is not the one getting the zero. There are many people who oppose Common Core arguing that it’s too complex but White says it’s time that we stop teaching math with memorization…:

Cut 8  (10)  “it really is” 

The DOE says promotion from one grade to the next is a district decision during this transition to higher expectations. White says Common Core is a standard, it’s not curriculum. He says how it’s taught and what’s used to teach it is up to districts. White says at the state level, it’s their job to assure kids a basic fundamental right to a quality education…:

Cut 9 (07)  “to parents”

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The state Department of Health and Hospitals announces a new initiative aimed at reducing c-section rates among Louisiana mothers. DHH Secretary Kathy Kleibert says “Go the Full 40” is a voluntary pledge by hospitals to end non-medically indicated induced pregnancies…:

Cut 10 (09) “healthy life”

Kleibert says about 50% of babies in Louisiana are born before 40 weeks gestation. She says they know going full term reduces medical problems for both the mother and child…:

cut 11 (09) “complications”

Kleibert says she is very proud of the March of Dimes and health care partners for taking another step in making the well being of newborns a priority. She says not only are early elective deliveries more dangerous, they are also more expensive. Kleibert says they will be going around talking to hospitals and doctors about the importance of going the full 40…:

cut 12 (04)  “this initiative”

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For the first time since 2009, the LSU Tigers are in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The Bayou Bengals are a nine-seed and they’ll face North Carolina State on Thursday night in Pittsburgh. Coach Johnny Jones says the goal all season long was to get an invite to the Big Dance

Cut 13 (15)  “front of us”

There was a concern LSU would not get into the tournament after they lost to Auburn in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. But based on LSU getting a nine-seed, they really didn’t need to sweat it out. Jones says the tournament selection committee recognizes LSU had a good regular season…

Cut 14 (09) “from this team”

The LSU Tigers get into the NCAA Tournament in year three of Jones at the helm. He says it’s a sign the program is heading in right direction

Cut 15  (08)  “right road”

A special enrollment period begins Sunday on the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace giving some a second chance of obtaining health insurance. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A New Orleans lawmaker will be sponsoring legislation in the upcoming session which provides funds to pay for sexual assault victim care with expired winning casino tickets. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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A special enrollment period begins Sunday on the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace giving some, who didn’t realized they would be penalized on their taxes for not being covered, a second chance of obtaining health insurance. Terry Tucker, with the Health Insurance Store of Louisiana, says the government decided to offer a special enrollment period as this is the first tax season since Obamacare was enacted…

CUT 3 (10)  “enrollment period”

This special enrollment period will go through April 30. Tucker says this special period is not for everyone. He says you must meet certain qualifications…

CUT 4 (07)  “get a penalty”

Tucker says another issue that has cropped up since the open enrollment period ended in February is missing documents. He says all paperwork must be submitted within 60 days of signing up. Tucker suggests you double check your enrollment packet…

CUT 5 (06)  “to be sure”

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The state Department of Agriculture and Forestry is taking precautionary measures against a highly pathogenic avian influenza strain, also known as bird flu, after cases have been confirmed in Arkansas. Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain says outbreaks of avian influenza have been confirmed in several states…

CUT 6 (06)  “H-5-N-1”

Avian influenza has also been found in Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, and Washington. Strain says this flu strain is H-5-N-2, not the type that humans normally get, which is H-5-N-1. He says a poultry quarantine will keep any live poultry products from entering the state from an area that’s been affected by this flu strain…

CUT 7 (09)  “of entry”

Although this flu strain is not normally contracted by humans, Strain says the public should be cautious about transferring the disease…

CUT 8 (08)  “or wildlife”

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A New Orleans lawmaker will be sponsoring legislation in the upcoming session which provides funds to pay for sexual assault victim care with expired winning casino tickets. Rep. Helena Moreno said they had to come up with a way to create recurring revenue that would continue to pump dollars into the Crime Victims Reparation Fund…:

CUT 9 (12)  “back into the state”

Under the proposed law, hospitals would not bill victims -and- those who come forward aren’t limited to 72 hours to report an incident in order for the services to be provided at no charge. Moreno says they needed to find money to put into the Crime Victims Reparation Fund. She says in Louisiana, casinos and tracks are allowed to keep expired winnings as earnings…:

cut 10 (10) “fund”

Moreno says the dollars amount to about $1.5 million coming from casinos and about $800,000 from race tracks every year. She also says one of the best parts of this is that from the money going into the Crime Victims Reparation Fund from the state, there is also a federal match on top of that…:

cut 11 (10)  “this particular fund”

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The four candidates for governor met Friday in a forum to discuss Louisiana’s oil and gas industry. To close, each candidate had a chance to say why they should be Louisiana’s next governor. Democratic Amite Representative John Bel Edwards says the state has been going in the wrong direction under the Jindal Administration which he’s been saying for years

cut 12 (12)  “joining me”

The Louisiana gubernatorial election will take place on October 24. Republican Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle says he’s been asked what was the number one reason he thought he was qualified to be governor. He said it’s because he has had a teenager in his home for the last 15 years…:

cut 13 (10)  “move the ball forward”

Many political pundits have made remarks about the difficult budget scenario Louisiana’s next governor will be inheriting. Republican Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says he’s been asked why on earth he’d seek an office that is essentially in shambles…:

cut 14 (12)  “have right now”

The Republican candidates told the group they support the oil and gas industry and understand its importance to the state. But Edwards was more guarded in his comments. Republican US Senator David Vitter said he is fully ready to take on the challenges facing the state…:

cut 15 (11) “I’m in this race”

A new Centers for Disease Control study shows that two out of every three people diagnosed with cancer in the US survive five years or more. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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According to a report by the Cowen Institute at Tulane University, Louisiana has the highest estimated percentage of unemployed youth in the country. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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A state lawmaker proposes to increase the state’s cigarette tax to the national average. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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A new Centers for Disease Control study shows that two out of every three people diagnosed with cancer in the US survive five years or more. The cancer survivor estimates are based on cases of invasive cancers reported during 2011. Associate Dean for Research at LSU’s School of Public Health, Ed Trapido, says these numbers show a remarkable amount of progress…

cut 4  (06)  “better treatment”

Among the most common types of cancer, the study reports a five-year-survival rate of 97-percent for prostate cancer and 88-percent for breast cancer. Trapido says the improvement in prostate cancer survival is because of an increase awareness and earlier detection…

Cut 5  (12)  “entire lives”

He says better treatment and improved therapies have improved survival statistics for breast cancer patients. Trapido says while these numbers are encouraging, there is still much work to be done to fight cancer…

Cut 6 (08)  “been made”

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Leaders from communities around the state are urging citizens to participate in a massive litter cleanup effort. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will be announcing the results of the amount of litter picked up from morning cleanups and the number of “Leaders Against Litter” who have pledged to beautify the state. Keep Louisiana Beautiful Executive Director Susan Russell…:

CUT 7 (05) “litter free Louisiana”

The Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Safety, DEQ, Wildlife and Fisheries and Volunteer Louisiana’s leaders will all be present for the Leaders Against Litter press conference to say enough is enough…:

Cut 8  (09)  “it really is” 

Russell says in addition to the Friday cleanup, they also want to get the message out to the public that leaders are all standing together against litter in this state. She says citizens from all walks of life can join the Great American Cleanup from March through May…:

Cut 9 (11)  “in their community”

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According to a report by the Cowen Institute at Tulane University, Louisiana has the highest estimated percentage of unemployed youth in the country. The study also found that New Orleans is third in the nation for the percentage of young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who aren’t working or in school. Cowen Institute Director Vincent Rossmeier…:

Cut 10 (11) “opportunities”

The study also found that southern states, when compared with the west coast, east coast and midwest, have a higher overall percentage of opportunity youth. He says one of the reasons they use the term “opportunity youth” is because they should be viewed as assets to the community…:

cut 11 (09) “to get there”

Rossmeier says this is an opportunity to improve our communities and make them more vibrant by finding ways to reconnect these young people. He says there is a huge economic boost coming to Louisiana and we need to come up with ways to connect our young people to those jobs…:

cut 12 (08)  “take them”

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Bogalusa Representative Harold Ritchie files a bill that would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes to the national average. The governor has proposed an increase in the state’s cigarette tax to the southern regional average, but Ritchie believes the tax on cigarettes should be higher

Cut 13 (10)  “ever starting”

Ritchie’s bill would raise the tax from 36-cents to a $1.54 per pack. It will be considered during the legislative session that begins April 13th. He expects his tax proposal will be one of many that will be discussed by lawmakers

Cut 14 (10) “time around”

The Jindal administration says they will support an increase in tobacco taxes, but only if it’s accompanied with a tax break. One suggestion is a tax credit to pay for higher fees at public colleges. Ritchie says the goal of his legislation is to raise revenue for the state and stop people from smoking…

Cut 15  (10)  “never start”

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The LSU Tigers begin SEC play tonight against Ole Miss as the number one ranked team in the country according to Baseball America. Coach Paul Mainieri says his team earned that number one ranking, by playing solid baseball

Cut 16  (16)  “excites me”

Jared Poche will be tonight’s starting pitcher. The sophomore left-hander from Lutcher is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA. Mainieri says he’s not surprised by Poche’s success this season…

Cut 17 (12)  “get it done”

___________________________________________________________

The Saints have traded veteran offensive guard Ben Grubbs to Kansas City for a fifth round draft pick. Saints radio color analyst Hokie Gajan likes the trade and believes Tim Lelito, who started a couple of games at center last season, will be able to move to guard and replace Grubbs

Cut 18 (11) “to the Saints’

The Saints have also signed veteran cornerback Brandon Browner, who won a Super Bowl with the Patriots last season. Gajan likes the idea of having another big physical cornerback to compliment fellow starting corner Keenan Lewis…

Cut 19 (13)   “the quarterback”

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Eglin Air Force Base officials say the wreckage of the Army helicopter that crashed Tuesday night over the Florida Panhandle, killing all eleven on board, has been found. Eric Gill reports…
CUT 1 (27) “reporting”
The Coast Guard announced this afternoon nine of the 11 victims have been found, including two from Louisiana.

A Lafayette Parish school bus driver that slid off the road near Broussard today is being investigated for driving under the influence. Fifty year-old John Harvey Bernard was earlier cited for Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle. Blood Alcohol results are pending. Twelve students were on-board, but none injured.
——————————–
Lt Governor hopeful Kip Holden is finding himself involved in a scandal as a 2011 lawsuit has surfaced claiming the Baton Rouge mayor repeatedly sexually harassed a woman who was in Louisiana on business. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the allegation hurts Holden’s chances at becoming Lt. Governor.
cut 12 (06) “this allegation”
Holden denies the accusations, saying both he and his wife know the truth on this one.

More police presence in New Orleans, as State Police have redeployed additional troopers to patrol the Crescent City. This comes courtesy of $2.5 million dollars raised by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, based on the needs of NOPD and requests from business leaders…
CUT 7 (11) Q: ‘not gonna happen’
That’s State Police Colonel Mike Edmunson.

Eglin Air Force Base officials say the wreckage of the Army helicopter that crashed Tuesday night over the Florida Panhandle, killing all eleven on board, has been found. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (27) “reporting”

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Candidate for Lt. Governor & Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden issued a statement today in response to sexual harassment claims made in a suit by a woman in Kansas City. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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An allegation has been made that members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Louisiana Tech sang a racist song during a pledge event in 2010. A Louisiana Tech spokesperson says there has been no evidence of it and they have zero tolerance for that type of behavior. But Dr. Reginald Owens, head of Tech’s journalism program, says he wouldn’t be surprised if it did happen…

CUT 3 (05)  “time to time”

A former student says he witnessed the racist chant, similar to the song which resulted in the shuttering of the fraternity on the University of Oklahoma campus. But Owens, who is a Tech alum, says race relations between students on the Ruston campus is good…

CUT 4 (07)  “to be done”

A Tech spokesman says the university is looking into the matter. Owens says the one good thing about the incident at Oklahoma is that it brings the up topic of race relations, once again…

CUT 5 (06)  “that we have”

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State Police have redeployed additional troopers to patrol in New Orleans. The funds for the extra support are provided by The Big Easy’s business community and members of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau who raised $2.5 million dollars. State Police Col Mike Edmonson…:

CUT 6 (08)  “patrol presence”

Edmonson says they developed a strategy with the CVB funds, based on the needs of the New Orleans PD and requests from business leaders. He LSP came up with a plan to use this extra money, but not take patrol efforts away from the rest of the state…:

CUT 7 (11)  “not gonna happen”

Edmonson says New Orleans is one of the top places in the nation that people want to visit and number 5 in the world. He says it’s important we protect the tourism industry…:

CUT 8 (05)  “parts of Louisiana”

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Eglin Air Force Base officials say the wreckage of the Army helicopter that crashed Tuesday night over the Florida Panhandle, killing all eleven on board, has been found. Eglin Col. Monte Cannon says the wreckage was located yesterday in about 25 feet of water…

CUT 9 (08)  “safety investigation”

He says the search and rescue mission is now a recovery mission. Four Louisiana National Guard soldiers based out of Hammond were on the chopper and officials say two victims have been recovered. The remaining soldiers are believed to be located in the wreckage. Cannon says, due to the Department of Defense’s 48-hour grieving period, the names of the deceased soldiers have not been released…

cut 10 (10) “tragic event”

While the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, Eglin Fire Chief Mark Giuliano says it appears that this was a violent crash…

cut 11 (06)  “lot of debris”

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Lt Governor hopeful Kip Holden is involved in a sex scandal as a four-year-old lawsuit has surfaced claiming the Baton Rouge mayor repeatedly sexually harassed a woman who was in Louisiana on business. The lawsuit does not name Holden as a defendant and it’s actually targeted at her former employer. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the allegation hurts Holden’s chances at becoming the state’s next Lt. Governor

cut 12 (06)  “this allegation”

In a statement, Holden denies the accusations that are made in the 2011 lawsuit, which was filed in Kansas City. Holden ended the statement by saying both he and his wife know the truth on this one. Pinsonat says it’s difficult for politicians to overcome harassment claims

cut 13 (10)  “what they can”

A poll was released this week showing Holden in good position to make the run-off in the lieutenant governor’s race. Pinsonat says Holden made a wise decision by responding to the claims quickly

cut 14 (10)  “type of defense”

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State Police announce a crackdown of insurance fraud throughout Louisiana has netted several arrests. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The investigation continues today in the Army helicopter crash that killed all 11 servicemen on board during a training mission Tuesday night in the Florida Panhandle. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

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The heirs to Tom Benson’s professional franchises say they would like to see the Saints and Pelicans flourish as world champions in New Orleans. Michelle Southern has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “reporting”

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Tom Benson files a lawsuit that attempts to secure the ownership shares of the Saints and Pelicans from a trust fund that his relatives currently have control over. The federal suit is aimed at Robert Rosenthal who has blocked a previous effort by Benson to remove the teams from the trust. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this is a desperation move on Benson’s part…

cut 4  (08)  “from the trust”

Benson has proposed to swap the shares for the Saints and Pelicans for secured promissory notes equaling around $500 million. Meche says the terms of the trust require Benson to substitute the teams with assets of equal value…

Cut 5  (10)  “to do it”

Meche gives Benson very little chance of winning, here. The lawsuit, in part, asks a federal judge to order Rosenthal to sign off on the swap. Meche says the only people who will benefit from this suit are the lawyers…

Cut 6 (06)  “the runoff”

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State Police announce that during a crackdown of insurance fraud throughout Louisiana, several arrests have been made of people who have tried to abuse the system various ways. LSP Spokesman Dustin Dwight says insurance fraud is a problem that affects all citizens here who pay some of the highest premiums in the country…:

CUT 7 (06) “reduce that”

This latest round of arrests include people who are accused of faking car accidents, filing fraudulent medical bills from injuries they’ve claimed to have received in vehicle crashes. He says some are in the insurance industry and have abused their position to benefit themselves…:

Cut 8  (09)  “area” 

Dwight says insurance fraud happens so often that there several active investigations into the crimes and they expect more arrests will be coming. He says another arrest made was from someone who claimed to be in a crash when in fact they weren’t even inside the vehicle…:

Cut 9 (11)  “those aspects”

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The investigation continues today in the Army helicopter crash that killed all 11 servicemen on board during a training mission Tuesday night in the Florida Panhandle. Of the 11, four were Louisiana National Guard soldiers based out of Hammond. Louisiana National Guard Major General Glenn Curtis says this helicopter crew was experienced…

Cut 10 (11) “the blackhawk”

The four National Guardsmen were part of the 1st of the 244th Assault Helicopter Battalion. Curtis says this unit was deployed to Iraq twice and responded to numerous disasters in the state. Although the cause of he crash has not been determined, there are reports of foggy conditions when the accident occurred. Curtis says pilots are very conscious of weather conditions before they depart on a mission…

cut 11 (10) “a different story”

The other seven servicemen were Marines based out of Fort LaJeune in North Carolina. Curtis asks everyone to keep these servicemen and their families in your thoughts and prayers. He says National Guard units are hometown units and a tragedy like this reaches deep into the community…

cut 12 (06)  “care of them”

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The story of two emaciated Shreveport pit bull terriers, that were removed from their home after a Facebook post, continue their recovery at the Caddo Parish Animal Services. The post created an outcry within the community for the dogs to be removed and their owner charged. Director Everett Harris says they have a plan in place for the care of the two dogs…

Cut 13 (09)  “and whipworms”

Harris says both dogs are comfortable, but did test positive for hookworms, whip worms, and heart worms. He says the investigation is ongoing, but this appears to more of a case of financial struggle than one of animal cruelty…

Cut 14 (11) “sad situation”

He says the dogs’ owner could not afford to have the animals cared for by a veterinarian. Harris says the owner loved and cared for the dogs, but couldn’t understand why they were not putting on weight. Harris says they’re hoping the dogs are adopted as soon as they are well enough…

Cut 15  (07)  “our goal”

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Louisiana Tech men’s basketball begins play tonight in the Conference USA tonight. The Bulldogs won the regular season title and a conference tournament championship will give them an automatic berth in the Big Dance. Tech Coach Michael White believes the CUSA Tournament is up for grabs

Cut 16  (09)  “handful”

Tech plays tonight at 8:30 PM against the winner of last night’s game between Rice and North Texas. If the Bulldogs win tonight, they’ll play in the semi-finals on Friday at 5:30. White says it’s a disadvantage to play late tonight and then turn around and play another game in less than 24 hours…

Cut 17 (10)  “won’t be correct”

The tournament is taking place in Birmingham and White knows each team will give its best effort….

Cut 18 (12) “for the fences’

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The video of a 7-year-old girl’s tearful reaction to tight end Jimmy Graham getting traded to Seattle has gone viral. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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We’re learning more about the deputy US Marshal who was fatally shot yesterday in East Baton Rouge Parish. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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A blackhawk helicopter crash during a training exercise over the Florida Panhandle has left eleven servicemen missing and presumed dead, including four soldiers from a Hammond based National Guard Unit. Eglin Air Force Base spokesperson Amy Parr says two helicopters took off from the Destin airport to perform a training mission…

CUT 3 (05)  “reported missing”

The other seven servicemen on the helicopter were Marines assigned to Fort LaJeune, North Carolina. Louisiana National Guard Col. Pete Schneider says the two helicopters used in last night’s training mission were from their facility in Hammond…

CUT 4 (09)  “fly out of”

It has been reported that human remains have also been found. Parr says the investigation is continuing to determine why the helicopter crashed…

CUT 5 (05)  “the accident”

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Jamie Croom, the New Roads man accused of killing three people including a US deputy marshal, has died from injuries suffered during a shootout with authorities yesterday in Baton Rouge. East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner, Dr. Beau Clark, says the exchange of gunfire in the attempt to arrest Croom has now claimed two lives…

CUT 6 (10)  “as well”

US deputy marshal, 27-year-old Josie Wells, died yesterday as a result of the shootout with Croom. Authorities were attempting to arrest Croom for a double murder that took place last month in Pointe Coupee Parish. Clark says an autopsy will be performed on Wells today…

CUT 7 (04)  “other autopsy”

Clark says an autopsy on Croom will be performed this afternoon or early tomorrow. He says the death of Wells is unfortunate as he was just doing his job trying to keep the public safe…

CUT 8 (07)  “in your prayers”

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The video of a 7-year-old girl’s tearful reaction to tight end Jimmy Graham getting traded to Seattle has gone viral. The child, Lexia Woods, was devastated at what was one of the most surprising moves of the start of NFL free agency on Tuesday and her mother, Ashley Ann Woods, got it on video…:

CUT 9 (13)  “over there”

Woods’ family now lives in South Carolina. She says her husband is overseas serving in Afghanistan and when they were based in New Orleans, Lexia was born and became a huge Saints fan and Jimmy Graham was her favorite player. Mom says her young Who Dat loyal is feeling better today…:

cut 10 (10) “well loved there”

Woods says she sends a lot of videos of their daughter to her husband while he is serving his tour. She says she found out about Graham before picking Lexia up from school yesterday and that’s when she broke the news…:

cut 11 (10)  “see this (laughter)”

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Payscale-dot-com’s ranks Louisiana Tech number one in the state in overall Return of Investment for both in-state and out-of-state students. This is the second straight year that Tech has received the top ranking in Louisiana. University spokesman Dave Guerin says the school puts an emphasis high quality education…

cut 12 (08)  “their careers”

In addition, Louisiana Tech ranks number 13 in the nation in highest annual percent ROI for students living on-campus and receiving financial aid. Guerin explains how Payscale calculates their college ROI…

cut 13 (06)  “a given university”

Guerin says this is a great accomplishment and it shows Louisiana Tech provides students with marketable skills to go into a company and make an impact…

cut 14 (08)  “respective industries”

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