Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s “not prepared” to echo calls from former Board of Regents Chairman Richard Lipsey for LSU President F. King Alexander and Athletic Director Joe Alleva to be fired for their handling of Will Wade and other sensitive topics. Edwards says Wade’s recruiting scandal has cast a shadow over the basketball season.

Cut 7 (11) “…wrong”

The comments were made on the Governor’s monthly talk show.

Today is the first full day of spring. So what can we expect weather wise? State Climatologist Barry Keim predicts a wetter and warmer spring than usual for Louisiana.

Keim says we are currently in a weak El Nino with storms forming right off the coast of Texas near Houston.

Cut 14 (09) “…this past winter.”

The forecast for wet weather is good news for farmers.

A Baton Rouge mother is facing charges that she allegedly drugged her 18-month-old baby to death. Authorities say 42-year-old Heather Hidalgo initially told police she had no involvement in her child’s February 15th death, but East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Casey Raborn Hicks says her tune changed after spending some time behind bars…

Cut 10 (11) “…her child”

Hicks says a toxicology report shows the child was dosed with a cocktail of different drugs.

Research from staffing firm Robert Half indicates college basketball playoff activities can be beneficial in the workplace.  Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards says he does not “echo” sentiments that LSU President F King Alexander and AD Joe Alleva should be fired for their handling of Will Wade and other recent issues. Kevin Barnhart has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

___________________________________

 A Baton Rouge mom is behind bars after she allegedly drugged her child to death over the course of several months. Kevin Barnhart spoke to the East Baton Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department about the tragedy…

Cut 3 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

__________________________________

According to research from staffing firm Robert Half, 72% of managers say college basketball playoff activities improve employee morale. New Orleans senior recruiting manager Carrie Lewis says when in moderation, there are definite potential benefits to group activities tied to sporting events.

Cut 4 (11) “…their favorite school.”

LSU plays Yale today, and Lewis, who is from New Orleans, says she foresees some workers being sidetracked by the game. She adds in today’s candidate-short market, it’s more important than ever to keep their existing staff happy.

Cut 5 (11) “…the sporting event.”

Lewis says 75% of companies will organize sports related festivities, 45% will host friendly competitions, and 43% will allow team apparel because of the benefits it can produce in the workplace.

Cut 6 (11) “…builds the comradery.”

___________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s “not prepared” to echo calls from former Board of Regents Chairman Richard Lipsey for LSU President F. King Alexander and Athletic Director JOe Alleva to be fired for their handling of Will Wade and other sensitive topics. Edwards says Wade’s recruiting scandal has cast a shadow over the basketball season.

Cut 7 (11) “…wrong”

Wade is reportedly on an FBI wiretap discussing improper payments to a recruit, potentially freshman Javonte Smart.

Lipsey says the duo should be canned for a series of failures that began with the mishandling of the final months Les Miles as head coach,  holistic admissions decision, runs through their handling of Greek life hazing, and recently their decision to suspend Wade, but Edwards says it’s hard to disagree with the call to suspend the head coach…

Cut 8 (11) “questions.”

Wade was suspended after refusing to talk to the administration about the reported FBI wiretap.

One area the governor was prepared to definitively back the administration on was the decision to give football head coach Ed Orgeron a 500,000 dollar raise and a longer contract. Edwards says O is still one of the lowest paid coaches in the SEC, despite his success.

Cut 9 (09) “…foundation″

The comments were made on his monthly talk show, Ask the Governor

__________________________

A Baton Rouge mother is facing charges that she allegedly drugged her 18-month-old baby to death. Authorities say 42-year-old Heather Hidalgo initially told police she had no involvement in her child’s February 15th death, but East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Casey Raborn Hicks says her tune changed after spending some time behind bars…

Cut 10 (11) “…her child”

Hidalgo was booked into jail after her child’s death on other warrants at the time, and Hicks says deputies continued their investigation until a toxicology report came back in early March with some disturbing results. Hicks says the report showed the kid had a cocktail of different drugs in her.

Cut 11 (11) “system.”

When asked why she would pump her infant full of dangerous substances, Hidalgo allegedly told authorities it was to “comfort the child, and make the child comfortable.” Hicks wouldn’t speculate as to exactly what that meant, but did add that Hidalgo had an addiction problem herself.

Cut 12 (08) “…pregnancy.”

______________________________

Today is the first full day of spring. What can we expect from the weather for the next few months? State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’re currently in a weak El Nino that will effect conditions this spring.

Cut 13 (06) “…conditions for Louisiana.”

Keim says the weather pattern results in storms forming right off the coast of Texas near Houston.

Cut 14 (09) “…this past winter.”

Keim says the forecast for wet weather is welcomed news for the growing season for farmers. Considering the lack of rain the last few weeks, it’ll be great for crops. But Keim adds it’s not good news for everyone.

Cut 15 (10) “…and other cattle.”

_______________________________________

Third seeded LSU looks to avoid the upset as it faces 14th seeded Yale at 11:40 this morning in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Twenty-one 14 seeds have defeated three seeds since 1985. Tigers interim head coach Tony Benford says the Bulldogs have their attention…

Cut 16  (20) “the same” 

This will be LSU’s third game without suspended head coach Will Wade. Benford says the players are accustomed to their new normal

 cut 17 (20)   “our players” 

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and said Orgeron is deserving of a 500-thousand dollar raise…

Cut 12 (10) “…extremely well.”

Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars, the ninth highest in the SEC.

Flooding in the Midwest has many concerned about how those draining flood waters could impact the already very high Mississippi River levels. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Danielle Manning says those flood waters from the Missouri River basin do have to pass through the river on the way to the Gulf of Mexico. But what kind of impact will it have?

Cut 7 (09) “…start rising again.”

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for posting an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says after the confederacy fell, a coordinated propaganda campaign was established to rehabilitate the Rebel’s image.

Cut 5 (11)  “the war.”

St. Martin Parish sheriff deputies arrest a Broussard mother after she allegedly left her two children, ages 1 and 5, unattended in an unlocked, running vehicle at a truck stop casino for about an hour and a half while she played video poker inside.  The Good Samaritan law states that someone can bust open a window in an effort to save a child or animal trapped in a car, but Major Ginny Higgins says the person who spotted the children did the right thing by not taking that action because the doors were unlocked.

Cut 11 (08)   “…save their lives.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors athletic committee has approved a two-year contract extension for Coach Ed Orgeron and the Louisiana native is getting a 14-percent raise, which means he’ll make four-million dollars a year. Athletic Director Joe Alleva says Orgeron can earn even more money…
Cut 13 (12) “…500,000 dollars”

St. Martin Parish sheriff deputies arrest a Broussard mother after she allegedly left her two children, ages 1 and 5, unattended in an unlocked, running vehicle at a truck stop casino for about an hour and a half while she played video poker inside. Major Ginny Higgins says thankfully the kids were not harmed….
Cut 9 (07) “…were in there.”
37-year-old Tara Jackson is facing two counts of child desertion.

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for posting an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says he’s not surprised by the sign…
Cut 3 (10) “…was”
About 850 people were enslaved at Rosedown, and the site has become the most visited historic location in Louisiana, hosting over 28-thousand visitors last fiscal year.

Flooding in the Midwest has many concerned about how those draining flood waters could impact the already very high Mississippi River levels. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Danielle Manning says those flood waters from the Missouri River basin shouldn’t be a threat.

Cut 6 (10) “…come down significantly.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors approves a two-year contract extension that contains a 500-thousand dollar raise for head football coach Ed Orgeron. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Associated Press reports Governor Edwards will ask lawmakers in the upcoming session to increase funding for higher education by 19-million dollars. About a third of that money would be for TOPS and the governor’s plan also calls for three-million dollars to help pay for resources for students who take classes online, such as electronic textbooks.

A state parks official says a sign in front of a popular state owned plantation that said slaves were well taken-care of and happy has been taken down. It’s unclear how long the sign was posted at the Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says unfortunately plantations tend to downplay slavery, and instead play up the pageantry of the property owners.
Cut 4 (13) “…the focus″
About 850 people were enslaved there before the Civil War.

There’s devastating flooding in the Midwest, but Danielle Manning with the National Weather Service says they are not expecting any significant flooding in the lower Mississippi River Valley as a result of flooding upstream. But she says it’s still important to keep an eye on river levels…
cut 8 (08) “…effect the river”

Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville has removed an exhibit sign describing the slaves who lived there as “happy”. Matt Doyle talked to a Southern University professor about the controversy…
Voicer 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Four employees at the Louisiana Special Education Center in Alexandria who were under a police investigation are back at work. The state department of education says they were notified by the Rapides parish District Attorney’s office that allegations of serious infractions involving residents were unfounded.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and said Orgeron is deserving of a 500-thousand dollar raise…
Cut 12 (10) “…extremely well.”
Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars, the ninth highest in the SEC.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office says 37-year-old Tara Jackson of Broussard left her two small children in an unlocked vehicle for about an hour and half while she gambled at a video poker truck stop in St. Martinville. Major Ginny Higgins says the children are okay, but something bad could happened in the kids, even if it’s not terribly hot outside…
cut 10 (09) “…in a vehicle”
Jackson has been charged with two counts of child desertion.

The LSU Board of Supervisors athletic committee has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and says Orgeron can earn even more money…

Cut 13 (12) “…500,000 dollars”

Orgeron is now the ninth highest paid head coach in the SEC.

Flooding in the Midwest has many concerned about how those draining flood waters could impact the already very high Mississippi River levels. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Danielle Manning says those flood waters from the Missouri River basin do have to pass through the river on the way to the Gulf of Mexico. But what kind of impact will it have?

Cut 7 (09) “…start rising again.”

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for posting an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says after the confederacy fell, a coordinated propaganda campaign was established to rehabilitate the Rebel’s image.

Cut 5 (11)  “the war.”

St. Martin Parish sheriff deputies arrest a Broussard mother after she allegedly left her two children, ages 1 and 5, unattended in an unlocked, running vehicle at a truck stop casino for about an hour and a half while she played video poker inside.  The Good Samaritan law states that someone can bust open a window in an effort to save a child or animal trapped in a car, but Major Ginny Higgins says the person who spotted the children did the right thing by not taking that action because the doors were unlocked.

Cut 11 (08)   “…save their lives.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors athletic committee has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and said Orgeron is deserving of a 500-thousand dollar raise…

Cut 12 (10) “…extremely well.”

Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars, the ninth highest in the SEC.

Flooding in the Midwest has many concerned about how those draining flood waters could impact the already very high Mississippi River levels. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Danielle Manning says those flood waters from the Missouri River basin shouldn’t be a threat.

Cut 6 (10) “…come down significantly.”

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for posting an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says southern historic venues tend to downplay the terror of slavery, and instead play up the pageantry of those who built their wealth and power on the backs of those chained on their property.

Cut 4 (13) “…the focus″

About 850 people were enslaved at Rosedown, and the site has become the most visited historic location in Louisiana, hosting 28,251 visitors last fiscal year.
Here’s a look at your commodities.

The LSU Board of Supervisors athletic committee has approved a two-year contract extension for Coach Ed Orgeron and the Louisiana native is getting a 14-percent raise, which means he’ll make four-million dollars a year. Athletic Director Joe Alleva says Orgeron can earn even more money…
cut 13 (12) “…500,000 dollars”
The full board is expected to approve the new contract this afternoon.

St. Martin Parish sheriff deputies arrest a Broussard mother after she allegedly left her two children, ages 1 and 5, unattended in an unlocked, running vehicle at a truck stop casino for about an hour and a half while she played video poker inside. Major Ginny Higgins says thankfully the kids were not harmed….
Cut 9 (08) “…in there”
37-year-old Tara Jackson is facing two counts of child desertion.

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for posting an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says he’s not surprised by the sign…
Cut 3 (09) “…institution was”
About 850 people were enslaved there before the Civil War.

Avoyelles Parish School School Superintendent Blaine Dauzat says they’ve received push back since deciding last week to move to a four-day week schedule for next school year. Classes will run from Tuesday to Friday and some working parents are wondering what they will do with their children on Mondays. Dauzat has this response…
cut 6 (09) “…at this point”
Dauzat says four-days a week schedule will help attract teachers and there are examples it has led to improved student achievement.

Starting next school year, the Avoyelles school system will adopt a four-day week. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
The Powerball is up to 550 million, and as more folks decide to buy tickets the Lotto wants to remind people not to toss out those tickets just because you didn’t win the jackpot. Lotto spokesperson Dustin Annison says there’s ine total winnings, so you’re actually more likely to have won a smaller prize than the big one.
Cut 11 (07) “though.”
_________________________________________
Third-seeded LSU is in Jacksonville getting ready for tomorrow’s first round NCAA match-up with 14th seeded Yale. Junior guard Skylar Mays both teams like to play an up tempo style and that should benefit the Tigers
Cut 16 (11) “for us”
Louisiana has the highest percentage of PlayStation fans in the country, per a survey by PC Magazine that asked gamers to name their top console. The poll nabbed 2,000 responses, and let people chose from Xbox, Nintendo, PC, PlayStation, or none. Associate features editor Rob Marvin gives the breakdown on how to Bayou State prefers to game…
Cut 7 (09) “…don’t game”
Louisiana had nearly half as many PC first gamers as the rest of the nation, and less than half the average number of Americans who picked Nintendo as their top system.