New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate. Employees of the Picayune and it’s online service, Nola.com, have been given 60 days notice that they will be fired, and it is not certain how many, if any of them will be retained in the new publication. Some say it’s a sign of an increasingly unfriendly job market for would-be journalists, but veteran journalist Len Apcar is optimistic.
Cut 8 (11) “…work out”
The merger will use “brands and features of both publications” starting in June.
Vice President Mike Pence says he’s inspired by the faith that continues to be shown in St. Landry Parish where three historically black churches burned down by a suspected arsonist.
Cut 5 (14) “…the country”
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Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle. Bossier City Senator Barrow Peacock says businesses could be left paying higher taxes, if there’s not enough money to cover all the requests for paid family leave.
Cut 10 (08) “…that difference”
The measure heads to Senate Finance, because it requires a small payroll tax paid by both the employee and employer.
The LA Wallet app, which allows Louisiana drivers to present their license on their smartphone, is now free, but only until the end of May. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton says law enforcement will also accept the app as a valid ID, but..
Cut 14 (07) “…at that time.”

An Atlanta sports writer is stiring the pot with some harsh comments about the Superdome being a dump. This comes after news broke that the New Orleans icon was set to begin the first phase of a 450 million dollar renovation. Jeff Schultz covers the Falcons for new digital publication The Atlantic said “I love the city, the food and the people but there’s two things I know about the New Orleans. 1, the stadium is a dump, and 2, 450 million won’t fix that.”
The Saints ranked number for overall gameday satisfaction the last two years according to the NFL’s Observation program.
Former Pelicans Head Coach Monty Williams is a head coach again in the NBA. Williams has agreed to a five-year contract with the Phoenix Suns. The 47-year-old was the head coach in New Orleans for five seasons, leading the franchise to two playoff apperances. He’s currently an assistant coach with the 76ers.
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The 14th ranked LSU baseball team begins an important weekend series against 15th ranked Ole Miss tonight. The two teams have identical 13-8 records in the SEC, two games back of Arkansas for first place in the West division. Tigers Coach Paul Mainieri says the Rebels like to steal bases, they’ve swiped 76 bags on the season…
cut 17 (10) “curtail it”
Louisiana Tech looks to snap a five-game losing streak tonight when they begin a series at Old Dominion. The Bulldogs have scored nine runs during the five-game losing streak.
The Ragin Cajuns will try to snap a seven-game losing streak when they visit Coastal Carolina. ULM is home to take on U-T Arlington.
Southeastern Louisiana is in a tie for first place in the Southland as they begin a weekend series at Lamar. The Lions are 14-and-7 in conference play, tied with Sam Houston. Lamar has the worst conference record at 7-and-17.

Vice President Mike Pence says he’s inspired by the faith that continues to be shown in St. Landry Parish where three historically black churches burned down by a suspected arsonist. The son of a sheriff’s deputy, 21-year-old Holden Matthews, has been charged with setting fire to the churches. An extensive investigation led by the State Fire Marshal’s office led to Matthews’ capture and Pence applauded the hard work of the investigators…
Cut 4 (11) “…to justice”
Pence made his comments in the front of the ruins of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas.
The LA Wallet app, which allows Louisiana drivers to present their license on their smartphone, is now free, but only until the end of May. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton says the app is accepted at many locations in place of a traditional physical identification card.
Cut 13 (12) “…couple of elections.”
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New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate. The Advocate has published a daily paper in New Orleans since 2012, and the merger will use “brands and features of both publications” starting in June. Veteran Journalist Len Apcar thinks the new publication will feature the strengths of both of the previous papers.
Cut 7 (08) “…merger.”
The Picayune traces it’s roots back 182 years, and gained widespread acclaim for continuing to report on Hurricane Katrina online even as the paper’s building was surrounded by water.
Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle. The Senate Labor committee approved the measure 4 – 1. This new dad believes its a great idea.
Cut 9 (11) “…exception.“.

New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate. Manship School Professor Len Apcar, a 40 years veteran journalist who’s worked at the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, says the merger will increase the quality of reporting in the Crescent City.
Cut 6 (08) “…years.”
Employees of the Picayune and it’s online service, Nola.com, have been given 60 days notice that they will be fired.
Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle. Bossier City Senator Barrow Peacock was the only “no” vote in Senate Labor. Dawn Starns state director of the National Federation of Independent Business also object to the measure…
Cut 11 (08) “…about that.”
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Vice President Mike Pence says the way religious leaders are working towards rebuilding the St. Landry Parish churches burned down by a suspected arsonist is inspirational. Connor Ferrill has the story…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Connor Ferrill”
The National Weather Service says two small tornadoes are responsible for the property damage that occurred yesterday in the DeSoto Parish towns of Mansfield and Stanley. There’s another chance for severe weather tomorrow for much of south Louisiana.

Vice President Mike Pence says he’s inspired by the faith that continues to be shown in St. Landry Parish where three historically black churches burned down by a suspected arsonist. Pence made his comments in the front of the ruins of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas.
Cut 3 (11) “…express that to you ”
The son of a sheriff’s deputy, 21-year-old Holden Matthews, has been charged.
New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate. Employees of the Picayune and it’s online service, Nola.com, have been given 60 days notice that they will be fired. Some say it’s a sign of an increasingly unfriendly job market for journalists, but veteran journalist Len Apcar is optimistic.
Cut 8 (11) “…work out”
____________________________________
Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle, but not without some opposition. Bossier City Senator Barrow Peacock says businesses could be left paying higher taxes, if there’s not enough money to cover all the requests for paid family leave
Cut 10 (08) “…that difference”
The measure heads to Senate Finance, because it requires a small payroll tax paid by both the employee and employer.
The LA Wallet app, which allows Louisiana drivers to present their license on their smartphone, is now free, but only until the end of May. The app normally requires a $5.99 fee to activate a license. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton says the offer is not just a 30-day free trial.
Cut 12 (06) “…of their license.”

Vice President Mike Pence is in St. Landry Parish this hour meeting with religious leaders who suffered through the anguish of seeing three churches burned down by a suspected arsonist, who is now facing hate crime charges. Before Pence left, here’s what he said at the White House about the recent attacks on religious buildings…
cut 5 (11) “…churches in Louisiana”
Pence visited Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, which burned down about a month ago.

Through the month of May, Louisiana residents can download the LA Wallet app and activate their license for free in an effort to get more people to use the service. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton says law enforcement will accept digital license as a valid I-D, but you should hang on to your physical I-D as well…
cut 14 (07) “…at that time”
Louisiana is the first state to allow the use of a smartphone app as a picture ID.

The flagship newspaper of New Orleans, The Times Picayune, has been purchased by their Baton Rouge rival, The Advocate. Matt Doyle talked with a veteran reporter about the merger…
cut 2 (30) I’m Matt Doyle”

The National Weather Service says two small tornadoes are responsible for the property damage that occurred yesterday in the DeSoto Parish towns of Mansfield and Stanley. There’s another chance for severe weather tomorrow for much of south Louisiana.

Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle. The Senate Labor committee approved the measure on a 4-to-1 vote after hearing about the benefits of the proposal. This new dad believes its a great idea.
Cut 9 (11) “…exception.“.
The revenue would create a fund within the Louisiana Workforce Commission to provide the temporary paid leave. The measure heads to Senate Finance next.
The LA Wallet app, which allows Louisiana drivers to present their license on their smartphone, is now free until the end of May. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton says the app is accepted at many locations in place of a traditional physical identification card.
Cut 13 (12) “…couple of elections.”
________________________________
New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate.
The Picayune traces it’s roots back 182 years, and gained widespread acclaim for continuing to report on Hurricane Katrina online even as the paper’s building was surrounded by water.
The Advocate has published a daily paper in New Orleans since 2012, and the merger will use “brands and features of both publications” starting in June. Apcar thinks the new publication will feature the strengths of both of the previous papers.
Cut 7 (08) “…merger.”
Employees of the Picayune and it’s online service, Nola.com, have been given 60 days notice.

New Orleans’ historic newspaper, The Times Picayune has been purchased by their Baton Rouge based rival, The Advocate. Manship School Professor Len Apcar, a 40 years veteran journalist who’s worked at the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, says the merger will increase the quality of reporting in the Crescent City.
Cut 6 (08) “…years.”
The Advocate has published a daily paper in New Orleans since 2012, and the merger will use “brands and features of both publications” starting in June.
The LA Wallet app, which allows Louisiana drivers to present their license on their smartphone, is now free through May. OMV field administrator Paige Paxton.
Cut 12 (06) “…of their license.”
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Vice President Mike Pence visits Mount Pleasant Baptist Church today, one of the three churches recently torched in St. Landry Parish. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnart”
LSU has been named one of America’s best value colleges by Forbes magazine. The publication ranked it the number one best value college in the state, fourth in the SEC, and the 69th best amoung all public colleges. Among public flagship universities, LSU ranks 20th.

Vice President Mike Pence arrives in Lafayette this afternoon and will visit Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, one of the three churches recently torched in St. Landry Parish. Pence will meet with community and church leaders. Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins believes the way law enforcement and the church community faced the situation stands out to the Vice President.
Cut 4 (10) “…horror was handled.”
Legislation that would require Louisiana businesses to provide employees with paid leave to deal with family or medical issues cleared its first legislative hurdle. The Senate Labor committee approved the measure on a 4-to-1 vote after hearing about the benefits of the proposal. This new dad believes its a great idea
Cut 9 (11) “…exception.“.

The measure heads to the Senate Finance, because it requires a small payroll tax to create a fund that would provide the temporary paid leave.

The loosening on regulations based on rules written following the 2010 BP oil spill may make the Gulf of Mexico more attractive to those looking to establish offshore rigs.  Tulane Energy Institute Professor Eric Smith says the new rules will reduce the number of times a rig has to open up a blowout preventer for inspection, as well as expands who can conduct the inspections when they take place.

Cut 8 (10) “…by federal inspectors.”

Ecologists are sounding the alarm about a huge increase in the number of dead dolphins being found off the coast of Mississippi, and are pinning the blame partly on the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway in March. But Institute for Marine Mammal Studies President Dr. Mody Solangi says it’s not just the Spillway at fault. In previous decades, the spillway’s opening wasn’t as devastating, but the Mississippi River has grown so polluted that dumping that water into the gulf is disastrous.

Cut 11 (11) “…used to.”

Vice President Mike Pence will visit this afternoon with leaders of the churches burned down by a suspected arsonist in St. Landry Parish. Speaking at a National Day of Prayer event at the White House, Pence said the world condems the recent attacks on religious buildings…
cut 5 (12) “….churches in Louisiana”
Governor Edwards and members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation will join Pence for the visit.

Marine biologists are sounding an alarm over an increase in dolphin deaths off the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. President of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Doctor Moby Solangi, says pollution from the Mississippi River and fresh water getting into the Mississippi Sound are the two biggest factors and dolphins are not the only marine life impacted…
cut 12 (08) “….easily seen”

The Louisiana House approves a proposal that would extend the license of the state’s lone land-based casino for 30 years. House Speaker Taylor Barras says New Orleans Harrah’s casino’s minimum annual payment to the state would go from 60-million dollars to 65-million in 2022 and increase by two percent per year thereafter…
cut 14 (12) “…salary expenses”
The legislation still needs Senate approval.

The Trump Administration is giving oil and gas companies more flexibility in meeting safety requirements that were put in place after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Tulane Energy Institute Professor Eric Smith says among those rules was a requirement to break down blowout preventers after every drilling program….
cut 7 (12) “….the blowout preventer”
Smith says the new rules will reduce the number of times a rig has to open up a blowout preventer for inspection.