The LSU baseball team returns to the diamond tonight for the first time since Saturday’s stunning loss to Texas A&M. The Tigers led that game 3-0 in the 9th inning, but ended up losing 4-to-3. LSU has lost five of its last seven, but Coach Paul Mainieri still has a lot of faith. However he says they need to be more consistent in certain areas…:
Cut 16 (17) “bullpen too”
LSU has fallen out of the top ten in the major college baseball polls. They’ll host Grambling tonight.

UL-Lafayette is tied with Texas State for first place in the West Division of the Sun Belt and will host Nicholls State tonight. Northwestern State travels to face ULM. Louisiana Tech hosts Stephen F Austin. Southeastern plays South Alabama in Hammond. Tulane is at UNO.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson is selling his majority interest in New Orleans Fox affiliate WVUE-TV to Raycom Media. Raycom has been partnered with Benson’s Louisiana Media Company in the management of the station since 2013.

The Saints off-season schedule has been set. They’ll open workouts and conditioning on April 17th. On-field work will begin seven weeks later.

Tonight in the NBA the Pels will face the Nuggets. New Orleans’ playoff hopes are actually still alive since the Timberwolves got the win over Portland on Monday. The Trail Blazers will eliminate the Pelicans from playoff contention with one more win. New Orleans is out if they lose one more.

In an extremely hard-to-watch NCAA Title game, Carolina shot enough from the free-throw line to walk away champions. The Tar Heels beat Gonzaga 71-65 in a game that featured 52 free throws, and a Phoenix University Stadium full of booing fans. That was until the end when Carolina landed its 6th NCAA title.

A University of New Orleans poll finds President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Louisiana is at 58-percent, the same amount of people who voted for him here in November. UNO pollster Ed Chervenak says that’s far higher than the president’s nationwide approval rating of 38-percent…:
Cut 4 (08) “Republican president”
He adds it’s a little too early for many voters here to pass judement.

Recovery efforts are underway from the severe weather that damaged homes and killed two people. Mike Steele, with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says preliminary damage assessment teams will survey the destruction…:
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The National Weather Service confirms there were 4 tornadoes Sunday in Rapides Parish.

The state is one step closer to dispensing federal flood recovery dollars to families affected by the 2016 floods. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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A report released Monday by the legislative auditor indicates it looks like Louisiana’s Medicaid program paid $1.4 million dollars in duplicate erroneous payments from January 2011 to October 2016. The state Department of Health says it has established a way to keep this from happening in the future.

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency after severe weather caused two deaths and left a wake of destruction. Halen Doughty has more…
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State Police reports an Abbeville man was shot and injured last night after exchanging gunfire with a police officer. Authorities were responding to reports of multiple shots fired by a trailer when 57-year-old Clyde Burns began shooting at police. The officers fired back and shot Burns several times. Burns is reported to be in critical condition at a local hospital but no officers were injured.

A University of New Orleans survey finds President Trump has a much higher approval rating in Louisiana than he does nationwide. Jeff Palermo has more…

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Two measures that would raise the minimum GPA for high school students to receive the TOPS scholarship have been filed for the upcoming legislative session. Currently students are required to receive a 2.5 cumulative GPA and the proposed legislation raises that to a 3.0. Minden Representative Gene Reynolds authored one of the bills…
Cut 11 (04) “…3.0”
Reynolds says raising standards is a good say to make the program more cost effective.

Governor Edwards has declared a state of emergency after severe weather killed two people and produced damage over much of the state yesterday and early this morning. The two fatalities were near Breaux Bridge, when a trailer flipped over killing two people, including a three-year-old girl.

There was also significant damage in north and central Louisiana. In Franklin Parish, Sheriff Kevin Cobb says limbs ripped from trees and flying debris downed power lines and injured one person…
cut 5 (10) “….hospital there”
Three people were rescued by Vernon Parish Sheriff deputies because of rising water. Vernon Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Kenneth Moore….
cut 6 (10) “…life jackets”

There will be an attempt in the upcoming legislative session to increase the minimum Grade Point Average for high school seniors to qualify for the TOPS scholarship. Minden Representative Gene Reynolds is the author of one of those bills…
cut 12 (04) “…more dedication”
Reynolds legislation would also allow TOPS students to take a year or two off from college and still receive their scholarship when they decide to go back to school.

The bids to produce medical marijuana are in with the LSU Ag Center, but how much longer do patients have to wait? Michelle Southern reports…:
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Two people are dead and crews are clearing up debris, after a severe weather system moved across Louisiana. Major Ginny Higgins with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office says a mother and her 3-year-old daughter were killed when a tornado overturned their mobile home. She says her son left the home just moments before the tragedy.

Cut 4 (09) “a home”

The victims are identified as 38-year-old Francine Gotch and her daughter Neveah Alexander.

LaSalle parish sustained extensive damage as the system moved from Rapides to Catahoula parish. Sheriff Scott Franklin says volunteers and parish officials are working to clear roadways and restore power.

Cut 7 (09) “work effort”

A suspected tornado caused much of the wreckage.

LSU is working to secure a contractor to cover the costs of growing the state’s medical marijuana. Parks Senator Fred Mills says they’re working to make sure the pharmaceutical grade product is consistently delivered, because they can’t get this wrong.

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The first medical marijuana crop could be ready by the end of the year. A measure in the Governor’s proposed criminal justice package for the regular session seeks to improve police training. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James says his bill requires all officers to complete 400 hours of POST training, with an additional 20 hours annually.

Cut 23 (10) “developmental disabilities”

James is optimistic this training can build trust between law enforcement and the public.

This weekend’s severe weather resulted in two deaths and extensive damage across multiple parishes. Major Ginny Higgins with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office says an EF1 tornado flipped over a trailer in Breaux Bridge.

Cut 3 (09) “flipped over”

The victims are identified as 38-year-old Francine Gotch and 3-year-old Neveah Alexander.

The storm also left a wake of destruction in LaSalle Parish, where another suspected tornado touched down. Sheriff Scott Franklin says the area of Fellowship saw extensive damage.

Cut 8 (08) “houses and cars”

Franklin says volunteers and parish officials are working to clear debris and restore power.

A bill by Minden Representative Gene Mills would allow TOPS students to take a year off and still receive their scholarship when they return to school. He’s hopeful the legislation will pass.

Cut 13 (04) “how it goes”

The bill would also raise the GPA requirement for the taxpayer funded scholarship from a 2.5 to a 3.0.

The bids to grow medical marijuana are in at the LSU AgCenter, but we’re still a long way out from getting the drug into the hands of patients. Parks Senator Fred Mills authored the bill that outlines how the drug will be dispensed. He says he knows this process is moving slower than expected, but it could be much worse.

Cut 16 (08) “quickly done”

LSU is expected to have a contractor to pay for production costs by June, and the first crop could be ready by the end of the year.

After declaring a state of emergency, Governor John Bel Edwards is touring the damage that was left behind by a viscous storm system that killed two people in St. Martin Parish. Edwards first stop was in Alexandria, where hundreds of people are without power and crews have been working to clear roads from tree and debris from the strong winds. Captain Tommy Carnline with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office, says they are thankful no one was hurt in the Alexandria area…
cut 10 (08) “….that’s for sure”
Just west of Alexandria, three people had to be rescued by Vernon Parish Sheriff deputies because of rising water. Vernon Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Kenneth Moore….
cut 6 (10) “…life jackets”
The two fatalities took place in Breaux Bridge as a mother and her three-year-old daughter were killed when twister flipped over their mobile home.

There will be an attempt in the upcoming legislative session to increase the minimum Grade Point Average for high school seniors to qualify for the TOPS scholarship. Minden Representative Gene Reynolds is the author of one of those bills…
cut 12 (04) “…more dedication”
Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil is also sponsoring a bill to raise the GPA requirement.

The bids to produce medical marijuana are in with the LSU Ag Center, but how much longer do patients have to wait? Michelle Southern reports…:
Cut 2 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency after severe weather caused two deaths and left a wake of destruction. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

There are two bills filed for the upcoming legislative session that seek to raise the minimum GPA from 2.5 for high school students to receive the TOPS scholarship. Minden Representative Gene Reynolds is the author of the one of the bills..:
Cut 11 (04) “3.0″
Legislators are looking at ways to make TOPS more cost effective.

Now that the bids are in with the LSU Ag Center to produce medical marijuana in Louisiana that would one day be used for patients who suffer from specific diseases, many are wondering how much longer they’ll have to wait. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills, who who was instrumental in creating the medical marijuana, give his best guess on a timeline…:
Cut 14 (09) “that’s done”
LSU is expected to select a contractor by June, who will pay for the production costs.

Speed enforcement cameras would be taken down around the state, under a proposal to be discussed in the regular session. Covington Representative Paul Hollis says these cameras deny people their constitutional right to confront their accuser….:
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The constitutional amendment will need a two-thirds vote approval by the legislature and then go on a ballot for the public to decide.

It ended up being a beautiful day considering the fatal/destructive storms that moved through Louisiana beginning Sunday. Cleco says they were able to restore power to thousands of customers who lost lights during the storms, and only 2200 remain in the dark. Entergy says they are still working to get electricity back to about 6300. Rapides Parish was hit by a suspected tornado along the Highway 165 corridor. Capt. Tommy Carnline with the Sheriff’s Office says they worked at least 30 weather related calls between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning…:
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He says there were no injuries there, but in St. Martin Parish a 3-year-old and her mother died when a tornado toppled their trailer. A GoFundMe account with a $5,000 goal has been created to pay for the funeral expenses of 38-year-old Francine Gotch, and 3-year-old Nevaeh Alexander of Breaux Bridge.

Governor John Bel Edwards officially declared a state of emergency for the state in response to the damages sustained due to the severe weather. The governor is in Rapides and St. Martin Parishes today to survey storm damage in affected areas.

You can now donate household items to flood victims through the new online donation campaign CrowdRelief. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency after severe weather killed two people and produced damage over much of the state yesterday and early this morning. The two fatalities were in St. Martin Parish, when a trailer flipped over killing two people, including a three-year-old girl. St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson, Major Ginny Higgins, says a little boy left the trailer to go next door just moments before the twister struck…
cut 4 (09) “….a home”
We’re getting reports of major damage from central and north Louisiana. In Franklin Parish, Sheriff Kevin Cobb says limbs ripped from trees and flying debris downed power lines and injured one person…
cut 5 (10) “….hospital there”
Governor Edwards will survey storm damage today in Rapides and St. Martin Parishes.

A state lawmaker wants the public to decide whether speed enforcement cameras should be legal. Halen Doughty has more…
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There’s also a couple of bills filed for the regular session that raises the mininum GPA to receive the TOPS scholarship to 3.0. Currently, high school students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 to be eligible for the state funded scholarship program. These bills will be discussed in the legislative session that begins next week.