The charges on the first shooter arrested in the killings of two Southern University students in April have been upgraded to second-degree murder. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean Mckneely says 22-year-old Ernest Felton says ballistics analysis and autopsy results led to the upgraded charge. He says Felton is also charged with obstruction…:
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Lashunte Benton and Annette January were killed in the shooting.

Flood watches are posted throughout south Louisiana through Saturday due to a strong low pressure system moving eastward through Texas. Donald Jones is with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles…:
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The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office has called an afternoon press conference to discuss the case of the two bodies that were found in Natalbany yesterday, and the additional deceased victim located in the same area Friday morning. They say it is not yet determined if the two scenes are connected.

A measure to prohibit abortions because of a genetic abnormality moves closer to final legislative passage. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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Much of south Louisiana is under a flash flood watch though Saturday night. Donald Jones with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says we’re in for some heavy rain throughout the weekend…:
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He says the heavy rain will move through Louisiana in waves.

Deputies in Richland Parish say they’ll be reviewing surveillance footage this weekend to try to get some answers as to why their only K-9 Officer, Duke, died. The dog’s handler, Deputy John Cummings, said Duke wasn’t in his kennel during feeding time Wednesday, but was later located inside a patrol unit near death due to heat exposure. The K9 passed away at the Caldwell Animal Clinic. Richland Parish Sheriff Lee Harrell says he has no reason to believe Cummings’ story is false, and hopefully the neighbors security video will shed some light on what happened.

The Baton Rouge Police Department has upgraded the charges on the initial man who was arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of two Southern University students in April. They say 22-year-old Ernest Felton is booked on two counts of second-degree murder in the slayings of Lashuntae Benton and Annette January. 25-year-old Brandon Henderson was arrested Thursday on counts of second degree murder in connection to the shootings.

Louisiana voters could decide this fall if universities should have the authority to set their own tuition as a result of a proposed constitutional amendment that is close to receiving final legislative passage. Currently, the legislature must approve a tuition hike if it goes above a certain percentage. Higher Education Commissioner Joseph Rallo says the proposed change to the constitution gives schools the power to lower and increase tuition depending on the market…:
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Rallo says Louisiana is the only state that doesn’t allow its institutions to set their own tuition and that puts state colleges at a competitive disadvantage with schools in other states.

Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget for next fiscal year, and the regular session ends in just a few days. Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com says in the budget’s current posture, TOPS and safety net hospitals are underfunded. He says lawmakers will have to raise more revenue in the special session to reduce cuts to these programs. He says lawmakers will likely try to raise between $300 and $450 million.

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Alford says the next special session will begin just 30 minutes after adjournment for the regular session on Monday at 6 PM.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a body that was found in the yard of a residence in Natalbany. Police say the scene is being treated as a homicide. But it has not been determined if this discovery is related to yesterday’s double homicide. State Police have been called in to assist in the investigation.

A bill that would prohibit abortions because the fetus has a genetic abnormality moves closer to final legislative passage. Baton Rouge Sen. Dan Claitor spoke out against the legislation because he says it goes against a woman’s constitutional right to have an abortion.Claitor says when becoming a Senator he took an oath to follow the U.S. Constitution.

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The Senate voted in favor of the bill 29-6 and it heads back to the House for approval of minor changes.

The House approved a measure to require fourth through sixth graders in public schools to recite a passage from the Declaration of Independence every day. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton voted against the bill because she says Thomas Jefferson, who authored the document, owned slaves.

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Despite opposition, the measure now heads to the Senate.

A bill that would require public school students in fourth through sixth grade to recite a passage from the Declaration of Independence moves to the Senate. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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The state House approved the Raise the Age bill Thursday. The measure, which would change the minimum age to charge someone as an adult from 17 to 18, easily passed on a 97-3 vote, and now just goes back to the Senate for concurrence before Governor John Bel Edwards signs it. Louisiana is currently one of nine states where 17-year-olds who commit minor offenses are treated as adults.

Officials say another body has been located in Natalbany, just a day after a double homicide was reported in Tangipahoa Parish. Deputies are treating the scene as a murder at this time, and have not ruled out the possibility it’s related to Thursday’s double murder.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood watch for most of south Louisiana. They say 2-4 inches of rain could accumulate, which isolated areas receiving 5-8 inches.

A 9-thousand dollar reward is being offered for information regarding the fatal shooting of two Whooping Cranes in Acadia Parish. LDWF Spokesperson Adam Einck says people need to understand the whooping crane is one of the most endangered birds in the world. He says that’s why this illegal act is so serious…:
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Einck says they’re currently tracking 38 Whooping Cranes and recently a pair of birds hatched a few eggs.

The regular session must end on Monday, and the budget picture remains uncertain for the fiscal year that begins in July. Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com says the spending plan that lawmakers eventually agree on will be 600-million dollars short of funding state services….:
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The special session will begin just 30 minutes after adjournment for the regular session.

Despite opposition from those who feel it’s unconstitutional, a bill banning women from getting abortions because the fetus has genetic problems moves closer to final legislative passage. Baton Rouge Sen. Regina Barrow co-sponsors says the measure…:
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The Senate sent the measure back to the House for approval of minor changes.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says there is a $9000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons who shot two endangered whooping cranes found in Acadia Parish. LDWF Spokesperson Adam Einck says $2,000 in private donations were collected for the reward money, and organizations also contributed….:
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The deaths of the two whooping cranes are a major loss for this species.

Most of South Louisiana is under a flash flood watch through tomorrow, as a slow moving disturbance over Texas brings in Gulf moisture, according to the National Weather Service. Several inches of rainfall may result…and impacts include localized to potentially widespread flooding of low lying and poorly drained areas.

A measure to prohibit abortions because of a genetic abnormality moves closer to final legislative passage. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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Lawmakers are in the final days of the regular session, and they have yet to approve the budget proposal for next fiscal year. Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com says HB1 will likely go into a conference committee before the session ends…:
cut 4 (12) “agree on”

The measure requiring 4th-6th sixth graders in public schools to recite part of the Declaration of Independence every day won the approval of the House. But opponents argue it’s not fair to make such a mandate, as Thomas Jefferson, who authored the document, owned slaves when it was written — and so did many founding fathers…:
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The measure passed on a 70-23 vote.

The two men who were found shot to death in an SUV Thursday morning in Tangipahoa Parish have been identified as 31-year-old Charleston Mitchell of Hammond, and 31-year-old Randy Darnell Bickham of Springfield. The victims were located in Natlabany, and the search is on for the killer.

A flash flood watch is in effect for much of south Louisiana until tomorrow evening. Forecasters say showers and thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rainfall are rolling through the state over the next couple of days.

The budget remains a top priority for lawmakers as we near the end of the regular session. Halen Doughty…:
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A bill that would prohibit abortions because the fetus has a genetic abnormality moves closer to final legislative passage. But Baton Rouge Sen. Dan Claitor, who typically supports measures that add restrictions to abortions, says this goes against a woman’s constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy…:
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The Senate voted in favor of the bill 29-6.

A 9-thousand dollar reward is being offered by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for any information on the fatal shooting of two endangered Whooping Cranes in Acadia Parish. LDWF Spokesperson Adam Einck says they found the endangered birds with gunshot wounds in Rayne…:
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Anyone with information on these illegal killings is urged to contact authorities.

Two people who were on their way to a funeral were killed when their car was hit by a train in the White Castle area. The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office identifies the victims as a sister and brother from Baton Rouge, 42-year-old Myra Henderson and 41-year-old Byron Henderson.

A Southern Media and Opinion Research statewide poll finds in the Presidential race, Republican Donald Trump leads Democrat Hillary Clinton 53 to 39%. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says both candidates have very high unfavorable ratings…

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Abortion activists on both sides of the fence rallied in the Capitol city today. Legislative Director for the Louisiana Right to Life, Deanna Wallace says pro-life laws passed in this session will not affect women’s ability to get quality healthcare in Louisiana.

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Pro-choice advocates say this legislation is not constitutional and will be litigated, which could cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office have released the names of the two victims in the double homicide in Natalbany early this morning. The 31-year-old victims have been identified as Charleston Mitchell of Hammond and Randy Darnell Bickham of Springfield. Spokesperson Dawn Panepinto says Natalbany isn’t a place that usually sees a lot of crime. She urges anyone with information on the double murder to come forward and there is a possibility of a cash reward.

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Another arrest has been made in the fatal shooting that took the lives of two Southern students in April. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean Mckneely says 22-year-old Ernest Felton was previously arrested for attempted second degree murder. But Mckneely says that charge could be upgraded, because they believe bullets from his gun fatally struck Lashuntae Benton and Annette January.

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Pro-choice and pro-life advocates rallied in the Capitol City today. Halen Doughty has more…
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The state senate has given approval to legislation that would prohibit abortions in cases when it’s learned the fetus has a gentic abnormality. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor says the proposed law violates a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion…
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The House is expected to give the bill final approval.

There was spirited debate on the House floor over a bill that would require fourth through sixth graders in public schools to recite a passage of the Declaration of Independence every day. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton objects to the legislation because Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner and wrote the document as did many of our Founding Fathers…
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Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges, says civil rights and women’s activists have quoted the Declaration in their campaigns for equality…
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The measure passed on a 70-23 vote and it heads to the Senate. But the upper chamber has only four days to act on the legislation before the session ends.

A statewide poll shows Republican Donald Trump is ahead in the Presidential election without many undecided voters. Emelie Gunn has more…

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A crash involving a UTV took the life of a teenage girl from Zwolle. 13-year-old Melissa Anderson was not wearing a seatbelt or a helmet when she lost control of the vehicle and was ejected from the UTV. The rash remains under investigation.

Another arrest has been made in the fatal shooting that took the lives of two Southern students in April. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean Mckneely says 25-year-old Brandon Henderson of Baton Rouge has been charged with two counts of second degree murder.

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22-year-old Ernest Felton was previously arrested for attempted second degree murder.

Pro-choice advocates protested outside the Governor’s Mansion, while pro-life supporters rallied on the steps of the Capitol today. Executive Director for the New Orleans Abortion Fund, Amy Irvin, says they are concerned about the anti-abortion legislation signed into law by the governor. She says these laws could cost the state money, as they may be unconstitutional.

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Members of the Louisiana Right to Life showed up at the Capitol to show their support the pro-life bills.