The House Education Committee is scheduled to debate Alexandria Representative Lance Harris’ legislation that would replace the controversial Common Core education standards with one developed by Louisiana residents. Harris says Common Core has created chaos in the state’s public schools and it’s time to come up with a better assessment test and curriculum…

cut 8 (09) “last time”

Opponents of the measure say removing Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state.

Two former St. John the Baptist Parish Water Works employees, 55-year-old Kevin Branch of LaPlace and 43-year-old Danielle Roussel of Paulina, were convicted for covering up their failure to properly collect water samples from testing sites where a brain eating amoeba was discovered. The Attorney General’s Criminal Division Director Kurt Wall says they appreciate all who helped in this investigation…

cut 19 (12) “very helpful”

Natchitoches Police have arrested two people accused of bank fraud. They say 41-year-old Michael Mayfield and 33-year-old Latasha Moffett allegedly cashed fraudulent checks, including checks from closed bank accounts. Authorities say the two stole more than $4000. The investigation is ongoing and police say more arrests are possible.

Researchers at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, including Dr. Nick Goeders, are working on a new drug that could possibly help cure addiction. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 3 (30) “reporting”

The debate over whether Louisiana should keep the controversial Common Core education standards in place ramps up at the state capitol today. Jeff Palermo has more…

cut 2 (29) “reporting”

In a narrow vote, the state Senate advances an equal pay bill to the House. New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s legislation would ensure that all employees receive the same pay for the same kind and quality of work. It also lays out a course of legal action if a worker is underpaid. The measure is expected to run into problems in the House Labor Committee, which killed two similar equal pay proposals this legislative session.

A new statewide Southern Media and Opinion Research poll shows Republican Senator David Vitter’s lead in the governor’s race is growing. Vitter received 38-percent in the poll followed by Democrat John Bel Edwards with 25-percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says Vitter would have to suffer a catastrophic melt down with his white support not to make the runoff…

Cut 6 (08) “early in a race”

Republican Jay Dardenne finished third with 17-percent of those surveyed, while Republican Scott Angelle got five-percent.

The Attorney General’s Criminal Division Director Kurt Wall says two former St. John the Baptist Parish Water Works employees were convicted for covering up their failure to properly collect water samples from testing sites where a brain eating amoeba was found. Wall says 55-year-old Kevin Branch of LaPlace and 43-year-old Danielle Roussel of Paulina, were covering the areas where the amoeba was discovered…

cut 18 (09) “troubling fact”

Wall says both were sentenced to one year in parish prison, with that sentence suspended, and 6 months probation.

The House Education Committee is scheduled to debate legislation today that would remove the controversial Common Core education standards from public schools and replace it with one developed by Louisiana residents. But Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says ditching Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state…

cut 9 (09) “several years now”

Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authored the bill and says it’s time to come up with a better assessment.

A new statewide poll by Southern Media and Opinion Research shows Republican Senator David Vitter leading with 38-percent of the vote with fellow Republicans Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle receiving 17 and 5-percent respectively. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says the poll also shows there’s very few white voters who are undecided, which is bad news for Vitter’s opponents…

cut 5 (07) “to Vitter”

Democrat John Bel Edwards came in second place with 25-percent.

The Attorney General’s office says two former St. John the Baptist Parish Water Works employees were convicted Tuesday for covering up their failure to properly collect water samples from testing sites. The Department of Health and Hospitals later found a brain eating amoeba at those sites. Kurt Wall directs the criminal division at the AG’s office…

cut 17 (10) “what happened here”

Wall says 55-year-old Kevin Branch of LaPlace and 43-year-old Danielle Roussel of Paulina, both pleaded guilty to false swearing.

LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport researchers are working on a new drug that could possibly help cure addiction. Dr. Nick Goeders says EMB-001 blocks the body’s stress responders which interferes with triggers that lead to cravings…

cut 12 (05) “going to relapse”

Goeders says many people enter treatment centers and do fine while they are there, but when they come back to their old lives and encounter triggers that lead to cravings, they begin using again.

A new statewide poll shows Republican Senator David Vitter is separating himself even more as the front-runner in the governor’s race. In a survey conducted by Southern Media and Opinion Research, 38-percent of respondents said they would vote for Vitter, his closest challenger is Democrat John Bel Edwards at 25-percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat…

cut 4 (08) “the conservatives”

Republican Jay Dardenne finished third in the poll as he received support from 17-percent of those surveyed, while Republican Scott Angelle got five-percent.

Researchers at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport are working on a new drug that could possibly help cure addiction. Dr. Nick Goeders says they’re looking at whether or not the pill “EMB-001″ would work for people who have certain dependencies…

cut 11 (10) “leads to relapse”

He says it may be three to five years before it can go to market.

Legislation will be debated today that would remove the controversial Common Core education standards from public schools and replace it with one developed by Louisiana residents. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authors the bill and he says Common Core was implemented with little public input and now parents see it’s not good for our students…

cut 7 (09) “democratic process”

Opponents of the measure say ditching Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state as schools are wrapping up the second full year of implementation of Common Core. Harris’s measure will be heard in the House Education Committee.

The debate legislation that would remove the controversial Common Core education standards from public schools and replace it with one developed by Louisiana residents hits committee Wednesday. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authors the bill and he says Common Core was implemented with little public input and now parents see it’s not good for our students…:
CUT 7 (09) “democratic process”
But Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, says ditching Common Core for another education curriculum is a wrong move for the state…:
Cut 9 (09) “several years now”
The bill comes up in the House Education Committee.

A bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot that would double littering fines is headed to the full Senate. The House bill advanced out of the Senate Environmental committee Tuesday. Berthelot says the additional revenue would go towards law enforcement retirement…:
CUT 6 (09) “retirement systems”
Under the measure, first offense fines for simple lit erring would go to $150 up from $75.

New Orleans Representative Austin Badon says this year’s anti-discrimination bill should come up in committee next week. He says the legislation would protect someone from being fired someone from a job or denied housing because of sexual orientation. The Louisiana Family Forum has stepped up to oppose similar bills in the past but Badon says they shouldn’t stand in judgement of anyone…:..:
CUT 15 (11) “discrimination”
He says we need to pass this law to send the message that Louisiana is a friendly place to live and work.

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative Auditor. It shows Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them…
CUT 9 (10) “nobody can find”

A double littering fine bill is closer to becoming law, as it passes the House and goes to the Senate Environmental Committee today. The bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot would give the additional revenue to the arresting officers retirement fund. Jennings Senator Dan Morrish just wanted to make sure that was the case…
CUT 8 (11) Q: “The general fund”
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An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo reports…:
CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

The other team owned by Tom Benson has fired their head coach. The Pelicans announced the firing of Monty Williams today, and that move caught a lot of fans and sports writers and reporters off guard. The Pelicans finished the season with a record of 45-37 and the 8th position in the Western Conference, earning New Orleans its first postseason berth in four seasons.

More oversight and more transparency with state government contracts. That’s what State treasurer John Kennedy wants in light of a recent report from a Legislative auditor. With $250 million dollars in contracts that are not in the tracking system, he’s hopeful this will be the year it becomes law…
CUT 11 (11) Q: ‘his signature’

Those who litter could face double fines if the bill by Gonzales Representative Johnny Berthelot goes into law. After House passage, the bill advanced to the Senate Environmental Committee today. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey asked Berthelot about how much money that would mean for the arresting officers’ retirement fund…
CUT 7 (12) Q: “dollars a year”
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A stand-off this morning with Shreveport Police, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies and some federal agents has ended with two people dead, and another injured. A woman was shot and killed at the residence, and the second victim was taken to University Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers later discovered the unidentified shooter was found dead inside the home from an apparent self inflicted gunshot.

The future of the New Orleans Pelicans will not include head coach Monty Williams, as he was fired today. While many were surprised at the move, writer Jake Madison with Bourbom Street Shots, says he suspects that Williams may have been a bit bull headed by not adapting to his players…
CUT 14 (14) Q: “never gonna do that”
Pelicans Vice-President Mickey Loomis said it was not an easy decision to make.

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs more oversight over state government contracts in light of a report by the Legislative Auditor…
CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

The Champion Square image of Tracy Porter interception to seal the deal for the Saints Super Bowl win in 2010 is coming down. The issue is not with the former Port Allen High School star; the problem is Darren Sharper running behind him. With Sharper pleading guilty to sex crimes in three states, Saints officials say they say some images need to be “freshened up.”
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The reported power struggle between New Orleans Pelicans’ GM Dell Demps and head coach Monty Williams has been resolved. Head coach Monty Williams has been fired, even after taking the team to playoffs for the first time in four seasons…
CUT 13 (14) Q: “out of a job”
That’s Jake Martin with Bourbon Street Shots.

State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr…
CUT 3 (09) “that night”
That’s State Trooper Evan Harrell.

State Treasurer John Kennedy says the state needs far more oversight and transparency in state government contracts in light of a recent report by the state Legislative auditor. It indicates Louisiana has nearly 15,000 contracts worth about $21 billion with no real way to keep track of many of them. Kennedy says this is unacceptable…:
CUT 10 (12) “billion dollars”
Kennedy says many of these contracts are wasteful spending and millions could be saved with better oversight.

The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams after five seasons. In a statement, Pels Vice President Mickey Loomis says this wasn’t an easy decision to make, but now was the time. Jake Madison, writer with Bourbon Street Shots, says this is a shocking development…:
CUT 12 (08) “playoff series ended”
The Pelicans finished the 2014-2015 season with a record of 45-37.

State Police announce the arrest of the driver of a vehicle wanted in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist last week in Terrebone Parish. 53-year-old Toni Friloux (FREE-lou) of Houma faces charges in the death of 46-year-old Robert Clowder, Jr. Trooper Evan Harrell says they were tipped off to the vehicle in question which just shows how helpful the public can be in cases like this…:
CUT 5 (08) “benefit, this time”
Friloux faces charges including hit-and-run and negligent homicide.

Shreveport Police say two are dead and one injured following a shooting this morning. They say officers were able to get the fatally shot woman away from a residence and the second victim, possibly the son of the woman, to a hospital. Investigators say after a standoff, they were able to determine the suspected shooter was inside the house dead apparently of a self inflicted gunshot.

The legislative auditor finds that Louisiana has nearly 15 thousand contracts worth about 21 billion dollars, with no way to keep track of many of them. State Treasurer John Kennedy says this shows that the right hand in this state has no idea what the left hand is doing, or somebody is trying to hide something when it comes to contracts…:
CUT 1 (11) “nobody can find”
Kennedy says it’s time to completely reform the way contracts are handled in state government.

The Shreveport Police Department says two people are dead and a third is injured after a morning shooting and standoff. They say a woman was killed and another man was shot in the leg and was taken to a hospital with non life threatening injuries. The suspected shooter barricaded himself inside a home and a robot later confirmed the man was dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation is ongoing.

An image in Champions Square that has Darren Sharper on it will be coming down soon. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Monty Williams. In a statement, the team says making a decision like this is never easy, but they decided now was the time to act and they wish nothing but the best for Williams in the future.