Republican David Vitter announces he has four-point-two million dollars in cash on hand for the upcoming governor’s race after raising 1-point-1 million dollars. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Vitter has an edge over the other candidates, because of relationships he’s been able to build as a Senator…
cut 10 (10) “…to Louisiana”

Today marks the 5-year anniversary of the BP rig that exploded off the coast of Louisiana creating the largest environmental disaster in US history. Filmmaker Margaret Brown has put together a documentary on the event and its aftermath and she feels more should be done…
cut 5 (07) “….should know”
Brown’s documentary, the “Great Invisible” airs tonight on LPB at 9:30.
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In the Louisiana legislature, a bill has cleared the House Appropriations Committee that would taper off the transfer of money from the state’s road and bridge fund to state police. Lafayette Representative Terry Landry is the bill’s author, who’s also a a former state police commander. He says robbing Peter to pay Paul is not a good thing…:
CUT 13 (09) Q: ‘”12 billion dollars behind’
Right now the state diverts about 65 million dollars from the Transportation Trust fund to State Police. Landry wants to have the sliding scale reductions down to 40 million in July; 25 million dollars next year, and 10 million in future years.

Funeral arrangements for Rock and Roll hall of famer and Louisianian Precy Sledge have been announced. Visitation is tomorrow at Bethany World Pray Center in Baker from 8 am to 11am, with funeral services to follow at 11 am. The advocate dot com will stream the event.

A bill that would taper off the transfer of money from the state’s road and bridge fund to state police clears the House appropriations committee. The measure would limit the of dollars going to LSP from the Transportation Trust Fund to $40 million starting in July, then $25 million next year and $10 million in future years. Lafayette Representative Terry Landry is the bill’s author…:
CUT 12 (12) “for other needs”
Landry says there is a $12 billion dollar backlog of road and bridge projects and the fund to address that needs to be left alone.

Tuesday’s funeral services for R&B star and longtime Baton Rouge resident Percy Sledge will be streamed online at percyseldge.org. You can watch live started at 10:30am the visitation at Bethany World Prayer Center in Baker. The funeral starts at 11.

Gas prices have been inching back up over the past week. Gasbuddy.com says the price right now is $2.23 which is 6 cents up from last Monday. Senior Petroleum analyst Gregg Laskoski says part of the reason for the increase this week in crude oil prices is an overreaction by traders to data that came out from the Department of Energy showing a bump in inventory…:
CUT 7 (10) “this year”
He says the good news is that prices today are about $1.24 less than what we were paying a year ago.

The Claiborne Building near the state capitol which houses the Division of Administration and Department of Education has been evacuated today due to a bomb threat. In a joint statement Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols and State Superintendent John White said the Education Department got the threat over the weekend and state police recommended the evacuation so the building could be sweeped.

US Senator David Vitter announces he’s raised over $5.2 million in his bid to become Louisiana’s next governor. More than $1.1 million dollars was raised in the first quarter of 2015 and the campaign reports it has $4.2 million in cash on hand. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Vitter is off to a good start…:
CUT 9 (12) “15 million”
The political action committee supporting Vitter announced today they have raised more than $4.6 million.

A bill that would stop the transfer of money from the state’s road and bridge fund to state police clears a key House panel this morning. The measure by Lafayette Representative Terry Landry would limit the amount of money going to LSP from the Transportation Fund to $40 million starting in July, then $25 million next year and $10 million in future years. From House Appropriations now heads to House floor.

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and a documentary filmmaker says the event and aftermath are still affecting people who were involved. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

The Pelicans will look to even their best of seven series with Golden State tonight as they face the Warriors at Oracle Arena at 9:30.

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and a documentary filmmaker says the event and aftermath are still affecting people who were involved. Margaret Brown, director and producer of the documentary “The Great Invisible”, says it was difficult to hear stories from workers on the rig who are still suffering from nightmares and PTSD…:
CUT 3 (08) “to listen to”
“The Great Invisible” airs tonight at 9:30 on LPB.

US Senator David Vitter today announced that he has raised more than $5.2 million dollars for his campaign for governor. In a release the Senator says more than $1.1 million was raised this quarter and $4.2 million is cash on hand. 2400 people contributed to David Vitter for Louisiana this quarter and 8000 total.

Gas prices have been steadily increasing over the past week. According to gasbuddy.com the current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $2.23. Senior Petroleum Analyst Gregg Laskoski says what we’re paying at the pump today is 6 cents higher in Louisiana than this time last week..:
CUT 6 (10) “and change”
But he believes there will be more downward pressure on the markets in the coming weeks gas prices would be declining over the summer and not going up.

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s office is looking for a man they believe stole three utility trailers full of tools from Habitat for Humanity — a Christian-based ministry that builds and renovates houses for families in need. They say anyone with information on the whereabouts of 35 year old Jeremy Rogers of Gray is urged to call Crimestoppers for a reward.

It was five years ago today that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and rig explosion occurred. An estimated three to four million barrels of oil spewed into the Gulf for 87 days. Scientists have recorded an increase in deaths for dolphins and sea turtles but LSU department of environmental sciences professor Ed Overton says that began before the spill…:
CUT 15 (10) “build back”
The spill is considered the worst environmental disaster in the nation. Overton is impressed with how the Gulf has bounced back.

Gas prices have been steadily rising over the past week. According to the American Automobile Association the current statewide average for a gallon of gasoline is $2.24 which is up over 6 cents from last Monday. But this time last year the price was $3.49.

This week lawmakers will begin public hearings on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

First Lady Michelle Obama is in New Orleans today joining others to discuss the city’s success in the area of finding homes for veterans who were living on the streets. According to Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s office, New Orleans in December became the first city in the country to end veteran homelessness among those who were willing to get help.

It’s the five year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, which sent millions of barrels of oil into the gulf. Scott Carwile reports one LSU researcher says the Gulf has had a remarkable recovery…

cut 3 (29) “reporting”

Military officials say a North Carolina based Army paratrooper was killed during a training exercise at Fort Polk. An Army spokesperson says 19-year-old Pvt. Joshua Phillips of Las Vegas, Nevada died while parachuting during an exercise. The cause of Phillips’s death is currently under investigation and no further information is being released. Phillips was a member of the 82nd Airborne and joined the Army in 2014.

Pierre Part Representative Karen St. Germain, chairwoman of the Louisiana House Transportation Committee, proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. She says there are many important issues being discussed this legislative session and this should be one of them…

cut 9 (06) “to get there”

St. Germain also has a bill that would increase the state tax on gasoline based on the price at the pump to help offset depletion of revenues that are supposed to be dedicated to improving highway capacity and infrastructure.

According to the USDA, honey production in the United States was up 19 percent last year and continues to climb. Head of the USDA’s Baton Rouge Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, Thomas Rinderer, says this is good news since most of what we eat is dependent upon pollination by inspects, primarily bees…

cut 12 (11) “salt of agriculture”

He says there was a long period of time where honeybee colonies were on the decline.

The chairwoman of the Louisiana House Transportation Committee proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 2 (30) “reporting”

State Police say a weekend crash in Acadia Parish has left one dead. They say 29-year-old Emily Tramel of Elton was westbound on I-10 when she struck another vehicle from behind. Tramel’s car then ran off the roadway and struck some trees. Tramel, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle sustained only minor injuries. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

This week the state legislature begins public hearings on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. Governor Bobby Jindal says the state could raise over half a billion dollars by taking away refunds given to businesses for 12 different taxes. Jindal says it would be wrong to protect these tax credits and then make deeper cuts to higher ed and health care…

cut 6 (10) “and health care”

Jindal says he would support raising taxes in one area as long as there are tax cuts to offset the increase.

The USDA says honey production in the United States was up 19 percent from 2013 to 2014 and continues to climb. Thomas Rinderer, head of the USDA’s Baton Rouge Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, says the economy of keeping bees has seen the number of commercially kept colonies drop in the last 20 years…

cut 11 (10) “stay in business”

Rinderer says honeybees are essential to food production throughout the world.

Lawmakers begin public hearings this week on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget shortfall. Legislation that would raise more revenue will get their first hearing today in the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee. Governor Bobby Jindal says dealing with this deficit will be complicated, but feels conversations so far have been very positive…

cut 4 (09) “and health care”

The House Ways and Means Committee will begin hearing tax bills tomorrow.

The chair of the Louisiana House Transportation Committee proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. Pierre Part Representative Karen St. Germain says the state needs to free up money for preservation and maintenance because we need to take care of what we have…

cut 7 (11) “isn’t quite there yet”

She says current revenue sources will never provide enough funding to keep up with needed highway construction.

It’s the fifth anniversary Deepwater Horizon spill, which is considered America’s worst environment disaster ever. But LSU department of environmental sciences professor Ed Overton is impressed with how well the Gulf has bounced back…

cut 13 (10) “unbelieveable”

It’s estimated three to four million barrels of oil spewed into the Gulf for 87 days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Honey production in the United States was up 19 percent from 2013 to 2014 and continues to climb, according to the USDA. Thomas Rinderer is the head of the USDA’s Baton Rouge Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research…

cut 10 (11) “their bees”

A study indicates there were 2.74 million colonies producing honey in 2014, up 4 percent from the prior year.

This week lawmakers will begin public hearings on how to deal with the state’s $1.6 billion budget deficit. The House Ways and Means Committee will begin hearing tax bills tomorrow. One proposed tax to generate more revenue would raise the cigarette tax in Louisiana to the national average. Governor Bobby Jindal says he remains opposed to raising taxes, but recognizes that the state tax code is not written in stone…

cut 5 (09) “different combinations”

Legislation that would raise more revenue will get their first hearings today in the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.

Today marks the five year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon spill, which is considered America’s worst environment disaster ever. But LSU department of environmental sciences professor Ed Overton says it’s lucky the oil that discharged from the damaged well was highly degradable and the gulf is well acclimated to degrade oil….

cut 14 (09) “the oil”

Louisiana House Transportation Committee Chairwoman, Pierre Part Representative Karen St. Germain, proposes a one cent sales tax that could generate $7 billion dollars over the next decade to help fund roads and bridges. She says there is a $12 billion dollar backlog of construction and capacity projects all over the state. St. Germain says there are many important issues being discussed this session and this should be one of them…

cut 9 (06) “to get there”

St. Germain says the state is facing serious problems and current revenue sources will never provide enough funding to keep up with needed highway construction much less address future needs.

Adding to a 9 thousand person lay-off in January, oilfield services giant Schlumberger has announced plans to lay off about 11,000 additional employees because of the drop in oil prices. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says oil companies are dealing with crude prices roughly half of what they were a year ago and service companies are being asked for a break in price…
CUT 3 (06) Q: “what’s going on”
He says the pinch won’t be quite as bad for Louisiana, as most oil is off-shore.

A poll on the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire says Governor Bobby Jindal has received the best favorability rating out of all the presidential hopefuls, at 43%…
CUT 6 (09) “him back in”
That’s Tom Jensen with Public Policy Polling.
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This latest round of rain hitting the state today and tonight has flash watches and river flood warnings in effect for many of the rain-soaked areas. The National Weather Service says the rain will be moving on tomorrow, giving us dryer weather pattern.

A conspiracy to plant drugs on a person has yielded another arrest. The former Knight Oil Tools employee was part of the plot to set up Brian Knight. Captain John Babin, with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s office, says Russell Manual is the fourth person to be arrested as part of this investigation….
cut 12 (11) “intimidating witness”

A 25-year Shreveport police veteran has been fired following disciplinary hearing yesterday for an off-duty fight in 2013. Officials say Officer Tracy Fulton picked the fight that broke bones in the victim’s face and caused a concussion, following a minor traffic accident in 2013. Fulton’s attorney say they will appeal.