A legislator wants to make it a law that a designated driver be present at certain locations that sell alcohol. Haughton Representative Henry Burns says he at least wants to get a dialogue started about the importance of having someone present who hasn’t been drinking at establishments which sell alcohol…

cut 10 (10) “or not”

Burns is still working on the final details.

The Louisiana SPCA is offering a reward of 13,000 dollars for information about a gruesome 12-second video of five men beheading a goat. CEO Anna Zorilla says the men in the video are laughing and cheering as the beheading went on…

cut 13 (10) “behead the goat”

Zorilla says the video was sent to the SPCA from a New Orleans University police officer, but they are not sure if the beheading actually ocurred locally.

An American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety study shows that distraction in teen crashes is worse than previously thought. The study found that distraction was a factor in nearly 6 out of 10 moderate-to-severe teen crashes. AAA spokesman Don Redman says the two leading causes of distraction are other passengers and cell phones…

cut 4 (10) “teen drivers”

Researchers analyzed the six seconds leading up to a crash in nearly 1,700 videos of teen drivers taken from in-vehicle event recorders. Redman suggests parents should sit down with their teen drivers and talk about the dangers of using their cell phones while behind the wheel and limit their number of passengers.

The Ponchatoula Strawberry festival has apologized for its controversial 2015 poster and have made the decision not to sell it at next month’s festival. Michelle Southern has the story…
cut 2 (30) “….reporting”

The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering a 13-thousand reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individuals involved in a goat beheading. A 12-second video has surfaced that shows young men standing around a goat and they cheer when the goat’s head is cut by a samurai sword.

A total of 46 Beau Chene (SHEN) High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a pupil who is accused of changing grades. St. Landry school superintendent Edward Brown says the scheme began unraveling after one pupil became suspicious…:
CUT 4 (09) “central office”
He says the investigation is ongoing.

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office they don’t believe the elephants who kept an 18-wheeler from being overturned on I-49 yesterday were harmed. Capt Tony Moran says after the driver became stranded, he gave a command for the elephants to help out…:
CUT 10 (10) “didn’t appear to be abused”
Moran says the elephants were being transported from Florida to a circus in the Dallas area.

Authorities are calling it a vigilante killing, as Baton Rouge Police are looking for 31-year-old Yovanni Anibal Ramos-Salazar for the killing of 28-year-old man Joel Guevara, who was accused of rape.
CUT 7 (10) Q: ‘and stalking’
That’s BRPD Corporal Don Coppola, who says the rape victim was reportedly a family member of Ramos-Salazar’s.

The Strawberry Festival Board and the Kiwanis Club of Ponchatoula have both apologized for the controversial 2015 Festival poster and they say they will not sell it at the event. A meeting was held this morning with the NAACP who felt the poster was racist.
cut 12 (11) “which they have done”
That’s Pontchatoula Councilman Melvin Toomer.
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Over 40 Beau Chene (SHEN) High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a student who is accused of changing their grades…
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Governor Bobby Jindal is keeping active for a potential run at the White House, and on the stationary bike. The Governor was spotted in a high-end gym in mid-town Mahattan Wednesday, and told reporters that he likes to start with some cardio then rotate through the weights. New York Magazine calls him Governor Bobby GYMdal.

The Strawberry Festival Board and the Kiwanis Club of Ponchatoula have apologized for the controversial 2015 poster and they say they will not sell it at the event. The NAACP called for both boards to have a more diverse membership which they agreed to make an effort to do. Pontchatoula Councilman Melvin Toomer they could sell it before the festival, because that’s -quote-“inside their house.”
CUT 14 (10) Q: ‘that’s your house’

Baton Rouge Police are looking for 31-year-old Yovanni Anibal Ramos-Salazar for the killing of a 28-year-old man who was accused of rape. BRPD Corporal Don Coppola it appears to be a vigilante killing…
CUT 8 (08) Q: “family members”
The man who was fatally shot is 28 year-old Joel Guevara.
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A total of 46 Beau Chene High (SHEN) School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a student who is accused of changing their grades. St. Landry school superintendent Edward Brown says a student was able to gain access to a web-based grading computer program, after obtaining a teacher’s password…
CUT 3 (10) “grade changing”
It’s reported that the accused student would charge money or favors in exchange for changing their grades.

A cell phone video has emerged showing a group of young men beheading a live goat. The graphic 12 second video shows one man beheading the goat with a machete sword over a child’s swimming pool, while the others cheered. The Louisiana SPCA is offering a three thousand dollar reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for this felony crime.

The Strawberry Festival Board and the Kiwanis Club of Ponchatoula have both apologized for the controversial 2015 poster…
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

Natchitoches Police say public alternative school principal is facing charges connected to the abuse of an 11 year-old boy. Bobby Joe Benjamin Jr. from the Frankis Ray Jackson Technical Center was arrested on cruelty to juveniles, aggravated, simple and 2nd degree battery charges, after the boys mother heard about the multiple beatings.
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An investigation of grade changing involving some Beau Chene High School students in St. Landry Parish, have yielded 46 suspensions. According to St. Landry School Superintendent Edward Brown says , it all stemmed from one student who had hacked into the computer grading program. Brown says they needed to send a message…
cut 5 (08) Q: “the system”

There’s a lot of talk about the pictures and video going around of the two circus elephants who helped kept an 18-wheeler from overturning yesterday on I-49 near Powhatan (Pow-Hat-Tin). some are calling this animal abuse; while Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt Tony Moran says the animals seemed to be willing to assist, and they did not appear to be injured…
CUT 11 (03) Q: “great job”
Moran says these were circus elephants were being transported from New Orleans to Dallas.

Baton Rouge Police are looking for 31-year-old Yovanni Anibal Ramos-Salazar for the killing of a 28-year-old man who was accused of rape. Authorities say it was a vigilante killing. Corporal Don Coppola says the man who was fatally shot has been identified as 28-year-old Joel Guevara…:
CUT 6 (09) “family members”
Ramos-Salazar was last seen driving a silver 2000 Toyota Tundra pickup with a Louisiana license plate.

A total of 46 Beau Chene (SHEN) High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a pupil who is accused of changing grades. St. Landry school superintendent Edward Brown says the scheme began unraveling after one pupil became suspicious…:
CUT 4 (09) “central office”
He says the investigation is ongoing.

A compromise has been reached between the boards of the Strawberry Festival and Ponchatoula Kiwanis club over the controversial 2015 event poster. Both boards have apologized and have agreed not to sell the poster at the festival April 10th-12. There was a meeting between the boards and leaders who were concerned the poster was racist like Ponchatoula Councilman Melvin Toomer…:
CUT 13 (10) “for everybody”
He says the poster will continue to be sold before the festival.

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office they don’t believe the elephants who kept an 18-wheeler from being overturned on I-49 yesterday were harmed. Capt Tony Moran says these were circus elephants who were being transported from New Orleans to Dallas and after the driver became stranded, he gave a command to the elephants to help out…:
CUT 10 (10) “didn’t appear to be abused”

The Strawberry Festival Board and the Kiwanis Club of Ponchatoula have both apologized for the controversial 2015 poster and said they will not sell it in public. A meeting was held this morning with the NAACP and other concerned leaders who felt this year’s festival poster was racist. Pontchatoula Councilman Melvin Toomer was at that meeting…:
CUT 12 (11) “which they have done”
Toomer says the Kiwanis Club Organization, which is responsible for the poster, will not be selling it at the festival April 10th-12th — but they will continue to distribute it before that time.

The Natchitoches Police Department arrests the principal of a public alternative school amid allegations he abused an 11-year-old boy. The boy reportedly told his mother that 41-year-old Bobby Joe Benjamin, Jr. struck him multiple times and slammed him against a wall. Benjamin faces many charges.

Over 40 Beau Chene (SHEN) High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a student who is accused of changing their grades. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

LSU sophomore forward Jarell Martin meets with the media this afternoon where it’s expected based on reports that he’ll enter the NBA Draft.

A total of 46 Beau Chene (SHEN) High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a pupil who is accused of changing grades. St. Landry school superintendent Edward Brown says it was one student who was able to gain access to the grading computer program after getting a password…:
CUT 3 (10) “grade changing”
It’s being reported that this student was getting favors for changing grades. Brown says there could be more who were involved which they are looking into.

The ribbon has been cut at the new CenturyLink Technology Center. The facility in Monroe, which is an expansion of CenturyLink’s existing corporate headquarters, is 300,000 square feet and will be home to 800 new jobs in northeast Louisiana contributing over $67 million dollars in new annual payroll by next year according to company officials.

The Rayne Police Department is investigating several crashes which happened on I-10 East this morning with one resulting in a fatality. They say the wrecks involved three vehicles including an 18 wheeler, cargo delivery truck and a pickup truck. One of the victims was pronounced dead on the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Many people were awed by the pictures and video circling yesterday of the two elephants who were keeping an 18-wheeler from overturning yesterday on I-49 near Powhatan (Pow-Hat-Tin). There was a concern by some that this was some sort of animal abuse. But Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt Tony Moran says the animals seemed to be willing to assist…:
CUT 9 (09) “from overturning”
He says at no time did these circus elephants appear to be injured in any way.

According to the 2015 Louisiana Survey, 83-percent of citizens want the state’s budget deficit to be addressed through a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes. LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab Director Michael Henderson…:
CUT 4 (05) “than tax hikes”
He says 59 percent would like to focus mostly on the side of spending cuts, but Louisianians want more money spent in areas of education, health care and transportation which puts policy makers in a bind.

Baton Rouge Police say a man is dead and the suspect they believe is responsible is on the run. They say 31-year-old Yovanni Anibal Romos-Salazar allegedly shot and killed 28-year-old Joel Guevara after learning the victim had raped one of his family members. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ramos-Salazar is urged to contact authorities.

At least 45 Beau Chene (SHEN) students have been punished as part of an apparent hack into the the school’s system to change grades. School officials say the student who gained access to the passwords to change the grades has also been suspended. School Superintendent Edward Brown says there may be more students involved and the matter is still under investigation.

A former Iberia Parish Sheriff’s deputy pleads guilty to striking a handcuffed man. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
CUT 2 (27) “reporting”

LSU’s annual survey of Louisiana residents shows that 83-percent of Louisianians want the state’s budget deficit to be resolved through a combination of spending cuts and additional revenue. Scott Carwile reports…

cut 1 (30) “reporting”

At least 45 Beau Chene High School Students have been suspended after an investigation into a student who is accused of changing their grades. School officials allege the student gained access to a web-based computer program, after obtaining a teacher’s password, and was able to alter grades for several students. They say the suspensions differed in length based on the student’s involvement, but no specifics were given.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a former school board candidate in south Louisiana accused of improper sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl whom he used to coach basketball. According to court documents, the victim claims she had to hit 34-year-old Philip Ziegler of Central several times with a baseball bat in order to stop his advances before the suspect walked out of her room saying, “This isn’t worth it.” Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lawrence McLeary says sexual battery is the charge…:

cut 12 (04) “and his age”

Ziegler ran for a school board seat in Central in the November 4th, 2014 election but did not win.

The financial planning website Bankrate.com ranks Louisiana as the fifth worst place to retire. Bankrate’s research analyst Chris Kahn says Louisiana performed poorly in their study when it comes to well-being, which looks at how satisfied senior citizens are with their surroundings…

cut 9 (07) “liked it”

Kahn says Louisiana also scores low when it comes to crime rate, health care services, and weather.