Forecasters say Louisiana residents should brace for the potential of heavy rainfall later this week as a result of a tropical system. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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A year after Troy Middleton’s name was removed from the LSU Library his heirs are suing to have Middleton war memorabilia held by the school returned. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Forecasters say there is a high chance a disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico will develop into at least a tropical storm over the next five days. National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says the broad area of low pressure will eventually move northward and flash flooding is possible in south Louisiana on Friday
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The National Hurricane Center says they will have a better idea once the system actually develops. If named, it will be called Claudette. Schott says even if doesn’t get to tropical storm strength, it could be a big rainmaker…
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Schott says prepare now for a big rainmaker on Friday and Saturday…
Some of the models are showing rainfall totals of ten plus inches in less than 12 hours.
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There are reports LSU and Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco are discussing the possibility of the former Tiger catcher and pitching coach becoming the next head coach of the LSU baseball program. LSU beat reporter for the USA Today Network Glen Guilbeau says right now Bianco is the school’s top candidate.
Bianco has been the head coach at Ole Miss since 2000. He’s the winningest baseball coach in school history and had led the Rebels to the College World Series one time. Guilbeau says Bianco has always been well-liked by those who have played with Skip Bertman…
LSU fans can be tough to please and Guilbeau believes if this hire were to be made, it would receive mixed reviews.
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The family of former LSU President Troy Middleton is suing LSU demanding the school return a collection of the General’s World War Two memorabilia.
Middleton family attorney Jill Craft says the family has tried to retrieve the collection but keeps getting the runaround.
Middleton’s name was removed from the school’s library last summer amidst an outcry over the former President’s support for segregation during his tenure running the school in the 50s and 60s.
Craft says this collection was never given to LSU, it was loaned for the purpose of a specific exhibition. Now that the loan purpose has expired the family wants the items returned.
Craft says the school has not provided documents proving the collection was not a loan and says there are news articles from the time it was handed to the school calling the exchange a loan. She also notes the school is currently displaying some of the collection in a newly opened WW2 exhibit on campus.
The suit also seeks damages for “extreme humiliation and embarrassment”. Craft says that is a last resort should the school refuse to turn over the collection.
In a statement, LSU spokesperson Ernie Ballard said they’ve told the family while they can give back some of the collection, parts of it may constitute historical records that belong to the federal government or university.
“Earlier this year LSU offered to return parts of the collection constituting General Middleton’s personal belongings and memorabilia. However, LSU as a state institution cannot simply give away the parts of the collection that constitute historical government records and documents that may properly belong to the university or federal government.”
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Governor John Bel Edwards signs legislation decriminalizing possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana.
Policy Director for Louisiana Progress Peter Robins-Brown says decriminalization is a widely popular policy that creates more trust between law enforcement and their local community.
Under the new law, written by Shreveport Representative Cedric Glover, possession under 14 grams cannot lead to jail time and comes with a maximum fine of 100 dollars.
The legislation has historically been pushed by Democrats but Robins-Brown says this year it got a lot of Republican support that some found surprising.
Before being signed only New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport had decriminalized possession.
Robins-Brown says his guess is that this bill is another step towards full legalization of marijuana.
Governor Edwards released a statement about the signing saying “I believe deeply that the state of Louisiana should no longer incarcerate people for minor legal infractions, especially those that are legal in many states.” Per the AP the legislation is set to take effect on August 1st.