Congressman Ralph Abraham says the US has sealed the deal on a huge rice sell to Iraq. Don Molino has more.
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Nearly 200 female Louisiana lawyers have signed a petition urging the state’s two US Senators to vote against the Supreme Court Nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Chances are increasing a tropical depression will form and move into the southern Gulf of Mexico late this weekend, or early next week. The broad area of low pressure is near the Honduras coast. National Weather Service Slidell Meteorologist Megan Williams says there is a high chance a tropical depression could develop over the next five days, but its destination is a mystery.
The system is moving northward and stretches from Nicaragua to Hispaniola.
Some early models have it tracking over Florida once it enters the Gulf, but if it does makes its way to Louisiana, Williams says it could bring some nasty weather.
Major storms are less likely to develop this late in the hurricane season, but Williams says the conditions are still there for some strengthening.
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It’s been six months since the disappearance of a 4 year old in Claiborne Parish. Rondriez “Junior” Phillips vanished on April 5th, and the search still continues with a reward offered by the FBI for information that helps find him. Sheriff Ken Bailey says tips still come in, but not as often.
Cut 6 (06) “…already knew about.”
Both parents of the child have seen legal troubles with arrests since the disappearance. Bailey says the continued silence with those that likely have knowledge of the situation adds to the frustration.
Cut 7 (10) “…not say anything.”
Phillips was outside with his step father, who was working on a vehicle, when he went missing. Bailey says the disappearance has shaken the community.
cut 8 (07) “…in Claiborne Parish.”
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Iraq is set to buy 90,000 tons of American grown rice in a deal that more than triples the tonnage of the original request pushed by Congressman Ralph Abraham and others, and that’s big for Louisiana, which produces more rice than any other state. Abraham says the Iraqi appetite is growing…
The LSU AgCenter says Louisiana produced 2.7 billion pounds of rice in 2017, valued at 372.7 million dollars.
Abraham has mentioned the need for diversifying the state’s agricultural exports in the past, and says he’s been working behind the scenes to solidify this new Mid-East connection.
The last Iraqi rice deal was for 15,000 tons.
Abraham says this could lead to more large scale rice deals.
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Nearly 200 female Louisiana lawyers have signed a petition urging the state’s two US Senators to vote against the Supreme Court Nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. The document highlights the judge’s temperament during the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing as enough to disqualify him from consideration. Baton Rouge Attorney Jill Craft…
Cut 12 (09) “…held in contempt.”
Craft says it is concerning that Kavanaugh injection of political targeting as a reason for the allegations.
Cut 13 (07) “…through a political lens.”
Craft cites last year’s confirmation proceedings of Neil Gorsuch in comparison to Kavanaugh as a testament to the nominee’s lack of judicial temperament.
Cut 14 (08) “…have the baggage.”
But Republican Senator Bill Cassidy says Kavanaugh has shown excellent temperament as a judge. A final vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation is expected Saturday.