17:30 LRN Legislative Report

An effort to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana failed to pass a Senate committee. The bill would have taken it from $7.25 up to $10.25. The vote was four to one against. Baton Rouge Democrat Senator Regina Barrow says there’s been no minimum wage hike since 2009…:
CUT 13(12) “…decent living.”
Feeling a higher minimum wage means higher consumer prices, the committee rejected the bill. Jim Patterson with LABI says a higher minimum wage also means fewer jobs for low-wage earners…:
CUT 14(10) “…would be.”

The Louisiana House approved a 38-billion dollar spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. It contains funding to give teachers a 15-hundred dollar pay raise. The budget proposal also calls for raises for college professors, state employees and a few health care service providers will see more funds. But Erath Representative Blake Miguez is concerned about a shortfall in the next couple of years when a temporary sales tax expires..
cut 5 (12) “…in the next term”
House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue responds…
cut 6 (11) “…things considered’
Senate Finance will now spend the next few weeks going over the budget.

4:45 LRN Sportscast April 21

The eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans can take another step toward an upset of the top-seeded Phoenix Suns on Friday night in their opening-round playoff series, which is all square at one game apiece. The Pels are seeking to become just the fifth number eight seed to advance to the second round since 1994, and the first to do it since the Grizzlies knocked off the Spurs in 2011. New Orleans got some good news when Suns All-Star Devin Booker was ruled out for the rest of the series with a strained right hamstring. Guard CJ McCollum is making his ninth consecutive appearance in the postseason and says the Pels can’t take anything for granted, even with momentum seemingly shifting their way.

Cut 21 (15) “…game gets harder.”

Tipoff for Friday’s game three is at 8:30 pm. New Orleans is 5-4 in game threes all-time, 5-2 at home.

Kim Mulkey continues to make moves as she reshapes her coaching staff and rebuilds her roster. Wednesday, Mulkey announced that Gary Redus II has been added as an assistant coach. Redus spent last season with SMU and before that, three seasons at Vanderbilt. Redus has a reputation as an elite recruiter and should help fill the void left by the departure of long-time assistants Sytia Messer and Johnny Derrick.

LSU also announced the signing of West Virginia graduate transfer Jasmine Carson. A 5-10 guard, Carson averaged 5.2 points in 12 minutes per game last season.

Tonight, LSU baseball begins a 3-game set versus Missouri starting at 7 pm in The Box. The Tigers are 7-8 in the SEC midway through the conference schedule, while Mizzou sits at 5-10. Ma’Khail Hilliard will take the mound in search of his fourth win of the season.

At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore earned an eagle on 18 for an opening-round record-tying score of 12-under 60. The Zurich has been a team event since 2017.

4:30 LRN Newscast April 21

A bill that would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.25 an hour meets failure in a Senate committee. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey says if you require businesses to raise wages, they’ll raise prices on consumers…:

CUT 12(11)      “…to live.”

Only one committee member, the bill’s sponsor, voted for the bill.

A Union Parish prison inmate is on the run, after killing a work-release program co-worker then fleeing the scene. Union Sheriff Dusty Gates says 48-year-old Bruce Causey is from Baton Rouge and is more than likely on his way there now. He says Causey stabbed the unidentified victim to death, as the two argued…:

CUT 11(08)      “…motive behind it.”

 

You remember Ciaya (KEYE-uh) Whetstone? The New Orleans area college student who turned up dead last February, after an Uber driver dropped her at a hospital ER? A blood toxicology report shows she died from poisoning by fentanyl and ethanol. Ciaya’s family still wants to know why the ride share driver dropped her unconscious self at an ER without calling 9-1-1.

Governor John Bel Edwards and state leaders rode on a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, a concept talked about for a long time. Michelle Southern has more…:

CUT 01(31)      “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

3:30 LRN Newscast April 21

Union Parish authorities are seeking a murder suspect, who escaped from a work release program after fatally stabbing a man this morning. Union Sheriff Dusty Gates says the alleged killer was on a prison work-release crew at Foster Farms in Farmerville. 48-year-old Bruce Causey, from Baton Rouge, reportedly attacked a co-worker; stabbing him several times. That victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. Gates says Causey is at large and could be headed for safe haven back home…:

CUT 10(05)      “…Baton Rouge area.”

Sheriff Gates says the victim was a 53-year-old Black male, but cannot divulge more until his family is notified.

Governor John Bel Edwards rode a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans as he continues to promote the possibility of a commuter rail line. Edwards says Louisiana needs to allocate $25-million to show the federal government that it’s serious about the project. The legislature is less certain of that investment…:

CUT 05(11)      “…it’s that important.”

 

Once again, state lawmakers reject a bill to raise minimum wage in Louisiana. Baton Rouge Democrat Senator Regina Barrow’s bill would have taken it from $7.25 to $10.25, but Jim Patterson with LABI says a higher minimum wage means higher consumer prices and fewer jobs for low-wage earners…:

CUT 14(10)      “…would be.”

The bill failed in committee; getting only one “yes” vote.

Election security remains a hot topic around the nation, but according to the 2022 Louisiana Survey conducted by LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, 88 percent of voters across the state, regardless of party, believe that Louisiana’s elections are conducted fairly and tallied accurately. Here’s Dr. Michael Henderson…:

CUT 06(12)      “…pretty widespread.”

LRN PM Newscall April 21

Governor John Bel Edwards and state leaders rode on a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, a concept talked about for a long time. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

______________________________________

There’s surprising new data on voter confidence in elections and media. David Grubb has the story.

Cut 2 (35)…I’m David Grubb.”  

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards rode a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans as he continues to promote the possibility of a commuter rail line. Before boarding the train, Edwards says a rail line connecting the Red Stick with the Big Easy would do wonders for southeast Louisiana…

Cut 3 (10) “…Saints games.”

Joining Edwards on the “inspection” train ride were executives from Amtrak, Kansas City Southern, and Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific says it’s committed to providing a passenger rail service between B-R and NOLA. Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson was also on the trip…

Cut 4  (11) “…action plan.”

Edwards says Louisiana needs to allocate 25-million dollars to show the federal government that it’s serious about the project, but the Legislature has yet to commit to that level of spending…

Cut 5  (11) “…that important.”

_________________________________________

Election security remains a hot topic around the nation, but according to the 2022 Louisiana Survey conducted by LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, 88 percent of voters across the state, regardless of party, believe that Louisiana’s elections are conducted fairly and tallied accurately. Here’s Dr. Michael Henderson.

Cut 6  (12) “…pretty widespread.” 

Henderson says there is disagreement on what voting is, and who should be voting. More than three-quarters of Republicans polled see voting as a privilege, while more than 80 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of Independent voters view it as a fundamental right.

Cut 7 (12) “…shouldn’t be restricted.” 

A surprising area of consensus among all groups is a decreasing level of confidence in the media. While distrust of national outlets isn’t unusual, Henderson says just over half of respondents say they trust their local news source, a 27-percentage point drop from four years ago.

Cut 8 (11) “…and Independents drop.” 

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Union Parish authorities are seeking a murder suspect, who escaped from a work release program after fatally stabbing a man this morning. Union Sheriff Dusty Gates says the alleged killer was on a prison work-release crew at Foster Farms in Farmerville…:

Cut 9 (10) “…fled the scene.”

Gates says 48-year-old Bruce Causey is from Baton Rouge. He reportedly attacked a co-worker; stabbing him several times. That victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. Gates says Causey is at large and could be headed for safe haven back home…:

Cut 10 (05)  “…Barton Rouge area.”

WBRZ in Baton Rouge reports Causey has a record of violent crime arrests going back 30 years.

Gates says Foster farms has hired work-release labor at their chicken processing plant for many years, and nothing like this has happened before. He says the victim was a 53-year-old Black male, but cannot divulge more until his family is notified. Gates says all that’s known at this time is an argument between the men triggered the violence…:

Cut 11 (08)  “…motive behindit.” 

_____________________________________________________

Once again a proposal to raise the minimum wage has been rejected at the State Capitol. The Senate Labor Committee voted against a constitutional amendment that would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.25 an hour on January 1st. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey says if you require businesses to raise wages, they’ll raise prices on consumers…

Cut 12 (11) “…to live”  

The measure failed on a four to one vote. The only “Yes” vote came from the author of the proposal, Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow, who tried to increase the minimum wage in Louisiana for the first time since 2009…

Cut 13 (12) “…decent living”

Vice President of Government Relations at the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry Jim Patterson made the argument a higher minimum wage could lead to higher prices for consumers and fewer jobs for low-wage earners…

Cut 14 (10)  “…would be.”

 

2:30 LRN Newscast April 21

There’s surprising new data on voter confidence in elections and in media. David Grubb has the story…:

CUT 02(35)      “…David Grubb.”

Union Parish lawmen ask everyone to lookout for an escaped work-release inmate who stabbed a man to death this morning in Farmerville and fled the scene. 48-year-old Bruce Causey is African-American and from Baton Rouge. He may be headed back the Capital City right now.

 

An effort to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana fails to pass a Senate committee. The bill would have taken it from $7.25 up to $10.25. The vote was 4 “nays to 1 “yea” and that was bill sponsor and Baton Rouge Democrat Senator Regina Barrow. She says there’s been no minimum wage hike since 2009…:

CUT 13(12)      “…decent living.”

Feeling higher minimum wages means higher consumer prices, the committee rejected the bill.

More is now known about the death of Ciaya (KEYE-uh) Whetstone, the student who died in February after going to a Mardi Gras parade. Blood toxicology shows she died from fentanyl poisoning and ethanol poisoning. She was dropped off at a hospital by an Uber driver, but died. It’s still unknown if she was victim of a violent crime. The investigation is ongoing.

1:30 LRN Newscast April 21

Once again a proposal to raise the minimum wage has been rejected at the State Capitol. The Senate Labor Committee voted against a constitutional amendment that would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.25 an hour on January 1st. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey says if you require businesses to raise wages, they’ll raise prices on consumers…:

CUT 12(11)      “…to live.”

The vote failed by a 4-to-1 vote.

Union Parish authorities are seeking a murder suspect, who escaped from a work release program after fatally stabbing a man this morning. Union Sheriff Dusty Gates says the alleged killer was on a prison work-release crew at Foster Farms in Farmerville…:

CUT 09  (10)        “…fled the scene.”

That victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. Gates says Causey is from Baton Rouge and is still at large. He could be headed for safe haven back home.

 

Deputies in Caddo Parish are investigating a reported suspicious parcel left at Northwood High in Shreveport. The bomb squad however found no such package. Another similar call came in to Green Oaks school but was also determined to be a hoax. Dozens of schools nationwide have received similar calls. Federal authorities are also looking into it.

Governor John Bel Edwards and state leaders rode on a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, a concept talked about for a long time. Michelle Southern has more…:

CUT 01(31)      “…Michelle Southern.”

12:30 LRN Newscast April 21

Governor John Bel Edwards rode a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans as he continues to promote the possibility of a commuter rail line. Joining Edwards on the “inspection” train ride were executives from Amtrak, Kansas City Southern, and Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific says it’s committed to providing a passenger rail service between B-R and NOLA. Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson was also on the trip…

Cut 4 (11) “…action plan.”

The governor’s position on a bill that would ban transgender girls from competing in female sports has not changed. Edwards vetoed that legislation last year, but the Legislature is poised to approve it once again. Edwards still believes the bill is unnecessary as he says there has not been an incident of a non-biological female playing a women’s sport in Louisiana.

Cut 7 (08) “…to it”

Robert Kelly and Angela Goodfellow, both of Slidell, were apprehended in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Wednesday for allegedly burglarizing the home of Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser before starting a fire in the kitchen of the residence last week. Most of the items taken from Nungesser’s home have been recovered, though for the lieutenant governor, having that duo behind bars is a greater relief than getting back some memorabilia.

Cut 12 (12) “…off the streets.”

The LSU Tigers will wrap up spring football with a scrimmage this Saturday. Many will be keeping an eye on Walker Howard, the most highly touted quarterback recruit at LSU since Russell Shepard. For now, he’s another freshman trying to adjust to life away from home and the difference in competition between high school and college.

Cut 16 (15) “…to compete.”

11:40 LRN Sportscast April 21

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker will miss games 3 and 4 against the Pelicans with a right hamstring injury he suffered during the Pels’s game two triumph on Tuesday. New Orleans and Phoenix tip off Game 3 at 8:30 tomorrow evening; the Pelicans’ first playoff game in The Blender since 2018. The Suns are 5-2 this season without Booker in the lineup, and the Pelicans are 5-2 all-time in game threes played at the Smoothie King Center.

On the diamond last night, Southern Miss doubled up UNO 10-5, and ULM ended McNeese’s four-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory in 10 innings.

Tonight, LSU baseball begins a 3-game set versus Missouri starting at 7 pm in The Box. The Tigers are 7-8 in the SEC while Mizzou is 5-10. Ma’Khail Hilliard will get the start for LSU as he looks to improve to 4-0 on the season.

And the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gets underway from TPC Louisiana in Avondale. World number one and Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler headlines the field that includes five of the top six players in the world.

LSU football fans have been waiting for a look at the Tigers under new coach Brian Kelly, and they get that chance at Saturday’s spring game. A pair of freshmen will have a lot of eyes on them. Quarterback Walker Howard is fourth on the depth chart. With three more experienced quarterbacks ahead of him, Howard has had to shift his focus to making the most of his limited on-field reps and strengthening the mental aspects of his game.

Cut 18 (13) “…tough sometimes.”

The other is left tackle Will Campbell, the top-rated prospect in Louisiana last year. He’s already impressed the Tigers staff with his maturity and ability to grasp the offense. Offensive line coach Brad Davis has been instrumental in getting Campbell up to speed. Campbell says the two have bonded quickly.

Cut 20 (13) “ …every single day.”

11:30 LRN Newscast April 21

After learning from a constituent that Robert E. Lee and Confederate Memorial Day are still listed as official state holidays, a New Orleans lawmaker vowed to change it. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana House approved Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s bill to allow adult non-felons to conceal carry a gun without a permit or training on a 64 to 27 vote….
cut 13 (06) “…open carry”

A man and woman who allegedly burglarized and set fire to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser’s home have been arrested. Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Shawn Domingue says Robert Kelly and Angela Goodfellow, both of Slidell, were apprehended in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Cut 10 (12) “…to the crime.”
Nungesser is in the process of moving from the home.

Governor John Bel Edwards rode a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans as he promotes the possibility of a commuter rail line. Before boarding the train, Edwards says a rail line connecting the Red Stick with the Big Easy would do wonders for southeast Louisiana…
Cut 3 (10) “…Saints games.”
Joining Edwards on the “inspection” train ride were executives from Amtrak, Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific says its committed to providing a passenger rail service between B-R and NOLA.