A State Police trooper working an I-10 construction zone in East Baton Rouge is recovering from injuries after an alleged drunk driver slammed into the back of his vehicle. L-S-P spokesperson Taylor Scrantz says drivers need to respect trooper and worker safety if they see a cop car’s blue lights on in a construction zone…
cut 12(12) “…workers”
A Baton Rouge woman is facing several charges for hitting the trooper’s vehicle.

A High occupancy lane is coming to I-12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. The legislature has approved legislation that allows DOTD to create a new lane along a 15-mile stretch of the highway that’s very congested. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey says heat sensing cameras will be installed to prevent drivers from skirting the law by putting a dummy in the passenger seat….
cut 11 (10) “…driver”

25,000 acres of farmland could be destroyed if the Morganza Spillway is opened in Point Coupee Parish…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Connor Ferrill”

State Climatologist Barry Keim says it will be a hot and humid Memorial Day Weekend and barely any chance of rain…
cut 5 (10) “…next Thursday”

The Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish could open in early June which will send a lot of water from the swollen Mississippi River into the Atchafalya Basin towards Morgan City. A barge will have to be sunk in Bayou Chene to prevent backwater flooding in Terrebonne and several other parishes. Governor Edwards says he’s requesting a federal emergency declaration to offset flood preparation costs…
cut 12 (08) “….things”

Farmers are also bracing for the potential impact of the Morganza opening. An estimated 25-thousand acres could be damaged. LSU Ag Center Point Coupee Parish county agent Mike Carriere says seepage from the Mississippi along the levees has already brought standing water to fields…
cut 7 (07) “…this year”
Farmers are also having to move cattle to higher ground in anticipation of flooding in the Atchafalya Basin.

Legislation to designate a high occupancy lane on a 15-mile stretch of I-12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes is heading to the governor’s desk. You see H-O-Vs in other parts of the country, so Livingston Senator Dale Erdey says it will take a little education to let motorists know they are not for solo drivers…
cut 10 (11) “…better route”

It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficiall start of summer. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it took a little later this year, but hot and humid conditions have arrived for the holiday weekend…
cut 3 (11) “…rest of the summer”
Keim says the next significant chance of rain isn’t until next Thursday.

An estimated 25,000 acres of farmland is expected to be destroyed if the decision is made to open the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish. LSU Ag Center county agent Mike Carriere (Carry-aye) says farmers who own property that could soon be swamped by diverted Mississippi River water will take a bath financially..

Cut 6 (11) “…spillway”

A proposal to add an HOV lane to a heavily trafficked stretch of I-12 between Walker and the I-10/12 split heads to the Governor’s desk. Livingston Senator Dale Erdey (Err-dee) says this should shave time off the commute of everyone driving in and out of Baton Rouge from the east.

Cut 9 (10) “…right now”

Work is expected to begin in fall.

 ______________________

The roads will be stuffed with drivers this weekend as AAA estimates 3.9 million drivers head out on vacation across the Gulf South for the Memorial Day weekend…

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Connor Ferrill”

The House votes to roll back the state sales tax from 4.45 to four-percent, despite opposition from Democrats who claim it will bring Louisiana back to budget deficits. But House Republican Delegation Chairman Lance Harris says there was a lot of fear-mongering in order to get the legislature to raise the state sales tax, only for the state to end up with a surplus…
Cut 4 (10) “… reason why.”
The measure heads to the Senate where it might not have enough support to pass.

An estimated 43-million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more this holiday weekend. Triple-A’s Don Redman says most will do so by vehicle, but there’s a five-percent increase in air travel over last year’s Memorial Day holiday…
cut 14 (10) “….Advance”
Redman says travelers are seeing a relief in hotel and car rental costs this year.

After a two-year hiatus, the Bayou Country Superfest returns to LSU’s Tiger Stadium for the 10th anniversary of the country musical festival. Brooke Thorington has more…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Can the LSU baseball team stick around in the SEC Tournament. After a remarkable walk off victory over Auburn yesterday, the Tigers will face Mississippi State tonight. The two teams just locked up in a historic 17-inning marathon that saw the Bulldogs win. ULM and McNeese are undefeated in their respective conference tournaments.

The Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish could open in early June which will send a lot of water from the swollen Mississippi River into the Atchafalya Basin towards Morgan City. A barge will have to be sunk in Bayou Chene to prevent backwater flooding in Terrebonne and several other parishes. Governor Edwards says he’s requesting a federal emergency declaration to offset flood preparation costs…
cut 12 (08) “….things”
Edwards says a final decision on whether to open the spillway is expected Tuesday.

This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of the Bayou Country Superfest and after a two-year hiatus, the country music festival returns to LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Producer Quint Davis says to celebrate 10 years, they have two of the biggest acts in country music are set to perform, Kenny Chesney and Florida Georgia Line…
Cut 7 (07) “…in Tiger Stadium”
Jason Aldean and Kane Brown headline Sunday’s lineup. Davis says their studies show the B-C-S has a 38-million dollar economic impact on the state.
If you are traveling this Memorial Day weekend, you’ll find the average price for a regular gallon of gasoline in the Gulf South at $2.45…
cut 15 (04) “..20-cents more”
That’s AAA’s Don Redman who says they anticipate three-point-nine million Gulf South residents hitting the road this weekend.

Louisiana House approves a bill that would gradually lower the state’s sales tax rate from 4.45 to four percent. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says he authored the bill, because the state has a 316-million dollar suprlus and that money needs to be returned to the taxpayers…
cut 5 (12) “…ballet lessons”
It remains to be seen if the Senate will go along with this proposal.

Its Memorial Day weekend and AAA estimates 3.9 million drivers will head out on vacation across the Gulf South…
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Connor Ferrill”

State Police says one of its troopers was injured last night when a suspected drunk driver hit the officer’s fully-marked L-S-P Tahoe with emergency lights activated. The wreck occurred on I-10 in Baton Rouge near Siegan Lane. 31-year-old Volha Tryshyna of Baton Rouge has been charged with a D-W-I, careless operation and vehicular negligent injuring.

The House votes to roll back the state sales tax from 4.45 to four-percent, despite opposition from Democrats who claim it will bring Louisiana back to budget deficits. But House Republican Delegation Chairman Lance Harris says there was a lot of fear-mongering in order to get the legislature to raise the state sales tax, only for the state to end up with a surplus…
Cut 4 (10) “… reason why.”
The measure heads to the Senate where it might not have enough support to pass.

The Bayou Country Superfest will cebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend as country music stars Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line are planning to rock out in Tiger Stadium. Producer Quint Davis credits the fans for making this music festival successful…
cut 9 (11) “…at night”
Davis says their studies show the B-C-S has a 38-million dollar economic impact on the state.

Governor John Bel Edwards says more than likely the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish will be opened on June 2nd to relieve pressure on the levees along the Mississippi River. Edwards says opening the spillway will send river water into the Atchafalya Basin…
cut 11 (08) “…already high”
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the opening of the spillway will flood thousands of acres of farmland.

An estimated 43-million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend. Triple-A’s Don Redman says most will do so by vehicle, but there’s a five-percent increase in air travel over last year’s Memorial Day holiday…
cut 14 (10) “….Advance”
Redman says travelers are seeing a relief in hotel and car rental costs this year.

The Bayou Country Music Superfest is this weekend in Tiger Stadium. The country music celebration was held in the Superdome the last two years, because of renovations to Tiger Stadium. Producer Quint Davis says it’s great to be back in Death Valley, because the music festival at that venue has the atmosphere of a football game in the fall…
cut 8 (13) “….would happen”
Kenny Chesney, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean are the headliners for the two-day concert event that begins tomorrow.

Does the LSU baseball team have any more of that Hoover magic left. The Tigers advanced yesterday with a 4-3 walk off win over Auburn. The game tying and winning runs scored on wild pitch and then throwing error. Coach Paul Mainieri…
cut 26 (09) “…we did”
LSU will play Mississippi State tonight.

AAA says an improving economy will lead to 43 million Americans traveling for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. AAA analyst Don Redman says it’s the second highest number of total travelers on record, just shy of a record set in 2005, but when it comes to folks taking a road trip…
Cut 13 (12) “…Holiday”
Redman says they estimate nearly four million Gulf South residents will hit the road this weekend.

The Louisiana House approves a plan to reduce the state sales tax from 4.45 to four-percent. Democrats oppose the measure. Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith says the call to cut taxes while the state is enjoying a surplus is reminiscent of the Jindal administration who inherited a two-billion-dollar surplus and then cut taxes..
Cut 6 (10) “…years.”

After a two-year hiatus, the Bayou Country Superfest returns to LSU’s Tiger Stadium for the 10th anniversary of the country musical festival. Brooke Thorington has more…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Can the LSU baseball team stick around in the SEC Tournament. After a remarkable walk off victory over Auburn yesterday, the Tigers will face Mississippi State tonight. The two teams just locked up in a historic 17-inning marathon that saw the Bulldogs win. ULM and McNeese are undefeated in their respective conference tournaments.