East Baton Rouge residents will not have to worry about serving jury duty until at least June after a case out of Shreveport found young adults were not being summoned for jury duty. E-B-R District Attorney Hillar Moore says a computer system glitch prevented people under age 26 from being summoned as potential jurors…
Cut 3 (10) “…beyond me ”
Three people have been arrested for allegedly planting fake bombs at Bienville Parish schools to distract authorities while they robbed nearby banks.Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says the plan was to sow terror and confusion to draw local police to one area of the town, while they went to work in another…
Cut 6 (12) “…to commit.”
The three are facing charges of Fake Explosive Device, Criminal Conspiracy, and Criminal Trespassing. Rodrigue says more charges are likely on the way.
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New LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will be introduced to Tiger Nation next Tuesday and he’ll have some big calls to make right off the bat. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says first on deck is what to do about now un-suspended basketball coach Will Wade and a program with a corruption cloud hanging over it’s head.
Cut 10 (09) “…shakes out.” (Edit audio to remove mention of trial)
Data from the Louisiana Survey touched on the topic of firearm ownership. 57% of residents oppose banning the sale of assault weapons and 61% oppose banning high capacity ammunition magazines. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Dr. Mike Henderson says says a majority of residents support at least one form of expanding gun rights.
Cut 14 (06) “…carry permit.”
The only gun restriction that was supported by a majority was limit on ownership and purchase rights for those with certain mental illnesses.

Crawfish availability is expected to be lower going into Easter weekend, which normally marks the peak of the season.  The overall crop of crawfish is down this season.  President of the Crawfish Research and Promotion Board David Savoy says there has been a bit of a rebound, but the recent bad weather has slowed down the harvest going into the holiday weekend.
Cut 7 (09) “…what we catch.”
Data from the Louisiana Survey touched on the topic of firearm ownership. 57% of residents oppose banning the sale of assault weapons and 61% oppose banning high capacity ammunition magazines. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Dr. Mike Henderson says these are some of the points that have come up in the national discussion in the fallout of various mass shootings across the country.

Cut 13 (06) “opposition still.”

Henderson says of the three firearm restrictions presented, the only one that a majority of those polled could get behind was limiting gun access for those with mental illness issues.

School voucher advocates are hoping the legislature doesn’t come after their 40 million dollar program to pay for the Governor’s requested 39 million dollar public school funding increase. Matt Doyle has more.

 Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A shooting that left a 13-year-old dead is currently under investigation by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were alerted about a large disturbance in Natalbany last night around 9:40. The victim has been identified at Robert Stevenson. 54-year-old Rickey Nelson of Independence has been charged with manslaughter. Additional charges and arrests are believed to be coming soon.

It might be tricky to get your hands on mudbugs this Easter weekend. Kevin Barnhart tells us why.
Vocier 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A Hammond woman has received a three year prison sentence for faking her kidnapping. 32-year-old Sharday Thomas pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Prosecutors say she sent text messages to her ex-boss in Monroe claiming to be one of her captors and in the messages there was a demand for 45-hundred dollars. The text messages painted a picture that Thomas was held against her will at a location in Jackson, Mississippi.

A survey of parents who have students attending a nonpublic school thanks to a taxpayer funded voucher finds that nearly 97-percent are happy with their child’s academic progress at the private school they are attending. Louisiana Federation for Children president Ann Duplessis says the survey shows that parents deserve choice when it comes which school their child should attend…
cut 5 (10) “….choice”

New LSU AD Scott Woodward will be formally introduced on Tuesday and we’ll get to hear his ideas on improving Tiger athletics. Many athletic directors are dealing with declining attendance at college football games. Former AD Joe Alleva pushed the SEC to allow schools to sell beer in the stands and Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says…
cut 12 (11) “…times”

The 2019 Louisiana Survey shows a majority of Louisiana residents oppose gun restrictions as 57-percent oppose banning the sale of assault weapons and 61-percent oppose banning high capacity ammunition magazines. LSU Public Policy Research Lab director Doctor Michael Henderson says they asked respondents about three different proposals to restrict firearms and only one received majority support…
cut 15 (07) “…other individuals”
Henderson says 69-percent of those polled say a law should be put in place to prevent people with mental illness from purchasing guns.

President of the Crawfish Research and Promotion Board David Savoy says the supply of mudbugs is not where it should be for an Easter weekend. Savoy says the cool spring is partly to blame…
cut 9 (07) “…very much”
Savoy says yesterday’s severe weather also slowed production.

The family of Kathleen Blanco has told the Advocate that the state’s only female governor is not on the verge of passing. Previous reports said Blanco had entered into hospice. The family says while she is not able to walk, she still visits friends and loved ones by getting around on an electric scooter. The family defined the care as “hospice assistance” and say she is no longer seeking treatment for her cancer.

The Joe Alleva era is over and come Tuesday new LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will have to answer questions on the future of Tiger athletics…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

School voucher advocates are hoping the legislature doesn’t come after their 40 million dollar program to pay for the Governor’s requested 39 million dollar public school funding increase. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The GoFundMe campaign for the three historically black churches burned down in St. Landry parish has surpassed two million dollars. The website says over 37-thousand people have donated money to help rebuild the churches. The Seventh District Baptist Association says 100-percent of all funds will be evenly distributed to the three churches affected.

With this being Easter weekend, the demand for crawfish reaches its peak, but President of the Crawfish Research and Promotion board David Savoy says mudbugs are not hitting the traps like they should, so the supply is lower than normal for an Easter weekend…
cut 8 (11) “….attracting other crawfish”
Savoy says the severe weather that hit the state yesterday also has hurt production.

With the hiring of Scott Woodward has LSU’s new athletics director, some Tiger fans are wondering what this might mean for football coach Ed Orgeron. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says the seat is far from getting hot for Coach O
cut 11 (10) “…anywhere”
Bad loss for the LSU baseball team last night as they were swamped by Florida 16-9. The Cajuns and La Tech also lost on the baseball diamond.

New LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will be introduced to Tiger Nation on Tuesday. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says Woodward’s first order of duty is to figure out what’s going on with the men’s basketball program as Coach Will Wade could be called to testify in a federal college basketball corruption trial that begins next week in New York…
Cut 10 (09) “…shakes out.”
No word on how much Woodward will make at LSU, he was raking in 900-thousand a year in College Station.

A survey from LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab finds that 57-percent of Louisiana residents oppose banning the sale of assault weapons and 61-percent oppose banning high capacity ammunition magazines. And LSU’s Doctor Michael Henderson says a majority of residents also support at least one form of expanding gun rights…
cut 14 (05) “…carry permit”
But attempts in the legislature for teachers to possess guns in the classroom or allow guns on college campuses have failed to pass.

Governor John Bel Edwards is looking to add 39-million dollars into the public school budget for next fiscal year, but he’s receiving push back. Ann Duplessis is the president of the Louisiana Federation of Children, which is an advocate for the state’s voucher program and she says more money might not be the answer for the state’s pulbic schools…
cut 6 (07) “…differently”
Duplessis says 96-percent of families involved in the state’s voucher program are pleased with their child’s academic progress at their new school.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s office says they’ve charged a 54-year-old man with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Robert Stevenson. Deputies say the teenager was shot in the chest during a disturbance that took place outside of a home in Natalbany. Ricky Nelson of Indpendence was taken into custody.

School voucher advocates are hoping the legislature doesn’t come after their 40 million dollar program to pay for the Governor’s requested 39 million dollar public school funding increase. Matt Doyle has more.

 Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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It might be tricky to get your hands on mudbugs this weekend.  Kevin Barnhart tells us why.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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The Joe Alleva era is over and come Tuesday new LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will have to answer some questions that could shape his Tiger legacy. Matt Doyle talked to Tiger Rag Editor James Moran…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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The Louisiana Federation of Children is calling on the legislature to reject any attempts to de-fund the state’s school voucher system that subsidized private school tuition for 7,000 kids last year.

President Ann Duplessis says an internal poll of program participants indicates nearly all parents involved would like the voucher to stay in place.

Cut 4 (11) “…progress.”

The program had 10,000 applicants last year, meaning 3,000 applicants were unable to receive the voucher.

Critics have pointed out that it diverts millions of dollars that could be used to bolster low performing public schools. Duplessis says even their school district is high performance, parents deserve choices.

Cut 5 (10) “…choice.”

The program is only available to households earning less than $62,750 a year.

Governor Edwards is seeking 39 million dollars in new funding to modernize public schools, and some have pointed out that the voucher program costs roughly 40 million a year. Duplessis says if the goal is improving education, pumping more money into public schools won’t work.

Cut 6 (07) “…differently.”

According to the Advocate the program, created in 2012, paid full or partial tuition for nearly nine percent of the state’s private school population in 2017-2018.

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Crawfish availability is expected to be lower going into Easter weekend, which normally marks the peak of the season.  The overall crop of crawfish is down this season.  President of the Crawfish Research and Promotion Board David Savoy says there has been a bit of a rebound, but the recent bad weather has slowed down the harvest going into the holiday weekend.

Cut 7 (09) “…what we catch.”

Savoy says one possible reason the mudbugs are not hitting the traps like they should, they just simply are not out there.

Cut 8 (11) “…attracting other crawfish.”

Savoy says another possible theory for the low harvest rates, the water has been much colder, much later into the season this year.

Cut 9 (07) “…move very much.″

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New LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward will be introduced to Tiger Nation next Tuesday and he’ll have some big calls to make right off the bat.

Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says first on deck is what to do about now un-suspended basketball coach Will Wade, as a corruption trial the coach was set to testify at previously begins Monday.

Cut 10 (09) “…shakes out.”

Moran says you could see some change with the men’s basketball program and it’s corruption issues, and the women’s basketball team and it’s under performance, but there two coach who are to stay put for now, starting with LSU football…

Cut 11 (10) “…anywhere.”

Off the field the facilities saw some substantial upgrades under former AD Joe Alleva, but Moran says the biggest impact Woodward could have for fans day one is the ongoing battle of Tiger Stadium booze…

Cut 12 (11) “…times.”

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Data from the Louisiana Survey touched on the topic of firearm ownership. 57% of residents oppose banning the sale of assault weapons and 61% oppose banning high capacity ammunition magazines. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Dr. Mike Henderson says these are some of the points that have come up in the national discussion in the fallout of various mass shootings across the country.

Cut 13 (06) “opposition still.”

Henderson says a majority of residents support at least one form of expanding gun rights.

Cut 14 (12) “…Scott.”

Henderson says of the three firearm restrictions presented, there was only one that a majority of those polled coul get behind.

Cut 15 (09) “…he did.”

That measure received 69% approval.

With the Louisiana Radio Network Legislative Report, I’m Kevin Barnhart.
Lawmakers will be faced with two big policy questions this session that could end up being defining issues of the session in sports betting and marijuana, and according to the latetest release from the Louisiana Survey theres majority support for both legalized sports betting as well as the legalization of recreational marijuana use. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Dr. Mike Henderson says sports betting received support from 59% of residents while recreational marijuana received the approval of 55% of residents.
Cut 6 (08) “…social issues.”
Legislation to legalize sports betting in Louisiana is up for discussion in the session. Governor Edwards has voiced his support for the activity.
Henderson says there is a big generational gap on recreational pot support. A majority of support comes from younger residents. 80% of those ages 18-29 support the idea of legalization, but those 65 and older showed a 69% opposition.
Cut 7 (10) “…to the idea.”
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A family advocacy group is bringing legislation that would guarantee Louisianans 12 weeks of paid parental, family emergency, or long term illness leave. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”
Former Governor Kathleen Blanco is not bedbound and “in hospice care” according to her family. This was a contradiction of recent reports that the Katrina era governor had entered into hospice end of life care. The family says while she is not able to walk, she still visits friends and loved ones by getting around on her scooter. The family defined the care as “hospice assistance” and say she is no longer seeking treatment for her cancer.