The Louisiana Federation of Teachers endorses Amendment 2, which among other things would transform a stipend for teachers into a permanent pay raise. Sean Richardson has more.

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LSU baseball is mourning the loss of a beloved member of the family. Andrew Greenstein reports.

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The Louisiana Federation of Teachers has officially endorsed Amendment 2, a measure on the March 29 ballot that seeks to make a one-time stipend a permanent salary increase for teachers and support staff. LFT President Larry Carter says it’s not a pay raise.

Cut 3 (06) “…all support staff.”

Two years ago, teachers received a two-thousand dollar pay raise, but it’s considered a stipend and not permanent. Legislators did not want to make it permanent because of future funding concerns. Carter says the passage of Amendment Two would protect that funding against future budget deficits…

Cut 4 (14) “…their salaries.”

There has been a lawsuit filed by a pastor and two teachers that the ballot language is misleading, but Carter says LFT backs Amendment 2.

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Early voting starts tomorrow.

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The wife of legendary LSU baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman has passed away. Sandy Bertman died last night in Baton Rouge at the age of 87. Tiger Rag Magazine Editor Glenn Guilbeau says Sandy was the rock of the family.

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The Bertmans were married for 63 years, and Guilbeau says it was basically love at first sight for the two of them.

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Guilbeau says Sandy took after her husband in many ways.

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Funeral arrangements are pending.

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Louisiana is bracing for severe weather this weekend. South Louisiana will be at a risk for severe storms – level four out of five in southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and a three out of five for areas including Alexandria and Lafayette. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says when those levels get to that point, take them seriously.

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Keim says all forms of severe weather are possible for Saturday.

Cut 10 (09) “…winds and hail”

But Keim says if you can make it through Saturday, it will be heavenly on Sunday, the day before St. Patrick’s Day.

Cut 11 (15) “…to be spectacular.”

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The LSU women’s basketball team will find out its spot in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night when the bracket is released. ESPN women’s college basketball bracketologist Charlie Crème (“cream”) says there are questions about LSU heading into the tourney and the biggest question is health….

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Flau’Jae Johnson missed the SEC Tournament with a shin injury and Aneesah Morrow re-aggravated a foot injury during the SEC Tournament. Crème says the other main question about LSU is the supporting role players.

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Crème has LSU has a three-seed, which means LSU will host the first two rounds in Baton Rouge. They were a three-seed when they won the national championship two years ago. Crème says LSU’s top three players are as good as anyone’s in the country…

Cut 14 (11) “…rest of the roster.”

The women’s bracket will be released at 7 p.m. on Sunday. The men’s bracket will be released one hour earlier. ESPN projects McNeese as a 12-seed in the Indianapolis Regional, playing Ole Miss.

Louisiana is bracing for severe weather this weekend. South Louisiana will be at a risk for severe storms – level four out of five in southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and a three out of five for areas including Alexandria and Lafayette. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says when those levels get to that point, take them seriously.

Cut 9 (09)  “…out of five.”

The wife of legendary LSU baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman has passed away. Sandy Bertman died last night in Baton Rouge at the age of 87. Tiger Rag Magazine Editor Glenn Guilbeau says Sandy was the rock of the family.

Cut 6 (13) “…in Baton Rouge.”

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers endorses Amendment 2, which among other things would transform a stipend for teachers into a permanent pay raise. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Severe weather is on the way this weekend, causing St. Patrick’s Day Parades to be rescheduled. Colleen Crain has more.

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Schools and students nationwide are celebrating Pi Day today. Karen Dartez, a math teacher at St. Thomas More school in Baton Rouge, says as a nod to the day’s namesake, she will be treating her students to pie.

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The most complex amendment on the constitutional amendment ballot is Amendment 2, which essentially rewrites Article 7 of the state Constitution. One of the most talked-about provisions is a permanent pay raise for teachers. PAR President Steven Procopio says it would in fact make a stipend that’s been renewed every year permanent.

Cut 5 (14) “…three-billion dollars.”

Senator Bill Cassidy is urging his colleagues to pass his HALT Fentanyl Act. In a Senate floor speech yesterday, Cassidy said among other things, the act closes a loophole that people use to slightly alter the fentanyl to the point that it’s no longer fentanyl – something that’s called a “fentanyl analog.”

Cut 10 (08) “…not actually fentanyl.”

Much of South Louisiana from New Orleans to Baton Rouge is at a moderate risk — level 4 out of 5 — for severe weather this weekend. State Climatologist Jay Grymes:

Cut 7 (10) “…evening hours.”

Alexandria and Lafayette, meanwhile, are at a level 3 risk for storms. Primary threats include high winds and an increased tornado risk. The forecast is forcing organizers of St. Patrick’s Day parades to reschedule them to Sunday.

Early voting in the constitutional amendment election opens tomorrow. Easily the most complex amendment on the ballot is Amendment 2. That’s the one that essentially rewrites Article 7 of the state Constitution. PAR President Steven Procopio says among many other things, there would be a government growth limit put in place.

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It’s Pi Day in schools across the country celebrating the most famous irrational number that inspires students in mathematics. Sean Richardson has the story.

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The wife of legendary LSU baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman has passed away. Sandy Bertman died last night in Baton Rouge at the age of 87. She and Skip were married for 63 years, raising four daughters, one of whom succumbed to cancer in 2012. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Much of South Louisiana is at a moderate risk for severe weather this weekend. Areas from New Orleans to Baton Rouge are at a level four out of five for severe storms, while Alexandria and Lafayette are at three out of five. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says the forecast has forced organizers to reschedule St. Patrick’s Day parades.

Cut 9 (10)  “…avoid that significant weather.”

Of the four amendments on the constitutional amendment ballot, Amendment 2 is easily the most complex. It essentially would rewrite Article 7 of the state Constitution in light of the new tax law. PAR President Steven Procopio says it has provisions regarding the inventory tax that Governor Landry says has been stifling business growth in the state.

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Among many other things, Amendment 2 would also turn an annual stipend for teachers into a permanent pay raise. Early voting starts tomorrow.

The New Orleans City Council is considering extending the city’s travel ban. Currently, all non-essential travel is prohibited as the city deals with financial troubles. As of right now, that’s set to expire April 30th. However, in light of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s trip to Washington, DC – which she says was planned before the ban went into effect – council president J.P. Morrell says the council is looking at extending it to the end of the next budget cycle.

Schools and students nationwide are celebrating Pi Day today, an annual event dedicated to the mathematical constant pi — 3.-point-1-4. Karen Dartez, a math teacher at St. Thomas More school in Baton Rouge, says this special day recognizes the significance of pi in mathematics.

Cut 13 (17)  “…same value.”

Much of South Louisiana is at a moderate risk for severe weather throughout much of Saturday.  State Climatologist Jay Grymes says areas along the I-12 corridor from Baton Rouge to Hammond and over to Slidell will be under a level 4 out of 5 threat, with a slightly lower risk for Alexandria and Lafayette. Grymes says primary threats include high winds and an increased tornado risk.

Cut 8 (15) “…serious damage.”

Senator Bill Cassidy;s  HALT Fentanyl Act could see a vote in the Senate as early as today. In 2023, more than 74-thousand people died from fentanyl use, accounting for almost 70-percent of all drug overdose deaths that year. Senator Cassidy says time is of the essence.

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Of the four amendments on the constitutional amendment ballot, Amendment 2 is easily the most complex. Andrew Greenstein breaks it down.

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Schools and students nationwide are celebrating Pi Day today, celebrating the mathematical constant.  St. Thomas More Math Teacher Karen Dartez says many schools mark the occasion with pi recitation contests, math games, and…

Cut 14 (08) “…pi day.”

The most complex amendment on the constitutional amendment election is Amendment number 2, which basically rewrites Article 7 of the state Constitution. One of the most talked-about provisions is a permanent pay raise for teachers. Public Affairs Research Council President Steven Procopio says the amendment would make a stipend that’s been renewed every year permanent.

Cut 5 (14) “…three-billion dollars.”
Early voting in that constitutional amendment election begins tomorrow.

Senator Bill Cassidy is urging his colleagues to pass his HALT Fentanyl Act. On the Senate floor yesterday, Cassidy said among other things, the act closes a loophole that people use to slightly alter the fentanyl to the point that it’s no longer fentanyl – something that’s called a “fentanyl analog.”

Cut 10 (15) “…the actual thing.”

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Severe weather is on the way in South Louisiana this weekend, causing St. Patrick’s Day Parades to be moved to Sunday with possible tornadoes tomorrow.  Colleen Crain has more.

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Today is Pi Day and schools across the country will be celebrating the day dedicated to the mathematical constant with students.  St. Thomas More Math Teacher Karen Dartez says this Pi Day continues to inspire young …

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Its Pi Day in schools across the country celebrating the most famous irrational number. Sean Richardson has the story.

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Much of South Louisiana is at a moderate risk — level 4 out of 5 — for severe weather this weekend. State Climatologist Jay Grymes:

Cut 7 (10) “…evening hours.”

The weather event has forced organizers to reschedule many St. Patrick’s Day parades and events to Sunday.

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Senator Bill Cassidy is urging his colleagues to pass his HALT Fentanyl Act. It would  permanently make Fentanyl a Schedule One drug, meaning it has no legitimate medical use, making it illegal to use or possess. Cassidy said in 2023, almost 70-percent of all drug overdose deaths that year were due to fentanyl…That’s 74 thousand people.

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With early voting in the constitutional amendment election opening tomorrow, the most complex amendment on the ballot is Amendment 2. PAR President Steven Procopio says there’s a lot to unpack – but one of the the things it does is put a government growth limit in place.

Cut 4 (11) “…colleges and universities.”