Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson spoke for the first time since her husband’s death and funeral at the NFL Owners meeting this week in Orlando, Florida.   There have been questions on whether or not there will be major changes to the teams. Benson says she knows the organizations are running like a well oiled machine…

Cut 14 (10) “it is.”

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office is expected to announce its results in the  Alton Sterling investigation tomorrow. The state A-G’s office has investigated for nearly a year on whether two white Baton Rouge police officers should face charges in the 2016 shooting of Sterling, who is black. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says it’s not known, if Landry presented evidence to a grand jury..

Cut 17 (10) “grand jury”

Louisiana’s unemployment rate for February was 4.5 percent, an over-the-year decline of over one-percent. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Two people are dead after being hit while riding a motorcycle at two o’clock this morning. The accident occurred when a 14-year-old juvenile was driving a vehicle in the wrong lane on La 74 in Ascension Parish is facing charges. He was moderately injured and taken to a local hospital. Alcohol is not suspected in the wreck. Trooper Bryan Lee says it was a terrible wreck was.

Cut 5  (06) “head on”.

The upper chamber is set to vote on a minimum wage increase today.

Raising wages was a campaign promise from Governor Edwards, and that’s why he’s backing the effort from New Orleans Senator Troy Carter to raise it to eight dollars 50 cents an hour by 2020.

A full time minimum wage worker makes 290 dollars a week, and Edwards says that’s just not enough these days to get by.

Cut 7 (07)  “of work”

The bill is receiving opposition from the National Federation of Small Businesses. State Director Dawn Starns says “If the state mandates an increase in the cost of labor, then employers are going to have to raise prices or try to get by with fewer workers.” But UNO Business Professor Mark Rosa doesn’t see the buck twenty five increase being particularly harmful to the state economy.

Cut 9 (07)  “of years.”

18 states are set to raise wages this year

A bill to allow bulletproof backpacks on school campuses passed the Senate Judiciary C. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth says it’s unfortunate that a step like this is needed to protect school students, but he would rather take preventative action, than rely on school resource officers and other law enforcement…

Cut 11 (06) “his job.”

Walsworth says parents and their children are rightly concerned for their safety. He says it’s up to legislators to do their part to make sure measures are in place, such as allowing bulletproof backpacks…

But Opponents on the bill spoke out, including East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney Dadrius Lanus, representing school students. He says the bill does not make common sense and it will put out the wrong message…

Cut 13 (09)  “to them?”

New Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson spoke for the first time today since her husband’s death. Benson says she doesn’t plan on changing much and is ready for the challenge…
cut 30 (11) “…his legacy”
Benson says there are no plans to sell or re-locate the teams.

State Police a 14-year-old was the driver in a fatal accident in Ascension Parish early this morning…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon”

Louisiana motorists have seen a seven-cent increase in gasoline prices over the last week. Triple A’s fuel analyst Don Redman says the average price for regular gasoline is $2.39 a gallon. Redman says we usually see prices go up at this time of the year. He says budget accordingly…
Cut 8 (05) “last year.”
Redman says the change over at refineries to a summer grade gasoline and a strong demand have resulted in higher prices.

For the second time in five months, a winning Powerball jackpot ticket was purchased in Louisiana. The 55-million-dollar winning ticket from Saturday’s drawing was sold at Tigers Touch Down 2 in Lafayette. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says Louisiana Powerball players are on a historic hot streak.
Cut 12 (08) “jackpot winners.”

Two people riding a motorcyle are dead after they were hit by a vehicle driven by a 14-year-old juvenile. State Trooper Bryan Lee says the teen was traveling in the wrong direction in the eastbound lane on LA 74 in Ascension Parish. Lee says the investigation is on-going and law enforcement is meeting with legal experts to determine which path to take on this horrific crash.
Cut 4 (:08) “a cause”
Charges are pending against the juvenile driver.

The price at the gasoline pump has increased seven-cents over the last week. That’s according to Triple A’s Don Redman, who says the average price for regular gasoline is $2.39 a gallon, and we’ll see gasoline costs continue to rise as we get closer to the summer driving season…
Cut 7 (07) “a gallon.”
Redman says the change over at refineries to a summer grade gasoline and a strong demand have resulted in the latest price increase.

Data shows Louisiana’s February unemployment rate is 4.5 percent, that’s 1.2-percent over-the-year decline. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Ava Dejoie credits an increase in workforce training as one reason unemployment is going south…
cut 10 (08) “….their workforce”
Dejoie says most of the new jobs are coming in the health sector, thanks to Medicaid expansion.

Someone in Louisiana is likely holding a winning 56-million dollar Powerball ticket. A ticket purchased at Tigers Touch Down 2 in Lafayette matched all six numbers in last Saturday’s drawing. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says they don’t know who the winner is, but they are anxious to find out…
cut 13 (10) “….in order”
The convenience store will get a 25-thousand dollar cash prize as a result of selling the winning ticket.

Louisiana motorists have seen a seven-cent increase in gasoline prices over the last week. Triple A’s fuel analyst Don Redman says the average price for regular gasoline is $2.39 a gallon. Redman says we usually see prices go up at this time of the year, plus supplies are down…
Cut 6 (11) “by OPEC.”
Redman says prices will continue to increase as we get closer to the summer driving season.

A 55-million dollar Powerball lottery ticket was sold in Lafayette, the second Powerball jackpot prize winner in Louisiana in the last five months. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says they are not sure who the winner is, but the lucky ticketholder has a couple of options on how to claim their prize….
cut 14 (10) “…million dollars”
Two people are dead after being hit while riding a motorcycle at two o’clock this morning by 14-year-old driver. State Trooper Bryan Lee says the 14-year-old was driving in the wrong lane on L-A 74 in Ascension Parish….
cut 3 (11) “Dusty Duet”
Lee says they do not know why the teenager was driving.

Louisiana’s unemployment rate for February was 4.5 percent, an over-the-year decline of over one-percent. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Two people are dead after being hit while riding a motorcycle at two o’clock this morning. The accident occurred when a 14-year-old juvenile was driving a vehicle in the wrong lane on La 74 in Ascension Parish. Louisiana State Police Trooper Bryan Lee says the wreck was just awful.

Cut 5  (06) “head on”.

The juvenile is facing charges in the matter. He was moderately injured and taken to a local hospital. Alcohol is not suspected in the wreck.

Louisiana’s February unemployment rate of 4.5 percent is down over a full percentage point from a year ago. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Ava Dejoie says Health care is where most of the new jobs came from last month due in part to Medicaid expansion.

Cut 11 (08) “added 200.”

Louisiana motorists have seen a seven-cent increase in gasoline prices over the last week. Triple A’s fuel analyst Don Redman says the average price for regular gasoline is $2.39 a gallon. Redman says we usually see prices go up at this time of the year. He says budget accordingly…

Cut 8 (05) “last year.”

For the second time in five months, a winning Powerball jackpot ticket was purchased in Louisiana. The 55-million-dollar winning ticket from Saturday’s drawing was sold at Tigers Touch Down 2 in Lafayette.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kimberly Chopin says Louisiana Powerball players are on a historic hot streak.

Cut 12 (08)   “jackpot winners.”

The bayou hasnt seen this many winners in 23 years.

A 14-year-old motorist is allegedly responsible for two deaths. Jim Shannon has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon”

Louisiana drivers are going to see higher gasoline prices for a while. Triple A’s fuel analyst Don Redman says the average price for regular gasoline is $2.40 a gallon, and that prices will continue to increase as we get closer to the summer driving season…

Cut 7 (07)  “a gallon.”

Louisiana’s unemployment rate continues to shrink as the February numbers are lower than they were a year ago. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Ava Dejoie says a good economy is driving much of the job increases Louisiana is enjoying.

Cut 9 (12) “going up.”

She credits an increase in workforce training as one reason unemployment is going south, and that the health care industry is responsible for much of that growth. Analysts are crediting the Medicaid expansion for the rapid growth in health care related jobs in the state.

And now here’s commodity prices: