All four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have been removed, but where do they go from here? Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping Mayor Mitch Landrieu will let the Office of Tourism take ownership of the statues. Nungesser is currently meeting with the mayor, in what he calls a fight for Louisiana’s history and culture.

Cut 7 (11) “that era”

Nungesser is optimistic Landrieu will hand over the statues.

A suspect is dead following an officer involved shooting in Sabine Parish. Police say 24-year-old Ricco Holden got into an altercation with a Converse police officer who was responding to a disturbance. The suspect managed to get into the officer’s patrol car, where he was fatally shot. State Police say their investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A bill to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today could help Louisiana’s film industry rebound. The proposal would stabilize the state’s film tax credit program, and it even reserves 10 percent of the credits for Louisiana filmmakers. Celtic Studios Executive Director, Patrick Mulhearn says this could help keep the talented people in our state here.

Cut 15 (09) “New York”

This year’s peach harvest is struggling. That’s according to owner of Mitcham Farms in Ruston, Joe Mitcham, who says a fungus in the soil is slowing taking out his orchard, and he is down to only 10 percent of the crop he started with.

Cut 12 (10) “winter months”

Mitcham says the warm winter also took a toll on his orchard.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping his office can take ownership of the four confederate monuments that were taken down in New Orleans. He says it’s a sad day for Louisiana because we didn’t need this right now:
Cut 8 (09) “to happen”
He says he’s meeting with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu today to try and come to an agreement on what to do with the monuments.

A measure that would remove the back-end cap on the film tax credit program in Louisiana and put it on the front-end is slated to be heard today in the House Ways and Means Committee. Executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, says the film industry has a huge economic impact for the state. He says that’s evidenced by the show NCIS: New Orleans, which never left despite the uncertainty in the tax credit program…:
Cut 14 (09) “for tourism”

The Click It or Ticket campaign beings in Louisiana today and runs through Memorial Day. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer says your chances of being killed or injured in a crash are reduced if you buckle up…:
Cut 5 (06) “that car”
He says more law enforcement officers will be out this week making sure everyone is properly restrained.

The warmer than average winter has hurt this season’s peach crop. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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Industry leaders are hopeful Louisiana’s movie business could rebound if the legislature approves proposed changes to the film tax credit program.
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Police is investigating a Sabine Parish officer involved shooting in which a man from Zwolle was killed. They say the incident happened in Converse south of Shreveport when a cop from the small western Louisiana town got into an altercation with 24-year-old Ricco Holden as he was trying to get into the police unit. Holden was then shot and died at the scene. More on this as it develops.

Now that four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have been removed, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping the city will let the office of tourism decide what to do next. Nungesser is disappointed monuments to Louisiana’s history have been taken down, and he suspects the memorials to the confederate leaders won’t be the last to be removed…:
Cut 9 (10) “with slaves”
It’s unclear where the statues will go, but they could be re-homed in state parks or possibly a new museum.

Peaches could be hard to come by this year. Joe Mitcham of Mitcham Farms in Ruston says Louisiana had a warm winter and without enough chill hours, the leaves don’t fill out on the peach trees which causes the fruit to shed. He says a fungus in the soil is also killing many of his peach trees…:
Cut 11 (10) “to grow”
With a poor harvest, Mitcham expects a high demand in peaches and peach products and short supply.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is hoping his office can take ownership of the four confederate monuments that were removed in New Orleans. He says he’s meeting with Mayor Mitch Landrieu today to try and come to an agreement. He says this is a fight for Louisiana’s history…:
Cut 7 (11) “that era”
He suspects the memorials to the confederate leaders won’t be the last to be removed.

The movie industry in Louisiana could soon see a boost under a bill before the House Ways and Means committee today that would put a front-end cap on the film tax credit program. The measure would also reserve 10 percent of the available credits for Louisiana filmmakers. Executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, says we keep the talented people in our state here…:
Cut 15 (09) “New York”

The National Weather Service predicts heavy rainfall for most of the bottom half of the state through Tuesday night, and issued a flash flood watch effective through tonight and into Tuesday evening. Possible impacts of severe weather include strong thunderstorms, frequent lightning, damaging winds, and localized flash flooding. Motorists should use caution on roads and standing water should be avoided.

Motorists will notice a stronger police presence on the road this week as Click It or Ticket begins. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer says even though this campaign only runs through Memorial Day weekend, drivers and passengers must buckle up every time they get into a vehicle…:
Cut 6 (08) “at all times”
He says your chances of being killed or sustaining bodily injury are greatly reduced if you buckle up.

There were no big winners in Saturday nigh’ s Powerball drawing and the jackpot is getting big. Wednesday’s drawing will be for $250 million dollars with a cash value of 154.8 million.

All four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have come down, so what’s next for the hundred-year-old statues? Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Click It or Ticket campaign kicks off today in Louisiana. State Police Sgt. Jared Sandifer…:
Cut 4 (08) “every time”

Most of the state is under a Flash Flood Watch through late tonight. The National Weather Service says 2-4 inches of additional rainfall is forecast.

Louisiana’s film industry could rebound if the state’s film tax credit program is stabilized. That’s according to executive director of Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Patrick Mulhearn, who says TV in particular could be promising if the back-end cap on the program is fixed…:
Cut 13 (08) “in schools”
The measure to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today would make it a front-end cap on the program.

The peach harvest is extremely slim this year thanks to a warm winter. Owner of Mitcham Farms in Ruston, Joe Mitcham, says the crop needs a lot of cold hours, temperatures under 45 degrees for a majority of the winter in order for the fruit to properly develop…:
Cut 10 (09) “300″

All four Confederate monuments in New Orleans have come down, so what’s next for the hundred-year-old statues? Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

With plenty of rain in the forecast this weekend, officials and residents are keeping a close eye on the Mississippi River as levels continue to rise. Crews in St. Francisville put down large sandbags near a tributary of the river, Bayou Sara, that is expected to flood in the coming days. Army Corps of Engineers says as the water rises, their flood fight will be upgraded to phase two.

The Senate Finance committee has started hearings on the proposed spending plan for next fiscal year. Senate President John Alario says the budget the House approved does not properly fund the Department of Children and Family Services….
cut 10 (08) “…supervised”
Alario says the House did not allocate 206-million dollars that’s available to spend and they may use some of that money to fill the budget gaps.

Three St. Amant young adults were found dead in an Ascension Parish bayou by a member of their own family following a crash. State Trooper Bryan Lee says when troopers arrived they discovered a mangled vehicle and the bodies of its occupants scattered around…:
Cut 7 (09) “in half”
Family members say the three were on their way back from a night in New Orleans. The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office says they located a body at the site of the accident that was unrelated to the crash.

Senate President John Alario says the upper chamber is committed to fully funding the TOPS scholarship program. Alario says the budget plan approved by the House takes money away from the Department of Health to fully fund TOPS and they are taking a close look at that proposal.
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Alario also says the Senate also disagrees with a House bill to raise the minimum GPA in order to receive the TOPS scholarship.

“The most brutal attack I have ever seen”…is how Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi described the alleged kidnapping and rape of a woman by a man from Golden Meadow. 33-yer-old Joshua Penny is accused of taking the victim to a secluded wooded area after an argument and causing injuries to her that required multiple surgeries and other procedures. Penny was booked on charges including first-degree rape, domestic abuse and false imprisonment.

The full House has approved a measure that would require higher training standards for police officers. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James’ bill would require cops to receive at least 400 hours of basic POST training before entering the field…:
Cut 12 (10) “the 400 hours”
James says he’s worked with law enforcement to come up with the best practices to prepare officers for work in the field.

The LSU baseball team has claimed the SEC West championship with an 11-5 win over Mississippi State. The Tigers can pick up an outright regular season conference title if they complete the sweep of the Bulldogs today and if Kentucky beats Florida.

The 3rd Annual Crawfish Gatorfest is underway this weekend at The Grove at ULM. The event that draws people from throughout North Louisiana includes carnival rides and games, festival food vendors, a petting zoo and live music. Visit originalcrawfishgatorfest.com for details.

The Monumental Task Committee is slamming the removal of the Robert E Lee statue in New Orleans. In a statement, the group asserts the city heads into its Tricentennial more divided and less historic than ever — and compares the taking down of four Confederate era monuments to ISIS tactics. Mayor Mitch Landrieu said The Civil War is over, the Confederacy lost and the city is better for it.

The Senate is committed to fully funding the TOPS scholarship program, despite budget troubles, according to President John Alario. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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A bill heading to the Senate will require that police officers receive at least 400 hours of basic training and….
cut 13 (09) “…peace officers”
That’s Baton Rouge Representative Ted James, who wrote the bill in response to the police shooting of Alton Sterling. James says law enforcement is in support of the legislation.

Governor John Bel Edwards is going to speak this morning at the graduation of the 2017 class of Louisiana Tech. The school will also be celebrating its 100,000th graduate during the spring commencement ceremony.

Safe boating week begins today, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is going to be out in full force on waterways. LDWF spokesman Adam Einck says it’s important to remember three things when out on the water…:
Cut 3 (08) “working condition”