The Department of Health and Hospitals is gifting women this Mother’s Day with a friendly reminder about the importance of having regular mammograms. DHH Secretary Rebekah Gee says some women are scared to get checked, but keep in mind cancer isn’t always a death sentence…:
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Gee says cervical cancer screenings are also important and there are many vaccines to prevent cervical cancer.

State Police has issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Media Advisory on behalf of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office for a 2-year-old child. They said the toddlers name is Willow Rain Renteria-Molina and she was reported missing from her home in Hornbeck, Louisiana. She is a 2-year-old white female with long blonde straight hair and brown eyes. Anyone having any information as to the whereabouts of Willow Rain Renteria-Molina should immediately contact authorities.

Tomorrow night’s PowerBall jackpot has reached a whopping $415 million, the 7th largest prize in the game’s history. Louisiana Lottery spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says this would be one heck of a Mother’s Day present…;
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The cash value of the prize is estimated to be 270 million dollars.

The 2016 Competitive Alternatives study by the firm KPMG shows that north Louisiana is the most competitive place to do business in the country. Scott Martinez, President of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, says that’s due to a business friendly environment…:
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Louisiana cities make up 8 of the top 10 for competitive markets.

Mother’s Day is upon us and the Department of Health and Hospitals is using the opportunity to remind women about the importance of getting regular mammograms. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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And if you plan on taking mom out for Mother’s Day, you might want to make your reservation today. That’s according to Erica Burns with the Louisiana Restaurant Association who says people love to pamper mom by dining out:
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No charges will be filed in the case of the officer involved shooting which claimed the life of a St. Martinville man in December. St. Martin Parish Assistant DA Chester Cedars says 32-year-old Michael Noel, who is mentally ill, put the officers in a volatile situation before they used lethal force…:

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Noel’s mother, Barbara, told the Associated Press she is “furious” no criminal charges were handed down against the deputies.

Not quite the $1.6 billion dollar prize we saw in January, but tomorrow night’s Powerball jackpot is still one of the largest in the game’s history. The drawing stands at $415 million dollars which, if won, would be Powerball’s 7th biggest jackpot ever.

With Mother’s Day coming up, the Department of Health and Hospitals is reminding women to get regular health checks, including mammograms. DHH Secretary Rebekah Gee says she lost her mother to breast cancer when she was 16, and knows first hand the importance of making sure you get ahead of any potential health issues…:
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The American Cancer Society suggests women aged 45 to 54 get yearly mammograms.

Governor John Bel Edwards gave reporters an idea of his stance on marijuana Thursday. He says he supports a bill that would expand the number of diseases medical marijuana would cover, because the state shouldn’t stand in the way of doctors…:
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But he says don’t expect recreational pot legalization anytime soon.

Louisiana prosecutors ruled this morning that no charges will be filed in the fatal officer-involved shooting of a mentally-ill man last year in St. Martin Parish. Authorities say 32-year-old Michael Noel was killed on December 21st at his home in St. Martinville when he resisted officers trying to take him into protective custody. Assistant DA Chester Cedars says there as no crime:
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He says this was a reasonable reaction to an intense and volatile situation which was brought on solely by Noel’s conduct.

Media outlets are reporting that LSU has released an audit in the case of the firing of Roy King as Band Director, and it claims he was improperly rewarding scholarships to its dance team. In all, the audit cited 6 different instances in which King violated policy. King filed a suit last week claiming he was wrongfully terminated for objecting to divert a donation to the band for other music programs.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he supports a bill by Parks Senator Fred Mills that would expand the list of medical conditions that medical marijuana can be used to treat. But Edwards says he does not support the legalization of recreational pot use.

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Mills senate-approved bill is waiting to be heard on the House floor.

With only month left in the legislative session, lawmakers have a lot to get done. That’s according to Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com, who says the budget is still a big concern for legislators. He says lawmakers are working to pass a balanced budget with a 600 million dollar shortfall, and funding TOPS is a major priority.

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A bill to raise the minimum age for strippers is heading to the House for final legislative approval. It Amite Representative Robby Carter voted for the legislation in a House committee and is not a big fan of the exotic dance profession….

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Under the legislation individuals between 18-and-20 could work in a strip club as a waitress or perform other jobs, but they could no longer work as a stripper. The city of New Orleans has already passed a similar ordinance.

Restaurants will be packed this Sunday, as families take mom out to celebrate mother’s day. Louisiana Restaurant Association spokesperson Erica Burns says Valentine’s Day is the next biggest holiday where people go out to eat. She expects to see a lot of families outdoor dining with the nice weather that’s expected.

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Burns says many restaurants have specials or even give gifts to honor Mom.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he does NOT see recreational marijuana becoming legal anytime soon. But he does support the legislation by Parks Senator Fred Mills that would expand the list of diseases covered under the medical marijuana law…:
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Mills’ bill has already passed out of the Senate and is awaiting approval by the full House.

More than 35% of Americans will be taking mom out to eat for Mother’s Day, making it the most popular Holiday of the year to visit a restaurant. Louisiana Restaurant Association spokesperson Erica Burns says both fine dining and every day establishments will book up quickly Sunday…:
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Burns says Valentine’s Day is the next biggest holiday where people go out to eat.

Lawmakers are facing an uphill climb with one month left in the regular legislative session. That’s according to Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com who says the top priority is passing a balanced budget with a 600 million dollar shortfall before June 6th. He doesn’t see the minimum wage increase bill gaining much traction in the coming weeks…:
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The legislature is expected to comb through the proposed budget on Monday and present it to the full House.

Governor John Bel Edwards is delivering the commencement address at the Northwestern State University graduation ceremony this morning. His office says the governor will then visit a school then meet with elected officials in Natchitoches before heading back to Baton Rouge.

And the Powerball jackpot tomorrow night is once again one of the largest in history. $415 million dollars will be up for grabs, with a $267 million dollar cash value.

Senator Fred Mills’ bill, which expands the list of conditions that medical marijuana can be used to treat, has the support of Governor John Bel Edwards. Halen Doughty has more…:
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With a month left to go in the session, Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com says one bill that will likely be signed by the governor soon is a measure that could one day lead to TOPS recipients no longer having their full tuition paid for…:
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Lawmakers are expected to make changes to the proposed budget for next fiscal year on Monday and send the spending plan to the House floor.

A measure that would require people to be at least 21 years old to be a stripper, is headed to the House for final legislative approval. Jim Kelly, executive director of the Covenant House in New Orleans, says he knows many young girls who are victims of sex trafficking that end up working in strip clubs at a very young age…:
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The bill was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee.

Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out, so the Louisiana Restaurant Association says you can expect restaurants to be packed Sunday. Spokeswoman Erica Burns says people see this Holiday as an opportunity to pamper mom….:
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She says 35% of all Americans will be taking mom out to eat this Mother’s Day.

There is a month left in the legislative session and lawmakers still have a lot to. Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics.com says the budget is the biggest concern for legislators. He says lawmakers are working to pass a balanced budget with a 600 million dollar shortfall before the session ends on June 6th and funding TOPS is a major priority…:
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Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to call a second special session in June. He is at odds with lawmakers over the timeline. Legislators have said they would like more time to analyze the tax structure before rushing into making more decisions on ways to fix the budget crisis. But Edwards says calls to delay a special session would be irresponsible and allow damaging cuts to kick in to several vital state services.

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, many people will treat Mom to a nice meal. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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Governor John Bel Edwards gave reporters an idea of his stance on marijuana Thursday. He says he supports a bill that would expand the number of diseases medical marijuana would cover, because the state shouldn’t stand in the way of what a doctor says is best for a patient or child with a disorder…:
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But he says don’t expect recreational pot legalization anytime soon.

With only four more weeks left in the regular session, Emelie Gunn looks at what legislators will be discussing before they adjourn on June 6th…:
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Strippers in Louisiana could soon be required to be at least 21 years old, as a bill to raise the minimum age is heading to the House for final legislative approval. Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns told the House Judiciary Committee he authored the bill to combat sex trafficking….:
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The bill was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he supports Parks Senator Fred Mills’ bill to expand the list of diseases medical marijuana can be used to treat. But Edwards says this is not a step towards legalization of pot in its raw form…:
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Mills’ bill has already passed out of the Senate and is awaiting approval by the full House.

Police in Shreveport have released the identities of the people who were shot in an incident that claimed the lives of 2 and wounded 8 others. The fatal victims are 37-year-old Elton Wayne Madison and 37-year-old Leatrick Benjamin. Cops say a group of men were there playing cards after hours at a business, when 3 to 4 people wearing coverings over their faces entered the building and began firing what appeared to be semiautomatic rifles. They urge anyone with information on this incident to come forward.