A bill has been filed that would restrict college athletic teams in the state, excluding LSU, from traveling more 375 miles to play in games. The proposed law also does not apply to football, basketball or postseason. ULM Athletic Director Brian Wickstrom says he understands that Louisiana is facing budget problems, but college sports are important to students…:
Cut 15 (10) “young people”
Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter, says state dollars are scarce and public dollars shouldn’t be used on long road trips for baseball, softball and volleyball teams.

Police in Kaplan say charges are upgraded against a mother and her live in boyfriend, now for the murder of her 4-year-old child. They say Samantha Babineaux of Kaplin and 23-year-old Nathaniel Trahan rushed the child to an emergency room, and he died this morning. The two are charged with first degree murder and in the Vermilion Parish jail with no bond.

LSU students are not happy about proposed rule changes for tailgating on gamedays. They include banning couches and kegs at student association parities before a game, and possibly hiring a third party to sell alcohol only to people 21 and up. LSU’s Dean of Students Maria (Ma-dee-ah) Fuentes-Martin says during town hall style meetings on campus, there is a lot of opposition:
cut 11 (06) “destroy that”
But she says the rules headed to LSU President F. King Alexander are meant to curb underage drinking for the sake of student safety.

Ponchatoula High School is closed today due to what authorities call an anonymous threat. They say law enforcement is checking the campus and classes will resume tomorrow.

One of the two men who went missing during a fishing trip off the coast of Cameron Parish, has died. State wildlife officials say the pair’s boat sank and they were in the water all night before being found Wednesday morning. 19-year-old Derek Romero of New Iberia lost his life, and Shane Marin, also 19, is listed in stable condition.

LSU is thinking about restricting drinking by student organizations on campus during football tailgates. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Should Louisiana get a cut of the profits from film projects that are produced in the state? Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is making such a proposal as a well to keep movie tax credits in place. He says he spoke with producers at the Grammy’s in Hollywood, and hasn’t heard a good reason why this would not work out for everyone…:
Cut 6 (06) “that before”

Lawmakers are set to take up a measure that would restrict college athletic teams from traveling more than 375 miles to play in games, with the exception of all LSU sports, and all football, baseball games and postseason play. Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter says Louisiana’s budget is in bad shape, and legislators have to figure out a way to cut back on spending…:
Cut 14 (05) “some dollars”
School leaders do not like this bill saying the only people it would hurt is students.

The Louisiana Cannabis Association commissioned a study which found that medical marijuana legalization, on a wide range of conditions, would not only improve health outcomes, but also give the state a huge economic boost. Spokesperson Jesse McCormick…:
CUT 8 (10) “health care dollars”
He estimates the economic impact for the state would be upwards of $330 million dollars.

A recent study looked at the economic impact of medical marijuana and what kind of market it would create in Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The full House approved two pro-life bills Wednesday. One would increase the wait time for reflection between pre-abortion counseling and the procedure from 24 to 72 hours. The other measure would require that abortion providers be board certified. The bills now move to the Senate.

There is a heated debate brewing on the LSU campus over whether drinking by students tailgating on gamedays should be more closely monitored. University leaders are considering several regulations that are designed to crack down on binge and underage drinking. LSU’s Dean of Students Maria (Ma-dee-ah) Fuentes-Martin says students are hurting themselves by having too much…:
Cut 10 (10) “our practices”
She says proposed rules would prohibit items like couches, punch bowls, and kegs from student association tailgates, and hiring a third party to serve alcohol.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser wants Hollywood South to share some of their profits in order to keep the film tax exemptions in place. He hopes to build such a partnership with movie producers who come to Louisiana…:
cut 4 (10) “a partnership”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser suggests movie producers who film in Louisiana share their profits so the state can keep film tax exemptions in place. Halen Doughty has more…:
CUT 1 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

One person is dead after a motorcyclist was hit by a school bus in St. Martin Parish Wednesday afternoon. State Police say 47-year-old Dennis Labbie of Breaux Bridge lost control of his motorcyclist and was ejected when he slide into the path of a St. Martin Parish school busy. Labbie was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The driver and the 6 passengers on the bus were not injured.

A study paid for by the Louisiana Cannabis Association finds medical marijuana could be a 200 to 330 million dollar industry, if the state loosens its restrictions on who could use the prescription drug. Spokesperson Jesse McCormick says under current law only about 4-thousand people can be legally prescribed medical marijuana…:
CUT 7 (10) “helping patients”
He says if medical marijuana was expanded to those with chronic pain and other serious ailments, the number of eligible patients increases to as much as 105-thousand.

The band director of LSU’s Golden Band from Tigerland was put on paid administrative leave Wednesday. According to Roy King’s lawyer, King is a target of a witch hunt, which LSU denies.

The House Education Committee rejected a bill to make a TOPS recipient pay back some or all of their scholarship if they fail or withdraw from school. Kenner Representative Julie Stokes authored the proposal. She says a lot of students get to college and have too much fun, then they end up dropping out.

cut 10 (04)  “take it seriously”

A proposal to increase the GPA a college student must achieve to keep their TOPS scholarship was also rejected.

Two new Zika cases have been confirmed in Louisiana, bringing the total number to four – but DHH says they are all okay. Medical Director for the Louisiana Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch says this Zika confirmation is really a few weeks late, because the tests had to be sent to the Center for Disease Control for confirmation.

cut 12 (07) “positive”

Welch says doctors have a much faster method for testing for Zika now.

Legislation that attempted to prevent local governments from removing Confederate monuments failed in a Senate Committee today. The bill would create a statewide commission that would have to grant a waiver before a monument could be altered, moved, or renamed. Confederate monument supporter Leslie Tassin says monuments of Confederate soldiers are a history lesson…

CUT 6 (04) “brighter future”

Opponents for the legislation believe it shouldn’t be up to the state what happens to city property.

A petition on change-dot-org is calling for Natchez, Mississippi, to secede from the state after legislators there approved a bill that allows individuals and institutions with religious obligations to deny services to gay people. Natchez resident Casey Hughes says she wants to send a message to people who would visit the historic city.

CUT 3 (08)  “to everyone”

Hughes says Natchez welcomes all kinds of people, even if the rest of the state does not.

The House Education Committee did not pass a bill to make a TOPS recipient pay back some or all of their scholarship if they fail or withdraw from school.  New Orleans Representative Walt Leger says changing TOPS to a loan makes it less of an opportunity for students.

CUT 9 (11) “many students”

Hammond Representative Chris Broadwater proposed a bill that would make TOPS a partial scholarship, in which recipients would receive more money each year. That bill also failed to make it out of committee. Broadwater says lawmakers have to do something to save the TOPS program.

Cut 11 (05) “a challenge”

The committee also rejected a proposal to increase the GPA a college student must achieve to keep their TOPS scholarship.

A rally in support of legislation to have 17-year-olds charged as juveniles rather than adults took place on the State Capitol steps yesterday. Meg Garvey with the Youth Justice Coalition says Louisiana is one of only 9 states that routinely prosecutes 17-year-olds as adults… with a law like this.

cut 23 (09) “and unfair”

Governor John Bel Edwards is spoke at the rally.

A bill that would prevent local governments from removing Confederate monuments failed in a Senate Committee today. Opponents for the legislation believe it shouldn’t be up to the state what happens to city property. Democrats on the panel voted against the bill, while Republicans supported it. Author of the legislation Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell urged legislators to vote favorably to allow the monuments to educate future generations…

CUT 8 (08) “shared history”

The bill failed on a 5-4 vote.

A bill that would prevent local governments from removing Confederate monuments failed in a Senate Committee. Confederate monument supporter Leslie Tassin says this issue is important to future generations so they will have the opportunity to understand the history of Louisiana. He says historic monuments shouldn’t be torn down, new monuments should be built.

CUT 7 (12) “their lives”

The bill failed on a 5-4 vote.

Two new Zika cases have been confirmed in Louisiana, bringing the total number to four. Medical Director for the Louisiana Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch says these results are from tests submitted 6 to 8 weeks ago. He says only one in five people who contract Zika actually get sick, and the illness only lasts three to five days.

Cut 13 (03)  “the illness”

The House Education Committee rejected a proposal to make a TOPS recipient pay back some or all of their scholarship if they fail or withdraw from school. Kenner Representative Julie Stokes authored the proposal. She says a lot of students get to college and have too much fun, then they end up dropping out.

cut 10 (04)  “take it seriously”

The committee also rejected a proposal to increase the GPA a college student must achieve to keep their TOPS scholarship.

A petition on change-dot-org is calling for Natchez, Mississippi, to secede from the state. The idea comes as a response to a bill that allows individuals and institutions with religious obligations to deny services to gay people. Natchez resident Casey Hughes says the petition was mostly a joke, but she wouldn’t mind if her town moved over to the Bayou State.

CUT 5 (08)  “that’d be great”

The petition has been signed by almost 700 people.

Today a Senate Committee failed to pass legislation that would prevent local governments from removing Confederate monuments. The bill would create a statewide commission that would require a waiver to alter, move, or rename a monument. Confederate monument supporter Leslie Tassin says monuments of Confederate soldiers are a history lesson…

CUT 6 (04) “brighter future”

Tassin says this issue is important for future generations to understand the history of Louisiana.

The total number of zika cases in Louisiana is now up to four, as two new zika cases have been confirmed. Medical Director for the Louisiana Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch says the mosquito that carries the Zika virus is active in Louisiana, but only in the summer. He says so far the only people who have gotten Zika were bit by mosquitos outside of the country.

cut 14 (06)  “has happened”

Welch says these cases were from people who had traveled to South America.

Three bills that would put limitations on the TOPS Scholarship Program failed to make it out of the House Education Committee today. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Search and rescue crews from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries found two 19-year-old off the coast of Cameron Parish this morning after their boat sank. Shane Martin of St. Martin Parish and Derek Romero of Iberia parish were reported missing last night. They were both taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries, but Romero did not survive the incident. The cause of death and why the boat sunk are not yet know.