The state House has sent legislation that would raise the tax on cigarettes to a conference committee to work out the differences between the two chambers. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

LSU shortstop Alex Bregman didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called during the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft. The Astros chose Bregman with the number two overall pick. Bregman and the Tigers will play their first game in the College World Series on Sunday afternoon. They’ll face TCU, who outlasted Texas A-and-M 5 to 4 in 16 innings.

The Red River has crested in Shreveport at 37 feet and the National Weather Service says the water will begin to go down starting tonight. Hydrologist CS Ross says there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms today, decreasing overnight, but they will only be in isolated amounts…:
CUT 8 (12) “on the Red River”
The reading mark today has not been exceeded since April 1945.

The Alexandria Police Department says a man is under arrest on murder charges accused of killing someone at a tattoo shop. Spokesman Lt. Bruce Fairbanks says officers arrived on scene and found a deceased man and also the suspect, 43-year-old Daymein Boyd of Alexandria…:
CUT 13 (07) “drug paraphernalia”
The victim has been identified as 42-year-old John Williams. Fairbanks says the two apparently got into some sort of heated argument.

The state House has sent the cigarette tax legislation to a conference committee so they can work out differences between the two chambers. The lower chamber passed the measure raising the tax to 68 cents per pack. The Senate amended the bill to raise the tax to $1.08. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says the Senate hike is too much…:
CUT 9 (10) “amendment on this”
An 81-15 House vote sends the measure to a conference committee.

Getting final legislative approval today is a bill that would give domestic violence abuse victims special housing protections such as breaking a lease to escape an abuser. Supporters say woman who are abused need more safe guarding when it comes to escaping a violent situation.

Widespread flooding in Northwest Louisiana continues as the Red River finally hits it crest at 37 feet where it is expected to remain today. CS Ross, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says now areas further south are about to get more water…:
CUT 8 (11) “Louisiana”
He says in the Shreveport area the water will begin to go down now through the weekend.

A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the unconditional release of 68-year-old Albert Woodfox, the last imprisoned member of the Angola 3. Woodfox has spent over 40 years in solitary confinement for apparent involvement in a prison guard’s murder. Amnesty International’s Jasmine Heiss says Louisiana needs to let Woodfox out…:
CUT 5 (09) “way of justice”
The state has already begun the appeals process.

A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the unconditional release of 68-year-old Albert Woodfox, the last imprisoned member of the Angola 3. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

The state House rejects the Senate’s changes to the cigarette tax bill on a 81-15 vote sending the legislation to conference committee where both sides can hash it out. The Senate wanted the cigarette tax to be up with the Southern Regional Average of $1.08 but the House wanted to keep the increase at 32 cents lifting Louisiana’s tax to 68 cents per pack. It was unlikely the House would go along with the higher increase.

The Alexandria Police Department says a man is under arrest on murder charges accused of killing someone at a tattoo shop. Spokesman Lt. Bruce Fairbanks says they responded to the Sacred Art tattoo shop monday afternoon and located the victim who’d been shot and was unresponsive…:
CUT 12 (06) “immediately”
Fairbanks says 43-year-old Daymein Boyd was arrested and charged with second degree murder. He believes the motive for the shooting was a fight between the two men.

According to a report from Fuelfix.com, gas prices won’t go any higher this year and motorists will enjoy the lowest gas prices in years for the summer. The current statewide average stands at $2.53 a gallon.

Widespread flooding in Northwest Louisiana continues as the Red River finally hits it crest at 37 feet where it is expected to remain today. CS Ross, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says they predict the water will finally start to go down a bit by tonight…:
CUT 6 (08) “upcoming weekend”
He says they are expecting small rain chances this week but nothing that will affect the River basin as they don’t expect it will crest again in Shreveport.

Sterlington Police say a man is in the Ouachita Correctional Center after allegeldy severely burning his pregnant girlfriend during a fight over bills, causing second and third degree burns and resulting in the loss of her pregnancy. 23-year-old Darren Lambert is charged with aggravated domestic abuse involving burning. The man is accused of pouring rubbing alcohol on the victim then lighting her on fire with a cigarette.

A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the unconditional release of 68-year-old Albert Woodfox, the last imprisoned member of the Angola 3. Woodfox has spent over 40 years in solitary confinement for the 1972 killing of Angola prison guard Brent Miller. Amnesty International’s Jasmine Heiss says it’s time for the state to stop blocking Woodfox’s release…:
CUT 3 (07) “to do so”
The state’s Attorney General’s Office has filed a notice of appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

As expected, the State House has decided not to agree to the Senate amendment on the cigarette tax bill which would raise it to $1.08 a pack — matching the Southern Regional average. Lawmakers in the lower chamber are more comfortable with raising the tax 32 cents to 68 cents a pack. The bill now heads to a conference committee.

A measure which would reduce pot sentences in Louisiana is headed to Governor Jindal’s desk. The measure would drastically reduce penalties for those busted with 14 grams of pot or less. Metairie Representative JOe Lopinto says we have some of the harshest marijuana penalties in the country and this is a smart bill that cleans up the books…:
CUT 16 (08) “make sense”
The House voted 74-19 to approve amendments added to the bill on the Senate side.

In Baton Rouge a federal judge has ordered the release of the remaining imprisoned member of the Angola 3. 68-year-old Albert Woodfox has been at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and other state prisons for more than 40 years for his apparent involvement with the murder of a prison guard. The state is in the process of appealing the ruling.

It looks as if Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany is considering a run for the US Senate if Senator David Vitter is elected governor this year. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

The LSU Tiger Baseball team will take on TCU Sunday in the College World Series. The Horned Frogs earned their trip to Omaha after defeating Texas A&M 5-4 in 16 innings last night. The first pitch is scheduled for 2pm and the game will be on ESPN.

The state legislature will continue to have authority over tuition costs. Jeff Palermo explains…

cut 3 (30) “Palermo”

Sterlington Police say a man is under arrest accused of setting his pregnant girlfriend on fire. Authorities say 23-year-old Darren Lambert and his girlfriend were having an argument over paying bills. At some point it is alleged that Lambert threw rubbing alcohol on her and lit it on fire. Court reports show doctors told the victim, who was 9 weeks pregnant, she lost the baby due to the stress of the abuse. Lambert is currently facing aggravated domestic abuse charges.

A higher education tax credit that provides an offset to revenue generating bills, receives a cold shoulder from House members. Critics say the SAVE Act is complicated and is only offered so Governor Jindal doesn’t break his no-new-taxes pledge. New Orleans Representative Jeff Arnold says there are other bills that could provide the offset needed for Jindal to keep his pledge…

cut 10 (09) “using this”

Without the SAVE Act, Jindal is expected to veto revenue generating bills that restore cuts to higher ed and health care.

Abortions in Louisiana have jumped in number since 2010, while nearly everywhere else they’ve gone down, according to a new report. Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Ben Clapper says while lawmakers have tried to make it harder to end a pregnancy in Louisiana, the five clinics here only sell abortions and all they care about is collecting the $450…

cut 13 (09) “off the procedure”

The study indicates the number of abortions here is up 12 percent between 2010 and 2014.

House members have given a cold shoulder to a higher education tax credit that provides an offset to revenue generating bills. Even Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh, who was pushing the House to pass the SAVE Act, admitted the legislation was peculiar…

cut 9 (08) “makes sense”

Seabaugh eventually withdrew his attempt to add the SAVE Act to another bill.

Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany could be considering a run for the US Senate if Senator David Vitter is elected governor this fall. The congressman has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months. Boustany says he’ll make a decision on his political future at a later time…

cut 5 (08) “presents itself”

Boustany is serving his sixth term in Congress and sits on the House Ways and Means Committee.

The National Weather Service says the Red River in Shreveport has crested right at 37 feet and is expected to remain at that level today. Caddo Parish authorities say approximately 300 structures and 36 roads have been affected by floodwaters. Officials say levees are holding with four to five feet between the top of the river and the top of the levee system.

According to a new report, abortions in Louisiana have jumped in number since 2010, while nearly everywhere else they’ve gone down. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

A higher education tax credit that provides an offset to revenue generating bills, receives a cold shoulder from House members. The legislation is called the SAVE ACT. But Democrats, like Amite Representative John Bel Edwards, says the measure makes no sense for the legislature to pass it…

cut 8 (10) “what are you assessing”

Without the SAVE Act, Jindal is expected to veto revenue generating bills that restore cuts to higher ed and health care.

A new report shows the number of abortions in Louisiana have jumped since 2010, while they’ve gone down nearly everywhere else. Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Ben Clapper says Texas laws have closed one third of their abortion facilities and there is only one clinic in Mississippi…

cut 12 (10) “income”

Clapper says abortions for non-residents jumped by more than 1200 between 2010 and 2012.

Legislation that would dramatically decrease Louisiana’s tough pot possession penalties is headed to Governor Bobby Jindal’s desk. The proposed law would essentially end the possibility someone could be jailed 20 years for repeatedly getting arrested with only a small amount of marijuana. But Metairie Representative Joe Lopinto says the measure also increases penalties if you’re busted with large amounts…

cut 15 (09) “of marijuana”

Jindal has told reporters that he would sign this bill.

It looks like Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany may be considering a run for the US Senate if Senator David Vitter is elected governor this year. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross thinks it’s a really strong possibility that Boustany would vie for Vitter’s seat…

cut 6 (07) “frontrunner, initially”

Cross says other potential candidates could include Minden Congressman John Fleming and state Treasurer John Kennedy.