The National Weather Service says as many as six tornadoes ripped through southeast Louisiana last night, impacting St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany parishes. A suspected tornado knocked down trees and power lines in areas around Roseland, Fluker and Kentwood. But Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says there are no deaths or major property damage.

Cut 12 (08) “…were damaged.”

The commissioner of agriculture and forestry is urging the federal government to allow guest workers back into the country to peel crawfish. Mike Strain says these guest workers have been doing the work for upwards of 18 dollars an hour; and it’s work that Americans will not do, to the chagrin of crawfish farmers.

Cut 10 (09) “…these workers in.”

The McNeese men’s basketball team is going dancing for a third straight year. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Two of the 70 birds seized in a cockfight in St. Landry Parish have been stolen from the parish’s animal control facility. This was the cockfight that was raided last weekend near Opelousas, in which more than 60 people were arrested, and guns and drugs were also seized.

The McNeese State men’s basketball team is going back to the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys secured their third consecutive Southland Tournament Championship with a dominant 76-59 win over Stephen F. Austin yesterday. Senior guard Javohn Garcia erupted for a career-high 31 points in the win. Garcia says the Cowboys were not going to let the Lumberjacks end their 27-game winning streak at home.

Cut 4 (10): “came out victors.”

The McNeese State women’s basketball team will try to clinch its bid to the NCAA Tournament today when it takes on Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. in the Southland Tournament Championship game.

The Lady Techsters are now just two wins away from earning their first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2011 after defeating Delaware 72-43 yesterday.

Louisiana Tech men’s basketball opens Conference USA Tournament play against Middle Tennessee today at 5:30 p.m.

The number-13 LSU baseball team ended its two-game losing streak Tuesday with an 8-4 win over Creighton. After missing the last 15 games with a hand injury, LSU senior outfielder Chris Stanfield made his return to the lineup. Coach Jay Johnson says having Stanfield in the lineup makes the Tigers better.

Cut 18 (15)  “…to be made.”

Johnson says whether or not Stanfield will start this weekend is still up in the air.

In high school basketball, twelfth-seeded Northside pulled off the biggest of the day yesterday with a 65-61 win over top-seeded Madison Prep in Division II select.

In Division I select, top-seeded John Curtis defeated Catholic High 47-39 yesterday to advance to the state title game.

Tonight in Division I Non-select, top-seeded Zachary and fourth-seeded Denham Springs square off against each other while sixth-seeded Central will take on second-seeded Ruston.

Crude oil prices have surpassed 90-dollars a barrel, and Triple-A says the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has reached $3.23. The International Energy Agency is releasing 400-million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, but LSU Center for Energy Studies director Greg Upton says that will not help with gas prices, instead it will ease short-term supply disruption…

Cut 6 (11) “…short run.”

The commissioner of agriculture and forestry is sounding the alarm over the lack of crawfish peelers in the state. Mike Strain says this is because the Department of Homeland Security has stopped processing H-2B applications for skilled guest workers, preventing them from coming back. 

Cut 9 (07)  “…skilled guest workers.”

McNeese men’s basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. This, after beating Stephen F. Austin, 76-59, to win the Southland Conference title. Senior guard Javohn Garcia, who erupted for a career-high 31 points in the win, says the Cowboys were not going to let the Lumberjacks end their 27-game winning streak at home.

Cut 4 (10) “…came out victors.”

Cut 25 (04) “…Alligator!”

Obviously, “alligator” has more than three letters, but there are now more than three-million alligators in Louisiana. As such, the Senate Natural Resources Committee approved a bill to create a recreational alligator hunting season. Wildlife and Fisheries General Counsel Garrett Cole says if there is one, interested recreational hunters would be chosen through a lottery.

Cut 11 (10) “…the secretary said.”

Small business owners have a laundry list of issues they’d like to see lawmakers tackle this session. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says navigating Louisiana’s complex taxation system continues to be a minefield for small business owners, and she says that can be alleviated by the legislature implementing a centralized sales tax.

Cut 9 (09)  “…remit sales tax.”

A lawmaker wants to give voters the final say on a minimum wage increase. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment would set Louisiana’s minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, and it would task a state agency to adjust it annually based on the consumer price index. Barrow says too many people in Louisiana still make minimum wage.

Cut 14 (07) “…$7.25 an hour.”

Two men are cited for allegedly shooting and killing a whooping crane in Evangeline Parish last month. Wildlife and Fisheries Corporal Tib Guillory says 36-year-old Logan Thrasher of St. Landry and 33-year-old Manuel Luis of Mexico face up to 120 days in jail and a 950-dollar fine, along with restitution.

Cut 6 (03) “…15-thousand dollars.”

Guillory says Thrasher and Luis were working on a farm where agents located the dead crane. Whooping cranes are an endangered species and, thus, are federally protected.

For the third year in a row, the McNeese Cowboys are going dancing. McNeese beat Stephen F. Austin yesterday, 76-59, to win their third straight Southland Conference title. Senior guard DJ Richards says earning their way back into the NCAA Tournament is an accomplishment no one can take away from them.

Cut 5 (09) “…hard to do.”

A lawmaker wants to give voters the final say on a minimum wage increase. Louisiana is one of 20 states in which the minimum wage aligns with the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has not changed since July of 2009. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says that’s just untenable.

Cut 13 (07)  “…a decent life.”

Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment would raise the minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, with annual increases in line with the consumer price index.

Small businesses in Louisiana are keeping a keen eye on Baton Rouge as the legislative session gets underway. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says one issue facing many small business owners is the quality of labor, and that’s something that she’d like the legislature to address.

Cut 7 (10) “…go to work.”

Legislation that would allow the Louisiana Wildlife Commission to establish a recreational alligator season has received approval from the Senate Natural Resources Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A National Guard member is arrested for accidentally shooting and injuring a fellow guardsman. New Orleans Police say 18-year-old Lindz Nagin was handling a gun when it accidentally went off, hitting the victim in the chest. The victim is in stable condition. Nagin is free on five-thousand dollars bond.

One state lawmaker wants voters to decide whether to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour. Business groups have said, let the market determine wages, but Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says $7.25 is not a livable wage…

Cut 14 (07) “…7.25 a n hour”

Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment would set Louisiana’s minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, and it would task a state agency to adjust it annually based on the consumer price index.

The McNeese Men’s basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season after beating Stephen F Austin 76-59 in the Southland Tournament Championship game. Coach Bill Armstrong took over for Will Wade and keeps the streak of Big Dance invitations going, but Armstrong credits the players…

Cut 3 (12) “…..work to do”

Armstrong becomes the first coach in Southland history to earn an NCAA Tournament bid in his first season as a Division One head coach.

Small businesses reported higher sales in February according to the monthly survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business. NFIB State Director Leah Long says small businesses are starting to see stronger sakes and she’s eager to see how the Louisiana Legislature can continue to help small businesses…

Cut 8 (08) “….workforce in Louisiana”

The One Door policy helps those individuals on government assistance receive job training and placement.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has charged two crawfish farm workers for allegedly killing whooping crane in Evangeline Parish. Corporal Tib Guillory says many of these birds are tracked, because there is not a lot of them in the wild. He says this particular whooping crane’s transmitter stopped sending data on February 28^th…

Cut 5 (10) “…check on them”

The whooping crane was fatally shot in Evangeline Parish and the two men face civil restitution totaling 15-thousand dollars.

Small business owners are keeping a keen eye on Baton Rouge now that the legislative session is underway. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Entergy is reporting 16-thousand customers in Louisiana are without power because of the severe weather that rolled through the state last night. Tangipahoa Parish has numerous trees down and they’ve delayed the start of school.

McNeese is heading back to the Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Cowboys beat Stephen F Austin yesterday for their third consecutive Southland title.

Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow wants voters to decide whether to raise the minimum wage from the current wage of $7.25 an hour. The wage has not changed since 2009 and previous attempts to raise it have been defeated, with business groups telling lawmakers it will raise costs and lead to fewer jobs. But Barrow says the business owners she spoke with, say that’s not the case…

Cut 15 (12) “…with your employees”

Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the minimum wage to $10.25 an hour and adjust it annually based on the consumer price index will be debated sometime in this session.

A bill advancing to the Senate floor would allow the Louisiana Wildlife Fisheries Commission to establish a recreational alligator hunting season. LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth there’s a commercial alligator hunting season which the reality show Swamp People made popular, but they want to open it up to five-thousand recreational hunters…

Cut 12 (08) “…want to experience”

A lottery would determine who can hunt alligators.

One lawmaker wants to let voters have the final say on the minimum wage. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Gas prices increased a few more pennies over night to a statewide average of $3.23 for a gallon of regular gasoline. According to AAA, gas prices are 33-cents higher than this time last week and 72-cents higher than a month ago. The International Energy Agency says it will release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserve, but analysts say that will not help bring gas prices back down.

Two men are cited for allegedly shooting and killing a whooping crane in Evangeline Parish last month. LDWF agents cited 36-year-old Logan Thrasher of St. Landry and 33-year-old Manuel Luis of Mexico for violating the migratory bird treaty act in killing the bird. Wildlife and Fisheries Corporal Tib Guillory says whooping cranes are federally protected.

Cut 4 (06) “…lot of them”

Louisiana could soon have a recreational alligator hunting season. There’s a commercial alligator hunting season, but Franklin Senator Robert Allain says with the number of alligators increasing in the state, he would like to open alligator hunting to recreational hunters.

Cut 10 (09) “…to hunt alligators.”

According to the bill that’s heading to the senate floor, recreational hunters would not be allowed to shoot alligators; it would be hook and line harvesting from land.

Small business owners are keeping a keen eye on Baton Rouge now that the legislative session is underway. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Legislation that would allow the Louisiana Wildlife Commission to establish a recreational alligator season has received approval from the Senate Natural Resources Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________________________

One lawmaker wants to let voters have the final say on the minimum wage. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Two men are cited for allegedly shooting and killing a whooping crane in Evangeline Parish last month. LDWF agents cited 36-year-old Logan Thrasher of St. Landry and 33-year-old Manuel Luis of Mexico for violating the migratory bird treaty act in killing the bird. Wildlife and Fisheries Corporal Tib Guillory says whooping cranes are federally protected.

Cut 4 (06) “…lot of them”

Guillory says as such, whooping crane biologists place GPS collars on as many of them as they can so that they can alert certain people that the birds are near them and they should be left alone.

Cut 5 (10) “…check on them.”

LDWF agents were led to Thrasher and Luis because they were working on the farm where the whooping crane was found shot to death and on the day when he stopped sending data. Guillory says the two men face up to 120 days in jail and a 950-dollar fine, along with restitution.

Cut 6 (03) “…15-thousand dollars.”

____________________________________________________

Small businesses in Louisiana are keeping a keen eye on Baton Rouge as the legislative session gets underway. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says one issue facing many small business owners is the quality of labor, and that’s something that she’d like the legislature to address.

Cut 7 (10) “…go to work.”

Concerns over labor quality caused a slight drop in the monthly Small Business Optimism Index, but that was tempered somewhat by strong sales and profit figures that are causing them to feel more certain in the coming months. Long says the legislature made great strides last year, and she wants to see that momentum continue.

Cut 8 (08) “…workforce in Louisiana.”

Long says navigating Louisiana’s complex taxation system continues to be a minefield for small business owners, and she says that can be alleviated by the legislature implementing a centralized sales tax.

Cut 9 (09)  “…remit sales tax.”

________________________________________________________

Louisiana could soon have a recreational alligator hunting season. There’s a commercial alligator hunting season, but Franklin Senator Robert Allain says with the number of alligators increasing in the state, he would like to open alligator hunting to recreational hunters.

Cut 10 (09) “…to hunt alligators.”

About 50 years ago, the state’s alligator population was below 100-thousand; but thanks to conservation efforts, there are now more than three-million gators in the state, with about two-million in the wild. Wildlife and Fisheries General Counsel Garrett Cole says interested recreational hunters would be chosen through a lottery.

Cut 11 (10) “…the secretary said.”

The recreational hunters would not be allowed to shoot alligators; it would be hook and line harvesting from land. LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth says they want to provide this recreational opportunity for the common folk of Louisiana.

Cut 12 (08) “…want to experience.”

The Senate Natural Resources Committee approved the bill to create a recreational alligator hunting season. It now heads to the Senate floor for more discussion. It would be the Louisiana Wildlife Commission that would set up the official rules and regulations.

___________________________________________________________

A lawmaker wants to give voters the final say on a minimum wage increase. Louisiana is one of 20 states in which the minimum wage aligns with the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has not changed since July of 2009. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says that’s just untenable.

Cut 13 (07)  “…a decent life.”

That’s why Barrow is proposing a constitutional amendment not only to increase the minimum wage immediately, but also to make sure it keeps up with inflation. Barrow’s proposal would set Louisiana’s minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, and it would task a state agency to adjust it annually based on the consumer price index. Barrow says too many people in Louisiana still make minimum wage.

Cut 14 (07) “…$7.25 an hour.”

This is by no means the first time someone has proposed an increase to the state’s minimum wage. In all previous attempts, business groups have pushed back, saying raising the minimum wage would lead to higher consumer prices and fewer jobs. Barrow says business owners she’s spoken to disagree with that notion.

Cut 15 (12) “…with your employees.”

Since this is a proposed constitutional amendment, it will require a two-thirds majority in both houses before it goes to the voters.

_____________________________________________________________

The number-13 LSU baseball team ended its two-game losing streak Tuesday with an 8-4 win over Creighton. The Tigers also appeared to shake off their hitting slump, recording nine hits, including two home runs. Junior outfielder Jake Brown said the team held a players-only meeting before the game to address the struggles.

Cut 16 (12) “…next to you.”

Brown hit his ninth home run in Tuesday’s win and leads the Tigers in home runs, batting average, RBI and stolen bases. He credits his offseason work to helping him get off to a fast start this season.

Cut 17 (11)  “…perform so far.”

After missing the last 15 games with a hand injury, LSU senior outfielder Chris Stanfield made his return to the lineup. Coach Jay Johnson says having Stanfield in the lineup makes the Tigers better.

Cut 18 (15)  “…to be made.”

Johnson says whether or not Stanfield will start this weekend is still up in the air.

_______________________________________________________

The LSU men’s basketball season ended Wednesday with an 87-82 loss to ninth-seeded Kentucky in the opening round of the SEC Tournament. The Tigers finished 15-and-17, marking the second consecutive and third overall losing season under head coach Matt McMahon in his four years in Baton Rouge. McMahon acknowledged the criticism surrounding the program.

Cut 19 (18) “…make moving forward.”