8:30 LRN Newscast

A federal grand jury in Monroe has handed down an indictment against a former State Police Trooper who based on his own body camera video used a flashlight to hit a Black suspect 18 times during an arrest. Thirty-one-year-old Jacob Brown’s indictment is for deprivation of rights under color of law. Legal analyst Tim Meche says there are avenues Brown’s legal counsel could take to clear him…
cut 14 (10) “…a mile long”
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown could face up to ten years in prison.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office confirms their K-9, Ivar, died of heat exhaustion after a deputy left him in a patrol car unattended. The five-year-old dog died on August 20th. Sheriff Jason Ard says the deputy responsible for Ivar’s death was disciplined, but no specifics were given.

With thousands of people displaced as a result of Hurricane Ida, Governor Edwards hopes a decision comes soon from FEMA on temporary housing…
cut 1 (30) “…Brooke Thorington”

Louisiana National Guard spokesperson Noel Collins says there are still 12 points of distribution sites running in four parishes…
cut 11 (11) “…bags of ice”

7:30 LRN Newscast

A federal grand jury indicts a former Monroe area State Trooper with a civil rights violation in the May 2019 arrest and beating of Aaron Bowman. Jacob Brown’s bodycam footage shows him striking Bowman 18 times with his MagLite. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s important to remember a federal indictment is not for committing a violent crime.
Cut 13 (09) “…jurisdiction over that.”
The 31-year-old Brown has been indicted with a single count of deprivation of rights and if convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison.

Hurricane Ida left an estimated eight thousand homes unlivable and some of those individuals are living in tents and rubble where their homes once stood. Thousands of others are displaced. Governor Edwards hopes FEMA will make an announcement very soon on temporary housing…
cut 9 (11) “…look like” (2x)

This Sunday marks four weeks since Hurricane Ida made landfall. The Louisiana National Guard has distributed more than six-point two million MREs, seven-point eight million liters of water, one-point-three million pounds of ice, and 307-thousand tarps to more than 80 Point of Distribution sites. Spokesperson Noel Collins says at one time the entire National Guard was deployed…
cut 12 (11) “…service members”

State Police will provide free child passenger safety seat checks tomorrow as part of National Seat Check Saturday. Sergeant James Anderson says unfortunately in many cases, child safety seats are not used correctly…
cut 6 (11) “….not being used”
In Alexandria, child safety seat inspection station will be held at Rapides Regional Hospital from 9 AM to noon.

6:30 LRN Newscast

A federal grand jury indicts former Monroe area State Police trooper Jacob Brown for the May 2019 flashlight beating of a man during an arrest. More from Kevin Gallagher.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

The St. Tammany Parish coroner says the remains of 71-year-old Timothy Satterlee Senior were found inside a 12-foot alligator. Satterlee’s wife says her husband was attacked by the alligator while checking on something in his shed the day after Hurricane Ida made landfall. DNA was used to identify Satterlee.

There are 25-thousand people living in hotels paid for by FEMA because their homes are currently uninhabitable due to Hurricane Ida. Governor John Bel Edwards says they are waiting on a final decision from FEMA on the next steps for temporary housing…
cut 8 (09) “…barges”
Edwards hopes FEMA will make these announcements very soon.

Louisiana State Police is participating in National Seat Check Saturday. Sergeant James Anderson says from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow troopers will provide free child passenger safety seat checks throughout the state…
Cut 4 (11) “…they’re installed properly.”
Each troop will have a child safety seat inspection station. In Lafayette, the event location is at Ochsner-Lafayette General.

5:30 LRN Newscast Sept 23

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is taking the state’s GOP congressional members to task. He said they voted earlier this week against a continuing resolution to keep the government running with a higher debt ceiling, even though the legislation included 28-billion-dollars in emergency relief for Louisiana and elsewhere.

Cut 12 (09) “….all against it”  

Governor Edwards reports from his DC trip to secure disaster funding. He says the main focus of this trip is to gain funding for unmet housing needs after the 2020 hurricanes and while there he’s also laying the foundation for Ida needs.

Cut 5 (08) “…Louisiana.”

The governor has been meeting with decision-makers since Monday and today is his last day in DC.

Hurricane Ida delivered another devastating blow to the state’s seafood industry. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The St. Tammany Parish coroner’s office confirms the remains found in an alligator’s stomach are those of Timothy Satterlee Sr, who was last seen in a death roll with an alligator as he was walking in knee high water on his property the day after Ida made landfall. His wife went to get help because she couldn’t call 9-1-1 after the storm with phone lines down and when she returned his body, and the alligator were gone, weeks later the gator was located and killed.

 

4:30 pm LRN Newscast Sept 23

Governor John Bel Edwards says two bills are moving through congress to fund Louisiana disaster relief. Brooke Thorington has more from his trip to D.C…:

CUT 01(31)          “…Thorington”

Westbound lanes of the I-10 Bridge over the Calcasieu River in Lake Charles are reopened, but eastbound lanes remain closed at this hour. DOTD says inspectors want to assure the fiery big rig crash that happened last night has not compromised the bridge’s already fragile stability. Traffic is being diverted onto I-210.

 

A federal grand jury indicts former Monroe area State Trooper Jacob Brown on charges he violated the civil rights of Aaron Bowman during a 2019 roadside arrest. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Brown’s defense will have a tough job convincing a jury that hitting Bowman 18 times with his MagLite was appropriate, but…
CUT 28  (05)        “…and sit down”

Brown could face up to ten years in prison if convicted.

As feared, Hurricane Ida dealt a serious blow to Louisiana’s multi-billion dollar seafood industry. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says 150-mile-an-hour winds caused major damage to fishing boats and oyster beds have been shut down; leading to big shortages. He says federal assistance will certainly be needed to get commercial fishermen back on their feet…:

CUT 08  (11)        “…the most”

Nungesser says oyster beds could reopen soon, once state inspectors determine they’re uncompromised.

3:30 pm LRN Newscast Sept 23

Governor John Bel Edwards has been in DC this week meeting with lawmakers in hopes of getting disaster relief money for the state. He says he feels it’s been a productive week and measures have been introduced in both chambers for disaster relief for the nation as a whole for 2020 and 21…:

CUT 03(11)      “…which state.”

Opposition to the bills are concerned with the trillions they will add to the national debt, and the increases in federal spending for things other than disaster help.

Public Service Commission member Foster Campbell supports the Democrat spending bills because of the billions for Louisiana hurricane relief, and feels state Republicans who oppose are voting against helping victims of recent storms…:

CUT 14(09)      “…have to do.”

 

A former Monroe area State Police trooper seen on viral video beating a man with his flashlight during a traffic stop has been indicted. A federal grand jury returned the indictment for excessive force; charging him with deprivation of rights related to the May 2019 incident in which he used the flashlight on an arrestee identified only as “A.B.” If 31-year-old former trooper Jacob Brown is eventually convicted, he could face up to ten years in prison and heavy fines.

Hurricane Ida delivered another blow to the state’s seafood industry, which annually produces millions of pounds of fish, shrimp, crabs, and more. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says oysters are in short supply because oyster beds are closed, and then there’s all the damaged fishing boats. He says shrimpers could have it pretty bad as well…:

CUT 07(06)      “…were sunk.”

Nungesser says thousands of fishermen will need federal help to get back on their feet.

2:30 pm LRN Newscast Sept 23

As feared, Hurricane Ida has delivered another devastating blow to the state’s seafood industry. Jeff Palermo has the story…:

CUT 02(30)      “…Palermo.”

The St Tammany Parish coroner confirms the human remains found inside an alligator killed near Slidell are those of Tim Satterlee Sr., who was attacked near his home by the animal on August 30th. The gator was captured and killed two weeks later; its stomach found to contain parts of a person that were an 11-point DNA match for Satterlee.

 

It looks like it will be some time before the I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles will completely reopen, after a vehicle fire last night. DOTD secretary Shawn Wilson says the bridge will remain closed until further notice to complete an inspection of the span. He says inspectors are evaluating the bridge for any possible structural damage…:

CUT 11(09)      “…it back up.”

This just in – the westbound lanes of that bridge are reopened, but eastbound lanes remain closed at this hour.

State Public Service Commission member Foster Campbell has a few cross words for Louisiana Republican congressional delegates who oppose a spending bill with billion for storm recovery in our state. That bill would raise the country’s debt ceiling by a huge margin. Campbell says folks with no power and broken roofs in Terrebonne and Lafourche don’t care about party politics…:

CUT 13(09)      “…Republican Party”

1:30 LRN Newscast September 23

Governor Edwards says there are two measures in the works in both chambers of Congress to fund disaster relief. Brooke Thorington has more from his DC trip.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

The Death toll has climbed to 15 among those hundreds of nursing home residents evacuated to an ill-equipped Tangipahoa Parish warehouse ahead of Hurricane Ida’s landfall late last month. The Louisiana Department of Health says at least five deaths were storm-related. Death causes for the other ten have not been confirmed.

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is taking the state’s GOP congressmen to task. He said they voted earlier this week against a continuing resolution to keep the government running with a higher debt ceiling, even though the legislation included 28-billion-dollars in emergency relief for Louisiana and elsewhere.

Cut 12 (09) “….all against it”  

Hurricane Ida delivered another blow to the state’s seafood industry, which annually produces millions of pounds of fish, shrimp, crabs and oysters. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says Ida’s 150-mile per hour winds on the southeastern coast of Louisiana caused major damage to boats and docks

Cut 6 (12) “…damaged” 

Nungesser says fishermen will need federal assistance in order to bounce back from this destructive hurricane.

12:30 LRN Newscast Sept 23

Governor Edwards reports from his DC trip to secure disaster funding. He says the main focus of this trip is to gain funding for unmet housing needs after the 2020 hurricanes and while there he’s also laying the foundation for Ida needs.

Cut 5 (08) “…Louisiana.”

The governor has been meeting with decision-makers since Monday and today is his last day in DC

The DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the I-10 Calcasieu Bridge is closed after a vehicle fire last night. He suspects damage was confined mostly to the deck of the bridge compared to an earlier fire near the 310.

Cut 10 (08)  “…burn as long” 

The bridge will remain closed pending inspection.

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins isn’t happy with talks on Capitol Hill about money proposed for hurricane disaster aid to Louisiana and hiking the federal debt limit.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Dave Brannen.”

 

11:30 LRN Newscast Sept 23

State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says the I-10 Calcasieu Bridge is closed to traffic after a vehicle fire last night.

Cut 9 (12) “…as we speak” 

The bridge will remain closed pending an inspection. Meanwhile, DOTD has temporarily opened two lanes to I-10 East to the East flyover ramp and two lanes to the I-210 eastbound to the I-10 westbound flyover to ease congestion.

Governor Edwards reports from his DC trip that legislation for disaster relief the nation has been introduced in both chambers. He says there’s significant help in the bills for housing needs and others as well.

Cut 4 (12) “…grant portion.”

The 16-year-old driver of a fatal crash that killed two teens in Madisonville last month has been arrested after a toxicology report came back indicating she was under the influence during the crash. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Captain Lance Vitter says the driver faces numerous charges for the August 4th single-car crash.
Cut 13 (09) “…seriously injured.”

The State Department of Education launches the Reimagine School Systems Program.  Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley says a 35-million-dollar grant will improve student access to high-quality schools and the grant money will be divided up among those chosen for the program, with no funding limit in place.

Cut 6 (o9) “…any individual idea”

Designated schools will receive technical assistance in implementing their plan and financial resources to fund it.