Northwestern State is raffling off a 265-thousand-dollar home, with the proceeds going to support the school’s athletics department. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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The Louisiana State Fair gets underway today at the Fairgrounds in Shreveport. Joe Gallinaro has preview.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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The two biggest online sports betting companies are facing a class action lawsuit filed in New Orleans. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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You could win a 265-thousand-dollar home by purchasing a 100-dollar raffle ticket from the Northwestern State athletics department. NSU partnered with Rhodes Properties and Developments to create the Demon Dream Home Giveaway to support the operating budgets for the school’s 14 varsity sports. Northwestern State Athletic Director Kevin Bostian (“Boston”) says they approached him with the idea of donating the three-bedroom house to raffle off, and he was all for it.

Cut 4 (10) “…backs of donors.”

The over 14-hundred-square-foot house is located in the new Hidden Oak subdivision near Sibley Lake in Natchitoches. The deadline to purchase a raffle ticket is Tuesday, and a winner will be drawn next Friday. Bastion says other prizes are available, and you can do whatever you want with the house.

Cut 5 (13) “…help do that.”

Bastion says operating costs are higher than ever, and Northwestern State is getting creative to generate revenue. He says the athletics department recently hosted a country music concert, and the Demon Dream Home giveaway is another initiative that has been received well.

Cut 6 (12) “…not on individuals.”

Bastion says he hopes to generate a couple hundred thousand dollars to be split among Northwestern State’s 14 athletics programs with nearly 400 student-athletes.

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The State Fair of Louisiana begins its 120th year today at the Fairgrounds in Shreveport. One of the great new attractions is the Freedom 250 Wheel. The 110-foot Ferris wheel was in Washington D-C this past summer for the Great American Fair. Russell Adams with the Louisiana State Fair says their carnival operator, Talley Amusements, owns the Ferris wheel.

Cut 7 (11) “…the State Fair.”

The Louisiana State Fair runs through November 15th and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Adams says it’s the largest livestock show and carnival in the state. He says there’s something for everyone.

Cut 8 (10) “…a petting zoo.”

Adams says the State Fair of Louisiana attracts 128-thousand people.

Cut 9 (04)  “…the State Fair.”

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Eligible Entergy Louisiana customers can apply for a one-time 100-dollar bill credit. The credit is issued through local United Way chapters throughout the state. Tami Chrisope (CHRIS-up) with the United Way of Southwest Louisiana says eligibility is expanded beyond customers living below the federal poverty level.

Cut 10 (08) “…necessities every month.”

Chrisope says Entergy Louisiana takes pride in this venture.

Cut 11 (06) “…are their customers.”

Chrisope says applicants will need to provide a photo ID and either the first page of their 2025 tax returns, their 2025 W-2s, their most recent pay stubs or their 1099 or 1042S forms.

Cut 12 (11) “…things like that.”

Applications will be accepted as long as funds are available.

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A class action lawsuit has been filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court against online sports betting giants DraftKings and FanDuel. Attorney Jennifer Hoekstra (HOKE-strah), who represents plaintiffs Adrian Payton, Toi Smith and Yolanda Perkins, says the two companies go to great lengths to keep users addicted to online gambling.

Cut 13 (10)  “…them back in.”

Hoekstra says DraftKings and FanDuel use predatory methods to keep users addicted so that they can maximize their profits.

Cut 14 (09) “…a thousand dollars.”

Hoekstra says the suit also names the two casino licensees, Amelia Belle Casino and Bally’s Baton Rouge, whose state licenses anchor the apps’ operation in Louisiana.

Cut 15 (12) “…through their licenses.”

Together, DraftKings and FanDuel hold 75-percent of the online betting market in Louisiana.

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During the bye week, LSU is preparing for its biggest game yet. The Tigers host tenth-ranked Alabama next Saturday, and coach Lane Kiffin says the Crimson Tide are more talented than any team they have faced this season.

Cut 16 (19) “…teams we played.”

Kickoff in Tiger Stadium is set for 2:30. It will be the first day meeting between LSU and Alabama in Baton Rouge since 2010. Kiffin says he never even considered the game would not be played at night, but he jokes that it makes sense given the feathers his Tigers might have ruffled in the league offices this year.

Cut 17 (12) “…I’m not surprised.”

Kiffin says the bye week will be a good chance to get players healthy and even try guys out at new positions, but he is upset that it comes right as the team is finding its rhythm. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and the offense have been playing some of their best ball the last two weeks, and Kiffin says one of his biggest joys in coaching is seeing improvement.

Cut 18 (15)  “…the players’ development.”

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ULM secured that elusive first victory this season with a 21-14 comeback win over Troy. Coach Bryant Vincent says they have played a lot of close games this season.

Cut 19 (20) “…bring that back.”

The Warhawks return home to host Southern Miss this weekend. The Golden Eagles are also coming off their first FBS win this season with a 35-31 win against UL Lafayette.

Southern Miss allows more yards than any team in the Sun Belt, but the offense ranks in the top half of the league. Vincent says the way they have improved the last few weeks reminds him of his own team, and the Warhawks need to be ready for coach Blake Anderson’s offense.

Cut 20 (16) “…everybody some problems.”

Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m.

Early voting for the November 3rd election is over, with nearly 521,000 voters casting ballots. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans among early voters by nearly 16,000. Also added to the mix are almost 93-thousand no-party voters. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says no party voters tend to vote Republican in Louisiana

Cut 4 (08) “…are Republican voters.”

Halloween is a hit again this year with almost three-quarters of Americans saying they’ll celebrate.  National Retail Federation Senior Analyst Lea Grgich says shoppers are expected to spend two-billion dollars on adult Halloween costumes.

Cut28 (08)  “…and Spider-Man.”

Grgich says comic book characters dominate Halloween costume choices for kids.

With less than a week to go until Election Day, how are supporters of Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis feeling? Former Democratic lawmaker Melissa Flournoy tells Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana that Davis has run a great campaign, especially with limited resources.

Cut 9 (09)  “…you can trust.”

At an event in Lafayette last week that marked the kickoff to early voting, a Letlow supporter said the congresswoman is the only viable option to send to the U.S. Senate.

Cut 10 (11) “…to be Julia.”

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin said today he was shocked to see that the November seventh game between the Tigers and Alabama will not kick-off at night. The game is scheduled for a 2:30 start and Kiffin joked if you thought the SEC would give LSU the advantage by playing the game at night than you must have been on Mars the last four months.

With less than a week to go before Election Day, supporters of Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis are pulling out the stops in getting the word out about their choice for U.S. Senate.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Authorities in Carencro say a three-year-old child died last night after being struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux following a trunk or treat event. Carencro Police Chief David Anderson says their hearts and prayers are with the child’s family. Details of how it happened have not been released and it’s unknown if anyone has been citied or arrested.

Early voting for the November 3rd election is over, with nearly 521,000 voters casting ballots. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans among early voters by nearly 16,000. That could be a concern for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Julia Letlow. But LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says strong election day turnout in two congressional races, the fifth and sixth district, could help offset that gap.

Cut 3 (11) “…might incur statewide.”

Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded Louisiana’s state credit rating from Double-A negative (AA-) to Double-A (AA), with a stable outlook. State Treasurer John Fleming…

Cut 15 (08) “….that we’re showing”

Early voting wrapped up with Democrats outnumbering Republicans at the polls by almost 16-thousand among the nearly 521-thousand early and absentee ballots cast. Former Democratic lawmaker Melissa Flournoy tells Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana it underscores the energy and enthusiasm Democrats have for Jamie Davis and in this election as a whole.

Cut 11 (10) “…African American leader.”

Citing the two publicly-released polls that show Julia Letlow leading Davis by a much smaller margin than originally forecast, a Letlow supporter said at an early voting kickoff event last week that this election cannot be taken for granted.

Cut 12 (08) “…out and vote.”

Election Day is next Tuesday; polls are open from six a-m to eight p-m. Along with the U.S. Senate general election, it’s also the open primary for the six U.S. House races, and voters will decide ten constitutional amendments.

The final month of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday. So far, the 2026 season has produced just 10 named storms and one hurricane. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says as expected, El Nino has limited storm formation this year. He says this will be two years in a row that Louisiana did not have a hurricane make landfall along the state’s coast.

Cut 8 (11) “…juncture.”

The State Fair of Louisiana begins its 120th year tomorrow at the Fairgrounds in Shreveport. One of the great new attractions is the Freedom 250 Wheel, which was in Washington D-C this past summer for the Great American Fair. Russell Adams with the Louisiana State Fair says their carnival operator, Talley Amusements, owns the ferris wheel.

Cut 23 (11) “…State Fair.”

Early voting for the November 3rd election is over. Joe Gallinaro breaks down the numbers.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

A man who Terrebonne Parish investigators say stabbed four people to death and injured a young boy is indicted on murder charges. 47-year-old Kaegan Jude Solet is indicted on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder in the mid-September incident. The motive for the attack remains unclear at this time.

With less than a week to go until Election Day, how are supporters of Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis feeling? Former Democratic lawmaker Melissa Flournoy tells Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana that Davis has run a great campaign, especially with limited resources.

Cut 9 (09)  “…you can trust.”

At an event in Lafayette last week that marked the kickoff to early voting, a Letlow supporter said the congresswoman is the only viable option to send to the U.S. Senate.

Cut 10 (11) “…to be Julia.” 

October comes to an end later this week and LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the 2026 hurricane season is likely done for Louisiana.

Cut 6 (09) “…state of Louisiana.”

With less than a week to go before Election Day, supporters of Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis are pulling out the stops in getting the word out about their choice for U.S. Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

According to the Baton Rouge Business Report, Hyundai has secured an air permit for its five-point-eight billion dollar Ascension Parish steel mill. This will allow the South Korean company to begin construction on the steel manufacturing facility in Donaldsonville. It will employ 13-hundred workers with a plan to begin commercial production in early 2029.

Early voting for the November 3rd election is over, with nearly 521,000 voters casting ballots. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans among early voters by nearly 16,000. Also added to the mix are almost 93-thousand no-party voters. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says no party voters tend to vote Republican in Louisiana

Cut 4 (08) “…are Republican voters.”

October comes to an end on Saturday and the 2026 hurricane season will also unofficially come to an end. So says LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim who says in the 175 years of hurricane record keeping, a named storm has never made landfall in Louisiana in November…

Cut 7 (09) “…very, very low.”

Early voting ended yesterday. According to the Secretary of State’s Office 520-thousand votes have been casted, 448-thousand in person and 72-thousand absentee votes. During the last midterm election, there were 377-thousand votes during the early voting portion. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says it’s hard to predict what the overall turnout will be…

Cut 5 (13) “…more free time”

Election Day is Tuesday, polls will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

FMOL Health is helping those who can’t easily get to a clinic to get screened for breast cancer by unveiling its new mobile mammography unit. Dr. Chris Funes (FOO-nez), the medical director for ambulatory quality for FMOL Health, says it will help increase the availability for this essential preventative screening.

Cut 11 (09) “…saving potentially screening.”

In coming months, the mobile mammography unit will travel to FMOL Health markets in Acadiana and north Louisiana.

Yesterday, we heard from three of the six Republicans vying for the open seat in the fifth congressional district. Today, we’re hearing from two of the three Democrats in that race.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

October comes to an end this weekend and in recorded history Louisiana has never experienced a tropical storm or hurricane landfall in November. …

Cut 8 (11) “…juncture”

LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim.