The state fire marshal’s office and Department of Agriculture and Forestry has issued a statewide burn ban due to extremely dry conditions across the state. Jeff Palermo reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

It’s dry but it is going to be a beautiful, and at times, chilly weekend. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we could even see some low temps in the 40s in northern parishes…:
cut 15 (07) “low 50s”
He says high temps probably won’t leave the 70s all weekend.

The four candidates for Governor talked about Louisiana’s budget problems during a debate in Ruston last night. Republican Jay Dardenne says he’ll look to make funding higher education a priority and cut elsewhere..:
CUT 8 (12) “we can cut”
Republicans Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne and Democrat John Bel Edwards were also there. Tomorrow is the last day to early vote in the October 24th gubernatorial primary.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says a 22-year-old woman is under arrest after authorities discovered her 3-year-old child sitting in the middle of the road with his blanket. They say upon arrival they realized the child was about 150 yards away from his house and found the mother searching for him. Halie Prejean of Lake Charles left her 3 month old inside the house to look for the other child and she was booked with two counts of child desertion.