There’s controversy in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race as one of the candidates was reportedly offered help winning a future judgeship in exchange for dropping out. Franklin Foil and Steve Carter are in tie for second. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says Republican mega-donor Lane Grigsby tried to get Foil to drop out by calling the seat’s term-limited incumbent…

Cut 3 (10) “…race”

Grigsby backed Carter in the primary.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly move to the northeast. National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says they are not expecting this developing storm to ramp up into a hurricane

Cut 6 (05) “…coastal Louisiana.”

Nestor is expected to race towards the Florida panhandle.

Governor Edwards says Eddie Rispone’s plan to freeze Medicaid enrollment would end up throwing 300,000 people off of the program in Louisiana, and ultimately cost the state millions in lost savings from the program’s expansion initiated under his leadership.

Cut 10 (11) “…need it the most.”

Rispone’s campaign responded saying the expansion is unstable and full of waste. 

Louisiana Economic Development is investing $3.6 million dollars into a new eight-million dollar natural gas pipeline at the Madison Parish Port near Tallulah to encourage future economic development.  L-E-D Secretary Don Pierson…

Cut 13 (11) “…future growth.”

The state’s contribution will help double the pipeline’s capacity.

Governor Edwards addressed his GOP gubernatorial opponent’s plan to freeze Medicaid enrollment if elected.  Edwards says Eddie Rispone’s plan will rip away healthcare from more than 300,000 people, with seasonal workers who see pay fluctuations feeling the biggest impact.
Cut 9 (12) “…has been frozen.”
Rispone’s campaign responded calling Edwards address a political stunt and says the expansion is unstable and full of waste.

There’s controversy in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race as one of the candidates was reportedly offered help winning a future judgeship in exchange for dropping out. Franklin Foil and Steve Carter are in tie for second. Republican mega-donor Lane Grigsby allegedly tried to get Foil to drop out by calling the seat’s term-limited incumbent. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says it’s a rare look at how the sausage gets made in Baton Rouge.

Cut 5 (10) “…newspaper.”

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly move to the northeast. National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says this mid-October storm is not expected to have a major impact on Louisiana…

Cut 8 (11) “…this storm”

LED will invest $3.6 million in an infrastructure project in Madison Parish Port so a natural gas pipeline can be expanded and attract new industries to the state. LED’s contributions along with $4 million from Complex Chemical and a half a million from the Port will provide installation of a pipeline double the capacity as previously planned. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says initially only one company was going to benefit now it’s going to be ten.

Cut 12 (12) “…port facilty” 

GOP mega-donor Lane Grigsby reportedly offers one of two tied Republicans in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race help winning another office if he drops out. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says Grigsby reportedly called the seat’s term limited incumbent Dan Claitor, asking him to pass along the offer. Ballard says Claitor was concerned the offer was illegal and didn’t pass it along.

Cut 4 (09) “similar”

A hand recount is scheduled for today.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and quickly move towards the Florida panhandle. But National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says areas south of Lake Pontchartrain could see some effects…

Cut 7 (10) “…tropical storm force.”

St Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl that was left in a vehicle, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle.  Legal analyst Chick Foret says the aunt has a defense that can be presented in that the death was an accident.

Cut 11 (06) “…have to make.”

The University of Alabama freshman who allegedly called in a bomb threat during the LSU-Florida game was booked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Wednesday. Conner Croll is charged with one count of communication of false information of a planned bombing on school property. His bond is set at $100-thousand.

Here’s a look at today’s commodity prices

An economic impact study shows planned sediment diversions will be a significant boon to local economies in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I”m Matt Doyle”

State Police arrested four juveniles Wednesday afternoon in Shreveport after the car they were traveling in was reported stolen from Monroe. After they pulled over the 2013 Mercedes the teens fled on foot.  Inside the vehicle was more than one-hundred thousand dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise. All four were booked into the Shreveport Juvenile Justice Center.

There’s controversy in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race as one of the candidates was allegedly offered help winning a future judgeship in exchange for dropping out. Franklin Foil and Steve Carter are in a 12,522 vote tie for second. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says Republican mega-donor Lane Grigsby tried to get Foil to drop out by calling the seat’s term-limited incumbent…

Cut 3 (10) “…race”

A hand recount of paper ballots will be held today

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly move to the northeast. National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says they are not expecting this developing storm to ramp up into a hurricane

Cut 6 (11) “…their separate ways.”

Nestor is expected to form in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and race towards the Florida panhandle

A new set of classes available to high school students may sway them toward pursuing a career in education.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The 19-year old University of Alabama freshman who allegedly called in a bomb threat during the LSU-Florida game was booked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Wednesday. Conner Croll is charged with one count of communication of false information of a planned bombing on school property. His bond is $100,000. Croll reportedly admitted he called in the threat because a friend was about to lose a large bet.

A report says coastal southeastern parishes could see significant economic benefits from the planned construction of the mid-Barataria and mid-Breton sediment diversion projects. Restore the Mississippi Delta Director Steve Cochran says the two projects will cost 1.8 billion dollars to complete. Cochran says they’re substantial investments, the likes of which we haven’t seen in this state in half a century.

Cut 5 (10) “…iceberg.”

St Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl that was left in a vehicle, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle following a shopping trip.  Legal analyst Chick Foret says it is usually not an easy decision for a prosecutor to charge a guardian.

Cut 10 (05) “…of the law”

Engineers from around the country are in New Orleans trying to figure out the safest way to bring down two damaged cranes attached to the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel. New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell…
cut 9 (11) “….some kind”
McConnell says they need to find an answer quick because tropical weather could arrive in southeast Louisiana this weekend.

48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan is facing a negligent homicide charge in the death of her two-year-old niece who was left in a hot car for about six hours after a shopping trip. The child’s grandmother also went on the trip but is not facing charges. Legal analyst Chick Foret says this will be a tough case for the jury….
cut 12 (11) “….not guilty”

A new report says parishes in southeast Louisiana would see significant economic benefits during the construction of two recommended Mississippi River diversion projects. The study says the projects will generate three billion dollars in regional sales and support 4,000 new jobs. Restore the Mississippi Delta Campaign Director Steve Cochran says it’s a win-win.
Cut 4 (10) “…as well”
Residents will see an 809 million dollar increase in earnings across Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes as a result.

High school students interested in pursuing a career in the education field can now take a special progression of courses focused on building the skills needed for the job. Assistant Superintendent of Education Ken Bradford says students can take collegiate level teacher prep classes.
Cut 13 (10) “…of Louisiana Monroe.”

Engineers are racing to bring down damaged cranes attached to the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans before the possible arrival of a tropical system. Governor Edwards says he’ll hold a unified command group meeting at 1 o’clock to figure out what to do about the two cranes close to collapsing.
Cut 7 (07) “…weekend.”
Search and rescue operations have ceased, and the final death toll from the collapse is three.

A new study shows that the construction of Mississippi River Sediment Diversions will increase regional sales in southeast Louisiana by three-billion dollars and support nearly four-thousand jobs over seven years. Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign Director Steve Cochran says the diversions will provide real economic opportunities and protect the region from flooding…
cut 6 (10) “…further north”

A 2-year-old girl is dead after being left in a hot car and her aunt is charged with negligent homicide. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement say a detainee committed suicide at the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, which is one of several prisons in Louisiana housing immigrants seeking asylum. 43-year-old Roylan Hernandez Diaz of Cuba was taken into custody by the U-S government at a border bridge in El Paso, Texas.

The National Hurricane Center says there’s a high likelihood we’ll soon see a tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. A broad area of low pressure is expected to move off the Mexican coast and move towards the northern and northeastern Gulf Coast. Locally heavy rainfall is possible with this system, which is a concern for those in New Orleans trying to deal with the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel construction site. New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says two damaged cranes are vulnerable and they want to take those cranes down, before strong winds and heavy rain arrive…
cut 8 (10) “…that”
McConnell says they have engineers on-site from around the country working out the best way to bring the cranes down.

We are learning more about the arrest of a 17-year-old high school student in Lafayette who has been accused of attempting to poision another student. Police records say sodium hydroxide was put into a student’s drink, which is the main ingredient in Drano.

St. Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl who died in a hot vehicle earlier this month, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought the child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle following a shopping trip. Legal analyst Chick Foret says it is usually not an easy decision for a prosecutor to charge a guardian.
Cut 10 (05) “…of the law”

A new set of classes available to high school students may sway them toward pursuing a career in education. Kevin Barnhart has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”