The state Supreme Court has denied an appeal of pro-choice advocates challenging Louisiana’s so-called trigger law banning most abortions. The law went into effect with the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe vs Wade. It’s been on again and off again ever since. The state High Court’ ruling means the law remains in effect. A lawyer for the plaintiffs says they’ll keep working to change the law.

Six years ago today, the Great Flood of 2016 began, inundating many parts of south Louisiana with over 2 & ½ feet of rain in there days. One city hit hardest was Baton Rouge. Mayor Sharon Weston-Broome says the city continues to work on flood mitigation measures, but the city/parish is in much better shape than six years ago…:

CUT 08(11)      “…drainage work.”

She says incoming federal infrastructure funds will help expand the parish and city’s ability to drain off excess water and mitigate future flooding.

A judge has denied Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal’s attempt to collect almost $40-thousand in back taxes from a Mount Herman cattle rancher, who sells cuts of beef directly to customers at his farm. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the lawsuit against beef farmer Jason Smith wasn’t justified, because the tax code clearly states farmers May sell their meat and produce directly without charging or paying local sales tax. He says the judge got it right. Score one for farmer statewide…:

CUT 04(13)      “…judgement was made.”

So, what is that low pressure wave sitting off the coast going to bring us weather-wise? LRN meteorologist John Wetherbee says just some wind and some thundershowers. He says it’ll have no time to become a tropical storm…:’

CUT 12(04)      “…at all.”

A Washington Parish cattle rancher – accused of dodging taxes – has his day in court…and wins. Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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Since the 2016 floods cities like Youngsville and Baton Rouge have and continue to work on improving drainage systems in hopes of avoiding such devastation in the future. Brooke Thorington

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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A judge has denied Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal’s attempt to collect almost $ 40 thousand in back taxes from a Mount Herman cattle rancher, who sells cuts of beef directly to customers at his farm. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the lawsuit against beef farmer Jason Smith was probably because of some confusion with state tax law, as to what can and cannot be taxed. Strain says he feels the language of the tax code is clear…:

Cut 3 (05) “…taxing authority.” 

The judge ruled Smith’s beef IS “farm products or produce” which are tax exempt under state tax law. Strain says over 100 cattle ranchers sell beef directly from the farm and this ruling puts all of them at ease. Strain says score one for Louisiana farmers…:

Cut 4  (13) “…judgement was made.”

Sheriff Seal sought to collect what he considered sales taxes unpaid on what Smith sold, but the judge ruled against him; meaning Smith – and farmers statewide can keep selling their goods with charging tax or remitting tax to state or local government. Strain says the next step is assuring this doesn’t come up again…:

Cut 5  (14) “…clarify the law.”

The sheriff says he does not plan to appeal.

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It was six years ago that parts of Louisiana experienced devastating flooding after more than two and a half feet of rain fell from August 11^th to the 14^th. The small city of Youngsville, in Lafayette Parish, flooded and Mayor Ken Ritter was in his first term.

Cut 6 (09) “…and rebuild.” 

Ritter says the city has worked very hard, so the historic flood doesn’t become their long-term identity. He says they’ve been very aggressive with retention solutions…

Cut 7 (13) “…throughout the year.” 

Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Broome was campaigning for her first term in office during the flood. She says the city continues to work on flood mitigation measures, but the city and parish are in much better shape than it was six years ago.

Cut 8 (11) “…drainage work.”

Broome says for the first time ever there’s a comprehensive analysis of the parish’s draining network and incoming infrastructure funds that will expand the parish and city’s ability to mitigate future flooding.

Cut 9 (10)  “…ever before.”

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There’s a tropical wave just off the Louisiana coast so keep that umbrella handy. LRN Meteorologist John Wetherbee says some of the heaviest rains will be in New Orleans today, then up to Baton Rouge, and then westward towards Lake Charles.

Cut 10 (07) “…10-percent chance.” 

Wetherbee says models are suggesting this will continue to be a rainmaker for Louisiana coastal areas and …

Cut 11 (06)  “…and Galveston.”

And if the models are correct, Wetherbee says the system will then move its way inland towards the middle Texas gulf coast in a couple of days.

Cut 12 (04) “…at all.”  

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The LSU Tigers’ first game with Brain Kelly at the helm is just two weeks away, but it appears he’s already showing much success with his second recruiting class. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor William Weathers says what appeared to be a slow start for Kelly has picked up steam and is now 6^th in the nation.

Cut 13 (09) “…right now.”

And most recently, Weathers says Kelly is showing success bringing some more local players into the mix for the 2023 recruiting class.

Cut 14 (10)  “…and A&M.” 

Weathers says while it’s harder to recruit when you can’t show what you’ve done with your existing team, he believes LSU’s passionate fan base will be pleased with Kelly’s recruiting abilities whether it’s local or out of state.

Cut 15 (10) “…absolutely.” 

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Cut  16 (10)  “…off the streets“

A judge has denied Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal’s attempt to collect almost $40-thousand in back taxes from a Mount Herman cattle rancher, who sells cuts of beef directly to customers at his farm. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the lawsuit against beef farmer Jason Smith was probably because of some confusion with state tax law, as to what can and cannot be taxed. Strain says he feels the language of the tax code is clear…:

CUT 07(05)      “…taxing authority.”

Strain says over 100 cattle ranchers sell beef directly from the farm and this ruling puts all of them at ease.

It was six years ago that parts of Louisiana experienced devastating flooding after more than two and a half feet of rain fell from August 11^th to the 14^th. The small city of Youngsville, in Lafayette Parish, flooded and Mayor Ken Ritter was in his first term…:

CUT 06(09)      “…and rebuild.”

The Baton Rouge area was perhaps hit hardest, with roughly 10-thousand homes and businesses taking on water and severe damage.

There’s a tropical wave just off the Louisiana coast so keep that umbrella handy. LRN Meteorologist John Wetherbee says some of the heaviest rains will be in New Orleans today, then up to Baton Rouge, and then westward towards Lake Charles. He says models suggest this will continue to be a rainmaker for Louisiana coastal areas and…:

CUT 11(06)      “…and Galveston.”

And if the models are correct, Wetherbee says the system will then move its way inland towards the middle Texas Gulf Coast in a couple of days.

Over 1700 new cases of COVID are reported today by the Department of Health. Just over 600 are currently in the hospital with symptoms. They also report 7 new COVID-related deaths.

…and now here are today’s markets…

There’s a tropical wave just off the Louisiana coast so keep that umbrella handy. LRN Meteorologist John Wetherbee says some of the heaviest rains will be in New Orleans today, then up to Baton Rouge, and then westward towards Lake Charles…:

CUT 10(08)      “…10-percent chance.”

Wetherbee says models are suggesting this will continue to be a rainmaker for Louisiana coastal areas, as it moves off toward Texas.

The fentanyl overdose death of a Baton Rouge toddler in June is sadly one of 22 juvenile homicides in East Baton Rouge Parish this year. Coroner Dr. Beau Clark says it’s troubling to say the least…:

CUT 15(05)      “…that are dying.”

Child homicides are up over virtually all of Louisiana.

Two Mississippi armed robbery suspects led lawmen ion a high speed chase through three parishes this morning. State Troopers first attempted to pull the suspect vehicle over in East Baton Rouge Parish, chased them across the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge into West baton Rouge, and they eventually crashed the car in Pointe Coupee parish. Both men are now in custody. No innocents were hurt in the chase.

There’s much anticipation to see how LSU will perform on the field with Brain Kelly at the helm. All eyes are on how his first recruiting class is shaping up. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor William Weathers says what appeared to be a slow start for Kelly has picked up steam and is now ranked 6^th in the nation…:

CUT 13(09)      “…right now.”

Today marks six years since the beginning of what would be called the Great Flood of 2016. Heavy rains settled over south Louisiana; dumping over 30 inches of rain within less than two days. Thousands of homes, businesses and schools were flooded. Some destroyed. Two of those schools were Southside Elementary and Junior High in Denham Springs. This week, after six years, students filed into brand-new, state-of-the-art schools. Southside coach and teacher Terry Hoover says using temporary schools wasn’t ideal, but they made the best of it…:

CUT 05(12)      “…two schools combined.”

Pet lovers in Central Louisiana are up-in-arms after a number of videos have turned up on social media, showing alleged animal cruelty at the hands of pet trainers at a kennel and training school in the Rapides Parish town of Lena. The Rapides Sheriff’s Office asks for patience while they investigate the matter.

Research at LSU Health New Orleans establishes a link between Alzheimer’s in your brain and bacteria in your gut. Neurologist Dr. Walter Lukiw is one of the research team heads. He says it starts with a bacteria one can have in one’s digestive system. That bacteria can spawn a toxin which can kill neurons in the brain. He says their research indicates that including plenty of high-fiber food in one’s diet can lessen the presence of the bacteria; lowering the likelihood of producing the toxin..:

CUT 09(10)      “…work wonders.”

The research data could lead to new dietary practices and even treatments to help mitigate Alzheimer’s before it is too far gone.

As the city of New Orleans still faces a police manpower shortage, Carnival krewes want to know if they will be allowed to return to their traditional parade routes for next year’s Carnival season. City officials say it’s still way too early to answer those questions. Meetings between krewes and those officials are scheduled for later this fall.

The fentanyl overdose death of a Baton Rouge toddler in June is sadly one of 22 juvenile homicides in East Baton Rouge Parish this year. Coroner Dr. Beau Clark says the number of pediatric homicides this year alone is twice as many as from the same time period in 2021. Clark says it’s even more disturbing when you break down the statistics…:

CUT 14(11)      “…last year.”

After arresting a Lake Arthur man for molestation of a juvenile Thursday, deputies in Jeff Davis Parish are now seeking a woman who they believe was present when the crime was committed. 28-year-old Colby Manuel is behind bars, and officers are now have issued a warrant for 25-year-old Brooklyn Manuel. They ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact them.

Attorneys for four New Orleans teens accused of carjacking an elderly woman and dragging her to death are seeking reduced bonds for the defendants. 73-year-old Linda Frickey was killed in May. A hearing is scheduled today to see if reducing their million-dollar bonds is appropriate.

With the beautiful Monarch butterfly on the endangered species watchlist…did you know there are native plants you can plant in your garden to help them thrive? Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 03(33)      “…Thorington.”

The fentanyl overdose death of a Baton Rouge toddler in June and the beating death of a 2-year-old last month are but two of 22 juvenile homicides in East Baton Rouge Parish this year. EBR Coroner Dr. Beau Clark says the number of pediatric homicides this year alone is twice as many as from the same time period in 2021…:

CUT 13(11)      “…even over.”

Child homicides are up all over Louisiana.

Six years after the Louisiana flood of 2016, Livingston parish students are moving into two brand new, state-of-the-art schools. Southside Junior High coach and teacher Terry Hoover thanks key players for helping get the job done..:

CUT 06(11)      “…super excited.”

Following up on a story from earlier this week…a judge has denied Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal’s attempt to collect almost $40-thousand in back taxes from a Mount Herman cattle rancher who sells cuts of beef directly to customers at his farm. The judge ruled rancher Jason Smith’s beef IS “farm products or produce” which are tax exempt under state tax law. The sheriff says he does not plan to appeal.

Research at LSU Health in New Orleans finds a link between Alzheimer’s in the brain and bacteria in the gut. Head researcher Dr. Walt Lukiw says the bacteria generates a specific type of neurotoxin that can destroy neurons in the brain and trigger the onset of Alzheimer’s…:

CUT 08(07)      “…in the brain.”

But, he says, the LSU research is first to link that bacteria – from a diet that is too high in sugars – to the toxin.

The great flood of 2016 began 6 years ago today; destroying homes, businesses, and schools, but now thousands of students in Livingston Parish are learning in a 21st Century environment. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 01(28)      “…Southern.”

First Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins…and now Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue has been barred from running for re-election on the November 8th ballot, after the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled he lives outside the city limits. The ruling, if upheld under further appeal, would install Al Perry Thomas as Ville Platte’s next police chief unopposed.

Research at LSU Health New Orleans establishes a link between Alzheimer’s in your brain and bacteria in your gut. Neurologist Dr. Walter Lukiw (LOO-key) is one of the research team heads. He says it starts with a bacteria one can have in one’s digestive system, called Bacteroides Fragilis…:

CUT 07(11)      “…neuronal death.”

Lukiw says the LSU research is first to link that bacteria – from a diet that is too high in sugars – to the toxin settling to the brain.

Because the Monarch butterfly is on the endangered species watchlist, there are things you can plant to help them. LSU AgCenter Horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard says milkweed is a host plant for butterfly larvae…but there are some better suited than others…:

CUT 10(08)      “…and soils.”

Kirk-Ballard says you should also reduce the use of pesticides.

Today marks 6 years since the start of the great flood of 2016, but now thousands of students in Livingston Parish have moved into two brand new, state-of-the-art schools. Southside Junior High and Elementary in Denham Springs were torn down after extensive damage from flood waters and have been on temporary campuses until now. Southside Junior High Coach and Teacher Terry Hoover says the new schools are incredible…:

CUT 04(12)      “…two schools combined”

The flood of 2016 sent water into about 10-thousand homes and businesses in the Capital area.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations of persons committing acts of animal cruelty on video and posting them on social media. Public outrage is growing, and the RPSO asks for patience while they investigate.

Deputies in St. Tammany Parish arrest two people in connection with the death of a 15-year-old who O.D.’ed on fentanyl last month. 41-year-old Felicia Grantham is accused of giving the teen the drug. 20-year-old Alvin Laurent is charged with the selling it to Grantham. Medical experts say fentanyl is very dangerous and one pill can kill.

Did you know there are native plants you can plant in your garden to help the endangered Monarch butterfly? Brooke Thorington has more.

CUT 03(33)      “…Thorington.”