The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state set an employment record in September, but the oil and gas job losses continue at a rapid pace. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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With Halloween right around the corner, many of people are flocking to get the best costume. Emelie Gunn has more on what’s hot this year…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The American Cancer Society says its okay for women to wait until they are 45 to get a mammogram. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state set an employment record in September, but the oil and gas job losses continue at a rapid pace. 2500 non-farm jobs were added between the same time last year according to LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink. He says we’ve seen about 60 months straight now of growth year over year, however it’s not all good news…:

cut 4  (10)  “low price of oil”

Eysink says despite over the year gains, the mining and logging sector, which includes oil and gas, lost 1200 jobs in September and 8,800 over the 12 month period. He says the longer the price of oil stays low, the more it’s going to affect employment in that category…:

Cut 5  (05)  “out of this”

Eysink says the biggest impact of the job losses is being felt in the Acadiana and Lafayette region, and areas also not growing include New Orleans, Houma and Shreveport. He says two of the bright spots on the report include Baton Rouge and Lake Charles with both areas setting growth records…:

Cut 6 (09)  “the whole state”

______________________________________

With Halloween only ten days away, many children and adults are running to stores to try and get the best costume. Danielle Hebert, with Party City in Slidell, says kids are wiping the shelves clean searching for Disney Descendants costumes. And she says women are leaning toward the scary side for a costume this Halloween.

CUT 7 (10)  “and a glove”

Hebert says many people don’t seem too interested in pop culture costumes like Donald Trump this Halloween. But, she says with the newest Star Wars moving coming out soon, outfits are going quick.

Cut 8  (10)  “age group”

Manager of the Costume Shop of West Monroe Renata Herren says both men and women have been very interested in superhero costumes. She says every year one theme from years back will come back and become a big hit

Cut 9 (06) “it’s crazy” 

Herren says young girls have ditched the typical princess costume and moved toward the new cartoon, Monster High characters. She says everyone in the costume business is excited Halloween falls on a Saturday this year.

Cut 10 (06) “for sure”

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The American Cancer Society has changed the guidelines to starting breast cancer screenings at the age of 45. Dean Emeritus at the LSU School of Public Health in New Orleans, Dr. Elizabeth Fontham, says they weighted the pros and the cons when it came to younger women getting mammograms and came to the conclusion that the age should be changed from 40-years-old.

cut 11 (11) “versus film”

 Fontham says your risk for breast cancer goes up as you age, but women 55 and over can now be screened every other year, annually. She says after menopause, tumors tend to grow significantly slower, which means its safe to get checked less often.

Cut 12 (09) “screening”

 Fontham says another change that comes with the updated guidelines is doctors no longer need to perform breast exams during checkups.

Cut 13 (11)  “mortality rate”

____________________________________________

Baton Rouge authorities are investigating a case where a 15-year-old girl spent a night in a wooded area bound and gagged. Corporal L’ Jean McKneely says a person walking near the St. James Baptist Church spotted the girl

Cut 14 (10) “runaway missing”

McKneely says the girl was taken to a local hospital. He says they know more than one person is responsible for this crime…

Cut 15  (09)  “at the scene”

McKneely says the girl left her home with an unknown male on Monday. They are not sure if that person is responsible. He says the girl was left in a helpless situation Monday night and then found by a passer-by on Tuesday…

Cut 16  (06)  “of the day”

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Junior defensive end Lewis Neal is having a breakout season for the 5th ranked LSU Tigers. Neal has seven sacks and 30 tackles this season. In his first two seasons, he only had 10 tackles and zero sacks. Neal says he always knew he had the ability to produce

Cut 17 (13) “stick to” 

Neal says first-year defensive line coach Ed Orgeron has been a big help this season. He says Coach O’s attitude rubs off on the rest of the players…

Cut 18 (12) “a lot”

The Tigers passing game is also getting better. They’ve thrown the football for more than 200 yards the past two games. Sophomore wide receiver Malachi Dupre had 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Florida and he credits the development of quarterback Brandon Harris

Cut 19 (15) “for him”

A Port Allen man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for two counts of solicitation of murder. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

================

The Hammond Police Department has identified the abducted Baton Rouge couple found dead at a truck stop as Denis and Suzanne Duplantier (DOO PLON SHAY.) Eric Gill reports:

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

===================

After Saturday night’s primary election, at least 77-percent of the state House and Senate races will be decided. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says that’s based on the number of lawmakers running without opposition and the number of legislative races involving just two candidates. Alford says an unusually large number of legislators ran unopposed this election…

CUT 3 (08)  “54-percent”

He says 51-percent of state lawmakers were automatically re-elected in unopposed races. Alford says a large number of legislative seats will be decided Saturday in two candidate races…

CUT 4 (07)  “October 24th”

He says a total of 38 legislative seats will be filled after Saturday in two candidate races. Alford says there are 23 House races and 9 Senate races with multiple candidates that could go to the November 21st runoff…

CUT 5 (09) “after Saturday”

============================

A Port Allen man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for pleading guilty to a murder-for-hire plot against an elderly Pointe Coupee couple. Prosecutor Tony Clayton says 38-year-old Tommy Lee Gioele hired someone to kill the Persicas after a business deal went wrong. He says Giolele is serving 10 years of a 20 year sentence and will be required to wear an ankle bracelet for five years after being released.

CUT 6 (10) “care of”

Clayton says the man Gioele hired to kill the couple had no intention of committing the murder and fully cooperated with authorities throughout the investigation. He credits the capture of Gioele to Louisiana State Police.

CUT 7 (11)  “have the hit”

Clayton says Gioele manned up to what he did and openly confessed to his crime of solicitation of murder.

CUT 8 (08)  “next day”

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The Hammond Police Department says the Baton Rouge couple found dead at a truck stop near I-12 had been strangled and kidnapped from their home. The two have been identified as Denis and Suzanne Duplantier (DOO PLON SHAY.) Baton Rouge Police Corporal L Jean McKneely say they did a welfare check at the victims’ home and discovered them and a vehicle missing. McKneely says they used OnStar to locate the vehicle in Hammond…:

CUT 9 (09)  “inside of the car”

Hammond police found the vehicle parked in a remote corner of the truck stop with the bodies inside. McKneely says very few details of the crime are being released at this time…

cut 10 (09)  “our investigation”

Officials are looking for a 2007 white Chevrolet pick-up truck that was captured on camera at the truck stop on Sunday when the victims were left there. McKneely says BRPD is searching the victims’ home for any evidence that will help authorities identify and capture the suspects. McKneely says this joint investigation between BRPD and Hammond Police is in its early stages…

Cut 11 (08)  “particular situation”

============================

A 3-year-old was shot during a home invasion in Lake Charles this morning. Deputy Chief Mark Kraus says two armed men entered the house demanding money. He says when the victim said he didn’t have any, a suspect began pistol whipping the man holding his child when the gun discharged and hit the child.

cut 12 (08)  “suspects fled”

Kraus says the two suspects fled the scene in a dark colored pickup truck. He says he wants to put people at ease by explaining this doesn’t tend to happen to the ordinary person but crimes like these are usually connected to some other type of criminal activity.

cut 13 (07)  “what it is”

Kraus says the child was transported to an out of town hospital and both victims are expected to live. He says once they catch these suspects, he hopes a judge will put these people in prison for the longest time possible.

cut 14 (09) “to jail.” 

============================

Governor Bobby Jindal’s second book is out today and it makes a case for why he should be should be the next man in the White House. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Eric Gill”

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This week is Teen Driver Safety week and a survey finds teens are still texting and driving even after being aware of the consequences. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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 A longtime Louisiana political analyst finds voter interest in this year’s governor’s election is as low as he’s ever seen. Jeff Palermo has more….

Cut 3 (25) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Governor Bobby Jindal’s second book is out today and in it the GOP presidential hopeful shares why he thinks he should be the next man in the White House. The title is “American Will: The Forgotten Choices That Changed our Republic.” UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it’s not a surprise Jindal has released another book…

cut 4  (11)  “presidential campaign”

In this book, Jindal makes a case for why he should be elected president through stories from history. Cross says it’s not that unusual for a presidential candidate to release a book…

Cut 5  (11)  “United States”

Former Republican consultants Matt Latimer and Keith Urbahn are acknowledged as co-authors of the book. Cross thinks this book will be one thing Jindal hands out on the campaign trail…

Cut 6 (09)  “read it”

______________________________________

A survey released from State Farm finds many teenagers are still texting and driving ever after understanding the potential dangers. Spokesperson Roszell Gadson says over 90-percent of teens admit to knowing it’s distracting, yet 44-percent confessed they still text and drive. He says this week is Teen Driver Safety week and hopes they can get the word out for young drivers to stay focused on the road.

CUT 7 (10)  “disturbingly high”

Gadson says their survey also found the biggest deterrent for teenagers to stop distracted driving is getting into a car accident. He says the second factor was 50-percent were scared of being caught by the police.

Cut 8  (08)  “by cellphones”

Gadson says State Farm is working with high schools around the country to participate in Teen Driver Safety Celebrate My Drive program to help students become more aware of this growing problem. He says car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers and they want to engage students to drive safely in a supportive and positive way.

Cut 9 (10) “this issue” 

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A longtime Louisiana political analyst finds the interest in this year’s governor’s race is a bad as he’s ever seen.  Bernie Pinsonat says voters are very disappointed in the last four years with Jindal and reduced funding toward higher education and hospitals.

Cut 10 (09) “fix something”

A survey from LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab found just 39-percent of voters in Louisiana were interested in this election. Pinsonat says the four major candidates haven’t been able to generate any interest, because they’re all being muffled by the constant attack ads.

cut 11 (09) “else’s fault”

 Pinsonat says the voters are finding themselves shying away from believing the candidates can actually fix problems. He says 70-percent of voters give Jindal a negative rating and that’s rubbing off on the newest candidates.

Cut 12 (09) “right now”

______________________________________

 The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have cited a man after he killed a legendary dear for allegedly not having deer tags or possession of basic season and big game hunting licenses. L-D-W-F Spokesperson Adam Einck says 40-year-old Glen Toups, Jr. of Abbeville shot a buck with a crossbow on an Avoyelles Parish hunting club’s property near Simmesport.

Cut 13 (11)  “as well”

Einck says the deer meat was donated to local charities and the antlers and head are being held as evidence. He says the deer was one of the top five biggest irregular dear shot with an arrow and was unofficially scored as a 208 class buck.

Cut 14 (08) “for that”

 Einck says the hunting club asked Toups if he had the proper qualifications before he went hunting and he told them he did. He says the club first discovered out their guest hunter did not have licenses and volunteered the information to the officer.

Cut 15  (08)  “in place”

______________________________________

LSU Coach Les Miles is warning his team not to let its guard down against Saturday’s opponent, Western Kentucky. Miles says the 6-and-1 Hilltoppers should be ranked in the Top 25 and their quarterback Brandon Doughty, is good enough to play in the SEC…

Cut 16  (17)  “get your attention”

Doughty and the Western Kentucky offense will face an LSU defense that’s ranked 3rd in total defense. The Tigers have been much better at getting after the quarterback this season. They’ve recorded 17 sacks, after recording just 19 sacks last year. Miles gives credit to first-year defensive line coach Ed Orgeron…

Cut 17 (12) “made a difference” 

While LSU statistically has one of the best defenses in the SEC, they’ve given up several big pass plays. There were a few times, Florida receivers were running wide open, including on a 19-yard touchdown pass. Miles says they are working to get that corrected…

Cut 18 (12) “to do”

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The Ragin Cajuns have a big Sun Belt Conference match-up tonight with Arkansas state. Coach Mark Hudspeth’s team has won the last four times they’ve played a regular season game on a Tuesday night…

Cut 19 (19) “continues”

Arkansas State comes in with a record of 3-and-3, 2-0 in the Sun Belt. The Cajuns won their Sun Belt opener and they are 2-3 overall. UL Lafayette has finally settled on a quarterback. Jalen Nixon threw for 238 yards and had four total touchdowns the last time out and Hudspeth hopes to see that kind of performance again…

Cut 20 (11) “other night”

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, 222,000 Louisianians cast an early ballot for Saturday’s election.  Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

================

LSU announces Mike the Tiger won’t be attending anymore home games in Death Valley, at least for the rest of this season. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

===================

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, 222,000 Louisianians cast an early ballot for Saturday’s election. That’s about 14,000 less than participated in last November’s election. Pollster John Couvillon feels the lower early voting turnout shows a lack of public interest in the governor’s election…

CUT 3 (09)  “policy proposals”

Basing this election’s early voting numbers on historical trends, a 45 to 50 percent voter turnout is expected for the election. Couvillon says low voter turnout typically favors Republican candidates…

CUT 4 (10)  “Democratic intensity”

A breakdown of early voting numbers show that 71-percent of participants were white, while just 27-percent were black. Couvillon says the low percentage of black voters participating in early voting can have an impact on the number of voters hitting the polls Saturday…

CUT 5 (06) “October 24th”

============================

LSU announces Mike the Tiger won’t be attending anymore home games in Death Valley, at least for the rest of this season. Ginger Gutner, with the LSU Vet School, says they tried something a little different in order to get Mike VI into his trailer for the McNeese State game, but it didn’t work a second time…:

CUT 6 (07) “onto us”

Gutner says, this way, everyone can enjoy Mike the entire day on game days since they won’t have him in the back trying to get him into the trailer. She says anyone who visits Mike’s dwelling knows that he likes to sleep by the windows up front around people, so she doesn’t think the big crowds are keeping him from the games…:

CUT 7 (07)  “game day”

Mike VI didn’t make any games last season, and in 2013 he was only at three and some fans aren’t happy this tradition isn’t being honored. But Gutner says they can’t force this giant tiger to do anything and they will reevaluate the matter next season…

CUT 8 (09)  “and see”

============================

The State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry announce the arrest of a man who is accused of intentionally setting fires when he worked as a volunteer firefighter in 2010 and 2011. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says the suspect faces six counts of simple arson…

CUT 9 (09)  “near Jonesboro”

They say 22-year-old Justin Murphy of Jonesboro confessed to setting small grass fires while he was a volunteer member of the Jonesboro Fire Department. Strain says Murphy’s confession came while he was being questioned about another fire in north Louisiana last week…

cut 10 (07)  “one home”

He says Murphy has not been charged in the Liberty Hill fire. Bond was set at $90,000. Strain that wildfires are something investigators take quite seriously…

Cut 11 (09)  “you cause”

============================

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says two brothers are under arrest in connection with the murder of Nanette Me’Shell King whose dead body was found in a burned car near Sun. Sheriff Jack Strain says the victim’s ex boyfriend, 53-year-old Gary Harris, allegedly murdered her — and his brother, 64-year-old Ray Harris, helped him cover it up…:

cut 12 (06)  “individuals were”

Strain says investigators believe that after the breakup from a 20-year relationship, Gary Harris talked King into coming back to their house on September 20th to talk about how they were going to divide their property — and it was there that he murdered her. He says the story is disturbing..:

cut 13 (06)  “cover his crime”

Gary Harris is charged with second degree murder and Ray Harris accessory after the fact. Strain says they believe after Gary Harris murdered King, he moved her body to the car, which was found burned out, several weeks later. He says the steps the Harris brothers took to cover this up are appalling…:

cut 14 (07)  “cold and calculating”

============================

It looks like has found itself a passing game. Jeff Palermo has more on the Tigers 35-28 win over Florida…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is calling on waterfowl hunters to voice their opinions on proposed changes to hunting zones. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (23) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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NOAA weather forecasters predict that a very strong El Nino will bring some much needed rain to Louisiana in the coming months. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

______________________________________

An LSU Public Policy Research Lab report surveying people’s opinions about the 2015 election cycle found that 56-percent of Louisianans believe the state is heading in the wrong direction. Dr. Michael Henderson says only 29-percent of voters surveyed thought the state was going in the right direction

cut 4  (07)  “wrong direction”

Henderson says none of the gubernatorial candidate have capitalized on this pessimism. He says the closer we get to the election the more negative voters feel about the future of Louisiana.

Cut 5  (06)  “up today”

Henderson says even though voters feel this way, these negative sentiments don’t seem to be translating into positive or negative attitudes toward the candidates. He says none of the four major candidates have succeeded in consolidating the support of the dissatisfied voters.

Cut 6 (08)  “or another”

______________________________________

Recent polls show Republican David Vitter has the highest unfavoribility ratings out of the four candidates running for governor, but yet, analysts believe Vitter has the best shot at succeeding Bobby Jindal. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says once Vitter makes the runoff, his negatives will begin to go away.

CUT 7 (10)  “John Bel Edwards”

Based on the latest poll from LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, Vitter’s unfavorable rating is 41-percent, the three other candidates were in the teens or single digits. Pinsonat says Vitter’s high unfavorability is due to a strong stance against President Obama.

Cut 8  (10)  “Medicaid expansion”

Many analysts predict a Vitter versus John Bel Edwards runoff. Pinsonat says if that’s the case, Vitter can still win because Louisiana voters are expected to vote for a Republican over a Democrat

Cut 9 (08) “looking for” 

______________________________________

The State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wants to hear from hunters about the proposed changes to the waterfowl hunting zones.  Waterfowl program manager Larry Reynolds says they’re seeking public comment through November 5^th and the changes they are proposing could be significant for some hunters.

Cut 10 (10) “good ideas”

Reynolds says it’s important to get public input because it’s the hunters who are influenced by these decisions more than anyone else. He says time is short to get your voice heard.

cut 11 (10) “2016 season”

Reynolds says the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission can alter waterfowl hunting zones every five years and want to make sure these choices are what hunters want. He says these are pretty significant changes being purposed.

Cut 12 (11) “season dates”

______________________________________

NOAA weather forecasters predict that a very strong El Nino will bring some much needed rain to Louisiana in the coming months. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the state can expect cooler and wetter than normal conditions for the coming winter and spring…

Cut 13 (07)  “above normal”

He says rainfall typically runs about 25-percent above average during an El Nino event. Forecasters call this El Nino one of the strongest on record. In addition to rainfall, Keim says El Ninos tend to bring more freezing weather, too…

Cut 14 (06) “that’s incredible”

He says, during El Nino years, the number of freeze days in Louisiana doubles. Because of the strength of this El Nino, Keim says it could cause some adverse weather conditions for Louisiana this winter…

Cut 15  (07)  “this winter”

______________________________________

LSU kicker Trent Domingue will be big man on campus this week after scoring on a fake field goal to help the Tigers beat the previously unbeaten Florida Gators 35-28. Coach Les Miles called for Domingue to take a pitch from Brad kragthorpe and Domingue did the rest, running 16 yards for the score…

Cut 16  (13)  “for sure”

Domingue was LSU’s second leading rusher, behind Leonard Fournette who had 180 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Brandon Harris threw for 202 yards and two scores and Fournette is proud of his sophomore QB…

Cut 17 (12) “good overall” 

 Harris has thrown for over 200 yards in back-to-back games and admits he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder…

Cut 18 (11) “can’t do”

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”

================

Federal fundraising reports show that Governor Bobby Jindal’s presidential campaign raised less than $600,000 during the third fundraising quarter. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

===================

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. The US Drought Monitor reports that 86-percent Louisiana is currently in drought. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says the burn ban was issued because of dry conditions, abnormal emergency responses, and adverse future weather forecasts…

CUT 3 (09)  “rain predicted”

The burn ban is in effect until further notice. The ban applies to all private burning. Browning says violators of the ban could face consequences…

CUT 4 (08)  “of burning”

Violation of the burn ban could result in criminal and/or civil penalties. Private burning will only be allowed by permission of your local fire department or local government. Browning says the main reason this ban is in place is safety…

CUT 5 (07) “these fires”

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The four men seeking to become the state’s next governor discussed their plans to solving the state’s budget problems during a televised debate on Louisiana Tech’s campus. Republican David Vitter, who has served in Congress since 1999, blamed his three opponents for helping to create the financial mess…

CUT 6 (08) “we speak”

Vitter says if elected, he’ll look at ways on how the state can reduce its spending. But Republican Scott Angelle says Vitter is not the guy who should be in charge of getting Louisiana’s fiscal house in order

CUT 7 (12)  “it works”

When a new governor and state legislature is sworn-in in January, they’ll face a 700-million dollar budget shortfall. Republican Jay Dardenne says he’ll look to make funding higher education a priority and cut elsewhere

CUT 8 (12)  “we can cut”

Democrat John Bel Edwards says he plans on calling two special sessions when he takes office to address the fiscal mess left behind by Governor Bobby Jindal

CUT 9 (12)  “items”

=======================================

Federal fundraising reports show that Governor Bobby Jindal’s presidential campaign raised less than $600,000 during the third fundraising quarter. The report further states that the governor has only $261,000 on hand. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says this report is not good news for Jindal…

cut 10 (07)  “in the bank”

Jindal’s $579,000 fundraising total pales in comparison to efforts by other Republican presidential hopefuls, like Ben Carson whose campaign raised over $20 million during the same time frame. Hogan says Jindal’s recent surge of support in Iowa might make it possible for him to go back to some people who have donated money in the past…

Cut 11 (07)  “to his campaign”

A Jindal spokesperson says the election is not an auction and they are running a lean, mean campaign. Hogan says it is possible to run a campaign on a shoestring budget if the candidate focuses on one state, as Jindal is doing in Iowa. Hogan says he believes there is support for the issues Jindal is pushing, but the crowded Republican field is definitely hurting him…

cut 12 (07)  “reflects that”

===========================================

The Saints convincing 31-21 win over Atlanta on Thursday night has the Who Dat nation thinking the Black and Gold can turn this season around. In the victory, there was a blocked punt for a touchdown, the defense forced three turnovers and quarterback Drew Brees threw for over 300 yards

cut 13 (10)  “pay off”

The victory improves the Saints record to 2-and-4 and they still have a lot work to do to get themselves in position to make the playoffs. But Brees says how they played on Thursday night against a team that was undefeated, gives them hope

cut 14 (09)  “next week”

=======================================================

Louisiana is in for another beautiful weekend and possibly even some nighttime sweater and jacket weather. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we could even see some low temps in the 40s in northern parishes…:

cut 15 (07)  “low 50s”

Keim says daytime highs won’t get out of the 70s in most areas of the state. He says if you’re going to some nighttime football games, it might be a good idea to bundle up…:

cut 16 (07)  “moving in”

============================

The Louisiana Army National Guard has made significant jumps in their overall strength and retention of force. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

______________________________________

Tomorrow is the last day to early vote for the October 24th primary and the Secretary of State’s office says turnout looks to be about average. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

A survey from LSU finds that a majority of Louisiana residents are still not paying attention to the governor’s race. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Army National Guard has made significant jumps in their overall strength and retention of force. LANG ranks number four among all other states’ National Guards in overall strength of its force and first for retaining personnel. Col. Pete Schneider praises everyone at the Guard for helping raise Louisiana’s rankings…

cut 4  (10)  “our state”

He says Louisiana ranked number 15 last year in overall strength. In the last year, LANG was able to increase their numbers to 9,650, better than 100-percent of their strength goal. Schneider credits the state with providing fantastic to benefits to our National Guard…

Cut 5  (09)  “in Louisiana”

He says LANG also surpassed its goal on retaining National Guardsmen. Schneider says as important as it is for the Guard to have new recruits, it’s also important that they keep as many experienced soldiers in their ranks as possible…

Cut 6 (10)  “coming in”

______________________________________

Tomorrow is the last day to early vote for the October 24th primary and the Secretary of State’s office says turnout looks to be about average. Spokeswoman Meg Casper says, so far, the numbers are only slightly behind what they saw for the Congressional elections in 2014…:

CUT 7 (10)  “several cycles”

The 2015 gubernatorial early voting period began October 10th and will be over tomorrow at 6pm. Casper says every day they’ve seen about 20 to 30 thousand people participating in early voting statewide. She says it’s becoming more popular for people to make their choices ahead of election day…:

Cut 8  (09)  “cast their ballot”

Casper says they can’t remind voters enough to make sure your schedule is clear on election day because there’s a lot going on with football and hunting next Saturday. She says this is a really big election with nearly 1,070 offices up for grabs, about 2,000 candidates running and 4 constitutional amendments..:

Cut 9 (08) “well informed” 

______________________________________

A new poll from LSU shows voters are getting more interested in the October 24^thprimary, with about 40 percent of voters following election news, up from 25-percent last spring. Dr. Michael Henderson with the LSU Public Policy Research Lab says even though we’ve seen an increase, it’s still lower than last fall’s election.

Cut 10 (08) “under construction”

Henderson says several gubernatorial candidates have higher name recognition compared to the spring and summer. He says Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle and state Representative John Bel Edwards have made the most gains in name recognition. He says with name recognition, comes changes on how voters feel about the candidates.

cut 11 (09) “each other”

 Henderson says voters’ opinions of the major candidates are evolving. He says this is especially true for Vitter, who has both the highest share of favorable opinions at 30-percent and the highest share of unfavorable opinions at 41-percent.

Cut 12 (10) “I thought”

______________________________________

Leonard Fournette and the LSU Tigers will face eighth ranked Florida on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. Last year, the Tigers beat the Gators 30-27, as Fournette rushed for, at that time, a career-high 140 yards and 225 all-purpose yards. The sophomore expects another tight contest in Death Valley

Cut 13 (07)  “out and compete”

LSU is coming off a win over South Carolina that took place in front of a half-empty Tiger Stadium. Fournette says LSU fans are more than prepared for this Saturday and he’s looking forward to it…

Cut 14 (08) “be crazy”

Florida’s back-up quarterback, Treon Harris, will start for the Gators against LSU. He takes the place of Will Grier, who has been suspended for taking a banned over the counter supplement. Coach Les Miles says he doesn’t see a drop-off in talent with Florida’s number two QB….

Cut 15  (15)  “pocket presence”

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The four major candidates for governor squared off in the final televised debate before the October 24^th primary and for most of the 60 minutes the four men stuck to discussing issues and how they would solve problems in the state. But Republican Scott Angelle did take one shot at the GOP frontrunner in the race David Vitter.

Cut 16  (11)  “of America”

At the end of the debate, all the candidates discussed why they should be elected governor. Democrat John Bel Edwards says he has learned leadership throughout his life and is ready to serve the people of Louisiana.

Cut 17 (09) “next governor” 

Republican David Vitter says he will be an effective governor because he’s fighting for the people. He says he has proven to be effective time and time again and will continue to do so if elected.

Cut 18 (10) “for you”

Republican Jay Dardenne says we need a leader who has the vision and skillset to run our state. He says Louisiana is at a crossroads, but we have the opportunity to make a positive change….

Cut 19 (09) “us apart”

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Republican David Vitter was not at a gubernatorial debate hosted by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, but that didn’t keep the candidates from talking about him. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The federal government announces there will be no increase in benefits for Social Security. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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In a gubernatorial debate on Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the three candidates who were there, let out their frustrations over the attack ads during the campaign. Republican Jay Dardenne denied accusations the state paid for his wife during an overseas trip and he voted for pro-choice legislation. Dardenne blamed the attacks on Republican David Vitter, who didn’t attend the debate

CUT 3 (09) “sick of it”

Democrat John Bel Edwards says the Republican Governor’s Association is trying to distract and mislead voters in attack ads against him…

CUT 4 (12) “have taken”

Republican Scott Angelle says Vitter is the only candidate in the race running untruthful ads and criticized the Senator for missing debates because he doesn’t want to answer questions about his prostitution scandal…

CUT 5 (10) “means yes”

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A Jennings woman, with the help of DNA testing and technology, has been able to find information about her mother was who had not been seen in Louisiana since 1982. Katherine Renee Kratzer filed a missing persons report on her mother, Leejan Marie Kratzer, last year. Jeff Davis Sheriff Ivy Woods says the truth came out when a Tennessee woman began looking into her late mother, Lisa Neese’s, past…

CUT 6 (10) “LSU Faces”

Elizabeth Neese contacted authorities after seeing a photo that resembled her mother on the LSU Faces website. Woods says they began their investigation and were able to use DNA testing to prove Leejan Marie Kratzer and Lisa Neese were the same person…

CUT 7 (10) “are sisters”

Woods says it turns out Leejan started a whole new life in Memphis as Lisa Neese. Unfortunately Leejan/Lisa passed away in 2008. He says Katherine is ecstatic to learn the truth about her mother. Woods says this is a reminder that one should never give up on a missing person…

CUT 8 (06) “missing relative”

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The federal government has announced there will not be an increase in benefits for millions of Social Security recipients. Brenda Hatfield with Louisiana A-A-R-P says this is especially devastating because next year Medicare costs are expected to increase for seniors, veterans and the disabled.

CUT 9 (10) “from Social Security”

The main reason there is no Social Security increase is because of low gas prices. Hatfield says that’s unfair for seniors, because a good portion of them don’t drive long distances…

cut 10 (08) “health care”

This is the third time in 40 years that benefits will remain flat. Hatfield says A-A-R-P has written multiple letters pleading with our congressional representatives to prevent an increase to Medicare costs, if they will not receive a cost of living adjustment.

Cut 11 (10) “them significantly”

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Lack of rainfall in Louisiana in the past several weeks has put much of the state in drought conditions. The United States Drought Monitor reports that 86-percent of Louisiana is currently dealing with drought conditions. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the last 90 days have been extremely dry in the Bayou State…

cut 12 (09) “three months”

He says the state has received less than half of its normal rainfall over the past 90 days. The report shows that 51-percent of Louisiana is suffering from extreme drought conditions. Keim says this problem is most severe in the north-central part of the state…

cut 13 (10) “90 days”

He says that region has recorded only about an inch of rain over the last three months. Keim says El Nino tends to send rain across Louisiana, but that pattern has yet to kick in. He says these dry conditions are historic in some portions of the state…

cut 14 (06) “to 1895″

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The four major gubernatorial candidates will face off one last time on television before the October 24^th primary. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The 2016-17 Louisiana Economic Outlook report shows low oil prices will continue to hurt some areas, while industrial booms benefit others. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Two people were killed in a plane crash at the Hammond Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The four major candidates for governor will appear in a statewide televised debate at six o’ clock on Louisiana Tech’s campus. Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says he expects to see the two frontrunners, Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards, maintain their position and the other two candidates, Republicans Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne, attempt to break out and distinguish themselves.

cut 4  (10)  “voters attention”

 In a Raycom Media poll of 600 registered voters, Edwards and Vitters are polling above 21-percent, while Dardenne and Angelle are in the single digits. Dubos says Vitter will likely be a target tonight….

Cut 5  (10)  “everything else”

 Dubos says this will likely be the last chance voters will see all four candidates together before the October 24^th election.

Cut 6 (05)  “leading candidates”

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The LSU Mammal Curator has discovered a new species while surveying in Indonesia. Jake Esselstyn found a new rodent never seen before. He says he and his team trapped a type of screw rat, while traveling up a mountain on the island of Sulawesi (Sue-lu-way-see).

CUT 7 (10)  “small range”

Esselstyn says he often visits Indonesia to see how mammal diversity has evolved over time. He says this species, called the Hog-nosed rat, has a large pink nose, extremely large ears and long legs.

Cut 8  (10)  “beetle larvae”

Esselstyn says they found a similar species last year and expect to find even more in years to come. He says there are many other tropical, mountainous islands like Sulawesi (Sue-lu-way-see) that are yet to be surveyed for mammal diversity.

Cut 9 (06) “on the planet” 

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The 2016-17 Louisiana Economic Outlook report shows the state’s economy will continue to feel the effects of low oil prices, but industrial booms in certain areas will create major job growth. Economist and co-author of the report Dr. Loren Scott says the biggest gains will be seen from Baton Rouge to Lake Charles…:

Cut 10 (11) “under construction”

Meanwhile Scott says growth in the northern part of the state will remain mostly stagnant over the next couple of years with just a small amount of job losses predicted. He says areas in the oil patch around Houma and the Acadiana region will continue to struggle…:

cut 11 (08) “price of oil”

The forecast projects, overall, Louisiana will add 15,400 jobs in 2016 and 19,600 in 2017. He says the report clearly indicates that Louisiana would really benefit by a rebound in the energy sector…:

Cut 12 (10) “much much better”

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Even though it’s mid-October it will feel like summer again today as high temperatures will be in the 90s across much of Louisiana. Shreveport broke a 134 year-old record when temps reached the mid-90s yesterday. Brandi Hughes, with the National Weather Service, says dry conditions are helping to produce summer like weather…

Cut 13 (10)  “upper 90s”

The high temperatures today are expected to be in the mid-90s in north Louisiana, which would break the previous record high of 91 that was established in 1947 in both Monroe and Shreveport. Hughes says the record broken yesterday goes back even further…

Cut 14 (11) “particular day”

Hughes says it will feel more like fall this weekend as a cold front will knock high temperatures back down to the 70s for much of the state

Cut 15  (10)  “for Sunday”

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The Saints look to turn their season around tonight when they host the Atlanta Falcons. The Dirty Birds are undefeated, while New Orleans is 1-4 and rank last in the NFL in total defense. But Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan believes they have enough talent to become one of the better teams in the league…

Cut 16  (17)  “be great”

The Saints defense will have its hands full tonight. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is third in the NFL in passing yards and second-year running back Devonta Freeman is the league’s second leading rusher and has also caught 24 passes out of the backfield. Ryan says Freeman has looked impressive on the game film…

Cut 17 (18) “the defense” 

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Louisiana Tech will face on Mississippi State on Saturday. Tech has won three in a row, but head coach Skip Holtz wants to see his defense stop giving up big plays

Cut 18 (11) “safety”

Holtz says Mississippi State is playing well on offense and defense, but they may excel the most on special teams…

Cut 19 (21) “any time”

Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator is Manny Diaz, who was the defensive coordinator at Tech last season. Holtz says that does present some challenges…

Cut 20 (20) “normally be”

Authorities in north Louisiana are searching for an arsonist responsible for several fires. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (27)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Republican David Vitter will be missing tonight’s statewide televised LBP debate, while the other three candidates will be there. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain say authorities are searching for an arsonist who was responsible for several fires set across north Louisiana. Strain says state firefighters were battling ten fires in six different parishes yesterday and he believes some of them were intentionally set.

CUT 3 (11)  “another one”

Strain says crews worked to put out fires in Caddo, Claiborne, Morehouse, Bienville West Carroll and Sabine parishes. He says it took until 1 AM this morning to get all of the fires under control. The commissioner says unfortunately one home in Bienville Parish was destroyed, but no one was injured….

CUT 4 (08)  “the home”

Strain says one of the fires was caused by a lightning strike, another caused by a person burning a tree stump, while the others were deliberately set. He warns people that if you commit arson, law enforcement will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.

CUT 5 (10) “was lost”

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Republican David Vitter will be missing tonight’s televised gubernatorial debate to be aired statewide by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. His campaign has come under fire by opponents for frequently opting out of such forums. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Vitter likely thinks he’s going to make the runoff no matter what he does

CUT 6 (11) “probably don’t need to”

The other Republicans, Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle, will be at LPB’s debate tonight as well as Democrat John Bel Edwards. Some say that Vitter is not attending forums because he doesn’t want to answer the question about whether or not he broke the law, referring to the prostitution scandal. Cross says Vitter doesn’t want to be asked about the past:

CUT 7 (09)  “probably better”

The debate begins at 7pm. Vitter’s campaign has repeatedly cited the reason for the US Senator’s absence is because he’s casting votes in Washington D.C., but the Senate is not in session this week. Cross says the fact that Vitter is missing debates may sway some voters away from him, but for the most part people are not paying attention to this race…:

CUT 8 (08)  “very unlikely”

Vitter’s Campaign Response: “Senator Vitter is doing the debate tomorrow night. He’s done several televised debates already this week that Angelle and Edwards skipped, and he’s participated in 35 debates and forums this year – an unprecedented amount.”

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Although many people say this year’s governor’s election got off to a slow start, it appears the ad war is in full swing. The Center for Public Integrity reports nearly 18,500 campaign ads have aired statewide in this year’s governor’s race, as of October 5th. Michael Henderson with LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab says when you compare this race to the state’s last competitive open election in 2003, there are similarities…

CUT 9 (09)  “passed them up”

At this point in the 2003 election, a little less than 9,000 ads had aired. Henderson says it appears that negative ads showed up earlier this year than back in 2003. He says, twelve years ago, negative ads didn’t begin popping up until the week before the primary…

cut 10 (09)  “governor’s elections”

He says the first attack ads in this year’s race appeared in early September. Henderson says voters can expect to see more negative ads as we approach election day and head into a runoff…

Cut 11 (09)  “2000 to 2014″

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The 16-year-old Baton Rouge teenager accused in the stabbing death of a St. Amant High School senior over the weekend will be tried as an adult. A district judge in Ascension Parish has ruled that Jacob Westbrook will be tried on a count of second degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Todd Toups. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the judge had very little discretion…

cut 12 (07)  “as adults”

Authorities say Toups was fatally stabbed by Westbrook while he was trying to give another student a ride to the homecoming dance. The judge ordered Westbrook to be transferred to the Ascension Parish Prison. Meche this case has a long way to go and a lot could happen before it’s over…

cut 13 (10)  “plea deal arrangement”

He says Louisiana law mandates that 16-year-olds who are alleged to have committed murder be tried as adults. Meche says it’s too early in the process to anticipate how this case will turn out…

cut 14 (04)  “make predictions”

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