Today, the Louisiana Republican Party is expected to announce their endorsement of former Congressman Jeff Landry in this year’s Attorney General’s race.  Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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The State Department of Health and Hospitals announces resources for residents having a hard time dealing with the Lafayette movie theater shooting. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Authorities have completed an important phase of their investigation into the deadly Lafayette movie theater shooting. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today, the Louisiana Republican Party is expected to announce their endorsement of former Congressman Jeff Landry in this year’s Attorney General’s race. Landry is seeking to unseat current AG and fellow Republican Buddy Caldwell. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says there is no doubting Landry’s Republican stripes.

cut 4  (09)  “with evangelicals”

West Baton Rouge prosecutor Martin Maley has also declared for this race. Alford says this endorsement would be a big blow for Caldwell, but not very surprising. He says Caldwell has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way in recent years.

Cut 5  (08)  “Republican Party”

He says Caldwell received a lot of criticism among Republicans for offering encouraging words to former Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu in her unsuccessful bid for re-election last year. Alford says the Republican Party endorsement of Landry will show that Caldwell is in for a major race this fall.

Cut 6 (08)  “2015 cycle”

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The Department of Health and Hospitals has established resources for residents who are having a hard time dealing with the Lafayette movie theater shooting and need someone to talk to. Brad Farmer is with the Acadiana Area Human Services District. He says people can reach out to professionals if you think you need help…:

CUT 7 (11)  “crisis services”

Farmer says they are also offering information to parents on how to speak to their children about such an event. He says people are affected by tragedies of this magnitude differently — possibly feeling physical or emotional draining, anger, guilt or sadness at various times…:

Cut 8  (11)  “that are available” 

You can get information on 24-hour-crisis hotlines and support groups online at dhh.louisiana.gov. Farmer says their 24-hour-crisis line is toll free at 1-877-655-8241. He says there may even be people out there who are not directly connected to the shooting, but are still struggling with dealing with it and can seek help…:

Cut 9 (07) “home community”

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The USDA has cited a UL-Lafayette research facility in New Iberia for both the injury and death of two different monkeys and for also allowing monkeys to escape their cages. According to the government report, a monkey was electrocuted to death in 2013, another primate’s leg was broken due to improper handling. Co-founder of Stop Animal Exploitation Now Michel Budkie says this isn’t the first time government regulators have come down against the research facility…

Cut 10 (04) “criminal history”

Budkie says UL Lafayette was fined 38-thousand dollars in 2011 after three young rhesus monkeys died of negligence. He says the USDA is not done investigating the facility and these new citations might mean a higher fine added against the center….

cut 11 (09) “killing animals”  

The USDA report did say corrective actions have taken place. And UL Lafayette says they remain committed to animal well-being and biomedical research. But Budkie says there are more advanced ways to conduct this type of research, without harming primates…

cut 12 (06) “last century technology”

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Republican Senators Bill Cassidy and David Vitter took a moment on the Senate floor to honor the victims and heroes in the Lafayette movie theater shooting. Jillian Johnson and Mayci Breaux were killed in the horrific attack. Cassidy says Johnson served the community with kindness and grace, while Breaux had tremendous compassion and enthusiasm for life…

Cut 13 (10)  “their memories live”

Funeral services were held yesterday for Johnson and Breaux. The Senators also thanked first responders, theater staff and school teachers Jena Meaux and Ali Martin. Cassidy says Meaux and Martin acted bravely in their efforts to stop the shooter

Cut 14 (09) “to alert authorities”

We’ve learned since the shooting that the gunman, John Russell Martin, had a history of mental illnees.  Cassidy says it’s time to reform America’s mental health system and he’s working on legislation with Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy

Cut 15  (07)  “fails to do so”

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The Lafayette movie theater shooting has re-energized the debate of installing metal detectors inside movie theaters and Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton hopes to make it a law. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Eric Gill”

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The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office says they’ve arrested 15 suspects as part of a major heroin bust. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Lafayette movie theater shooting has re-energized the debate of installing metal detectors inside movie theaters. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton says she is already working on legislation to do just that. Norton says she views going to the movies as a family outing…

CUT 3 (08)  “in the movie”

If re-elected this fall, Norton plans to introduce the measure during next year’s legislative session. She says hand-held metal detector wands start at $50, while walk-through models can cost theater owners one to two thousand dollars. Norton says no amount of money is worth more than people’s safety…

CUT 4 (06)  “I think not”

She feels that legislators have a responsibility to do whatever they can to make sure Louisiana residents are safe. There are some that say metal detectors could scare off potential customers and increase wait times for movie goers to get to their film. Norton says standing in line for a few minutes is a small price to pay to save lives…

CUT 5 (11) “don’t think so”

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A Colorado judge has determined that jurors deciding the fate of Colorado theater shooter James Holmes could still be impartial despite seeing media coverage of last week’s Lafayette theater shooting. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Holmes’ lawyers were concerned that the incident in Lafayette may have swayed the jury’s decision…

CUT 6 (11)  “the Lafayette case”

When asked by the judge if they had seen or read anything about the Lafayette shooting, the twelve jurors raised their hands. Jurors were then questioned individually about what they knew and if they discussed it with anyone. Meche says there is one scenario that could derail Holmes’ sentencing process…

CUT 7 (10) “a fair juror”

Testimony in the sentencing phase of the trial has resumed. Holmes is facing the death penalty for killing 12 people and injuring 70 others at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado in 2012. Meche says this procedure is just another part of the sentencing process…

CUT 8 (11)  “been influenced”

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A Baton Rouge woman faces charges after she allegedly threatened to shoot someone inside a movie theater over the weekend. East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office spokesperson Casey Rayborn Hicks says 27-year-old Gaynell Haydel verbalized her threats near the ticket booth at the Cinemark Perkins Rowe theater

CUT 9 (09)  “so concerned”

Hicks says they are not sure why Haydel threatened to shoot someone inside a movie theater, but after what happened in Lafayette last week, deputies didn’t take any chances and arrested her

cut 10 (10) “like that”

Haydel was charged with terrorizing, disturbing the peace and resisting an officer. Her bond has been set at six-thousand dollars. Hicks says they had additional deputies at movie theaters this past weekend and one was quick to respond to the situation

cut 11 (11) “identification”

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The Shreveport Police Department says they are working an officer involved shooting which left the suspect dead. Chief Administrative Assistant Bill Goodin says they got a 911 call from a woman who reported she and another victim had been held hostage for several hours by the suspect who was armed with a gun but eventually left…:

cut 12 (10)  “estranged wife”

Goodin says the two female victims who had been allegedly taken hostage were aged 16 and 19 and were related to the suspect. He says officers responded to the location where they heard the man firing shots at his estranged wife when she was arriving to check on the victims…:

cut 13 (11)  “multiple times”

The suspect is identified as 33 year old Khari Westly.  Goodin says the suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He says four officers were placed on paid administrative leave while detectives process all the evidence in this complex case…:

cut 14 (07)  “district attorney”

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The Lafayette theater shooting is sparking arguments over gun control once again and whether more laws are needed to prevent such tragedies. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (32) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Should TOPS students continue to have their tuition fully paid for by the state is an issue the next governor will have to address. Scott Carwile has more from the candidates on this topic…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Attorney General Buddy Caldwell wants to address mental health issues after the Lafayette theater shooting. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Lafayette theater shooting is sparking arguments over gun control once again and whether more laws are needed to prevent such tragedies. Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarman says we need stronger gun laws so that Americans can feel safe going about their daily lives. He says the entire gun industry needs serious reform…:

cut 4  (05)  “shootings like this”

Sugarman says in 2013, Louisiana’s per capita firearm homicide rate was the first in the nation, and it ranked second in the rate of overall gun death according to the CDC. He says the all too often unacknowledged fact is that gun violence takes a heavy toll on the state…:

Cut 5  (06)  “manifestation of it”

59-year-old John Houser opened fire on a theater full of people last week and two women died while several others were injured. Wade Duty with the Louisiana Gun Association says piling on additional gun laws would not have altered this man’s behavior…:

Cut 6 (09)  “the mentally ill”

Duty says the best immediate response to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. He says the Lafayette Police Department did an amazing job responding to the scene very quickly, but cops aren’t there when a shooting takes place…:

CUT 7 (09)  “in your kitchen”

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In Louisiana Radio Network’s ongoing gubernatorial Q&A we asked the major candidates about the TOPS scholarship program. We posed the question, if elected, what changes would you propose to ensure TOPS can remain a successful program? Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says reasonable reform is needed to preserve the program and the bill passed by the legislature this year is a responsible way to do that…

Cut 8  (09)  “tuition goes up” 

State Representative John Bel Edwards says it may be necessary to control the costs of the program by de-linking the program from automatic tuition increases…

Cut 9 (10) “program, itself”

Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle says, if elected, he would work with legislators to find innovative ways to sustain the program. Angelle says he would propose a budget that fully funds scholarships…

Cut 10 (10) “our tax dollars”

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Louisiana Attorney General Bubby Caldwell wants to assemble a team of health professionals to help identify unstable and violent persons and communicate that information with law enforcement. Caldwell says he’s tired of seeing mass shootings like the one that happened Thursday night in Lafayette.

cut 11 (11) “safe havens.”  

Caldwell says we need to start pulling our resources together. He says we need to learn from these tragedies and then find a solution.

cut 12 (11) “can learn”

There’s evidence the Lafayette movie theater gunman John Houser suffered from mental issues. Caldwell says he is going to take action and doesn’t understand why it’s taken so long to confront these problems.

Cut 13 (06)  “efficiently”

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An online retailer says 70′s clothes are a popular trend for back to school shopping. Louisiana ranked 13th nationally in purchases from this era. Fashion expert at Zulily, Shawn Anderson, says students are loving the look of floral casual dresses, rompers and chevron print dresses.

Cut 14 (11) “the 70′s”

Anderson says the musical festival vibe is coming back in style. She says Louisiana kids also gravitated toward fashion from the 80′s.

Cut 15  (09)  “in Louisiana”

Anderson says the state is up to date on the fashions and right up there with the trends. She says more and more young people are sporting the retro look with styles from past decades.

Cut 16  (08)  “go forward”

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College football analyst Phil Steele believes the LSU Tigers will be one the surprise teams in the upcoming season. Steele says LSU’s defense will be fast and one of the best in the country and he likes the offensive line…

Cut 17 (12) ” the job” 

Steele says quarterback is the biggest question mark on LSU’s team. But he anticipates that sophomore Brandon Harris will win the job and perform well…

Cut 18 (09) “national title contender”

But Steele is predicting that Alabama will win the SEC west. He likes the Crimson Tide’s defense

Cut 19 (18) “going to emerge”

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 ***Affiliates: Please note this is David Vitter’s response to the Governor Q&A.***

US Senator David Vitter says he would support whatever is necessary to keep the popular TOPS Scholarship program viable and sustained for the future…:

Cut 20 (07)  “Louisiana”

Authorities are continuing their efforts to learn more about Lafayette theater shooter John Houser. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Louisiana Democratic Party’s biggest fundraiser of the year takes place this Saturday night in New Orleans. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Louisiana Democratic Party hosts its biggest fundraiser of the year on Saturday night at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. The Jefferson-Jackson Dinner is expected to bring together more than 1,000 contributors and supporters of the Democratic party. Party spokesperson Beau Tidwell says Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders will be there as well as other big names.

CUT 3 (11)  “governor”

Tidwell says the event will include video addresses from Hillary Clinton, who is the front-runner to receive the Democratic presidential nomination. He says former three-term Senator Mary Landrieu will also be honored at the dinner.

CUT 4 (11)  “the dinner”

There are currently no democrats serving in a statewide office. Tidwell says democrats are making a big push to have more representation in Louisiana. He says they use this event as a way to kick start the fall election season.

CUT 5 (10) “in Louisiana”

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Authorities are continuing their efforts to learn more about Lafayette theater shooter John Houser. They say Houser, from Phenix City, Alabama, fatally shot two and wounded nine others last night in a movie theater before turning the gun on himself. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft says Houser’s criminal history is dated…

CUT 6 (09)  “maybe longer”

Russell County Alabama Sheriff Heath Taylor says Houser was arrested about 25 years ago for arson in Georgia. Court documents from 2008 show that Houser’s family asked for a temporary protective order against the man because he exhibited extreme erratic behavior. Taylor believes Houser suffered from psychological problems for years…

CUT 7 (07) “his background”

Taylor says their last involvement with Houser was when his department evicted him from his home in 2013 or 2014. Authorities have yet to determine a motive for the shooting. Craft says they will continue to search for answers…

CUT 8 (08)  “interaction with him”

Internet postings reportedly belonging to Houser say he’s a fan of Adolf Hitler and “The United States is a financially failing filth farm.” Taylor says Houser was denied a pistol permit in 2006. He believes a couple of factors led to that denial…

CUT 9 (10)  “as well”

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The two victims who were shot and killed in the Lafayette theater shooting Thursday night are identified as 21-year-old Mayci Breaux of Franklin and 33-year old Jillian Johnson of Lafayette. Governor Bobby Jindal says the city and Louisiana will get through this horrific loss:

cut 10 (07) “good people”

Breaux worked at a clothing boutique in Hub City called coco eros who posted on their Facebook Page the victim was a huge Ragin Cajuns fan and amazing woman. Johnson operated the Red Arrow Workshop and a post on their Facebook page is by her husband who says his wife was an exceptional artist, musician, and entrepreneur. Lafayette Mayor Joey Durel…:

cut 11 (11) “tragedy”

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Governor Bobby Jindal named two teachers heroes after their actions during the Lafayette Grand movie theater shooting last night. Jena Meaux and Ali Martin, of Iberia Parish, were both shot by John Houser. One teacher jumped in front of a bullet, which could’ve hit her friend in the head. Jindal says these women risked their lives to save others.

cut 12 (09)  “other lives”

A GoFundMe page was set up immediately by a friend, Cammie Maturin (mah-tran) to help with the cost of medical bills for Meaux and Martin…

cut 13 (10)  “going to need”

Maturin says these two teachers would go over and beyond to protect anybody and their actions last night come as no surprise. She says this campaign is a way to help these two women get on with their lives…

cut 14 (08)  “down the road “

Sydney Lancon was taught by both Meaux and Martin at Jeanerette Senior High School. She says their heroic actions in the tragedy come as no surprise as Meaux has always shown how much she cared for people around her.

cut 15 (08) “somebody” 

Lancon says Martin was a smart and loving woman. She says Martin was very involved with her students and wanted them to succeed.

cut 16 (08) “at all” 

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Lafayette General Medical Center president David Callecod says one of the fatal victims, 21-year-old Mayci Breaux, was scheduled to begin radiology school at their hospital in a few days…

cut 17 (09) “for our staff”

A total of five patients from the theater shooting were sent to Lafayette General. Two of them were released and three others are listed in “stable” condition. Doctor Foster Kordische says most of the patients at their hospital suffered from extremity wounds…

Cut 18 (12) “lower extremities”

The Louisiana gubernatorial primary is three months from today and things have been relatively quiet on the campaign front. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Emergency crews from throughout the state say they’ve responded to hundreds of calls about children locked in cars this summer. Michelle Southern reporting…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Three people are dead and nine others injured after a man opened fire inside a Lafayette movie theater. Jeff Palermo has the story….

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana’s gubernatorial primary election is three months from today and things have been relatively quiet on the campaign front. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says although the campaigns are definitely working behind the scenes, he’s surprised by the lack of visible activity…

cut 4  (10)  “name recognition up”

Cross says much of the work the campaigns are performing right now center around fundraising, social media, and e-mail blasts. He says, at this point in the race, Republican US Senator David Vitter and Democratic State Representative John Bel Edwards seem poised to make the runoff…

Cut 5  (10)  “Vitter, right now”

Cross expects see a little more activity in this race beginning next month. Qualifying for the gubernatorial election begins September 8th and Cross says you can expect things to get going after that…

Cut 6 (09)  “at that point”

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne has sent a letter to Governor Bobby Jindal asking that he reimburse taxpayers for the cost of having State Police provide security for him during his out-of-state campaign travels. LSU Political Science professor Robert Hogan…

CUT 7 (11)  “do that”

It’s unlikely Jindal will follow through with Dardenne’s request. A spokesperson for the governor says the safety of Jindal shouldn’t be used as a political issue. Hogan says Jindal has received a lot of flack for his traveling and Dardenne is trying to capitalize…

Cut 8  (07)  “a target” 

Hogan says all the gubernatorial candidates are trying to gain more name recognition with the election coming up and this is a good way to do it.

Cut 9 (11) “right now”

______________________________________

Emergency crews from throughout the state say they’ve responded to hundreds of calls about children locked in cars this summer. Curt Monte with the Baton Rouge Fire Department says the heat index has reached triple digits in recent weeks and leaving your kid in a car comes with potentially deadly consequences…:

Cut 10 (10) “matter of minutes”

Monte says in East Baton Rouge Parish alone, since May 1st, there were over 80 calls made about children who were alone in a vehicle. He says they are releasing these numbers to encourage people to slow down…:

cut 11 (10)  “of our community”

Monte says most of the calls stem from minor incidents, but they want to remind parents to remain vigilant. He says in these temperatures if a child is locked in a car, action should be taken immediately to get them out even if the vehicle is running…:

cut 12 (11) “can be deadly”

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Three people are dead and nine others injured after a patron inside a movie theater in Lafayette opened fire on other customers during a showing of the newly released film “Trainwreck.” Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft says one of the deceased victims is the shooter, who he described as a white male in his 50s

Cut 13 (07)  “numerous times”

The police chief described the weapon as a handgun. Craft says seven people were wounded. He describes their injuries as non-life threatening to critical. He says they know the identity of the shooter, but not releasing it, as they try to find out more about him

Cut 14 (10) “going on”

Governor Bobby Jindal arrived shortly after the shooting and asked for Louisiana residents to pray for the victims.

Cut 15  (07)  “through this”

___________________________________________

Some of the top high school football players in the nation are on the LSU campus this weekend for what is known as LSU’s Elite Prospect Camp. Derek Ponamsky, publisher of Bayou Bengals-dot-com says headlining the talent is quarterback Feleipe Franks, who is committed to sign with LSU next year

Cut 16  (17)  “in New Orleans”

Some of the guys attending this camp are players who LSU would like to be part of the 2016 recruiting class that’s currently ranked as the best by 24-7 sports. Next year’s class already has 17 commitments and Ponamsky is not expecting a bunch of new additions in the coming days

Cut 17 (11) ” see mode” 

Ponamsky says this kind of a camp allows the coaches to evaulate high school prospects up close…

Cut 18 (13) “LSU does”

The Louisiana gubernatorial primary is three months from today and things have been relatively quiet on the campaign front. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

______________________________________

Emergency crews from throughout the state say they’ve responded to hundreds of calls about children locked in cars this summer. Michelle Southern reporting…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Three people are dead and seven others injured after a man opened fire inside a Lafayette movie theater. Jeff Palermo has the story….

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Louisiana’s gubernatorial primary election is three months from today and things have been relatively quiet on the campaign front. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says although the campaigns are definitely working behind the scenes, he’s surprised by the lack of visible activity…

cut 4  (10)  “name recognition up”

Cross says much of the work the campaigns are performing right now center around fundraising, social media, and e-mail blasts. He says, at this point in the race, Republican US Senator David Vitter and Democratic State Representative John Bel Edwards seem poised to make the runoff…

Cut 5  (10)  “Vitter, right now”

Cross expects see a little more activity in this race beginning next month. Qualifying for the gubernatorial election begins September 8th and Cross says you can expect things to get going after that…

Cut 6 (09)  “at that point”

______________________________________

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne has sent a letter to Governor Bobby Jindal asking that he reimburse taxpayers for the cost of having State Police provide security for him during his out-of-state campaign travels. LSU Political Science professor Robert Hogan…

CUT 7 (11)  “do that”

It’s unlikely Jindal will follow through with Dardenne’s request. A spokesperson for the governor says the safety of Jindal shouldn’t be used as a political issue. Hogan says Jindal has received a lot of flack for his traveling and Dardenne is trying to capitalize…

Cut 8  (07)  “a target” 

Hogan says all the gubernatorial candidates are trying to gain more name recognition with the election coming up and this is a good way to do it.

Cut 9 (11) “right now”

______________________________________

Emergency crews from throughout the state say they’ve responded to hundreds of calls about children locked in cars this summer. Curt Monte with the Baton Rouge Fire Department says the heat index has reached triple digits in recent weeks and leaving your kid in a car comes with potentially deadly consequences…:

Cut 10 (10) “matter of minutes”

Monte says in East Baton Rouge Parish alone, since May 1st, there were over 80 calls made about children who were alone in a vehicle. He says they are releasing these numbers to encourage people to slow down…:

cut 11 (10)  “of our community”

Monte says most of the calls stem from minor incidents, but they want to remind parents to remain vigilant. He says in these temperatures if a child is locked in a car, action should be taken immediately to get them out even if the vehicle is running…:

cut 12 (11) “can be deadly”

______________________________________

Three people are dead and seven others injured after a patron inside a movie theater in Lafayette opened fire on other customers during a showing of the newly released film “Trainwreck.” Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft says one of the deceased victims is the shooter, who he described as a white male in his 50s

Cut 13 (07)  “numerous times”

The police chief described the weapon as a handgun. Craft says seven people were wounded. He describes their injuries as non-life threatening to critical. He says they know the identity of the shooter, but not releasing it, as they try to find out more about him

Cut 14 (10) “going on”

Governor Bobby Jindal arrived shortly after the shooting and asked for Louisiana residents to pray for the victims.

Cut 15  (07)  “through this”

___________________________________________

Some of the top high school football players in the nation are on the LSU campus this weekend for what is known as LSU’s Elite Prospect Camp. Derek Ponamsky, publisher of Bayou Bengals-dot-com says headlining the talent is quarterback Feleipe Franks, who is committed to sign with LSU next year

Cut 16  (17)  “in New Orleans”

Some of the guys attending this camp are players who LSU would like to be part of the 2016 recruiting class that’s currently ranked as the best by 24-7 sports. Next year’s class already has 17 commitments and Ponamsky is not expecting a bunch of new additions in the coming days

Cut 17 (11) ” see mode” 

Ponamsky says this kind of a camp allows the coaches to evaulate high school prospects up close…

Cut 18 (13) “LSU does”

A study from the transportation research group TRIP shows Louisianians pay about $514 extra per year for car upkeep due to poor road conditions. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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Three Louisiana jockeys have been arrested in an alleged horse race fixing scheme. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today is LSU’s live mascot, Mike the Tiger’s 10th birthday. Ginger Guttner, spokesperson for the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine says Mike VI was crafted a birthday cake made of meat, wrapped in bacon, topped with boiled eggs and hardened goats milk to create the number 10.

CUT 3 (05)  “meat artists”

Guttner says Mike is in the prime of his life and as Bengal tigers living in captivity typically live about 16 years, when in the wild their lifespan is closer to 9 years.

CUT 4 (06)  “while longer”

Traditionally, LSU’s live mascot is part of the pregame activities inside Tiger Stadium on gamedays. But this Mike usually stays in his habitat. Guttner says LSU will release a statement later about having Mike involved in pregame activities for the upcoming football season. However, she still encourages fans to come out to visit him at his habitat.

CUT 5 (10) “in Louisiana”

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According to a study from the transportation research group TRIP, Louisianians pay about $514 extra per year for car upkeep due to poor road conditions. Associate Director of Research, Carolyn Kelly, says the additional costs come in the form of accelerated vehicle depreciation, tire wear, fuel consumption, and repair costs…

CUT 6 (07)  “damage repaired”

The report shows 36-percent of roads in Shreveport are considered in poor condition, 38-percent in Baton Rouge, and 42-percent in New Orleans. Kelly says the costs to maintain your vehicle in these cities is considerably higher than the state average…

CUT 7 (11) “$653 each year”

The study ranks New Orleans 11th nationally for having the worst roads among mid-sized cities. Kelly says she hopes this study serves as a wake-up call so the public and elected officials can make transportation funding a top priority…

CUT 8 (08)  “to a minimum”

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The State Department of Health and Hospitals has confirmed the presence of a brain eating ameba in the St. Bernard Parish Water System. The site was tested by DHH as part of the state’s new drinking water surveillance program. Spokeswoman Olivia Hwang (WONG) says the water is safe to drink, but they are conducting a 60-day chlorine burn out of an abundance of caution…:

CUT 9 (11)  “high up their nose”

Hwang says Naegleria Fowleri (nuh-GLEER’-ee-uh FOW’-lur-eye) is an ameba that occurs naturally in water. She says the Department urges residents to avoid getting water in their noses but know that getting an infection is extremely rare…:

cut 10 (10) “residents”

Hwang says fewer than 10 deaths in the US have been traced back to the ameba with three in Louisiana over the last several years. The ameba was identified in the St. Bernard Parish Water System in 2013, but the CDC confirmed it was gone in February 2014. Hwang says they are glad there is a system in place where this ameba can be identified…:

cut 11 (09) “residents health”

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Three  jockeys at Evangeline Downs Race Track in Opelousas have been arrested for taking part in a race fixing scheme. State Police arrested 46-year-old Joseph Patin Jr. and his brother, 51-year-old Billy Patin, as well as, 24-year-old LeSean Conyers. Master Trooper Brooks David says the investigation started after receiving a complaint from the Louisiana Racing Commission.

cut 12 (10)  “to win”
David says the three suspects engaged in the questionable riding tactics in a race on June 19th. He says the Patin brothers also faces charges for using an illegal shocking device on horses during two races on July 4th…

cut 13 (09)  “any time”

David wants the public to know, State Police watches for those who try to fix horse races or those who use dishonest gaming practices.

cut 14 (11)  “deemed necessary “

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

State Police say a single-vehicle crash in Richland Parish has claimed the life of a 96-year-old Delhi man. Trooper Michael Reichardt says James Coleman was driving his truck south of Delhi when he lost control of the vehicle…

cut 15 (05) “pronounced dead“

He says Coleman, who was unrestrained, traveled off the roadway, struck a ditch embankment, and his vehicle overturned. Coleman was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Reichardt says Coleman was well known in the Richland Parish area…  (The crash remains under investigation, but authorities do not suspect speed nor impairment to be a factor. )

cut 16 (06) “in the community‘”

Today, Seth Fontenot will be re-sentenced on his manslaughter and aggravated battery conviction in a 2013 shooting that killed 15-year-old Austin Rivault and injured two others.  Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The summer heat these days in Louisiana has been brutal. Michelle Southern speaks with State Climatologist Barry Keim…:

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A Lithuanian based company will transform an idle Grant Parish facility into an ammonia plant. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today, Seth Fontenot will be re-sentenced on his manslaughter and aggravated battery conviction in a 2013 shooting that killed 15-year-old Austin Rivault and injured two others. In July, Fontenot was sentenced to 3 years at hard labor with all but 13 months suspended. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the state filed a motion for re-sentencing after Judge Ed Rubin handed down his decision…

cut 4  (06)  “original sentence”

State law prevents a judge from suspending the sentence of someone convicted of a crime of violence. Prosecutors want Judge Rubin to sentence Fontenot to at least 10 years in prison while Fontenot’s attorneys want a lighter sentence of 13 months. Meche says the decision rests on Judge Rubin’s shoulders…

Cut 5  (11)  “appropriate sentence”

A digital billboard has popped up in Lafayette featuring a photo of Rivault asking Judge Rubin to get the sentence right this time. Meche says judges are not supposed to be swayed by pubic opinion, but points out that judges in Louisiana are elected to the bench by popular vote…

Cut 6 (09)  “is affected”

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The summer heat these days in Louisiana has been brutal. State Climatologist Barry Keim says in Shreveport the last 5 days have had maximum temperatures of 96 degrees or greater, and even 99 on Tuesday. He says Baton Rouge has gone six straight days with temperatures of 96 degrees or greater and 98 on Monday…:

CUT 7 (11)  “maximum temperatures”

Keim says, while this is miserable, it’s not as bad as some other temps we’ve seen in the not-so-distant past. He says in late June, early July of 2012, The Capitol City went 13 out of 14 days with the temperatures greater than or equal to 95 degrees. Keim says in Shreveport, in 2011 86 of 92 days in the summer were 95 degrees or greater…:

Cut 8  (10)  “on two of those days” 

Keim says the cause of these runs of extremely warm weather is a dome of high pressure that’s sitting over the southeastern United States. He says that and the clear skies are causing the sun to bake the surface…:

Cut 9 (11) “big favor”

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The Tabasco Sauce Factory in Iberia Parish is set to open a new restaurant, museum and expanded tours at their  Visitors Center on Avery Island. Vice President of Administration  Cecil Hymel says visitors will now be able to see parts of the plant never seen before.

Cut 10 (11) “being processed”

Hymel says the museum is set to open in the fall and will hold pre-Civil War artifacts and give insight to the McIhenny family and Avery Island. He says there will be an exhibit exploring each of Tabasco’s presidents since the opening of the facility.

cut 11 (09)  “into this”

Hymel says the new restaurant called “1868″, will open around August 10th and offer a variety of Louisiana foods incorporated with each of the 7 different flavor Tabasco pepper sauces.

cut 12 (05) “you know”

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A plant that has sat idle in Grant Parish will be transformed into a $265 million  ammonia plant. A Lithuanian based company is making the investment which will create  85 new direct jobs and generate over 500 construction jobs. State Representative Terry Brown says the plant will be located near Pollock.

Cut 13 (09)  “from Lithuania”

The plant will produce 500-thousand tons of ammonia per year. Brown says Grant Parish continues to grow and new job opportunities help the area flourish.

Cut 14 (11) “Louisiana”

Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2016 and it’ll take just over two years to complete. Brown says the facility orignially opened in 1977 but has been sitting idle for the last several years.

Cut 15  (10)  “plus benefits”

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Louisiana Tech heads into the upcoming season as the favorites to win the West Division of Conference USA. The Bulldogs have about a dozen starters back from last year’s team that won the West, plus they add former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel, who begins the season as the starter. Driskel spoke at Conference USA Media Days about transferring from the Gators

Cut 16  (18)  “really close”

Bulldogs Head Coach Skip Holtz says Driskel has earned the team’s respect

Cut 17 (19) ” him play” 

Tech went nine and five last season and won the Heart of Dallas Bowl. A big reason for their sucess was all of the turnovers they forced. They led the FBS with 42 takeaways. Holtz seems confident they can duplicate those results, if they can put pressure on opposing quarterbacks

Cut 18 (17) “of defense”

The city council in Hammond refuses to allow establishments that only severe alcohol to open on Sundays. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, oil and gas jobs in Louisiana continued their decline in June, dropping to the lowest level in almost 10 years. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (30) “I’m Eric Gill”

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The city council in Hammond refuses to allow establishments that only severe alcohol to open on Sundays. During a meeting last night, the vote was 3-2 against changing the longtime law. Several people attended to speak in favor of bars selling alcohol on Sundays including Todd Delaune, owner of Red, White and Brew on Hammond’s main street…:

CUT 3 (11)  “discriminatory”

Delaune says this is an issue of fairness that’s taken a small segment of people who run businesses and saying they don’t have the right to earn money 7 days a week like their counterparts. He says, to him, the religious argument doesn’t hold up…:

CUT 4 (11)  “Friday and Saturday”

There was a woman who spoke to oppose the proposal saying it would hurt Hammond’s family city image to sell alcohol on Sundays. Delaune says bars police the sale of alcohol better than most other establishments that offer liquor and beer 7 days a week such as restaurants and gas stations…:

CUT 5 (12) “age of 21″

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A Harvey woman was arrested after allegedly shooting three of her five children with a BB gun and choking them as punishment. 34-year-old Tomeka Stair was charged with three counts of cruelty to a juvenile. Col. John Fortunato with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department says a family member alerted authorities about the abuse.

CUT 6 (11)  “their heads”

The victims were ages 9 to 11. Forturato says Stair’s 21-year-old girlfriend, Shebria Turner was also arrested on similar charges. He says Turner confessed to the police and confirmed what the children were saying about their mother.

CUT 7 (05) “both females”

Forturato says the children were originally released to child protective services but are now with a relative. He says this is obviously not the way to punish children for bad behavior.

CUT 8 (08)  “your children”

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According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, oil and gas jobs in Louisiana continued their decline in June, dropping to the lowest level in almost 10 years. Eric Smith, Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, says these jobs are some of the best jobs in the state…

CUT 9 (08)  “in manufacturing”

Mining and logging jobs, where many oil and gas jobs are classified, fell by another 300 jobs last month, bringing the total number of jobs lost this year to 6,000. Smith says the price of crude oil is the leading factor in the decrease in jobs…

cut 10 (10) “of the country” X2

The total number of mining and logging jobs has dropped to 47,700, the lowest in the state since May 2006. But Smith says the June job report isn’t all bad news…

cut 11 (08) “those people”

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A survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more teenage girls are using the morning after pill. The report indicates about 1 in 5 teens girls have used the morning after pill, when ten years ago it was 1 in 12.  Dr. Valerie Williams,with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, says more teens are taking the pill now because it’s easier to get over the counter…:

cut 12 (11)  “insurance”

Williams hopes easier access to the morning after pill will lead to a drop in teen birth rates because  80% of teenage pregnancies are unplanned. She says unfortunately, Louisiana is above the national average for teen pregnancy rates.

cut 13 (09)  “other countries”

Williams says there are both negatives and positives to this trend. She says it’s great for young women to have an emergency option, but it shouldn’t be used as a primary form of contraception.

cut 14 (09)  “contraceptives”

The political news website Politico reports that Governor Bobby Jindal is still not polling high enough to be included in the first Republican televised debate. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (30) “Scott Carwile”

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding caused at least 27 percent of traffic fatalities in Louisiana in 2013. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The lifestyle digital publication PureWow has named Thibodaux as one of the 12 cutest small towns in America. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The political news website Politico reports that Governor Bobby Jindal is still not polling high enough to be included in the first Republican televised debate. They are basing their prediction on a recent Washington Post/ABC poll where Jindal received just two-percent of the vote. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says this does not bode well for the governor…

cut 4  (05)  “not be there”

Fox News will host the first debate on August 6th and only the top 10 contenders based on an average of recent polls will be invited. Alford says that while Jindal would prefer to be on that stage, his exclusion would kind of play into his hands…

Cut 5  (09)  “in recent weeks”

Jindal’s campaign says a recent Monmouth University poll showing the governor with a 59-percent favorability rating among Iowa voters is a sign that Jindal is gaining momentum. However, Alford says Jindal is definitely behind where he wants to be at this point in the campaign…

Cut 6 (09)  “an accomplishment”

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According to  the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speed accounted for at least 27 percent of traffic deaths, killing 193, in Louisiana in 2013.  State Police Sgt. Nick Manale says the faster the vehicle is going, the less reaction time the driver has.

CUT 7 (05)  “as possible”

The data found that young male drivers out of all age groups were most likely to be speeding at the time of fatal crashes. Manale says getting young men to slow down is a combination of educating and enforcing.

Cut 8  (07)  “a reason” 

34 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2013 were also speeding. Manale says the majority of motorcycle accidents they see are single vehicle crashes. He says state police offers additional training for motorcyclists to ensure they learn how to stay safe on the road.

Cut 9 (09) “the motorcycle”

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The lifestyle digital publication PureWow has named Thibodaux as one of the 12 cutest small towns in America. The article says the picks were based on places which loads of charm, festivals and quaint locations. Kathy Benoit, President of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, says they are thrilled about this latest designation…:

Cut 10 (10) “know it also”

Also on the PureWow list are places like Levenworth, Washington, Carmel-By-The-Sea, California, Charlottesville, Virginia and Fayetteville Arkansas. Benoit says Thibodaux is very historic with plenty of spots on the National Register…:

cut 11 (11)  “live and visit”

Benoit says they had a young man come into their office earlier this week for some information about the town as he was moving there from another city. She says he couldn’t stop raving about how friendly the people of Thibodaux are…:

cut 12 (08) “from an outsider”

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A spokesperson for the Louisiana National Guard says they are still putting a policy in place so they can follow Governor Bobby Jindal’s executive order that allows guardsmen to be armed at military facilities. Colonel Pete Schneider says as part of their planning, they are determining which officers should be issued a government weapon for security purposes while on national guard property…

Cut 13 (09)  “of force briefed”

Jindal issued the executive order last Friday after a gunman fatally shot four Marines and a sailor at two military centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Schneider says Louisiana’s major national guard bases have full-time force protection personnel, but their armories and recruiting offices do not have this type of security

Cut 14 (10) “training process”

Schneider says unit commanders will determine which guardsmen will be armed once they arrive at a National Guard facility

Cut 15  (07)  “will be issued”

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