The first meeting of the task force studying the impact of illegal immigration was held today in Baton Rouge. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Football coach Les Miles is known as a good recruiter, but can he convince his youngest son to come to LSU. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A grand jury has indicted a man and his pregnant girlfriend in the death of a sex offender who repeatedly assaulted the woman throughout her childhood. 21-year-old Jace Crehan and 18-year-old Brittany Monk, both of Walker, face second degree murder charges in the death of 47-year-old Robert Noce of Zachary. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this is not a difficult case for prosecutors…

CUT 3 (06)  “your perpetrator”

Noce’s body was found inside a 55-gallon drum after he was stabbed and strangled. Officials say Noce had just begun serving probation for sexually abusing Monk when he was killed. Meche says doesn’t think the judge will allow evidence of the abuse to be presented to the jury…

CUT 4 (07)  “of evidence”

Authorities say Crehan admitted to the crime and placed Monk at the scene. Meche says Monk will have to prove that the sexual abuse rendered her mentally insane at the time of the murder or that she feared for her life…

CUT 5 (12) “different story”

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The first meeting of the task force studying the impact of illegal immigration was held today in Baton Rouge. Task force chairperson Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges says ignoring the problem of illegal immigration effects the quality of life for everyone…

CUT 6 (10) “local governments”

Hodges says taxpayers are forced to pay for the cost of providing for every illegal immigrant under the age of 18. She says it’s difficult to know how much illegal immigrants are costing the state because most departments do not track that information. Hodges says you can’t fix what you can’t identify…

CUT 7 (08)  “in Louisiana”

Louisiana is among the top 10 states that receive unaccompanied alien children. Hodges says another meeting is planned next month that will include the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Education giving updated data to the task force. She says the purpose of this task force is not to solve the problem of illegal immigration…

CUT 8 (09)  “of Louisiana” 2X

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

Les Miles is hoping his youngest son will one day play for him at LSU. Tigers recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson has offered Ben Miles a scholarship to play at LSU. Miles is a fullback for the Catholic High Bears in Baton Rouge. And Miles says the scholarship offer is deserving

CUT 9 (08)  “by it”

Miles had trouble convincing two of his other children to stay close to home for college. His daughter “Smacker” Miles is a swimmer at Texas and his son, Manny, is a walk-on at North Carolina. Miles hopes Ben will wear the purple and gold…

cut 10 (10)  “path here”

Ben Miles’ high school coach, Dale Weiner, is expecting big things from Miles as he enters his junior season. Coach Miles hopes one day he’ll be coaching his son…

Cut 11 (10)  “LSU has”

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Now that a federal judge has ruled against the NFL in the Tom Brady deflate-gate case, does this open up the door for Saints Coach Sean Payton to sue the league in order to recoup the money he lost when he was suspended without pay in 2012 for Bounty Gate? Legal analyst Chick Foret says Brady’s case was covered by the collective bargaining agreement that all players are involved in…:

cut 12 (11)  “for those folks”

Also suspended over the alleged Saints illegal pay for pain program was General Manager Mickey Loomis who was out 8 games, and Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt who was punished for 6 games. Foret says the good news for Payton is that he has the same agent that helped Brady, Don Yee…:

cut 13 (09)  “my money”

Payton did not earn any of his $7.5 million dollar salary when he was banned from the team for an entire season. Foret says it might be a longshot for Payton to get back that money, but not many people thought Brady would win either. He says U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman did not rule on whether or not Brady altered footballs…:

cut 14 (09)  “proper notice”

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

The first task force meeting to study the effect of illegal immigration on Louisiana taxpayers is today. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Association of Educators and the Louisiana Federation of Teachers are teaming up to spotlight political candidates who support the best interest of public education. Jeff Palermo reports…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A study out of UC- San Francisco determines that a lack of sleep can increase your chances of catching a cold. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The first meeting of the task force to study the impact of illegal immigration on Louisiana taxpayers is today. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges is the chairperson of the task force and she says Louisiana receives more unaccompanied minors than Arizona and New Mexico combined.

cut 4  (12)  “medical costs”

Hodges says the purpose of the taskforce is to minimize the cost to Louisiana taxpayers for having illegal immigrates in our state. She says it’s difficult to know how many illegal aliens are in the state, which makes it difficult to get the federal government to reimburse Louisiana for educating undocumented children.

Cut 5  (10)  “to it”

Hodges says the monetary cost isn’t even the most important aspect. She says people are killed around the country at the hands of illegal immigrants and sanctuary cities, like New Orleans, aren’t enforcing the law and putting citizens at risk.

Cut 6 (06)  “Louisiana issue”

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The Louisiana Association of Educators and the Louisiana Federation of Teachers are teaming up to spotlight political candidates who support the best interest of public education. Their “It’s Time to Get it Right” campaign seeks to educate the public on the stands taken by candidates on important issues facing Louisiana’s schools. LFT Public Relations Director Les Landon says the two organizations are usually competitive…

CUT 7 (09)  “education issues”

The campaign will promote recommended candidates in the governor’s race, as well as elections for the state legislature and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. LAE President Debbie Meaux says this campaign is an effort to help voters make an informed decision…

Cut 8  (10)  “certain candidates” 

A website has been set up to promote candidates at itstimelouisiana-dot-com. They will also use Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to get their message out. Landon says this is a very important election for public schools and the children of Louisiana…

Cut 9 (08) “about education”

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A study out of the UC-San Francisco finds that a lack of sleep can determine your likelihood of catching a cold. Researchers found that less than six hours of sleep, impacts your immune system and increases your chances of getting a virus. Professor of Family Medicine at LSU New Orleans Dr. Herbert Muncie says it’s important to get at least seven hours each night.

Cut 10 (11) “contact with”

Muncie says this study doesn’t necessarily mean the more sleep the better. He says if you’re sleeping more than nine hours then that might be a sign on another concern.

cut 11 (10) “be at”

Muncie says it doesn’t matter your age, race or gender, we all need an adequate amount of sleep for our bodies to do its best. He says sleep is just as necessary to staying healthy as a good diet and exercising.

 Cut 12 (05) “enough sleep”

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Former state lawmaker and ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke plans to take legal action if New Orleans removes the Battle of Liberty Place monument. Its a 124-year-old structure that recognizes a group of prominent whites and ex-Confederates who fought against Louisiana’s biracial Reconstruction government. Duke made the comments as the french quarter commission voted to remove the monument…

Cut 13 (07)  “is at stake”

The Battle of Liberty Place monunment is one of four monuments that New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is seeking to remove. The New Orleans City council will have the final say. Duke says city leaders are trying to take away New Orleans heritage

Cut 14 (10) “cultural terrorism”

There are residents who believe the Battle of Liberty Place represents racism and they say the monument was erected to support the institution of Jim Crow. Duke says if the city council votes to take it down, he’ll file suit to stop it…

Cut 15  (10)  “their heroes”

___________________________________________

The college football season starts tonight in Louisiana with Tulane hosting Duke and Southland foes Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana facing each other in Natchitoches. Demons Coach Jay Thomas has not said who he’ll start at quarterback and he may play more than one

Cut 16  (19)  “that point”

Southeastern Louisiana has won the league the past two seasons. They’ve scored a bunch of points, they’ve also been good on defense, leading the conference in points allowed and yards given up the last two seasons. Thomas says the Lions are still impressive on defense

Cut 17 (16) “hands down” 

S-L-U goes into the season as one of the team’s to beat in the Southland. Lions Coach Ron Roberts says after defending their Southland title last season, they understand what it takes to beat teams that are gunning for them…

Cut 18 (14) “we go”

Bryan Bennett was at quarterback for the Lions the last two seasons, but he’s now trying to earn a job in the NFL. Junior D’Shaie Landor, a transfer from UL Lafayette, is expected to start at QB tonight. Roberts says Landor is a gifted player…

Cut 19 (15) “him loose”

The Department of Health and Hospitals says 82 percent of birth hospitals in Louisiana are providing families with access to breastfeeding support and resources. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The state Department of Health and Hospitals announce the discovery of the brain eating amoeba in a water system in Ouachita Parish. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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

The Department of Health and Hospitals says 82 percent of birth hospitals in Louisiana are providing families with access to breastfeeding support and resources. Amy Zapata is the Bureau of Family Health Director at DHH. She says improving breastfeeding rates is one of the most profound, low-cost measures to promote health of mothers and babies…:

CUT 3 (10)  “good for moms”

Zapata says their goal is to help educate Louisiana mothers on the importance of breastfeeding their infants and to help hospitals strengthen support offered to new moms. She says one of their initiatives hospitals can participate is a program called “The Gift”…:

CUT 4 (10)  “exclusively”

Zapata says the steps that the hospitals are implementing for new moms are very important for relationships and connections with families and their babies. She says skin to skin contact with parents right after delivery, learning the signs and signals your baby shows when they are hungry — are all a child’s very first language with their caregivers..:

CUT 5 (10) “with us”

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

Minden Congressman John Fleming has sent a letter to President Obama urging him to hold a National Day of Prayer to stop the violence against police officers. Louisiana has already lost six law enforcement officers in the line of duty this year. Fleming says we can’t allow this pattern of targeting officers to continue.

CUT 6 (11) “police officers”

Fleming is not sure if President Obama will grant this official day but says he needs to do something to reverse this attitude. He says the way the President currently addressing the issue of cop killing isn’t good for our society.

CUT 7 (12)  “police officers”

Fleming says if this continues, police officers are going to be reluctant to respond to crimes and this day of prayer is a way send a signal to the country that the President believes violence against law enforcement must stop. But he says he’s not going to stop there.

CUT 8 (08)  “this nation”

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

The state Department of Health and Hospitals announce the discovery of the brain eating amoeba in a water system in Ouachita Parish. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the amoeba was found in the North Monroe Water System, which serves the town of Sterlington. Guidry says this is the fourth discovery this summer and there is a common thread…

CUT 9 (09)  “water systems”

A 60 day chlorine burn on the system will begin as soon as possible. He says chlorine acts as a disinfectant for the amoeba and when chlorine levels drop, the amoeba can enter a water system. Guidry says it’s a challenge for water systems to maintain a proper chlorine level through the entire system, especially during the summer…

cut 10 (09)  “the homeowner”

There will be a town hall meeting tonight in Sterlington to answer questions and alleviate residents’ fears. Guidry assures residents that there is no way you can become infected with the amoeba by drinking water from the system…

Cut 11 (10)  “their nose”

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

The FDA has sent warning letters to 5 distributors of pure powdered caffeine and Louisiana Poison Control Center Director Mark Ryan agrees the product puts consumers at risk. He says while smaller doses of caffeine in coffee or sodas are okay, danger enters the equation when you’re dealing with powder caffeine in a bulk container..:

cut 12 (12)  “conditions”

The warning letters follow caffeine overdose deaths last year of two people. Ryan says they have seen cases of people in Louisiana emergency rooms who have had way too much powder caffeine. He says one teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine is equivalent to more than 30 cups of coffee all at once…:

cut 13 (09)  “and show up”

Ryan says they mostly see young adults using the powder for an energy boost, a pick-me-up before work outs or to control weight gain. He advice is to simply just stay away from this stuff…:

cut 14 (08)  “gonna have”

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

The first negative commercial of the governor’s race has hit the airwaves. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

A data compiling website called RoadSnacks has put together a list of the “Most Redneck Cities in Louisiana” and Shreveport is number 1. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

LSU football is teaming up with The Head Health Network to study how impacts to the head effect players.  Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Today a Federal judge is set to hear the case of Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit against Governor Bobby Jindal over his decision to cut their Meicaid payments at clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Court documents showed this week that the US Justice Department is siding with the organization. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat…:

cut 4  (08)  “embryos”

The DOJ says they haven’t seen “sufficient reasons” to keep Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast from receiving funding. The Jindal Administration says they planned to cancel the Medicaid contract starting today after secret videos surfaced which they believe show Planned Parenthood officials talking about selling fetuses. Pinsonat doesn’t think governors can just pull out of federal programs like this…:

Cut 5  (12)  “depend on”

In a statement, Planned Parenthood says Jindal’s decision will jeopardize health care for low-income, uninsured women and men. Pinsonat says whether you like federal programs or not, Louisiana is tied to most of them and you don’t have a choice but to comply…:

Cut 6 (10)  “other programs”

______________________________________

Louisiana’s governor’s race has its first negative commercial. It comes from a super pac supporting Senator David Vitter. The 30-second TV ad criticizes Vitter’s republican opponents, Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne, for supporting tax increases. ULM political science professor Joshua Stockley says the commercial comes at a time when Angelle is showing signs of gaining support….

CUT 7 (11)  “that threat”

It’s been a quiet governor’s race as we are less than two months away from the October primary. Stockley says he figured it would get more heated around the Labor Day holiday…

Cut 8  (07)  “much longer” 

Stockley says the other candidates also have super PACs, so he expects them to become more active now that the front-runner in the race has fired the first shot…

Cut 9 (08) “increasingly aggressive”

______________________________________

A data compiling website called RoadSnacks has put together a list of the “Most Redneck Cities in Louisiana” and Shreveport is number 1. Rounding out the top five are Westwego, Mandeville, Slidell and Cut Off respectively. RoadSnacks co-founder Nick James says they started with the dictionary definition of redneck…:

Cut 10 (10) “shop at Wal Mart”

The article says the list is an opinion based on facts and is meant as “info-tainment.” James says an example of scientific data they used on the list included number of high school graduates in that particular city. He says the stereotypical categories on where rednecks might live in Louisiana were things like the number of Dollar Stores…:(You can check out the full list online at roadsnacks.net.)

cut 11 (08) “a lot of bars”

James says many of the cities in Louisiana topping the list are places you might see deer horns on the hood of trucks and people attending church in cammo. He says so far they haven’t heard anybody in The Bayou State upset with their city ranking so high on the list…:

 Cut 12 (09) “win this thing”

______________________________________

The LSU football team and the Head Health Network are partnering up to study how impacts to the head effect players. H-H-N President Curtis Cruz says LSU is on the forefront for creating new technologies to prevent head injuries and the study will equip 24 players’ helmets with sensors to monitor impacts.

Cut 13 (11)  “being optimized”

Cruz says this is so important because it allows us to learn what’s really happening and it’s difficult to observe from afar and to understand the effect of a big hit. He says science is just now coming to terms with what is significant as far as a critical threshold and accumulation of smaller hits.

Cut 14 (11) “good decision”

Cruz says this study gives the training staff a much better handle on how to treat concussions. He says LSU has been proactive before and the Head Health Network is trying to improve the process by which LSU protects its players.

Cut 15  (12)  “be successful”

___________________________________________

UL Lafayette and ULM begin their season on Saturday by visiting SEC schools. The Ragin Cajuns, who return ten starters from last year’s nine-win team, will be at Kentucky, who went five and seven lasts season. Coach Mark Hudspeth says he’s anxious to see how his first-time starters will perform inside Commonwealth Stadium…

Cut 16  (15)  “play well”

The Cajuns will have a new starter at quarterback, cornerback and along the defensive line. Kentucky has a first year offensive coordinator in Shannon Dawson. Hudspeth says Dawson was previously at West Virginia, so they have an idea on what they’ll see on Saturday, but they are also preparing for a few surprises…

Cut 17 (14) “gonna see” 

______________________________________

The Warhawks are at Georgia. The Bulldogs also have a new offensive coordinator in Brian Schottenheimer. ULM Coach Todd Berry wishes they had a preseason game to look at, so they would have a better idea what to expect from Georgia…

Cut 18 (13) “everything”

The Georgia game is the first eight road games for the Warhawks. They’ll also be at Alabama on September 26th. Berry admits he doesn’t have much control over scheduling, because the university needs the income from playing the big-time programs

Cut 19 (12) “get  games”

The latest Republican presidential polls in Iowa show Governor Bobby Jindal rounding up very little support. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs says the current state of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry is not pretty. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

The latest Republican presidential polls in Iowa show Governor Bobby Jindal rounding up very little support. A Monmouth University survey shows Jindal receiving one-percent of Iowa Republican caucus goers support, while a Bloomberg/Des Moines Register poll shows him with two-percent. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this has got to be discouraging for Jindal’s campaign…

CUT 3 (09)  “his optimism”

In the Bloomberg poll, Jindal’s favorability was within the top 5 candidates which could be an indicator that the governor should be able to improve his standing in the Republican field. But Pinsonat says the fact that Jindal is a sitting governor could be working against him…

CUT 4 (09)  “of the problem”

He says Jindal has a few months left to generate some excitement around his campaign and move up in the polls. Pinsonat says you can expect Jindal to remain in the race at least through the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary…

CUT 5 (09) “won’t be around”

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

Les Miles says he’s doing fine after visiting the hospital, he just had a little too much coffee after not having it in his diet for a few months. Miles missed his weekly press conference on Monday but returned to campus in the afternoon for a successful practice.

CUT 6 (12) “to roll”

LSU’s first home game is Saturday against McNeese State. Miles says McNeese is a very quality football team and they have some skilled receivers and running backs. He says the Tigers are looking forward to playing another Louisiana team in Death Valley after finishing the last season on the road.

CUT 7 (12)  “and LSU”

Miles says both Jennings and Harris showed great progress during training camp and he wouldn’t hesitate to play both quarterbacks but ultimately, sophomore Brandon Harris will be starting on Saturday for the McNeese game.

CUT 8 (08)  “an observation”

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State Police say a two vehicle crash in Tangipahoa Parish has claimed the life of a bicyclist. Trooper Dustin Dwight says the unidentified cyclist was traveling on the US 190 Tangipahoa River Bridge late Monday night…

CUT 9 (05)  “survive the crash”

He says the bicycle was not equipped with proper safety equipment and the rider was wearing dark clothing when struck from behind by an SUV. The victim was thrown from her bicycle and pronounced dead at the scene. Dwight says this is a reminder to always keep safety in mind when riding a bicycle, especially at night…

cut 10 (11)  “oncoming motorists”

Authorities are working to determine the victim’s identity. Dwight says investigators found the driver of the SUV, 24-year-old Kateria Edmon of Hammond to be not at fault…

Cut 11 (05)  “suspected, either”

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Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs describes the current state of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry as not pretty. He says the declining prices of crude oil has caused the industry to hit record lows in several areas in the past year. Briggs says the number of working drilling sites in the state has taken a huge hit…

cut 12 (06)  “71 rigs”

He says it’s unclear when the industry will rebound. Briggs says there are only 71 oil and natural gas drilling sites in Louisiana, down from 116 a year ago. He says just nine drilling sites are in operation in South Louisiana. Briggs says the drop in production means a loss of jobs…

cut 13 (09)  “on those rigs”

He says it’s estimated that over 150,000 jobs have been lost in the industry nationwide since the crash began late last year. Briggs says continued low oil prices could not only lead to major layoffs but more state budget cuts, as well. He says every dollar drop in the price for crude oil equals a $12.5 million loss to the state budget…

cut 14 (10)  “lot of money”

Louisiana DOTD will hold the first of three public meetings tonight at 6 about proposed improvements to the I-10 Corridor which runs through Baton Rouge. I’m Jeff Palermo

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

After West Monroe High School leaders confiscated Confederate flags from student’s vehicles Friday, principal Shelby Ainsworth says he hopes students understand the new policy. I’m Eric Gill

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill “

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

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office says three people have been arrested after allegedly striking moving vehicles with full one-gallon water jugs. Lt. Col. Bobby Webre says their investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old Chance Lambert, 18-year-old Layne Goodman, and 17-year-old James McCormack…

CUT 3 (09)  “could have happened”

He says no one was seriously injured in the incidents, but vehicles were damaged. Webre says the suspects would throw the water jugs from a moving vehicle, which made the situation even more dangerous…

CUT 4 (09)  “the impact”

It is reported that Lambert is a volunteer firefighter with the Galvez-Lake Volunteer Fire Department. The suspects are being charged with felony aggravated criminal damage to property…

CUT 5 (04) “adults, in this”

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation will hold the first of three public meetings about proposed improvements to the I-10 Corridor in the capital city beginning tonight at 6 p.m. at the Baton Rouge River Center. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says the meeting will go over the results of the survey presented to residents earlier this year…

CUT 6 (10) “in Baton Rouge”

Mallett says many of the survey response suggestions included building a new bridge or adding lanes to the corridor. He says there are those who are hesitant about the benefits of any traffic flow improvements because of the possible cost to the Baton Rouge community…

CUT 7 (09)  “traffic flow”

These public meetings are a part of a requirement by law that the department receive public input before moving forward with any plans. Mallett says each meeting will be the same with the presentation, so people only need come to one. After the presentation of preliminary plans, the public will be able to give its input before DOTD moves forward with a feasibility study…

CUT 8 (08)  “in the corridor”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office says a 2-year-old girl was killed and her mother injured in a house fire in Monroe. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says little Kataleya Williams and her mother were inside the home when the fire broke out Sunday afternoon…

CUT 9 (09)  “in the fire”

He says burglar bars on the home hampered escape efforts. Neighbors and firefighters were able to remove them, allowing the mother to escape. Browning says they believe the fire was caused by a pot left unattended on the stove…

cut 10 (07)  “significant fire”

Authorities say the body of Williams was found under a table in the living room of the home in an apparent attempt to hide from the blaze. Browning says they don’t believe there were working smoke alarms in the home. He says this is just a sad situation…

Cut 11 (07)  “thing to happen”

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After confiscating Confederate flags on Friday, West Monroe High School principal Shelby Ainsworth says he hopes people will understand the school’s new policy. The Ouachita Parish school’s mascot is the Rebels. He says after a mass shooting in South Carolina, the entire nation has put restrictions on the Confederate flag, and this is just a continuation of those efforts.

cut 12 (06)  “country’s officials”

At the beginning of the school year, Ainsworth says he and school officials told students they could not fly the Confederate flag from their vehicles. Ainsworth says this past Friday he announced this policy would be enacted during football games and other school events as well. Although some thought the school would not allow students to wear Rebel themed attired, Ainsworth says that was not the case

cut 13 (07)  “Confederate flag”

Ainsworth says the school has designed its own West Monroe rebels flag in recent years, and the school supports students flying that as well as the American flag. He says students may wear rebel or Confederate flag clothing, and the policy only applies to flying the flag on campus.

cut 14 (05)  “in general”

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The state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control has suspended the alcohol license for the Wet & Wild Saloon in Houma after drug and prostitution activity was discovered there. ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office uncovered some disturbing video evidence against the establishment…

cut 15 (09) “this place” 

ATC cited the business for numerous violations including allowing entertainers to engage in lewd and immoral acts and improperly allowing employees to solicit drinks from patrons for a fee. TPSO has arrested the owners, Lance and Rachel Smiley, on numerous charges. Hebert says this type of activity is something his office will not tolerate…

cut 16 (10) “health and safety” 

A group of men and women begin their first full day of training today to become a State Police Trooper. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

September is typically the busiest month for hurricanes. Scott Carwile chats with a forecaster to tell us what we can expect…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

______________________________________

The LSU football team opens its season against McNeese State this Saturday. Jeff Palermo looks at why the Tigers are beginning the year against an FCS school, and not a big-name opponent…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

A new Louisiana State Police cadet class starts their first full day of training today in Baton Rouge. Sgt. Nick Manale says over the next 16 weeks, they will cover everything from classroom instruction to hands on scenario based training. He says these individuals were carefully selected to ensure State Police has the right people.

cut 4  (10)  “new academy”

Manale says 80 cadets will participate in the intense training in hopes of graduating in December and wearing the “Gold Boot” badge. He says this is the third State Police cadet class since 2014, which is helping to boost their numbers after not having any new troopers for five years.

Cut 5  (10)  “of course”

Manale says even though they’ve added over 100 troopers since 2014, they are still hoping to have another cadet class soon, after this current one wraps up.

Cut 6 (12)  “application process”

______________________________________

According to BankRate.com, Louisiana is the worst state for drivers. The website’s research and statistics analyst Chris Kahn says they ranked all 50 states according to the amount of fatal crashes, car thefts, commute times, gas prices, and insurance premiums….

CUT 7 (07)  “in Louisiana”

Kahn says the fatal crash rate is above the national average in the state but the one main factor that is always dragging Louisiana down is the absurdly high insurance premiums. He says the reason it’s so high could be because of a couple different things.

Cut 8  (12)  “really high” 

Kahn says one way to help get Louisiana from the bottom of the list is to chat with your insurance provider to find out about discounts.

Cut 9 (11) “insurance premiums”

______________________________________

As we enter the month of September, it’s usually the busiest month of the year for the hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temperatures tend to peak during this month.

Cut 10 (10) “recent times”

Keim says in September, we typically see an average of three to four named storms in the north-Atlantic and about two to three become hurricanes. He says we’ve had several September hurricanes that had devastating impacts.

cut 11 (10) “good shape”

But Keim says this year an El Nino is creating wind shear, which is hurting the formation of storms. He says although these conditions have been working against the storms, we’ve already had five named storms and 10 to 12 is the average number.

 Cut 12 (07) “them apart”

______________________________________

As part of Louisiana Radio Network’s continuing Q-and-A with the men running for governor, we asked the four candidates about how transparent their administration will be once they are in office. Democrat John Bel Edwards says he’s the only candidate that voted for a bill that will bring new transparency to the records in the governor’s office…

Cut 13 (09)  “light of day”

Republican David Vitter plans to make more documents available to the public than what’s currently available and the US Senator says he’ll make himself available to the public with town hall meetings in every parish

Cut 14 (07) “relaxed way”

Republican Scott Angelle says his administration will be more transparent than any past administration. He says access to records is a critical part in building public’s trust with government

Cut 15  (08)  “Louisianians”

Republican Jay Dardenne also agrees that the records of the executive branch, including the office of the governor, need to be made open and available upon request

Cut 16  (11)  “as well”

______________________________________________

Game week has arrived for the Tigers as they kick-off the season against McNeese State this Saturday. In years past, LSU has opened the season against big name opponents, but senior associate athletics director Verge Ausberry says with Mississippi State and Auburn looming in Weeks two and three, they didn’t want to start the season with a Top 5 opponent

Cut 17 (05) “to win” 

Ausberry says it just happened to be LSU’s year to play a couple of early SEC matchups. But he says when that’s not the case, they like to open the season with a strong opponent…

Cut 18 (05) “big opponents”

For the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, former President George W. Bush visited New Orleans and gave a speech praising the recovery of its public schools…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Monroe-based Centrylink has plans to bring high-speed internet to 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana.  Eric Gill has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Former President George W. Bush spoke at Warren Easton High School today to emphasize how far public education in New Orleans has come since Hurricane Katrina. In his speech, Bush said nine in 10 public school students in New Orleans now attend a charter school and praised the good work done by these charter schools…

CUT 3 (11)  “almost doubled”

Bush said he and wife Laura visited New Orleans to salute the leaders of the city who have helped it and its schools progress since the tragic storm. After Katrina, Bush says educational entrepreneurs came together to help reform the school system…

CUT 4 (07)  “school reform”

In closing his speech, Bush spoke of the spirit in Warren Easton High and other schools in the New Orleans area that had to rebuild and reform. He acknowledged the New Orleans spirit was stronger than any Hurricane Katrina or storm like it…

CUT 5 (07) “of this city”

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The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office seized nearly 200 pounds of cocaine–the largest in the parish’s history–after receiving an anonymous tip about several suspicious packages. Commander Eric Becnel says there is an ongoing investigation with the United States Homeland Security New Orleans office because the wrapping of the cocaine is consistent with drug trafficking…

CUT 6 (05) “in our parish”

After a field test and examination, the drugs were determined to be pure cocaine. Becnel says the sheriff’s office estimates the street value of the cocaine to be 18 million dollars. No arrests have been made as of yet. But he says the seizure has helped prevent the possibility of property and violent crimes that would have been fueled by the drugs…

CUT 7 (04)  “their habit”

Becnel says the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office is grateful to have a relationship and the support of the community. He says this relationship allows the public to notify authorities when there is suspicious activity in the parish…

CUT 8 (05)  “wound up”

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Tropical Storm Erika continues to drop heavy rains as it moves through the Caribbean. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the current projected path of Erika has it making landfall in South Florida sometime Monday. He says the good news is that very little strengthening is forecast…

CUT 9 (06)  “by that”

He says Erika is not expected to reach hurricane strength. Keim says some bad news regarding Erika is the cone of uncertainty now includes the Gulf of Mexico…

cut 10 (09)  “very, very carefully”

Keim says Erika is disorganized which is giving forecasters problems in predicting how strong it will get and where it will move. He says the unpredictability of Erika warrants our attention…

Cut 11 (09)  “the peninsula”

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Monroe-based Centurylink announces plans to bring high-speed internet to more than 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana. Centurylink Senior vice-president John Jones says they have accepted money from the Federal Communications Commission to get this work done…

cut 12 (08)  “exisiting markets”

Jones says the company accepted about 500-million dollars a year for six years from the FCC to develop high-speed Internet service to one-point-two million Centurylink customers nationwide

cut 13 (10)  “little time”

Jones says they’ll spend the next few months mapping out a plan to bring high-speed internet to rural areas and construction is expected to begin early next year….

cut 14 (09)  “get too”

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Many people are reflecting back to 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina descended on the Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic widespread damage. Michelle Southern speaks to our Governor at the time, Kathleen Blanco:

CUT 1 (33) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The man who directs the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is in a much better position to respond to another Katrina-like event. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Former President George W. Bush visits New Orleans today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which political observers call the low point of his presidency. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Visitation is today for fallen State Police Trooper Steven Vincent, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week. Due to tremendous support, the location of the visitation has been moved to the Lake Charles Civic Center Rosa Heart Theater. Calcasieu Parish Police Juror Tony Stelly says he watched Vincent grow up and he will be greatly missed by everyone.

cut 4  (12)  “of people”

The funeral service will take place Saturday at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Stelly expects many people to come out and pay their respects at the visitation and funeral. He says Vincent’s reputation was like gold in his hometown of Iowa because he was such a caring person.

Cut 5  (07)  “number one”

Stelly says Steven comes from a great family who is widely respected and the community will do whatever they can to make this time easier for the Vincent’s.

Cut 6 (09)  “through this”

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Many people are reflecting back to 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina descended on the Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic widespread damage. Families throughout the New Orleans area were displaced and people all over the state were opening their doors to evacuees. Our Governor during that time, Kathleen Blanco, says the unbelievable recovery in the last decade shows the resiliency and determination of Louisianians…:

CUT 7 (10)  “come alive again”

The immediate response efforts to the disaster by federal, state and local governments is widely criticized. Blanco says following Katrina and Rita she instructed her staff to rewrite the disaster response. She believes Louisiana now leads the nation in knowing what to do before, during and after storms…:

Cut 8  (08)  “less chaotic” 

Political leaders were shown on television clearly shaken by their surroundings and many of those who remained in New Orleans after the storm had no access to water, food or shelter. Blanco says the thing she suffers from the most about the response is that they couldn’t do enough, fast enough in a short period of time…:

Cut 9 (11) “pain and suffering quickly”

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The director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is in a better position to respond to a Hurricane Katrina like event. GOHSEP director Kevin Davis says one of the biggest advancements is a better relationship between the state and FEMA. Davis says he meets with the FEMA regional director on a regular basis…

Cut 10 (09) “together”

Davis was the president of St. Tammany Parish during Hurricane Katrina. He remembers the difficulty in communication, especially after the strom blew through. He says the state now has equipment to combat situations when cell service is nonexistent….

cut 11 (08) “back up”

Where to shelter evacuees was a huge issue during Katrina. Davis says since then they have identify enough shelter to house individuals in Louisiana, if there’s a need to evacuate the New Orleans area. He says their sheltering plan is very specific…

 Cut 12 (09) “in transportation”

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Former President George W. Bush visits New Orleans today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which political observers say was the low point of his presidency. Many blame Bush’s administration for not getting aid to the people of Louisiana fast enough. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says when people think about Katrina, they think “Bush Administration”…:

Cut 13 (10)  “timely way”

Hogan says in some ways it seems strange that Bush would come back after being so chastised about what he did and did not do following the storm, but no matter what he is eternally tied to the event. He says it’s not unusual for presidents and former presidents to commemorate tragedies…:

Cut 14 (11) “to them”

Hogan says Katrina happened a few years after 9/11, and many people were very optimistic about the state of the country. He says after the storm that perception of the Bush administration almost completely dissipated…:

Cut 15  (07)  “view him as”

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Before even coaching his first LSU football game, Coach Les Miles was forced to deal with tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. 10 years ago the Ohio native came to Baton Rouge as the brand new football coach with big shoes to fill. Miles says looking back at that time, the landfall of Hurricane Katrina proved to be one of the strongest moments in Louisiana history.

Cut 16  (11)  “witness it”

Miles says at first he didn’t realize summers weren’t always like this and major hurricanes weren’t so common. Miles says he still held practice during this hectic time, but would let the athletes out early to donate their time to assist those flown to the P-MAC for medical treatment.

Cut 17 (10) “and commitment” 

Miles says the community went above and beyond their duties to help those in need. He says many of his players housed their displaced family members in small dorms, but it was a time where he learned what was most important in life.

Cut 18 (11) “great time”

The St. Landry Parish town of Sunset is mourning the loss of Police Officer Henry Nelson. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture unveils its new mobile pet shelter that can be used in the next Hurricane. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office and Capital Area Human Services are teaming up to raise awareness about the growing heroin and synthetic marijuana problem in the area. Coroner Dr. Beau Clark says his office has already seen 24 heroin overdose deaths so far this year. He says the message of this campaign is clear…

CUT 3 (07)  “last ride”

He says at this rate, East Baton Rouge Parish could surpass the record of 35 heroin overdose deaths recorded in 2013. Clark says it’s not a coincidence that this campaign is being launched at this time of year…

CUT 4 (07)  “of overdoses”

He says they’ve seen an uptick of heroin overdoses in the fall over the past few years. Clark has confirmed three deaths this year directly from synthetic marijuana use, but those are much more difficult to determine with current testing methods. He says the ultimate goal of this campaign is to save lives…

CUT 5 (08) “synthetic marijuana”

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture says its new mobile pet shelter is ready for use. Commissioner Mike Strain says the tractor trailer can be used to evacuate up 55 domesticated animals in the event of an emergency.

CUT 6 (11)  “and ramps”

Before the mobile shelter, they were loading pets into 18-wheelers to transport them during natural disasters which was very difficult and not as safe. He says if a natural disaster strikes and you can’t take your pet with you, when you come to an evacuation point, L-D-A-F will provide safe transportation to a mega pet shelter….

CUT 7 (10)  “and others”

Strain says 40-thousand of the 80-thousand dollars needed to complete the project was donated by veterinary foundations. He says they want to ensure all animals are safe and well taken care of in the event of an emergency.

CUT 8 (11)  “during emergencies”

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The St. Landry Parish town of Sunset is mourning the loss of Police Officer Henry Nelson. 35-year-old Harrison Lee Riley is accused of shooting and killing Nelson in the line of duty Wednesday while responding to a domestic disturbance. Sunset Mayor Charles James says the town will get past this tragedy…

CUT 9 (09)  “not explainable”

Riley is also accused of stabbing three women in the incident, killing 40-year-old Shameka Johnson. James says this incident has really shaken the town of approximately 3,000 residents…

cut 10 (09)  “knows everyone”

Riley faces charges of first degree murder of a police officer, first degree murder, and attempted first degree murder. James says he knew Nelson since he was a child and he will be someone who won’t be forgotten…

Cut 11 (06)  “his job well”

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10 years ago thousands of people were evacuating out of the New Orleans area as Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on Louisiana; and it was chaos. So in that time how has the state improved efforts to make such a large scale evacuation smoother? Department of Transportation spokesman Rodney Mallett says they now contract with bus services…:

cut 12 (10)  “evacuations”

At the time Katrina approached, there was no real mechanism in place to get so many citizens safely out of harm’s way — but Mallett says now there is. He says one of the important things they’ve learned in dealing with past contraflow situations, is to work closely with our neighbors:

cut 13 (08)  “contraflow plans”

Mallett says they have also expanded the Motorists Assistance program so that in a mass evacuation situation, there would be more vehicles out on the road to help out motorists who get stranded in travel lanes. He also says they have since added traffic cameras on interstate systems in metropolitan areas…:

cut 14 (08)  “traveling public”