LRN AM Newscall August 26

President Obama visits the Crescent City today to honor those lost in Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago and see the progress made. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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For a second time this week a Louisiana police officer has been gunned down while on-duty. Jeff palermo has the details…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the merger of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. Michelle Southern has more on what this means for customers…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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President Barack Obama visits New Orleans today and he’ll visit areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago. Between the Obama and Bush administrations, a reported 71 billion dollars in federal money was allocated to assist recovery efforts in the region. U-N-O Political Science professor Ed Chervanek says while the federal money helped, the recovery didn’t accelerate until Mayor Mitch Landrieu got into office.

cut 4  (09)  “to move”

Chervanek says the federal government did supply billions of dollars to the recovery but is also responsible for the damage to New Orleans because of an inadequate flood control system. He says President Obama did the best he could to aid in the rebuilding of the Crescent City.

Cut 5  (11)  “Bush administration”

Chervaneck says Obama wants to make New Orleans a showcase of his administration to separate his administration for Bush’s. He is surprised former President George W. Bush is coming on Friday and says he would’ve thought Bush would stay away.

Cut 6 (09)  “after that”

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Researchers at the University of Louisiana Lafayette New Iberia Research Center are testing an Ebola vaccine for wild apes. The Research Center says Ebola is one of the leading killers of gorillas and chimpanzees. Division Head of Research Resources at the center Jane Fontenot says the vaccine is similar to a rabies immunization and this testing could benefit future vaccinations in humans and other wildlife.

CUT 7 (09)  “the wild”

Fontenot says there have been other wild ape vaccination programs in the past, but were difficult to complete because they required three different shots over a span of time. But she says now they are testing an oral vaccine in a controlled environment…

Cut 8  (11)  “activity levels” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in West Africa took the lives of about 11-thousand people. The global effort is led by Apes Inc., President Dr. Peter Walsh who says this testing could help pave the way for an oral vaccination for humans….

Cut 9 (12) “in Africa”

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the merger of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. The single utility company will be called Entergy Louisiana and the consolidation will take effect in October. Entergy Louisiana President Phillip May says they anticipate this will mean up to $140 million in savings to customers…:

Cut 10 (10) “December 1”

May says the merger of the two Entergy units will save customers at least $107 million dollars over nine years, which translates to an 11-dollar savings for the average customer in the first year. He says this larger and more financially strong company will allow them to better obtain capital required to improve systems…:

cut 11 (08) “our customers”

May says the combined company expects to invest more than $5 billion dollars in upgrades over the next four years to boost industrial load growth and meet the demands of our growing economy. He says this means more major business customers will be attracted to the state…:

 Cut 12 (10) “state of Louisiana”

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Another Louisiana policeman has been shot dead in the line of duty. Sunset Police officer Henry Nelson was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the suspect, Harrison Lee Wiley Junior of Arnaudville, fatally shot Nelson in the front yard of the home and then stabbed three women he was arguing with

Cut 13 (09)  “Lafayette General Hospital”

The other fatal victim has been identified as 40-year-old Shameka Johnson, who is a sister Grand Coteau Mayor Shaterral Johnson. Guidroz says Officer Nelson was fatally shot in the front yard of the home where the stabbings occurred…..

Cut 14 (07) “the officer”

One of surviving victims is Wiley’s wife, Courteny Jolivette, who was airlifted to a hosptial in Alexandria.  Wiley is in police custody, but not before he barricadded himself inside a nearby convenience store. Guirdoz says they believe Wiley was on some sort of illegal narcotic, but they are not sure what….

Cut 15  (09)  “hurt your”

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LRN PM Newscall August 26

The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish deviates from the state party in endorsing incumbent Buddy Caldwell in the Attorney General’s race. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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A new poll by Triumph Campaigns shows Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards neck and neck in the governor’s race.  Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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State Police say a high-speed chase that began in Carencro ended in Duson with one trooper injured and four State Police units damaged. Master Trooper Brooks David says Carencro Police asked for assistance with this pursuit around 7:30 this morning. David says the pursuit really became dangerous when the vehicle entered Interstate 10…

CUT 3 (08)  “Police units”

David says speeds exceeded 110 miles per hour with the driver running people off the road and purposely hitting State Police units. He says the suspect vehicle exited the interstate in Duson and when the driver tried to re-enter the roadway, troopers took action…

CUT 4 (07)  “complete stop”

He says the suspect appeared to be highly impaired at the time of his arrest. One trooper received minor injuries in the incident and was treated at a local hospital. David says it’s unclear what started the chase, but the unidentified man is in a lot of trouble…

CUT 5 (09) “Carencro’s jurisdiction”

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The Louisiana National Guard, which played a huge role during the Hurricane Katrina response, has dedicated an exhibit to the destructive storm at their Jackson Barracks museum in New Orleans. Captain Heather Englehart says one of the biggest parts of the exhibit is a Huey helicopter used to save thousands trapped on rooftops.

CUT 6 (08)  “during Katrina”

Englehart hopes the exhibit shows the soldiers’ spirit of hope and determination to help during Katrina and the rebuilding efforts that took place. She says the National Guard flew in around 32-thousand guardsmen to Louisiana to rescue those stranded during the flooding.

CUT 7 (11)  “wide spread”

Englehart says the 10th anniversary exhibit will be open for the next year but they’re working to keep a permanent display in the museum for years to come. She says the Katrina display has interactive stations where visiting survivors can share their memories of Katrina, as well as, large photos and paintings of the destruction and flooding along with other discovered artifacts.

CUT 8 (12)  “as well”

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The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish deviates from the state party in endorsing incumbent Buddy Caldwell in this year’s Attorney General’s race. The Republican Party of Louisiana threw their support behind former congressman Jeff Landry. East Baton Rouge GOP chairman Woody Jenkins on the endorsement…

CUT 9 (10)  “he has done”

Jenkins says Caldwell has done an excellent job in standing up for conservative values. He lists the AG’s attempt to block Obamacare and filing suit to lift the President’s moratorium on drilling in the Gulf as a couple of examples. Jenkins says this endorsement is in no way a criticism of Landry…

cut 10 (10)  “be re-elected”

Jenkins says when you have more than one Republican running for a political office a difference of opinion like this could happen. There are three Republicans running for the AG’s office, including Martin Maley. Jenkins says Caldwell’s litigation experience is a real plus…

Cut 11 (09)  “anywhere”

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A new poll by Triumph Campaigns shows Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards neck and neck in this year’s governor’s race. The telephone survey of over 2,000 respondents shows Vitter leading with 31-percent of the vote followed by Edwards with 30-percent. Pollster Justin Brasell says they kept this survey focused solely on the governor’s election to get a good look at the race…

cut 12 (10)  “of error down”

Republicans Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle come in with 14-percent and 13-percent respectively. The survey has a margin of error of 2.1-percent. Brasell says the big question is whether Dardenne and Angelle can do enough to shake this race up…

cut 13 (10)  “have to see”

The survey shows that 11-percent of respondents are undecided. Brasell is not sure what kind of impact this will have on October’s election…

cut 14 (10)  “at this point”

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AM Newscall August 26,2015

It appears self-financing is becoming a trend for political candidates in Louisiana. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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Governor Bobby Jindal plans to attend the funeral of fallen State Trooper Steven Vincent. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A grand opening ceremony takes place today for the brand new $1.1 billion dollar University Medical Center in New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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It looks like self-financing is becoming a trend for political candidates in Louisiana. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says seven statewide candidates reached into their own pockets and loaned money to their campaigns. Alford says it’s not unheard of to have a self-financed candidate in a major state election…

cut 4  (09)  “pretty surprising”

He says in the last fundraising quarter, statewide candidates collectively loaned themselves over $1.3 million. Gubernatorial candidate Scott Angelle loaned his campaign $122,000 as well as taking out a bank loan for an additional $253,000. Alford says fundraising is becoming more difficult because many candidates are kind of picking over the same pool of donors…

Cut 5  (10)  “gonna kill them”

All three declared candidates for Attorney General, including incumbent Buddy Caldwell, have turned to self-financing. He says Super PACs are involved in the state election for the first time and that’s another reason campaigns are finding money hard to come by…

Cut 6 (10)  “their campaign”

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If the public wants to help out the family of fallen Louisiana State Police Trooper Steven Vincent, there are a couple of ways to do so. L-S-P Sgt. James Anderson says there are two accounts set up for the public to donate money that can assist Vincent’s widow and 9-year-old son.

CUT 7 (09)  “Capital One Bank”

Anderson says the donations can be made at any Capitol One nationwide and all funds will go directly to Vincent’s wife, Katherine. He says Steven was an extraordinary person and the family is doing their best to cope.

Cut 8  (10)  “totally unexpected” 

Anderson says Vincent’s funeral will take place Saturday at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Governor Bobby Jindal has made plans to be there. He says Vincent’s family made the decision to donate his organs and seven organ transplant recipients have already been identified.

Cut 9 (08) “years to come”

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Much of Louisiana is waking up to temperatures in the 60s this morning. Tim Humphrey, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, says it is rare to see these temperatures before Labor Day

Cut 10 (07) “in August”

Humphrey says the cooler temperatures with lower humidity will only last a couple of days

cut 11 (10) “around 70″

The National Weather Service is also monitoring Tropical Storm Erica in the Atlantic. But Humphrey says the potential hurricane doesn’t look like a threat for the Gulf of Mexico

 Cut 12 (08) “east coast”

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A grand opening ceremony takes place today for the brand new $1.1 billion dollar University Medical Center in New Orleans. The 446 patient facility was constructed to replace the old Charity Hospital which never reopened after Hurricane Katrina. UMC spokeswoman Siona LaFrance says the hospital is 2.3 million square feet and employs 2,000 people…:

Cut 13 (10)  “one location”

LaFrance says they’ve began seeing patients on August 1st and today Governor Bobby Jindal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu will be on hand for the celebration of the opening. She says they feel this new facility represents a new era in healthcare…:

Cut 14 (08) ” our region”

LaFrance says since Katrina happened 10 years ago, medical services have been scattered across the city and the opening of this UMC complex signals the return of top-notch medical care. She says it also marks a milestone in New Orleans’ recovery from the storm…:

Cut 15  (09)  “wanna be”

LRN PM Newscall August 25

State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, is not surprised about the discovery of the brain eating amoeba in three water systems in the state this summer. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The number of on-duty police officer slayings rises to five in 2015 after this week’s fatal shooting of Trooper Steven Vincent. Emelie Gunn has more on why the number is so high…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting applications for the “Wildlife Enforcement Cadet” position until September 9th. L-D-W-F Spokesperson Adam Einck says they want to bring in new recruits to bolster the ranks they have in the field and the plan to enroll around 24 cadets for training which will begin in December.

CUT 3 (08)  “as well”

Einck says the cadets will train at the L-D-W-F’s training facility at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center in Baton Rouge. He says they’ll be taught boating laws, state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws and other law enforcement training.

CUT 4 (12)  “on land”

Einck says they’re searching for men and women who want to make a difference in wildlife conservation. He says applicants can apply online at the Louisiana Civil Service website.

CUT 5 (11) “website”

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This summer the state Department of Health and Hospitals has reported three water systems in the state that tested positive for the brain eating amoeba. State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, is not surprised. He says these discoveries are not likely due to a sudden appearance of the amoeba in water systems…

CUT 6 (10)  “not the case”

Guidry says the public should be aware of the discoveries, but not alarmed. He says improved testing techniques now allow officials to better detect the amoeba. He says this amoeba has probably been in our water systems for years…

CUT 7 (11)  “we did before”

He feels officials are doing something right because there are no widespread infections from the amoeba being reported. Guidry reminds residents that the water in systems where the amoeba has been found is safe to drink, just avoid getting that water up your nose…

CUT 8 (10)  “it up there”

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Army officials announce about 1,000 infantrymen from Fort Polk’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team will deploy to Afghanistan next month. Base spokesperson Kimberly Reischling (rye-shling) says the unit will be serving as advisors to the Afghan National Defense Security forces which includes their army and police…:

CUT 9 (08)  “self sustaining”

A ceremony for the soldiers deployment will be held on the base September 3rd. Reischling says Afghanistan is now capable of securing their own country and the focus of this mission will be to advise them how to maintain security over time. She says this mission continues to evolve because the capability of the Afgan security institution keeps growing…:

cut 10 (09)  “over there”

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Baton Rouge Police arrested a Kenner man after he allegedly tried to run over two officers with his vehicle. Corporal L’Jean Mckneely says 30-year-old St. Julian Baranco is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder of a police officer. Mckneely says Baranco refused to pull over during a traffic stop and reversed into two police cruisers while trying to flee.

Cut 11 (06)  “torso area”

Mckneely says after being shot, Baranco and the passenger bailed from the car and attempted to escape on foot. He says the officers were able to catch Baranco and he was taken to a local hospital then booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. The passenger is still at large.

cut 12 (07)  “from police”

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This week’s fatal shooting of State Trooper Steven Vincent raises the number of on-duty officer killings to five in Louisiana in 2015. There were no on-duty officers fatally shot last year, only one in 2013 and two in 2012. So why the high number this year? Professor at the LSU School of Public Health Peter Scharf says there’s a variety of factors.

cut 13 (11)  “person cars”

Scharf says training needs to be pushed up and officers need a more heightened sense of awareness. He says cop killers are sociopaths and show no remorse for what they’re doing.

cut 14 (11)  “dangerous folks”

Scharf says with the high number of police shootings, hyper vigilance from officers goes up, so it’s up to sheriffs and police executives to calm both officers and citizens down. He says the recent demonizing of police officers is also not helping….

cut 15 (10) “bad ones will” 

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AM Newscall August 25,2015

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says the man accused of killing a state trooper near Lake Charles could be connected to another murder. Michelle Southern reports..:

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office finds the State Racing Commission has shortchanged higher education more than 15 million dollars. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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State Police Col. Mike Edmonson is calling Robert Ledoux a hero for his actions after the deadly shooting of Trooper Steven Vincent in Lake Charles. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Most of Louisiana gets a bit of relief from the oppressive heat that has been plaguing the state over the past few weeks. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front began moving across the state last night. He says the dry air associated with this cold front will have you almost thinking it’s fall…

cut 4  (07)  “three months”

Keim says afternoon highs this week will hang around 90 degrees with morning lows dropping as low as the mid 60s. He adds that low humidity levels this week will keep rain chances at a minimum. Keim says this front should stay with us for the rest of the work week…

Cut 5  (06)  “humid regime”

Keim says temperature and humidity levels will start creeping back up this weekend. Unfortunately, he says coastal parishes won’t see much relief because there’s just too much hot water in the region keeping humidity levels elevated. Keim suggests residents make some outdoor plans this week and soak in this great weather…

Cut 6 (07)  “of Louisiana”

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The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says the man accused of killing a state trooper near Lake Charles could be connected to another murder. Trooper Steven Vincent was assisting 54-year-old Kevin Daigle with a truck he’d driven into a ditch when the suspect shot him in the head. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they went to the vehicle owner’s Moss Bluff home after getting a call he did not show up for work…:

CUT 7 (10)  “at this house”

Mancuso says deputies forced their way into the house and did find a male victim who they believe Daigle had been living with. He says they suspect foul play and the case is being investigated as a homicide…:

Cut 8  (07)  “presume that” 

Mancuso says when state police investigators were questioning Daigle, he told them there had been an altercation at this house. He says there is evidence to suggest that Daigle was living at the Moss Bluff residence…:

Cut 9 (04) “staying with him”

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A state audit reveals the Louisiana State Racing Commission has shortchanged higher education 15-million dollars in gambling money. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor says for several years now, the commission should be sending money to the Board of Regents. Houma Representative Joe Harrison held a press conference at the State Capitol to express his disappointment with the state audit findings.

Cut 10 (05) “is not”

Harrison says they aren’t looking to punish anyone, they just want the State Racing Commission to fork over the money, which is based on the fees charged on wagers at off-track betting facilities….

cut 11 (11) “to Regents”

The commission disagrees with the audit’s findings. They claim a mechanism was never set up for them to distribute money to the Board of Regents. But Harrison says the law is clear…

 Cut 12 (10) “the law”

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The Head of State Police is calling Robert Ledoux a hero for his actions following the fatal shooting of Trooper Steven Vincent. Ledoux was the motorist who stopped and wrestled the gun away from the man accused of killing Vincent, Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles. Col. Mike Edmonson says he couldn’t be prouder of Ledoux.

Cut 13 (11)  “that decision”

Edmonson says Ledoux didn’t stop to think after seeing the Vincent on the ground. He says Ledoux’s main concern was to try to rescue Trooper Vincent and subdue Daigle.

Cut 14 (09) ” right there”

Edmonson says once he got to the scene, Ledoux removed Daigle off the trooper and with the help of others, took Vincent’s handcuffs and restrained Daigle. He says that was an extremely tough thing to do.

Cut 15  (04)  “right there”

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The Ragin Cajuns football team is closing in on its regular season opener against Kentucky. Brooks Haack and Jalen Nixon are still competing to be the starting quarterback. Coach Mark Hudspeth says cornerback is another position that’s up for grabs

Cut 16  (24)  “d-line”

Louisiana Tech begins its season by hosting Southern on September fifth. Coach Skip Holtz says one of his big concerns is not enough quality back-ups on defense. He spoke following the team’s latest scrimmage….

Cut 17 (23) “want to be” 

LRN PM Newscall August 24th

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped my more than 1,000 points this morning, the largest single day point decline in the index’s history. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Trooper Stephen Vincent has passed away after getting shot in the head. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Within minutes of opening this morning, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped my more than 1,000 points, the largest single day point decline in the index’s history. Many believe the sell-off was triggered by China recently devaluing its currency. LSU Economist Jim Richardson says investors should not panic about this record plunge…

CUT 3 (08)  “slow things down”

The Dow has partially recovered from this morning’s historic drop. Richardson says the stock market saw similar losses in 2008 and eventually overcame those. He says there are always adjustments happening in the stock market…

CUT 4 (08)  “pattern, again”

Richardson says it may take a while for the market to get back to where it was. He says economic situations worldwide have an effect on the stock market. Richardson says the market could drop even lower before it begins to improve…

CUT 5 (06) “of that nature”

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The state is mourning the death of a Louisiana State Trooper who was shot in the head by a suspected impaired driver near Lake Charles. Forty-three-year-old Steven Vincent died Monday morning. Authorities have identified the gunman as 54-year-old Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles. State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson says Vincent leaves behind a wife and 9-year-old son

CUT 6 (09)  “wake up”

Edmonson says Vincent was trying to assist Daigle, who drove his pick-up truck off the road on Sunday afternoon.  He says Daigle took a sawed-off shotgun out of his vehicle and fired it at Vincent. Edmonson says Daigle will be charged with first-degree murder of a police officer

CUT 7 (12)  “we’re doing”

Vincent served as a State Trooper for 13 years and comes from a law enforcement family. He has one brother who is a State Trooper and another that’s the Iowa police chief. Edmonson says Vincent wore his badge proudly

CUT 8 (07)  “celebrate his life”

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According to the National Hurricane Center, Danny is no more. After achieving Category 3 hurricane status over the weekend, Danny has dramatically decreased in intensity. Hurricane Specialist Todd Kimberlain says an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft investigated the storm this morning and could not find a well defined center…

CUT 9 (09)  “a remnant”

Since there was no center and very little wind, Danny was declared a remnant at 10AM. Kimberlain says as Danny moved closer to the Caribbean, the environment just became too unstable…

cut 10 (10)  “thunderstorm activity”

Kimberlain says the Center’s attention is now turned to a disturbance just off the coast of Africa. Kimberlain says an Air Force plane is scheduled to investigate this new system Tuesday afternoon…

Cut 11 (09)  “to get there”

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The LaFourche Parish Sheriff’s Office says they’ve arrested another 18-year-old man in connection with the rape of a teenage girl — the third suspect in the case. Dylan Bergeron of Golden Meadow is charged with sexual battery. Spokesman Brennan Matherne says they were alerted by the girl’s parents on August 9th that their daughter had gone missing for several hours. He says deputies located the teen a short time later…:

cut 12 (11)  “she was missing”

Matherne said 18-year-old Taylor Fontenot and 28-year-old Davery Gaspared were initially charged with third degree rape of a teenager. He says at that time, Bergeron was believed to be a witness in the case:

cut 13 (09)  “against the victim”

Gaspard was additionally charged with obstruction of justice, unlawful purchase of alcohol for persons under 21 and criminal mischief. Matherne says they believe the teen girl was at a friend’s house and she left with the three men on her own free will. He says there is no evidence to suggest that the suspects kidnapped the victim…:

cut 14 (07)  “legal consent”

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LRN AM Newscall August 24 ###Cuts with Drew Brees added###

Future chefs will begin using the new 12.6 million dollar Chef John Folse Culinary Institute building at Nicholls State for the first time today. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Louisiana’s gubernatorial primary is two months from today and there hasn’t been much action on the campaign trail. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Oil prices are as low as they’ve been since 2009. Scott Carwile spoke with an analyst on when prices might rebound…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Future cooks will begin using a new 12.6 million dollar culinary arts building for the first time today on the campus of Nicholls state. Senior Faculty and Spokesperson for the John Folse Culinary Institute Chef Randy Cheramie says it’s going to be a great place to teach students the culture and tradition of south Louisiana cooking.

cut 4  (09)  “come true”

Cheramie says the old facility was only 9,000 square feet and now the Lanny D. Ledet Culinary Arts Building is 33-thousand square feet equipped with six kitchens, three classrooms and a study area. He says he hopes more students will be interested in joining the institute now that new, larger building is open.

Cut 5  (09)  “300 students”

Cheramie says it’s very unique to have a cooking school connected with a university. He says more out-of-state students, as well as, international students are now looking to Nicholls for culinary school because of the new building and the low price compared to private institutes.

Cut 6 (11)  “a university”

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Louisiana’s gubernatorial primary is two months from today and not much is happening on the campaign trail. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the one word he would use to describe the race up to now is lethargic. He says no one seems to be making an all out push to grab the governor’s chair…

CUT 7 (09)  “two months out”

Most see Republican David Vitter as the front runner in this race followed by Democrat John Bel Edwards. Cross says the relative inactivity of the campaigns is an advantage for Vitter’s campaign…

Cut 8  (10)  “to need it” 

Cross says once qualifying begins on September 8th, the race for governor should really heat up. He says the key in this race, right now, is to make the runoff. Cross says the clock is ticking for Republicans Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle…

Cut 9 (04) “very short”

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The latest employment numbers show the state’s unemployment rate is at 6.2 percent. We asked the four candidates running for governor how they would put people to work. Republican Jay Dardenne says he expects to see the economy grow over the next decades only if we have an educated workforce.

Cut 10 (11) “higher education”

Democrat John Bel Edwards says unemployment hurts families and he intends to fix that by investing in higher education like never before.

cut 11 (11) “growing industries”

Republican David Vitter says the unemployment rate in Louisiana is way too high and suggests accelerating the Jump Start program so high school students can begin job training to get valuable work force experience.

 Cut 12 (11) “good job”

Republican Scott Angelle says it’s time to ramp up work force development and tackle the serious issue of welfare reform.

Cut 13 (11)  “innovative ideas”

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Crude oil is trading at a level that hasn’t been seen since 2009 as it’s hovering around 40-dollars a barrel. Executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies, David Dismukes, says concerns over China’s troubled economy and an overall global slowdown are pushing oil prices lower

Cut 14 (08) ” very, very week”

The low oil prices are making it tough on the state’s oil and gas industry. Dismukes says there were signs that oil drilling activity may start picking up,  but that’s not the case now

Cut 15  (11)  “rest of the year”

Dismukes says on the flip side, the 40-dollar price for a barrel of oil will likely send gas prices even lower

Cut 16  (07)  “added bump”

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Saints quarterback Drew Brees looked like a guy in his mid-20s instead of a 36-year-old in Saturday’s preseason game against the New England Patriots. Brees is coming off a season where he threw 17 interceptions, some at critical times, and admitted an oblique injury and another undisclosed injury led to poor technique

Cut 17 (20) “cause bad habits” 

On Saturday night, Brees led the first-team offense on three scoring drives as he completed 8-of-10 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Brees says it was important to get off to a fast start….

Cut 18 (20) “around the corner”

Brees’ second TD pass of the night was a 45-yarder to Brandin Cooks, who had a big game. Brees says he’s building a strong chemistry with Cooks..

Cut 19 (15) “coming along”

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LRN PM Newscall August 21

During the first week of the fall shrimp season Louisiana Shrimp Association President Clint Guidry says the shrimp look a lot better than the prices shrimpers are getting at the dock. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Law enforcement around Louisiana are participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Hurricane Danny has strengthened into a Category 3 storm but forecasters expect it to weaken as it spins towards the Caribbean. National Hurricane Center forecaster Jack Beven says the winds have increased to 115 miles an hour but that might be the peak intensity.

CUT 3 (05)  “its intensity”

Beven says  Danny is about to run into an area of upper level winds, which will cause it to slow down and most likely downgrade back to a tropical storm within the next couple of days.

CUT 4 (09)  “the moment”

Beven says it’s too early to tell what Hurricane Danny’s next move is and if it will make its path through the Gulf of Mexico after passing through the Caribbean. He says it could even dissipate after five or six days because it’s relatively small storm.

CUT 5 (06) “its weakening”

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The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries opened the fall shrimp season this week. Fishermen are reporting good catches so far off of the Louisiana coast. But Louisiana Shrimp Association President Clint Guidry says the prices shrimpers are getting at the dock don’t look nearly as good as the shrimp…

CUT 6 (11)  “into this country”

Guidry says shrimpers are getting up to 65-percent less for their catches this year compared to last year. He attributes the drop in price is due to a large influx of imported shrimp and the hesitancy from federal officials to enforce regulations already in place. Guidry says they’ve been fighting these imports for years…

CUT 7 (09)  “on these issues”

He says, without federal government intervention, the entire shrimp industry could be destroyed. Shrimpers have reported receiving prices of $1.40 per pound for their catch. Guidry says the industry won’t be able to operate at these prices for very much longer…

CUT 8 (09)  “back us up”

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Law enforcement around the state begin participating today in a national campaign called Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. It will last through the Labor Day weekend. State Police Sgt. Nick Manale says the goal is to catch those who are driving drunk.

CUT 9 (07)  “our roadways”

According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, there were 653 fatal crashes in 2014 and 44 percent of them were estimated to be alcohol related. Manale says State Police wants to make sure families have a safe Labor Day holiday and keep the fatality count down.

cut 10 (11)  “those numbers”

Manale says State Police and local police departments will use grant money to pay for overtime to ensure there are more patrols and DUI checkpoints.

Cut 11 (10)  “the roadways”

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office says two women are under arrest accused of stealing $400,000 from the bank account of a 96-year-old and going on wild spending sprees. Spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick says 39-year-old Alye Haralson was the elderly woman’s caretaker and 39-year-old Jennifer Smith of Shreveport was the granddaughter…:

cut 12 (11)  “$400,000”

Chadwick says they were altered by the victim’s attorney that some suspicious activity was going on over a period of years. She says investigators were able to determine that the two women had misappropriated $200,000 each…:

cut 13 (10)  “cruises”

Chadwick says each woman is charged with exploitation of the infirmed and the investigation is continuing because they expect the loss amount to increase. She says in addition to the lavish trips, hundreds of these dollars were spent at clothing stores, restaurants, beauty salons and even furniture…:

cut 14 (09)  “no pets”

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AM Newscall August 20,2015

People around the country will have their eyes on New Orleans over the next week as television networks will air specials on the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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I-10 west repair work in West Baton Rouge could cause some delays at night and on weekends. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The executive director of the Louisiana Republican Party’s name is listed as having an account with Ashley Madison, which is an infidelity networking website. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The eyes of the world will be on New Orleans over the next week as major television networks will air Hurricane Katrina specials in recognition of the 10 year anniversary. Fox News and ESPN will show features this weekend and ABC has a one hour show Sunday night. New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation Spokesperson Lea Sinclair says thousands of journalists will ascend on the city….

cut 4  (07)  “presidents coming”

President Obama will visit the city on Thursday, while former President George W Bush will be in the Big Easy on August 28th and former President Bill Clinton will visit on the actual anniversary, August 29th. Sinclair says the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will give the Crescent City the chance to show they’re a model to the country of how to overcome tragedy and rebuild after a terrible natural disaster.

Cut 5  (10)  “to tell”

Sinclair says the days after Katrina were a dark time in Louisiana history but expect to hear journalists tell the stories of great heroism that took place in the midst of the destruction.

Cut 6 (09)  “help us”

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For those heading west on I-10 between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, be prepared for lane closures on the weekend and at night in West Baton Rouge Parish. Starting today, asphalt replacement will begin on Interstate 10 westbound between L-A 415 in Port Allen to the Iberville Parish Line. State Department of Transportation Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says they expect construction to take about 60 days if weather permits.

CUT 7 (11)  “Monday morning”

Mallett says one lane will always be open in each direction and there will be no lane closures on LSU and Southern University football game weekends or on major holidays. He advises motorists leaving Baton Rouge and heading west on Friday night, to take an alternate route to avoid traffic.

Cut 8  (09)  “to 190″ 

Mallett says construction crews have previously been out there working on certain parts of the roadway. He says it’s time to replace the entire area because the asphalt was placed in the 1980s.

Cut 9 (08) “safety issue”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department arrests a man they say exposed himself to a woman jogging the LSU lakes claiming he had to do it 100 times to get into a fraternity. BRPD Corporal Don Coppola says  32-year-old Charles Jeremy Harrison of Denham Springs is charged with a count of obscenity. The victim came forward on August 11th…:

Cut 10 (08) “to her”

Coppola says cops identified Harrison from other police reports and the victim was also able to identify the man from a photographic line-up. He says the woman claimed that there was a van driving around her which stopped and that’s when Harrison approached her…:(LSU says there was no record of Harris attending LSU.)

cut 11 (08) “let in”

Coppola says the woman told detectives that when she moved away from the van, that’s when Harrison exposed his penis. He says the suspect told the woman that not only did he have to expose himself to 100 women…:

 Cut 12 (08) “his genitals”

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State GOP executive director Jason Dore says “opposition research” is why his name appears on a list of accounts that used the Ashley Madison cheating website. Dore says his law firm routinely searches online databases to provide clients with reports. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says its common for those who work in politics to use various websites to dig up dirt on candidates or politicians

Cut 13 (07)  “public service”

Dore admits to creating an account on the website that helps married individuals find others looking to cheat on their spouses. But he says it was for work purposes related to his law firm, Dore Jeansonne.He says it turned out to be a waste of money and time. Pinsonat says in today’s political world, its possible Dore used Ashley Madison for business purposes

Cut 14 (06) ” on people”

Dore’s name is one of 639 on a Baton Rouge list of individuals that purportedly used the infidelity networking website. The names were released as part of website hack. Pinsonat says party officials typically spend a lot of time digging up dirt on candidates

Cut 15  (08)  “your background”

LRN PM Newscall August 20th

We now have our first hurricane of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The State Department of Health and Hospitals confirms 20 West Nile cases this summer. Emelie Gunn has more on how you can prevent getting the disease…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a teenager in connection with a stabbing death of a relative. Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle says officers received a call about a woman suffering from injuries who had driven herself to a relative’s house. He says that’s where they found Yolanda Hunter…

CUT 3 (07)  “had done it”

He says Hunter said her 15-year-old nephew, who was living with her, was responsible for the stabbing. Hunter was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. Arbuckle says the teen confessed to stabbing his aunt while she was sleeping…

CUT 4 (09)  “multiple times”

Arbuckle says the teen apparently decided he needed to kill someone and began stabbing his aunt while she slept. The teenager is charged with second degree murder. His name has not been released because he is a juvenile. Arbuckle says the entire situation is just tragic…

CUT 5 (06) “whatsoever”

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Hurricane Danny is the first hurricane of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Danny has sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and could strengthen to a Category 2 storm in the next couple of days. He says Danny is still over a thousand miles east of the Lesser Antilles moving west north west…

CUT 6 (07)  “Tuesday morning”

Keim says we’re several days away from even thinking about Danny entering the Gulf of Mexico. He says as Danny moves toward the Caribbean, it will hit an area of higher wind shear that will likely weaken the storm…

CUT 7 (04)  “tropical storm”

Danny is a relatively small storm with hurricane force winds extending only 10 miles from the center. Keim says that makes it much harder to predict what exactly it will do. He says we need to keep an eye on Danny while its on its current track…

CUT 8 (06)  “almost anywhere”

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The Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office says they’ve arrested a man who is accused of keeping his 17-year-old girlfriend captive in a home also occupied by his 7-year-old child. Commander Chris Ivey says deputies responded to a Jennings home where they located the victim who told them she’d been held against her will by 27-year-old Terry Landry:

CUT 9 (08)  “Terry Landry”

Ivey says the 17-year-old victim had multiple injuries to her body including bite marks and bruises from choking. He says the young child was found by deputies in disgusting room with drug related paraphernalia and pornography…:

cut 10 (10)  “environment”

Deputies located and arrested 27-year-old Landry and charged him with domestic abuse battery, false imprisonment and criminal neglect. He is being held with no bond. Ivey says they removed the two from the home and brought the 17-year-old to a domestic violence center…:

Cut 11 (10)  “here in Jennings”

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The State Department of Health and Hospitals confirms 20 cases of West Nile virus so far this summer. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says of these cases, 10 were the neuroinvasive disease, the more serious form of the virus. Guidry urges people to always wear mosquito repellent when outdoors and take preventative measures to keep skeeters out of your yard.

cut 12 (09)  “their populations”

Guidry says around 90 percent of West Nile cases are asymptomatic and about 10 percent will develop West Nile fever. He says a small number of infected people will develop serious symptoms…

cut 13 (12)  “over 65”

Guidry says to be cautious when applying repellents that contain more than 30 percent DEET on your kids because it can cause toxicity in children. He says the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not putting any insect repellents on infants.

cut 14 (10)  “those babies”

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An Oakdale woman accused of killing, burning, and burying a pregnant woman and her unborn baby wants to change her plea. Pamela Causey-Fregia wants to plead not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2011 death of Victoria Perez and her unborn child. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this move is not all that unusual…

cut 15 (10) “of the trial” 

A judge will consider the motion in an August 27th hearing. Causey-Fregia is charged with first degree murder and first degree feticide in this case. Officials believe Causey-Fregia killed the pregnant Perez with the intent of taking her baby and raising it as her own. Meche notes that it’s often difficult to establish an insanity defense…

cut 16 (12) “it can work”