Cold and flu season is upon us and people are looking for ways to avoid coming down with a seasonal bug. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A report released from the state department of education shows that 92-percent of public school teachers were rated as effective. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Cold and flu season is upon us and people are looking for ways to avoid coming down with a seasonal bug. The Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone over six-months of age to get a flu vaccine. Dr. Fred Lopez, with the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, says there is a reason for that recommendation…

CUT 3 (10) “in this country”

He says one you get the flu vaccine, don’t expect it to work immediately. Lopez says it takes a couple of weeks for your body to develop antibodies from the vaccine…

CUT 4 (07)  “hasn’t developed yet”

Lopez says once you receive a flu vaccine, you’ll still want to take steps to avoid any infections this season. He says washing your hands with soap and water and using hand sanitizers are good ways to keep the flu at bay. But Lopez says you should not stop there…

CUT 5 (06)  “and flu season”

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Governor Bobby Jindal announces JP Morgan Chase has donated $1 million into the fund that helps technical colleges fund programs focused on training skilled workers. Jindal says this money will allow the community and technical colleges to expand courses specifically designed to meet the workforce training needs here…:

CUT 6 (07)  “raise a family”

Monty Sullivan is the Louisiana Community and Technical College System President. He says this money will be used in a very targeted way to address the most high demand programs in Louisiana…:

CUT 7 (08) “engineering technology”

The $1 million dollar gift will be matched with $4 million in state funds. Sullivan says the donation will help them secure funding through the WISE Fund which was created by the legislature to help fill high-need jobs…:(Sullivan says the money will be used to pay for classes such as welding, pipe-fitting, petroleum technology and electrical work.)

CUT 8 (10) “in programs”

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The man who killed his son’s abductor at the Baton Rouge airport in March of 1984, Gary Plauche, died this week at the age of 68. Jeffrey Doucet was accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting Plauche’s son Jody 30-years-ago — and when the suspect was extradited back to Baton Rouge, Plauche was waiting at the airport then fired a shot. The incident was caught on camera and Abram McGull was the news photographer…:

CUT 9 (14)  “same thing too”

Plauche was sentenced to 5 years probation but did not get jail time. The news director of the television station at the time, John Spain, said he didn’t think the public wasn’t surprised that Plauche just received a suspended sentence…:

CUT 10 (14)  “understood it”

His family said Gary died from complications related to a stroke. The son, Jody who was 11 years old at the time, is now an advocate for child victims of sexual assault. McGull, who is a former federal prosecutor, says he found out the video of the incident is being used by the FBI and other law enforcement…:

CUT 11 (11) “incident“

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The Louisiana Department of Education released a report today on the evaluation of public school teachers. The report shows 92% of teachers received an effective grade. Superintendent John White says while we should be proud of teachers reaching that achievement, the inflation of highly effective scores outpaced the growth of student achievement scores…

CUT 12 (08) “any favors”

Teacher “Compass” ratings are based equally on Student Growth Score and classroom observations. Individual school districts are responsible for rating their teachers. White says schools and school districts that set a high bar when observing teachers see progress in both educators and students…

CUT  13 (11) “not use it well”

White says the most critical piece of information they received from this report is that schools who expect more of their teachers, will see an increase in student growth…

cut 14 (14) “learning goes up”

Louisianians are seeing big savings at the gas pump as we approach the holiday travel season.   Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Workforce Commission says we’re getting closer and closer to the 2 million mark when it comes to the number of people who have jobs here. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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Is Rob Maness hurting fellow Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy’s campaign in the US-Senate race against Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu? Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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Louisianians are seeing big savings at the gas pump as we approach the holiday travel season.  The average price for a gallon of regular gas has fallen to under three dollars a gallon in the Bayou State.  Gasbuddy-dot-com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHann says these are the lowest gas prices we’ve seen in over three years…

Cut 4  (09)  “a month ago”

Louisiana’s average price for regular gas is $2.95 a gallon.  DeHaan says the lower prices can be attributed to Middle East countries dropping the price of crude oil.  He says oil is trading some $20 lower per barrel compared to their summer time highs.  DeHaan says the price drop at the pump may not be over, yet…

Cut 5  (05)  “next few weeks”

DeHaan says some stations in the state are charging less than $2.60 per gallon.  He says we could see prices below $2.50 at some stations in the next week.  He says, over the last 12 months, the price of fuel has made a drastic turnaround…

Cut 6 (13)  “a year ago”

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The Louisiana Workforce Commission says we’re getting closer and closer to the 2 million mark when it comes to the number of people who have jobs here. LWC Executive Director Curt Eysink says non-farm employment grew by 33,100 jobs over the year ending September 30th — a new record with employment now exceeding 1.98 million…:

CUT 7 (12)  “huge for us”

Eysink says we have more jobs than we’ve ever had, a bigger labor force than we’ve ever had and more people working than every before. He says construction is seeing the most growth with 11,000 jobs over the year ending September 30th. Eysink says the boom they’ve been saying is coming has already begun..:

Cut 8 (13)   “by the time it’s done”

Leisure and hospitality was second adding 9500 jobs. Eysink says another area of our economy that is seeing a lot of growth, adding 9200, is business and professional services. He says as all these construction projects continue to pop up in Louisiana, we’re going to see more and more professional jobs…:

Cut 9 (09)  “in Louisiana” 

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Is Rob Maness hurting fellow Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy’s campaign in the US-Senate race against Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu? There’s a new poll out by Real Clear Politics which found Landrieu ahead with 38 percent, Cassidy with 36 percent and Maness with 9%. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan…:

Cut 10 (13)  “outright”

Hogan says that while it may be true that Maness is taking votes away from Cassidy, the Congressman will need support from those ultra-conservative voters by addressing the policies that are most important to them…:

cut 11 (13)  “concerned about”

Hogan says when it comes to the undecided voters so late in the campaign, they are the ones who are likely conservative but are influenced by Landrieu’s longtime incumbency…:

cut 12 (09)  “her party affiliation”

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Governor Bobby Jindal has 14 months left in office and he says he still has plenty of work to do in Louisiana, even though a presidential campaign could be on the horizon. During recent debates, candidates have been asked what grade they would give the governor, Jindal says it’s too early to give himself a grade

Cut 13 (08)  “more progress”

So far republican candidates in the US Senate and the sixth district congressional races have given good but not great marks when asked to judge Jindal on a scale of 1 to 10. Jindal defends his record, based on the record number of people who are working in the state today

Cut 14 (11)  “taken office”

Jindal has made it no secret that he is considering a potential Presidential run in 2016. The governor says he’s not interested in running for his old job as a US Representative

Cut 15  (10)  ” elected position”

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Some of the top teams in the Southland Conference will square off against each other this weekend. The first place Lions, who are undefeated in league play, visit Stephen F Austin, who is 2-and-1 against the rest of the conference. Southeastern Louisiana Coach Ron Roberts is impressed with Lumberjacks quarterback Zach Conque

Cut 16  (20)   “does best”

Central Arkansas is right behind S-L-U in the Southland Standings. Northwestern State visits C-A-U this Saturday and Demons Coach Jay Thomas says the Bears have a well rounded offense

Cut 17  (10)   “very well”

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The New Orleans Saints players get back to work today, trying to erase the memory of Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to Detroit. New Orleans’ defense played one of its best games of the season against the Lions, until the final five minutes. Safety Kenny Vaccaro says the confidence is still high among the defense…

Cut 18 (13) “type deal”

While the Saints are scuffling at two-and-four, New Orleans next opponent is playing as well as anyone in the NFL. Green Bay has won four in a row after 1-and-2 start. Vaccaro says it’s the type of challenge the Saints need

Cut 19 (6)   “bounce back”

The number of Louisiana Public Schools earning a state performance grade of an A has gone up from 187 to 241 this year, according to the Department of Education. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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Early voting began this morning and many Louisianians were in line at the 8:30am opening. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (33) “reporting”

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Officials say a third man involved in the 2010 murder of Rayville Police Sergeant Thomas Alexander has pleaded guilty to his involvement in the case. Alexander was killed while responding to a burglary at a home in Richland Parish. District Attorney Mack Lancaster says they are happy to get a third plea in this case…

CUT 3 (11) “murder occurred”

Anthony Oatis entered a guilty plea to a manslaughter charge and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Previously, Richard Long pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and Robert Walker pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Both are serving life sentences. Lancaster says it’s difficult to get pleas in these kind of cases…

CUT 4 (08)  “all three cases”

He commends the work of law enforcement to collect evidence that lead to guilty pleas of all three men. Lancaster says this crime still sticks with the people of Rayville because of Deputy Alexander’s willingness to go out of his way to help others. He says this burglary happened outside of Rayville and Alexander was a town deputy…

CUT 5 (08)  “unnecessary murder”

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The number of Louisiana Public Schools earning a state performance grade of an A has gone up from 187 to 241 this year, according to the Department of Education. Education officials released the reports earlier today. Superintendent John White says numbers are up because schools are responding to what they have been asked to achieve…

CUT 6 (12)  “on state tests”

School performance scores are primarily based on student test scores. This year’s school report card also shows 10 Louisiana school districts earning an A and no school districts in the state receiving an F grade. White says high schools are performing better across the state…

CUT 7 (04) “achieving basic”

1335 schools were included in this report. White says this year’s scores come as the department raises the bar for public schools across the state…

CUT 8 (11) “school report cards”

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Early voting is underway as of today and people started lining up at the 8:30am opening to cast their ballot for the November 4th election. The Secretary of State’s Office is calling this the biggest election Louisiana has had in decades and these voters we spoke with today told us why they prefer to early vote…:

CUT 9 (13)  “out of the way”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler says statewide, there are over 2400 positions and issues on the ballot and over 4400 candidates. These voters we spoke with say the big one for them is the US-Senate race…:

CUT 10 (14)  “get done”

To find out where you can early vote log on to geauxvote.com or download the Geaux Vote app. Schedler is encouragining voters to bring a sample ballot with you to the polls so the lines can move faster. This woman we spoke with told us she was ready with what her husband gave her…:

CUT 11 (13) “early“

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A freshman ULM basketball player is under arrest for allegedly raping a female student he’d arranged to meet online. University spokeswoman Donna Bernard says the alleged incident occurred Sunday night after they were told 18-year-old Roderick Taylor talked to the female student on a social media site…:

CUT 12 (10) “occurred”

Bernard says the alleged victim filed a report with the ULM Police Department the next morning…:

CUT  13 (09) “the charge”

Bernard says ULM Athletic Director Brian Wickstrom made an announcement about Bernard’s status on the team following the arrest…:

cut 14 (09) “against him”

The early voting period for the November 4th election kicks off today and runs through October 28th. Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Louisiana State Police and several other agencies will host a “Heroin Summit” today to educate the public about heroin use and address the recent rise in heroin deaths. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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Former President Bill Clinton makes a campaign stop in Louisiana to help Senator Mary Landrieu with her re-election efforts. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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The early voting period for the November 4th election kicks off today. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says early voting will take place through October 28th from 8:30AM to 6PM, excluding Sunday. Schedler says early voter participation is on the rise…

Cut 4  (08)  “of early voting”

This year’s election is highlighted by a hotly contested US Senate race and several contested Congressional races. Schedler wants to remind voters that there are 14 Constitutional Amendments on this year’s ballot. He says voters should expect a lengthy ballot…

Cut 5  (06)  “available, statewide”

Schedler says, statewide, this is the biggest election in the state in decades. He says for sample ballots and early voting locations, you can go online at geauxvote-dot-com. Schedler says he expects a voter turnout between 45 and 50-percent for this US Senate election…

Cut 6 (12)  “high participation”

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Louisiana State Police and several other agencies will host a “Heroin Summit” today to educate the public about heroin use and address the recent rise in heroin deaths. Trooper Jared Sandifer says Col Mike Edmonson is going to be the keynote speaker and joined by several other people from around the state who know a lot about heroin…:

CUT 7 (11)  “the area”

The event is being held between 9am-5pm at the BREC Independence Park Theatre and the public is urged to participate. Sandifer says in Louisiana last year there were at least 310 heroin-related arrests made by LSP and law enforcement agencies across the state…:

Cut 8 (11)   “in 2012″

Sandifer says the CDC named the Greater Baton Rouge area as the 19th worse in the nation per capita for heroin over dose deaths in 2013. He says it’s a huge problem it’s important to sit down and address it:

Cut 9 (07)  “could be passed” 

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A grand jury indicted two St. John the Baptist Parish utilities workers in connection with an investigation into a deadly amoeba which was found in the parish’s drinking water in August. Kurt Wall with the state Attorney General’s office says there was a question about whether or not samples being collected were accurate…:

Cut 10 (13)  “randomly testing”

Wall says the workers were reporting the chlorine levels in the water supply were up to par but DHH did random testing and discovered, instead, the amoeba. He says that’s when State Police stepped in and decided to check GPS coordinates on the vehicles these parish employees were using at the time they said samples were taken…:

cut 11 (13)  “correctly”

Kevin Branch of LaPlace and Danielle Roussel of Pauline were each charged with one count of malfeasance in office and one count of filing and/or maintaining false public records. Each felony count carries up to 5 years in prison. Wall says the St. John Parish Government is fully cooperating and are taking corrective steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen again…:

cut 12 (10)  “from here forward”

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Former President Bill Clinton tells a crowd of Mary Landrieu supporters he doesn’t see how the senior senator is not a clear favorite in Louisiana’s US Senate race over her republican challengers. Clinton says Landrieu has a history of getting things done

Cut 13 (15)  “(loud cheers)”

Clinton was in Baton Rouge Monday and spoke at a Landrieu rally. Her main opponent, Bill Cassidy, constantly ties Landrieu and her voting record to policies supported by President Obama. But Clinton says Louisiana voters should not look at the Senate race as a chance to vote against Obama

Cut 14 (07)  “crowd that’s right”

During a nearly 30-minute speech, Clinton spoke about Landrieu’s efforts to help college students afford their education, her support for a higher minimum wage and chairmanship of the Senate Energy Committee

Cut 15  (12)  ” I do”

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The U-L Lafayette Ragin Cajuns look to keep their winning ways going on Tuesday nights when they host Arkansas State in a matchup of unbeaten teams in Sun Belt play. Coach Mark Hudspeth’s team has won its last three games played on Tuesday, dating back to last season

Cut 16  (21)   “Arkansas State team”

Tonight’s game can be seen nationlly on ESPN Two. Hudspeth wants to see a big crowd, because it’s a game that can show the university in a positive light…

Cut 17  (10)   “12th man”

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LSU gets another chance to beat a team ranked in the Top 5 this Saturday when they host the third ranked Ole Miss Rebels. The Tigers lost earlier this season to Auburn, who is ranked fifth and Mississippi State who is now number one. Coach Les Miles thinks his improving defense is up to the challenge…

Cut 18 (21) “that matchup”

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The Saints are 2-and-4 and some in the Who Dat nation are putting part of the blame on Quarterback Drew Brees. The veteran signal caller’s interception in the late stages on Sunday set up Detroit’s game-winning touchdown. But Coach Sean Payton is defending Brees’ play…

Cut 19 (16)   “are worries”

Even though the Saints have a losing record, they are in second place and not that far behind division leader Carolina, who is 3-and-3-and-1 on the season. But Payton says the players are not worried about the standings

Cut 20 (11)  “ourselves”

An investment group has agreed to buy Pineville based Cleco for a reported $3.4 billion. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (27) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced today that the state plans to stop billing sexual assault victims for exams and tests. Eric Gill reports…:

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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An investment group has agreed to buy Pineville based Cleco for a reported $3.4 billion. Cleco Power has approximately 284,000 customers in Louisiana. Cleco Power President Darren O’Lages (O-lay-jes) says customers should not expect any change in utility rates or service as part of the sale…

CUT 3 (08) “service provider”

He says there are no lay-offs or restructuring of employee salaries planned. The sale is expected to close in the second half of 2015. O’Lages thinks this transaction came in at a price their shareholders will be happy with…

CUT 4 (11)  “supportive of it”

He says this investment group is experienced and understands what it means to own utility companies and what it takes to make them successful. O’Lages says the Cleco brand, and everything it stands for, will remain the same. He says, other than no longer being a publicly traded company, it will be business as usual under the new ownership…

CUT 5 (11)  “stay the same”

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This week is National Teen Driver Safety Week and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is urging parents to set rules for teens before they hit the road. Lt. Col John LeBlanc says the fatal crash rate for Louisiana drivers age 18-20 alone was nearly twice as high as the average crash rate of all drivers in the state…:

CUT 6 (12)  “in the United States”

LeBlanc says according to a recent survey, only one in four parents had talked seriously with their teens about what it means to be a safe driver. He says if more parents got involved, the crash rate for teens would not be so high…:

CUT 7 (12) “or the back”

LeBlanc says parents should tell there teens the “5 to drive Rules” – No cell phones, no extra passengers, no speeding, not alcohol and EVERYONE must be buckled up. He says nobody has more of an impact on our children than their parents…:

CUT 8 (04) “some lives”

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Cleanup crews are continuing to work a major crude oil spill in Caddo Parish that has killed dozens of fish and some reptiles. The oil leaked into Tete Bayou due to the rupture of a Mid-Valley pipeline . Greg Langley, with the Department of Environmental Quality says there are about 270 people on-site working the spill…

CUT 9 (09)  “as well”

Workers were able to stop the spill from reaching into Caddo Lake. Langley says once Sunoco Logistics, who operate the pipeline, noticed a drop in pressure, they went to work…

CUT 10 (08)  “to repair it”

It’s estimated that approximately 4,000 barrels of crude oil flowed into Tete Bayou before workers were able to shut the line down. Langley says crews have collected about 2,400 barrels so far, but there is still much to be done…

CUT 11 (11) “will be removed“

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The Department of Health and Hospitals says they plan to stop billing sexual assault victims for exams and tests. DHH spokeswoman Olivia Watkins says they intend to work with the legislature to craft bills for the 2014 session that would prohibit hospitals from charging rape survivors for the care they receive….:

CUT 12 (09) “rendering aid”

Advocacy groups and lawmakers were critical of the fact that women who had been raped were getting big hospital bills after checking in to be treated for the assault. Watkins says, under the plan, hospitals would be able to seek reimbursement for such expenses from the Crime Victim’s Reparation fund which receives fines associated with criminal cases…:

CUT  13 (11) “on a state level”

Watkins says they also plan to remove the requirement that survivors of sexual assault file a police report to qualify for that reimbursement. She also says they want to do away with the provision that victims be sober in order to get money from the fund for hospital bills…:

cut 14 (07) “we address”

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The Gonzales Police Department is investigating the case of a man from Mississippi who was found dead in his car in the Wal-Mart parking lot over the weekend. Spokesman Sgt. Stephen Nethken says 26-year-old Lucas Sanchez of Pascagoula was seen on surveillance video walking into the store in the early morning hours of Saturday…:

cut 15 (12) “his vehicle”

Nethken says foul play is not suspected in this case and they believe Sanchez died of a drug overdose…:

cut 16 (13) “aerosol can”

President Bill Clinton is scheduled to join Senator Mary Landrieu in Baton Rouge today to rally support for her campaign. Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says auto theft in Louisiana has dropped 48% since 2007 which beats the national average of 34% in the same time period. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Customers at Chic-Fil-A locations in north Louisiana are now able to pay for their order with their mobile phone. Scott Carwile reports.

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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President Bill Clinton is scheduled to join Senator Mary Landrieu in Baton Rouge today to rally support for her campaign. Clinton’s visit comes the day before the early voting period for the November 4th election begins. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says it’s good for Landrieu that Clinton is stumping for her considering his popularity among the Democratic base…

Cut 4  (06)  “not that popular”

Landrieu is in a tight re-election battle with Republican challengers Congressman Bill Cassidy and retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness. Both parties are sending “big guns” to the state for this Senate race. Republicans sent former presidential candidate Senator John McCain to campaign with Cassidy last week. Dubos says both parties know what is potentially at stake in this election…

Cut 5  (06)  “the national level”

This is Clinton’s second visit to Louisiana on Landrieu’s behalf during this election. Early voting begins tomorrow and runs through October 28th. Dubos says this is part of Landrieu’s last push leading up to election day on November 4th…

Cut 6 (12)  “to go vote”

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Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says auto theft in Louisiana has dropped 48% since 2007 which beats the national average of 34% in the same time period. Donelon credits the massive decline, in part, public outreach and initiatives by law enforcement…:

CUT 7 (10)  “rest of their lives”

Donelon says they’ve also been able to bust car thieves by using bait cars places in high risk areas that are equipped with monitoring equipment and cameras if they are stolen. He says also says technology has improved so that law enforcement now has the ability to read license plates as vehicles drive down the street…:

Cut 8 (11)   “is stolen”

Donelon says the license plate reader program has resulted in hundreds of apprehensions…:

Cut 9 (13)  “by a theif” 

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Customers at Chic-Fil-A locations in north Louisiana don’t have to worry about bringing in cash or a credit card because now you’ll be able to pay with your phone. David Benson is the local operator for the restaurants in Monroe and West Monroe and he says it all starts with downloading the Chic-Fil-A app…:

Cut 10 (11)  “pay for your meal”

Benson says people are slowly but surely catching on and using this method of payment to get their yummy chicken strips and nuggets. He says paying with your phone is more secure than using a credit card. All you have to do is load up whatever amount of money you wish on the app…:

cut 11 (10)  “financial institution”

Benson says when you’ve loaded money into the app, you simply hit the pay button and scan the account code at the register or in the drive-thru line and the money is deducted from the account balance. He says next year the company plans to roll out “mobile ordering.” Benson says Chic-Fil-A wants to stay ahead of the curve…;

cut 12 (12)  “no credit card”

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Senior linebacker Terrell Pinson should be named Conference USA defensive player of the week today based on his performance in Saturday’s 27-20 win over Texas-San Antonio. Pinson had two interceptions and had a fumble return for a touchdown. Head Coach Skip Holtz on Pinson’s big day

Cut 13 (19)  “came off turnovers”

The Bulldogs trailed 10-6 at halftime, but the game turned when Pinson had a two-yard fumble recovery for a touchdowns. Tech scored two more quick touchdowns and Holtz says that was the difference in the game

Cut 14 (14)  “it was huge”

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It appeared the Saints were on their way to a victory on Sunday in Detroit, but the Lions roared back with two touchdowns in the four minutes to beat New Orleans 24-23. New Orleans was in control for much of the game, but Detroit hit on a 73-yard touchdown pass with 3:38 left and couldn’t recover. Here’s what coach Sean Payton had to say after the game

Cut 15  (13)  “do it”

Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns. But threw an interception with just over three minutes left that set up Detroit’s winning score. Brees believes the 2-and-4 Saints can rebound from this heartbreaking loss

Cut 16  (12)   “to win”

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After a two-week absence, The LSU Tigers are back in the Top 25 polls. The Bayou Bengals are ranked 24th in the AP poll, and 23rd in the coaches. LSU won easily on Saturday, 41-to-3 over the Kentucky Lions. Coach Les Miles says his team is getting better

Cut 17  (12)   “I promise you”

LSU’s defense was outstanding on Saturday night, holding Kentucky to 217 total yards. Sophomore middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith led the way with nine tackles

Cut 18 (08) “on Saturdays”

Freshman safety Jamal Adams looks like a star in the making. He had eight total tackles against Kentucky, including a sack. Adams says the players on defense have bought into the game plan

Cut 19 (11)   “as a team”

Are Americans overrating about the Ebola threat? Local health officials are urging citizens to calm down. Eric Gill reports.

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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The community that was hardest hit by the EF2 tornado in northeast Louisiana Monday is making news because of the huge way they are rallying together to help each other out in the aftermath. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (33) “reporting”

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Are we freaking out a little too much over the threat of Ebola in the United States? State and National heath care officials are urging the public to take a chill pill when it comes to the threat of Ebola. Dr. Frank Welch is the Medical Director for the state Department of Health and Hospitals:

CUT 3 (13) “unrealistic fear”

Welch says people aren’t concerned for “no reason” but it’s over the top to think that you’re going to walk outside and contract Ebola. He says, on the other hand, this is a huge wake up call for our health care system to keep their workers safe…:

CUT 4 (12)  “put into practice”

Welch wants to emphasize that Louisiana has been intensively preparing for the possibility of an Ebola patient entering the health care system here at any level…:

CUT 5 (08)  “beforehand”

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The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested the father and step-mother of the 11-year-old boy who ran away from home in Plain Dealing on charges of child abuse, neglect, and drug charges. Lt. Bill Davis says the search for the boy began Tuesday evening and no one could find him…

CUT 6 (09)  “to the family”

Davis says the boy was found about 25 hours later after going to a home about five miles away tired and looking for food. He was then returned to his family. Davis says at that point the case turned when authorities noticed bruises on the boy’s body…

CUT 7 (10) “against this couple”

43-year-old Ernest Bell and 30-year-old Kristen Downs were booked into the Bossier Maximum Security Facility on several charges including cruelty to a juvenile, criminal neglect of family, and possession of marijuana. The neglect charges stem from the child not being enrolled in school for the past two years. Davis believes the child was just trying to run away from an abusive situation…

CUT 8 (08) “unfortunate case”

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The community that was hardest hit by the EF2 tornado in northeast Louisiana this week is making news because of the huge way they are rallying together to help each other out in the aftermath. Alan West Brockman is president of a property management company in Monroe and a local musician. He says it was amazing to see how many people came out to help clear all the debris…:

CUT 9 (13)  “and still are”

Brockman says their local celebrated Chef Cory Bahr who owns Restaurant Cotton in the Garden District is offering free meals to those helping out and Wal-Mart donated 500 pounds of meat for him to cook. He says it was a major grass roots effort by citizens taking charge…:

CUT 10 (11)  “to help everybody”

At the peak of Entergy’s outages, about 35,000 customers were without power and Friday morning later that number was down to just under 2700. Brockman says the tornado caused trees to fall onto houses, crush cars, close businesses and several roads were completely impassable….:

CUT 11 (12) “something else happened“

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a domestic violence situation that turned into a murder-suicide Thursday night in Deville. Lt. Tommy Carnline says deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call of shots fired at an apartment complex at around 8:40PM…

CUT 12 (09) “rendering aid”

He says 39-year-old Theresa Ann Johnson of Deville was found with a gunshot wound to the right side of her face. She was transported to a local hospital and succumbed to her injuries Friday morning. Carnline says deputies immediately went on the hunt for the suspect. He says as they were clearing the building, they found him…

CUT  13 (11) “he was deceased”

Carnline says the suspect, 36-year-old Terrel Joe Laprarie, Jr. of Deville, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Carnline says investigators are trying to determine what exactly happened…

cut 14 (06) “unfortunate tragedy”

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

According to the Federal Election Commission, “Duck Dynasty” family member Republican Zach Dasher has raised the most campaign cash among the candidates for the 5th District Congressional seat.  Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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Members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be in Louisiana today to try to boost black voter turnout with the focus of helping Senator Mary Landrieu’s campaign. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Fighting Tigers of LSU are back in Death Valley tomorrow night as they host the Kentucky Wildcats. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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According to the Federal Election Commission, “Duck Dynasty” family member Republican Zach Dasher has raised the most campaign cash among the candidates for the 5th District Congressional seat.  Dasher has raised over $500,000 through the third quarter.  ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this shows Dasher’s popularity among individual donors…

Cut 4  (11)  “Zach, right now”

Much of the cash raised by fellow Republican candidates Dr. Ralph Abraham, Harris Brown, and incumbent Vance McAllister was their own.  Stockley says Dasher is benefiting financially from the “Duck Dynasty” association…

Cut 5  (09)  “to also donate”

He says the four leading Republican candidates in this race have very equal levels of spending.  Stockley says although McAllister probably remains the favorite among the Republicans, nothing is guaranteed with less than three weeks to go…

Cut 6 (08)  “competitive election”

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Public Service Commission member Foster Campbell says he’ll call for an investigation into whether or not aging Entergy infrastructure caused extra damage in Ouachita Parish after a tornado blew through Monday. But he says the utility company did a great job getting the power restored to the more than 35,000 who were in the dark…:

CUT 7 (09)  “devastation”

Campbell says he commends those people in the area where the EF2 tornado hit for being so courteous and patient in the aftermath of the storm…:(Entergy says their goal is to have all lights back on by 5pm today.)

Cut 8 (08)   “back on”

Campbell says he also commends the efforts of Entergy for their hard work and quick, cautious response to this disastrous situation. He says it’s been heart warming to see the people in Ouachita Parish doing what they can to help the 600 workers…:

Cut 9 (08)  “every way they can” 

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Members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be in Louisiana today to try to boost black voter turnout with the focus of helping Senator Mary Landrieu’s campaign. The 42 member caucus of Democrats say they are pushing Landrieu hard because they want to keep control of the Senate. Louisiana Black Caucus Chairwoman Katrina Jackson…:

Cut 10 (09)  “the biggest thing”

Jackson says the Congressional Black Caucus will be in New Orleans and Baton Rouge through Monday and possibly visit Alexandria. She says they will be encouraging voters to push the button for Landrieu, Congressman Cedric Richmond and 5th Congressional District Candidate, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo…:

cut 11 (07)  “these candidates”

Jackson says national and local Democrats are spending upwards of $700,000 for get-out-the-vote efforts in the state. She encourages residents to greet these United State politicians well…:

cut 12 (10)  “another seat”

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There’s been another sexual student/teacher incident. The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s office says a woman who teaches at Crowley High is under arrest for allegedly being inappropriately involved with some of her students. Spokeswoman Maxine Trahan says they received an initial report about 34-year-old Tracy Marie Barras of Duson in early October…:

Cut 13 (10)  “inappropriate behavior”

Trahan says they were contacted by officials with the Acadia Parish School board about possible inappropriate behavior…:

Cut 14 (04)  “male students”

Barras was booked this week into the Acadia Parish jail on $60,000 bond. Trahan says after an investigation they were able to obtain a warrant for the arrest of Barras…:

Cut 15  (09)  “16 years of age”

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The Fighting Tigers of LSU are back in Death Valley tomorrow night as they host the Kentucky Wildcats. The purple and gold are coming off an exciting win at Florida and will be looking to keep that momentum going into Saturday’s game. Tiger Rag Editor Robert Stewart says this should be a close game…:

Cut 16  (13)   “come out on top”

Stewart thinks LSU should come out on top because it is a home game that will be filled with excited Tiger fans, but since the Bayou Bengals have struggled so much on defense it will probably be a closer game than many people think. Leonard Fournette is coming off his best game of the season and Stewart says you can expect another nice performance out of the running back…:

Cut 17  (10)   “big game”

The Kentucky game begins a three game home-stand with Ole Miss coming in next weekend then Alabama on November 8th. Coach Les Miles says Anthony Jennings will start at quarterback again. Stewart says you can expect to see the Mad Hatter putting Jennings in the same safe situations he had him in the Florida game…:

Cut 18 (15) “capable of”

Louisiana 911 operators will begin screening callers for Ebola symptoms. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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An LSU employee who was recently in Ebola stricken Liberia has been asked to stay off campus for three weeks. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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The LSU Police Department is seeking the public’s help in their investigation of an alleged rape that occurred on campus. Capt. Corey Lalonde says the victim reported she was walking along West Lakeshore Drive on October 7th when she was approached by a group of male subjects…

CUT 3 (11) “incident took place”

LaLonde says one of the subjects allegedly grabbed the victim and forced her to the ground. He says the other subjects surrounded them while the incident took place. LaLonde says there is normally a considerable amount of traffic in that area…

CUT 4 (13)  “our investigation”

They are asking anyone who may have seen something unusual in the area on that day to please contact LSU Police or Crime Stoppers. LaLonde says LSUPD has no information to indicate that this is anything other than an isolated incident…

CUT 5 (09)  “as soon as possible”

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A new protocol has been implemented to 911 operators in Louisiana which has them screen callers for Ebola symptoms. Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Kevin Davis says the caller will be asked a series of questions about ilnesses, particularly fever and recent travel. He says that will help EMS responding…:

CUT 6 (10)  “a suspected case”

Davis says the operators would ask about flu like symptoms, whether the person has recently been to an Ebola outbreak country and if they have been in contact with someone who has been exposed to the virus. He says the information would immediately be sent to responders…:

CUT 7 (09) “on the scene”

Davis says the callers answers would determine whether more questions would follow and whether the emergency responder would need to wear protective gear to the call. He says the person would be asked additional questions when in route then EMS would let the hospital know they have a suspect patient…:

CUT 8 (11) “would then kick in”

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An LSU employee who was recently in Ebola stricken Liberia has been asked to stay off campus for 21 days. That’s the time frame during which symptons of the virus could show up according to Olivia Watkins with the state Department of Health and Hospitals. She says the man told DHH he did not have contact with anyone who had Ebola so he’s night considered high risk…:

CUT 9 (12)  “twice daily”

The man was reportedly part of a team who taught Liberian police how to put on and discard protective gear such as gloves, booties and protective covering. Watkins says the man is not being forced to stay in his home while he has no symptoms…:

CUT 10 (10)  “the hospital”

Watkins says it’s important to remember that Ebola can not be passed to another individual when there are no symptoms present. She says DHH is working closely with LSU and with GOHSEP to make sure that everyone is communicating and getting updates on the situation…:

CUT 11 (09) “level of preparedness“

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Many homes and businesses in Monroe and West Monroe remain powerless as a result of a tornado that moved through the area Monday. Entergy spokesman Roderick Worthy says at the height of the storm, about 38,000 customers were without power in the Ouachita Parish area…

CUT 12 (06) “and tomorrow”

Worthy says less than 5,000 customers remain without electricity. Entergy’s goal is to have power fully restored tomorrow. Worthy says Entergy’s system sustained significant damage as the EF-2 tornado rolled through…

CUT  13 (13) “and repair service”

Worthy says damage to Entergy’s infrastructure has slowed the pace at which they can restore and repair service. He asks everyone to please be patient and, more importantly, be safe…

cut 14 (11) “away from it”

Residents in Ouachita Parish continue to clean up after Monday’s EF-2 tornado ripped through the area. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Could the Ebola outbreak in West Africa be having an effect on the price we pay for chocolate? A local chocolate maker doesn’t think so. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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According to the latest economic projection numbers for Louisiana by LSU Economists Loren Scott & Jim Richardson, The Bayou State is projected to surpass 2 million overall jobs by 2015. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 3 (26) “reporting”

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Residents in Ouachita Parish continue to clean up after Monday’s tornado ripped through the area. An EF-2 tornado tore through Monroe and West Monroe. Ouachita Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Neil Brown says the biggest challenges facing residents now are debris and power…

Cut 4  (10)  “on the debris”

Brown says many residents, including himself, may not get power restored to their home until Friday. He says preliminary damage assessment teams will be coming to the area in the next few days. Brown says, as of now, he cannot set a monetary figure to the amount of damage the tornado has caused, but is is significant…

Cut 5  (12)  “lot of damage”

Brown is hopeful the area will qualify for state and federal funds to help repair the damage the tornado left behind. Despite the destruction the storm left behind, Brown says all the news from Ouachita Parish isn’t bad…

Cut 6 (11)  “anything like that”

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Latest campaign finance totals in the US Senate race show Republican challenger Bill Cassidy with one million dollars more in cash on hand than Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu. Cassidy has four-point-four million, while Landrieu has three-point-four million. Political analyst Clancy Dubos points out Landrieu raised more money than Cassidy in the third quarter

CUT 7 (09)  “close that gap”

Landrieu raised two-point-seven million dollars in the third quarter, beating out Cassidy by two-hundred thousand dollars. Dubos expects Landrieu to spend more of her campaign funds than her main GOP challenger

Cut 8 (07)   “for the runoff”

The third major candidate in the race, Air Force Colonel Rob Maness, reports he has 388-thousand dollars in his account. He says fundraising will continue up until the November fourth election and beyond

Cut 9 (10)  “each” 

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Could the Ebola outbreak in West Africa be having an effect on the price we pay for chocolate? A local chocolate maker doesn’t think so. Michael Nelson is the Vice President of Operations at Elmer Candy Corporation in Ponchatoula. He says the concern among some market analysts is that the Ebola crisis could spread from Liberia to Ghana, where almost two-thirds of the world’s cocoa beans are sourced:

Cut 10 (11)  “in that region”

Nelson says chocolate is trading above what he would consider a fundamental level in terms of a supply and demand standpoint, but he says that’s as much the Ebola scare as it is the speculative traders in the market…:

cut 11 (10)  “financial speculators”

Nelson says you should know there is no way to contract Ebola from chocolate. He says the harvest is about to begin and is rumored to be very good. Nelson doesn’t see evidence, at this point, that the Ebola outbreak is moving the price of cocoa…:

cut 12 (13)  “thirty one hundred”

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According to the latest economic projection numbers for Louisiana by Loren Scott & Jim Richardson, The Bayou State is projected to surpass 2 million overall jobs by 2015. Dr. Scott says we have an industrial boom going on right now that is completely off the charts compared to anything we’ve seen in Louisiana history…:

Cut 13 (13)  “in the state”

Louisiana’s Economic Outlook projects the state to add 34,100 jobs in 2015. Dr. Scott says there has been this incredible industrial expansion and it’s due in part to the huge drop in the price of natural gas…:

Cut 14 (11)  “really picked up”

Dr. Scott says the Baton Rouge area is expected to be the second fastest growing over the next 2 years with about 19,600 new jobs or a 2.4 percent growth. He says areas north of I-10 will see growth but not nearly what the southern region will. Scott says Lafayette and Houma will also see big gains but the big winner will be Lake Charles…:

Cut 15  (12)  “a way to ship”

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The Saints will go up against one of their former first round picks when they visit the Detroit Lions this Sunday. Reggie Bush, who New Orleans drafted in 2006, is in his second season with the Lions. Coach Sean Payton says Bush is still an explosive player…

Cut 16  (17)   “that sudden”

The Saints are coming off a bye week, which gave players like Mark Ingram and Jonathan Goodwin a chance to get healthy for Sunday’s Detroit game. Quarterback Drew Brees says with the Saints sitting at 2-and-3, now is the time to string some victories together

Cut 17  (11)   “accomplish”

There’s a good chance the Saints will not have tight end Jimmy Graham for Sunday’s game against the Lions. Graham has a shoulder injury that knocked him out of a game nearly two weeks ago. Brees says that means more chances for the other tight ends and wide receivers on the roster

Cut 18 (19)  “great job “