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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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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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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People around the country will have their eyes on New Orleans over the next week as television networks will air specials on the 10^th 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 28^th and former President Bill Clinton will visit on the actual anniversary, August 29^th. 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”

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” 

A study from Wallethub shows Louisiana is the 7^th worst state for women’s equality. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (32) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Planned Parenthood is rallying outside the governor’s mansion after Governor Jindal defunded the organization. Scott Carwile has more….

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Only five companies placed bids on 33 tracts in the western Gulf of Mexico during a federal oil lease sale in New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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In a recent study by WalletHub, Louisiana is the 7^th worst state for women’s equality. The study looks at how women rank in terms of equity around economic issues, health issues, education and political representation. Director of LSU’s Women Center, Summer Steib says in previous years, the state has ranked even worse.

cut 4  (09)  “little bit better”

The WalletHub study ranked Louisiana 49^th in the gap between male and female political representation. Steib says women in Louisiana have a hard time getting a foot hold in the political arena. The study also ranks Louisiana 49^th in the pay gap between men and women. She says when it comes to economic issues impacting females, the state has a very high percent of women living in poverty.

Cut 5  (11)  “the state”

Steib says despite other low rankings, Louisiana did rank 20^th in educational attainment, so we do have a lot of women going to college and receiving bachelor degrees. She believes we should start looking at what can advance women in the workplace and encourage them to run for political office.

Cut 6 (11)  “candidates”

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Planned Parenthood and its supporters will hold a rally this afternoon in front of the governor’s mansion to protest Governor Bobby Jindal’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood. Jindal ordered for the canceling of the Medicaid contract that the state has with the organization. Planned Parenthood’s Raegan Carter says the governor’s decision will make it harder for over 5-thousand low income Louisianans to receive high quality affordable healthcare.

CUT 7 (08)  “the options”

Carter says Jindal’s reasoning is based upon fiction because Planned Parenthood did not sell the body parts of aborted fetuses as recent videos suggest. She says many residents use Planned Parenthood as their primary care doctor and there is not a Planned Parenthood facility in the state that provides abortions….

Cut 8  (12)  “residents worse” 

Gene Mills, president of the Louisiana Family Forum, says the seven videos released about Planned Parenthood are indefensible and he fully supports Governor Jindal’s defunding of the organization. Mills says many states are moving to do the same thing.

Cut 9 (10) “an investigation”

Mills says clear thinking Americans are distancing themselves from the organization and those rallying, either don’t understand what Planned Parenthood does or are shameless supporters of abortion. He says there are only two Planned Parenthood facilities in the state and there are hundreds of service providers in Louisiana that offer the same health services that do not partake in the same activities.

Cut 10 (08) “of decades”

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Opelousas Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Elbert Guillory says the use of the “N-word” in his television commercial is for educational purposes. The TV ad, which only ran in New Orleans, has former President Lyndon B Johnson saying the N-word after signing the Civil Rights Act. Guillory says many people believe the former Democratic President was a hero…

cut 11 (10) “trying to do”

Guillory is a black republican and the ad is an attempt to persuade blacks not to automatically vote for democrats. The state senator said on the Jim Engster Show he’s only heard from a few people who are upset about the commercial

 Cut 12 (11 “these years”

The only democrat in the Lt. Governor’s race is East Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden, who is also black. Guillory says blacks have mostly voted for democrats, but yet their race remains at the bottom of the economic ladder and this commercial featuring Johnson’s use of the “N” word should hit home for black voters

Cut 13 (04)  “so years” (2x)

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Only five companies placed bids on 33 tracts in the western Gulf of Mexico during a federal oil lease sale in New Orleans. It’s the smallest lease sale in the Gulf off Texas since the federal government began regional sales in 1983. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs says this is an indicator of how cautious companies are being..:

Cut 14 (09) “right now”

The last lease sale in the same region of the Gulf brought in over $100 million dollars compared to Wednesday’s $23 million dollars. However Briggs says he’s very appreciative of these five companies for placing bids. He says the investment shows a continued commitment to the Gulf of Mexico despite hard times…:

Cut 15  (10)  “a little while”

Briggs said with crude oil prices in the $40 range, the interest to invest dollars in the Gulf of Mexico is not as appealing as it was a year ago…:

Cut 16  (09)  “aware of that”

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The Saints have another joint practice with the Patriots today and then the two teams will travel to New Orleans for a preseason game on Saturday night. Quarterback Drew Brees says the workouts are spirited and it brings out the best in both teams

Cut 17 (11) “against us” 

The 36-year-old Brees was asked again about the statement he made last year that he would like to play until he’s 45-years-old. Brees says he thinks he can do it, but it’s not a given in this game….

Cut 18 (20) “for awhile”

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LSU starting safety Jalen Mills reportedly miss four to six weeks after suffering an ankle injury during practice yesterday. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says Rickey Jefferson will likely replace Mills in the starting line-up and the injury will also give a couple of freshmen more playing time

Cut 19 (16) “another freshman”

Worsham says the injury Mills could force him to miss the SEC opener at Mississippi State on September 12th

Cut 20 (12)  “this season”

Beginning tomorrow, Republican US Senator David Vitter will hit the television airwaves with the first commercial of his gubernatorial campaign. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The White House announces President Obama will travel to New Orleans next week for the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The National Hurricane Center predicts that Tropical Storm Danny will become the first hurricane of the 2015 season. Senior Hurricane Specialist Stacy Stewart says Danny has sustained winds of 50 miles per hour with higher gusts. He says the storm is expected to strengthen…

CUT 3 (07)  “Lesser Antilles”

Stewart says the five day forecast has Danny growing to near Category 2 hurricane strength with 90 to 95 mile per hour winds…

CUT 4 (05)  “per hour winds”

He says they predict the storm will move past the northernmost Lesser Antilles and the Leeward Islands on Monday. Stewart suggests people look over their overall hurricane preparedness plans as we enter the peak time of hurricane season…

CUT 5 (09) “mid-October”

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Republican US Senator David Vitter is set to hit the television airwaves with the first commercial of his gubernatorial campaign. The spot will begin airing tomorrow, but is available to view now at davidvitter-dot-com. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this move is a sign that Vitter is ready to campaign…

CUT 6 (07)  “front runner status”

In the ad, Vitter says he will improve education, cut government spending, and grow the state’s workforce as governor. Stockley thinks the overall message of the ad is pretty clear…

CUT 7 (10)  “your individual”

Stockley says now that Vitter is on the airwaves, he expects the other candidates to kick their campaigns into gear. Stockley says election season is finally getting started…

CUT 8 (08)  “by candidates”

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The White House announces President Barack Obama will travel to New Orleans on August 27th for the 10^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. President Obama will join Mayor Mitch Landrieu to meet with residents in several neighborhoods that were rebuilt after being torn apart by Katrina.  Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says this visit shows the federal government remembers the tragedy and all the destruction that took place.

CUT 9 (10)  “about New Orleans”

Dubos says Obama will likely pump up New Orleans as a success story of recovery. He says there will be a mourning for those who lost their lives in Katrina but there will also be a huge celebration of how far the city has come.

cut 10 (07)  “even better”

Dubos believes the president wants to call attention to all the good that’s been done. He says this will send a signal of hope to other areas in the country devastated by natural disasters that they can also recover.

Cut 11 (12)  “about us”

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A panel created by the legislature to conduct a thorough review of the Common Core education standards and recommend changes, met for the first time today in Baton Rouge. During the public comment period, Common Core critic Kathryn Goppelt urged the 26-member review committee to take a hard look at the english and math standards that have created controversy in public classrooms

cut 12 (10)  “do the work”

The committee has received 29-thousand online comments regarding Common Core, many of those suggested keeping the English and math standards as they are now. But Sara Wood from St. Tammany Parish told the committee she is not one of those

cut 13 (12)  “that addressed”

BESE member Jim Garvey of Metairie represents a district that features a lot of parents who oppose Common Core. Garvey had a simple message for the review committee, which has been asked to provide recommendations in February

cut 14 (11)  “bar high”

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The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control has fired a veteran enforcement agent supervisor after threatening, racial and sexual text messages were found on his state issued phone. Commissioner Troy Hebert says they initially began investigating Brette Tingle on falsified payroll documents which said he was working when GPS showed he was home:

cut 15 (10) “former ATC agents” 

Hebert says this type of behavior jeopardizes ATC’s credibility and will not be tolerated. He says they examined Tingle’s state-issued phone which showed text messages that proved he was not working while he claimed to be then that’s when they discovered very disturbing exchanges..:

cut 16 (09) “threats” 

Other reasons for the termination include unauthorized secondary employment, avoidance of discipline and lying to a supervisor. ATC notified Tingle 10 days ago about plans to release him. Hebert’s state vehicle was stolen at his home over the weekend and somebody apparently tried to set it on fire. He says it will be up to investigators to determine if the incident is connected to Tingle..:

cut 17 (07) “there’s a connection”

According to a study by WalletHub, Lafayette is the 9th least educated city out of 150 of the largest US metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (32) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The first of six public hearings to review the controversial Common Core education standards takes place today in Baton Rouge. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is watching Tropical Storm Danny in the Atlantic as it moves toward the Caribbean. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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According to a study by WalletHub, Lafayette is the 9th least educated city out of 150 of the largest US metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). In the 2015 Most & Least Educated Cities report, the Hub City is in the bottom 10 at No. 142. DeWayne Bowie (Boo-ee) is UL Lafayette’s vice president for enrollment. He says Louisiana’s poverty problem is an uphill battle for education…:

cut 4  (10)  “type of degree”

In the Lafayette MSA, WalletHub says about 80% of people over 25 hold a high school degree, while 45% have some college experience and just 20 percent have a bachelor’s. Bowie says they are always looking at new ways to ramp up recruitment efforts…:

Cut 5  (10)  “college degree”

New Orleans MSA ranking was 106 out of 150, Baton Rouge was 108 and Shreveport-Bossier was 127. Bowie says they are also developing a program targeted at low-income middle school students to plant the seed early and let them know that a college degree is definitely within their reach…:

Cut 6 (09)  “education”

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The first of six public hearings on whether or not changes should be made to Common Core takes place today in Baton Rouge. It’s the first meeting of the Standards Review Committee, which was created by lawmakers in the last legislative session. Regina Sanders has been selected to chair the committee that’s made up of teachers, principals and others…

CUT 7 (11)  “Louisiana students”

Common Core has been a hot button topic over the last two years. There are many who believe Common Core should be replaced with education standards developed by Louisiana. Sanford says she goes into this process with an unbiased mindset…

Cut 8  (11)  “daily basis” 

Future public meetings will take place in each of the state’s six congressional districts over the next several months. Public testimony will take place at these meetings and parents can also provide comments on the department of education’s website. Sanford says their recommendations are due to BESE in February

Cut 9 (10) “classroom instruction”

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The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Danny in the Atlantic as it moves toward the Caribbean. Director Kevin Davis says the storm is expected to reach hurricane strength later this week. Davis says it’s important for people to take notice now…

Cut 10 (11) “next few days”

Davis says on its current track, the storm could possibly enter the Gulf of Mexico. He says we will know more as the week progresses. Davis says this would be a good opportunity to make sure you have a plan in place in case a hurricane threatens…

cut 11 (10) “outside of the area”

This hurricane season is forecast to be below average. Although it’s been several years since a major hurricane has impacted Louisiana, Davis says that’s no reason to let your guard down…

 Cut 12 (08) “monitor it”

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The four major candidates running for governor discussed coastal issues during a forum on the campus of Nicholls State. Each candidate was asked what three actions they would take to advance coastal restoration. Republican Jay Dardenne says he would look towards for the federal government for assistance and that includes one of  his opponents…

Cut 13 (10)  “in Washington” (2x)

Dardenne says he’ll also make plans to hold a coastal summit. Democrat John Bel Edwards says he’ll look to the federal government for resources as well, but the state also has to make coastal funding a top priority

Cut 14 (09) “that is gone”

Republican David Vitter says he’ll take three to five major projects from the coastal master plan and push for them to be completed soon…

Cut 15  (09)  “to death”

Republican Scott Angelle says Louisiana has to show its serious about fixing the coast. He’ll ask the legislature to pass a law that makes it felony for the misappropriation of any state or local dollars that are designated for coastal restoration and hurricane protection…

Cut 16  (11)  “wrong way”

The Saints begin two days of joint practices with the New England Patriots at their training camp facility in West Virginia. The two teams will also play each other in preseason game on Saturday night in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. Coach Sean Payton on what they hope to accomplish by practicing against the Super Bowl champs…

Cut 17 (19) “of cards” 

Payton says with training camp winding down soon, going up against another team comes at a good time…

Cut 18 (15) “familiar with”

The Department of Health and Hospitals confirm the presence of the brain eating amoeba in a water system in Terrebonne Parish. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Tropical Depression four has formed in the central Atlantic Ocean and is forecast to be the first hurricane of the 2015 season. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office says a 16-year-old Plaquemine High School student has been arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school. Major Ronnie Hebert says they were alerted to the situation by a school resource officer…

CUT 3 (05)  “with a gun”

He says the gun was in the student’s book bag inside his locker, but he never pointed the gun at anyone. Hebert believes the student brought the gun to school with the intent of harming another student…

CUT 4 (10)  “semi-automatic .22”

The student was placed on house arrest in his parent’s custody and has been expelled from attending any parish school for two years. Hebert praises the football players for coming forward with the information about the gun and averting a potential tragedy…

CUT 5 (07) “him in custody”

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The Department of Health and Hospitals confirm the presence of the brain eating amoeba in a water system in Terrebonne Parish. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the deadly amoeba was found in the Schriever Water System in Montegut. He says officials are taking steps to increase the chlorine level in the system to conduct a chlorine burn…

CUT 6 (08)  “from growing”

Guidry says the water is safe to drink but warns residents to avoid getting water up their noses. This is the third water system in the state to test positive for the amoeba this summer. Guidry says not only are officials testing water systems more, but they are using a better test…

CUT 7 (07)  “the amoeba”

The Schriever Water System serves about 97,000 people in the Houma area. Guidry says resident should not be alarmed about the discovery of the amoeba…

CUT 8 (06)  “this infection”

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Republican Jay Dardenne is taking advantage of technology in his race for Governor. The campaign says there’s an app for that — it’s called Jay Dardenne for Governor and it’s available on Apple and Android devices. Dardenne says the app awards points for actions supporters take to grow the campaign…:

CUT 9 (05)  “reach voters”

The developer is UCampaign which also created a similar app for Texas Senator Ted Cruz in his presidential bid. Dardenne says the campaign will also be able to use the app to connect directly with voters…:

cut 10 (09)  “savvy”

Dardenne says they will use the app to remind people when deadlines to register to vote approach and help get out the vote on Election Day. Republican Scott Angelle is the only candidate so far to run ads on TV, and Dardenne says you can expect to see the same from him very soon:

Cut 11 (10)  “from us”(2x)

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Tropical Depression four has formed in the central Atlantic Ocean and its forecast to be the first hurricane of the 2015 season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the projected path of the system is expected to intensify as it tracks west and become a tropical storm by the end of the day…:

cut 12 (08)  “this storm”

Tropical Storm Danny would become the 4th named storm of the season. Keim says even though we are in an El Nino year, that strong wind shear which tends to break up storms does have areas of weakness which is what this system has found..:

cut 13 (12)  “does come to the Gulf”

Keim says the storm is currently so far away that it’s hard to say if it will impact the US or the Gulf…:

cut 14 (09)  “bares watching”

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Blue Bell says they will once again begin distributing ice cream starting August 31st in select markets. Michelle Southern reports why experts say a slow phase-in is a good strategy…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy wants the Jindal administration to hold off on moving forward with development plans for the shuttered Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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A-T-C Commissioner Troy Hebert says his state vehicle was stolen from his Baton Rouge house and the thief attempted to set it on fire. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A former Rayne part time police officer is in jail on charges of multiple sex crimes against children. Acadia Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Maxine Trahan says investigators received a complaint against Troy Bryant Menard earlier this month and immediately launched an investigation.

cut 4  (11)  “against nature”

Trahan says there were two known victims but couldn’t release more information regarding his charges. She says Menard was a patient in the hospital when a warrant was issued and was arrested soon after being discharged.

Cut 5  (12)  “for us”

Trahan says this is a big disappointment for the Rayne Police Department that they had to investigate one of their own. She says Police Chief Carroll Stelly did what he had to do and fired Menard from the force as soon as he found out this information.

Cut 6 (09)  “known as”

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Blue Bell says they will once again be distributing ice cream starting August 31st in select markets. Four months ago the company was forced to cease their entire operation and recall all products after its ice cream was linked to 10 listeria illnesses and three deaths. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says Blue Bell needs to earn back the public’s trust…:

CUT 7 (09)  “buying it”

Blue Bell says they will re-enter parts of 15 states in five phases starting with Alabama and Texas. Louisiana is included in phase four of the plan. Rice doesn’t think there will be a massive marketing effort to let people know they are back…:

Cut 8  (10)  “originally” 

Blue Bell says it will move into each phase based on product availability and when it can properly service customers in that area. Rice says the phasing the ice cream slowly back in is a good stradegy:

Cut 9 (09) “off the shelf”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy says the Jindal administration should not decide the fate about the shuttered charity hospital in New Orleans. Kennedy says the historic building constructed in the 1930s, is an important asset to the state, and a decision on the hospital’s future should be made by the next governor and legislature.

Cut 10 (12) “on this”

The Division of Administration says they have received proposals from five groups who may be interested in redeveloping the former hospital building but a timeline on the future use of the building hasn’t been established. Kennedy says there is not a lot of transparency in this process.

cut 11 (11) “of them”

The old charity hospital has be closed since it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina ten years ago. Kennedy says the building could’ve been used again as a hospital even though a new facility was constructed. He says he wants to ensure the best for tax payers and New Orleans.

 Cut 12 (08) “used again”

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Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert says his state issued vehicle was stolen from his Baton Rouge home and the thief attempted to set it on fire. Hebert says when the SUV was located, authorities found that the perpetrator stuck a rag in the gas tank….

Cut 13 (09)  “with it accordingly”

Hebert says this isn’t the first time A-T-C has been targeted. He says six of their vehicles were shot up outside of headquarters about two years ago and he also learned of comments threatening to shoot him and bomb his office.

Cut 14 (11) “to it”

Hebert says Alcohol and Tobacco Control has issued over 800 citations this year so that could be a factor in what motivated these attacks. He says Louisiana State Police will continue to investigate the incidents.

Cut 15  (07)  “on this”

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If the season started today, Brandon Harris would likely be the starting quarterback for the LSU Tigers. Harris is getting a majority of the reps with the first team over last year’s starter Anthony Jennings. But Jennings says he hasn’t played his best football yet

Cut 16  (09)  “I can be”

Jennings missed a good portion of the offseason workouts, because he was arrested for allegedly breaking into another person’s apartment. The criminal charge was dropped. Jennings says he spent the summer working out on his own

Cut 17 (16) “to work” 

Sophomore wide receiver Malachi Dupre says he likes how Harris and Jennings are pushing each other in fall camp

Cut 18 (16) “can be”

Many LSU fans are hoping for a breakout season from Dupre after catching 14 passes as a freshman. Dupre says new wide receivers coach Tony Ball has been very tough on him

Cut 19 (20) “for it”