The Louisiana Inspector General found that between 2011 and 2013, over half a million dollars in non-refundable airline tickets were purchased by state entities, but never used.  Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Starting today a brand new license plate will be available to Louisiana drivers boasting, “I’m Creole, and Proud.” Michelle Southern has that…:

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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The Saints finally picked up their first win of the season as New Orleans defeated Minnesota 20-9. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (34) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Inspector General has issued a set of recommendations for state agencies to stop wasting airline tickets.  Stephen Street’s office found that between 2011 and 2013, over half a million dollars in non-refundable airline tickets were purchased by state entities, but never used.  Street says his office is mandated to find and eliminate waste and this is a classic example of waste…

Cut 4  (09)  “thousands of dollars”

The report shows that nearly 12-hundred non-refundable airline tickets expired, but could have been used within one year to pay for another ticket.  Street says the topic was addressed in a previous report in 2010 and the results of that report were similar to this year’s…

Cut 5  (12)  “that is happening”

Street says, in tight budget times, we have to be especially careful about this sort of waste of taxpayer money.  He says the report includes a set of recommendations for the Office of State Travel to ensure unused airline tickets are not wasted…

Cut 6 (08)  “to evaporate”

______________________________________

Starting today a brand new license plate will be available to Louisiana drivers boasting, “I’m Creole, and Proud.” Lafayette Representative Vincent Pierre says he lead the effort to make this happen because he wanted to give more exposure to the Creole culture. He says one of the plate’s features is a black pot…:

CUT 7 (09) “over to visit”

Pierre says the Creole plate also features an accordion to represent Zydeco music. He says there’s also a scrub board on the specialty item…:

CUT 8 (06)   “of the world”

Pierre says the design also includes a fleur de lis to tie it all together in representing Louisiana. He says you can get it as soon as the DMVs open today for $30 plus fees. Pierre says the funds that are generated from the Creole plate will go to the French Immersion Program…:

CUT 9 (07) “along with the community”  

______________________________________

Autumn begins today.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says fall officially begins tonight at 9:29PM.  Keim forecasts normal temperatures across the state for the next three months…

cut 10 (09)  “Gulf of Mexico”

Above average rainfall is predicted for Lousiana over the next three months due to expected El Nino conditions forming over the Gulf of Mexico.  Keim says this El Nino event has been predicted to form as far back as May…

cut 11 (08) “an El Nino ” 

Keim says, as we get into the fall season, fronts will start coming through and temperatures will begin to fall across the state…

cut 12 (06)  “wait for it”

______________________________________

Secretary of State Tom Schedler is advising voters to study up on their November fourth ballot, because they’ve had a record number of candidates who have withdrawn from their respective races since qualifying. Schedler says 110 candidates have dropped out of their race and the printed ballot may not reflect the change in the number of candidates…

Cut 13 (08)  “withdrawn candidates”

Many of names of withdrawn candidates will remain on the ballot because it is required by law that these ballots are made 45 days from the election.  Schedler says local election commissioners are supposed to inform voters at polling stations of withdrawn candidates on the ballot…

Cut 14 (12)  “to say that”

Even a US Senate candidate has withdrawn from the race and that is Raymond Brown.  Schedler says, with that,  there will be withdrawn candidates on the ballot in every single parish.  Schedler says you can always go to GeauxVote-dot-com to keep yourself updated…

Cut 15  (12)   “use that”

__________________________________

Northwestern State scored 20 4th quarter points to come from behind and upset their long time rival Louisiana Tech 30 to 27. Chris Moore’s 47-yard field goal with no time left was the game winner. It was Northwestern’s first win over an FBS opponent since 2005 and the Demons first win over the Bulldogs since 1979.  Northwestern Coach Jay Thomas says it’s like a dream…

Cut 16  (16)   “loss of words”

The Bulldogs had a ten point lead going into the 4th quarter, but eight penalties and five turnovers finally caught up with them. Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz says they were ready to play, but they couldn’t overcome the mistakes…

Cut 17  (14)   “fourth quarter”

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For the first time since 1991, Mississippi State beat LSU in Baton Rouge as the Bulldogs held on for a 34-29 victory on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. State throughly outplayed LSU for most of the game and Coach Les Miles says his team has several areas where they need to get better

Cut 18 (17)  “this season”

LSU trailed by 24 points early in the fourth quarter, but backup quarterback Brandon Harris led the Tigers on three scoring drives and threw two touchdown passes to Malachi Dupre. Miles says they’ll look at Harris possibly starting this Saturday….

cut 19 (17)  “we are”

LSU’s defense allowed 570 total yards, 302 came on the ground as the Tigers could not stop State quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Josh Robinson. Sophomore defensive tackle Christian LaCouture says they’ll look at the tape to try and figure out what went wrong…

Cut 20 (17) ” be fine”

Four years ago today workers were able to cap the BP well that created the largest environmental disaster in the history of North America. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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The investigation into a fatal officer involved shooting in Pineville has determined that shooting to be justified. Eric Gill has more….

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

______________________________________

A record crowd is expected in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night, which will put to test LSU’s new contraflow plan to help the flow the traffic after the games. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Four years ago today workers were able to cap the BP well that created the largest environmental disaster in the history of North America. Executive Director for The Coastal Protection Restoration Authority, Kyle Graham, says, four years later, most of the oil has been removed from the coastal beaches and marshes in Louisiana…

Cut 4  (09)  “for decades”

Graham says they anticipate to see oil on Louisiana’s coast for decades. He says it’s still too early to tell what the long-term effects the oil-spill will have on the ecosystem along the state’s coast…

Cut 5  (13)  “will be”

Graham says they have been receiving money associated with the criminal penalties as a result of the spill. He says some of that money has been used to progress the engineering and design of barrier island and diversion projects…

Cut 6 (08)  “in Louisiana”

______________________________________

A new poll conducted by Fox News shows Republican US-Senate candidate Bill Cassidy with a substantial lead over the incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu in a head-to-head matchup. The survey shows Cassidy with 51% of the vote and Landrieu with 38% in a potential runoff scenario. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley questions the validity of this poll…:

CUT 7 (12) “38%”

The poll interviewed just over 600 likely Louisiana voters between September 14th-16th. Stockley says it’s possible that Landrieu has lost some support, but he’s skeptical that she’s all the way down to just 38% support. He says so many other polls on this race show Landrieu in the mid to upper 40s..:

CUT 8 (09)   “skeptically”

According to the poll numbers in the jungle primary, Landrieu has 31% support, Cassidy has 35% and Republican tea-party favorite Rob Maness has 7%. Stockley says that would mean that Maness is taking votes away from Landrieu which is highly unlikely…:

CUT 9 (13) “in this state”  

______________________________________

The investigation into a fatal officer involved shooting in Pineville has determined that shooting to be justified. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s spokesman, Lt. Tommy Carnline, says Pineville Police Officer Vince Deville responded to a call and was confronted with the suspect, Christopher Leblanc, brandishing a large sword. Carnline says witnesses said they heard the officer order the suspect to drop his weapon “repeatedly and loudly”…

cut 10 (13)  “torso area”

Leblanc refused to comply and charged the officer, who fired his weapon and struck the suspect several times. Leblanc was pronounced dead at the scene. Carnline says the officer responded to a tense, uncertain, rapidly evolving situation and performed in accordance with his training and the law…

cut 11 (10) “in the area ” 

Detectives say the sword Leblanc was holding was 38-inches long with a slight curve and extremely sharp. Carnline says Leblanc was an immediate and continuous danger to Officer Deville and the other civilians in the area. He says the use of deadly force is not something any officer wants to do and this situation could have been avoided…

cut 12 (08)  “no alternative”

______________________________________

The largest crowd to ever watch a football game in Tiger Stadium is expected Saturday when the Tigers face SEC West foe Mississippi State. The game is nearly sold-out in, which means 100-thousand tickets have been sold and LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette says this will put to test their contralow plan after the game

Cut 13 (10)  “this poing”

Contraflow is being used this year for fans that are heading south on Nicholson Drive. Bonnette says a record crowd and a potentially close game, with tens of thousands of fans leaving at the same time, will give them a better idea if it works as intended

Cut 14 (08)  “bit more”

Bonnette says they are also encouraging fans to get to campus early. He says last week they had a bottle neck for those fans tyring to get to their seat in the east upper deck

Cut 15  (10)   “south side”

__________________________________

The Ragin Cajuns head to Boise State in desperate need of a win after back-to-back blowout losses to Ole Miss and Louisiana Tech. Coach Mark Hudspeth knows the last two games have been disappointed, but the players are determined to play better..

Cut 16  (12)   “rather than later”

Boise State enters this game with a 2-and-1 record. Hudspeth says the Broncos are tough to prepare for because of the different personnel packages they use on offense

Cut 17  (17)   “on their field”

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Louisiana Tech has its home opener on Saturday night as they face in-state rival Northwestern State. The Bulldogs should be feeling good about themselves are winning two consecutive games on the road against the Ragin Cajuns and North Texas. But Tech coach Skip Holtz says it’s too early to be patting themselves on the back

Cut 18 (18)  “in the future”

Holtz says he wants to be more consistent on offense, especially the running game. He says defensively, his guys will be tested by a good passing offense led by Demons quarterback Zach Adkins…

cut 19 (13)  “very well”

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says a 31-year-old United States Postal worker is under arrest for allegedly stealing marijuana from packages. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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

Louisiana’s highway system ranks 40th in the country according to a report released today by the Reason Foundation, which is a Los Angeles-based libertarian think tank. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (27) “reporting”

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

Officials in Lafourche Parish are alerting residents that a North Larose resident was found deceased last week and the Department of Health and Hospitals confirmed he had the West Nile Virus. Parish Administrator Archie Chaisson says they’ve started a very aggressive spraying campaign…:

CUT 3 (08) “different insecticide”

According to DHH this makes the 5th death from the disease in Louisiana this year. The last West Nile report from DHH indicates this year’s total reported infections is 92. Chaisson says they are spraying insecticides in the area to try to kill mosquitoes in every stage of life…

CUT 4 (08)  “West Nile either”

Chaisson says the public should be aware that this is happening in their area and to reduce the chances of mosquito bites as much as possible by using spray that contains DEET and not leaving standing water in your yard. He says this is prime time bite season…:

CUT 5 (08) “vigilant”

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

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says a United States Postal worker is under arrest for allegedly stealing marijuana from packages he was supposed to be delivering. CPSO spokesman Bobby Herring says they got an anonymous tip that 31-year-old Russell Leon Ellis of Shreveport was stealing the mail he thought contained pot…:

CUT 6 (09)  “these packages”

Herring says initially Ellis was charged with possession of schedule I marijuana. He says narcotics agents moved in on the mailman as he was removing the drugs from the postal packages…: (Herring says the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General also investigated this case and Ellis could face federal charges.)

CUT 7 (09) “street value”

Herring says they were able to obtain a search warrant for the suspect’s home and there they found an additional 618 grams of suspected marijuana with a street value of $6100, 25 weapons and $15,000 in cash. He says the suspect was targeting packages being sent from states that have legalized marijuana…:

CUT 8 (04) “and smell it”

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

The condition of Louisiana’s highways rank 40th in the nation in a report released today. The Reason Foundation, which is a think tank out of Los Angeles, says Louisiana has fallen 16 spots from its 2011 highway report. Author of the study, David Hartgen, says the pavement condition of the state’s rural and urban interstates contributed to the poor ranking…

CUT 9 (09)  “….prior year”

A spokesperson for the state department of transportation says Louisiana has spent six-point-four billion dollars since 2008 in highway improvements. But Hartgen says their ranking also takes into account highway safety and Louisiana does not fare well in that category

CUT 10 (11) “…national average “

Hartgen says Louisiana’s highways rank 44th in fatality rate and it also gets poor marks for the percentage of deficient bridges….

CUT 11 (07) “…21-percent“

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According to new census data, Louisiana women make about two thirds of what men in The Bayou State are paid. The figures show males here earn 33 percent more than females which is the largest pay gap in the nation. Tulane Business Professor Dr. Mark Rosa says high paying fields of study are dominated by men in Louisiana…:

CUT 12 (08) “that’s for sure”

Rosa says, from a geographical standpoint, very few women work in the high-paying oil and gas area in the south and certainly Louisiana…:

CUT 13 (07) “bit better”

Rosa also believes women in Louisiana, even if they have a high paying degree, are more inclined to stay home and not work in favor of raising their family…:

cut 14 (08) “shouldered with that”

The DA in DeSoto Parish is expected to dismiss criminal charges against the Yogi and Friends Exotic Cat Sanctuary in Frierson this morning. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (35) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association announces a plan to commission a study on the economic impact of Louisiana’s film tax credit incentive program. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

______________________________________

The US House voted to give President Obama authority to train and arm Syrian rebels in the effort to defeat ISIL forces in the Middle East. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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The DA in DeSoto Parish is expected to dismiss criminal charges against the Yogi and Friends Exotic Cat Sanctuary in Frierson this morning. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was trying to secure a court order to physically remove 9 exotic cats at the location citing safety concerns. But Yogie and Friends Executive Director Jenny Senier says they have tried extremely hard to comply:

Cut 4  (13)  “and we’ve done that”

DA Richard Johnson is quoted as saying they “don’t have a dog in the fight” between wildlife officials and the cat sanctuary. Senier says they are working very hard to make LDWF happy but their facility is perfectly safe…:

Cut 5  (13)  “we’ve gone above and beyond”

Senier says they’ve spent $10,000 since July working to upgrade the facility. She says since they’ve been operating in 2000 they have not had any problems that would create public safety concerns. Senier says the DA was set to evaluate a safety misdemeanor charge against the facility…:(LDWF still has the animals seized on paper and Senier says their legal team needs to decide where to go from here.)

Cut 6 (08)  “dismissed the charges”

______________________________________

The NFL’s image is suffering because of the Ray Rice domestic abuse case and now Vikings star Adrian Peterson is facing child abuse charges. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says unfortunately the perception is NFL players beat their wives and children but that’s only a handful of cases in a league that has 17-hundred players

CUT 7 (10) “your community”

Brees is considered one of the faces of the NFL. He says with the league is taking a lot of P-R hits, he understands the importance of demonstrating how to represent the NFL in a positive light on and off the field

CUT 8 (11)   “this position”

Brees says the Rice and Peterson cases provide examples for other players that there are consequences for poor decisions away from the field…

CUT 9 (11) “right path”  

______________________________________

It’s a question many new parents deal with, should your children sleep in your bed? Jennifer Kelley, who is a pediatrics  instructor at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, says an estimated 45-percent of families co-sleep. Kelley says proponents say it encourages breastfeeding and babies seem to sleep better, but she says it’s also dangerous

cut 10 (10)  “all night”

A study published in Pediatrics found 74-percent of deaths in babies younger than four months occurred in a bed-sharing situation.  Kelley recommends “room sharing,” which means having your baby in the same room and keeping him or her in a bassinet or crib for up to the first year of their life…

cut 11 (09) “baby safe ” 

Kelley says many parents have a difficult time deciding if they should have their child sleep in their bed, but she says the safest thing you can do is have the infant sleep right next to your bed….

cut 12 (07)  “that’s convenient”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association announces a plan to commission a study on the economic impact of Louisiana’s film tax credit incentive program. The study is estimated to cost $150,000. LFEA President Will French hopes the results of this study will show what the program actually costs the state…

Cut 13 (09)  “hard to quantify”

The state commissions an analysis of the film tax credits every two years and their most recent study shows it costs the state about $4.35 for every dollars’ worth of credits collected. French says Louisiana Economic Development projects economic benefits by merely plugging in spending numbers. He says the state’s analysis doesn’t take into account tourism dollars the film industry brings in, among other factors…

Cut 14 (09)  “as a whole”

The group will launch a Kickstarter campaign later this month to help with the cost of the study. French says their study will look at every component that could be providing an economic benefit to the state because of the industry and try to account for what that benefit likely is…

Cut 15  (11)   “return on investment”

__________________________________

The US House voted to give President Obama authority to train and arm Syrian rebels in the effort to defeat ISIL forces in the Middle East. The authorization passed on a 273-156 vote that crossed party lines. Republican Minden Congressman John Fleming is the only member of the Louisiana delegation to vote against the authorization. Fleming says he feels we are going down the wrong path in dealing with the militant group…

Cut 16  (12)   “and doctors”

Fleming says it would easily take two years to get any type of group trained just for the basic ability to fight. He says while training is taking place, ISIL forces will be adapting and gearing up. However, Republican Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany, who voted in favor of the measure, says this is a necessary first step, although it is insufficient. He says we need a broader strategy that involes a coalition…

Cut 17  (10)   “coalition together”

Boustany says this first step will show America’s resolve and pull this coalition together. He says this will help the President have the necessary leverage to put this coalition in place to defeat ISIL…

Cut 18 (08)  “the United States”

Fleming feels this is a situation that US troops need to handle. He says if it is necessary to go in there after ISIL, then we need to acknowledge the truth: it will require boots on the ground. Fleming says this move to train Syrian rebels will not help us build a coalition…(The Senate is expected to vote on this measure today.)

cut 19 (09)  “to do that”

The US-House has passed three bills by Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany that spotlight recent IRS controversies and would ultimately limit the power of the federal agency. Michelle Southern has that..:

CUT 1 (33) “reporting”

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

A federal report indicates Louisiana’s prison population declined two-percent from 2012 to 2013, but the state still leads the nation for its incarceration rate. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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

The Shreveport Police Department says a man is in jail today for allegedly beating a child so badly he had to be hospitalized. Corporal Marcus Hines says school officials contacted authorities after the 5-year-old child arrived to class Tuesday…:

CUT 3 (08) “to a serious degree”

Hines says the allegation is that the suspect hit the child with a belt about 25 times which caused a significant amount of injuries..:

CUT 4 (11)  “hospitalized”

Hines says 23-year-old Frank Butler was arrested yesterday evening and booked with a single count of Second Degree Cruelty to a juvenile. The relationship between the child and the suspect is unknown at this time. Hines says the child is expected to recover. He says their are ways to legally discipline your child…:

CUT 5 (09) “for that here”

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

The US-House has passed three bills by Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany that spotlight recent IRS controversies and would ultimately limit the power of the federal agency. Boustany says House Republicans learned a woman was forwarding emails from her official email account to a personal account to conduct business. He says this should never be happening…:

CUT 6 (09)  “any official business”

Boustany, who is the chair of the oversight subcommittee of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, says safeguards must be put in place to ensure that the public’s trust is not breached. He says another issue he wanted to address was that some denials of tax exempt status were not subject to appeal which he think is wrong..:

CUT 7 (11) “certain organizations”

Boustany says the third bill would permit release of reports about investigations into unauthorized leaks of taxpayer information to the victims. He says Americans are demanding higher ethical standards from public servants and they plan to continue to expose the rot at the core of the IRS’s culture…:(The Senate still needs to approve the bills.)

CUT 8 (09) “and accountability”

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

A federal report says Louisiana’s prison population fell two-percent last year, but the state still has the highest incarceration rate in the US, well ahead of Mississippi who is second. Doctor Peter Scharf, with the Justice and Public health institute at the LSU Health Science Center, says there’s a major effort to lower the prison population, but it will take time…

CUT 9 (07)  “….got involved”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Louisiana’s prison population in 2013 was at 39-thousand, a drop of nearly nine-hundred people from 2012. Scharf anticipates the state’s incarceration rate will continue to decline, but it will take time to get it at more acceptable level…

CUT 10 (10) “…very large’ “

Scharf says the department of corrections has put programs in place to help recently released inmates stay out of jail and there’s been a push to lower sentences for certain crimes. He says the mindset on how to punish criminals is changing and that should help lower the prison population…

CUT 11 (11) “…fix crime“

___________________________________________________

Louisiana State Police say a man from Mississippi is dead after a head-on collision this morning involving a garbage truck. Spokesman Jared Sandifer says 23-year-old Cody Temple of McComb was traveling in East Feliciana Parish south of Clinton around 6am:

CUT 12 (13) “head on”

Sandifer says sadly Temple was not buckled up and was pronounced dead at the scene. He says the other driver is going to be okay…:

CUT 13 (08) “just minor injuries”

Sandifer says they are still working to determine other possible factors in the crash…:

cut 14 (08) “as we speak”

According to a new report with data compiled from the US census, Louisiana has the most single people in the nation. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

A district judge threw out the law that would give State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson and another trooper a major retirement boost. Eric Gill reports…

Cut 2 (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

The Department of Health and Hospitals confirm that two children are being treated at a Baton Rouge hospital for Enterovirus D68. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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According to a new report with data compiled from the US census, Louisiana has the most single people in the nation. The Martin Prosperity Institute study found 55.7% of adults here are not married. Demographer Greg Rigamer says this could be because after Katrina and the BP Oil spill, Louisiana got a big boost in job opportunities…:

Cut 4  (10)  “younger profile”

Rigamer says there has also been a significant increase in the number of people here between the ages of 20 and 29…:

Cut 5  (09)  “unmarried adults”

New Orleans topped the list as the metro area in the US with the highest number of single people at 58%. Rigamer says many people think of The Big Easy as a great place to live, but many people don’t associate it as a place you’d come start a family. LSU Professor of Sociology Tim Slack says there is also growing number of people in the nation who are single and living alone…:

Cut 6 (08)  “seeing nationally”

______________________________________

A district judge threw out the law that would give State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson and another trooper a major retirement boost. Judge Janice Clark ruled the provision to be unconstitutional stating lawmakers did not follow proper procedure in passing the pension change. State Treasurer John Kennedy says this measure was not only unconstitutional, it was unfair…

CUT 7 (11) “that’s not right”

This law was passed in the final hours of the 2014 legislative session. He says the benefit increases would have been drawn from an expense account that funds cost-of-living increases for retired state troopers and their families. Kennedy says laws are supposed to apply to everybody equally…

CUT 8 (08)   “special treatment”

Both Edmonson and the other trooper had said they had no intention to accept the increased benefit. Kennedy hopes the book is now closed on this matter…

CUT 9 (07) “on the book”  

______________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal is not concerned about poll numbers that show him receiving little support when compared to other potential presidential candidates. Jindal received only three percent in a recent CNN poll of New Hampshire republican voters that listed ten other candidates.  Jindal says he doesn’t look at polls

cut 10 (09)  “in all honesty”

Other polls taken have also shown Jindal failing to receive much support compared to other possible republican presidential candidates. Jindal says polls don’t mean much at this point

cut 11 (10)  “or fundraising” 

Jindal made these comments in Washington DC after unveiling a US energy policy that was developed from his nonprofit group called America Next. The governor says he is thinking about running for President and a decision will be made after the November election. But he says his decision will have nothing to do with polls or fundraising….

cut 12 (12)  “that time”

______________________________________

The Department of Health and Hospitals confirm that two children are being treated at a Baton Rouge hospital for Enterovirus D68. Assistant State Health Officer, Dr. Takiesha Davis, says this is a very common of strain of virus in the US that typically flares up in the fall. She says DHH advises parents to be particularly mindful of children…

Cut 13 (10)  “such as asthma “

Most people recover without treatment, but Enterovirus D68 appears to aggravate breathing problems in children who have asthma. She says every year there are between 10 and 15 million enterovirus infections in the US. Davis says Enterovirus D68 generally presents itself with cold-like symptoms…

Cut 14 (09)  “respiratory illnesses”

She says if parents notice high fever, dehydration, or troubled breathing, they should immediately take their child to see their doctor or an urgent care clinic. Davis says the best steps you can take to avoid the spread of the virus is using the same tools we use for the flu…

Cut 15  (06)   “who are sick”

__________________________________

LSU heads into Saturday’s SEC match-up with Mississippi State riding a streak of 31 straight possessions without allowing a point. The Tigers also lead in the SEC in four defensive categories— total defense, pass defense, scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. Defensive Coordinator John Chavis says the defense is playing with a lot of confidence…

Cut 16  (19)   “defensive unit”

Chavis says his defense still has room to get better and that starts with better communication between players while they are on the field…

Cut 17  (13)   “do that”

The Tigers host Mississippi State this Saturday. The Bulldogs are averaging nearly 44 points a game and Chavis says his defense will be tested…

Cut 18 (17)  “this season”

The Tallulah Police Department says a little 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself after finding a loaded handgun in a home. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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

Public school teachers continue to retire at a higher number compared to what seen just only a few years ago. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (32) “reporting”

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

The Tallulah Police Department says a little 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself after finding a loaded handgun in a home. Spokeswoman Yvonne Lewis says emergency personnel got the call around 4:10 Monday afternoon..:

CUT 3 (10) “die from the injury”

Lewis says the mother left the home for about 3 to five minutes to get the kids something to drink at a store nearby and when she returned the child had already found the gun and shot himself…:

CUT 4 (05)  “found it there”

Lewis says investigators did a test on the child and learned that the 3-year-old did in fact shoot himself. She said they believe this really was just a tragic accident. Lewis says the mother lived very close to a grocery store and was gone only a short amount of time.:

CUT 5 (11) “like this to happen”

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

According to officials, two students from Central High had to be removed from class and sent to the hospital Monday after having bad reaction to synthetic marijuana they smoked at school. Superintendent Michael Faulk says the teachers reported something just wasn’t right with the two boys in the classroom…:

CUT 6 (12)  “marijuana”

Faulk says the students, aged 17 and 18, were rushed to the emergency room for treatment then began an investigation…:

CUT 7 (09) “backpacks”

Faulk says according to school policy each student will be automatically expelled. He says after the students were sent to the hospital, school officials told the school resource officer what had happened…:(Faulk says the case is now in the hands of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office.)

CUT 8 (12) “access to it”

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

Louisiana schools are still seeing a higher number of teachers retiring compared to what they saw three years ago. Nearly three-thousand K-through-12th grade teachers retired during the fiscal year that ended June 30th. Scott Richard, director of the Louisiana School Board Association, blames it on the turmoil that’s ongoing in public education

CUT 9 (08)  “some cases”

Richard says legislation recently passed makes it more difficult for educators to achieve tenure.  He says there’s also been policy changes that have created a public dispute between state leaders and it has caused anxiety among teachers….

CUT 10 (10) “they’ll be”

He says the higher than normal number of retirements is causing problems for school districts when it comes to finding math and special education teachers. Richard says if there wasn’t so much uncertainty with Common Core and changes to how teachers are evaluated, many recently retired teachers would still be teaching….

CUT 11 (06) “the future“

___________________________________________________

The state Board of Regents releases a report showing students at colleges are more vulnerable when it comes to sexual assault because there is no statewide policy in place for handling such allegations. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell requested the report. He says no two Louisiana colleges have the same guidelines for handling sexual assault accusations…:

CUT 12 (08) “very very different thing”

Morrell says Louisiana needs to establish a benchmark that all colleges must meet when it comes to the way sexual assault claims are handled…:

CUT 13 (08) “should be required”

Morrell says alleged college student victims need to all feel comfortable reporting any potential sexual assault which is why specific steps should be followed in the investigation process. He says LSU-Baton Rouge indicated they’ve only had 22 reports of sexual abuse over a five year period…:

cut 14 (13) “under reporting”

According to State Farm, the number of vehicle-deer collisions are on the rise in Louisiana. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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The recent indictment of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on child abuse charges has opened a nationwide discussion on disciplining children with corporal punishment. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

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Area Development has ranked Louisiana as the sixth best state to conduct business.  Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “reporting”

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According to State Farm, the number of vehicle-deer collisions are on the rise in Louisiana. Spokesman Gary Stephenson says there was a nearly six-percent increase in these accidents in the state…

Cut 4  (09)  “of 2014″

Stephenson says there were over 9,700 vehicle-deer collisions in the Bayou State last year. He says the number of collisions is actually higher because many of these collisions are not reported, uninsured motorist collisons are not included, and drivers with only liability coverage were not counted. Stephenson says there’s a fair amount of expense involved, too. He says the previous year’s average claim was around $3,400…

Cut 5  (10)  “per average claim”

State Farm calculated the chances of any single motorist in Louisiana striking a deer at 1 in every 299 drivers, below the national average of 1 in 169. Stephenson says the last few months of the year is the the most active time for vehicle-deer collisions…

Cut 6 (12)  “quarter of the year”

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The recent indictment of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on child abuse charges has opened a nationwide discussion on discipilining children with corporal punishment. Peterson allegedly used a switch, a tree branch stripped of its leaves, on his son reportedly causing multiple injuries to the child. State Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier says corporal punishment is considered legal in Louisiana within reason…

CUT 7 (13) “children’s code states”

She says the Louisiana Children’s Code requires the agency to take into account the possibility of accidental injury or that the injury resulted from what might be considered a reasonable exercise of discipline. Sonnier says when a parent is being alleged of abuse when disciplining a child, DCFS looks at several factors…

CUT 8 (11)   “that evaluation”

Sonnier says there is nothing in Louisiana law that explicitly says what you can or cannot do when it comes to disciplining your child. She hopes parents put a lot of thought into how they discipline their child and consider using alternative methods to corporal punishment…

CUT 9 (09) “to consider”  

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Bethany couple after they delayed seeking medical treatment for a toddler with a head injury. Spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says detectives responded to a call from a local hospital and found a 15-month-old girl suffering from severe bruising and swelling of her head…

cut 10 (10)  “top of her”

27-year old Jeffrey Noble and 26-year-old Stephanie File-Malone told deputies the child was injured when Noble fell asleep feeding her in his lap and dropped her. They said Noble then fell on top of the child. Chadwick says both are charged with cruelty to a juvenile…

cut 11 (12)  “injuries occurred” 

She says the charges stem from the couple not seeking medical attention for the child until about 48 hours after the injuries occurred. Chadwick says the couple were also arrested for possession of marijuana…

cut 12 (13)  “the front door”

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The Saints are 0-and-2 and now their leading rusher will reportedly miss the next four weeks, because of a broken hand. ESPN reports running back Mark Ingram suffered the injury in Sunday’s heartbreaking loss against Cleveland. Saints radio color analyst Hokie Gajan says it’s a tough blow for the team, who has waited for Ingram to become a major contributor

Cut 13 (08)  “three years “

Ingram is averaging six yards a carry this season and has scored three touchdowns. Gajan says Coach Sean Payton said prior to the season that Ingram was finally healthy after dealing various bumps and bruises his first three seasons in the NFL…

Cut 14 (09)  “long time”

Gajan says Ingram’s injury comes at a time when the Saints were having its most success running the football since Coach Sean Payton has been the coach….

Cut 15  (07)   “step up”

Louisiana ranks 12th in the country for having the rudest drivers in the nation. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announce testing confirms that the brain-eating ameba, Naegleria Fowleri, has been found in a water system in Sabine Parish. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (29) “reporting”

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State Police say a south Louisiana man was killed yesterday when a tree limb came crashing down on him while on his Harley Davidson. Trooper Jared Sandifer says 53-year-old Travis Lessard of Gonzales and his brother were riding their motorcycles on Highway 22 in Livingston Parish when the fatal crash occurred…

CUT 3 (08) “the other”

Sandifer says they are not sure what caused the tree limb to fall, killing one person and seriously injuring another….

CUT 4 (09)  “this happening”

Sandifer says Lessard and his 52-year-old brother, Joseph Lessard of Maurepas, were transported to local hospitals after they were hit by the tree limb…

CUT 5 (07) “serious injuries”

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PayScale-dot-com ranks Louisiana Tech number one in the state in early- and mid-career salaries for graduates. The report says Tech graduates, early in their career, earn an average of over $49,000 per year. University spokesman Dave Guerin says they are proud of this recognition…

CUT 6 (11)  “our institution”

Louisiana Tech also ranked number one for median mid-career salaries, with graduates who have at least 10 years of experience in their field, averaging over $86,000 a year. Guerin feels this ranking is a real testiment of the faculty at Tech…

CUT 7 (09) “they work for”

Overall, Tech ranks number 59 in the nation in median mid-career salaries for graduates among public universities. Guerin says PayScale-dot-com also ranks LA Tech tops in the state as it relates to return on investment…

CUT 8 (12) “southeastern United States”

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Two Shreveport police officers have been put on routine paid administrative leave after they were involved in a shooting of an armed robbery suspect. Corporal Marcus Hines the incident happened Saturday night and the person who was shot has been identified as 26-year-old Anthony Thomas of Shreveport…

CUT 9 (06)  “right wrist”

Hines says Thomas gunshot wound is considered non-life threatening, but he faces numerous criminal charges…

CUT 10 (11) “his person”

Hines says officers came in contact with Thomas after receiving reports he and at least two other male suspects used a handgun to rob a man at an ATM machine. He says when the officers responded to the scene a struggle ensued with Thomas and he was shot in the right wrist by one of the officers…

CUT 11 (09) “sprained fingers“

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announce testing confirms that the brain-eating ameba, Naegleria Fowleri, has been found in a water system in Sabine Parish. The ameba was also discovered in St. John the Baptist Parish last month. Office of Public Health Medical Director, Takiesha Davis, says while the ameba is potentially dangerous, it doesn’t make the water unusable…

CUT 12 (08) “a person’s nose”

She says, to limit infection, avoid getting water up one’s nose. The ameba has to get directly into the brain to cause problems. Davis says the department’s new ameba sampling program is in its third stage and they are finding this ameba now because they are looking for it…

CUT 13 (10) “normally tested for”

She says, so far, no one has been infected with the ameba as a result of the recent discoveries. Davis says a chlorine burn of the water supply in Sabine Parish has been ordered…

cut 14 (07) “in controlling it”

Starting this week, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will host town hall meetings at three locations in Louisiana he’d like to see tapped for tourism growth. Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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Senator Mary Landrieu has completed a report on the use of flights for campaign events and has admitted to over $33,000 in improperly charged flights.  Eric Gill has more…

Cut 2 (28) “reporting”

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The Saints went into the season with huge expectations, but they are off to an 0-and-2 start. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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There is a new insect that Louisiana homeowners should be aware of, especially if you have ornamental plants growing outside.  The pest is called a chilli thrip and LSU AgCenter horticulturist Allen Owings says they feed on about 250 different species of ornamental plants…

Cut 4  (07)  “feed upon”

He says the chilli thrip feeds on the foliage of these plants instead of the flowers, like other thrip species.  Owings says if a plant is infected with chilli thrips, you’ll have some malformation or deformed new growth after a growth flush is initiated…

Cut 5  (06)  “on the foliage”

Owings says there are insecticides that can effectively deal with chilli thrips.  He says the best way to determine if a plant is infected is to place a white piece of paper under the plant and shake the plant and see what falls on the paper…

Cut 6 (08)  “hard to identify”

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Starting this week, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will host town hall meetings at three locations in Louisiana he’d like to see tapped for tourism growth. Dardenne says they’ll be in Shreveport tomorrow to get input from the community about opportunities there like the Louisiana Hayride…:

CUT 7 (08) “Elvis was on”

The meeting in Shreveport will be held at the newly renovated Municipal Auditorium which Dardenne says is a great potential marketplace for the state. He says they’ll be in Lafayette on October 15th at Vermilionville…:

CUT 8 (10)   “next several years”

Dardenne says they’ll be in Monroe on October 28th at the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum to talk about the unprecedented attention that northeast Louisiana has been getting thanks to things like Duck Dynasty..:

CUT 9 (14) “World Heritage Site”  

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The Louisiana Republican Party continues to make Senator Mary Landrieu’s chartered flights a campaign issue.  Landrieu has completed a report on the use of flights for campaign events and has admitted to over $33,000 in improperly charged flights.  Executive Director Jason Dore says he’s surprised by that amount…

cut 10 (10)  “just an apology”

Landrieu says she takes full responsibility and that these mistakes are a result of sloppy bookkeeping.  She says safeguards have been put in place to make sure this never happens again.  Dore says bookkeeping errors are no excuse…

cut 11 (06)  “up in jail” 

The report states that Senator Landrieu’s campaign has already reimbursed the Federal Treasury for these mistakes.  Dore thinks there is more information in the report and the issue is not dead…

cut 12 (05)  “taxpayer dollars”

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The Municipal Police Employees Retirement System announces the first permanent cost of living adjustment for retirees in more than a decade. Ben Huxen, Chief Advisor to the Commissioner of Administration, says the increase will begin November 1st…

Cut 13 (07)  “interest earnings”

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the three percent increase at its monthly meeting. The last permanent cost of living adjustment was made in January 2002. Huxen says after more than twelve years, this increase is very important…

Cut 14 (06)  “as well”

Huxen says they don’t have any definitive numbers yet, but he estimates the adjustment will help 44- to 45-hundred recipients in the system. Eligible members will recieve a minimum increase of $20 per month. Huxen says the increase will definitely be welcome by all…

Cut 15  (06)   “counts for them”

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The LSU Tigers are 3-and-0 heading into Saturday’s SEC opener against Mississippi State. The Tigers blanked ULM on Saturday 31 to 0. Coach Les Miles says his team is ready to play an SEC West opponent

Cut 16  (18)   “kinda fun”

LSU’s defense has been outstanding this season. They’ve shutout their opponents in the last two games, first time that’s been at LSU since 1985. They held ULM to 93 total yards. Linebacker Duke Riley had a team-high eight tackles in Saturday’s win

Cut 17  (13)   “beat us”

LSU’s offense got off to a slow start on Saturday, but still ended up rushing for 219 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Travin Dural caught six passes, but the former Breaux Bridge standout says the offense has a long way to go…

Cut 18 (15)  “looking the same”

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Many Saints fans thought this was the year for the Black and Gold to get back to the Super Bowl. But New Orleans is 0-and-2 after suffering a heart breaking 26-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns. For the second straight game, New Orleans couldn’t preserve a late lead. Coach Sean Payton says all they could do at this point is work on trying to become a better team

cut 19 (13)  “we’ll do that”

The Saints offense started slow, but they got it going as Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham. Running back Mark Ingram rushed for 83 yards and a TD. But the defense allowed the Browns to move the football 85 yards for a game-winning field goal. Many fans are taking their frustration out on cornerback Patrick Robinson, but Payton says it’s not fair to blame one player

Cut 20 (14) ” one player”