The 5-year-old child who was taken to the hospital this week after being allegedly brutally beaten by his father, has died according to the Baton Rouge Police Department. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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

As of now, five candidates have signed up at Secretary of State’s office to  challenge Fifth District Congressman Vance McAllister this fall. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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

The Baton Rouge Police Department says the 5-year-old child who was taken to the hospital this week after allegedly being beaten by his father, died last night. Corporal Don Coppola says the little boy was brought in this week suffering multiple brain bleeds, bruises in various stages of healing, contusions to the forehead and malnourishment…:

CUT 3 (08) “in the evening”

Coppola says the father of the child, 36-year-old Varnell Day Jr., is now charged with first degree murder due to the suspected abuse which resulted in the death of his son. He says little Jay’v’une Bergin was in critical condition when he was first examined by doctors…:

CUT 4 (08) “signs of abuse”

Coppola says the dad initially stated that the child had fallen off the bed which is why he was injured but that story didn’t add up. He says initially Day was charged with attempted first degree murder…:

CUT 5 (08) “first degree murder charge”

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

As of this afternoon, five candidates have signed up to challenge US Representative Vance McAllister in the fifth Congressional District. One of the main republican challengers signed up today. Zach Dasher is a businessman and nephew of “Duck Dynasty” TV star Phil Robertson. Dasher says if elected, he’ll do what the voters want

CUT 6 (10)  “what we’re doing”

Support from the Duck Dynasty family helped McAllister get elected last year. Dasher says he knows his connection to the Robertston family will not be the sole reason why he gets elected

CUT 7 (10) “18 trillion dollar debt”

As of now, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo is the only democrat who has qualified in the race.  Mayo ran in last year’s special election in the fifth congressional district and finished third in the open primary

CUT 8 (11) “focused on”

Mayo has been the mayor in Monroe for 13 years and he says if elected he’ll worry more about the people of the 5th district, than national issues. . While the mayor hasn’t raised a lot of money for his campaign, he believes he has a good chance at winning

CUT 9 (10)  “the case”

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

The Shreveport Police Department says two men are behind bars for allegedly beating up a 91-year-old man after they tried to rob him of casino winnings. Corporal Marcus Hines says just after midnight, they learned the elderly victim, who is a World War II Veteran, had just won a small jackpot at the Eldorado Casino…:

CUT 10 (13) “in the process”

Hines says 39-year-old John Perkins and 60-year-old Gary Smith are each charged with second degree robbery. He says the elderly man was transported to a hospital with minor injuries…:

CUT 11 (09) “just ridiculous“

Hines says the victim was able to injure one of his attackers during the ordeal. He says thankfully the Veteran is going to be okay…:

CUT 12 (06) “the whole ordeal”

———————–

The member of Louisiana’s US House delegation that has most the clout, qualified for re-election this afternoon at the Secretary of State’s office in Baton Rouge. Republican Steve Scalise of Jefferson Parish is seeking his fourth term

CUT 13 (12) “southeast Louisiana”

Scalise was recently elected as the House Majority Whip. He’s facing just one challenger at the moment and that’s Ponchatoula democrat Vinny Mendoza. In the fall, Scalise says he wants to see the republican party take control of both the House and Senate…

cut 14 (11) “President’s desk”

Scalise says he also supports Baton Rouge Congressman Billy Cassidy’s campaign to unseat democrat Mary Landrieu as Senator. Scalise says getting a majority of republicans in the Senate will improve the chances of important legislation getting passed

cut 15 (10) “solved”

According to data published by the New York Times, Louisiana has the most native-born residents in the country. Scott Carwile talks with a local demographer…:

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

8 candidates have qualified so far for the soon to be vacated 6th Congressional District seat, highlighted by Democratic former governor Edwin Edwards and Republicans Dan Claitor, Garret Graves, and Paul Dietzel.  Eric Gill has more…

Cut 2 Audio (28) “reporting”

______________________________________

Louisiana State Police says a 16-year-old was killed and two other teens injured in an accident yesterday in Lafourche Parish. Eric Gill has the story…

Cut 3 Audio  (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

According to data published by the New York Times, Louisiana has the most native-born residents in the country. The newspaper indicates they found nearly four out of five Louisiania citizens were born in Louisiana. Demographer Elliott Stonecipher says this is due, in large part, to the fact that we have high out-migration numbers…:

Cut 4  (11)  “native born”

Last month the Wall Street Journal published a study that found the top five happiest cities are all in The Bayou State. Stoneciper says many people who are born here are instilled with no desire to leave…:

Cut 5  (09)  “want to be here”

Stonecipher says another reason so many Louisianians never leave is because they don’t have the means to do so. He says along with that there are many people here who don’t want to ever live outside of Louisiana because they are satisfied in The Bayou State…:

Cut 6 (08)  “people are still here”

______________________________________

The National Weather Service is keeping their eye on a tropical disturbance forming in the Atlantic.  Forecasters give this system a moderate chance of forming into a tropical depression or tropical storm in the next few days.  Meteorologist Danielle Manning says the system is combating a little windshear and dry air…

CUT 7 (10) “tropical cyclone”

CUT 8 (10)   “very well”

CUT 9 (09)  “about right now”

______________________________________

8 candidates have qualified so far for the soon to be vacated 6th Congressional District seat.  This race is highlighted by Democratic former governor Edwin Edwards and Republicans Dan Claitor, Paul Dietzel, and Garret Graves.  Edwards says he was first in Congress back in 1965 and he’s anxious to go back…

cut 10 (12)  “make it better”

He acknowledges that the sixth district is a conservative area.  But Edwards feels this election will not be about political parties, but about principles and performance…

cut 11 (04)  “public good” 

Republican Garret Graves says Edwards brings a certain circus-like mentality to the race…

cut 12 (08) “substantive race”

The candidate field in this race is expected to be very crowded.  Graves says with a field like this, candidates will have to distinguish themselves…

Cut 13 (07)  “and personal attacks”

______________________________________

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office has released a picture of the vehicle that was involved in last weekend’s fatal shooting of a seven-year-old boy in Baton Rouge. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux says surveillance video from a nearby residence captured a light-colored, four-door sedan in the area when a shot was fired into another vehicle, killing Terrez Coleman

Cut 14 (11)  “5-0-7-3″

Gautreaux says through private donations, a 10-thousand dollar reward is being offered, along with the 25-hundred dollar reward from Crime Stoppers, for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the gunman

Cut 15  (09)   “since it occurred”

Gautreaux says at this time his detectives believe this was a random act of violence. He hopes the reward money and seriousness of the crime will lead to someone providing an important tip in the case

Cut 16  (08)   “forward with it”

US Senator Mary Landrieu and Congressman Bill Cassidy have officially joined the November 4th US Senate race. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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

State education superintendent John White says plans to implement Common Core in public schools are moving forward. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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

The National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical disturbance in the Atlantic that has a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours. Models show the tropical wave move through the Caribbean in the coming days. State climatologist Barry Keim says it’s not  a surprise to see the tropics getting active…

CUT 3 (06) “take place”

Keim says we’ll need to start keeping a close eye on the tropics as we are heading into the busy part of the season…

CUT 4 (09) “week period”

At this point, there’s only been two named storms this year and NOAA has predicted there’s a good chance we’ll see a below normal season. Keim says a developing El Nino weather pattern has suppressed tropical activity

CUT 5 (05) “wind shear”

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

A former LSU football player awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of attempted second degree murder in a 2011 shooting at a truck stop casino in Port Allen. Demetri Robinson, a tight end on LSU’s 2003 National Championship team, entered his plea yesterday. Assistant District Attorney Tony Clayton says his office offered no deal to Robinson for his guilty plea…

CUT 6 (09)  “charged him with”

Robinson shot a cashier and fired at two others after being asked to leave the establishment. Clayton says prior to the incident, Robinson was banned from the casino truck stop…

CUT 7 (12) “from the store”

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 5th. Clayton says Robinson is facing a lengthy stay behind bars…

CUT 8 (08) “150 years”

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

Incumbent US Senator Mary Landrieu and her main challenger, Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy, have officially signed up for the Senate race in the November 4th election. Today was the first day of qualifying which runs through Friday. Landrieu, who has held the office for 18 years, says this campaign is about leadership…:

CUT 9 (08)  “that have helped our state”

Cassidy says it’s important to remove Senator Landrieu from Congress so the GOP can regain control. He says the incumbent’s ties to President Obama and his policies hurt Louisiana. But Landrieu says Cassidy is doing everything he can to avoid talking about the real issues of this campaign…:

CUT 10 (11) “continue to hear that”

But Cassidy says most people agree that this country is going in the wrong direction under Mr. Obama and Landrieu is part of the problem for supporting the President 97% of the time..:

CUT 11 (09) “clearly we differ”

Cassidy says his main message to voters leading up to election day will be that we can do better than we’re doing right now…:

CUT 12 (13) “97% of the time”

———————–

State education superintendent John White says public schools are moving forward with Common Core education standards after a judge lifts the Jindal administration’s suspension  of contracts for the tests tied to Common Core. White says it’s time to that we focus on the welfare of the student…

CUT 13 (09) “people of Louisiana”

White says students in grades third through eighth can anticipate taking new english and math tests as part of the Common Core standards. Despite the ruling, Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols, is still concerned  a legal contract is not in place to give out the exam known as PARCC…

cut 14 (07) “those tests”

After Nichols spoke, White says Judge Todd Hernandez’s ruling is clear and it says the current contract can be used to provide the tests tied to Common Core…

cut 15 (10) “student learning”

There is some major hype surrounding a Louisiana inspired Nike skateboard shoe that was released this week. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (34) “reporting”

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

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office files lawsuit against State Farm over how it handles auto repairs. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (32) “reporting”

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

The Houma Police Department says a 71-year-old woman is in the hospital after being brutally attacked by her son’s pit-bull mix last night. Chief Todd Duplantis says cops responded to the woman’s residence around 8:30pm…:

CUT 3 (12) “and arms”

Duplantis says the victim’s son was not at home at the time of the attack. He says the woman was taken to the hospital with severe lacerations to her face, hands and arms. Duplantis says animal control took the attack male dog into custody and another female dog that was also inside the residence at the time…:

CUT 4 (05) “type mix”

Duplantis says as of right now the motive of the attack remains under investigation but they have an idea what might have provoked it…:

CUT 5 (05) “of the incident”

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

A Nike shoe designed for skateboarders and inspired by Louisiana mudbugs is generating some major buzz. It’s called the “Crawfish Shoe” and an employee at Rukus Board Shop in Baton Rouge worked with Nike to design it. 19-year-old Hunter Hulin says their Nike rep gave them the opportunity to customize a shoe about a year and a half ago…:

CUT 6 (13)  “made it happen for us”

Hulin says people lined up outside the store a day before the shoe was released last Saturday and shelves were cleared throughout the state that day. The $105 Crawfish shoe will be available to the world on Saturday. Hulin says the shoe is red with maroon speckled suede to represent the crawfish…:

CUT 7 (12) “is different”

Hulin says the hype surrounding the crawfish shoe has been totally insane…:(Hulin says they’re unsure at this point when the next shipment of the Crawfish shoe will arrive.)

CUT 8 (14) “that next shipment”

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

Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell filed a lawsuit today against State Farm claiming the insurance company has created a culture of unsafe business practices when it comes to vehicle repairs. Assistant A-G Randy Ishee says there are multiple cases where State Farm has forced shops to use sub-standard parts to perform vehicle repairs…

CUT 9 (11) “cut corners”

In a written statement, State Farm says the accusations in the lawsuit are not in line with its mission and history of vehicle safety advancements. But Ishee says State Farm steers its customers involved in a car accident to repair shops, where cost-savings and not safety is the primary goal…

CUT 10 (11) “paid for”

State Farm holds the largest share of auto insurance policies in Louisiana. Caldwell says the suit aims to change State Farm’s practice of using certain repair sites so that the vehicle can be repaired as cheaply as possible…

CUT 11 (12) “them right“

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

The Covington Police Department has arrested Richard Reed, the brother of the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Walter Reed, on charges of sexual battery. Police Chief Tim Lentz says the incident occurred earlier this month when police were called to a restaurant…

CUT 12 (09) “intoxicated woman”

Lentz says Reed also displayed a district attorney’s badge while trying to get an intoxicated woman out of trouble with police. He says he became suspicious of Reed’s intentions, so he reviewed surveillance video from the restaurant. Lentz says what he saw was disturbing…

CUT 13 (12) “with violence”

He says the video shows Reed fondling the intoxicated woman and the woman rejecting his advances with violence in an attempt to get away. Lentz says Reed was taken into custody last night…

cut 14 (08) “into parish jail”

The LSU Ag Center is conducting research to determine the extent of damage done by feral hogs in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has that…:

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

Beginning today, United Airlines is offering nonstop flights from Lafayette to Denver, CO. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 Audio (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

Louisiana’s private sector labor force grew to an all-time high in July with just over 2.1 million people employed statewide. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 Audio  (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

The LSU Ag Center is conducting research to determine the extent of damage done by feral hogs in Louisiana. Forestry economist Shaun Tanger says they’ve been getting reports from farmers and landowners about property damage, but they want to get a better picture of the problem with a couple of detailed surveys…:

Cut 4  (13)  “feral hog damage”

Tanger says they want to get an idea of overall damage feral hogs are causing and, from there, what can be done about the problem. He says Louisiana has never done a study like this…:

Cut 5  (12)  “1.5 billion”

Tanger says the animals cause major damage to agricultural crops because they can be used for wallows, for forage and for protection. He says the first step to reaching a resolution to the problem is to find out exactly how big the problem is…:

Cut 6 (10)  “to fix that problem”

______________________________________

Beginning today, United Airlines is offering nonstop flights from Lafayette to Denver, CO. The flight will be offered seven days a week departing at 4PM. Lafayette Regional Airport Director Michael Burrows says, in part, this flight is in response to oil and gas industry workers traveling to the northwest corridor…

CUT 7 (04) “being direct”

CUT 8 (07)   “for ski season”

CUT 9 (11)  “flights go on”

______________________________________

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office confirms the body that was found along the levee in Donaldsonville last week is that of 15-year-old Brandon Augusta. Chief Deputy Tony Bacala says they’ve been investigating this case as a homicide since they discovered the body…

cut 10 (10)  “by the pathologist”

Bacala says the cause of death has not yet been determined. He says now that they’ve received confirmation that the deceased is Augusta, the investigation is full steam ahead…

cut 11 (11)  “make an arrest” 

He says investigators are making progress in the case, but they are not at the point, right now, to make an arrest. Bacala asks anyone with information about this homicide, to please contact the Sheriff’s Office…

cut 12 (07) “say something”

______________________________________

Louisiana’s private sector labor force grew to an all-time high in July. Statistics show just over 2.1 million people employed across the state. Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink says several industry sectors hit all-time employment records in July…

Cut 13 (13)  “number of sectors”

While the labor force grew to record numbers in July, the state’s unemployment rate rose to 5.4 percent, up from 5 percent in June. Eysink thinks that may partially be due to more people joining the workforce in Louisiana to look for work…

Cut 14 (08)  “for work now”

He says every part of the state will benefit from the employment growth. Eysink says the commission has looked at short-term and long-term forecast models and they show the job market in Louisiana has a strong future…

Cut 15  (12)   “through 2022″

______________________________________

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees is on track to see his first action of the preseason when New Orleans visits Indianapolis on Saturday night. Brees has spent most of this training camp recovering from an oblique injury, but has taken a majority of the snaps with the first team offense the last two days. Coach Sean Payton liked what he saw from number nine yesterday

Cut 16  (13)   “fairly well”

Saturday makes the third preseason game and then we’ll see some roster cuts. One guy that’s fighting for a roster spot is rookie wide receiver Brandon Coleman. Payton says he likes what he’s seen from the former Rutgers standout and he looked good during yesterday’s drills…..

Cut 17  (16)   “that’s encouraging”

A priority for Saturday’s preseason game against the Colts will be to reduce the number of penalties called against the team. The Black and Gold were flagged 22 times for 184 against Tennessee on Friday. Linebacker Curtis  Lofton says they came away with a victory last week, but there’s room for improvement

Cut 18 (11)  “tough defense”

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office says they are still looking for the person or persons responsible for the death of a 7-year-old child who was shot while traveling in a car with his family. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office says a mother and father were arrested Sunday afternoon after being found passed out in a car with their children inside. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 2 (35) “reporting”

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

A Shreveport woman is facing a charge of second-degree murder after she allegedly stabbed a 40-year-old man during an argument. Shreveport Police Corporal Marcus Hines says the victim, Isaac McClain, had a verbal dispute with his live-in girlfriend. Hines says the girlfriend called her friend, 36-year-old Valerie Bass, to the residence and that’s when the homicide occurred…

CUT 3 (09) “medical center”

Hines says when Bass arrived at the home, she too engaged in a verbal confrontation with McClain during which time Bass reportedly produced a knife…

CUT 4 (06) “his life”

The slaying occurred yesterday morning. Hines says Bass was detained at the scene of the home and arrested she was interviewed by detectives…

CUT 5 (07) “life sentence”

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

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office says they are still looking for the person or persons responsible for the death of a 7-year-old child who was shot while traveling in a car with his family. Spokeswoman Casey Hicks says it happened after a shopping trip over the weekend when the family of five was in motion and another car passed in the other lane…:

CUT 6 (08)  “had been shot”

Hicks says two children in the back seat of the car were shot — one was grazed with a bullet and she’s expected to be okay…:

CUT 7 (05) “dead on the scene”

The family has identified the little boy who suffered fatal injuries in the shooting as Terrez Coleman. Hicks says they are so far not determined a motive for the incident, but so far it appears to have been a random shooting. She says they are looking for the public’s help in this tragic case…:

CUT 8 (10) “of the sheriff’s office”

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

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office says a Denham Springs couple is under arrest after being found passed out in a vehicle with their two young children in the back seat. Col John Fortunato says when investigators were called out by concerned citizens to the parking lot of a closed restaurant in Metairie Sunday afternoon around 2:30…:

CUT 9 (09) “vehicle”

Forunato says inside the vehicle with 41-year-old Michael Pierce and 34-year-old Melanie Pierce were there children, ages 4 and 11 months. He says when the couple was questioned, the suspects both admitted to injecting heroin earlier in the day…:

CUT 10 (07) “from the vehicle”

Fortunato says the suspects were each charged with possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor and child endangerment. He says they did find a small amount of heroin in the vehicle…:

CUT 11 (06) “heroin addiction“

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

Education Superintendent John White told the Baton Rouge Advocate the education department’s website was down today because the Jindal administration refused to make a payment. A spokesperson for the division of administration says that was not the case and called it a technical glitch. Executive director of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, Keith Courville, says either way it’s disappointing

CUT 12 (10) “be doing”

After it was down this morning, the education department’s website was up and running again by midday. A statement from the D-O-E said they are glad that the bill was paid. Courville says he can’t understand why it wasn’t paid on time

CUT 13 (08) “the ball on”

Jindal’s office and the department of education are involved in a legal battle over Common Core. Courville hopes that wasn’t the reason why a website that contains important information for teachers was temporarily down…

cut 14 (10) “being paid”

The upcoming CBS Television series “NCIS: New Orleans” will do some filming in Baton Rouge at the USS KIDD. Eric Gill has the story…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

Forty-five years ago today Hurricane Camille left a lasting legacy on the gulf coast. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 Audio (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

Louisiana Economic Development has created a new website to help meet recruitment needs of Louisiana employers, while also being a centralized hub for job seekers. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 3 Audio  (31) “reporting”

______________________________________

The upcoming CBS Television series “NCIS: New Orleans” will do some filming in Baton Rouge at the USS KIDD. USS KIDD Executive Director Alex Juan says the show was looking for a real naval battle ship and the KIDD was an ideal location. But Juan says you shouldn’t expect to recognize the ship in the episode…

Cut 4  (09)  “choose our location”

The USS KIDD will be closed to the public through Friday for ongoing inventory and filming on the ship. No word on when the episode filmed on the KIDD will air. Juan hopes this is the start of a beautiful relationship between “NCIS: New Orleans” and the USS KIDD…

Cut 5  (08)  “us moving forward”

The series premiere of “NCIS: New Orleans” is set for September 23rd. Juan says this partnership could not have come at a better time as they’ve been looking for ways to create additional income for the USS KIDD…

Cut 6 (10)  “this is awesome”

______________________________________

Another court hearing takes place today regarding the controversial Common Core education standards. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says  at issue today, is whether Governor Bobby Jindal violated his constitutional authority when he took steps to suspend the testing contracts that are tied to Common Core

CUT 7 (06) “and testing”

CUT 8 (06)   “being sued”

CUT 9 (10)  “standards”

______________________________________

Forty-five years ago today one of the most descrutive hurricanes in US history made landfall along the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Camille was a Category Five storm when it churned over the mouth of the Mississippi River, before slamming into the Mississippi coast. Louisiana State Climatologist Barry Keim

cut 10 (12)  “as a Category 5″

The storm killed an estimated 150 people in Louisiana and Mississippi. In those days US 90 was a major east-west route and State Climatologist Barry Keim says flooding tore the highway up and left debris everywhere

cut 11 (08)  “Pass Christian” 

The 1969 hurricane season was very active as there were 12 hurricanes, the second most in US history. Keim says Camille is the reason why we now have the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

cut 12 (08) “landfall”

______________________________________

Louisiana Economic Development has created a new, free website to help meet recruitment needs of Louisiana employers, while also being a centralized hub for job seekers. Louisiana Job Connection will accelerate the job/applicant search process for both employers and potential employees. Executive Director Kristi Williams says this is not your typical job board site…

Cut 13 (06)  “in the site”

LouisianaJobConnection-dot-com will automatically match job seekers with jobs for which they are most qualified. Job seekers just need to fill out their information and the site will immediately notify you of available jobs that match your skill set. Williams says if you have a page on the website LinkedIn, the process is even easier…

Cut 14 (07)  “re-enter information”

Williams says businesses have been posting their available positions on the website for the last few months. She says they are excited about the website because they see its ease of use and recognize the benefit it can have to their businesses. Williams says the site is not only free for job seekers, but to any business in the state, too…

Cut 15  (05)   “information in”

______________________________________

We’re less than two weeks away from LSU’s kicking the season off against Wisconsin and Coach Les Miles has provided very little information on who is leading the battle for the starting quarterback. Miles says Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris are improving and he likes how they are competing

Cut 16  (17)   “handling it”

The Tigers held a scrimmage on Saturday and LSU did not provide any individual statistics on the quarterbacks. Miles did say that the defense made it difficult for the offense to move the ball. The mad hatter highlighted some standout individual performances

Cut 17  (22)   “capable of doing”

____________________________________________

The Ragin Cajuns also held their second scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday. UL Lafayette Coach Mark Hudspeth says all of the players came out of it healthy and starting quarterback Terrence Broadway was sharp

Cut 18 (17)  “looked sharp”

Hudspeth says sophomore running back Elijah McGuire also looked like he’s ready for the season to begin..

cut 19 (17)  “and explosive”

Campaign finance reports show Republican Congressman and US Senate candidate Bill Cassidy surpassing Democratic incumbent Senator Mary Landrieu when it comes to cash on hand. Don Molino has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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

LSU is currently involved in research focusing on cars that will have the ability to communicate with each other. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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

According to the Federal Elections Commission, G-O-P Congressman and US Senate candidate Bill Cassidy has more campaign cash available than democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu. Cassidy’s war chest is at 5-point-6 million, while Landrieu is at 5-point-5 million. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it’s a significant accomplishment for Cassidy

CUT 3 (10) “milestone”

From July 1st to August 2nd, Cassidy raised 629-thousand dollars. That’s 53-thousand dollars more than what Landrieu collected. Cross says it will be interesting to see how the Landrieu campaign reacts

CUT 4 (10) “walk in the park”

Tea party candidate Rob Maness has only 200-thousand dollars on hand. Cross anticipates 25-million dollars will be spent by the candidates and third-party groups before its all over

CUT 5 (06) “like this”

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

LSU is currently involved in research focusing on cars that will have the ability to communicate with each other. The technology is similar to Wi-Fi and will allow cars to collect and exchange traffic information with each other. Engineering Professor Sherif (sha-REEF) Ishak (EYE-shack) says this will improve road safety…

CUT 6 (09)  “entire network”

Ishak says this technology will also have the ability to reduce delays and cut down on car pollution. He says cars will be able to warn drivers down the road of accidents, traffic jams, and other road hazards. Ishak says it’s a simple system…

CUT 7 (12) “to another”

He says information will be passed from one vehicle to another along the network. The more vehicles on the road with this technology the farther the information will travel. Ishak says studies of the system are currently underway…

CUT 8 (10) “in the market”

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

Elio Motors is about a year away from producing its three-wheeled vehicle  at the former General Motors plant in Shreveport. Elio Motors announced in January 2013 they would manufacturer their commuter car in northwest Louisiana and Caddo Parish Commissioner Michael Thibodeaux says he’s glad the founder of Elio Motors, Paul Elio, is still committed to Louisiana

CUT 9 (10) “stuck with it”

Paul Elio has told the Associated Press that 27-thousand people have already reserved one of their three-wheel cars that will get 84 miles to the gallon and cost 68-hundred dollars. Thibodaux says he’s not surprised in the interest

CUT 10 (06) “overseas”

Elio plans to produce 250-thousand cars a year at the Shreveport facility by 2016. Thibodaux says Shreveport is looking forward to getting back into the car making policy

CUT 11 (10) “American made parts“

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

Supporters of the controversial Common Core academic standards won a battle in the courtroom today. Judge Tim Kelley denied a request from 17 lawmakers, who filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary injunction of the implementation of Common Core.  Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says it was a strong ruling Judge Kelley

CUT 12 (10) “three or four of them”

The anti-Common Core legislators argued that BESE and the department of education didn’t follow the Administrative Procedures Act when they adopted Common Core standards. Erwin says they are pleased the judge denied the request for a temporary injunction

CUT 13 (08) “the classroom”

Judge Kelley’s ruling means schools can use Common Core standards in writing, math and reading that have been over the last four years. An assessment test is still not in place for this school year, but Erwin says today was a good first step in getting this issue resolved

cut 14 (08) “thing to do”

A Common Core lawsuit brought against BESE and the Department of Education will be heard in court today. Matthew Doyle spoke to Legal Analyst Tim Meche…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

Starting today, cops across the state ramp up patrols to keep drunk drivers off the road. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 Audio (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announce that they’ve issued nearly 900 citations to Louisiana establishments for selling alcohol and tobacco to minors as a result of their 2014 Summer Crackdown operation. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 Audio  (32) “reporting”

______________________________________

A lawsuit filed by 17 lawmakers who claim the department of education and BESE did not follow the state’s laws when it adopted Common Core will be heard in a Baton Rouge courtroom today. This is one of two Common Core-related suits that are moving through the legal system. Legal analyst Tim Meche says people are trying to bring their politics into the courtroom.

Cut 4  (07)  “on others”

Judges have a range of options at their disposal to deal with feuding political factions, including arbitration. Meche says with a case as controversial as Common Core, an authoritative magistrate is needed…

Cut 5  (07) “we have that”

There’s also a pro Common Core lawsuit against Governor Jindal for his actions against the education standards. It will have a full hearing on Monday. Meche says until there’s a resolution legal fees will rise and schools will be kept in limbo.

Cut 6 (10)  “we have to pay”

______________________________________

Today begins the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign across the country, with hundreds of  law enforcement agencies participating here in Louisiana. With alcohol being a factor in as many as 40 percent of all fatal vehicular crashes, cops are keen to get out and lock up drunk drivers. Executive Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Lt. Col. John Leblanc says drunk driving has become too prevalent on state roads.

CUT 7 (08) “From the road”

CUT 8 (12)   “saving lives”

CUT 9 (13)  “Losing your job”

______________________________________

Senator Mary Landrieu is facing accusations that she used Senate money to pay for chartered flights to attend campaign events. Her two Republican opponents in the upcoming Senate race have criticized Landrieu on this issue in recent days. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan doesn’t see this as a big campaign issue…

cut 10 (09)  “appears to be”

The Landrieu campaign office says her Senate office was incorrectly billed for one of the the flights. The campaign says they will reimburse the Senate for both flights that have been questioned. Hogan says Landrieu’s opponents are playing a potentially dangerous game bringing up this issue…

cut 11 (09)  “sorts of things” 

The conservative group Keep Louisiana Working has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the Senator over this issue. Hogan says, in a situation like this, it’s not unusual for outside groups to get involved…

cut 12 (08) “to look bad”

______________________________________

The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announce that they’ve issued nearly 900 citations to Louisiana establishments for selling alcohol and tobacco to minors as a result of their 2014 Summer Crackdown operation. ATC says, during the summer months, statistics show an increase in teen drinking. Commissioner Troy Hebert says this is the second year in a row that his office has performed a summer operation…

Cut 13 (06)  “actually sold”

ATC says they performed over 6,500 compliance checks during the operation. Hebert says about 14 percent of businesses were cited. He says in most cases it’s the clerk, not the business owner, illegally selling to minors. Hebert says it’s really easy to tell if someone is a minor in Louisiana since their driver’s licenses are printed vertically…

Cut 14 (10)  “certainly unacceptable”

Hebert says fines start at $500 and he’s fined businesses as much as $25,000 for repeat offenses. He says there was no particular region of the state that had a significantly higher percentage of citations than any other…

Cut 15  (08)   “this from happening”

______________________________________

The Saints return to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome tonight to take on the Tennessee Titans in NFL preseason action. Saints color commentator Hokie Gajan says he’s keeping his eye on the running game and the defense. Gajan hopes the running game has another strong showing like they had last week against the Rams…

Cut 16  (13)   “that he did”

Quarterback Drew Brees is not expected to play in tonight’s game, as he continues to nurse an oblique injury. That means we’ll see more of both Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin. After last week’s game, there has been some talk as to which will be Brees’ backup for the season. Gajan has an opinion on that…

Cut 17  (10)   “the other night”

Gajan says during these preseason games, coaches are looking to find the best 53 players to make the team. He says you want to see those guys on the bubble continue to improve…

Cut 18 (05)  “the performance”

A recent study of the housing market in Louisiana finds nearly 45 percent of renters are rent stressed. Matthew Doyle reports…

CUT 1 (32) “reporting”

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

The Jindal administration has pegged the shortfall for next year’s budget at one-point-two billion dollars. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (32) “reporting”

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

A Slidell woman has been charged with medicaid fraud after she allegedly used her dead sister’s name to receive medical treatment at Slidell Memorial Hospital. Slidell Police detective Daniel Seuzeneu says hospital officials became aware of 26-year-old Diondre Jones’ scam after her false name was entered into the computer

CUT 3 (07) “had been deceased”

Seuzeneau says a bizarre twist to this crime is that Jones was wearing a memorial T-shirt in honor of her deceased sister when a police officer caught up to her in the hospital parking lot….

CUT 4 (10) “as a memorial”

Seuzeneau says Diondre provided her sister’s name to hospital staff in an attempt to avoid having to pay any medical bills…

CUT 5 (09) “got caught”

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

A recent study of the housing market in Louisiana finds nearly 45 percent of renters are rent stressed. Rent stress is defined as paying more than 35 percent of your monthly income in rent. LSU Economist Jim Richardson says in 2000 the number was around 29 percent…

CUT 6 (05)  “percent increase”

The national average of “rent stressed” renters is around 43 percent. The percentage of rent stressed Louisianians has grown by nearly 15 percentage points since 2000. Richardson says the stress comes in when you have limited resources left over to provide other necessities…

CUT 7 (11) “that angle, yes”

The report did not look at household incomes of rent stressed people. Richardson says now that they have this data, the next step is to determine why this number has risen so high…

CUT 8 (13) “of the analysis”

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

The long-time leader of the LSU alumni association, Charlie Roberts, has resigned from his post as he faces a lawsuit from a former employee, who claims there was financial arrangement to keep their sexual relationship secret.  Roberts attorney, Mary Olive Pierson, says the resignation should not be taken as an admission of guilt

CUT 9 (11) “kind of silly”

Kay Heath is the person who filed the lawsuit against the 78-year-old Roberts and the LSU alumni association. Pierson says a main reason for Roberts resignation is Heath’s public statement she would drop the alumni association as party to the suit when he would resign

CUT 10 (05) “dragged into this”

Heath alleges in the lawsuit she got her job at the alumni association because of her personal relationship with Roberts and a deal was reached that she would receive monthly hush money after she resigned. Pierson says now that Roberts has resigned, he looks forward to telling his side of the story in court

CUT 11 (11) “was supporting her“

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

The Jindal administration told lawmakers who sit on the budget committees that the shortfall for next year’s budget is one-point-two billion dollars.  Publisher of Lapolitics-dot-com, Jeremy Alford, says the news is not a surprise to legislators and some have already discussed rolling back some tax exemptions as a way to raise revenues

CUT 12 (08) “tax increase”

Financing used to balance the budget this year, will not be available for next fiscal year, which is why there’s a huge shortfall. Alford says some lawmakers will look to raise taxes and reduce tax exemptions as a way to close next fiscal year’s budget gap, but Governor Jindal will fight it

CUT 13 (08) “override it”

Jindal will propose a budget for next fiscal year to lawmakers early in 2015. Alford expects the governor to come up with some creative ways on how to handle this huge shortfall…

cut 14 (12) “next year”