10:30 Newscast August 14, 2014

A federal judge has approved a 48-million dollar class action settlement for Bayou Corne residents affected by a sinkhole that was discovered two years ago. The lawsuit was brought against Texas Brine which was operating a salt mine that is believed to have caused the sinkhole. One of the plaintiff’s attorneys, Larry Centola, says they are happy with the judge’s approval…

cut 7 (09) “the next chapter”

The settlement will compensate 269 residents who lived in the area. Centola says residents should begin to see some settlement money in December.

State district Judge Todd Hernandez has ruled that the lawsuit filed by a group of teachers and parents against Governor Bobby Jindal over Common Core can proceed. However, Hernandez will not allow the plaintiffs to question the governor under oath. This lawsuit alleges Governor Jindal overstepped his Constitutional authority when he suspended state contracts tied to Common Core. The next hearing is scheduled for Monday.

The former chief financial officer at the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office faces theft and malfeasance charges after he allegedly gave himself over 22-thousand dollars in excess wages. State Police Trooper Albert Paxton says last May, Sheriff James Kelley requested the LSP to look into accusations that 61-year-old George Tosspon of Jonesville stole public funds…

cut 15 (09) “everything done”

Tosspon faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

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 Seuzeneau 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”

Suzeneau says that Jones was wearing a memorial T-shirt in honor of her deceased sister when officers caught up to her in the parking lot.

LRN Newscast 09:30 August 14

A federal judge gives final approval to a 48-million dollar class action lawsuit filed by Bayou Corne residents who saw their lives disrupted as a result of a sinkhole that opened two years ago in Assumption Parish. One of the plantiff attorneys, Larry Centola, says residents should begin to see settlement money within the next few months….
cut 8 (09) “….late as January”
Texas Brine is the defendant in this case as its believed a salt mine they operated caused the sinkhole.

The former chief finanical officer at the Catahoula Sheriff’s office faces theft and malfeasance charges after he allegedly gave himself unauthorized pay increases that totaled over 22-thousand dollars. Trooper Albert Paxton says the state legislative auditor began looking into the alleged crime after Sheriff James Kelley came forward with information about the crime…
cut 15 (09) “….everything done”
Paxton says Tosspon faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has issued a warning for travelers, beach goers and fishermen about two diseases, vibrio vulnificus (vul-nif-ick-us) and the chikungunay (chik-un-gun-yuh) virus. Eric Gill has more…
cut 3 (29) “….reporting”

A Slidell woman has been charged with medicaid fraud for allegedly using her dead sister’s name when she received medical treatment at Slidell Memorial Hospital. Investigators say 26-year-old Diondre Jones thought she would avoid having to pay any medical bills by identifying herself as her sister.

LRN Newscast 08:30 August 14

A federal judge has approved a 48-million dollar class action settlement for Bayou Corne residents affected by a sinkhole that was discovered nearly two years ago in Assumption Parish. Scott Carwile has more…
cut 2 (32) “….reporting”

The police chief of Kinder, which is located in Allen Parish, has entered a plea of not guilty to allegations of malfeasance and theft. Gary Pelican is is accused of using town credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars worth of fuel for himself and family members.

If you’re heading to the Caribbean, the Louisiana department of health and hospitals is asking residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites so you don’t get the Chikungunya virus. State Health officer Jimmy Guidry says the virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and its inital symptoms resemble the flu….
cut 11 (13) “….your physician”
Louisiana has confirmed eight travel related cases of chikungunya.

The SEC Network begins airing on cable and satellite channels at five o’ clock today. SEC Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent says the network dedicated to the SEC will feature live games, daily shows similar Sportcenter and documentaries like ESPN’s 30 on 30. …
cut 5 (09) “….specific to LSU”
LSU’s first football game on the SEC Network will be September sixth when the Tigers host Sam Houston State in the home opener.

LRN Newscast 07:30 August 14

The state department of health and hospitals issues a warning about two diseases for beach goers, whether its the Gulf Coast or the Caribbean. State health officer Jimmy Guidry says take precautions against vibrio vulnificus (vul-nif-ick-us), a flesh-eating bacteria found in warm seawater, and if you’re heading to the Caribbean, take steps to prevent mosquito bites, so you don’t get the Chikungunya (chik-un-gun-yuh) virus….
cut 12 (06) “….with these issues”
Louisiana has confirmed eight travel related cases of chikungunya.

The former chief financial officer at the Catahoula Sheriff’s office faces theft and malfeasance charges after he allegedly gave himself two unauthorized pay increases. State Police Trooper Albert Paxton says the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office provided the evidence that led to the arrest of 61-year-old George Tosspon…
cut 13 (09) “…didn’t work”
Paxton says Tosspon faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

A captain of a tugboat was killed in New Orleans around midnight when crane arm struck a bridge and then that crane arm came crashing down on the pilot hosue of the tug boat. The bridge was raised at the time, but the crain arm still hit the structure. The victim’s identity has not been released.

The SEC Network begins broadcasting on satellite and cable TV providers at five o’ clock today. The channel will be available to 90-million homes across the country and SEC Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent says all of the schools worked hard to make this happen…
cut 6 (13) “….SEC Network is”
LSU says it spent over two million dollars on new high definition TV cameras, graphic packages and fiber optic cables so they can produce sporting events for the SEC Network.

LRN Sportscast 06:45 August 14

The brand new SEC Network, which promises to air more than 1,000 live events in its first year, officially launches at 5 PM. Michelle Southern has more….
cut 1 (35) “….reporting”

The Saints return to New Orleans today after spending most of the last three weeks in White Sulphur Springs West Virginia. The Black and Gold will host the Tennessee Titans tomorrow night in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The LSU Tigers held their first scrimmage of fall camp yesterday and Coach Les Miles didn’t say much about his quarterback battle. He says Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris are both improving, but have more work to do…
cut 19 (20) “…go easy’
Freshman wide receiver Malachi Dupre and rookie running back Leonard Fournette did not participate in the scrimmage, because of minor injuries.

In Ruston, Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz says the battle for starting quarterback for the Bulldogs has been narrowed down to two players, Iowa transfer Cody Sokol and sophomore Ryan Higgins, who started a handful of games last year.

NBA…the Pelicans will tip-off the 2014-15 season with a home game against the Orlando Magic on October 28th.

LRN Newscast 630 August 14

The state department of health and hospitals issues a warning for travelers, beach goers, and fisherman about two diseases, vibrio vulnificus (vul-nif-ick-us) and the chikungunya (chik-un-gun-yuh) virus. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says vibrio vulnificus is a flesh-eating bacteria found in brackish water or salt water…
cut 10 (12) “put it off”
DHH says the flesh-eating bacteria has infected 8 people in Louisiana this summer. And Guidry says the chikungunya virus is usually transmitted by mosquitoes in the Caribbean.

Authorities say a 47-year-old man was stabbed to death last night in the French Quarter. The victim is believed to be homeless and witnesses say he was involved in a physical fight with another man. The search for the suspect is ongoing.

State Police announce the arrest of the former chief financial officer at the Catahoula Sheriff’s office. Trooper Albert Paxton says a state audit revealed 61-year-old George Tosspon of Jonesville received over 22-thousand dollars in excess wages from August 2009 to November 2013….
cut 14 (09) “….dollars”
Paxton says Tosspon faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on theft and malfeasance charges.

State district Judge Todd Hernandez has decided to let a lawsuit against Governor Jindal over Common Core to proceed. But Hernandez says the plantiffs, which is a group of parents and teachers, will not be allowed to question Jindal under oath. The lawsuit alleges Jimdal violated laws when he suspended state contracts tied to Common Core. A full blown hearing on that issue is scheduled for Monday.

AM Newscall August 14, 2014

The brand new SEC Network, which promises to air more than 1,000 live events in its first year, will officially launch today at 5pm. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (35) “reporting”

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A federal judge has approved a 48-million dollar class action settlement for Bayou Corne residents affected by a sinkhole that was discovered two years ago. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 2 Audio (32) “reporting”

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A warning from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals alerts travelers, beach goers, and fisherman about two diseases, vibrio vulnificus (vul-nif-ick-us) and the chikungunya (chik-un-gun-yuh) virus. Eric Gill reports…

Cut 3 Audio  (29) “reporting”

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The long anticipated SEC Network, which promises to air more than 1,000 live events in its first year, will officially launch today at 5pm. Herb Vincent, who is a former leader within the athletic department at LSU, is the associate commissioner of communications for the Southeastern Conference. He says the SEC Network will broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year, all SEC all the time…:

Cut 4  (06)  “a lot of action”

Vincent says the SEC Network will also feature several daily shows similar to what you’d see on Sportscenter -and- “The SEC Storied” series which is similar to ESPN’s 30 on 30. He says you’ll see stories from all 14 schools in the Southeastern Conference…:

Cut 5  (09) “specific to LSU”

Vincent says tonight’s feature show is called “The Stars Are Aligned” which profiles 14 famous figures who will each represent their team in the Southeastern Conference. He says the first show on at 5 will be a special 3 hour “SEC Now” which will spotlight live shots from each of the 14 campuses. Vincent says what’s most impressive about the SEC network is that it it’s available to more than 90 million homes on launch day. He says the schools also worked really hard to make this happen…:

Cut 6 (13)  “SEC Network is”

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A federal judge has approved a 48-million dollar class action settlement for Bayou Corne residents affected by a sinkhole that was discovered two years ago. The lawsuit was brought against Texas Brine which was operating a salt mine that is believed to have caused the sinkhole. One attorney for the plaintiffs, Larry Centola, says they are happy with the judge’s approval…

CUT 7 (09)  “the next chapter”

The settlement will compensate 269 residents who lived in the area. They will receive payments for their property and damages. The exact amounts will be determined by a Special Master. Centola says residents should begin to see some settlement money within the next few months…

CUT 8 (09)   “late as January”

Centola says in a settlement like this, both sides give up some things in order to move on…

CUT 9 (12)  “fair settlement”

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals issues a warning for travelers, beach goers, and fisherman about two diseases, vibrio vulnificus (vul-nif-ick-us) and the chikungunya (chik-un-gun-yuh) virus. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says vibrio vulnificus is one of the flesh-eating bacteria found in brackish or saltwater…

cut 10 (12)  “put it off”

He says vibrio vulnificus can be fatal, but it is treatable if you catch it early. DHH says the flesh-eating bacteria has infected 8 people in Louisiana this summer. Guidry says the chikungunya virus is usually transmitted by mosquitoes in the Caribbean. He says initial symptom of this virus resemble the flu…

cut 11 (13)  “your physician” 

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for the chikungunya virus. Louisiana has confirmed eight travel-related cases. Guidry says the virus is not fatal, but it can be painful. He says if you think you’ve come in contact with either of these, you should see a doctor quickly. Guidry says these warnings are intended to keep the public informed about these diseases…

cut 12 (06) “with these issues”

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The former chief financial officer at the Catahoula Sheriff’s office faces theft and malfeasance charges after he allegedly gave himself two unauthorized pay increases. State Police Trooper Albert Paxton says the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office provided the evidence that led to the arrest of 61-year-old George Tosspon of Jonesville

Cut 13 (09)  “didn’t work”

Paxton says the state audit revealed Tosspon received over 22-thousand dollars in excess wages from August 2009 to November 2013. He says Tosspon surrendered to investigators…

Cut 14 (09)  “dollars”

Paxton says Tosspon faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He says last May, Cathahoula Parish Sheriff James Kelley requested that the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations look into accusations that Tosspon stole public funds…

Cut 15  (09)   “everything done”

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The battle for the starting quarterback position at Louisiana Tech is heating up between senior Cody Sokol and sophomore Ryan Higgins. Head Coach Skip Holtz says the competition between the two is tight…

Cut 16  (07)   “right now”

He says there is maybe a one percent difference in completion percentage between Sokol and Higgins. Holtz is pleased with the work both quarterbacks have put into practice…

Cut 17  (11)   “going along well”

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The LSU Tigers are optimistic that defensive tackle Quentin Thomas will soon be able to fully participate in practice soon. It was reported last week Thoms could miss the season, because of a biceps injury. But Head Coach Les Miles says Thomas is not as serious as once thought

Cut 18 (13)  “he can be”

If Thomas is healthy for the start of the regular season, expect to see him get a lot of playing time, because he has the most experience out of any defensive tackle on the team.  As far as the battle for starting quarterback between Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris, Miles is not saying who is leading that competition, but they are giving great effort

cut 19 (20)  “go easy”

16:30 08-13-14

The Louisiana Department of Revenue says the state will hold another tax amnesty period from October 15th through November 14th. Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield says there’s something new this year: the option that delinquent taxpayers can pay their debt through payments..:
cut 9 :08 sec. Q: “amount due”
But the tax payer will have all penalties waived and only have to pay 50% of the interest that is due.

 

For the first half of 2014, Louisiana has had a 9.3 percent increase in exports compared to the same period last year. According to the World TRade Center of New Orleans report, the Bayou State exports hit $32.1 billion dollars. That’s good enough for 6th out of the top ten exporting states.

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A Lafayette mother is facing serious charges in connection with the death of her 3 year-old toddler. It’s alleged that the mother had the child go 25 hours without food or fluids. Lafayette Police Corporal Paul Mouton says 27 year-old Sara Leblanc will be charged with negligent homicide. As for other charges, …:
cut 14 :11 sec. Q: “investigation”

 
New research provided to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries shows Louisiana Black Bear population is making great strides toward recovery. Large Carnivore Program Manager, Maria Davidson, says they believe there are at least 250 female bears…:
cut 6 :09 sec. “hear from them”
They’re hopeful to have the Louisiana Black Bear removed from the endangered species list.

16:45 LRN Sportscast for August 13

The LSU football team held its first scrimmage of fall camp today. Coach Les Miles says quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris spilt time with the first team offense and both guys are improving. He says neither guy made any big mistakes….
cut 30 (06) “…throwing game”
Receivers Travin Dural and Avery Peterson each caught a touchdown pass. No word on who threw those TD passes. Miles says freshman running back Leonard Fournette did not run the ball in live situations, because he’s nursing an undisclosed injury. The head coach says Fournette’s injury is not serious.

In Ruston, Louisiana Tech head Coach Skip Holtz said today their starting quarterback battle has been narrowed down to two players, Iowa transfer Cody Sokol and Ryan Higgins, who started a handful of games for the Bulldogs last season. Holtz says both are really doing a good job of protecting the football.

Today is the final practice for the Saints at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Quarterback Drew Brees did a little bit more today then what he did yesterday, but Coach Sean Payton says no decision has been made on whether he’ll play in Friday’s preseason game against Tennessee. New Orleans also announced the signing of tight end Travis Beckum. He’s a former New York Giant and has 26 catches in four NFL seasons.

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association announced today that Evangel, John Curtis, St. Thomas More and Teurlings Catholic have decided to play up in the sport of football, which means they’ll compete in the Division One playoffs. So they’ll face Catholic High of Baton Rouge and the New Orleans Catholic League schools in the postseason.

Major League Baseball…former LSU star Anthony Ranaudo was the winning pitcher as the Red Sox defeated the Reds five to four. The rookie right-hander allowed four runs in six innings and he’s 2-and-0 after two major league starts.

15:30 08-13-14

Lafayette Police arrest a 27-year-old mother in connection with the death of her three-year-old child. Jeff Palermo has the story..

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

It’s been 2 years since the Bayou Corne sinkhole showed up in Assumption Parish, and now Federal Judge Jay Zainey has approved a $48.1 million dollars class action settlement which will compensate 269 residents. There were no objections to the settlement.

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The Coast Guard says they are investigating a multi-vessel collision that happened on the Mississippi River near Gretna last night, which caused some oil to be spilled into the water. Spokesman Jonathan Lally says one ship carrying grains lost power and control and crashed into another vessel and barge that was fueling up…:

cut 3 :08 sec. “into the river”

There were no injuries reported.
The state is about to kick off another tax amnesty period to begin in October on the 15th and last through November 14th. Department of Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield says it’s a good opportunity for Louisianians to get caught up on back taxes..:
cut 11 :10 sec. Q: “back taxes.”
The state collected $452 millions dollars last year in back taxes for the program last year.