A female sperm whale has been found on Grand Isle, the third of the endangered species found on Louisiana beaches this year. Emelie Gunn has more…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”
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Lovebugs are taking over the summer. Halen Doughty has more on why….
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Tomorrow the Louisiana Board of Ethics will decide the fate of a state lawmaker who used campaign dollars to feed a gambling addiction. Jeff Palermo has more…
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A third sperm whale has been found stranded off the Louisiana coast. State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Mandy Tumlin says they are working to determine the cause of the increase in dead animals washing onto Louisiana beaches. She says an autopsy will soon be conducted on this mammal found beached on Grand Isle.
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This latest sperm whale is a female and is one of five of the endangered species found in the northern Gulf of Mexico over the past year. Tumlin reminds the public to be cautious if they find a beached marine mammal and immediately contact authorities. She says never attempt to push a beached animal back into the water.
Cut 5 (09) “is safe”
Tumlin says this was the largest sperm whale to become stranded thus far. She says a necropsy of the animal helps to determine the cause of death, especially to prevent the future deaths of these endangered species.
Cut 6 (10) “of death”
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Many Louisianans have likely noticed a serious uptick in the amount of lovebugs we’re seeing. LSU-Shreveport Associate professor of Biological Sciences Beverly Burden says the relatively mild summer can be to blame for this. She says these last few months are wetter and cooler than we typically see this time of year.
Cut 7 (10) “moist soil”
Burden says while the lovebugs are a major nuisance….
Cut 8 (10) “recyclers”
Burden expects the population to decline in the next 10 to 14 days. But she reminds motorists to take extra care of your cars during this time because they can cause extreme problems.
Cut 9 (11) “overheat”
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Rural parishes in Louisiana are struggling more than major cities to combat the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Linda Meredith is the research and development manager for the advocacy group HEROES. She says rural regions account for 15 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases in the state.
Cut 10 (08) “at diagnosis”
Meredith adds the mortality rate is 1.6 times higher in northeast Louisiana than near major cities. Addressing the epidemic has been difficult because funding is tight, especially in the poorest corner of the state. She says there’s only one treatment facility in the entire northeast corner of the state.
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Louisiana ranks first in the country for new HIV infections. While improvements are being made in the metropolitan areas of the state, not much progress has been made in rural areas. She says what’s happening in major cities is vastly different from the trend in northeast Louisiana.
Cut 12 (09) “one percent”
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A state lawmaker is facing disciplinary action from the state ethics board after using campaign money to feed his gambling addiction. Thibodaux Representative Dee Richard says medication he took for Parkinson’s disease caused the sudden addiction in 2012, as he was not a compulsive gambler before.
Cut 13 (12) “caused it”
A class action lawsuit tied 250 patients taking the same drug to sudden gambling addictions. The Ethics Board will decide Friday what action to take against the legislator. Richard says he’s prepared to accept responsibility for his actions.
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Between 2012 and 2015, Richard spent $37,000 from his campaign fund on gambling before getting off the drug a year ago. Richard says he’s already agreed to pay back the money to his campaign account.
Cut 15 (09) “it’s terrible”
The term limited representative adds he’d like to finish out the remaining two years of his term, if the board agrees. The story was first reported by Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com.
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The Ragin Cajuns won their season opener over Southeastern Louisiana 51-48. UL Lafayette Coach Mark Hudspeth says he would like to see fewer points given up this Saturday against Tulsa, who averaged 43 points a contest last season….
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Cajuns starting quarterback Jordan Davis was 12-of-23 for 162 yards and one touchdown. Hudspeth on what he expects from Davis in Week 2….
Cut 17 (19) “each week”
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ULM will face a true freshman at quarterback on Saturday when they visit Florida State. Six-foot-five James Blackman replaces the injured Deondre Francis. Warhawks Coach Matt Viator expects the Seminoles to run a similar offense that was used in the season opening loss to Alabama
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ULM lost its season opener 37-to-29 to Memphis. The Warhawks had four turnovers in the defeat and Viator wants his team to do a better job at protecting the football….
Cut 19 (18) “need to”
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LSU forced just one turnover in its 27-0 victory over BYU. Linebacker Devin White says the goal is to create multiple turnovers in every game…
Cut 20 (24) “the ball”