A second woman has come forward and accused US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. There’s also a hearing set for Thursday on Capitol Hill where Kavanaugh’s first accuser, Doctor Christine Blasey Ford, will tell her story of an alleged incident that occurred at a high school party in the 1980s Louisiana Senator John Kennedy says he’s spoken with Kavanaugh about the first incident…
cut 9 (09) “….unequivocal”
No word on if this second accusation will impact Thursday’s scheduled hearing.

Its voter registration week. The November sixth election in Louisiana features congressional races and the special election for the Secretary of State’s office. Interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is already predicting a low turnout…
Cut 10 (10) “…last time.“

The LSU Ag Center School of Renewable and Natural Resources is embarking on a study to find out why largemouth bass are bigger in some lakes than others. Professsor Bill Kelso….
cut 6 (13) “…patterns of introgression”
Kelso says the study should take three years.

During the Saints wild 43-37 overtime victory over the Falcons yestrday, Quarterback Drew Brees set the NFL record for career completions, passing Brett Favre’s mark of 6,300. The future Hall of Fame QB says his former and current teammates played a role in that record…
cut 15 (13) “….part of this”
The Saints are now 2-1.

The U-S Senate Judiciary committee will hear from Christine Blasey Ford on Thursday. Doctor Ford accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during a high school pool party in the 1980s. Kennedy is glad Ford has chosen to tell her story to the committee…
cut 8 (11) “…happened differently”
There’s now a second sexual misconduct claim against Kavanaugh. A woman told the New Yorker that Kavanaugh exposed himself at a drunken dormitory party at Yale. Kavanaugh denies both allegations.

There was no denying Drew Brees and the Saints yesterday as they defeated Atlanta 43-37 in overtime. Brees rushed for two touchdowns. The first T-D sent the game into overtime as he spun away from two defenders to get into the end zone…
cut 14 (13) “..spin moves are good”

Since the early 1980’s, more than 100 million Florida bass have been released in many lakes around Louisiana in an effort to produce larger fish. The stocking of the fish has seen mixed results in differing bodies of water. LSU AgCenter Professor of Fisheries Bill Kelso says the Florida Bass has never taken to the Atchafalaya Basin.
Cut 4 (08) “…are native fish.”
Kelso says over the next three years they will collect habitat data in several lakes to determine what affects bass growth and genetic composition.

It’s voter registration week an effort nationally to get more people registered to vote. But interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says Lousiaina has oen of the highest voter registration percentages in the nation….
cut 11 (10) “…Top five”
Ardoin says they expect a voter turnout of around 30-percent for the November 6th election.

The woman who has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in the 80′s has agreed, along with Kavanaugh, to testify about the alleged incident Thursday. This comes after a weekend of negotiations between the accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s legal team and Judicial Committee members. Senator John Kennedy, a committee member, says before agreeing to the Thursday hearing, she was offered a few options.
Cut 7 (09) “…to do”
The meeting will be open to the public.

It’s Voter Registration Week across the country as election officials will use this as an opportunity to get more people registered for the fall elections. Interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says local races will drive up voter turnout in pockets of the state on November sixth…
cut 12 (06) “….like that”
The deadline to register for the November election is October 9th.

The Saints are 2-1 after a thrilling 43-37 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The game had seven lead changes and New Orleans forced overtime with a touchdown with 1:15 left in regulation. Saints Coach Sean Payton says it was a hard fought victory….
Cut 13 (12) “good drive”
The Saints went 80 yards on 15 plays and Quarterback Drew Brees won the game with a one-yard touchdown plunge over the goal line. It was the second rushing touchdown of the game for the 39-year-old Brees.

And in the A-P Top 25 poll, LSU moved up to number five.

Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome joined a commitment to reduce the amount of plastics in the Mississippi river. Plastic waste such as litter can eventually wash into the Gulf of Mexico where it can dissolve into dangerous micro-plastics.

NOLA.com cited an LSU study finding the Gulf is among the most polluted water bodies from plastic debris on planet earth.

Vidalia Mayor Buzz Craft and St. Gabriel Mayor Lionel Johnson also made the commitment to try to reduce plastic pollution by 20 percent in 2 years.

She stands five feet, ten inches tall, and weighs 9 thousand pounds. It’s a concrete figure proudly representing female military veterans throughout the state.

This life-sized statue was recently installed at the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Bossier City.

The statue is a female service member wearing a tactical military uniform and shouldering an M-16 rifle with a bronze-like finish.

The realistically styled figure is made to withstand the weather as it “stands watch” on the grounds of the veterans’ facility.

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs operates the home in Bossier City for veterans and installed the statue to honor the more than 28 thousand female veterans it estimates live in the state.

A 2015 incident where a McKinley High School Band member went to a Baton Rouge hospital after he was ordered to do 200 push-ups for being late to band practice ends with a 185,000 dollar settlement. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

It’s National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Outdoor activities connected to fishing and hunting supports tens of thousands of jobs, from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, to commercial retail outlets.

Senator Francis Thompson says hunting and fishing has a major impact.
Cut 10 (08) “…state wide.”

National Hunting and Fishing Day began in 1972.

For the past five months, unemployment figures have gone up. The Louisiana Workforce Commission attributes the rise in unemployment to a decline of hospitality jobs in August.

However, agency Director Ava (DUE-ZZ-WW-AH) Dejoie says there are encouraging signs for the state’s employment trends.

Cut 4 (07) “…over the year.”

Dejoie (DUE-ZZ-WW-AH) says Baton Rouge and New Orleans metro areas saw the largest job gainst.

Forty million dollars is the price tag total for 21 announced by the Louisiana Department of Transportation.

The most expensive DOTD project announced by far, was just shy of 15 million dollars for improvements to the 1-10 roadway in St. Tammany parish.

Meanwhile the least expensive project on the list is for pavement marking replacement in both Jefferson Davis parish and Calcasieu parish which is just over 107 hundred thousand dollars.

DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson noted some of the money spent will elevate and level Interstate 10 on-ramps that are prone to flooding in Slidell which he said are part of a critical hurricane evacuation route.

The east coast continues to recover from the battering it took from Hurricane Florence. Louisiana first responders traveled to South Carolina to help.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says there was considerable damage.

Cut 6 (10) “…the subsequent water rescues.”

Although some first responders have returned to Louisiana, many continue to help recovery efforts.

Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing day, a celebration of all things outdoors.

As the Sportsmen’s Paradise, Louisiana has an interest in promoting the day, with events in four cities across the state.

Senator Francis Thompson says it’s important to remember just how much outdoors activities put into state’s tax base.
Cut 9 (11) “…and local taxes”

National Hunting and Fishing day events will be held in Haughton, Woodworth, and West Monroe and Baton Rouge.

Louisiana first responders brought their skills to South Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florance’s devastation. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

$40 million in Louisiana Department of Transportation bids were recently announced for 21 projects.

Among the projects that topped a million dollars in cost are: 2.8 million dollars to repair inter-coastal bridges on LA highway 101 in West Baton Rouge,  3.1 million dollars in Madison parish to replace concrete on Delta scales along Interstate 20,  and just over 3.4 million dollars in Rapides parish for paving, milling, and patching of U.S. highway 71.

A former McKinley High Marching Band member was awarded 185,000 dollars for damages related to a 2015 incident where he required to do 200 push-ups. The incident led to a five day stay in the hospital for Tristen Rushing due to his urine turned brown in color. The Rushing family attorney Sean Fagan says that’s because the hyper exertion caused Rushing’s muscles to begin to die.

Cut 12 (10) “…turn dark.”
Medical professionals who saw Rushing testified the injuries were potentially life threatening.

The 10th Annual New Orleans Burlesque Festival’s Queen of Burlesque Competition takes place Saturday night. Performers will be accompanied by a live traditional jazz band as they present their best burlesque for the judges and the audience at the Civic Theatre.

Other festival workshops and showcases took place at the House of Blues on Decatur street. The Queen of Burlesque competition promises to feature dancers from around the world and will close a decade of the New Orleans Burlesque Festival.

A 2015 incident where a McKinley High School Band member went to a Baton Rouge hospital after he was ordered to do 200 push-ups for being late to band practice ends with a 185,000 dollar settlement. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing day, a celebration of all things outdoors. As the Sportsmen’s Paradise, Louisiana has an interest in promoting the day, with events in four cities across the state. Delhi Senator Francis Thompson says a good time to remember just how much outdoors activities contribute to state coffers.

cut 9 (11) “…taxes”

Louisiana’s unemployment rate worsened for a fifth straight month and reached five percent in August, but the number of people employed last month was the second highest number for a August in the state’s history. Louisiana Workforce Commission Director Ava Dejoie says manufacturing continues to see the biggest job gains as that sector added 54-hundred jobs over the last year and there’s been an increase in the number of jobs related to the oil and gas industry

Cut 4 (08) “…over the year.”

It’s been a week since the landfall of Hurricane Florence on the east coast.  State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says dozens Louisiana emergency personnel are in Horry County, South Carolina, helping local authorities and first responders with evacuations as waters continue to rise from Florence.
Cut 8 (11) “…see them.”
Browning says their deployment ends Tuesday, but could be extended.