The state is experiencing a very rare mid-summer cold front this week, bring widespread rainfall and cooler temps. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”
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Two Gretna cops have been fired after a national controversy erupted over a threatening Facebook post about a New York Congresswoman…
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A Cajun Navy special is running on Discovery Channel tonight, following a few members as they rescue folks from rising waters during Hurricane Harvey and Florence…
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A very rare mid-summer cold front is making its way through the state this week. State Climatologist Barry Keim says in addition to cooler temps, rainfall will be widespread across Louisiana.
Cut 4 (08) “…and tornadoes.”
Keim says high temps across the state are expected to hit the mid to high 80’s but expect truly pleasant conditions at the start of the day.
Cut 5 (10) “… closer to 70.”
Keim expects the front to last through the work week with Wednesday and Thursday and by Sunday it should essentially be over.
Cut 6 (09) “…means do so.”
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Two Gretna cops have been fired after one posted a threatening comment on Facebook about New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the other liked it.
The post by Charlie Rispoli and reads “This vile idiot needs a round, and I don’t mean the kind she used to serve”. Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson says the comment was embarrassing.
Cut 7 (10) “…tolerate that”
Ocasio-Cortez is one of a group of freshman, minority women Democratic lawmakers whose were the target of a tweet from the president last week where he told them to “Go back to where they came from”.
Lawson says the officers were being trained on racial bias and social media when the posts were made, and he’d even recently reminded them of similar incidents in other departments.
Cut 8 (11) “…disturbing.”
The comment was a caption to a post he shared from a satirical website that claimed the Congresswoman wanted to cut soldier’s pay. It’s not known whether he knew the story was satire.
Lawson says he does not believe Rispoli’s post was an actual threat he planned to carry out, but it was unacceptable none the less, and nothing something he can just take back.
Cut 9 (11) “…too late”
Rispoli had been on the force since 2005, and Angelo Varisco, who liked the post, had worked there for three years.
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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife says during the summer months, alligators are more active and officials are encouraging residents and visitors to not feed the giant reptilians. LDWF fur and alligator program manager Jeb Linscombe says feeding gators may lead to a situation where someone gets bit when one approaches another human looking for a snack.
Cut 10 (10) “…very very bad thing.”
Linscombe says there are instances where people may be feeding gators and they do not even realize they are doing so.
Cut 11 (11) “…also inadvertently feeding them.”
Linscombe says the high waters around the state mean people are seeing more gators in areas where they may not be used to seeing them.
Cut 12 (11) “…part of the equation.”
You can find a list of gator “do’s and don’t’s” at LAGatorProgram.com
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The Discovery Channel is airing a special tonight on the Cajun Navy, following the group through Hurricane’s Florence, Harvey, and even to it’s early roots in Hurricane Katrina.
Discovery sent crews out to interview and follow members as they deployed to rescue people during natural disasters. Cajun Navy member Allen Lenard says none of what you’ll see tonight was staged.
Cut 13 (11) “…do it.”
Cajun Navy membership has spread across the region after multiple deployments to disasters in other states. Lenard says he hopes the documentary will inspire more volunteerism, a core American value.
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Lenard says the program is a reminder that even with the country’s growing partisan divide, nothing reminds people that we’re all in the same boat like a natural disaster.
Cut 15 (12) “…burning.”
The program airs at 9PM central tonight.
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Cut 16 (11) “…looking for better things.”
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cut 17 (19) “to do”