A public visitation will be held today in former Governor Kathleen Blanco’s hometown of Lafayette. Services were held in Baton Rouge Thursday to honor the state’s first and only female governor. Blanco made an impact on many people across the state like Mary Ann Shepard who felt moved to visit the capitol and pay her respects even though she never met Governor Blanco.
Cut 6 (07) “…she spoke.”
Visitation will be at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Lafayette . The public can pay respects from 12:30 until 8pm.
Attorney General Jeff Landry launches an antitrust probe of big tech companies.  Among the concerns, Landry says companies may be stifling competition in the digital ad space, content suppression, and data mining of consumers.When asked what steps may be taken to discourage companies from nefarious practices, Landry says that is open for discussion.

Cut 12 (04) “…off the table.”

Cheap crude prices may be foreshadowing incredibly cheap gas prices at the pump in Louisiana for the upcoming fall season. A barrel of crude oil is sitting at just above 55 dollars today after a summer with limit production interruptions and only a brief mid-east flareup. AAA Fuel Analyst says he does not expect the price to change much over the next few months.

Cut 13 (11) “…cheaper barrel.”

Crude was 68 dollars a barrel this time last year.

An LSU study finds Mississippi River diversions can actually do more harm than good for wetland restoration. The study looked at three different diversions and found land loss, instead of creating or maintaining land. Coastal Sciences Professor Gene Turner says that runs contrary to the prevailing opinion on how to restore the coast.

Cut 7 (08) “…will help”

The study was conducted by studying satellite imagery before and after the diversions opened.

Louisiana’s only female governor returned to the state capitol yesterday as the late Kathleen Babineaux Blanco lied in state. Brooke Thorington was there…
voicer 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Another public visitation is today in Lafayette and the funeral is tomorrow,

And mourners have poured into Xavier University’s Convocation Center in New Orleans to celebrate the life and legacy of Fox 8 news anchor Nancy Parker, who died last week in a plane crash while shooting a news piece on a stunt pilot.

If you’re doing any traveling this weekend, you’ll notice gas prices continue to fall. The statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.22, about 40-cents cheaper than a year ago. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says gas prices should continue to fall, thanks to low crude oil prices…
cut 14 (07) “….under that”
Redman says that could mean gas prices at some stations below a $1.90.

State attorney general Jeff Landry and other attorneys general are planning an antitrust investigation into Big-Tech companies like Facebook and Google. There is a concern these companies use their marketplace powers to stifle competition. Landry says he’s been ringing the alarm bell, but cooperation has been low…
cut 11 (11) “….very dangerous space”

A public visitation will be held today in former Governor Kathleen Blanco’s hometown of Lafayette. Services were held in Baton Rouge Thursday to honor the state’s first and only female governor. Department of Children and Family Services spokesperson and former Blanco Staffer Catherine Heitman remembers Blanco for her tenacity.
Cut 4 (09) “…our leader.”
The funeral is tomorrow in Lafayette.

A study involving LSU finds that two Mississippi River diversions that were done to help rebuild the state’s disappearing coast actually led to land loss. Coastal Sciences Professor Gene Turner says the negative impact may be due to the increased nutrient availability…
cut 8 (12) …wider area”
The study raises concerns about the five billion dollars’ worth of proposed diversion projects.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is launching an antitrust probe into big tech companies. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

LSU will hold an active shooter response exercise today on campus from 9:30 AM to 11 AM. The university says there will be a large police presence and firing of blank rounds from guns, so there should not be a cause for concern. A report of an armed intruder in Coates Hall on Tuesday led to a big scare. It turned out to be a false alarm.

Louisiana Radio Network, I’m Jeff Palermo….
cut 5 (08) “….she gave us”
That’s Ceci Neustrom a close friend of former Governor Kathleen Blanco. Neustrom was among the hundreds of mourners who visited Blanco’s casket as she lied in state at the Louisiana capitol. The memorial services continue today with a public visitation in Lafayette from 12:30 to 8 PM at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral. The funeral is tomorrow morning.

AAA says we should see cheap gas prices this fall, because of cheap crude oil prices. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says those projections are based on the idea that production will remain uninterrupted in the Mideast and along the Gulf Coast…
Cut 15 (11) “…very quickly.”
The current statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.22 that’s about 40-cents cheaper than a year ago.

A peer-reviewed paper out of LSU calls into question the prevailing opinion that river diversions actually help restore wetlands. Matt Doyle spoke with the author…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

A surge of tropical moisture is expected to give the Bayou State plenty of rain this weekend. So far no flood watches are in place, but forecasters are predicting we’ll see several downpours.

And the Eastbank Little League Team from River Ridge has advanced to the U-S Finals in the Little League World Series after 10-0 win over a team from Virginia. The Louisiana team will play Hawaii tomorrow for the U-S title.

Louisiana’s only female governor returned to the state capitol yesterday as the late Kathleen Babineaux Blanco lied in state. Brooke Thorington was there…
voicer 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Memorial services for Blanco continue today in her hometown of Lafayette. A public visitation will take place from 12:30 to 8 PM tonight at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral. Another two-hour public visitation is set for tomorrow at 8 AM and the funeral will follow.

Cheap crude prices may be foreshadowing incredibly cheap gas prices in Louisiana for the fall. A barrel of crude oil is sitting at just above 55 dollars today after a summer that saw few interruptions with production. AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman says he does not expect the price to change much over the next few months.
Cut 13 (11) “…cheaper barrel.”
The current statewide average is $2.22, which is nearly 40-cents cheaper than a year ago.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is launching an antitrust probe of big tech companies. Among the concerns, Landry says companies may be stifling competition in the digital ad space, content suppression, and data mining of consumers.
Cut 10 (09) “…don’t even want.”

Former staff members lined the steps of the capitol Thursday as former Governor Kathleen Blanco’s casket was taken to the rotunda to lie in state. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

_______________________________

A peer-reviewed paper out of LSU calls into question the prevailing opinion that river diversions actually help restore wetlands. Matt Doyle spoke with the author of the study…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

______________________________

Attorney General Jeff Landry is launching an antitrust probe into big tech companies. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________________________

A public visitation will be held today in former Governor Kathleen Blanco’s hometown of Lafayette. Services were held in Baton Rouge Thursday to honor the state’s first and only female governor.  Spokesperson for the Department of Children and Family Services and former Blanco Staffer Catherine Heitman remembers Blanco for her tenacity.

Cut 4 (09) “…our leader.”

Hundreds paid their respects at the state capitol and they were also able to view mementos from her life. They included the red suit she wore during her inauguration, her wedding photo and a picture of her son Ben who died in an accident in 1997. Ceci Neustrom was a close friend of Blanco’s.

Cut 5 (08) “…life she gave us.”

Blanco made an impact on many people across the state like Mary Ann Shepard who felt moved to visit the capitol and pay her respects even though she never met Governor Blanco.

Cut 6 (07) “…she spoke.”

Visitation will be at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Lafayette . The public can pay respects from 12:30 until 8pm. Mass and the funeral will be on Saturday at 10:30 am. A private burial will follow.

____________________________

An LSU study finds Mississippi River diversions can actually do more harm than good for wetland restoration. The study looked at Caernarvon, St. Phillips, and Davis Pond diversions and found land loss, instead of creating or maintaining land. Coastal Sciences Professor Gene Turner says that runs contrary to the prevailing opinion on how to restore the coast.

Cut 7 (08) “…will help”

Caernarvon opened in 1991, Davis Pond in 2002, and St. Phillips was a natural diversion that occurred in 1973.

Turner says that may be because of the significant side effects of introducing so much freshwater to the brackish systems.

Cut 8 (12) “…area”

The study raises concerns about the five billion dollars’ worth of planned diversion projects in the state is seeking to initiate. Turner says more study needs to be done before opening the flood gates…

Cut 9 (10) “…begin”

The study was conducted by studying satellite imagery before and after the diversions opened.

_______________________

Attorney General Jeff Landry is launching an antitrust probe of big tech companies.  Among the concerns, Landry says companies may be stifling competition in the digital ad space, content suppression, and data mining of consumers.

Cut 10 (09) “…don’t even want.”

Landry says he has been ringing the alarm bell for about 18 months on the practices of big tech companies but says the cooperation from those companies is low.

Cut 11 (11) “…very dangerous space.” 

When asked what steps may be taken to discourage companies from nefarious practices, Landry says that is open for discussion.

Cut 12 (04) “…off the table.”

_____________________________

Cheap crude prices may be foreshadowing incredibly cheap gas prices at the pump in Louisiana for the upcoming fall season.

A barrel of crude oil is sitting at just above 55 dollars today after a summer with limit production interruptions and only a brief mid-east flareup. AAA Fuel Analyst says he does not expect the price to change much over the next few months.

Cut 13 (11) “…cheaper barrel.”

Crude was 68 dollars a barrel this time last year. It’s highest point in the last year was last October, when it peaked at 76 dollars a barrel.

Those crude prices are translating to a statewide average of 2.22 a gallon, nearly 40 cents a gallon lower than the same time last year. Redman says their projects indicate that price at the pump will continue to plummet as crude prices freeze.

Cut 14 (07) “under that”

Redman says expect that to translate in fall to prices under 1.90 a gallon in certain areas of the state like Baton Rouge.

Those projections are based on the idea that production will remain uninterrupted in the Mideast and Gulf Coast. Redman says another exchange with Iran, or a disturbance in the Gulf could send prices back to the usual levels.

Cut 15 (11) “…very quickly.”

Governor John Bel Edwards spoke at an interfaith ceremony celebrating the life of former Governor Kathleen Blanco at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge today. Edwards says it was Blanco’s role as a school teacher that made her love the children of Louisiana as her own.

Cut 4 (12) “…a brighter future.”

Flags will remain at half-staff until her burial in Lafayette Saturday.

The state’s most powerful business lobby, The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, endorses both Republican contenders in the Governor’s race. It’s a change of pace for the political powerhouse who did not endorse in the primary last year. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says LABI has little to lose from going hard after the Governor.

Cut 10 (06) “…Start with”

The ACLU sues the Ascension Parish Sheriff, alleging the unconstitutional detaining of a Hispanic US Citizen for four days on racial grounds.

cut  2 (30) I’m Matt Doyle” 

New evidence leads to the arrest of a 70-year-old Lonnie Frazier of Ruston on Second Degree Murder charges, fifteen years after Cheryl Williams went missing in Lincoln Parish. Lincoln Parish Lt. J.D. Driscol says the arrest has been a relief to Williams’ family, who’ve waited more than a decade to see justice served.

Cut 14 (10) “…arrest.”

Governor John Bel Edwards spoke at an interfaith ceremony celebrating the life of former Governor Kathleen Blanco at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge today. Edwards says Blanco’s impact on the state will be felt for many years to come…

Cut 5 (11) “…so dearly loved.”

Blanco will be buried Saturday in Lafayette.

The ACLU sues the Ascension Parish Sheriff, accusing the department of detaining a US Citizen for four days for immigration review because he was Hispanic. Legal Director Katie Schwartzmann says She says it appears this didn’t just happen to their client, Ramon Torres.

Cut 8 (11) “…review.”

Sheriff Bobby Webre responded to the suit, saying “I dispute these press claims by ACLU lawyers and will offer a rigorous defense in court.”

The state’s most powerful business lobby, The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, endorses both Republican contenders in the Governor’s race. It’s a change of pace for the political powerhouse that did not endorse in the primary last year. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says securing LABI endorsements is vital for a Republican candidate.

Cut 9 (11) “PACs”

The primary will be held on October 12th. If no candidate cracks 50 percent of the vote a run-off will be held on November 16th.

New evidence leads to the arrest of 70-year-old Lonnie Frazier of Ruston fifteen years after Cheryl Williams went missing in Lincoln Parish. Frazier was a person of interest in the disappearance back in 2004, but authorities say they never had enough evidence on hand to lock him up. Lincoln Parish Lt. J.D. Driscol says that didn’t stop deputies from continuing the investigation.

Cut 13 (10) “…accurate”

The Saints wrapped up their last Metairie training camp practice today and are preparing for their last two pre-season games before starting off a make or break season. Mario Edwards, Latavius Murray, and Saquan Hampton were all kept out today as the team prepares to take on the Jets this Saturday.

Nationally the team is still considered major contenders for the Lombardi this year. Now that a few pre-season games are in the books are rosters are mostly set we’ve seen both NFL.com and ESPN put out their pre-season power rankings, with the Saints taking third in both of the publications.

LSU Cornerback Kelvin Joseph let twitter know exactly where he is hoping to transfer to. The Tiger put in for the transfer portal earlier this summer, and his list shows a growing number of SEC teams on the ballot, plus Grambling and Maryland. Today he added Kentucky to that list.

Four-star freshman linebacker Donte Starks appears to be nearing eligibility to join the Purple and Gold. He’s been a no show at camp this summer as he works out some issues with his academic eligibility.

The Eastbank Little League baseball team from River Ridge advances in the World Series after beating New Jersey 4-1 yesterday, putting them one win away from competing in the US final and two wins from the championship game against an international team. Coach Scott Frazier says the kids are staying focused despite possible distractions.

Cut 10 (10) “…thousands of people.”

This is the first team from the New Orleans area to play in the Little League World Series.  Frazier says the team has plenty of momentum, adding it began in the first game against Hawaii.

Cut 11 (09) “…in this tournament.”

Frazier says the kids are having a blasé.

Cut 12 (07) “…sweet up here.”