Former St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain was already facing sexual misconduct charges, but now he’s also facing federal bribery charges. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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The RAVE Mobile Safety App is being released to Louisiana schools as a new, more effective way to contact authorities and coordinate responses in the event of a school emergency. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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A national AAA study indicates deaths from running red lights has increased for the fifth straight year, setting a ten-year high of 939 deaths. Jeff Palermo has the details.

Cut 3 (29) “…Jeff Palermo”

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Former St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain is facing federal charges in a 16-count indictment accusing him of using his authority while in office to get kickbacks after awarding a public contract worth over a million dollars to run a prison work release program.  U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced the charges at a news conference with the FBI and IRS.

Cut 4 (09) “…of the taxpayer.”

Strasser says Strain gave the contract to the son and daughter of two of his deputies, who worked as accomplices in the scheme.

Cut 5 (07) “…in this case.”

Stasser adds the son and daughter had absolutely no business experience and no idea how to run a company of that nature.

Strasser says a relative of Stain’s got money out of the deal and Strain himself would receive regular cash payments of around $1000.  Strasser says they were tipped off about the activity.

Cut 6 (07) “…can do something.”

Strain is currently facing a separate set of legal issues as relates to sexual misconduct allegations.

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The state is rolling out a new school safety app that will give administrators and teachers easy access to the authorities in the event of an emergency.

When you open RAVE Mobile Safety you’re presented with five options; active shooter, fire, medical, police, and other. State Police Colonel Kevin Reeves says it’s for more than just the kinds of emergencies that grab headlines…

Cut 7 (10)“…911”

RAVE cost the state four million dollars.

In case you’re wondering if this sounds like an opportunity for some school kids to misbehave and call in false alarms…

Cut 8 (09) “to them”

The state will cover the cost of the app for all K-12 schools in the state, including charters.

Reeves says outside of major emergencies, the app will also offer staff the ability to communicate school-wide in the event of a less threatening situation.

Cut 9 (09) “…services”

Reeves says emergency situations reported in the app will be fed into the State Police Fusion Center in Baton Rouge, so authorities can coordinate an effective response across agencies.

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Baton Rouge-based Epic Piping is coming to Lake Providence, investing in a two-million-dollar fabrication facility that will bring decent-paying jobs to one of the nation’s most impoverished towns. The census estimates the northeast Louisiana town is home to about 3,500 people and Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says Epic Piping will provide good living wage jobs.

Cut 10 (08) “…with that”

Pierson estimates the investment will generate 79 new indirect jobs as well.

Pierson says the new location will help the company meet it’s international customer’s needs.

Cut 11 (11) “facility” 

In 2016 Epic Piping finished a 43 million dollar facility in Livingston.

According to the census, the median town income is 18,713 dollars, and 53 percent of the town lives in poverty. Pierson says these kinds of jobs can have a big impact on the local economy.

Cut 12 (08) “…families”

In 1994 Time named it the poorest place in America.

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A new AAA study shows fatalities from running red lights has hit a 10-year-high.  Nationally, 939 deaths were recorded in 2017, the last full year the numbers were available.  AAA spokesperson Don Redman says the trend is reflected locally.

Cut 13 (11) “…the previous year.”

Redman says although 85% of those polled said running red lights is dangerous, many admit to being guilty of doing so.

Cut 14 (08) “…past 30 days.” 

Redman says it is important to keep your head on a swivel when sitting at a red light.

Cut 15 (10) “…before you enter that intersection.”

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The 2019 season kicks off tomorrow night for the sixth ranked LSU Tigers as they take on Georgia Southern. There’s been a lot of talk in the offseason about an improved offense, but the voice of the Tigers, Chris Blairs, believes the Bayou Bengals will have one of the best defenses in the country

Cut 16  (18) “…on Sunday”   

On offense, Orgeron has said the Tigers will line up in three, four and five wide receiver sets, but they also plan to run the ball 50-percent of the time. Blair says it will be interesting to see how the coaches utilize the talent they have on offense…

cut 17 (13) “…they will” 

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Grambling and Southern University are both on the road Saturday, but staying in Louisiana. The Jaguars travel west on I-10 to take on the McNeese Cowboys. Southern returns a lot of talent from last year’s SWAC Western division team and Coach Dawson Odums is anxious to see how they perform

Cut 18 (13) “…football team” 

Grambling will make a short trip on Saturday to ULM. Tigers Coach Broderick Fobbs says his team is coming off an excellent preseason camp…

 cut 19 (13)   “a unit”  

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activates its Crisis Action Team to monitor Hurricane Dorian.

cut  2 (30) I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

Bill Vinovich, the referee who was officiating during the infamous NOLA no-call in the NFC Championship has been picked as the NFL’s top referee by ESPN.  The failure to flag a pass interference or roughness penalty against the LA Rams for a helmet-to-helmet hit came at a crucial moment in the game against the Black and Gold. The Rams won, advancing to the Super Bowl.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activates its Crisis Action Team to monitor Hurricane Dorian. While a Florida landfall is expected, GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says the activation comes as the storm’s exact track is uncertain.
Cut 11 (12) “here in Louisiana.” 
Steele says even if Dorian has no impact on the state, it’s an important reminder for everyone to be vigilant.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man in Shreveport for his part in a texting scam that resulted in over 100-thousand dollars being stolen from numerous bank accounts. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says authorities circulated the picture of 39-year-old Dennis Busch to local businesses. Busch was arrested after a drug store employee spotted him.

Cut 4 (06) “…placed under arrest.”

A new poll shows Eddie Rispone closing the gap on Congressman Ralph Abraham for pole position for the right to take the Governor to a potential run-off in the gubernatorial election. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says Rispone’s ad blitz has paid off, and he’s now just six points shy of overtaking Abraham.

Cut 7 (09) “…the electorate.”

Verne Kennedy estimates Rispone has risen 12 points since his April survey.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man who allegedly running a phishing scam involving texts that led to the theft of 100,000 dollars. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says 39-year-old Dennis Busch wasn’t hard to find after they posted his picture, and he was ID’d by a drug store worker.

Cut 4 (06) “…placed under arrest.”

Hurricane Dorian may now be a Hurricane category four storm when it slams into the southeast Florida coast. That’s likely to leave behind a lot of devastation in the aftermath, and Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson Mike Steele says Louisiana is mobilizing to lend a helping hand to our neighbors.

Cut 13 (12) “…may be needed.”

Today marks the 14^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Governor John Bel Edwards was in Monroe today to announce that all K-12 schools in Louisiana will begin using the RAVE Mobile Safety App, which can alert authorities to emergencies on campus. Teachers can quickly request immediate assistance from law enforcement by hitting the Rave Panic Button app.

Verne Kennedy’s new poll shows Governor Edwards may have some problems heading into the home stretch of the gubernatorial campaign. He’s down to 52 percent of the vote when matched up against Eddie Rispone and Congressman Abraham, UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says that’s in the margin of error that could trigger a run-off…

Cut 6 (10) “…all.”

Edwards’ favorability rating dropped from 52 percent in April to 45 percent when the poll was conducted two weeks ago.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man in Shreveport for his part in a texting scam that resulted in over 100-thousand dollars being stolen from numerous bank accounts. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says victims received a text message that said their bank cards were locked and they needed to call and give personal info to unlock them.

Cut 3 (11) “…purchases around town.”

Two Haynesville high schoolers were killed in a two-vehicle wreck last night on Louisiana Highway two in Claiborne Parish. 17-year-old Tony Singleton of Haynesville and his 15-year-old passenger Dequez Neal were identified as the victims. Trooper Brent Hardy says if the teens were buckled up, they may have survived

Cut 10 (12) “…of a crash.”

The driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries.

On the 14^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activates its Crisis Action Team to monitor Hurricane Dorian. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says even if Dorian has no impact on the state, it’s an important reminder to everyone to be vigilant.

Cut 12 (09) “…those evacuation plans.”

They’re preparing plans to assist Florida if the situation calls for it.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activates its Crisis Action Team to monitor Hurricane Dorian.

cut  2 (30) I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

Two high school students from Summerfield, who State Police say were not wearing seat belts, were killed in a two-vehicle wreck last night on Louisiana Highway two in Claiborne Parish. Trooper Brent Hardy says 17-year-old Tony Singleton of Haynesville was the driver

Cut 9 (09) “…Chevrolet Suburban”

Singleton and his 15-year-old passenger Dequez Neal died, while the driver of the other vehicle, sustained minor injuries.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man in Shreveport for his part in a texting scam that resulted in over 100-thousand dollars being stolen from numerous bank accounts. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says authorities circulated the picture of 39-year-old Dennis Busch to local businesses. Busch was arrested after a drug store employee spotted him.

Cut 4 (06) “…placed under arrest.”

An independent poll shows Governor Edwards’ support has slipped and is now within the margin of error for potentially having to go into a run-off. Edwards sits at 52 percent in the latest survey from Verne Kennedy.On the GOP side, Congressman Abraham’s early name recognition put him ahead of Eddie Rispone, but Rispone has caught up, and UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says that means Abraham needs to run more ads.

Cut 8 (09) “…real one”

Governor Edwards’ re-election chances dip in the latest independent poll from Verne Kennedy. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “..I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor John Bel Edwards was in Monroe today to announce that all K-12 schools in Louisiana will begin using the RAVE Mobile Safety App, which can alert authorities to emergencies on campus. Teachers can quickly request immediate assistance from law enforcement by hitting the Rave Panic Button app.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activates its Crisis Action Team to monitor Hurricane Dorian. While a Florida landfall is expected, GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says the activation comes as the storm’s exact track is uncertain.
Cut 11 (12) “here in Louisiana.”
Steele says even if Dorian has no impact on the state, it’s an important reminder for everyone to be vigilant.

Caddo Sheriff deputies arrested a California man who allegedly used a texting scam in order to steal over 100-thousand dollars from multiple bank accounts. Two other arrest warrants have been issued and there is an additional unidentified suspect. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says it is up to consumers to protect themselves from similar scams…
Cut 5 (08) “…about your account.”

Results of an independent poll on the governor’s race shows that Republican Eddie Risponse’s ad blitz has paid off. U-L Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the survey shows Rispone at 19-percent, six percentage points behind fellow GOP candidate Ralph Abraham…
cut 7 (09) “…the electorate”
Pollster Verne Kennedy conducted the survey and he tells the Advocate that Rispone is up 12 percentage points since his April survey.

Traffic is flowing normally on I-10 over the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge as the clean-up is complete from Monday’s fiery multi-vehicle crash that killed one person. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says there are some spots on the concrete that are cracked or chipped, but the structure is safe…
cut 14 (09) “…a regular basis”
Monday’s chain-reaction pileup killed a trucker from Florida and injured five others.

Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man in Shreveport for his part in a texting scam that resulted in over 100-thousand dollars being stolen from numerous bank accounts. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says victims received a text message that said their bank cards were locked and they needed to call and give personal info to unlock them.
Cut 3 (11) “…purchases around town.”
Chadwick says authorities had circulated the picture of 39-year-old Dennis Busch to local businesses. Busch was arrested after a drug store employee spotted him.

An independent poll shows Governor Edwards’ support has slipped and is now within the margin of error for potentially having to go into a run-off. Edwards sits at 52 percent in the latest survey from Verne Kennedy. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says that’s dangerously close to a highly unpredictable run-off scenario.

Cut 6, 10 seconds, all

Edwards’ favorability rating dropped from 52 percent in April to 45 percent.

Two Summerfield high schoolers are dead after a fatal accident last night on Louisiana Highway two in Claiborne Parish. Trooper Brent Hardy says if the teens were buckled up, they may have survived

Cut 10 (12) “…of a crash.”

The driver, 17-year-old Tony Singleton, and 15-year-old passenger Dequez Neal, both of Haynesville died in the accident.

The Board of Regents wants a surge in higher ed spending to meet an ambitious goal of making sure 60 percent of all working-age adults in Louisiana have a post-secondary education by 2030. That means you’ll need more teachers, bigger schools, and a bigger budget. Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed says they’re pulling in support for the campaign…

Cut 12 (12) “…there.”

Nationally the goal is 60 percent by 2025.

It took a lot of work to get the I-10 Westbound lane over the Atchafalaya Basin back in action after a deadly, fiery crash involving three 18-wheelers occurred Monday that sparked hazmat concerns. DTOD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says now that the work is done, he wants the public to do their part and stay safe behind the wheel.

Cut 15 (10) “…we could avoid.”