Two of the three men on the ballot for the Governor’s race portrayed two contrasting images of the state at the Louisiana Municipal Association convention in Monroe. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
cut 2 (31) I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Senator Bill Cassidy announces Louisiana will receive one-point-two billion dollars in flood mitigation dollars. Cassidy this money will help reduce Louisiana’s flood risk which will lower flood insurance premiums. The release from Cassidy’s office does not say where the money will be spent.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state will end up with a 300-million dollar surplus form the fiscal year that ended on June 30th. It would be the third straight year that Louisiana finished a fiscal year with extra dollars. Edwards credits an improving economy, but Legislative Fiscal Office Chief Economist Greg Albrecht says the state’s slowly improving outlook isn’t the primary reason why revenues are up…
cut 5 (12) “…side”

After a 16 year career in the NFL, former Leesville Wampus Cat Kevin Mawae will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Mawae was a standout offensive lineman in the early 1990s at LSU and LSU executive deputy athletics director Verge Ausberry says Mawae is a class act…
cut 9 (08) “…to your institution”
Former LSU running back Johnny Robinson and former Destrehan standout Ed Reed are also going into the Hall.

Three former Louisiana football stars are among the eight that will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, and two of them were former LSU Tigers Johnny Robinson and Kevin Mawae. LSU Executive Deputy athletics director Verge Ausberry…

Cut 8 (11) “…played at LSU.”

Destrehan safety and Ravens star Ed Reed is also being inducted.

The LSU/GB Sciences medical marijuana product has been approved for distribution by the Department of Agriculture and select pharmacies will have access to it by Tuesday. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says the treatment has undergone extensive testing…

Cut 14, 11 seconds, 28

The Advocate reports the product will cost about 90 to 200 dollars a bottle at the Baton Rouge-based pharmacy.

The state appears set to run a surplus for the third year in a row, with non-finalized estimates showing Louisiana may have collected 300 million more in taxes than it spent for the fiscal year that ended in June. Legislative Fiscal Office Chief Economist Greg Albrecht says one reason is lower state rax returns people received as a result of the federal tax reform, and the other reason is the steady elimination of a series of corporate income tax deductions over the past four years, which increased state revenue.

Cut 4 (11) “…tax”

Governor John Bel Edwards and Congressman Ralph Abraham painted two very different pictures of the current status of state at the Louisiana Municipal Association convention in Monroe.  Edwards touted his hard work over the last four years to pull the state out of its largest deficit and an economy that was deep in the ditch.

Cut 10 (09) “…to a better path.”

Edwards says no other state in the nation has exceeded Louisiana’s rate of decline in unemployment in the last 12 months, adding the economy is the strongest in the history of the state. But Abraham says the state has so much more potential.

Cut 12 (10) “…better than that.”

The third man currently on the ballot in the Governor’s race, Eddie Rispone, was absent from the event.

Three former Louisiana football stars are among the eight that will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed went to Destrehan High School. Reed spent 12 years in the NFL and holds the record for interception return yards. His defensive coordinator at Destrehan and current Wildcats head coach Stephen Robicheaux says Reed is an even better person away from the field as he hosts football camps and he’s raised money to build a park in his hometown

Cut 7 (11) “…the community.”

The state appears set to run a surplus for the third year in a row, with non-finalized estimates showing Louisiana may have collected 300 million more in taxes than it spent. Legislative Fiscal Office Chief Economist Greg Albrecht says the surplus is mostly due to two things, one of them being the impact of the Congressional tax reform on Louisiana income tax returns.
Cut 3 (09) “…paid”
Albrecht says the other reason is the elimination of many corporate tax deductions over the past four years.

The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network reviews Louisiana’s legislative efforts to fight the disease. Kevin Barnhart has more…

Cut 1, 30 seconds, Barnhart

The Department of Agriculture OK’s the joint LSU/GB Sciences medical marijuana product, and officials say that means the treatment will be available to select pharmacies statewide on Tuesday. To be eligible to pick up the non-psychoactive product, you’ll need to be diagnosed with one of a specific list of illnesses and get a prescription for treatment from your doctor.

In God We Trust will be displayed in every public school starting next fall when the kids return to class thanks to a 2018 law that’s just now going into effect. The law was written by Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow, who says the law requires that the history of the motto also be taught in classrooms. She says it’s meant to teach students about the “patriotic history” of the USA.

Cut 8 (10) “principle.”

The information will be taught alongside instruction on proper flag etiquette.

Preseason camp is underway at LSU with fan expectations higher than they’ve been in half a decade. Head coach Ed Orgeron says he’s aware, and the only way the team can live up to those expectations is by improving their play in the trenches. He says one matchup to watch is at nose tackle, between Tyler Shelvin and Apu Ika

Cut 14 (11) “…going to be a battle.”

Orgeron adds the left guard position is also wide open.

The 6,952 square mile “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is not as big as NOAA predicted this year due to Hurricane Barry. LSU marine scientist Dr. Nancy Rabalais says it’s a bit surprising.
Cut 10 (12) “…period.”
The nearly 7,000 square mile Dead Zone is the 8th largest on record.

Students will see the motto In God We Trust displayed somewhere in a public school this year. It’s now a requirement based on a 2018 law. Critics say the law imposes religion on public schools and they point out the motto was only added to currency in 1957. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow disagrees with those arguments.
Cut 9 (12) “…country”

LSU hits the practice field today for the start of preseason camp. Coach Ed Orgeron plans to be heavily involved in the development of the defensive line, especially with D-Line coach Dennis Johnson in a wheelchair after severely injuring both of his knees while playing basketball. Orgeron wants an aggressive defensive line
Cut 13 (10) “…that staff ”

Eight individuals will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend and three of them have strong ties to Louisiana. Former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed went to Destrehan High School. His defensive coordinator at Destrehan and current Wildcats head coach Stephen Robicheaux says it’s a well-deserved honor…
cut 6 (9) “..another level”
Also going into the Hall, former LSU standouts Kevin Mawae and Johnny Robinson.

The 2019 summertime dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast is the eighth largest in history, but smaller than what scientists predicted when the summer began. LSU marine scientist Nancy Rabalais says Hurricane Barry helped bring oxygen to areas of the Gulf that were deprived…
cut 11 (07) “….waters”
The Dead Zone is a huge patch of low oxygen water that is devoid of life because of the large amount of sewage and fertilizer coming down the Mississippi River.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network says Louisiana is falling short on cancer-fighting public policies. Louisiaiana Government relations director Lance Barbour says the findings in their report indicate that Louisiana could combat smoking by raising the state’s cigarette tax…
cut 6 (06) “….the national average”
Barbour says they are also disappointed the state didn’t increase the minimum age to smoke cigarettes.

“In God We Trust” must be displayed in all Louisiana public schools when classes start later this month. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30 ) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Junior center Lloyd Cushenberry and sophomore linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson will wear the number 18 jersey this season for LSU. Since Cushenberry is an offensive lineman, he’ll have a number 18 patch on his jersey. The number 18 is synonymous with success-both on and off the field– as well as a selfless attitude.

The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone off the Louisiana coast is smaller than expected this summer due to Hurricane Barry. Matt Doyle has more….
voicer 3 (30) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

Medical marijuana will finally be available to Louisiana patients on Tuesday. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the first batch of medicinal pot produced by G-B Sciences with the help of LSU has passed all testing. Nine licensed medical marijuana pharmacies around the state will sell the product at the cost of 90 to 200 dollars.

Can’t Guard Mike is back in Black and Gold after a short training camp holdout led to him becoming the highest-paid receiver in NFL history. The 26-year-old grabbed a five year, 100-million-dollar contract to set the new record and he’s confident he’s worth every penny.
Cut 15 (11) “…competing.”
Thomas caught 321 passes during his first three years in the league, an NFL record.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network says Louisiana is falling short when it comes to tobacco prevention programs and cessation program funding. Louisiana government relations director Lance Barbour says their report also finds the state should increase its cigarette tax rates and strengthen smoke-free laws. Barbour says there are some areas where the state is doing well…
cut 5 (12) “…of their choosing”

This school year, all Louisiana public schools will have to display “In God We Trust” and educate students about the origin of the national motto. The law was written by Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow, who says the motto must at minimum be displayed on paper.
Cut 7 (09) “jurisdiction”
The Democratic Senator adds the legislation also allows teachers to freely choose to display the motto in their classroom.

The American Cancer Society Action Network says the state is falling short when it comes to protecting all workers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Louisiana Government relations director Lance Barbour…
cut 4 (08) “…for our youth”
Barbour says the state can also do better when it comes to its cigarette tax rates, smoke-free laws and Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation.

The dead zone off the Louisiana and Texas coast is smaller than what scientists predicted before the summer, because of Hurricane Barry. LSU marine scientist Nancy Rabalais says Barry kicked up enough waves that it brought oxygen to low-oxygen areas of the Gulf. NOAA Center for Coastal Ocean Science director Steve Thur says his agency is also spending research money to address the harmful algae blooms in Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi Sound caused by river water going through the Bonnet Carre Spillway…
cut 12 (08) “….spillway”
The blooms of blue-green algae shuttered Mississippi beaches during peak tourist season.