You have until 8 PM tonight to get in line to vote. Matt Doyle has a request from the man who is in charge of elections in Louisiana…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

One of the big races on the ballot is the U-S Senate race. Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins is one of five democrats challenging Republican Incumbent Bill Cassidy, but U-L Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Perkins lacks statewide name recognition…
cut 5 (08) “…dialogue”

Today’s ballot features seven constitutional amendments that deal with abortion and taxes. There’s also a proposition that asks if you want sports betting legalized in your parish. Proponents say sports betting is already done illegally so why not legalize it and collect tax revenue. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says opponents see this as another way to attract young gamblers…
cut 15 (12) “…casinos or online”
Polls close at 8 PM tonight.

A 23-year-old south Louisiana man who confessed to setting fires to three historically Black Churches in St. Landry Parish in the Spring of 2019 receives a 25-year sentence in federal prison. Legal analyst Tim Meche says this is a harsh sentence for Holden Matthews…
cut 10 (09) “….attention”
Matthews told investigators he set the fires in an effort to raise his profile as a Black Metal musician.

Polls opened at 6 AM today and there are long lines at some voting locations. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin predicts a voter turnout around 70-percent as the contentious presidential race tops the ballot. Louisiana voters will also have a chance to decide if Bill Cassidy should remain as the state’s senior US senator.

Matt Doyle gets a break down of the race from a political analyst…
cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

A runoff is scheduled for December fifth.

Voters will decide the fate of Sports Betting for their parish today. Under this act, sports betting would be permitted in any parish where the majority of voters say yes. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott ….
Cut 13 (06) “…it online”
If a parish votes yes to legalize sports betting, legal wagering will not happen immediately until the state legislature adopts laws, regulations and taxation for sports betting.

A confessed serial church arsonist has received a 25-year federal sentence. Holden Matthews’ torched three historically Black churches in St. Landry Parish during a ten-day span in the spring of 2019. Legal Analyst Tim Meche says Judge Robert Summerhays sent a message with this sentence…
cut 12 (11) “….do that”
The court has also ordered Matthews to pay over two-point-six million dollars in restitution to the three churches.

Polls are open for Election Day and voters have until 8 PM to cast their ballots on a range of topics from the Presidential contest to sports betting. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin expects a voter turnout between 69 to 71 percent including early votes and mail-in ballots….
Cut 7 (08) “state”
Senator Bill Cassidy is seeking to win re-election tonight but faces 14 challengers.

A federal judge has handed down a 25-year sentence to a south Louisiana man who admitted he burned down three predominantly African-American churches in Port Barre and Opelousas during a ten-day span in the Spring of 2019. Holden Matthews plead guilty to four counts and faced up to 70 years. Legal analyst Tim Meche…
cut 11 (09) “…himself”
Matthews gets 18 months credit for time served.

A proposition to allow sports betting by the parish is on the ballot. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

A political analyst expects US Senator Bill Cassidy will win reelection tonight and avoid having to head to a December run-off. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “   I’m Matt Doyle”

________________________________

You have until 8 PM tonight to get in line to vote. Matt Doyle has a request for you from the state’s head of elections…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

__________________________________________

A proposition to allow sports betting by the parish is on the ballot. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

_______________________________

The state’s senior Senator, Dr. Bill Cassidy is up for reelection today against a packed field of 14 opponents.

UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross expects the race will end tonight without heading to a December run-off that is unless voters get “confused” by the long list of names…

Cut 4 (12) “Louisiana”

Only one other Republican is on the ballot, Dustin Murphy of Eros. Eight Third Party, Independent, or No Party candidates are also on the list.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins headlines the five Democrats running to replace Cassidy, but Cross says his lack of statewide name recognition likely dooms him this year…

Cut 5 (10) “…career”

Baton Rouge activist and Democrat Antoine Peirce appears likely to take third place in the race as the second most prominent Democrat among the five running.

Cross has also been following the race for the 3^rd District southwest Louisiana Congressional seat held by Congressman Clay Higgins. He expects Higgins to win 50 to 55 percent and avoid a run-off.

Cut 6 (09) “Louisianans”

None of the other four incumbent Louisiana Congressmen are expected to face much of a reelection challenge either.

__________________________

Polls are open for Election Day and voters have until 8 PM to cast their ballots on a range of topics from the Presidential contest to sports betting.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin expects about 69 to 71 percent total turnout for the election including early votes. That’s up just slightly from 2016’s turnout of 68 percent.

Cut 7 (08) “state”

Nearly a million early votes were cast, compared to just over half a million in 2016. Ardoin says just because more people cast an early ballot doesn’t mean wait times will be lower today, so give yourself some time when you show up.

Cut 8 (11) “..process”

Ardoin says to speed things up for everyone please download the GeauxVote Mobile app ahead of time and pre-mark your ballot so you don’t hold up the line while you read your options in the booth and have your ID and PPE ready…

Cut 9 (08) “their”

Ardoin says as long as you are in line by 8 PM tonight you will get to vote.

_____________________________

The 23-year-old who set fire to three predominately Black churches in Opelousas last spring is sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Legal Analyst Tim Meche says Holden Matthews was hit with a substantial sentence that is close to the maximum of what he could have gotten for the crimes.

Cut 10 (09) “…attention”

Matthews’ spree took place from late March to early April and targeted the Greater Union, Mt. Pleasant, and St. Mary Baptist Churches.

Matthews, the son of a St. Landry Parish deputy, initially pled not guilty but changed his plea back in February. Meche says pleading out was his best bet to avoid an even longer sentence.

Cut 11 (09) “himself”

Matthews reportedly told authorities that he set the fires in an attempt to raise his profile as a “Black Metal” artist, committing crimes similar to those done by musicians in Scandinavia in the 90s.

Meche says the message from this substantial sentence is clear…

Cut 12 (11) “do that”.

___________________________

Voters will decide the fate of Sports Betting for their individual parish today. Currently, the only sports wagering allowed in Louisiana is online fantasy sports contests in parishes approved in 2018.  Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says this vote is open to all parishes and would accept wagers on any sporting event.

Cut 13 (12) “…it online”

Scott says if your parish approves sports wagering don’t expect to place your bets immediately.

Cut 14 (12) “…as a state tax” 

Proponents say sports betting is already done illegally so why not legalize it and collect state and local revenue. Scott says opponents see this as another way to lure younger gamblers.

Cut 15 (12) “…casinos or online”

If your parish does not have a casino and sports betting is approved, you can then legally wager online once legislation is passed.

_______________________

At the halfway point of the 2020 season, the defending national champion LSU Tigers are 2-and-3 and with difficult games remaining against Alabama, Florida and Texas A-and-M, the Bayou Bengals could have their first losing season since 1999. But Coach Ed Orgeron still likes the direction of the program

cut 16 (16) “ do that”

LSU’s next game is November 14th against Alabama. Orgeron says it’s too early to tell if injured quarterback Myles Brennan will play against the second-ranked Crimson Tide. Coach O says if Brennan can’t play, there will be a competition between TJ Finley and Max Johnson on who will start…

cut 17 (24)   see what happens”

____________________________________________________

The Saints have acquired former LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. In return, New Orleans gives up a fifth-round conditional draft pick and Kiko Alonso, who has not played this season. Coach Sean Payton says Alexander gives the Saints another athletic linebacker that can run

cut 18 (18) ” San Fran ” 

Because of the COVID protocols, it’s unlikely Alexander will play Sunday night against the Buccaneers. The Saints will take a four-game winning streak into Tampa bay. Payton says his team has shown a lot of grit by winning close games during the winning streak, including two overtime contests…

cut 19 (25)    “more important game” 

Entergy still has 62-thousand customers without power following the Wednesday night landfall of Hurricane Zeta. That includes some polling sites without electricity. Entergy CEO Phillip May says for polling stations that don’t have power by Tuesday, they will provide a “power pod”…

Cut 13 (07) “…available”

There are seven constitutional amendments on tomorrow’s ballot. Amendment seven has to do with unclaimed property and whether to protect the money in a new trust fund. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says State Treasurer John Schroder wants to keep unclaimed money from being used in the state budget…

Cut 7 (11) “…general fund”

Polls open tomorrow from 6 AM to 8 PM.

The New Member Educator for Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at LSU, Terry Reynolds, turned himself in and was arrested today on three counts, felony and misdemeanor criminal hazing and failure to seek assistance. LSU police say a freshman pledge was admitted to the hospital with a blood alcohol limit almost 6 times the legal limit to drive and placed on life support due to organ failure last month.

Louisiana’s flood protection systems weathered five named storms this year and appear to be doing ok. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Matt Doyle”  

A federal judge sentences Holden Matthews to 25 years in prison for setting three black churches a blaze in St. Landry Parish last year. Matthews pleaded guilty to the fires in both state and federal court. He was credited 18 months for time already served, and the judge asked the Bureau of Prisons to ensure he is placed in a facility near his family and receives substance abuse counseling and mental health treatment.

Power should be back on for most Zeta-impacted customers by Wednesday but could be out for pockets of customers in the lower southeast parishes until Saturday according to Entergy. But Entergy CEO Phillip May says right now the priority is restoring electricity to those polling stations and getting them back on the grid.

Cut 14 (10) “pods” 

Amendment 7 on the statewide ballot would protect unclaimed property money in a new trust fund. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says each year if new collections entrusted to the Treasurer exceed what’s collected by rightful owners, the difference goes into the state’s general fund.

Cut 6 (11) “…general fund”

Opponents say the program has existed for close to 50 years and has never had more claims than collections in a year. Proponents say it protects money that belongs to the people.

A UNO Research Center survey indicates a 56-percent job approval rating for Governor John Bel Edwards. The random poll of 755 respondents asked participants to rate his job performance. Research Center Director, Professor Ed Chervenak…

Cut 9 (11) “job approval”

Power outages across Louisiana are down to the tens of thousands as opposed to the hundreds of thousands we saw just after Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie last week. Entergy CEO Phillip May says they expect most customers should be back online by Wednesday but the lower portions of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Lafourche Parishes could be out until Saturday.

Cut 12 (07) “ .damage” 

Overall, crews have found damage to 2,747 poles, 573 transformers and 1,794 spans of wire.

A UNO poll shows Governor Edwards sitting pretty with a 56 percent job approval rating, a pandemic boost for the Governor that was in the low 50s post-reelection. UNO Research Center Director, Professor Ed Chervenak says 67-percent of respondents feel COVID is a serious problem…

Cut 10 (11) “overwhelmingly disapprove”

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chief of Engineering Rudy Simoneaux says they’re working on fixing the Burrito Levee in Grand Isle that breached during Zeta. He says it will need some repairs.

Cut 3 (10)  “…levee”  

Despite the breach, most Grand Isle homes are reportedly ok due to being highly elevated on stilts.

Amendment 7 on the statewide ballot would protect unclaimed property money in a new trust fund. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says each year if new collections entrusted to the Treasurer exceed what’s collected by rightful owners, the difference goes into the state’s general fund. Scott explains some of what makes up unclaimed property…

Cut 8 (12) “..to the state”

A University of New Orleans survey of 755 respondents finds that 56-percent of them approve of Governor John Bel Edwards’ job performance. Half of the males surveyed approve of the governor’s work, while 61-percent of females give the governor’s work a thumbs up. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says nationally women tend to vote Democrat…
cut 11 (09) “…Republican State’
The telephone survey was conducted on October 22nd.

There are seven constitutional amendments on tomorrow’s ballot. Amendment seven has to do with unclaimed property and whether to protect the money in a new trust fund. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says State Treasurer John Schroder wants to keep unclaimed money from being used in the state budget…
cut 7 (11) “…general fund”
Polls open tomorrow from 6 AM to 8 Pm.

Louisiana’s flood protection systems weathered five named storms this year and appear to be doing ok. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “ I’m Matt Doyle”

LSU Police have made an arrest in the case of an alleged hazing fraternity incident. 21-year-old Terry Pat Reynolds the Second has been charged with criminal hazing and failure to seek assistance. Reynolds is an LSU student and member of Phi Kappa Psi. According to a police report, a pledge at the fraternity was hospitalized with a blood alcohol level near six times the legal limit. The alleged hazing victim has been released from the hospital.