The Louisiana Black Caucus is calling on the Department of Justice to conduct a full-scale investigation of state police and root out what they say are systemic practices of racism. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James acknowledges reform by the new superintendent, Col. Lamar Davis, who is Black, but says he can only do so much…
Cut 4 (12) “…that department.”
CLECO will begin working with local Councils on Aging to give away free LED lightbulbs and offer weatherization audits to seniors.
CLECO Communications Strategist Fran Phoenix says many of their elderly customers are on a fixed income and saving some money on their bill would mean a lot to them.
Cut 7 (10) “…higher”

The Blue Zoo inside of Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge is temporarily closed as first responders work to capture a python snake that escaped its enclosure.
Authorities say the Mall of Louisiana is no longer closed, only the Blue Zoo inside of the mall is closed.
Firefighters say they were dispatched to the mall around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, July 6 to assist officials with Baton Rouge animal control.
Officials say the snake, Cara, escaped her enclosure at Blue Zoo. Managers of the Blue Zoo say they feel confident the snake is still inside the store.
They say they voluntarily closed their store for the snake’s safety. Cara is non-venomous and is often used in their shows with children, they say. She is a Burmese python and is “very large,” about 12 ft long.

Former LSU track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson will not be competing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Richardson tested positive for marijuana earlier this month and would be suspended for one month which would disqualify her from running in the women’s 100-meter race.
Richardson “successfully completed a counseling program regarding her use of cannabis,” which under USADA rules knocks her ineligibility down to one month.
However, this would still allow her to compete in the women’s 4×100 meter relay.

Former LSU softball player Amanda Sanchez has become the first Olympian in program history after being named to the Mexican National Softball Team.
Sanchez will represent Mexico in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. She is part of Mexico’s first Olympic softball team and the return of the sport to the Game’s for the first time since 2018
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New LSU head baseball coach Jay Johnson has made his first addition to his coaching staff. The Tigers are expected to hire Arizona State’s Jason Kelly as the next pitching coach according to D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.
Kelly, spent the last three seasons with the Sun Devils as their pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He was also named the Assistant of the Year by D1 Baseball in 2018 when he was with the Washington Huskies.

During his coaching tenure Kelly has helped coach 15 pitchers who have been selected in the MLB Draft.
Madison prep QB Zeon Chriss has committed his services to the ULL Ragin Cajuns. He lead the chargers to a class 3-a championship title last season.

Black lawmakers are calling on the Department of Justice to investigate State Police, Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Starting July 12th CLECO customers can pick up free LED lightbulbs at local Councils on Aging sites. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

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Traffic along I-10 near Duson was shut down for over seven hours Tuesday after an accident involving multiple vehicles including a trailer full of cattle. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (27)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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The Louisiana Black Caucus is calling on the Department of Justice to conduct a full-scale investigation of state police and root out what they say are systemic practices of racism.  Baton Rouge Representative Ted James acknowledges reform by the new superintendent, Col. Lamar Davis, who is Black, but says he can only do so much…

Cut 4 (12) “…that department.”

James says it was five years ago when they gathered at the capitol asking state police to investigate Baton Rouge Police over the death of Alton Sterling. Now they are calling on LSP to be investigated.

Cut 5  (11) “…police violence.”

James and members of the caucus say through countless conversations they’ve been told either the laws or rules from the state police commission are keeping certain people from being called into question.

Cut 6 (10) “…do it.”

Federal officials are already investigating the fatal arrest of Ronald Greene, the black man who was repeatedly tased and punched, then dragged by officers before his May 2019 death.

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CLECO will begin working with local Councils on Aging to give away free LED lightbulbs and offer weatherization audits to seniors.

CLECO Communications Strategist Fran Phoenix says many of their elderly customers are on a fixed income and saving some money on their bill would mean a lot to them.

Cut 7 (10) “…higher”

Phoenix says they’ve noticed many of their older customers have not made the switch to LED bulbs and that’s costing them money every month.

Cut 8 (07) “…longer”

The bulbs will be distributed at Councils on Aging sites to elderly customers from July 12^th through August 6^th.

Phoenix says when CLECO customers come to pick up their free bulbs they’ll be offered weatherization audits by certified contractors.

Cut 9 (11) “…spot”

The audits will take an estimated five to six hours to complete.

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A tire blowout on an 18-wheeler is believed to have started a series of events that ended in the deaths of two men on I-10 near Duson.

Trooper Thomas Gossen says an 18-wheeler in the eastbound lane experienced a blowout and lost control, striking a Ford F-250 that was also heading east…

Cut 10 (10) “…SUV.”

That crash shut down traffic for more than seven hours, and…

Cut 11 (07) “..side”

Those victims have been identified as 30-year-old John Guidry of Iowa 34-year-old Joshua Babineaux of Lafayette. Several head of cattle also died in the crash.

Gossen says an investigation revealed that some of the victims of the crash were not buckled up.

0Cut 12 (11) “…control.” 

Intoxication is not believed to be a factor in this crash.

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A weekend shooting claims the life of a 10-year-old in Bastrop and has law enforcement asking the community for help. Police say a shortly before 10 o’clock Sunday night, they received a call of a drive-by-shooting. Mayor Betty Alford-Olive says it’s a tragic loss of life.

Cut 13 (09) “…that they get.”

There are reports that a gathering was taking place in the are known as “The Slab” off Carbon Plant Road. When officers arrived, they found a 10-year-old child with a gunshot wound to the chest. Alford-Olive says their hearts grieve for the family.

Cut 14 (10) “…tragedy.”

Alford-Olive extended her condolences to the family of the victim and asked anyone with information about the incident to come forward and offered limited information about the shooting.

Cut 15 (07)“…investigation.”

Police say the child was pronounced dead after being taken to Morehouse General Emergency Room.

Former Governor Edwin Edwards has been moved to hospice but his wife Trina says the 93-year-old is still doing well and is not imminently close to death. Trina says the decision was made after a drop in Edwin’s blood pressure had her bring her husband to the hospital out of an abundance of caution.

Cut 4 (11) “…like that.”

Today was LSU’s new President William Tate IV’s first day on the job and he says addressing the school’s ongoing Title IX scandal will be a major priority for the new administration. He says establishing a firm process for handling complaints will be key…

Cut 6 (12) “…prevail.”

Tate replaces former LSU Interim President Tom Galligan, who served in that role since January of last year.

Governor Edwards signs legislation that will gradually redirect up to 300 million dollars in vehicle sales taxes to infrastructure projects. CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says the long-sought after Mississippi River Bridge will be a priority, but it won’t be the only mega-project on tap…

Cut 10 (12) “…north shore.”

A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of three people, a driver, and two juveniles. Trooper Michal Reichardt says shortly after 9:30, a 2018 Nissan Versa driven by 35-year old Rhona Sanders of Kilbourne failed to stop when it entered LA Highway 17 from Chickasaw.

Cut 12 (10) “…local hospital.”

93-year-old former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards has entered hospice care. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.” 

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William Tate IV, LSU’s new President begins his first official day in office and says scholarships are the answer to improving the university as a whole. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31) …I’m Brooke Thorington.  

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Former Governor Edwin Edwards has been moved to hospice but his wife Trina says the 93-year-old is still doing well and is not imminently close to death.

On Talk Louisiana, Trina Edwards told Jim Engster Edwin has been losing some strength in recent weeks and agreed to place himself in hospice care but is still in good spirits.

Cut 3 (11)  “…around.”

Edwards served the first of his four terms in office in 1972 with his final term ending in 1996. He then went to federal prison following a corruption conviction in 2000 and was released in 2011.

Trina says the decision was made after a drop in Edwin’s blood pressure had her bring her husband to the hospital out of an abundance of caution.

Cut 4 (11) “…like that.”

Trina says mentally the Cajun Prince is as sharp and clever as ever.

Cut 5  (11) “…cutting up.” 

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New LSU’s new President William Tate IV begins his first day on the job, addressing concerns about Title IX and how to improve the university as a research facility and the athletics department. As the Title IX scandal continues, Tate addressed the issue right of the bat how he plans to handle future complaints.

Cut 6 (12) “…prevail.”

Tate is a firm believer in research and fostering a better teaching environment and says scholarships are key. Tate believes investments in scholarships are an investment in the future of the university.

Cut 7 (09) “…environment.”

In terms of LSU athletics, Tate says the school needs to focus on scholar-athletes. He says not every athlete is going to make it on the professional level.

Cut 8 (10) “…even better.”

Tate replaces former LSU Interim President Tom Galligan, who served in that role since January of last year.

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Governor Edwards signs legislation that will gradually redirect up to 300 million dollars in vehicle sales taxes to infrastructure projects.  CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says that a new Mississippi River bridge could be a possibility now.

Cut 9 (11) “…the bill.”

While a new Mississippi River bridge will be a major priority, Kirkpatrick says the Capital Region isn’t the only area mentioned in the bill.

Cut 10 (12) “…north shore.”

Kirkpatrick says they don’t yet know what factors will determine which projects get constructed first.

Cut  11 (07) “….first.” 

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A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of three people, a driver, and two juveniles. Trooper Michal Reichardt says shortly after 9:30, a 2018 Nissan Versa driven by 35-year old Rhona Sanders of Kilbourne failed to stop when it entered LA Highway 17 from Chickasaw.

Cut 12 (10) “…local hospital.”

Reichardt says Sander’s vehicle struck a southbound 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 34-year-old Paden Posey, of Oak Grove. He says Posey was not injured in the crash.

Reichardt says all six in the Versa were not wearing seatbelts. While he cannot says the three victims would have survived the crash if they had been restrained…

Cut 13 (08) “…go anywhere.”

In the northeast section of the state, Reichardt says they’ve now had a total of four traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend. He says while they want you to enjoy the holiday, please do so responsibly.

Cut 14 (06) “…seatbelt.” 

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Cut 15 (08) “…progress” 

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Cut 16 (09) “…soil saturation.” 

Former Governor Edwin Edwards is under hospice care, but his wife says the 93-year-old is still doing well and is not imminently close to death. On Talk Louisiana, Trina Edwards told Jim Engster Edwin has been losing some strength in recent weeks and agreed to place himself in hospice care but is still in good spirits.

Cut 3 (11)  “…around.”

Today is William Tate IV’s first day on the job as LSU’s president. One of the topics he addressed was the school’s need to focus on scholar-athletes. He says not every athlete is going to make it on a professional level.

Cut 8 (10) “…even better.”

Tate also says every Title IX complaint should be thoroughly investigated.

A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of three people, a driver, and two juveniles. Trooper Michael Reichardt says shortly after 9:30, a 2018 Nissan Versa driven by 35-year old Rhona Sanders of Kilbourne failed to stop when it entered LA Highway 17 from Chickasaw.

Cut 12 (10) “…local hospital.”

The driver of the other vehicle was not injured in the crash.

Governor John Bel Edwards signs legislation that will gradually redirect up to 300 million dollars in vehicle sales taxes to infrastructure projects.  CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says that a new Mississippi River bridge could be a possibility now.

Cut 9 (11) “…the bill.”

During his first day on the job LSU’s new President William Tate IV hammered home the idea that expanding the number of scholarships available is the key to improving the university as a whole.

Cut 2 (31) …I’m Brooke Thorington.  

Former Governor Edwin Edwards has been moved to hospice care but his family says his health is still holding pretty strong. On Talk Louisiana, Trina Edwards, his wife, told Jim Engster that Edwin may be in need of additional assistance but he’s still as charming as ever…

Cut 5  (11) “…cutting up.” 

Infrastructure advocates are celebrating the Governor’s signing of legislation that will gradually shift 300 million dollars a year out of the general fund and into a dedicated fund for building roads and bridges. CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says mega projects like bridges over the Calcasieu and Mississippi Rivers are noted in the legislation, but they haven’t determined yet how projects will be prioritized.

Cut 9 (11) “…the bill.”

A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of 35-year old Rhona Sanders of Kilbourne and two juveniles who were riding in her car. Trooper Michal Reichardt says in the northeast section of the state they’ve now had a total of four traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend. He says while they want you to enjoy the holiday, please do so responsibly.

Cut 14 (06) “…seatbelt.” 

Police in Bastrop are asking for helping after a 10-year old was killed on Independence Day.  Bastrop Police says they received a call just before 10 Sunday night in reference to a drive-by-shooting at an area known as “the slab.” They found a 10-year-old child who had been shot through the chest. Initial reports indicate a large crowd was present during the shooting, but no witnesses have come forward.

Former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards has entered hospice care. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.” 

A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of three people, a driver, and two juveniles. Trooper Michal Reichardt says a 2018 Nissan Versa driven failed to stop when it entered LA Highway 17 and none of the six occupants were restrained.  While he cannot say the victims would have survived the crash if they had worn their seatbelts…

Cut 13 (08) “…go anywhere.”

The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

Governor Edwards signs legislation that will gradually redirect up to 300 million dollars in vehicle sales taxes to infrastructure projects.  CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says they don’t yet know what factors will determine which projects get constructed first.

Cut  11 (07) “….first” 

Kilpatrick says a new Mississippi River Bridge is among the projects.

Former Governor Edwin Edwards is now in hospice care with his family saying he’s not at death’s door yet but he could use better access to quality healthcare. On Talk Louisiana Trina Edwards told Jim Engster the decision was made after a drop in Edwin’s blood pressure had her bring the Cajun Prince to the hospital out of an abundance of caution.

Cut 4 (11) “…like that”

William Tate IV took command of LSU today as the schools new President, saying he plans to turn the institution into a widely respected research entity. Tate says there’s a key to building the school’s research reputation and that’s expanding the number of scholarship opportunities…

Cut 7 (10) “…environment.”

Tate replaces former LSU Interim President Tom Galligan, who served in that role since January of last year.

A Sunday evening crash in West Carroll Parish claims the lives of three people, a driver, and two juveniles. Trooper Michal Reichardt says shortly after 9:30, a 2018 Nissan Versa driven by 35-year old Rhona Sanders of Kilbourne failed to stop when it entered LA Highway 17 from Chickasaw.

Cut 12 (10) “…local hospital.”

Reichardt says no one in the Versa was wearing a seatbelt.

Infrastructure advocates are cheering the Governor’s decision to sign legislation that will ultimately dedicate 300 million dollars in general fund money to statewide road and bridge projects. CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says a new bridge over the Mississippi River in the Capitol Region will be a priority, but it won’t be the only mega project on tap…

Cut 10 (12) “…north shore.”

Former Governor Edwin Edwards has been moved to hospice but his wife Trina says the 93-year-old is still doing well and is not imminently close to death. On Talk Louisiana Trina Edwards told Jim Engster Edwin has been losing some strength in recent weeks and agreed to place himself in hospice care but is still in good spirits.

Cut 3 (11)  “…around”

LSU’s new President William Tate IV began his first official day with a press conference this morning answering questions about the Title IX scandal plaguing the school. As expected, questions about that scandal were the first thing he was asked about.

Cut 6 (12) “…prevail.”

Governor Edwards signs legislation that will gradually redirect up to 300 million dollars in vehicle sales taxes to infrastructure projects.  CRISIS Executive Director Scott Kirkpatrick says that a new Mississippi River bridge could be a possibility now.

Cut 9 (12) “…the bill.”

A zoo inside of the Mall of Baton Rouge is closed after a python reportedly got loose. The mall as a whole remains open but the Blue Zoo has been blocked off while zoo staff and local authorities attempt to find, corner, and catch the non-venomous snake.