Based on data collected by the Public Affairs Research Council, Louisiana has the second highest incarceration rate in the country. PAR President Steven Procopio says Mississippi was number one. He says a major issue in Louisiana and the rest of the country is the number of inmates who return to prison within five years after being released. He says the three-year recidivism rate for those convicted of crimes in Louisiana is 34-percent..:

CUT 08(06)      “…violent crime.”

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins’ appeal of a local judge’s decision he was disqualified from running for re-election is now in the hands of the 2^nd Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges heard arguments from Perkins’ lawyers and plaintiffs today. Their decision is not yet known. Perkins says he is a victim of political chicanery, and he’ll take his appeal all the way to the state Supreme Court if needs be.

The Great American Seafood Cookoff is Saturday in New Orleans and Amanda Cusey of Lake Charles will try to beat out 13 other chefs from around the country to be named the Queen of American Seafood. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says Cusey is the executive chef at Lake Charles’s “The Villa Harlequin”…:

CUT 12(09)      “…and uhh and cheated.”

Opening ceremonies are at 11:15 tomorrow at the New Orleans Convention Center

Speaking of seafood, it’s National Oyster Day…so go get you some tonight. State Oyster task Force Chair Mitch Jurisich says Hurricane Ida last fall set oyster beds back, but there ARE plenty of oysters available…:

CUT 05(08)      “…biggest and the best.”

Louisiana drops from the top of a so-called “bad list”; no longer having the nation’s highest rate of incarceration. Data compiled by the Public Affairs Research Council shows Mississippi now holds that dubious honor. PAR head Steven Procopio says Mississippi then Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Alabama make up the top five, and once you get past them, the state-by-state rates drop off considerably..:

CUT 07(08)      “…of our 570.”

Cops in Baton Rouge bust a Houma man for the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl; one he enticed to a meeting via SnapChat. BRPD’s Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says 20-year-old Kwan Allen attacked the girl in a mall parking lot and now faces rape and sexual battery charges. He urges parents to be aware of what your kids do online..:

CUT 11(09)      “…has happened.”

We’re still waiting for a decision from the 2^nd Circuit Court of Appeals on Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins’ disqualification from his re-election bid. Perkins reportedly used the wrong home address on qualifying papers, but his attorneys say it was just a clerical error. His fate as mayor now rests with three Appeals Court judges.

It’s National Oyster Day but how is the state’s oyster industry fairing…?

CUT 01(31)      “…Thorington.”

A Houma man is under arrest; accused of luring an underage Baton Rouge girl to a personal meetup at which he raped her. Baton Rouge Police spokesman Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says 20-year-old Kwan Allen assaulted the victim inside his car in a shopping mall parking lot. After the attack, the girl went to a hospital, where a sexual assault kit was performed…:

CUT 10  (07)        “…to a hospital.”

Allen is charged with sexual battery and 2^nd degree rape. McKneely advises parents to be more aware of your kids’ online relationships.

It’s National Oyster Day and we all LOVE real Louisiana oysters, but the local industry has been in serious recovery mode thanks to the last two hurricane seasons. Oyster Task Force Chairman Mitch Jurisich says Ida did a lot of damage to oyster beds…:

CUT 04(09)      “…by a thread.”

A dozen char-grilled would be realty good right now.

In Shreveport today, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in Mayor Adrian Perkins’ appeal of his disqualification from the fall election. Plaintiffs argued he gave an incorrect address when qualifying to run. Perkins’ lawyers say it was a clerical error that shouldn’t kick him from the race. His ability to run again now rests with three judges. Neither Perkins nor the plaintiffs had any comment when leaving court today.

Based on data collected by the Public Affairs Research Council conducted, they determined Louisiana has the second highest incarceration rate in the country. PAR President Steven Procopio says Mississippi was number one…:

CUT 06(06)      “…570.”

Following Mississippi and Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Alabama rank in the top five for the highest incarceration rates.

Police Baton Rouge arrest a 20-year-old Houma man for the alleged rape of an underage girl. BRPD spokesman Sgt. L’Jean (EL-gene) McKneely says 20-year-old Kwan Allen made contact with the 16-year-old girl via social media; representing himself being much younger. McKneely says he courted the girl for weeks before enticing her to a meeting at the Mall of Louisiana…:

CUT 09  (09)        “…upon her”

McKneely says the victim’s 8-year-old sister was waiting in the teen girls’ car, while the assault was occurring in Allen’s vehicle. Allen’s been charged with sexual battery and 2^nd degree rape.

New Orleans hosts the annual Great American Seafood Cookoff Saturday. Winning chefs from across the USA will compete for top honors, and one of them is Chef Amanda Cusey. The executive chef at The Villa Harlequin in Lake Charles, Cusey took top state honors back in June at the Louisiana Seafood Cookoff.

Louisiana has dropped from the top of one of those ”bad lists.” More from Marsanne Golsby…:

CUT 02  (30)        “…Golsby.”

FEMA has announced an additional $11 million in federal grant funding for disaster aid related to Hurricane Laura relief efforts, according to Sen. John Kennedy. The funds are part of a $69 million relief package intended for communities affected by Hurricane Laura and Ida. A large portion of the funds is to assist in the repairing of schools that were damaged during the storms.

High utility bills continue to plague residents and PSC Commissioner Craig Greene says they are looking at ways to help lower rates. He says the commission wants utility providers to become customer service-focused, more energy efficient, and look at long-term resiliency…:

CUT 10(08)      “…we’ve had.”

He says you can ask your local PSC office to review your bill for possible errors.

Baton Rouge Police arrest a Houma man for the alleged rape of an underage girl. The crime took place in late May, and the victim says 20-year-old Kwan Allen told her he was much younger; chatting with her online for some time before asking to meet her at the Mall of Louisiana. It was then the assault occurred. Allen is charged with sexual battery and 2^nd-degree rape.

It’s National Oyster Day but how is the state’s industry fairing? Brooke Thorington has more…

CUT 01(31)      “…Thorington.”

…and now today’s markets, with Louisiana Farm Bureau’s Neil Melancon…

It’s national oyster day and the Bayou State is very familiar with the well-loved seafood, but the local industry has been in serious recovery mode thanks to the last two hurricane seasons. Oyster Task Force Chairman Mitch Jurisich says they are starting to see oyster spawns.
Cut 3 (12) “…market time.”
He says Ida wiped out the Houma area, and in Plaquemines Parish, they lost about 30 percent of their crop, other areas lost as much as 80 percent.

Governor John Bel Edwards is off to Europe today to swap flood control challenges with the Netherlands.
Cut 7 (07) “….water levels increase.”
The governor will see firsthand one of the Netherlands’ ambitious and innovative flood control infrastructure.

Entergy says the doubling of natural gas prices from June of last year to June of this year has resulted in the higher than normal electric bills this summer. But Public Service Commissioner Craig Greene says there should be incentives for utility providers who lock in prices early and pass those savings to ratepayers…
cut 12 (10) “…their profit”

During the regular session, lawmakers approved four cancer care bills that advocates say provide cutting edge cancer testing and treatments that will be covered by your insurance. Cancer survivor and former state representative Julie Stokes says cancer testing will be enhanced by a biomarker testing legislation and another new law expands access to precision medicine…
cut 30 (09) “…are for you”

New laws signed by the governor aim to make cutting-edge cancer detection and new treatments more readily available…and covered by your insurance. More from Kevin Gallagher…:

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

Governor Edwards says policy and procedure changes are on the way at DCFS after a two-year-old Baton Rouge child died in June but before his death, he was taken to the emergency room on two separate occasions for a suspected drug overdose. Doctors reportedly alerted DCFS twice that they found fentanyl in the young boy’s system.

Governor Edwards leaves for the Netherlands today where he’ll get a first-hand look at some of their flood control projects. He says his trip which also includes a stop in France will also look at how the state can improve the Port of New Orleans….

Cut 8 (11)  “…port system.”
PSC Commissioner Craig Greene says even though companies like Entergy spent $4.5 billion to restore power after the hurricanes, they have to be reimbursed for that cost which falls on the ratepayer. Greene says he’s often asked if the company is going to send their shareholders a billion dollars why can’t they chip in on repairs?

Cut  11 (09)  “…taking the risk.” 

Greene says the commission is looking at ways to lower your power bill.