State Police in Jefferson Parish are seeking a hit & run driver that killed two people early this morning on the Westbank Expressway in Marrero. Trooper Kate Stegall says the victims were on a motorscooter, when a Ford F-150 extended cab pickup came up behind, and just plowed them over…:

CUT 10  (07)        “…failed to stop.”

Stegall says both the operator of the scooter and the passenger were tossed into the roadway and died at the scene. They have not yet been identified. The pickup driver drove off dragging part of the scooter with it.

Four women accused of abusing kids at a daycare center in the Concordia Parish town of Vidalia pleaded guilty to most charges Thursday. The four were booked on a total of 21 counts of cruelty to juveniles and took a guilty plea to 13. They had allegedly hit kids under their care with sticks at times. They could each get ten years or more in jail.

A Lafourche Parish jury needed only an hour and a half to return a unanimous guilty verdict against 55-year-old Morgan Ratley, of Cutoff, for raping a teenager while her mother was restrained. David Melancon, with the Lafourche DA, says it happened in July of 2019…:

CUT 03(08)      “…by our office.”

Convicted of 1^st degree rape, Ratley’s sentencing is scheduled for October 19th. He faces a mandatory life sentence.

The mystery of who will be LSU’s starting quarterback remains unsolved. But Tiger Rag Magazine Assistant Editor Williams Weathers believes it will most likely be Jayden Daniels because he’s had 29 starts at the Division 1 level in the Pac-12…:

CUT 12(09)      “…make more sense.”

Kickoff is 6:30 Sunday night in the Superdome.

A Lafourche Parish jury of 12 took only 90-minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict against 55-year-old Morgan Ratley of Cutoff, for raping a teen girl while her mother was tied up. Ratley was the mom’s live-in boyfriend and had been assaulting the girl for some time when the July 2019 attack happened. David Melancon, with the Lafourche DA’s office, says evidence on the victim’s cell phone helped to nail Ratley…:

CUT 05  (11)        “…able to collect.”

State Police in Troop B ask the public’s help solving a hit & run early this morning in Marrero, in Jefferson Parish, that left two people dead. Trooper First Class Kate Stegall says it happened on the elevated Westbank Expressway at about 3:30 am…:

CUT 09(12)      “…on the scooter.”

The driver of the 2004 white Ford F150 extended cab fled the scene. If you can help all LSP: 504-471-2775

After a two-year break due to COVID, the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival returns to Opelousas Saturday. Festival executive director Lena Charles says Zydeco gained popularity with poor farm workers as a way to boost their spirits after a long day in the fields. Live music this year includes Grammy winner Chubby Carrier, and a tribute to the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier. Charles said they had virtual events during the COVID break, but there’s nothing like being able to share the best of Southwest Louisiana in person…:

CUT 08(12)      “…you know that.”

…and now today’s markets…

Construction is underway in Iberville Parish on a new state prison for women. And officials say the 280-thousand square foot facility is not designed just to lock up female criminals but to rehabilitate them. Corrections Secretary Jimmy Leblanc says they’ll have several programs where inmates can learn cosmetology, horticulture, welding, and computer programming. He says there will also be mental health services…
cut 12 (10) “….with their children’
Construction is expected to take 28 months.

More than 30 pounds of trash headed to the Gulf of Mexico was intercepted by a device called the Litter Gitter. Gulf of Mexico Alliance spokesperson Amanda Nalley says the device was placed on a residential canal in Metairie.
Cut 13 (12) “…stopped from getting there.”

If all goes well, the Artemis unmanned mission to circle the moon will launch tomorrow. Marsanne Golsby on how some students are fascinated by space travel.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Marsanne Golsby”

There’s a couple of big festivals on the calendar this weekend, the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City and in Opelousas tomorrow it’s the Original Southwest Louisiana Music Festival. Festival director Lena Charles says the festival began in soybean field in 1982 and they’ve made it an all-day event …
cut 7 (13) “…of the story
The festival starts at noon at the Yambilee Festival Building.

A Cut-Off man faces life in prison after a jury convicted him of raping a teenager while the mother was restrained. Lafourche Parish district attorney’s office spokesperson David Melancon says the victim testified during the trial and delivered powerful testimony, describing the sexual abuse and fear she lives with at the hands of 55-year-old Morgan Ratley…
Cut 4 (09) “…strength”
Ratley will be sentenced next month, the incident occurred in July of 2019.

Six years ago the state’s lone female only prison flooded and construction is finally underway on a new women’s prison in Iberville Parish. State Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc says the 149-million dollar facility will have 938-beds and it’s designed to rehabilitate prisoners…
cut 10 (09) “…go home”
The new facility will have courses on cosmetology, horticulture, welding, and computer programming.

Football has finally returned to Louisiana. You have high school games tonight, college football tomorrow and Sunday night it’s the season opener for the LSU Tigers who face Florida State in the Superdome in New Orleans. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says there will be a big party outside of the Dome prior to kick-off at Champions Square…
cut 28 (10) “…makes Louisiana special”

After a two-year break due to COVID, the Original Southwest Louisiana Music Festival returns to Opelousas Saturday. Festival executive director Lena Charles says Zydeco gained popularity with poor farm workers as a way to boost their spirits after a long day in the fields. She says it has the same effect today.
Cut 6 (10) “…away from that.”
The festival starts at noon at the Yambilee Festival Building. There’s seven bands, including Grammy winner Chubby Carrier.

A twelve person jury needed only one and a half hours before returning a unanimous guilty verdict against 55-year-old Morgan Ratley of Cut-off for raping a teenager while the mother was restrained. Lafourche Parish District Attorney spokesperson David Melancon says the horrific incident happened in July of 2019…
cut 3 (08) “….by our office”
Melancon says Ratley was a live-in boyfriend of the mother and began sexually assaulting the teenage victim without the mother’s knowledge.

Construction has started on a new state prison for women in Iberville Parish. Corrections Secretary Jimmy Leblanc says construction on the 938-bed facility should take about 28 months…
cut 11 (11) “…local level”
The state’s previous women only prison was several damaged by the August 2016 flood.

Anticipation is high for the LSU Fighting Tigers’ season opener against Florida State Sunday in the Superdome. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says his office made a $1-million sponsorship to assure the event came to New Orleans, and it is paying off…:
Cut 7 (08) “…here in Louisiana.”
Nungesser will conduct the opening coin toss.

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance says innovative technology stopped nearly 32 pounds of trash from flowing from a Metairie canal into the Gulf of Mexico. A device known as the Litter Gitter was used to collect the trash, 51-percent of it was plastic and 26-percent Styrofoam. Gulf of Mexico Alliance spokesperson Amanda Nalley says trash on the streets can make its way into bayous and canals and eventually into the gulf.
Cut 14 (08) “…thing for the gulf.”

Six years ago the state’s only prison for women flooded and construction is finally underway on a new female prison in the Iberville Parish. Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc says the 149-million dollar facility will have 938-beds and it’s designed to rehabilitate prisoners…
cut 10 (09) “…go home”
The new facility will have courses on cosmetology, horticulture, welding, and computer programming.

Big tourism weekend in New Orleans as the Southern Decadence Festival is back for the first time since 2019 and there’s also a soldout football game on Sunday night between LSU and Florida State. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the college football season always brings in extra visitors…
cut 9 (07) “….at every university”

If all goes well, the Artemis unmanned mission to circle the moon will launch tomorrow. Marsanne Golsby on how some students are fascinated by space travel.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Marsanne Golsby”

Shreveport says it’s making progress in it’s effort to make repairs to three of the city’s water tanks which led to a city-wide boil advisory. Two of the water tanks have restored. A boil advisory was issued after Louisiana Department of Health drones discovered holes in the top of several water tanks during a routine inspection.

Construction is underway on the state’s newest women’s prison in the Iberville Parish town of St. Gabriel. Brooke Thorington has more on the $149-million facility…
Cut 3 (28) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Two Baton Rouge Police officers have been arrested in unrelated cases. Officer Richmond Barrow is accused of selling info to drug dealers and officer Wade Hill allegedly handcuffed a woman and brought her to an apartment and sexually assaulted her.

Over in Lafayette, a 17-year-old has been arrested for fatally shooting a 15-year-old. Detectives say the shooting was over drugs.

A device called the Litter Gitter prevented more than 30 points of trash from flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. It was placed in a residential canal in Metairie. Gulf of Mexico Alliance spokesperson Amanda Nalley says a large portion of the plastic that was collected was water bottles…
cut 15 (09) “….some of this”
And Nalley says 26-percent of of the trash collected by the Litter Gitter was Styrofoam.

Two generations ago, classrooms were glued to televisions watching Apollo moon missions. Hannah Populus didn’t see the first moon launches, but she’s really excited about the launch of Artemis, a crewless space ship heading to the moon if the weather in Florida cooperates tomorrow. The Baton Rouge teacher has brought that excitement to her students at Parkview Baptist School.
Cut 4 (08) “…for me”
Populus says she has one student considering a career as a NASA engineer.

The first big football weekend has arrived. You have high school football games tonight, college football on Saturday and Sunday’s LSU Tigers season opener with new coach Brian Kelly in the Superdome is expected to be a big boost to tourism in the Crescent City.
Cut 2 (31) “….I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

Last night, La Tech lost its season opener to Missouri 52-24.

In the NFL, Saints safety Marcus Maye has been charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Deputies say Maye pointed a gun at a vehicle occupied by several juvenile females in a road rage incident. Maye’s attorney says his client vehemently denies the allegation.

Construction is underway in Iberville Parish on a new state prison for women. And officials say the 280-thousand square foot facility is not designed just to lock up female criminals but to rehabilitate them. Corrections Secretary Jimmy Leblanc says they’ll have several programs where inmates can learn cosmetology, horticulture, welding, and computer programming. He says there will also be mental health services…
cut 12 (10) “….with their children’

Weather permitting, Artemis One, will launch tomorrow from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The unmanned space ship is headed to the moon. In Louisiana classrooms it’s a topic of discussion. Hannah Populus is an English teacher in Baton Rouge, but she loves space so much she incorporates the theme into writing exercises. Recently the class pretended they were going to Mars.
Cut 5 (10) “…in reality”