PM Newscall August 31

An East Carrol Parish group called Delta Interfaith is trying to keep some internet providers from derailing broadband expansion. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Hurricane forecasters are celebrating two milestones today. August is ending without a named storm since 1997. But that’s not all. Marsanne Golsby reports.

Cut 2 (29) I’m Marsanne Golsby.”  

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The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to find a man who disappeared nearly 33 years ago. Investigators say Robert Fulton Browning was last seen walking away from his home on November 27th 1989 after an argument. Deputy Glenn Springfield says they are hoping to find new information to lead them to Browning.

Cut 3 (06) “…in the case.” 

Browning was 53 when he disappeared and would be 85 now. He’s 6 feet tall, with gray eyes and had brown hair at the time. He had moved to Monroe from Indiana. Springfield says they haven’t given up on finding Browning.

Cut 4  (05) “…with him.”

Springfield says the investigation at the time found no leads. He says Browning’s family hasn’t given up either.

Cut 5  (06) “…actually happen.”

If you know anything that could help find Browning, contact the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s investigative division at 318-329-1200.

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A group from East Carroll Parish is in Baton Rouge today hoping to keep the broadband expansion project on track. Nathanael Wills with Delta Interfaith says it’s on hold due to Sparklight, a subsidiary of Cable One protesting the grant awards that they didn’t even apply for to stop competition from providing service.

Cut 6 (08) “…to do.” 

Wills says current laws and rules are written so they favor incumbent providers and what’s happening is if a company that serves even a portion of the area, they can stop competing providers from establishing service and basically block access.

Cut 7 (10) “…pretty messed up.” 

And this is not unique to East Carroll or Louisiana, Wills says Sparklight is holding protests across the country trying to keep competition from being able to provide access to other areas. Wills says they are hoping Governor John Bel Edwards and Commissioner Jay Dardenne will assist their efforts.

Cut 8 (07) “..unfeasible projects.”

Wills says Sparklight is trying to stop expansion in 26 Louisiana communities.

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August is ending without a named storm for the first time since 1997. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ve gone since early July without a named storm and that’s the first time since 1941 that there have been no named storms between July 3rd and August 31st. He says it’s been an odd hurricane season….

Cut 9 (09)  “…above  normal year.”

Keim says dust from Africa has played a role in keeping the tropics quiet…

Cut 10 (09) “..air layer.” 

He says the air layer stabilizes the atmosphere.

But Keim says we can’t let our guard down as September 10th is the peak and there’s still time for a major storm to develop.

Cut 11 (08)  “…pretty low.”

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American Cruise Line announces its newest river cruise ship, the American Symphony, will call Natchez, Mississippi its port of origin by 2025. Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft says it’s wonderful news for the Miss-Lou region….

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The American Symphony currently sails out of New Orleans up the Mississippi River. It’s a 175-passenger boat.

American Cruise Lines CEO Charles Robertson on why Natchez…

Cut 13 (09) “it all” 

Next year, American Cruise Lines plans on introducing three more small ships and Craft says Vidalia could be the home port of one of those vessels…

Cut 14 (11)  “..that ship”