LRN PM Newscall August 23

A large fire in southwest Louisiana has resulted in evacuation orders. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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With less than two months before the primary election, a new poll reveals Republican Jeff Landry holds a solid lead in the governor’s race, receiving 36 percent of the vote. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx”  

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A large wildfire in Beauregard Parish in southwest Louisiana has led to evacuations. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson Mike Steele says the town of Merryville is under a voluntary evacuation and residents on Neale Oil Field Road have been told they must leave as this wildfire has impacted hundreds of  acres…

Cut 3 (05) “…they’ve seen”

Authorities have closed Highway 110 in the Merryville area. Authorities have closed Highway 110 in the Merryville area. Steele says firefighters are having a hard time controlling this blaze

Cut 4 (12) “…so important”

Several rural areas have been impacted by wildfires this month and Steele says the fear is that it will only get worse as the hot and dry weather is showing no signs of relenting…

Cut 5 (11) “…a problem”

Steele says there have been 357 wildfires reported this month, in June only 65 fires. GOHSEP has activated its State Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate response to hundreds of fires.

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We’re all depending on our air conditioners to keep us cool and safe these days. Home improvement expert Paul LaGrange of LaGrange Consulting says because your A/C is working overtime, change your return air filter monthly, even if the instructions say every 90 days.

Cut 6 (06) “…worth it.” 

A dirty air filter puts an extra strain on your A/C that’s already working overtime. And don’t rely on an eye test for your filter, put a reminder in your phone and change it monthly.

If you’ve been told you have a small return air space, LaGrange says to buy a less restrictive air filter. He says if it whistles you want a thinner air filter.

Another way to keep your home cool is by keeping the windows, blinds, and curtains closed. LaGrange says if you must cook use the microwave, and try to use your stove and oven as little as possible.

Cut 7 (05) “…your house.” 

Keep your doors closed as much as possible to keep the cool air in and warm air out. LaGrange says photos of putting tents over your outside condenser circulating on social media can be misleading. While the shade is good, you don’t want to trap air above the unit…

Cut 8 (10) “…conditioning system.”

He says a tent over the condenser and even hosing it off, unfortunately, forces the unit to work harder.

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A new poll shows Republican Jeff Landry with a big lead in the governor’s race. In the survey of 800 likely voters, Landry has 36 percent of the vote. Democrat Shawn Wilson has 26 percent while everyone else is in single digits. LA Politics.com Jeremy Alford says there are 38 days before early voting begins…

Cut 9 (12) “…votes go.”

The poll indicates Landry and Wilson remain positioned to finish in the top two spots in the October 14 primary and would advance to the run-off election on November 18. Alford says the poll shows Wilson collected 60 percent of the Democratic vote.

Cut 10 (11) “…to see.”

Seven-percent of the respondents support Independent Hunter Lundy, while Republicans Stephen Waguespack John Schroder has four percent, Sharon Hewitt and Richard Nelson have six percent or less. Alford says Lundy it’s notable that Lundy finished third in this poll…

Cut 11 (12) “…race now.”

Several media outlets paid for the poll and it was conducted by Faucheaux Strategies last week.

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High profile attorney Ben Crump is demanding the U-S Justice Department pursue federal civil rights charges against the officers involved in the 2019 police custody death of Ronald Greene. Crump believes this is a slam dunk case because police body camera video shows excessive force was used as officers attempted to arrest Greene following a lengthy police chase…

Cut 12 (08) “…Ronald Greene”

Body-camera footage shows officers kicking and punching Greene following a high speed chase that ended in Union Parish along a rural highway Former State Trooper Kory York and four other officers were indicted on state charges, but so far federal prosecutors have not acted on the case.

Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, can’t believe it’s been over four years and no federal indictment…

Cut 13 (10) “…need it now.”  (2x)

Crump along with members of Greene’s family spoke in front of the Union Parish Courthouse on Tuesday. Crump says it’s critical that the Justice Department launches a federal civil rights investigation…

Cut  14 (10)  “…excessive force.”

Meanwhile, Attorney Mike Small, who represents York, is looking to get his state charges thrown out because prosecutors used statements made during an internal State Police investigation in his criminal case.