The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office says a Gretna truck driver is charged in the rape of a 14-year-old girl. Commander Eric Becnel says 29-year-old Peter James Wilson III arranged to meet the girl through a smartphone app last month. He says after meeting up, Wilson took the girl to the Naval Air Station in Belle Chasse where he was making a delivery…:
CUT 3 (09) “of the truck”
Wilson is charged with forcible rape.

A large portion of southwest Louisiana is in severe drought conditions according to the US Drought Monitor. The area covers Calcasieu, Lafayette and Iberia, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes. Donovan Landreneau, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, says after a wet spring it’s been a dry and hot summer..:
Cut 13 (06) “dry out”
Portions of Caddo and DeSoto parishes also have severe drought conditions.

State Police say a crash in Grant Parish claimed the life of a 7-year-old girl from Pollock Thursday afternoon. Master Trooper Scott Moreau says 26-year-old Kristopher Silk was speeding on Highway 165 when he crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler…:
CUT 6 (10) “the road”
Moreau says the little girl, Adrein Silk, was pronounced dead on scene. Kristopher Silk received moderate injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

The Revenue Estimating Conference today projected a $713 million dollar budget deficit for the fiscal year 2017, $715 million in 2018 and $1.3 billion in 2019. Committee members say the deficit grows because many of the tax measures passed this past legislative session will drop off.