AM Newscall October 31,2016

All of this dry weather in Louisiana is adding up, and drought conditions have gripped the state. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

State Police reminds parents and drivers to be vigilant during Halloween. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Many children in the U.S. are not being vaccinated with the HPV vaccine. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The lack of rain during the month of October in Louisiana has caused drough conditions to develop throughout the region. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the US drought monitor shows 73% of the Bayou State is in drought, and the remaining 27% is considered abnormally dry. He says it’s brutally dry out there…:

cut 4  (10) “of normal rainfall”

Keim says this is considered the 5th driest October since 1895, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any more rain this week either. He says it’s incredible that we went from the August storm event of Biblical proportions and recording breaking flooding, to drought…:

Cut 5  (09)  “use some rain”

Keim says the upside is that this dry weather helps people who are trying to rebuild their homes…:

Cut 6 (10) “for this time of year”

____________________________________________

State Police is giving parents some tips to make sure their trick-or-treaters have a memorable Halloween. Trooper Bryan Lee says it’s a really exciting holiday for kids, so whether you’re taking them out or driving down the roads, it’s important to be vigilant. He says always make sure kids are visible.

CUT 7 (10)  “the street”

Lee reminds parents that masks can often restrict breathing and sight, so make sure your child can see and breathe while wearing their costume. He says it’s always a good idea to check out the sex offender registry before hitting the streets for trick-or-treating at LSP.org.

Cut 8 (08) “are present”

Lee asks drivers to slow down while driving through neighborhoods and avoid distractions. He says historically, Halloween is a deadly holiday when it comes to driving…

Cut 9 (11)  “ride home”

___________________________________________

Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joe Rallo is visiting north Louisiana this week to engage stakeholders and learn about issues facing that region of Louisiana. Rallo says he will provide an overview and an update on the realities of higher education. He says the upcoming legislative session and how it will impact universities will be a big topic of discussion.

Cut 10 (10) “44%”

Rallo says his message will be that public higher education is an investment, not a cost and hopes people will talk with their legislators to ensure it doesn’t faces more cuts. He says in his two years in this position, he’s learned that each region in Louisiana is different and wants to address all the issues they face.

cut 11 (10) “exciting”

Rallo says he’s excited to get a chance to talk with people in north Louisiana because they are very committed to excelling their communities. He says they are aware of the role higher education plays and how they can help

cut 12 (06) “education”

______________________________________________________

The HPV vaccine is a great way to limit a child’s chance of future cancer. That’s according to CDC Director of Immunization Services Dr. Melinda Wharton who says during the ages of 11 and 12, children should be receiving the two shot vaccine..

Cut 13 (11) “anal cancer”

Wharton says the protection received from this vaccine is long lasting and will continue into adulthood. But she says nationally, only about 63-percent of girls have received at least one dose and that number is even lower for boys and the numbers for Louisiana children are similar.

cut 14 (10) “say okay”

Wharton advises parents to bring this up with your child’s pediatrician if it’s not already mentioned. She says when the vaccine was originally introduced, it was recommended that a child get three separate immunizations.

Cut 15 (09) “months later”