The Restore Louisiana Task Force is discussing how to spend the 438-million dollars the state has received so far from the federal government. Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves says the task force needs to develop specific areas that need disaster funding, like home repair and mental health. He says it will be easier to get federal dollars approved if Congress understands where it will go.
Cut 11 (10) “next request”

A 12-year-old and a 14-year-old have been arrested for vandalizing more than 50 graves and smashing urns in an Independence Cemetery. President of the Colonial Cemetery Association Vincent Spitale says all the name plates were broken and the doors will have to be replaced. He says he wishes he could understand why the teens did a heinous act like this…
Cut 13 (03) “from it”

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged the teens with multiple counts of criminal damage to property, desecration of a grave and simple burglary.

 
LSU will have to play without one of their starting safeties tomorrow when the Tigers take on Southern Miss. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says senior Rickey Jefferson suffered a major leg injury and junior John Battle will take is spot. Coach O says the who team is ready to play after an unexpected week off and the death of school’s live mascot.
Cut 16 (12) “Saturday night.”

The Louisiana Department of Health announces there are now 34 confirmed cases of Zika in the state. All of the cases so far are travel related. There have been no reported cases of the virus being locally transmitted. L-D-H also confirms there have been 20 cases of West Nile virus. 17 of those cases were neuroinvasive, 10 were fever, and three were asymptomatic. There have been no deaths linked to West Nile in Louisiana in 2016.

After receiving 438-million dollars in federal flood recovery dollars from Congress, US Representative Garret Graves of Baton Rouge told a flood recovery task force that they’ll seek more aid in December. Graves says the Comite River Diversion Project and other flood mitigation plans will be at the top of their funding request…
cut 10 (10) “…and businesses”
The governor’s chief disaster recovery adviser says the first round of money will likely go to low to moderate income homeowners who don’t have the resources to rebuild.

Senate candidate Troy Hebert has lost his legal challenge as he tried to get a state district judge to order Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Council for a Better Louisiana to include more than five candidates in next week’s US Senate debate. Also, former US Senator Mary Landrieu has endorsed Democrat Caroline Fayard in the Senate race.

Following an explosion at Camp Minden in September, a plan has put into place to dispose over 200-thousand pounds of explosives that contain an unstable chemical compound…
voicer 1 (30) “…I”m Jeff Palermo

A 20-year-old Baton Rouge man has been charged with negligent homicide in the shooting death of his mother. Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says the 37-year-old mother and her son were involved in a physical argument…
Cut 6 (10) “striking her”
McKneely says the shooter, Dexter Clay Junior, has been cooperative with detectives.

At a meeting of the Restore Louisiana Task Force, Congressman Garret Graves urges members to move quickly as more federal aid is coming. Don Molino has more…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Don Molino”

Baton Rouge Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mother by her own son. Sergeant L’Jean McKneely says the two were having a physical argument and the 20-year-old son, Dexter Clay Junior, was holding a gun…
cut 8 (10) “…through it”
Clay has been charged with negligent homicide.

Louisiana Environmental Quality Secretary Chuck Brown says three bunkers at Camp Minden in Webster Parish contain chemical compounds that are becoming volatile. Brown says on Monday, a robot will open the doors of one of the bunkers to let the fire out…
cut 5 (10) “….plan in place”
Brown says if all goes well early Monday morning, then they’ll do the other two bunkers later in October.

In Tangipahoa Parish, a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old have been arrested for vandalizing over 50 graves and smashing urns in an Independence Cemetery. Vincent Spitale, president of Colonial Cemetery Association, says so many things were destroyed….
cut 12 (10) “…cement floor”
The teens are facing several charges.

Flood recovery discussions are ongoing, as the Restore Louisiana Task Force is deciding how to spend the $438 million the state has received so far from the federal government. Republican Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves says they will seek more federal assistance, but it’s important for the state to decide quickly how they’ll allocate the first installment of federal funds.

Cut 9 (10) “be spent”

Graves says Louisiana’s congressional delegation will seek additional funding when Congress reconvenes in December.

Baton Rouge police say a 20-year-old man accidentally shot and killed his mother during an argument. Cpl. L’Jean McKneely says when authorities arrived at the scene, Dexter Clay Jr. was applying pressure to the wound on his mother, Melissa Clay. He says Dexter Clay fully cooperated with police…

Cut 7 (07) “negligent homicide”

Camp Minden officials plan to burn off volatile explosives in an effort to prevent any more spontaneous explosions. The Louisiana National Guard has been burning off M6 propellant in contained burning chambers. DEQ Secretary Chuck Brown says nearly 200-thousand pounds of CBI will be destroyed, as well as 40-thousand pounds of M6 propellant.

Cut 4 (09) “ignitor”

Authorities say a dangerous Tensas parish inmate has escaped police custody as he was being transported from jail to the courthouse. Latilo Lewis was being charged with rape, attempted murder, kidnapping, and robbery. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Here’s a look at today’s commodities…

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Officials announce plans to dispose of volatile explosives at Camp Minden in Webster Parish that led to a bunker exploding in September. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Chuck Brown says there are three bunkers that contain Clean Burning Ignitor, which is deteriorating and becoming more unstable each day. He says they plan on opening the doors of one bunker on Monday to let the fire out.
Cut 3 (12) “taking off”

A 20-year-old Baton Rouge man has been charged with negligent homicide in the shooting death of his mother. BRPD Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says the 37-year-old mother and her son got into a verbal argument, which turned physical…
Cut 6 (10) “striking her”

An East Baton Rouge flood victim couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that he’d won $1 million from the Powerball. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Two teenagers were arrested in Independence for vandalizing over 50 graves and breaking urns then dumping ashes on the ground. Authorities found the 14-year-old hiding on a mausoleum and the 12-year-old was found riding a bike close to the cemetery. The Tangiphoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says they also discovered many American flags had been removed, damaged and thrown on the ground. Both have been charged with numerous counts of criminal damage to property, desecration of a grave and simple burglary.

We’re halfway through October, but you wouldn’t know it by the weather. State climatologist Barry Keim it’s abnormally warm and dry this month. He says a lack of clouds and rain is keeping temperatures higher than usual for this time of year.
Cut 8 (07) “future”
He says so far this month Louisiana has only seen one one-hundredth of an inch of rain.

LSU Health New Orleans will be one of 11 sites in the country that will use immunotherapy to treat Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare form of cancer. Director of the LSU Health New Orleans Cancer Doctor Augusto Ochoa says this is huge news, because other forms of treatment were unsuccessful…
cut 5 (11) “…got treated”
The Al Copeland Foundation donated 100-thousand dollars to support this clinical trial.

LSU will play Florida this season and the game will be held in Death Valley on November 19th, instead of the Swamp. LSU’s previously scheduled game for that day against South Alabama has been cancelled. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says swapping out the Jaguars for the Gators, creates a difficult finish to the season….:
Cut 16 (08) “and Texas A&M”
As part of the deal, LSU agreed to play Florida in Gainesville the next two years.

An East Baton Rouge Parish flood victim, who is retired, will be able to pay off his damaged thanks to the Powerball. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says 72-year-old James Lapeze won a one-million-dollar prize by playing Powerball…
cut 15 (10) “…start playing”
After taxes are taken out, Lapeze will take home 700-thousand dollars.

We’ve been warm and dry for October but State Climatologist Barry Keim says a front will move in towards the end of next week, which could bring in some rain and cooler temperatures. He says this is normally the driest month of the year for Louisiana, so it’s not a surprise we’ve had so little rainfall…:
CUT 9 (10) “like that”
Keim says so far this month Louisiana has only seen one one-hundredth of an inch of rain.

A man from East Baton Rouge Parish, whose Central home flooded, is elated about winning $1 million dollars from the Powerball. Louisiana Lottery spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says 72-year-old James Lapeze couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw his ticket…:
CUT 14 (08) “that house”
The ticket has a cash value of $700 thousand dollars.

LSU and Florida will play each other on November 19th, but in Tiger Stadium, instead of Gainesville. Jeff Palermo has more..:
Cut 2 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Two boys are in big trouble and facing many charges on allegations they desecrated graves in Tangipahoa Parish. The Sheriff’s Office says many of the sites were damaged, American flags on veterans graves on the ground and ashes dumped. They say the 12-year-old and the 14-year-old are booked on 50 counts of criminal damage to property, 50 counts of desecration of a grave and 32 counts of simple burglary.