A Baton Rouge man who is accused of beating to death his 77-year-old roommate then burying him in a tomato garden was indicted Wednesday for second degree murder. The suspect is 54-year-old Douglas Studeman. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore on the indictment…

cut 14 (06) “proceed forward”

Moore argued Chester Oakley opened his home to the suspect earlier this year in exchange for some help around the house. Police found the victim’s bludgeoned body wrapped in bed sheets under some fresh dirt in a garden at the house.

Forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center have updated their forecast for the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season and now say there is an increased chance it will be below-normal. Lead seasonal forecaster Gerry Bell says the outlook issued today calls for a 70% chance of a below normal season…:

cut 9 (05) “has increased”

He encourages Gulf Coast residents to remain prepared throughout the season.

A 57-million dollar construction project is set to begin on US 90 in Lafayette Parish as crews will expand that highway from four to six lanes from Ambassador Caffery to Albertsons Parkway. Estimated construction time is three years, but State Department of Transportation spokesperson Deidra Druilhet says US 90 will remain open during that time…

cut 7 (12) “as possible”

Druilhet says once construction is completed on the one-point-six mile stretch of roadway, motorists will see less traffic congestion and the wider highway should lead to economic growth.

Louisiana State Police say the police chief in the Vernon Parish town of Rosepine is under arrest for allegedly stalking his estranged wife. Sgt James Anderson says 49-year-old Chief James Parrott allegedly followed his wife and another man around and also called her employer requesting that she be fired. He says Parrott picked up a malfeasance in office charge for allegedly using the police department’s equipment to extend the crime…:

cut 5 (06) “male companion”

Anderson says once the suspect bonded out on a $1000 bond at Vernon Parish he was also booked in Beauregard Parish on a $15,000 bond for the same charges.

As most kids head back to school, State Police reminds motorists that cell phones are now banned, by law, in a school zone. Trooper Jared Sandifer says cops will be out enforcing this law…

cut 14 (11) “for that”

He says the first offense fine is $175.

State Police say the man who drove through a house in Schriever and caused the death of a 2-year-old baby on June 27 was extremely drunk at the time according to blood-alcohol tests that came back this week. Trooper Evan Harrell says during the incident, 20-year-old Tony Milligan of Houma rear-ended another car then fled the scene…:

cut 12 (09) “a two year old child”

Harrell says Milligan remains in jail on a vehicular homicide charge among many others and is being held on $300,000 bond.

A 57-million dollar construction project is set to begin on US 90 in Lafayette Parish as crews will expand that highway from four to six lanes from Ambassador Caffery to Albertsons Parkway. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Deidra Druilhet says they are upgrading US 90 to interstate standards as part of a larger plan to extend I-49 South…

cut 6 (10) “job growth”

Estimated construction time is three years.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa now stands at 932, according to the World Health Organization. Medical Director for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Dr. Frank Welch, says there is no real threat of an outbreak in Louisiana, but as a precaution, all hospitals in the state have been alreted to the signs and symptoms of Ebola and how to do a screening…

cut 8 (10) “level of alert”

Welch says Ebola is not spreading in the United States.

State Police say the man accused of driving his vehicle into a home in Schriever, which killed a 2-year-old child, then fleeing the scene, was found to be heavily intoxicated at the time of the June 27th crash. They say 20-year-old Tony Milligan of Houma remains jailed on vehicular homicide and several other charges. His bond is $300,000.

Louisiana State Police says the police chief in the Vernon Parish town of Rosepine is under arrest for allegedly stalking his estranged wife. Sgt. James Anderson says they received a complaint abut 49-year-old Chief James Parrott and began the investigation last month…

cut 3 (09) “in office”

Anderson says Parrott allegedly followed his wife and another man around and also called her employer requesting that she be fired.

As summer winds down several major film projects are wrapping up across the state. Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, Chris Stelly, says the number of projects filmed in Louisiana has steadily increased over the past few years. He says the future of the film industry in the state looks bright…

cut 12 (07) “of strengthening”

He says we’re currently in a standard industry lull, but projects are coming in for the last few months of the year.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in west Africa now stands at 932, according to the World Health Organizations. Should people in Louisiana be concerned? Eric Gill has more…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

State Police say the man who is accused of driving his vehicle into a home in Schriever and fleeing the scene, an incident that killed a 2-year-old child, was found to be heavily intoxicated at the time of the June 27th crash. They say 20-year-old Tony Milligan of Houma remains in jail on vehicular homicide and many other charges. His bond is $300,000.

As summer winds down and we look toward the fall, it looks like another banner year for the film industry in Louisiana. Jurassic World, Pitch Perfect 2, Terminator 5, and a new Fantastic Four movie were all filmed here this year. Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, Chris Stelly, says there are more movie productions scheduled for the Bayou State…:
CUT 10 (13) “The Runner”
It doesn’t end there and Stelly says the film industry in Louisiana is just going to keep getting bigger and bigger.

State Police say the Police Chief in the Vernon Parish town of Rosepine is under arrest for allegedly stalking his estranged wife. They say 49-year-old James Parrott is accused of following his wife and a male friend around and also calling her employer and requesting she be terminated. He was also arrested in Beauregard Parish as the crimes took place in both.

With the horrible Ebola outbreak happening in West Africa, you may be wondering if we’re threatened by it in Louisiana. DHH Medical Director Dr. Frank Welch says no but staying educated about the seriousness of the disease is a good idea. He says you cannot contract Ebola very easily like, for example, the flu…:
CUT 9 (07) “of getting that”
He says there are no reports of Ebola being transmitted in the United States.

A new 14-million dollar laboratory for animal and food science research is open for business on the LSU Baton Rouge campus. LSU Ag Center Associate Vice Chancellor Phil Elzer says the state-of-the-art research and teaching facility has spacious labs and three-million dollars in new equipment…:
CUT 4 (08) “United States”
He says this is huge for the LSU animal and food science program.

It’s now against the law to use your cell phone in a school zone. State Police wants you to keep that in mind as the kids head back to class this week. Scott Carwile has that…:
CUT 3 (30) “reporting”

A fire has been controlled and extinguished after the gift shop went ablaze Wednesday night on the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville. The flames were dangerously close to the historic building in West Feliciana Parish, but firefighters were able to save the main building. There is no word yet of what caused the fire.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been making some progress to work his way back from an oblique strain that has kept him on the sidelines at practice now for five days. Coach Sean Payton says Brees is still day to day and hasn’t made the call yet on whether or not the QB will play in tomorrow night’s preseason opener against the Rams on the road.

Saints owner Tom Benson left training camp in West Virginia early a day after he was hospilized due a shortness of breath Tuesday in the high altitude of the Greenbrier resort. A team spokesman says Benson had to tend to some business at the New Orleans team offices today and that he’s doing fine but he will miss Friday’s game.

Preseason contests begin tonight.

Former LSU star and Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gausman is becoming an ace in Major League baseball. He’s 3-1 with a 3.97 ERA for the Orioles this season.

New Louisiana Tech defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is installing his scheme during fall camp in Ruston. Diaz says it’s important that the system is not so complicated that the players are slow to react….
CUT 16 (14) “….play fast”
The pressure is on Diaz to get the Bulldog defensive players up to speed on their responsibilities, because Tech visits third ranked Oklahoma in the season opener.

LSU officials announce they are working on plans to improve fan experience and that’s why they’ve added 2300 new parking spots on campus and plan to contra-flow south Nicholson Drive after the games from now on. 1500 of the new spots don’t require a parking pass they say.

As most kids head back to the classroom this week State Police is reminding motorists that cell phones are now banned, by law, in a school zone. Trooper Jared Sandifer says using your hand held cell phone at all in a school zone is now illegal…:
CUT 13 (10) “too and from school”
Sandifer says a first violation of the cell phone school zone ban is a $175 fine and subsequent violations can be up to $500.

The LSU Alumni Association President is speaking out against a lawsuit alleging he offered lifetime payoffs to a former female employee with whom he was reportedly having a sexual relationship. In a statement released Wednesday, Dr. Charlie Roberts said he was “blindsided” by the accusations, and responded that the charges claiming he paid off Kay Heath – when she was let go – are false. Roberts is being represented by high-profile attorney Mary Olive Pierson.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa now stands at 932, according to the World Health Organizations. DHH Medical Director Dr. Frank Welch says there is no real threat of an outbreak in Louisiana, but residents should educate themselves on the seriousness of this Ebola outbreak…:
CUT 7 (15) “1700 cases”
He says the Ebola virus is spread by very close personal contact with an infected person through their bodily fluids.