Former Louisiana House Speaker Joe Salter has died at the age of 82. Salter was an educator from Sabine Parish and spent 22 years in the House. He served as House Speaker from 2004 to 2008 when Kathleen Blanco was governor. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat remembers Salter as a friendly man.

Cut 9 (12)  “…consoling.”

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser hopes that the new Mardi Gras service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, leads to an expansion of passenger rail service throughout Louisiana. He said he’d like to see service from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and then Baton Rouge to Shreveport and a line that crosses north Louisiana along I-20.

Cut 4 (12) “…will be.”

Drivers headed to Texas on I-10 early Saturday morning found themselves having to dodge unexpected obstacles up above. Cables dangling from a construction crane caused four crashes, in which two people suffered minor injuries. State Trooper Henry Perez says 37-year-old Matthew Vincent of Vinton decided to hop into the idle crane in the median near Highway 108, about eight miles from the Texas state line, and moved the cables over the westbound lanes.

Cut 7 (12) “…on an Interstate.”

Perez says investigators were led to Vincent after finding the key fob to his disabled pickup truck inside the crane.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is excited about the possibilities Amtrak’s new passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile will bring to the state. Nungesser says the new passenger rail service is another attraction for international travelers…

Cut 3 (07) “…of New Orleans.”

Drivers headed to Texas on I-10 early Saturday morning found themselves having to dodge cables dangling from a construction crane. State Police Trooper Henry Perez says 37-year-old Matthew Vincent of Vinton, for some unknown reason, decided to hop into the idle crane in the median near Highway 108, about eight miles from the Texas state line, and moved the cables over the westbound lanes.

Cut 6 (07) “…and hijacked it.”

Perez says investigators found Vincent’s key fob inside the crane, making it very easy for them to identify their suspect.

So how strong is the public corruption case against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell? Jeanne Burns spoke with a legal analyst who says it’s very strong.

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

Saints Coach Kellen Moore may have a difficult decision ahead of him as to who the starting quarterback will be this season. Tyler Shough started yesterday, but Spencer Rattler rallied the team to a game-tying touchdown in the waning moments of the game.

LaToya Cantrell has made history – albeit dubious history. She has become the first sitting mayor in New Orleans history to be indicted. She and retired NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie (VAH-pee) are accused of covering up a romantic relationship, cheating the city out of 70-thousand dollars for trips they took together under the guise of Vappie providing security. Loyola University New Orleans Law Professor Dane Ciolino says he’s surprised the indictment didn’t come sooner.

Cut 9 (11)  “…year ago”

Passenger rail service starts today between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, as Amtrak’s new “Mardi Gras Service” begins twice-daily routes. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says interest is high.

Cut 10 (10) “…by that.”

The service will have morning and evening departures and the train will also make stops along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.

Some good news about auto insurance rates. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says auto insurers have filed over 20 rate decreases in the Louisiana market.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

College students are starting to return to campus for the fall semester. In fact, in Baton Rouge, today marks the first day of the fall semester at Southern University. LSU students spent the weekend moving in, with this week being Welcome Week. Fall semester starts one week from today.

In the less than five months she has left in her term, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell finds herself under an 18-count federal indictment for allegedly trying to cover up a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. Prosecutors say Cantrell and retired NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie cheated the city out of 70-thousand dollars for trips they took together. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the evidence will be difficult for Cantrell to defend.

Cut 7 (11) “…70-thousand dollars.”

In a sign that the auto insurance market might be improving, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says auto insurers have filed over 20 rate decreases since the start of the year. Temple says 14 of those decreases were for more than one percent.

Cut 4 (11) “…accident frequency.”

All aboard! Amtrak’s new “Mardi Gras” service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, is now underway, with twice-daily round-trip service. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross expects the train will have passengers taking a day trip or weekend trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast or Mobile…

Cut 11 (11) “…the day.”

They say a tie is like kissing your sister. Whether you believe that or not, that doesn’t change the fact that the Saints and Jaguars played to a 17-to-17 tie. Spencer Rattler played the entire second half, throwing for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Cut 14 (14) “…big time today.”

A two-year-old boy is safe after being left in a hot car in Shreveport for up to 30 minutes. Police Corporal Christopher Bordelon says despite the fact that it was well before noon, the temperature was already soaring.

Cut 6 (07) “…about 93 degrees.”

The boy’s mother, LaCrystol Johnson, was arrested. Bordelon says Johnson told officers that she felt that it would be okay to leave the boy inside the car because she left the window down.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is bringing back its “On The Road Again” program. It’s an opportunity for non-custodial parents who lost their drivers licenses due to nonpayment of child support to regain their driving privileges. Assistant Secretary of Family Support Sammy Guillory says last year, 131 parents participated, resulting in more than 155-thousand dollars collected on behalf of 202 children.

Cut 4 (07) “…their children.”

LSU football coach Brian Kelly joked that Garrett Nussmeier will not need his leg amputated after a rumor swirled on Wednesday that he suffered a serious injury. Kelly says Nussmeier has patella tendinitis as a result of a surgery in 2023. He says the tendon got a little cranky on Wednesday…

Cut 13 (06)  “…calm it down.”

Kelly expects Nussmeier to participate in a practice setting on Saturday. LSU’s first scrimmage of preseason camp is Saturday.

The Department of Insurance launches a new and improved mobile app. Commissioner Tim Temple says LDI Connect initially launched last year, and they took note of what worked and what didn’t work, and they worked to improve it for this year’s peak hurricane season.

Cut 11 (08) “…making it better.”

The new and improved LDI Connect app is live on the Apple App Store and on the Google Play Store now.

Noncustodial parents who lost their driver’s license because of delinquent child support payments have an easier chance to get their license reinstated with a program called On the Road Again. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A little boy is rescued from a hot car, and you’re not going to believe his mother’s excuse. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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With this being Child Support Awareness Month, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is bringing back its “On the Road Again” program. Assistant Secretary of Family Support, Sammy Guillory, says it’s an opportunity for noncustodial parents who lost their driver’s license because they haven’t been paying their child support to regain their driver’s license…

Cut 3 (10) “…meet em.”

During the promotion which lasts through September 30^th, eligible parents can reinstate their license by paying two months of child support for each case, pay 100-dollars toward any past-due balance for each and pay any court-ordered fees.

Guillory says last year 131 parents participated in the On the Road Again initiative, resulting in more than 155-thousand dollars collected on behalf of 202 children…

Cut 4 (07) “…their children.”

Guillory says it’s a last resort measure to suspend a non custodial parent’s driver’s license because they have fallen too far behind on their child support payments….

Cut 5 (10) “…reinstated”

Guillory says the On the Road Again initiative gives parents a real opportunity to get back on track…not just with their license, but with their role in supporting children.

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A two-year-old boy is safe after being left in a hot car in Shreveport for up to 30 minutes. Someone saw the little boy in distress inside the car outside a Dollar Tree store and flagged down an officer about 100 yards away. Police Corporal Christopher Bordelon says despite the fact that it was well before noon, the temperature was already soaring.

Cut 6 (07) “…about 93 degrees.”

And Bordelon says that made the temperature inside the vehicle even hotter, even with the window rolled down.

Cut 7 (09) “…removed the child.”

The boy’s mother, LaCrystol Johnson, eventually walked out of the store and was arrested and charged with child desertion. Bordelon says Johnson told officers that she felt that it would be okay to leave the boy inside the car because she left the window down. Bordelon says despite the fact that the boy was in the car for up to a half hour, he came out of the ordeal unscathed.

Cut 8 (07) “…to his father.”

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With the peak of hurricane season now just weeks away, the Louisiana Department of Insurance has launched an updated mobile app. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the new and improved LDI Connect app has some new features, including enhanced weather reporting.

Cut 9 (11)  “…that impact you.”

Commissioner Temple says the new app also contains some useful short videos to help navigate you through the sometimes complicated world of insurance.

Cut 10 (12) “…file a claim.”

Temple says LDI Connect initially launched last year, and they took note of what worked and what didn’t work, and they worked to improve it for this year’s peak hurricane season.

Cut 11 (08) “…making it better.”

The new and improved LDI Connect app is live on the Apple App Store and on the Google Play Store now.

________________________________________________

LSU football coach Brian Kelly joked today that Garrett Nussmeier will not need his leg amputated after a rumor swirled on Wednesday that he suffered a serious injury. Kelly says it’s just tendinitis in his knee…

Cut 12 (07) “…his leg.”

Kelly says Nussmeier has patella tendinitis as a result of a surgery in 2023. He says the tendon got a little cranky on Wednesday…

Cut 13 (06)  “…calm it down.”

Kelly expects Nussmeier to participate in a practice setting on Saturday. LSU’s first scrimmage of preseason camp is Saturday.

A two-year-old boy is safe after being left in a hot car for up to 30 minutes yesterday morning. Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon says the temperature at 10:30 yesterday morning was about 93 degrees, and it was much hotter inside the car, even with the window rolled down.

Cut 7 (09) “…removed the child.”

The boy’s mother, LaCrystol Johnson, was arrested. Bordelon says she told officers she thought the boy would be fine in the car by himself with the window rolled down. 

With the peak of hurricane season now just weeks away, the Louisiana Department of Insurance has launched an updated mobile app. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the new and improved LDI Connect app has some new features, including enhanced weather reporting.

Cut 9 (11)  “…that impact you.”

LSU football coach Brian Kelly joked today that Garrett Nussmeier will not need his leg amputated after a rumor swirled on Wednesday that he suffered a serious injury. Kelly says it’s just tendinitis in his knee…

Cut 12 (07) “…his leg.”

Kelly expects Nussmeier to return to practice tomorrow.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is bringing back its “On The Road Again” program. It’s an opportunity for non-custodial parents who lost their drivers licenses due to nonpayment of child support to regain their driving privileges. Assistant Secretary of Family Support Sammy Guillory says last year, 131 parents participated, resulting in more than 155-thousand dollars collected on behalf of 202 children.

Cut 4 (07) “…their children.”

A two-year-old boy is safe after being left in a hot car in Shreveport for up to 30 minutes. Someone saw the little boy in distress inside the car outside a Dollar Tree store and flagged down an officer about 100 yards away. Police Corporal Christopher Bordelon says despite the fact that it was well before noon, the temperature was already soaring.

Cut 6 (07) “…about 93 degrees.”

The boy’s mother, LaCrystol Johnson, eventually walked out of the store and was arrested and charged with child desertion. Bordelon says Johnson told officers that she felt that it would be okay to leave the boy inside the car because she left the window down. The boy is fine and is in the custody of his father.

With the peak of hurricane season now just weeks away, the Louisiana Department of Insurance has launched an updated mobile app. LDIConnect now features built-in displays for live regional weather and other alerts, news releases, access to guides and other resources.

Noncustodial parents who lost their driver’s license because of delinquent child support payments have an easier chance to get their license reinstated with a program called On the Road Again. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The former police chief of the small Lafourche Parish community of Golden Meadow is arrested for allegedly deleting a dozen years worth of files on his way out the door. Attorney General Liz Murrill says after Tony Dufrene lost his re-election bid, protocols should have been in place to prevent him from doing what he allegedly did.

Cut 6 (11) “…something like that.”

Dufrene’s bond was set at 15-thousand dollars.

After the town council in the small Jefferson Davis Parish community of Elton clamped down on its budget, Police Chief Bruce Lemelle was forced to lay off his entire department, leaving himself as the department’s last remaining employee. Mayor pro tem Kay Hebert says Lemelle has already gone through all the money that the council had allocated to the police department – something that Lemelle disputes.

Cut 11 (06) “…has been expended.”

Angola State Penitentiary may begin housing ICE detainees – likely at Camp J, which closed in 2018 due to its condition. Louisiana leaders and the Trump administration are in talks to use the prison facility as a detention center. Last month, Governor Landry issued an executive order allowing renovations to the wing to proceed without typical bidding rules. West Feliciana Parish president Kenny Havard says it’s a win-win.

Cut 8 (11) “…be in jail.”

Gracing the cover of the August issue of “Time” Magazine – House Speaker Mike Johnson. LSU Political Science Professor Jeffrey Sadow (SAD-ow) says it’s the culmination of a meteoric rise for the northwest Louisiana congressman.

Cut 13 (06)  “…he didn’t.”

In fact, Johnson was elected Speaker in the middle of just his fourth term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

State officials are in talks with the Trump administration to use part of Angola State Penitentiary to house ICE detainees. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The police force in one small community in Jefferson Davis Parish is now down to one. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Saints are nearing the start of the regular season as they take on the Chargers in Los Angeles on Sunday in their first preseason game. Andre Champagne (SHOM-pine) reports.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The former police chief of the small Lafourche Parish community of Golden Meadow is arrested for allegedly deleting a dozen years worth of files on his way out the door. Tony Dufrene is charged with injuring public records, computer tampering and malfeasance in office. Attorney General Liz Murrill says that data includes traffic citations and fuel expenditures.

Cut 4 (06) “…recover it all.”

Murrill says this all happened after Dufrene lost his bid for re-election.

Cut 5 (08) “…under any circumstances.”

Murrill says after Dufrene lost his re-election bid, protocols should have been in place to prevent him from doing what he allegedly did.

Cut 6 (11) “…something like that.”

Dufrene’s bond was set at 15-thousand dollars.

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Angola State Penitentiary may begin housing ICE detainees. Louisiana leaders and the Trump administration are in talks to use the prison facility as the President widens the crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally. West Feliciana Parish president Kenny Havard welcomes the opportunity.

Cut 7 (09) “…always done.”

A wing previously known as “Camp J,” which closed in 2018 due to its condition, is the likely site to house the detainees. Last month, Governor Landry issued an executive order allowing renovations to the wing to proceed without typical bidding rules. Havard says it’s a win-win.

Cut 8 (11) “…be in jail.”

Concerns have reportedly been raised over housing ICE detainees in the same facility as those convicted of violent crimes. Havard says details are still being worked out, but he is confident in the ability of the staff at Angola.

Cut 9 (07)  “…willing to work.”

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Due to budget constraints, the police chief in one small Jefferson Davis Parish community is forced to lay off his entire force. The decision was made following a contentious council meeting earlier this week. Kay Hebert, the mayor pro tem of Elton, says Police Chief Bruce Lemelle had no other choice.

Cut 10 (09) “…has been exceeded.”

Hebert says Lemelle has already gone through all the money that the council had allocated to the police department – something that Lemelle disputes.

Cut 11 (06) “…has been expended.”

Elton has a population of about 800 people. Hebert says Lemelle knew what his department was budgeted for, and he overextended it.

Cut 12 (11) “…and other officers.”

Since the position of police chief is elected in the Town of Elton, Lemelle is now the only employee in the town’s police department. Law enforcement calls in Elton will now be handled by the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, which will mean increased response times.

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Gracing the cover of the August issue of “Time” Magazine – House Speaker Mike Johnson. LSU Political Science Professor Jeffrey Sadow (SAD-ow) says it’s the culmination of a meteoric rise for the northwest Louisiana congressman.

Cut 13 (06)  “…he didn’t.”

Sadow points out that Johnson was elected Speaker of the House in the middle of just his fourth term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives – this after serving just one term in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Cut 14 (08) “…in the 1880s.”

As for the story itself in the August issue of “Time” magazine, Sadow says it portrays the relationship between Johnson and President Trump as that of “good cop, bad cop.”

Cut 15 (18) “…to pay off.”

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With the Saints approaching the regular season, there are still some question marks looming with Kellen Moore’s team. The Saints play their first preseason game Sunday as Moore hopes to find out a little more about his depth. Luke Johnson of NOLA.com says to look out for who could become the last starting corner.

Cut 16 (19) “…as well.”

Alvin Kamara enters his ninth season with New Orleans. With his growing age, Moore knows he cannot do it all by himself. Moore is evaluating the running back room to see who could help limit Kamara’s workload. Johnson says to expect more running backs to be involved this year.

Cut 17 (17)  “…two-back approach.”

Preseason games are mostly an opportunity for players to fight for the last roster spots, but as a chance to mesh with each other. Johnson says he is watching out for players who could become a part of the rotation.

Cut 18 (15) “…starting 22.”