The latest update from the National Hurricane Center has Hurricane Delta as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds at 105 mph moving Northwest at 17 mph, it’s moving more to the west now with the eye of the storm arriving to the Northern Gulf Coastline midday Friday. A hurricane watch is now in effect from High Island, Texas to Grand Isle. Re-strengthening is forecast when the hurricane moves over the southern and central Gulf of Mexico, Delta is expected to become a major hurricane again, however some weakening is expected before it reaches the northern Gulf coast on Friday

Governor John Bel Edwards admits it’s another difficult challenge for the state, but that should not prevent us from getting prepared

Cut 6 (13) “right now”

And LSU will play in Missouri Saturday, kickoff is at 11am.

A bill addressing the suspension of a 4^th grader in Jefferson Parish for having a BB Gun in his bedroom during virtual class will go before the House Education Committee today. The author of the proposal, Jennings Representative Troy Romero, wants to establish a separation between the classroom and home.

Romero says on a school campus the school has full control of the environment, but in a virtual setting, which can include a private home, there are differences.

Cut 8 (11) “…that distinction”

Louisiana’s 53^rd governor, Mike Foster, is being laid to rest today in his hometown of Franklin.  Foster was at the helm of the state for two terms from 1996 through 2004.  Former Governor Bobby Jindal served in the Foster administration and says he recently met with Foster when it became clear that he was nearing the end of his life.

Cut 15 (11) “…to lose weight.”

The National Hurricane Center is now anticipating Hurricane Delta will be a Category Three storm as it approaches the Bayou State on Friday.  Delta will cross over the Yucatan today and National Weather Service New Orleans Director Ben Schott says once it gets past the peninsula, the forecast models should have a better idea of a potential landfall. Schott says forecasters do expect the storm to weaken as it approaches the Gulf Coast, but

Cut 5 (13) “…life-threatening impacts”

Governor John Bel Edwards admits Delta is another difficult challenge for the state, but that should not prevent us from getting prepared

Cut 6 (13) “right now”

Delta will likely raise anxiety levels for many as the storm approaches. LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Doctor Michelle Moore says a way to decrease the anxiety is to prepare…

cut 7 (10) “….anxious feelings”

This is the sixth time Louisiana has been in the cone of uncertainty during this busy hurricane season.

Private funeral services for Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster will take place tomorrow morning at his Oaklawn Manor Home. A public military graveside service will be held afterward. Foster was not a career politician as he says in this 2010 interview, he waited until his late 50s before he ran for the state senate

Cut 13 (11) “…I ran”

Foster died on Sunday, he was 90 years old.

The National Hurricane Center is now anticipating Hurricane Delta will be a Category Three storm as it approaches the Bayou State on Friday. National Weather Service New Orleans Director Ben Schott says the impacts of Delta when it comes onshore will be significant

Cut 4 (12) “surge”

2020 continues to be an extremely difficult year for most and an active hurricane season is another straw to the camel’s back for Louisianans. LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Dr. Michelle Moore says understanding that an increased level of stress is a normal reaction is the first step towards coping.

Cut 6 (11)“…that stress”

Still too early to say the exact impacts Hurricane Delta will bring to Louisiana, but state and local governments are getting prepared. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Shreveport police are investigating a triple homicide that happened just before midnight Monday. Police say the bodies of three men were found outside of a vacant house in the 1500 block of Garden Street. Deputy Police Chief Antoine White says all three victims were shot in the head. No arrests have been made.

Hurricane Delta is now a Category 4 storm and once again it appears a major hurricane is headed towards Louisiana National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore says the impacts of the storm extend beyond storm surge.

Cut 5 (10) “…of the storm.”

The current forecast shows it weakening to a Cat 2 before the projected landfall in southeast Louisiana.

2020 has brought about multiple ongoing complex issues from COVID, to job losses, and political bickering, and now the stress of yet another major approaching hurricane.  LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Dr. Michelle Moore says we shouldn’t forget that hurricanes incorporate a sense of resolution.

Cut 8 (10)…unknowns to the hurricane.”

Still too early to say the exact impacts Hurricane Delta will bring to Louisiana, but state and local governments are getting prepared. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The St Landy Parish Sheriff’s Office confirms an additional victim has died in Monday night’s drive-by shooting in Morrow. 20-year old Ladarious Keller died while being transported to the hospital and 29-year old Michael Thomas died at the scene. A third victim 19-year old Emmerick Simon underwent surgery and is listed in stable condition.

Hurricane Delta is now a Category 4 storm and once again Louisiana is in the crosshairs of a major hurricane.  National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore says before it becomes an issue for the northern Gulf Coast on Saturday, it’ll make an initial landfall in Mexico.

Cut 3 (09)  “…it is now.”  

Former Governor Mike Foster will be laid to rest tomorrow in his hometown of Franklin after passing away on Sunday at the age of 90. He’s credited for creating the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. L-C-T-C-S president Monty Sullivan says prior to 1998, the state had four community colleges and one technical college. That has since grown to a system of twelve.

Cut 12 (11) “…last 20+ years.”

Lawmakers sparred Monday in a House committee over legislation that would potentially strip state funding from localities and universities that cut police budgets by 10 percent or more.  Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says the state is already one of the most crime-ridden in the nation and cutting police budgets would just exacerbate that.

Cut 6 (10) “for me”

The bill would require municipalities and schools to submit an annual report to the Joint Legislative Committee of the Budget detailing the status of their police budgets.

Bastrop representative Frederick Jones says the bill is insulting to African Americans. He says while he disagrees with the “Defund” movement…

Cut 7 (11) “crying out”

The bill is authored by Alexandria representative Lance Harris and head to the full House next.

Hurricane Delta reaches major hurricane status as a category 4. The most recent update indicates Delta is moving across the western Caribbean Sea at 16mph, and continued strengthening is expected before reaching the Yucatan Peninsula and then crossing into the southern Gulf of Mexico. Delta is expected to make landfall along the US coastline late Friday early Saturday. Governor Edwards is expected to give an update at 3 pm this afternoon.

A resolution that would suspend the State Fire Marshal’s ability to enforce COVID health guidelines on businesses clears a House committee Civil Division director Angelique Freel says the Legislature has not given the Fire Marshal the authority to shut down businesses for non-compliance.

Cut 9 (10) “in it”

Governor Edwards has tasked the Fire Marshal with COVID code enforcement, citing his broad authority during a declared public health emergency.

Lawmakers sparred in a House committee Monday over legislation that would potentially strip state funding from localities or universities that cut their police budgets by ten percent or more. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authored the bill and says the “Defund the Police” movement risks the safety of more than just the people living in areas that cut police budgets…

Cut 4 (11) “safety”

Entities that cut more than ten percent of police budgets must prove it would not have a “significant and harmful effect on public safety” or risk being ineligible for future funding. New Orleans representative Gary Carter says if cities feel it is right to move money to services like mental health to help lower crime, they should be able to…

Cut 5 (10) “…Congress”

Hurricane Delta continues to rapidly strengthen according to the National Hurricane Center and be extremely dangerous and pass over Northeastern Yucatan Peninsula tomorrow. What this means for Louisiana over the next few days, forecasters predict Delta will be downgraded from a Category 4 to a 3 and restrengthen again in the Gulf, State Climatologist Barry Keim…  Cut 15 (11) “…hurricane at landfall.” 

Former Governor Mike Foster will be laid to rest tomorrow in his hometown of Franklin. Foster is known for creating the state’s current community and technical college system. The LCTCS is now in 53 parishes and President of the System Monty Sullivan says prior to Foster, the opportunity was limited by geography to access to education in a way that puts people in jobs.

Cut 13 (07) “…two-year college education.”

There were tense arguments in a House committee yesterday as members approved legislation that would strip state funding from municipalities or universities that cut police budgets by 10 percent or more. Matt Doyle covered it…

Cut 1 (30) “   I’m Matt Doyle”

In preparation for Hurricane Delta to make landfall later this week, the LHSAA gives approval for several schools to move their football games to Wednesday and LSU is monitoring the weather for Saturday’s game as well.

The Louisiana House passed several proposals today that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers a bigger say on what restrictions should be in place. One of the proposals is from Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman. Frieman’s bill would allow the Legislature to either terminate entire emergency orders, or just parts of one.

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are vital to reducing COVID-transmissions and saving lives. Edwards Administration staff have frequently repeated that bars create environments conducive to the spread of coronavirus, and Edwards says we can’t risk more youth cases with colleges now reopened.

Cut 14 (06) “…cases.”

About a third of parishes are still blocked from reopening bars.

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash last night in Ouachita Parish. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper, Kaleb Reeves, son of State Police Superintendent Colonel Kevin Reeves, was not injured in the crash, but the other driver involved, Kenneth Lindsey, was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

Cut 10 (06) “…were pronounced dead.”

The 2020 Census is less than a week away from its October 5^th deadline and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded. Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says there are three ways to participate.

Cut 3 (10)  “…interview by phone.”  

Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are necessary to keep COVID-transmission low and save lives. Only bars in parishes with lower than a five percent positivity rate on new COVID tests may open. Edwards says that’s because areas with higher rates just have too much community spread.

Cut 13 (10) “…positivity.”

About a third of parishes are still blocked from allowing bars to reopen.

The Louisiana House passed several proposals today that would either eliminate Governor Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers a bigger say on what restrictions should be in place. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution that would terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval in the House. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton…

Cut 6 (10)“…to be”

Two are dead after a State Police trooper rear-ends a vehicle in Ouachita Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

A deceased Louisiana State Trooper is heard on tape admitting that he beat and choked a Black man, Ronald Green, during an altercation that followed a pursuit in May 2019. Green then died on the scene. The audio obtained by WAFB-TV is from the body-camera footage of Trooper Chris Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth was killed in a single-car crash last week after he learned he was being fired because of the incident.

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a southbound State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash last night in Ouachita Parish on Highway 165. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper involved in the crash is the son of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Kevin Reeves.

Cut 9 (07) “…driver’s side door.”

Reeves was en route to an 18-wheeler crash in Caldwell Parish.

The 2020 Census is less than a week away from its October 5^th deadline and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining the 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded.  Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says the greatest concentration of homes that have not responded to the census is in the northern portion of the state.

Cut 4 (04) “…into Shreveport..”

There are three ways to participate, speak with an enumerator when they come to your door, go online to mycensus2020 dot gov or do the interview by phone.

The House approves a number of items that would significantly limit, if not overturn the Governor’s ability to set pandemic public health restrictions.

Cut 1 (32) “…Matt Doyle”  

A deceased Louisiana State Trooper is heard admitting on tape that he beat and choked a Black man during a struggle that followed a May 2019 pursuit. The audio, obtained by WAFB-TV, is from the body-camera footage of Trooper Chris Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth died in a single-car crash last week, after he learned he was being fired as a result of the incident in which Ronald Green died.