The Louisiana Department of Health has issued a “do not use” water advisory for residents in Madison Parish. The advisory warns residents not to consume or bathe in the water due to potential contamination. Louisiana Surgeon General, Dr. Ralph Abraham, says the advisory comes after a significant drop in water pressure, which raises concerns about paraquat, a toxic herbicide entering the water supply.

Cut 3 (11) “…got into the system”

LDH officials are working with the Walnut Bayou Water district to conduct tests to ensure the water’s safety.

On Thursday, Federal Judge Brian Jackson reinforced orders for officials at Angola, to protect prisoners working on the “farm line” from extreme heat. His latest order says 50 inmates reported illnesses from July 2 to August 5 related to working the “farm line.” He ordered more and some form of seating be made available as well as fifteen-minute breaks be given every 45 minutes when heat alerts are in effect. Lydia Wright with Promise of Justice Initiative says because the “farm line” is cruel and replicates slavery…

Cut 7 (05) “…break their spirit.”

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports the state’s unemployment rate for July dropped below four-percent to three-point-nine percent. Director of Research and Economic Analysis, Emily Dipalma, says when the unemployment rate is this low, it’s a sign that most people who end up on unemployment do not last long

Cut 9 (07) “…the next.”

The state added 24-hundred jobs from June to July putting the number of people employed in Louisiana just below two-million.

LSU saw its largest Summer Commencement in the school’s history, today.  1061 graduates received their degrees. The youngest graduate is 19 years old and the oldest is 69. Students came from 36 countries, 47 states, and 41 Louisiana parishes. LSU President, Dr. William F. Tate IV said, “No matter if you live in Lafayette, Lake Charles, Los Angels, or London, we need you to go out with great pride in all that you accomplish.”

A 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car for an hour and a half Tuesday in Jennings. Jennings Police Chief Danny Semmes (Simms) says the girl’s mother was called into work and accidentally left the child in the car. Temperatures were in the mid-90s with heat indexes over 105 degrees. Semmes says it’s a miracle hospital workers were able to establish a pulse on the baby, though she ended up passing away Wednesday night.

Cut 11 (11) ” …one hundred and twenty.”

According to Kids and Car Safety, the ten-month old from Jennings is the 23rd child who has died this year after being left in a hot car. It’s the second one in Louisiana. An infant died in East Baton Rouge Parish last month after the parent “forgot” the child was in the car and was at work.

Kids and Car Safety say since 1995 at least 46 children have died in hot cars in Louisiana, making Louisiana the sixth worst state in the country when it comes to child hot car deaths.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers founder Todd Graves donated $100,000 to fund the creation of a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast near Grand Isle. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (29) …I’m Sean Richardson.”

DOTD has made a major step forward in the new Calcasieu River Bridge Project. Project Manager Paul Vaught says they’ve officially reached a financial close, or the developer has sold the bonds needed to complete financing. He says the developer will start final designs immediately…

Cut 13 (09)  “…to complete.”

A sad story out of Jennings: a 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car on Tuesday. Mel Bridges has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Mel Bridges.” 

This is the second Louisiana Baby and the 23^rd in the nation to die this year after being left in a hot car.

A Louisiana state trooper charged in the death of Ronald Green has been allowed to retire, WAFB in BATON ROUGE is reporting Kory York who has been on suspension since January 12, 2023 was allowed to retire effective August 11, 2024. And according to their sources Louisiana State Police said York was waiting to retire until he hit 20 years with the state. Greene was killed in May of 2019. Months later leaked body camera footage showed Greene pleading for his life as he was beaten an dragged by his ankle shackels.

York’s trial is scheduled for October.

26-year-old Trystan McMillon, of Hammond, was arrested on charges of second-degree murder after allegedly selling fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron reported that McMillon sold the potent synthetic opioid to 27-year-old Nicholas Platt who later died from an overdose.

Cut 3 (11) “…everything we can to stop that”

The Fentanyl Overdose Response (FOR) Team has seized 8 pounds of fentanyl since January as the deadly drug has contributed to a surge in overdose deaths in Louisiana.

Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, donated $100,000 to fund the creation of a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast of Grand Isle. The reef will replace an old, decommissioned oil platform, contributing to marine conservation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 6 (08) “…for the community.”

The donation supports the efforts of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Louisiana, which is collaborating with researchers and environmentalists to design and deploy the artificial reef.

A Tickfaw man will serve 70 years in prison after being convicted as a habitual offender. According to DA Scott M Perrilloux, 32 year old Devonte Skinner was been convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl – a potentially deadly drug that has accounted for numerous deaths of Louisiana residents. According to the Livingston Parish Sheriffs office, Skinner was connected to one of the largest fentanyl seizure’s in the Parish’s history.

Louisiana Economic Development is providing a $200 thousand grant to the LSU film program, which will allow them to hire an additional faculty member in film and digital media production. Executive Associate Dean of the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts Kristen Sosnowsk says another professor will allow them to expand enrollment of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television program…

Cut 3 (11) “…significant growth”

President Joe and First Lady Jill Biden awarded Tulane University 23 million dollars in funding to further cancer research. Mel Bridges has the story.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Mel Bridges.” 

Morgan City’s Vernon Norwood is the owner of four Olympic medals after winning two more medals at the Paris Games for Team U-S-A. He took home gold as part of the men’s 4×400-meter relay team and claimed a silver medal in the mixed four-by-400 relay. Retired Morgan City Principal Tim Hymel

Cut 13 (12)  “…just kept developing.”

The Louisiana State Police have issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory on behalf of the St. Martinville Police Department for 2-year-old Kaizor Louis. Louis was last seen on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in St. Martinville. He was taken by his non-custodial mother Mashays Johnson from his daycare and was last seen traveling south on Resweber Street in a black sedan. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Kaizor Louis contact the St. Martinville Police Department or call 911.

President Joe and First Lady Jill Biden announced 23 million dollars in funding for Tulane University to create an imaging system that can scan a tumor during surgery and determine in minutes if any cancer tissue was left behind. Lead researcher Dr. J. Quincy Brown says this will improve surgery for both the patient and the doctor…

Cut 6 (10) “…every time.”

Louisiana Economic Development is providing a $200 thousand grant to the LSU film program, which will allow them to hire an additional faculty member in film and digital media production. Executive Associate Dean of the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts Kristen Sosnowsk says LSU’s film program is already recognized for producing skilled graduates and is expected to benefit significantly from this investment, further elevating its profile and attracting more aspiring filmmakers to LSU.

Cut 5 (08)  “…in the state.”

This grant reinforces the commitment to developing the next generation of filmmakers in Louisiana.

A Shreveport woman has pled guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, a violation of federal law. 45-year-old April Nicole Poitras entered her guilty plea on 2 counts of aiming the pointer at serval aircraft on August 15^th of 2023 placing the pilots in significant danger. Police responded ground and helicopter to reports of a small aircraft being illuminated by a green laser. At that time the police helicopter was also illuminated allowing ground police to find Poitras in her yard with the laser. She faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

A man who allegedly shot into a crowd of a thousand people in Many (Manny) has been arrested after an overnight manhunt. Detective Wade Seegers with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department says police caught 21-year-old Julius Winfield IV walking along a road in Natchitoches Parish earlier today.

Cut 12 (10) “…finally.”

After receiving $172 million for rural areas to have broadband, another grant of $1.36 billion will complete the project. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

Over 1200 farmers in Louisiana who experienced documented discrimination in federal farm lending programs prior to January 2021 will receive a combined 77 million dollars in financial assistance from the USDA. Over 43 thousand farmers nationally will receive a combined 2.2 billion dollars under the USDA program.  New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says most of Louisiana’s money will go to…

Cut 10 (10) “…no remedy.”

An arrest warrant has been issued for an educator accused of sexual contact with a student. Shreveport Police obtained the warrant when they were unable to reach the accused, 32-year-old Dayton Corbett. An investigation began after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student came to light, leading the Caddo Parish School Board to place Corbett on administrative leave. The warrant for Corbett’s arrest is for one count of prohibited sexual contact between an educator and a student.

A man who allegedly shot into a crowd of a thousand people in Many (Manny) has been arrested after an overnight manhunt. 21-year-old Julius Winfield IV was found walking along a road in Natchitoches Parish this morning. Detective Wade Seegers with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department says a motive for the shooting that occurred at a trail ride, or an exhibition for horses and four-wheelers, on July 13 has not yet been determined.

Cut 13 (10) “…life threatening, so.” 

While crops like corn and rice are seeing a good harvest this year, Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain estimates it will take years for the state crawfish industry to bounce back from last year’s historic drought. Strain says the effects of the drought won’t be fixed in a day…

Cut 3 (06) “…years.”

The state is preparing to roll out the 1.36 billion dollar federally funded GUMBO 2.0 ensuring every community, no matter how small, has high-speed internet. Director of the State Office of Broadband Development Veneeth Iyengar stresses how transformative high-speed internet access will be for those remaining communities that weren’t part of the initial rollout of 172 million dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act. For example, revenue increases for small businesses that can process credit cards.

Cut 7 (11) “…people internet.”

A man who allegedly shot into a crowd of a thousand people in Many (Manny) on July 13th has been arrested after an overnight manhunt. Detective Wade Seegers with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department says police spotted 21-year-old Julius Winfield IV in his car yesterday near Pleasant Hill.

Cut  14 (12) “…we got him.”

GUMBO 2.0 is coming. The 1.36 million dollar federally funded project ensures every Louisiana community, no matter how small, has high-speed internet. Director of the State Office of Broadband Development Veneeth Iyengar says unlike the first rollout, Iyengar says instead of providers defining project of areas of the state to receive broadband, for GUMBO 2.0 his office is setting those parameters, and they are taking extra steps to vet those providers.

Cut 8 (08)  “…remaining locations.”

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain estimates it will take years for the crawfish industry to recover from a historic drought last season. Mel Bridges has the details.

Cut 1 (29) …I’m Mel Bridges.”

Louisiana farmers who experienced documented discrimination in federal farm lending programs prior to January 2021 will receive a combined 77 million dollars in financial assistance from the USDA. New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says Black and other under-served farmers in Louisiana face persistent injustices. He says while this loan won’t fix the systemic issues affecting farmers of color, it will help them ease lost income, enhance their operations, or even start farming.

Cut 11 (08) ” …some of the repair.”

Louisiana’s restaurant industry is on a slow mend after COVID. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris estimates 15 to 20 percent of Louisiana restaurants closed their doors during the pandemic…

Cut 4 (11) “…particular time.”

Harris says restaurant expenses continue to climb, especially insurance, and more and more restaurants are opting to reduce their hours of operation.

As investigations into the assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life continue, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says the truth is coming to light over statements that Trump’s security detail was denied extra personnel from the Biden Administration.

Cut 6 (13) “…about that?”

AP has released it’s preseason top 25. LSU is the sixth-highest-rated SEC team, behind Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss and Missouri. However, Horne says LSU has a lot of potential to move up the ranks and make the playoffs.

Cut 10 (11) “…playoff contention.”

Students at Louisiana High Schools are fighting the new law banning student cell phones in school. Students at Walker High School have begun a petition drive to change the newly enacted law. Over ten thousand students at a Prairieville high school have already signed a similar petition.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise says multiple questions remain unanswered regarding the assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

Louisiana’s restaurant industry is on a slow mend after COVID. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says labor has improved in pockets around the state but is slower in places like Lake Charles and New Orleans as they are still recovering from hurricanes as well as the pandemic.

Cut 5 (12)  “…during the week.”

Harris says the best way to support Louisiana restaurants is to eat Louisiana local.

AP’s preseason top 25 is out, and LSU football ranks 13th. Tiger Rag Editor Todd Horne says the Tigers are likely ranked so low — AP has them ranked out of playoff contention — because of concerns about if they’ve improved their defense enough to be real contenders.

Cut 9 (11) “…last year.”

The Saints were winners in their first preseason game of the year on Saturday night edging out the Arizona Cardinals 16-14 in Glendale, Arizona. Quarterback Derek Carr led the Saints for two series to start the game, but the drives didn’t result in any points as he went 2 of 6 for 12 yards. But Carr was glad to see some game action…
Cut 19 (20) “…what it is.”