A state representative from Rapides Parish says laws need to be beefed up amid a series of social media threats against high schools. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

And this morning Just after 9:00 someone allegedly tried to run over a School Resource Officer in the parking lot of Peabody Montessori School in Alexandria. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Offices says it happened when the deputy saw a vehicle speeding in the parking lot and tried to stop the vehicle. When the vehicle came toward the deputy they fired shots at the vehicle, but the driver fled the scene causing a lockdown at several schools in the area. Most have since been lifted but police have blocked off 14th Street in Alexandria believing the suspect may be in the area.

Governor Jeff Landry has made a formal request to the Pentagon for the federal government to pay for the deployment of one thousand Louisiana National Guard Troops, who will assist local law enforcement in fighting crime. Landry, who appeared on Fox News last night, says when he took office last year, there was a decline in violent crime in New Orleans, but recently they’ve seen an uptick…

Cut 3 (08) “…right now.”

National Guard units have already been deployed to Washington D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, Portland, Oregon

The U-S Department of Education is sending Louisiana 13-point-five million dollars to support charter schools. This allocation is on top of the 55 million dollars the state received in 2023 to increase the number of charter schools. Assistant Superintendent in the Office of the School Choice, Germaine Gilson, on how this round of money can be used…

Cut 9 (09)  “…really important.”

A Chicago woman was killed and three others injured in a Sunday morning shooting on Bourbon Street and New Orleans Police are looking for the suspected shooter seen on surveillance video wearing a gray and black hoodie. He is seen with another man and two women at the time of the shooting around 2 a.m. The New Orleans Police Department says a fight escalated leading to a “shootout” but the cause of the shooting remains under investigation. The woman who died was an innocent bystander in town celebrating her 33^rd birthday.

A fugitive for over 20 years, 61-year-old Van Leo has been sentenced to 3 life sentences in prison for the rape and molestation of several children in the 1990’s. Calcasieu Parish D.A. Stephen Dwight says Leo was brought back to Louisiana from Iowa. He says he thought he got away with it.

Cut 9 (05)  “…anything like that.”

Van Leo owned a restaurant in Sulphur and Dwight says the victims, ages 4 years old to 12, were family members or friends of his family.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple supports a change in the hurricane rating system. He says a proposed new system would better assist governments decide when to issue evacuation orders. It would have given different ratings to notable storms of the past that were based solely on windspeed.

Cut 6 (09) “…these other variables.”

The proposed new scale would include windspeed, storm surge, and rainfall for six overall Categories.

LSU Health Shreveport is awarded a 7.5-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to launch a new research center. Dr. Oren Rom, the senior associate dean

teach biotechnology and molecular biology, in the field of metabolic research to combat diseases like obesity, diabetes and liver disease. He says, especially in Louisiana, research into combatting those diseases is important.

Cut 12 (14) “…and drugs.”

A south Louisiana man, who went on the run for more than 20 years after raping and molesting several children in the 1990s, has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison. Calcasieu Parish District Attorney Stephen Dwight says 61-year-old Van Leo was brought back from Sprit Lake, Iowa to stand trial in Louisiana. He says the victims were between the ages of four and 12-years-old and the crimes happened from 1992 to 2000….

Cut 8 (07) “…faced their accuser.”

Dwight says the juvenile victims were either family members or friends of his family.

LSU Health Shreveport is awarded their first National Science Foundation grant — 7.5-million dollars to launch a new research center. Senior Associate Dean, Dr. Oren Rom says they will teach students the basic skills in biotechnology and molecular biology, specifically in the field of metabolic research to combat diseases like obesity, diabetes and liver disease.

Cut 11 (07) “…tackle those diseases.”

You can count Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple among those who would support a change to how the National Hurricane Center rates the strength of hurricanes. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Ole Miss handed LSU football its first loss of the season. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had one of his worst games in the purple and gold, throwing for only 197 yards with a touchdown and costly interception. Although Nussmeier struggled for most of the night, Kelly says the offense’s failure comes as a collective unit.

Cut 14 (13) “…the ball.”

The final score was 24-19

A southwest Louisiana man who raped and molested multiple children in the 1990s and then fled to the Midwest has been sentenced to life in prison. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A Chicago woman was killed and three others injured in a Sunday morning shooting on Bourbon Street and New Orleans Police are looking for the suspected shooter seen on surveillance video wearing a gray and black hoodie. He is seen with another man and two women at the time of the shooting around 2 a.m. The New Orleans Police Department says a fight escalated leading to a “shootout” but the cause of the shooting remains under investigation. The woman who died was an innocent bystander in town celebrating your 33^rd birthday.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple supports a change in how the National Hurricane Center rates the strength of hurricanes. Experts from the University of South Florida are proposing a system that would consider rainfall and storm surge in addition to wind speed. Temple says the proposed new rating system would better assist governments in deciding when to issue evacuation orders.

Cut 5 (09) “…need to evacuate.”

With the new scale, a storm with two or more Category factors would be a Category Six storm.

LSU football suffered its first loss of the season to Ole Miss by a score of 24 -19. The Tigers were unable to move the ball during most of the evening, totaling just 254 total yards of offense. LSU was only 2 for 11 on third downs. Head coach Brian Kelly said the coaching staff has to do a better job of putting the players in position to convert.

Cut 13 (12)  “…some plays.”

The Tigers rushed for only 57 yards against one of the worst rush defenses in the nation.

A south Louisiana man, who went on the run for more than 20 years after raping and molesting several children in the 1990s, has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison. Calcasieu Parish District Attorney Stephen Dwight says Choy Van Leo fled southwest Louisiana in 2000 after he was indicted and it wasn’t until last year that he was found working at a restaurant in small town of Spirit Lake, Iowa…

Cut 7 (05) “…he may be.”

You can count Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple among those who would support a change in how the National Hurricane Center rates the strength of hurricanes. Currently, the hurricane center rates hurricanes from Category One to Category Five based solely on wind speed. A consortium of experts from the University of South Florida is proposing a different system that would also consider rainfall and storm surge, which Temple says are often more dangerous than wind speed.

Cut 4 (06) “…actual wind speeds.”

With the new scale, a storm with two or more Category factors would be a Category Six storm.

LSU football suffered its first loss of the season against Ole Miss by a score of 24 to 19 after yet another poor offensive showing. Andre Champagne has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

LSU Health Shreveport has been awarded a 7.5-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to launch a new research center. It’s the first NSF-funded center grant in the history of LSUHS. LSU Senior Associate Dean Dr. Oren Rom says the center will provide research opportunities for students at every level.

Cut 10 (12) “…and so on.”

Crews in Tangipahoa Parish have contained the waste and recovered more than five and a half million gallons of waste from the Tangipahoa River and affected ponds from last month’s explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland. EPA On-Scene Coordinator Adam Adams says yesterday, they started SCAT – Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Techniques — the final step in the cleanup of the river.

Cut 6 (13) “…a soft flush?”

Northwestern State is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as being one of the best public schools among regional universities in the South. Chief Marketing Officer Cole Young the quality of students that Northwestern is bringing in has greatly improved in recent years.

Cut 15 (11) “…at this point.”

A new area code comes to North Louisiana today. New phone numbers will be given the area code 457. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says existing phone numbers will not change.

Cut 10 (08) “…into the area.”

The Public Service Commission made the move, because North Louisiana ran out of telephone numbers.

The Rice Bowl makes a comeback this year. The first edition is this Saturday between ULM and Arkansas State. Brice Jones with ULM says the two schools are using the game for more than football.

Cut 8 (12) “…with our industry.”

Arkansas is the highest rice-producing state in the country, and Louisiana is third highest.

Clean up crews say they have contained the waste from last month’s explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland and so far, they have recovered more than five and a half million gallons of waste from the Tangipahoa River and affected ponds. EPA on scene coordinator, Adam Adams says that represents more than half of the overall waste to be recovered. Adams says you can see the progress in the ponds.

Cut 5 (08) “…products on there.”

You can get updates on the clean up at response.epa.gov and click on the region that includes Louisiana.

Louisiana has a new area code today. North Louisiana exhausted all of the numbers with a 318 area code so they added the new area code 457. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says you now must dial all ten numbers to make a call in the region, including local calls. There had been optional testing of the 10 number requirement, but Campbell says that expired a month ago; so if you omit the area code, you’ll get nowhere.

Cut 12 (02) “…dial the 318.”

Ole Miss head football coach Lake Kiffin calls LSU linebacker Whit Weeks an awesome kid. Jeff Palermo reports he’d better – Weeks could end up being his son-in-law.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

September is National Rice Month and ULM and Arkansas State are ending the month the Saturday with the return of the Rice Bowl Brice Jones with ULM says the Rice Bowl is a great way to promote the rice industry in the two of the country’s top rice producing states.

Cut 9 (10)  “…in our backyard.”

U.S. News and World Report has recognized Northwestern State as one of the best public schools among regional universities in the South. Chief Marketing Officer Cole Young says Northwestern has long made a commitment to individual student attention – something large universities may not be equipped to do as easily.

Cut 14 (05) “…to student ratio.”

Young says the quality of students that Northwestern is bringing in has greatly improved in recent years.

North Louisiana has run out of phone numbers for area code 318 so they’re getting the new area code 457 today. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell…

Cut 11 (04) “…to do something.”

Residents will now have to dial all ten numbers when making a phone call even if they are calling someone in the same area code.

Cleanup continues more than a month after the massive chemical explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A new take on a longtime college football rivalry game, as the Rice Bowl is making a comeback this year. The first edition is being held this Saturday between ULM and Arkansas State. Brice Jones with ULM says the resurrection of the game was the brainchild of the school’s new president, Dr. Carrie Castille.

Cut 7 (11) “…the same conference.”

Arkansas is the largest rice-producing state in the country, and Louisiana is third.

Cleanup continues in Tangipahoa Parish more than a month after the explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland that spewed oil and other toxic substances into the Tangipahoa River. Adam Adams, a federal on-scene coordinator with the EPA, says the EPA has set up a website to keep the public updated on the cleanup progress.

Cut 4 (12) “…waste we’ve recovered.”

North Louisiana has a new area code today. All new numbers will be given the area code 457. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says no existing phone numbers will change.

Cut 10 (08) “…into the area.”

The new code became necessary since North Louisiana ran out of telephone numbers.

It’s a new take on an old classic – the return of the Rice Bowl. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Northwestern State is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as being one of the best public schools among regional universities in the South. Chief Marketing Officer Cole Young says it’s a testament to how the school is committed to student success.

Cut 13 (08)  “…in the workforce.”

Young says Northwestern has long made a commitment to individual student attention

20 years ago, today Louisiana saw its second devastating hurricane in less than a month when Rita made landfall in Cameron Parish. The storm produced widespread damage across southwest Louisiana. Retired Major General John Basilica was the commander of Louisiana National Guard’s storm operations and says like with Katrina, they had to perform search and rescue operations, but thankfully more assistance was available.

Cut 6 (07) “…getting it.”

Basilica says it was not until February 2006 until the National Guard restored all authority and responsibility back to civilian authorities.

Pope Leo XIV has named the person who will step in to fill Archbishop Gregory Aymond Archbishop of New Orleans’ role. New Jersey native, Most Reverend James Checchio is named Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans assisting Archbishop Aymond until his retirement.

Superdome lease negotiations have stalled because of pending lease deals on related properties like the state’s leasing of space in Benson Tower. Times-Picayune reporter Jeff Duncan says the state sees that as two different issues, but it is a way for the state to support the Saints. The current Superdome lease agreement ends in 2030 and Duncan doesn’t see a world where the Saints relocate to another city, but he says neither side is planning to back down.

Cut 12 (07) “…to be.”

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is asking you to be on the lookout for the eastern spotted skunk – not documented in Louisiana more than three decades. Furbearer, Jennifer Manuel says the eastern spotted skunk is very good at pest control.

Cut 14 (08) “…sort of thing.”

Manuel asks, if you see an eastern spotted skunk, take a picture and send it to LDWF.