A six-year-old Slidell boy was struck and killed by an SUV while riding his scooter in his driveway just before 6 last evening. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson, Lt. Suzanne Carboni says after hitting the child, the driver of the SUV, 35-year-old Cody Beaudette, kept going. Beaudette’s SUV was located later that night in another part of town and Beaudette was taken into custody.

Cut 10 (09) “…suspended license.”

Baton Rouge Police Sgt Caleb Eisworth will be laid to rest Saturday. He died Sunday after spending 7 weeks in the hospital being treated for injuries sustained when he was allegedly intentionally hit by a truck while on his motorcycle. Eisworth was a decorated officer who served 23 years. Baton Rouge Police Chief, TJ Morse says Sgt Eisworth impacted many lives.

Cut 26 (06) “people’s lives”

Entergy says smart thermostats help save energy and the power company is offering them free to their residential customers this month. Heather Leblanc with Entergy says the smart thermostats learn your habits and adjust automatically.

Cut 4 (10) “…utility bill.”

Thirty thousand solar panels have been installed at Fort Polk to provide energy to 18-hundred miliary homes. Military bases historically have relied on civilian power grids, making them vulnerable to natural disasters, cyberattacks, and physical attacks. President of Energy at Corvias, Bartost Wojszyk (Voice-chick), says the 13-megawatt power generation project is completely independent, moving Fort Polk closer to its goal of readiness..

Cut 8 (12) “..housing” 

Corvias invested 29-million dollars in the project.

Entergy is offering its residential customers the opportunity to receive up to two smart thermostats at no cost. There are no promo codes or rebate forms. Heather Leblanc with Entergy says the smart thermostats efficiently manage energy by learning temperature preferences, usage habits and can be controlled from a smartphone…

Cut 3 (10) “…not home”

The promotion runs through the end of the month or while supplies last.

Thirty-thousand solar panels are now providing energy to 18-hundred military homes at Fort Polk. Corvias provided the funding and partnered with the U-S Army to complete the 13-megawatt power generation project. Bartost Wojszyk (Voice-chick), is the President of Energy at Corvias and he says they work with the military to make sure installations are energy resilient…

Cut 6 (06) “…18-hundred houses”

Corvias’ investment was 29-million dollars.

A hit and run crash in Slidell has claimed the life of a six-year-old boy who was riding his scooter in his driveway. Jeff Palermo has more on the story…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Louisiana is seeing an increase in the number of people infected with Vibrio vulnificus, commonly called flesh eating bacteria. State epidemiologist, Theresa Sokol says typically, at this time of year, we see less than ten cases but so far this year, 20 people have been hospitalized and four have died. She says Vibrio thrives in warm salt and brackish waters.

Cut 13 (10)  “…vibrio infections.”

She says if you have a wound stay out of brackish and salt waters.

A six-year-old Slidell boy is dead after he has hit by an SUV while riding his scooter. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff deputies say the driver of the SUV kept going and has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless operation and felony hit and run. Lt. Suzanne Carboni says the child was hit on Northshore Lane near Slidell..

Cut 9 (11)  “…and continued.”

Carboni says the vehicle was located later that night on East Gause Boulevard and the driver, 35-year-old Cody Beaudette was taken into custody.

The state department of transportation is starting a new program called “Sponsor A Highway” that allows businesses to get involved in cleaning up the litter. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says local businesses can sponsor one-mile segments of a highway and help pay for litter removal…

Cut 10 (10) “…litter.”

Entergy says they’ve come up with a way to save on your utility bills. Don Molino has the story…

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Don Molino.”

18-hundred military homes at Fort Polk are now powered by thirty-thousand solar panels provided by Corvias. Bartost Wojszyk (Voice-chick), President of Energy at Corvias says they invested 29-million-dollars and it took them two years to plan and complete construction

Cut 7 (12) “…Garrison commanders.”

Military bases historically have relied on the civilian power grid, making them vulnerable to natural disasters, cyberattacks, and physical attacks.

Louisiana is seeing an increase in the number of people infected with Vibrio vulnificus, commonly called flesh eating bacteria. State epidemiologist, Theresa Sokol says most of those infected are through wounds. Typically, at this time of year we see less than ten cases but so far this year, 20 people have been hospitalized. She says Vibrio thrives in warm Gulf waters.

Cut 13 (10) “…Vibrio infections.”

A Port Allen man is accused of trying to set fire to a Baton Rouge home with four children inside early Tuesday morning. Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesperson Justin Hill says the suspect, 46-year-old Alfred Jarvis had two restraining orders again him and allegedly threatened the occupants of the home two days before he tried to set the fire. Jarvis have been charged with four counts of attempted first degree murder…

Cut 11 (12) “…witnesses said.”

A New Orleans Police officer has been arrested for allegedly hire sex workers while on duty in the French Quarter. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

An effort to raise the 75-thousand-dollar homestead exemption set in 1980 failed in the last legislative session. St. Tammany Parish assessor Louis Fitzmorris says in the 80s and 90s, you could purchase a home and not pay property taxes. He purchased a home in Abita Springs in the 90s for 48-thousand dollars…

Cut 3 (05) “…200-thousand dollars”

He says the 75-thousand-dollar homestead exemption is a stealth tax increase on homeowners and if the homestead exemption kept up with inflation from 1980 it would need to be about $300,000.

A Port Allen man is accused of trying to set a Baton Rouge home on fire Tuesday morning and there were four children inside. Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesperson Justin Hill says no one was injured and thanks to the work of several agencies they apprehended the suspect, 46-year-old Alfred Jarvis. Jarvis had two restraining orders again him and he allegedly threatened the occupants of the home two days before he tried to set it on fire….

Cut 10 (09) “…to the home.”

The current 75-thousand-dollar homestead exemption was set 45 years ago. St. Tammany Parish assessor Louis Fitzmorris says if the homestead exemption kept up with inflation from 1980, many homeowners would not pay property taxes.

Cut 4 (08) “…300-thousand dollars.”

There was an effort in the last legislative session to increase the homestead exemption.

There has been concern that ULM was slashing its athletic budget, but KNOE-TV sports director Aaron Dietrich says that’s not the case. Andre Champagne reports…

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

There are three well-known Republicans challenging Senator Bill Cassidy in next year’s U-S Senate race, but will there be a formidable Democratic candidate. LA-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says Democrats would like to see former Governor John Bel Edwards run, but that’s unlikely…

Cut 6 (11) “…that happening”

A Port Allen man is accused of trying to set a home on fire that had four children inside. The incident happened early Tuesday morning in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesperson Justin Hill says when investigators arrived at home, they saw evidence of a break-in…

Cut 9 (08)  “…nobody was injured”

Hill says Jarvis have been charged with four counts of attempted first degree murder…

Three Republicans are challenging Senator Bill Cassidy in next year’s U-S Senate race, but so far there’s no Democratic candidate. LA-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says Democrats would like to see former Governor John Bel Edwards run, but that’s unlikely and he says it’s unlikely Representatives Troy Carter or Cleo Fields would give up a House seat for a chance to represent Louisiana in the U-S Senate. He says the Louisiana Democratic Party is in rebuilding mode…

Cut 8 (09) “..Republican primary” 

A New Orleans Police officer has been arrested for allegedly hiring sex workers while on duty in the French Quarter. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

There was an effort in the last legislative session to increase the homestead exemption. New Orleans Representative Matthew Williard’s bill would have allowed parishes to increase the homestead exemption, but it died on the House floor. St. Tammany Parish assessor Louis Fitzmorris says with homestead exemption holding steady at 75-thousand dollars, it’s been a stealth tax increase on homeowners…

Cut 5 (06) “…fully homestead exempted”

A New Orleans Police Officer was booked into jail today. State Police Investigators say 56-year-old Terrance “TJ” Johnson allegedly coordinated and paid for sex on multiple occasions while he was on duty in the French Quarter. The LSP Bureau of Investigations was conducting a separate investigation when they uncovered evidence of Johnson’s activity. An arrest warrant was issued and Johnson turned himself in today.

Last week, Louisiana received a SNAP waiver that bans the purchase of soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy with SNAP cards. Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham believes preventing SNAP recipients from using their food stamps to purchase the items will make for a healthier Louisiana. He says candy and soda are high in sugar and too much of it, becomes a bad thing…

Cut 15 (09) “…of the mean.”

The new restrictions go into effect in January.

There are three well-known Republicans challenging Bill Cassidy in next April’s U-S Senate primary, but we have yet to see a Democrat announce they will challenge the Republican primary winner. Don Molino has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Don Molino.”

There was an effort in the last legislative session to increase the homestead exemption. The current homestead exemption of 75-thousand dollars was set in 1980. St. Tammany Parish assessor Louis Fitzmorris says in the 1980s and 1990s, you could purchase a home and not pay property taxes. Fitzmorris says in the early 1990s he purchased a home in Abita Springs for 48-thousand dollars…

Cut 3 (05) “…200-thousand dollars”

He says the 75-thousand-dollar homestead exemption is a stealth tax increase on homeowners and if the homestead exemption kept up with inflation from 1980 it would need to be about $300,000.

A Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputy has been arrested for insurance fraud. State Police Trooper Eddie Thomas says 50-year-old Frank Launer of Blanchard got into a wreck last April and did not have automobile insurance and then quickly bought coverage

Cut 9 (11)  “…same day”

Thomas says once investigators had enough evidence to show that Launer obtained and filed a claim with his insurance provider after he got into a wreck, an arrest warrant was issued.

A new national survey finds small business optimism rose in July. NFIB State Director Leah Long believes that optimism shown in the new survey released by the NFIB is due in part to federal legislation that makes a 20-percent small business tax deduction permanent gives small business owners more clarity…

Cut 6 (08) “…businesses grow”

Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham believes preventing SNAP recipients from using their food stamps to purchase soft drinks, energy drinks and candy will make for a healthier Louisiana. Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Collins signed a SNAP waiver for Louisiana that removes them as eligible food items. The new policy goes in to effect in January and Abraham says a good portion of government assistance is going towards the purchase of these items…

Cut 13 (07)  “…will be banned.”

Over a five-year period, Louisiana’s reading scores improved from being ranked 49th to the 32nd the nation’s report card. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says that improvement is why U-S Secretary of Education Linda McMahon started her “Returning Education to the States” tour in Louisiana. He says it was validation for what’s being done in the public classroom…

Cut 3 (08) “…with disabilities”

The US Supreme Court has set a date to revisit Louisiana’s congressional map and decide whether it violates the 14^th and 15^th Amendments. Last November the court agreed to hear the case challenging the map as illegally gerrymandered but did not rule before the term ended. The case is now scheduled to be reargued on October 15^th. At issue is a redrawn district that cuts a diagonal through the state from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.

A Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputy is on administrative leave after he was arrested for insurance fraud. State Police Trooper Eddie Thomas says a months long investigation has determined 50-year-old Frank Launer of Blanchard got into a wreck last April and did not have automobile insurance and then quickly obtained coverage and filed the claim later that same day. Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn says his office does not condone the alleged actions attributed to Launer and Thomas says Sheriff Whitehorn supports L-S-P’s investigation…

Cut 11 (09) “…as well.”

U-S Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is on a “Returning Education to the States” tour and she made Louisiana her first stop. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says Louisiana’s improved reading scores is why she decided to start her tour by visiting Jefferson Terrace Academy in Baton Rouge…

Cut 5 (10) “…our state”

Optimism is up among small businesses according to a new survey released by the NFIB. NFIB state director Leah Long says it’s good to see improving conditions with the 20 percent small business tax deduction being made permanent and new attention to insurance reform, but labor quality remains the single most important problem facing small businesses…

Cut 8 (08) “…to hire” 

A Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputy has been arrested for insurance fraud. State Police Trooper Eddie Thomas says 50-year-old Frank Launer of Blanchard got into a wreck last April while allegedly uninsured but quickly obtained coverage after the accident. An arrest warrant was issued after months of investigation provided enough evidence to show that Launer obtained and filed a claim with his insurance provider after he got into a wreck.

Cut 10 (09) “…insurance fraud.”

After U-S Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s “Returning Education to the States” tour stop in Louisiana, State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley commented on the improvement in Louisiana’s reading scores from 49th to the 32nd on a national test called the nation’s report card. Brumley says they went back to the basics…

Cut 4 (10) “…academic excellence.”

A wildlife has burned 15-hundred acres in the Kisatchie National Forest, but Jeff Palermo reports officials are confident they can get fire contained by the end of the week…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Optimism is up among small businesses according to a new survey released by the NFIB. State Director Leah Long says federal legislation that makes a 20-percent small business tax deduction permanent is positive and in Louisiana there’s optimism that the tort reform legislation approved in the last regular session can help reduce insurance rates over time….

Cut 7 (07) “…for that.”