In an emotional press conference Yesterday, Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree announced he will resign. In August, Dupree admitted to a brief affair with a former employee who later filed a  complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Dupree did not comment on the complaint during his announcement but said he could not in good faith allow his family, supporters, or administration to endure mean spirited politics.

Cut 8 (08) “…anonymity.”

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is taking its fight against waste tires to the people across the state. And will host six town hall meetings across the state to raise awareness.  LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto (jock-uh-MET-oh)  says tires that are properly disposed of not only keep the state clean, but go to good use.

Cut 5 (13) “…their usable lifespan.”
——————–
A man Bossier Parish investigators say held a woman against her will for three days and sexually assaulted her is under arrest. The sheriff’s office says 52-year-old Gary Free of Elm Grove held the woman in a cabin at the Red River South Marina before she was able to escape. Lieutenant Matt Gaydos says Free was eventually taken into custody after jumping in the river to avoid arrest, and chasing the victim with a gun.

Cut 11 (05) “…became victims.”

Since he’s not running for reelection, Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves is working to get things done in the few months left he has in office.  Graves is working on several bipartisan bills, one them a bill to hold FEMA accountable for delays in payments to disaster victims.

Cut 14 (09) “…an interest penalty.”

He has a little more than three and a half months left in office, and Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves is working hard, trying to tackle his legislative priorities. He’s working on several bi-bartisan bills, including one with New Orleans Demcrat Troy Carter.  Graves says that legislation would, among other things, remove income limits to qualify for grants to pay off disaster recovery loans.

Cut 15 (13) “…very little money.”

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is taking its fight against waste tires to the people across the state. LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto (jock-uh-MET-oh) says the department is holding six town hall meetings across the state to raise awareness of the issue.

Cut 4 (14) “…the waste tires.”

——————————
Bossier Parish authorities arrested an Elm Grove man who allegedly held a woman captive for three days and sexually assaulted her.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 3 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

In case you missed it, Jayden Daniels had a sensational performance in the battle of former Heisman trophy-winning quarterbacks. Daniels completed an NFL rookie record 91 percent of his passes and had three total touchdowns in the Commanders 38-33 win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is taking its fight against waste tires to the people of Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

In an emotional press conference Yesterday, Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree announced he will resign. In August, Dupree admitted to a brief affair with a former employee who later filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Cut 7 (09) “…October 6, 2024.”

Dupree did not comment on the EEOC investigation.
———————————–

A man who Bossier Parish investigators say held a woman against her will for three days and sexually assaulted her is under arrest. The sheriff’s office says 52-year-old Gary Free of Elm Grove held the woman in a cabin at the Red River South Marina before she was able to escape. Lieutenant Matt Gaydos says Free chased her with a handgun.

Cut 10 (11) “…checked out.”

Free is facing multiple charges, charges including second-degree kidnapping and first-degree rape.

Having passed up a re-election bid, Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves is trying to cram in his legislative priorities in the three-plus months he has left in office. Among the bipartisan bills he’s working on is one that he’s working on with Florida Democrat Jared Moskowitz which would make it easier for governors to request lump-sum payments for recovery for smaller-scale disasters.

Cut 13 (11)  “…recovery from there.”

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is taking its fight against waste tires to the people across the state.  So they’re holding town hall meetings across the state to raise awareness of the issue. LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto (jock-uh-MET-oh)says the issue of improperly disposed tires is a big problem.

Cut 6 (12) …in drainage ditches.”

Since he’s not running for reelection, Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves is working to get things done in the few months left he has in office.  Graves is working on several bipartisan bills, one them a bill to hold FEMA accountable for delays in payments to disaster victims.

Cut 14 (09) “…an interest penalty.”

Graves is also working with New Orleans Democrat Troy Carter on legislation that would, among other things, remove income limits to qualify for grants to pay off disaster recovery loans.

——————————

Amidst controversy, Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree is stepping down. Colleen Crain has the story…

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Bossier Parish investigators have arrested a 52 year old Elm Grove man after they say he held a woman against her will for three days and sexually assaulted her. Gary Free is facing several charges including second-degree kidnapping.  Lieutenant Matt Gaydos says this was not a random crime.

Cut 12 (04) “…for sure.”

Free’s bond is set at 2.1 million dollars.

Black bears have invaded Pointe Coupee Parish, and authorities are calling for changes to address the growing bear population.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

DCFS is offering a limited-time promotion called “On the Road Again” to assist parents who have lost their driver’s licenses due to unpaid child support. Child Support Enforcement Director Konitra Jack says this initiative provides non-custodial parents whose licenses have been administratively suspended by DCFS a chance to have them reinstated at a reduced fee benefiting parents and children.

Cut 12 (05) “…on the road again.”

The promotion ends October 31.

—————————–

A Toronto-based biofuels firm is proposing what will be the world’s largest carbon-negative renewable natural gas plant in Reserve. Chief Business Development Officer J.P. Solmes says the facility would create hundreds of good jobs and credits the state’s economic incentives for attracting Woodland Biofuels to the state.

Cut 9 (14)  “…afforded to us.”

If the project gets the green light, the plant would start the first phase of commercial operation in 2028.

The LSU Tigers came out on top over the weekend as they took down the UCLA Bruins 34-17.  Coach Brian Kelly said there were a few mistakes on the defense, but the team played well on both sides of the ball with another  strong performance from Garrett Nussmeier. He threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns.

Cut 15 (17) “…finish strong.”

Black bear sightings are up in Pointe Coupee Parish.  Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux is concerned and advocating for action from wildlife authorities.  He wants better management of the black bear population and wants authorities to take measures to reduce interactions between the animals and residents. Thibodaux recommends more aggressive strategies, like implementing new relocation efforts or revisiting hunting regulations.

Cut 6 (05) …Tensas.”

A Toronto-based biofuels firm is proposing what will be the world’s largest carbon-negative renewable natural gas plant in St. John the Baptist Parish. Woodland Biofuels is investing 1.35-billion dollars to establish the facility in Reserve. Chief Business Development Officer J.P. Solmes (like “Holmes”) says Solmes says the facility would create hundreds of good jobs.

Cut 8 (11) “…transportation-focused roles.”
———————

LSU improves to 3-and-1 after beating UCLA at Death Valley. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (33) “…at Tiger Stadium.”

Millions of people living on the Gulf Coast are being urged to prepare as Invest 97L continues to become better organized and will likely become Tropical Storm or Hurricane Helene in the coming days as the system enters the Gulf of Mexico.  In fact, experts say Tropical Storm Helene by the middle of the week and she could make landfall along the coast, somewhere between Louisiana and Florida by late Thursday.

A Toronto-based biofuels firm is proposing what will be the world’s largest carbon-negative renewable natural gas plant in St. John the Baptist Parish. Woodland Biofuels is investing 1.35-billion dollars to establish the facility in Reserve, about halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Chief Business Development Officer J.P. Solmes (like “Holmes”) says the location has everything the company was looking for.

Cut 7 (15) “…dioxide transportation pipelines.”

Black bear sightings in Pointe Coupee Parish are up.  Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux going as far as to say the parish is “overrun” with them.  Thibodeaux is calling for changes to address the growing bear population, which he says poses safety risks to residents.

Cut 5 (11) “might have a problem.”

—————————-

DCFS is offering a limited-time promotion called “On the Road Again” to help parents who have lost their driver’s licenses due to unpaid child support. The reinstatement process under this program allows eligible parents to restore their driving privileges at a lower cost. . Child Support Enforcement Director Konitra Jack…

Cut 11 (12) “…children who need it.”

UCLA gave LSU a run for its money in the first half. but the Tigers were too much in the second half, pulling away for a 34-17 win Saturday night. The two teams went into the locker room at halftime tied, but LSU’s defense clamped down, shutting out the Bruins in the second half. After the game, Coach Brian Kelly said except for a few mistakes on defense, the team played well on both sides of the ball.

Cut 13 (15)  “…over 20 years.”

DCFS is offering a limited-time promotion called “On the Road Again” to assist parents who have lost their driver’s licenses due to unpaid child support. Child Support Enforcement Director Konitra Jack says this initiative provides non-custodial parents whose licenses have been administratively suspended by DCFS a chance to have them reinstated at a reduced fee.

Cut 10 (08) “…amount that’s due.”

The promotion ends October 31

There have been multiple black bears sighting in Pointe Coupee Parish.  Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux has raised concerns about the increasing number of black bears in the area, stating the parish is “overrun” with them.

Cut 4 (12) “…November 1st.”

Thibodeaux urges residents who come across a black bear to keep their distance.

——————————

A Canadian biofuels firm is proposing what will be the world’s largest carbon-negative renewable natural gas plant in St. John the Baptist Parish. Colleen Crain reports…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Millions of people living on the Gulf Coast are being urged to prepare as Invest 97L continues to become better organized and will likely become Tropical Storm or Hurricane Helene in the coming days as the system enters the Gulf of Mexico.  In fact, experts say Tropical Storm Helene by the middle of the week and she could make landfall along the coast, somewhere between Louisiana and Florida by late Thursday.

Good news for the University of Louisiana Monroe as  fall enrollment is up four-percent over the last year, one of largest increases in the school’s history. Vice President of Enrollment Management Lisa Miller says this past year was the first year since Covid-19 that the university was able to get back to recruitment, as like many, the university has been working to rebound from the drop in enrollment caused by the pandemic.

Cut 11 (12) “…on our campus.”

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves teams Virginia Democrat Abil Spanberger to force a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. Congressman Graves says the bill removes the penalty for those who work in the public sector, like police officers and school teachers…whose Social Security benefits right now are much lower than those in the private sector.

Cut 5 (09) “…make ends meet.”

This is not a controversial bill; Graves says it has 328 co-sponsors – more than enough for the bill to sail through the House.

————————————

Governor Billy Nungesser says the city of New Orleans still has some work to do in getting ready for the Super Bowl in February.  He says the streets in the French Quarter need work and  getting it ready needs to be the top priority in preparing for the Super Bowl.

Cut 8 (14)  “…keep it safe.”

Nungesser applauded the city’s efforts to reduce crime, with police officers using technology to take a proactive approach to prevent crimes before they’re committed.

Saints Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak is quickly becoming the toast of the town, with his team putting up 91 points over their first two games.  This week, the Saints face a mobile quarterback in Jalen Hurts as they host the Eagles. The task of stopping him and the entire run game will fall on the shoulders of the defensive line, including Defensive End Chase Young.

Cut 15 (10) “…(unintelligible).”
Kickoff at the Superdome is noon Sunday.

The Super Bowl will be coming to New Orleans in four and a half months.  And Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says the city’s not quite ready just yet.  He says, the streets of the French Quarter need some work and that should be the city’s top priority in preparing for the Super Bowl.

Cut 7 (09) “…the whole street.”

Today is another big day of college football in Louisiana. It starts at 11 this morning in Lafayette as the Ragin Cajuns host Tulane.  This afternoon, LSU will host UCLA for the first time in football. The 16th ranked Tigers are 2-and-1 and Coach Brian Kelly is looking for a more consistent effort…

Cut 13 (14) “…every single play.” 

Kick off for that one is 2:45.

—————————–

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves teams up with one of his Democratic colleagues to bypass House leadership and force a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The University of Louisiana Monroe says fall enrollment is up four-percent over the last year, one of largest increases in the school’s history. Vice President of Enrollment Management Lisa Miller says the number of first time freshmen jumped by 22% and international freshmen student enrollment saw a 110% increase .

Cut 10 (07) “…need for diversity.”