Tropical Storm Sally is churning towards the Louisiana-Mississippi coast, but the forecast track has shifted east, meaning the worst of the weather could occur in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. National Weather Service forecaster Ben Schott says the models changed because the storm finally developed a singular center…
Cut 3 (10) “…of rough”
But Schott says the Bayou State is not in the clear, as southeast Louisiana is still expected to see significant storm surge, heavy rainfall and strong winds as Sally develops into a hurricane before a landfall tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in southwest Louisiana, farmers are dealing with a mosquito outbreak left in the wake of Hurricane Laura and the explosion in mosquitos has led to a lot of cattle dying. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says local governments are conducting aerial sprays, but there are also sprays that can be used on animals…
Cut 5 (09) “…down the mosquitos.”

The final round of 300-dollar federally boosted unemployment checks goes out this week, with no apparent efforts to replace the money on the horizon. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says they’ve been informed by the feds the checks will cease after the payment week ending September 5th.
Cut 10 (09) “money”

The Saints took down Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 34-23 season-opening win in front of a fanless Superdome on Sunday. If Who Dat nation was present, they would have been on their feet and cheering the performance of running back Alvin Kamara, who had two touchdowns. Coach Sean Payton says it’s nice to see a healthy Kamara…
Cut 18 (15) “…our team”

Tropical Storm Sally is getting a little stronger as it moves towards the Louisiana-Mississippi coast. Its maximum sustained winds are up to 65-miles per hour and tropical storm winds are expected to arrive along Louisiana’s southeastern coast this morning. Sally is expected to develop into a hurricane as it crawls past Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a storm surge of seven to eleven feet is expected from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi…
cut 8 (07) “…surge”
Governor Edwards says since Sally will be a slow-moving storm, heavy rainfall is expected in far southeastern Louisiana,
cut 14 (13) “….amounts of rain”

Unemployment workers will receive their last federally boosted checks this week. Brooke Thorington has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

CenturyLink in Monroe is now known as Lumen Technologies. That’s according to a news release from the Monroe-based Fortune 500 company. Lumen says the new name comes with a new purpose to help lead companies through the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Saints won their season opener over Tampa Bay, while Ragin Cajuns football is ranked in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time in modern-day history after beating Iowa State.

Tropical Storm Sally is now 120 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Storm Surge and rainfall of up to 10 inches is possible for Louisiana’s most southeastern parishes…
cut 1 (27) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

Hurricane Isaac was 2012 and caused three-billion dollars in damage in the United States. But there is some good news for us when it comes to Sally. Its forecast track has shifted to the east and landfall along coastal Mississippi is more likely. The worst of the weather could occur in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida panhandle.

The extra 300-dollars a week in federal unemployment benefits are set to expire in Louisiana and across the country. The final checks go out this week. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says President Trump created this temporary boost in unemployment benefits, so Congress could approve another pandemic relief package, but that never happened…
cut 11 (08) “….fashion”
Dejoie urges unemployed workers to check the Lousiana Workforce Commission’s website for available jobs.

Mosquito swarms have invaded southwest Louisiana following Hurricane Laura leaving some livestock dead. The bugs either bite the animals into exhaustion or form globs in nasal passages, suffocating them. In an effort to protect herds, Ag Commissioner Mike Strain recommends keeping animals in a barn with forced airflow.
Cut 4 (07)“ …a big fan (x2).”
Strain says local governments are doing the best they can with aerial sprays to reduce the mosquito population.

Governor John Bel Edwards will release new coronavirus pandemic restrictions this afternoon as the state is moving into Phase 3. Edwards is expected to announce the 50-percent maximum occupancy for most businesses will increase to 75-percent as long as they continue to social distance. The mask mandate will stay in place and we’ll have to see if bars will remain closed.

Phase Three will provide public school students with more opportunities for in-person education. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The National Hurricane Center is now giving a tropical wave off the coast of South Florida an 80-percent of developing into at least a tropical depression as it begins to move past Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 4 (09) “…affect us”
The disturbance is expected to track over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico this weekend and early next week as it moves toward Louisiana.

Cleco reports that it has restored power to 99-percent of the 140-thousand customers that lost power as a result of Hurricane Laura. At the peak, over 4,000 restoration workers were on the ground. Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill…
Cut 10 (06) “…history of Cleco.”
In Calcasieu Parish, there are over 900 Cleco customers still without power.

Governor John Bel Edwards will provide details at 2 PM on what coronavirus restrictions will be in effect when Phase three begins later today. Edwards says the statewide mask mandate will remain in place, but we don’t know what the maximum occupancy will be for businesses. New Orleans is remaining in phase two.

President Trump has come under fire for audio recordings of him in March privately acknowledging the danger of coronavirus at a time when he was publicly downplaying the threat. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The Pennington Biomedical Center in Baton Rouge says 452 low-income patients lost five percent of their body weight while participating in a two-year program that was tailored towards underserved residents. Researcher Doctor Peter Katzmarzyk says they had health coaches show the patients that eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive…
cut 9 (09) “….store”
The coaches also worked with patients on coping with stress and increasing physical activity.

We are two weeks away since Hurricane Laura’s landfall and the state reports that nearly 13-thousand residents are being sheltered at 42 hotels, 36 of them in New Orleans. Governor Edwards says that number is growing slightly every day…
cut 15 (09) “…4,800 Louisinans”

At two o’clock today, Governor Edwards will provide more details on what Phase three of reopening the economy will mean for businesses. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says they hope it means restaurants can go from 50-percent of maximum occupancy to 75-percent but he’s not sure if the bar closure order will be lifted
cut 6 (13) “….said not now”

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy is defending the President after an audio recording from March was released that has Donald Trump saying he wanted to downplay the seriousness of COVID-19. Cassidy says Americans should pay more attention to the President’s actions.
Cut 10 (09) “phase.”

An LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center two-year weight loss program aimed at helping low-income residents finds great success. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

A free COVID-19 testing site will start Monday at the Argent Pavilion on the Louisiana Tech campus. Walk-up and drive-through testing will be conducted from 9 AM to 4 PM Monday to Friday for two weeks. You can pre-register online at Do-I-Need-A-COVID-19-Test-dot-com. Testing will be conducted by a self-administered, non-invasive nasal swab.