Today is the statistical peak of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season and so far it’s been one for the record books. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ve seen a record-breaking 17 named storms so far this year…
Cut 4 (07)“ …a second”
The record for named storms in a season is 28, set in 2005.

LSU researchers are testing campus wastewater for COVID-19 cases. They’ve also done that around East Baton Rouge Parish and found that cases increased soon after Louisiana moved into Phase 2 and dropped after the city-parish instituted a mask-wearing mandate…
cut 9 (10) “….delay built-in”
LSU Environmental Engineering Professor John Pardue says they will test every on-campus residence and monitor every location once a week.

The LHSAA announces the high school football season will kick off October 1st and contact practices can resume today. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

LSU announces that redshirt freshman defensive end Ray Parker of Ruston has been suspended for violating team rules. LSU police arrested Parker for battery of a dating partner and simple criminal damage to property.

The state has received approval to distribute disaster food stamps in 16 parishes impacted by Hurricane Laura. The program will run in phases, with the first phase beginning tomorrow in Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Rapides, Vermilion, and Vernon. Shavana Howard with DCFS on what eligible should residents do.
Cut 3 (09) “…at 8am.”
The number to the call center is 1-888-LA-Help-U.

U-S Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette is in Louisiana assessing the damage from Hurricane Laura. The Category Four storm damaged a Strategic Petroleum Reserve Site in West Hackberry. Brouillette says the cost of fixing the repository is not his main worry…
cut 15 (11) “…currently feeling”
Nearly two weeks after the storm and 90-percent of Calcasieu Parish remains without power.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested an 11-year-old for second-degree murder after a family member was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound in Moss Bluff. Deputies were called to a residence Monday evening in reference to a shooting and found 39-year old Andrew Lafleur, III dead. Further investigation found an 11-year old was responsible. Investigations Commander Gene Pittman…
cut 13 (11) “…wrenching”

LSU officially announced that Tiger Stadium will be limited to 25-percent capacity when the national champs kickoff the 2020 season by hosting Mississippi State on September 26th. Athletics Director Scott Woodward says fans will enter the stadium in phases…
cut 8 (09) “….go awry here”
The LSU plan also calls for no tailgating and season ticket holders and students will be the ones offered a chance to buy tickets.

Governor John Bel Edwards along with other governors meets with the White House Coronavirus Task Force this afternoon as Edwards will announce either today or tomorrow on whether the state should move into Phase 3 of reopening. The Louisiana Republican Party believes individual parishes should make that decision…
cut 11 (10) “…pandemic”
That’s state GOP spokesperson Ben Smith who says several parishes have passed resolutions calling for permission to make their own decision on what phase to adopt.

LSU has officially announced that it will limit capacity in Tiger Stadium at 25-percent and no tailgating will be allowed during the 2020 season. Despite a smaller crowd, LSU interim president Thomas Galligan is confident the energy of Tiger Stadium will still be there…
cut 7 (13) “…magice with 25,000”

An 11-year-old in Moss Bluff has been charged with 2nd-degree murder after he allegedly fatally shot a family member. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting and arrived at a home to find 39-year-old Andrew Lafleur III dead. Investigations Commander Gene Pittman….
Cut 12 (09) “…someone”
A possible motive has not been released.

The state Department of Children and Family Services has received approval to distribute disaster food stamps to eligible residents in 16 parishes starting tomorrow. D-C-F-S Assistant Secretary Shavana Howard says the first step is to pre-register at d-c-f-s-dot-la-dot-gov/DSNAP…
cut 5 (12) “…free right now”
Once you register, the D-C-F-S website has a list of days when you can apply for the assistance based on the parish you live in and the first letter of your last name.

If you watch the national news, you’ll hear about the California wildfires, but nothing about the difficult recovery from Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles as most of Calcasieu Parish remains without power. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says there’s a lot of groups and organizations helping, but since the response has not been a train wreck, it doesn’t make for an interesting story nationally…
cut 5 (12) “…would be there”

New Orleans Police say two Lake Charles evacuees have been arrested for their role in a fatal shooting that took place on Canal Street yesterday afternoon. The victim is also a Laura evacuee. One of the suspects was reportedly on bond for a Memorial Day shooting that injured seven people at an unsupervised teen party in Lake Charles.

Governor Edwards is expected to make an announcement either today or tomorrow on whether the state can move into Phase 3 of coronavirus pandemic restrictions. Edwards has received criticism for his handling of the pandemic, but the governor says he does not have any second thoughts…
cut 12 (08) “….a reason”
The current phase two executive order ends Friday.

A senior at Pine High School who painted a mural of President Trump in his parking spot as part of the school’s “Seniors Paint Your Parking Spot” program is taking the Washington Parish Superintendent and school board to court after his painting was covered up by grey paint. Ned Thomas says the school superintendent said it was too political…
cut 8 (13) “….on the corner”
Thomas has filed a complaint with the federal court in New Orleans. The school system did not respond to our request for comment.

Lake Charles and the community’s response to Hurricane Laura has fallen out of the national media spotlight and it has left many of its residents feeling forgotten. Mayor Nic Hunter says the story of resilience is one that apparently doesn’t appeal to national media outlets.
Cut 4 (08)“ …citizen any less.”
Hunter says maybe if the local response to the disaster was a train wreck, the level of lasting national media attention would be different. But he’s proud of how Lake Charles and the state have come together to rebuild their city.

14-point-six-million dollars in federal aid are available to fishermen and others in the industry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. L-D-W-F biologist Director Jason Duet (do-A) says a hardworking fisherman is eligible for up to 10-thousand dollars in aid…
cut 14 (11) “…loss”
A six-week application period opens Monday on L-D-W-F’s website.

A parking spot painting of President Donald Trump sparks controversy from the Washington Parish School Board and legal action from a Pine High School senior. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The Hammond City Council has voted for a measure that urges Mayor Pete Panepinto to remove Edwin Bergeron as the city’s police chief. A video from 2017 has surfaced that shows Bergeron, who was a booking sergeant at the time, involved in a violent arrest of a black man. Mayor Panepinto has said he has no plans to terminate Bergeron.

The current executive order on Phase Two COVID-19 restrictions expires Friday and Governor Edwards says a decision on whether we move to Phase Three is expected before tomorrow ends…
Cut 3 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

A coronavirus outbreak involving numerous football players at Louisiana Tech has resulted in the postponement of the Bulldogs season opener against Baylor on Saturday.

The LHSAA Executive Committee meets today and the panel will announce the official start date for high school football and it’s expected to be October 8th.

A senior at Pine High School in Washington Parish is taking his local superintendent and the school board to court after his painting of President Trump was covered up with paint. Ned Thomas says he received permission from the principal to paint a stylized picture of the president, as part of the school system’s “Seniors Paint Your Parking Space” program, but Thomas says apparently some people objected to the paint job…
cut 9 (10) “…the United States”
Thomas is seeking an injunction so that he can re-paint his picture. No comment from the Washington Parish School system.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says there are 14-point-six billion dollars in federal aid available for fishermen and others in the industry who have suffered financial losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic. LDWF biologist director Jason Duet says you must be able to demonstrate you’ve been in the industry as of 2018 or 2019…
cut 15 (10) “…captain”
LDWF will begin accepting applications on its website starting Monday.