Governor Edwards is praising the state’s level of readiness in the face of Barry but reminds everyone the hurricane season just started. The Governor singled out some impressive feats, such as a record-breaking 900,000 sandbags distributed statewide. He says now is the time to figure out what residents can do even better…
Cut 13 (09) “as well.”
As of this morning, five-thousand Cleco customers were still without power, while Entergy has 56-hundred customers impacted by outages.

The Bonnet Carre Spillway will remain open longer than officials hoped because of Hurricane-slash-Tropical Storm Barry. Corps of Engineers spokesperson Ricky Boyett says before they can close the Spillway, the Mississippi river must drop to 21 feet at the structure in St. Charles Parish, but that has yet to happen…
Cut 6 (10) “…to us.”
There was hope before Barry arrived that the Corps could begin closing Bonnet Carre Spillway in mid-July.

A 50-year-old St. Francisville man is dead after being struck by a truck on LA Hwy 10 in West Feliciana Parish driven by 60-year-old Salvatore Euggino of Ethel. State Trooper Taylor Scrantz says this is the second time in less than four months that troopers have arrested Euggino for negligent homicide.
Cut 3 (11) “…survive the crash.”
The pedestrian in Monday’s crash was identified as Ricky Pourciau.

The optimism of small business owners has seen a modest downturn, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says business owners are more cautious with spending and credits politics on both the federal and state level…
Cut 10 (07) “…to the vest.”
But Starns says small business optimism is still at historically high levels.

Louisiana is beginning the 60-million-dollar process of replacing two aging youth prisons with newer, “Therapeutic Model” buildings. Deputy Secretary for the Office of Juvenile Justice Dr. James Bueche says they can pay back the loan with future savings.
Cut 4 (06) “ facilities”
The plan is to replace the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe, and The Bridge City Center for Youth outside of New Orleans and the new youth lockups will use a therapeutic approach which Bueche says can reduce recidivism.

The University of Louisiana System has started a new program called Compete Louisiana which will help adults who went to college but never got a degree. U-L System president Doctor Jim Henderson says the program features coaches who are dedicated to helping you return to college and get that degree…
cut 9 (09) “….it to scale”
For more information go to compete-la-dot-org.

The National Federation of Independent Business says uncertainty is on the rise among small business owners. NFIB Louisiana director Dawn Starns says small business owners have become a little more cautious…
cut 11 (10) “…creating new jobs”
But Starns says small business optimism is still at a historically high level.

Governor John Bel Edwards is back in Baton Rouge after touring Hurricane Barry damaged levees in Plaquemines and Terrebonne Parishes. But Edwards says these levees were not breached and there were only a few cases of overtopping…
cut 15 (08) “…locations”
Edwards says the Corps of Engineers will conduct a thorough inspection of the levees.

Governor John Bel Edwards believes the state’s response to Hurricane Barry went well, but can always find ways to be faster and more efficient…
cut 14 (07) “…preparation”
Edwards says not a single levee was breached by Barry’s storm surge and rainfall, but a comprehensive inspection of the levees begins today.

The state is preparing to replace two aging youth lockups, the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe and Bridge City Center for Youth near New Orleans, with new Therapeutic Buildings. Deputy Secretary for the Office of Juvenile Justice Doctor James Bueche says the new facilities will be smaller, safer and more efficient…
cut 5 (11) “…the dorm”
The state will borrow 60-million dollars to construct the new lockups.

One in five adults in the state, just over 650,000, started college but never got a degree. But a new program from the University of Louisiana system aims to get those individuals degrees…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

An East Feliciana Parish man has been arrested for the second time in four months for his role in a fatal wreck. State Police say 60-year-old Salvatore Euggino of Ethel struck and killed a pedestrian in West Feliciana Parish yesterday afternoon. Last March, Euggino was charged with negligent homicide for a two-vehicle wreck that killed the other driver.

Governor Edwards is praising the state’s level of readiness in the face of Barry but reminds everyone the hurricane season just started. The Governor singled out some impressive feats, such as a record-breaking 900,000 sandbags distributed statewide. He says now is the time to figure out what residents can do even better…

Cut 13 (09) “as well.”
As of last night, seven-thousand Cleco customers were still without power, while Entergy has six-thousand customers impacted by outages.

A new program called Compete Louisiana aims to ease the burden of returning to college for those who went to school but didn’t receive a degree. University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson says many of those adults find it harder to compete for jobs and they need to finish what they started.
Cut 7 (09) “…ability to compete.”
One in five adults in Louisiana went to college but left without a degree.

The Office of Juvenile Justice is set to apply for a bond to phase out two old, decaying youth prisons, with newer “Therapeutic Model” facilities. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

A former pledge educator at Phi Delta Theta took the stand on Monday and told the courtroom that Matthew Naquin had been warned to tone down his interaction with the pledges. Naquin has been charged with negligent homicide and obstruction of justice in the suspected hazing death of LSU fraternity pledge Maxwell Gruver.

The optimism of small business owners has seen a modest downturn, according to the National Federation of Independent Small Business. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says business owners are more cautious with spending and credits politics on both the federal and state level…
Cut 10 (07) “…to the vest.”
But Starns says small business optimism is still at historically high levels.

The University of Louisiana System rolls out a new program called Compete Louisiana which is designed to help adults who attended college return to school and get a degree. UL-System President Jim Henderson says time management is the biggest hurdle for those targeted by the program…
cut 8 (07) “…that is meaningless”
Henderson says coaches will be assigned to individuals to figure out the right program and advise the student on the process and the entire academic pathway.

Governor Edwards says even though Louisiana mostly made it through Barry OK, he knows it’s just the beginning of Hurricane Season, and we have a long way to go…
Cut 3 (30) “,,.I’m Matt Doyle”

Barry is bringing Louisiana one last big rain storm as a heavy rain band is sweeping across south Louisiana this morning after dumping a couple of inches of rain in Alexandria during the overnight hours. Barry did not deliver on predicted rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches. State Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasters use multiple models, but they were not accurate this time…
cut 5 (10) “…snake eyes”
No other storms are in Louisiana’s near future as the tropics are quiet.

SEC football Media Days begin today in Hoover, Alabama. Braden Gall covers college football for Athlon Sports and ESPN-U Radio and he says LSU will be good on defense once again, but the play at quarterback could be the best it’s been at LSU in a long time…
cut 8 (08) “…you games”

Houma police say two of their officers were shot at while conducting storm damage assessment yesterday afternoon. Authorities say several shots were fired at the officers from a burgundy colored sedan that officers returned fire at. No officers were hurt. A man was dropped off by a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound and it could be related to the exchange of gunfire.

LSU receives a grant for a project focusing on the preservation of photos, videos, emails, and social media posts of 21st century veterans. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (32) “,,.I’m Kevin Barnhart”