Renowned New Orleans heart surgeon Doctor John Ochsner has passed away at the age of 91. President of the Ochsner Health System, Warner Thomas, says Doctor Ochsner performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South and conducted over 12-thousand surgeries during a 57-year career. He received the utmost respect from his patients…
cut 10 (09) “…amazing outcomes”
His father co-founded the Ochsner Health System.

Hurricane Beyrl is the first hurricane of the season after forming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Forecaster with the National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg says its a small storm…
Cut 6 (09) “…5 miles wide”
Beyrl is not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico at this time.

State Police are looking for the driver that hit a bicyclist in Slidell last night and then fled the scene. Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says 42-year-old Sandra Royer took proper safety precautions for a night ride…
cut 4 (10) “…type of collision”
Dwight says be on the lookout for an SUV with damage to the front end and passenger side.

The Essence Music Festival is underway in New Orleans. It’s known as the country’s largest celebration of black women and black culture. Influential voices in business, politics and entertainment are speaking throughout the day and then there’s big concerts at night. New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Kristian Sonnier says it’s the coolest event in town….
cut 13 (09)_ “….air conditioning”

A recent escape from Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe marks at least the fifth of the year for the juvenile detention facility. Kevin Barnhart has the details on the issues with the facility.
Cut 1 (29) I’m Kevin Barnhart“

We have our first hurricane of the 2018 season. Hurricane Beryl is way out in the Atlantic Ocean. Robbie Berg with the National Hurricane Center says it’s not unusual to see a hurricane form this early in the season…
cut 8 (07) “….every year”
Beryl has a chance to become a Category Two storm, but not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico at this time.

The man who performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South has passed away in New Orleans. Doctor John Ochsner conducted over 12-thousand surgeries during a 57 year career. He passed away at the age of 91. President of the Ochsner Health System, Warner Thomas, calls Doctor Ochnser an icon in the industry
cut 9 (10) “…as well”
Doctor Ochsner’s father, Alton Ochsner, helped found the Ochsner health care system.

State Police are looking for an S-U-V that fatally struck 42-year-old Sandra Royer of Slidell. Troopers say at around 9:30 last night on Brownswitch Road, Royer was riding her bike and wearing an orange safety vest, when she was struck from behind by a dark colored S-U-V. Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says it’s important drivers give cyclists a three-foot gap when passing them and he has this advice for cyclists…
cut 5 (07) “…off the roadway”

The Louisiana Department of Revenue believes they will be able to collect sales taxes on all online purchases starting in January. L-D-R Secretary Kimberly Robinson says its not a simple process. There are widely different tax rates from parish to parish. Robinson says they’re working on software that will make it easy for retailers to make sure they’re charging the right local rate.
Cut 12 (10) “come up.”

Louisiana will receive one-point-four billion dollars in federal money for several different flood and hurricane protection projects. Senator Bill Cassidy says 760-million dollars will go to an 18-mile hurricane levee project in St John the Baptist Parish….
cut 8 (10) “…those river parishes”
This allocation will also fully fund the Comite River Diversion Canal, which will reduce flood damage for homes in East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension Parishes.

A recent escape from Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe marks at least the fifth of the year for the juvenile detention facility. Kevin Barnhart has the details on the issues with the facility.
Cut 1 (29) I’m Kevin Barnhart“

State Police are looking for an S-U-V that fatally struck 42-year-old Sandra Royer of Slidell. Troopers say at around 9:30 last night on Brownswitch Road, Royer was riding a Huffy mountain style bicycle and wearing an orange safety vest and was struck from behind by a dark colored S-U-V. Royer was pronounced dead at local hospital.

The long-delayed Comite River Diversion Canal in East Baton Rouge Parish is now fully funded. Connor Ferrill has more on the money the state will receive for flood mitigation projects…
Voicer 2 (30) ”I’m Connor Ferrill”

The first hurricane of the season has formed. Hurricane Beryle is way out in the Atlantic and forecasters say it’s not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico. Expect a hot and humid day today and rain chances are high for this weekend.

The state office of Juvenile Justice says changes have been made to the perimeter at the Swanson Center for the Youth in Monroe to prevent another escape attempt. There have been at least five of them this year. Deputy Secretary for the O-J-J, Doctor James Bueche…
cut 6 (12) “….difficult to do’

The criminal justice reform legislation approved in 2017 means Neilson Rizzuto could be released from prison later this month. He’s the drunk driver that plowed into a crowd at a 2017 New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade and injured 32 people. He was sentenced to five years in prison in January, but Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says new sentencing laws allow the release of well-behaved, non-violent inmates after 35-percent of their sentence is served….
cut 15 (10) “…cost of incarceration”

Louisiana could see an influx of money soon as the state revenue department plans to start collecting sales taxes from all online retailers starting next year..
Voicer 3 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

US tarriffs totaling 34-billion dollars on Chinese goods went into effect at midnight, which provoked China to retalitate and place 34-billion dollars on US exports. Data from Louisiana Economic Development says Louisiana exports seven-point-nine billion dollars worth of products to China.

A recent escape from Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe marks at least the fifth of the year for the juvenile detention facility. While attention can be turned to staffing issues, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Juvenile Justice, Dr. James Bueche, says the dated facility is partially to blame.
Cut 4 (09) “…in that function”
Bueche says they are making a series of security enhancements to Swanson’s perimeter.

One-point-four billion dollars is coming to Louisiana to pay for flood mitigation projects. 343-million dollars will fully fund the Comite River Diversion Canal, a major flood protection project for East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. US Representative Garret Graves says receiving this money allows the state to focus on other issues…
cut 10 (12) “….in our region”
There’s also 760-million dollars for a flood protection project in the River Parishes.

Louisiana will receive one-point-four billion dollars in federal money for flood and hurricane protection projects. Baton Rouge Republican Congressman Garret Graves says there’s 343-million dollars for the long-delayed Comite River Diversion Canal in East Baton Rouge….
cut 9 (08) “….three to four years”
The state is also getting 760-million dollars to build an 18-mile levee in St. John the Baptist Parish to hold back water from Lake Pontchartrain.

The state Revenue Department plans on collecting sales taxes on all item purchases online by the start of next year. A recent US Supreme Court decision paved the way for collection of sales taxes from stores without a physical presence in states they ship too. LDR Secretary Kimberly Robinson on how much the state may collect….
cut 11 (10) “…estimate is”

A man sentenced earlier this year to five years in prison for driving drunk into a crowd of Mardi Gras parade goers is set to be released from prison later this month as a result of the criminal reform legislation passed last year. Twenty-six-year-old Neilson Rizzuto injured 32 people at the Endymion parade in 2017 and pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino on why Rizzuto is not serving more time with all of the sentences being served consecutively….
cut 16 (11) “….case was”
Rizzuoto’s expected release date is July 20.

LSU student Jhane Lowsoo will be able to complete her education thanks to former Tiger running back Leonard Fournette. Lowsoo used social media to ask for financial help to cover her tuition, because TOPS was not paying for her fifth year of college. Fournette saw the message and reached out to her and said he’ll pay her education expenses.

The Pelicans begin summer league play tomorrow. Most of the players on the roster will not make the team once the regular season begins in October. But there are some players to keep an eye on. Cheick Diallo expects to play well in the summer league and hopes to win MVP honors. Guard Frank Jackson gets a chance to test his injured foot, which kept him from playing last season. And last month’s second round pick Tony Carr is also on the team.

Four former LSU Tigers will play in the Las Vegas Summer League, Tim Quarterman, Duop Reath, Aaron Epps and Brandon Sampson. Epps is playing with the 76ers hoping to team up again with former LSU Tiger Ben Simmons.

LSU’s Daniel Cabrera and Ma’Khail Hilliard have been named to the D-1 Baseball Freshman All-American teams. Cabrera was voted to the first team and Hilliard is a second-team selection. Cabrera had eight homers and 54 RBIs last season, while Hilliard was 9-5 with a 3.79 ERA.

LSU’s Zach Hess threw three shutout innings in the United Staes 1-0 win over Japan last night in Durham, North Carolina. Hess started and struck out four. His outing ended as a result of an hour and eight minute rain delay. The U-S will continue its series with Japan tomorrow in Savannah, Georgia.

Former LSU standout Aaron Nola won his 11th game this season as he helped the Phillies defeat the hapless Orioles four to one. Nola allowed just one run on seven hits for his fifth straight victory. Philadelphia has won four straight and they trail Atlanta by just 1.5 games in the NL East.

At the World Cup, quarterfinal action begins tomorrow, France faces Uruguay and Brazil battles Belgium.

State Police say they’ve arrested three members of the Felony Lane Gang, who is allegedly responsible for several smash and grabs where they stole driver licenses, credit cards and social security cards. Trooper Melissa Matey says they’ve trageted St. Tammany Parish several times…
cut 5 (12) “….parking lot”
Matey says they were arrested after their vehicle was pulled over on Interstate 10 for a seatbelt violation.

Louisiana residents can now display their Louisiana driver’s license on their cell phone and use it as a legal I-D. The app is called LA Wallet and Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Karen St. Germain says LA Wallet is the first digital driver’s license app to be fully launched in the U-S…
cut 15 (06) “…kind of nice”
LA Wallet was developed by a Louisiana-based software development firm.

A 40-year-old man is under arrest after his 15-year-old son escaped captivity from a home in Sulphur where authorities say he was torturing the young man. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso…
cut 12 (12) “…feet together”
Thomas Winniger and his girlfriend have been charged with 2nd degree cruelty to a juvenile and false imprisonment.

An Arnaudville teen has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and attempted first-degree murder following an early Wednesday morning police pursuit. St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Major Ginny Higgins…
cut 9 (08) “…and a pursuit ensued.”
Higgins says 17-year-old Dartamian Landry Higgins drove at a high speed, before he intentionally slammed his vehicle into St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s vehicles. Two deputies received moderate injuries.