Two Minnesota teenagers will be the youngest team to travel the entire Mississippi River by kayak. Emelie Gunn has more on the pair that is approaching New Orleans…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Governor John Bel Edwards says they’re seeing an uptick in enrollment in the federally funded homeowner assistance program. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Two teenagers from Minnesota are attempting to be the youngest team to kayak the entire Mississippi River. 19-year-old Matt Rens and 18-year-old Jesse Richard are on day 49 of their journey from Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico and are approaching New Orleans. Rens says the pair is making this journey on behalf of LifeWater International.

Cut 3 (11) “clean water”

The pair has raised a little over 4-thousand dollars and their goal is to raise 12-thousand, which sets up full sanitation for a village. Rens says they have encountered some unexpected things while on the Mississippi River, like getting poison ivy.

Cut 4  (10) “unknown things”

Rens says it’s expected they will be in New Orleans by tonight and plan to make it to Pilottown if the pair can find a boat to bring them back. He says during the journey they’ve only taken three days off, one due to a serious infected rash that came from the kayak and the water and they are mostly sleeping on the banks.

Cut 5  (09)  “people”

Nearly one year after flood waters ravaged south Louisiana, one flood victim is getting ready to go home. Lillie Gumm of Baton Rouge was one of the first people to complete the flood recovery survey. Her home will be the third to be completed through the state’s homeowner assistance program, which she says turned out to be even better than she expected.

Cut 6 (10) “gone through”

Gumm’s home is about 90 percent complete, after taking on three to four feet of water last year. She is one of 37,000 flood victims to complete the online survey at restore-dot-la-dot-gov, which gets the ball rolling on helping flooded homeowners repair their homes. She says throughout this ordeal, she has learned to be patient.

Cut 7 (09)  “turned around”

Gumm says the whole process took about three months from start to finish. Gumm is currently staying in a FEMA mobile home while repairs wrap up on her home. She encourages everyone impacted by the flood to complete the survey without delay.

Cut 8 (11) “the survey”

Money from the homeowner assistance program, which was funded by Congress, is first going to the elderly, disabled and low-income individuals, and the state is beginning to expand the program to all income levels in the most impacted parishes.

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As of today, smoking is no longer permitted in Lafayette bars. Robin McMillan owns McMillan’s Pub in Lafayette, and she’s afraid the new ordinance will affect her business since about 80 percent of her patrons are smokers. She says they may start going to other bars because the smoking ban is only within the city limits.

Cut 9 (08)  “not coming”

McMillan says she’s been working for the past few weeks to accommodate her smoking customers. She says she’s bringing in lumber and construction workers to build a deck outside of her bar. But she says the task hasn’t been easy or cheap.

Cut 10 (08) “as it seems”

McMillan says the change is frustrating because she has owned the building her bar is in for years. She says with both smoking and nonsmoking bars throughout the city, bar goers already had options. At this point, she says she is hopeful nonsmokers will help keep her in business.

Cut 11 (08) “my business”

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More victims are now covered under Louisiana’s domestic violence laws. Two laws take effect today that expand the statutes to include same-sax couples and dating partners. Executive Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Mariah Wineski says this extends legal protections to more victims.

Cut 12 (10) “domestic abuse battery law”

Wineski says this means that abusers in same-sex or unmarried relationships would not be held accountable for their crimes. She says in the past many would only face simple battery charges, but one of the new laws creates the crime of battery of a dating partner.

Cut 13 (11) “dating partners”

Wineski says these new laws provide more protection for more victims, which could help reduce the domestic abuse homicide rate. She says that is invaluable because domestic violence occurs in all types of relationships.

Cut 14 (12) “through the cracks”

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A new law will put an end to speeding tickets that show up in drivers’ mailboxes without warning. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The state Department of Education announced the Teacher and Principal of the Year. Jeff Palermo has more on the teacher from the Baton Rouge area and the Acadiana principal.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A new law goes into effect today that will no longer allow most juvenile killers to be eligible for life sentences without the chance of parole. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Drivers should no longer receive speeding tickets in the mail from hidden speed cameras thanks to a new law that goes into effect today. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter’s legislation requires signs to be posted ahead of speed enforcement camera in order to collect on the fine. He says if the goal of these cameras is really to stop speeders, municipalities should have no problem posting warning signs.

Cut 4  (07) “moment”

The law requires the signs to be clearly visible between 250 and 500 feet ahead of the speed camera. Carter says in the past drivers who received tickets from these cameras simply had to pay it because they had no recourse. But his law gives motorists that due process.

Cut 5  (10)  “no ticket”

Carter hopes this will put an end to drivers being greeted with surprise tickets in their mailboxes. He says safety should always be a priority on the road, but tricking people into paying tickets isn’t the way to improve safety.

Cut 6 (11) “money grab”

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A school teacher from the Baton Rouge area and a principal from Acadiana are the Louisiana State Teacher and Principal of the Year, which is awarded annually by the state Department of Education.  Kimberly Eckert, a 9^th grade English teacher at Brusly High School in West Baton Rouge, received the teacher of the year honor. She says her kids make being a teacher so worthwhile.

Cut 7 (09)  “them stronger”

This fall, Eckert will enter her 10^th year of teaching. Eckert has received numerous different grants to benefit her school and classroom and says she’s always able to see what is needed for her students.

Cut 8 (11) “further them”

Tommy Byler, the principal of North Vermilion High School, received the honor of Principal of the Year. Byler says it’s amazing to be an ambassador for public education.

Cut 9 (10)  “my success”

Byler has been in education for 26-years. He says seeing his students from a starting point to an ending point is the best part of his job.

Cut 10 (11) “pushing them”

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U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy met with White House officials Monday afternoon to discuss proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Before the meeting started, Cassidy said he’s not giving up on repealing the current federal health care law, because it fails the Jimmy Kimmel test

Cut 11 (06) “individual market”

The Jimmy Kimmel test is in reference to the late night talk show host, who said no family should be denied medical care, because they can’t afford it. Cassidy and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham are pushing a health care bill to replace Obamacare, which is why Cassidy received an invite to meet with Health Secretary Tom Price and President Trump’s top aides…

Cut 12 (05) “lack coverage”

Politico reports the Cassidy-Graham proposal would maintain protections for individuals with pre-exisiting conditions, keep most of the taxes connected to the Affordable Care Act, send federal health care funds to state in block grants, but end the requirement all Americans must buy health insurance or pay a tax. Cassidy says the individual mandate hurts poor people

Cut 13 (11) “lower income Americans”

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Most juvenile killers will no longer be eligible to receive life sentences without the chance for parole, as a new law goes into effect today. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor says the law was needed because the US Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that murderers convicted as juveniles could not be sentenced to life without parole. He says the argument was made because of young people’s capacity to change.

Cut 14 (11) “mind development”

Claitor notes that just because a lifer is given a chance for parole, it doesn’t mean they will be released. The purpose of this law is simply to bring the state in line with the Supreme Court decision. He adds not all killers convicted as juveniles will be granted parole eligibility.

Cut 15 (08) “of the worst”

Claitor says the District Attorneys will decide who is the worst of the worst and use that provision sparingly. He says if they don’t, it could open up the state to more litigation.

Cut 16 (08)  “in court”

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LSU will have two number 18s on the field this season as both defensive end Christian LaCourture and fullback J.D. Moore will wear number 18 on their jersey. At LSU, the number 18 is synonymous with success, both on and off the field. LaCourture was presented his 18 jersey in the spring and Head Coach Ed Orgeron says Moore was given received his jersey at a team meeting to kick off preseason camp…

Cut 17 (13) “he’s it”

LSU’s first practice of preseason camp was Monday afternoon. Orgeron says senior quarterback Danny Etling looks healthy following back surgery….

Cut 18 (08) “very healthy” 

Orgeron says creating more turnovers is a focus on defense this year…

Cut 19 (18) “last year”

Moore says he’s honored to wear number 18 at LSU….

Cut 20 (15) “number 18”

New litter laws take effect tomorrow. Jeff Palermo has more…

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Slidell Police say a domestic disturbance lead to a fatal stabbing Sunday evening. Michelle Southern reports…:

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New laws take effect tomorrow that seek to curb the litter problem in Louisiana. One law lowers the fine for littering from $1,000 to $900. Fines for littering were doubled in 2015, which triggered jury trial provisions that made enforcement less likely. Executive Director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Susan Russell hopes reducing the fine will lead to better enforcement of litter laws.

Cut 3 (11) “throwing them out”

The law also increases the community service penalty for littering. First offense penalties double from 8 to 16 hours, and second offense increase from 16 hours to 20 hours. Russell hopes requiring litterers to pick up trash will discourage them from littering again.

Cut 4  (11) “the problem is”

Another law requires litter prevention to be taught in schools from kindergarten through fifth grade. Russell says educating our youth is a great way to address the litter problem. She says the younger generation has to deal with waste management in ways that older people never have.

Cut 5  (11)  “growing up”

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has proposed adding the American Creosote Deridder, an environmentally contaminated site in Deridder, to the Superfund National Priorities Site. Greg Langley with the state Department of Environmental Quality says once this Beauregard Parish site is added to the list, it’s in line to receive federal funding that can go towards cleanup efforts.

Cut 6 (08) “water too”

The state currently has 27 other Superfund sites. Langley says they don’t know when the funds will become available but this is a step in the right direction for getting the area cleaned up. He says the creosote was originally used on the timber to make it last longer and protect it from insects but…

Cut 7 (09)  “the soil”

The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry links Creosote to blisters on the skin, damage to vital organs and stomach pains. Langley says the site in Beauregard Parish was used to treat lumber from the 1920s to the 1940s. He says it took decades to realize the negative impact of the creosote.

Cut 8 (07) “began”

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Slidell Police say a domestic disturbance lead to a fatal stabbing Sunday evening. Detective Daniel Seuzeneau says officers learned that the suspect, 25-year-old Joseph Thibodeaux of Pearl River, was arguing with his fiance, and threatening to stab others in the house..:

Cut 9 (12)  “multiple times”

Seuzeneau says the uncle died at the scene, and Thibodeaux fled to Mississippi where he was caught last night…:

Cut 10 (09) “more charges”

Seuzeneau says the message here remains that domestic violence is a very serious issue…:

Cut 11 (08) “domestic related issues”

(Thibodeaux was booked with second degree murder and more charges are expected to be filed.)

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It was a deadly weekend in Baton Rouge, as multiple people have died from violence in the Capitol City. Sgt. Don Coppola with the Baton Rouge Police Department says two teens were killed when a drug deal went wrong on Sunday evening.

Cut 12 (10) “his injuries”

The victims are identified as 19-year-old Kenyi Kolok and 18-year-old Orenthean Daniels. Coppola says police are working to determine if a third suspect was involved.

A woman was found stabbed to death in a home on Sunday morning. Coppola says detectives are working to identify a suspect in the death of 41-year-old Sara Hernandez.

Cut 13 (07) “in the home”

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact authorities.

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A former Livingston Parish teacher admits to having a sexual relationship with a teen a student. 33-year-old Lynsie Pendarvis pleaded guilty to all charges against her and sentenced to five years. But District Attorney Scott Perrilloux says Pendarvis might not serve any time in jail…

Cut 14 (10) “15 years”

Perrilloux says Pendarvis is also required to participate in a two year program for sexual offenders offered by the Department of Corrections. He says because Pendarvis pleaded guilty, the victim is not required to testify in court.

Cut 15 (08) “her actions”

Pendarvis was arrested last June when police discovered her relationship was with a 15-year-old student at Walker Freshman High School. Perrilloux says she pleaded guilty to all charges.

Cut 16  (10)  “case”

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