Small business optimism dipped in June, according to the National Federation for Independent Business. State director Dawn Starns says they saw increased optimism at the beginning of the year entering the new administration, but that has since dwindled due to gridlock in Congress and uncertainty surrounding the federal healthcare bill…:
Cut 3 (10) “so hard”
The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission has handed down a fine of 545-thousand dollars against Elio Motors, which has promised to build a three-wheel car at the former GM plant in Shreveport, but those plans have been delayed since 2013, because a lack of funding. Commission spokesperson Keith Marcott told KEEL in Shreveport that Elio has to follow the same rules as everyone else….
cut 14 (10) “….large nature”

The girlfriend of the man who was shot and killed by an Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s deputy has hired a lawyer who disputes information released by State Police on the incident. Authorities say 27-year-old Dejuan Guillory was shot in a struggle with the deputy, and that the girlfriend, 21-year-old Dequince Brown, attacked the cop. But Brown’s lawyer, Joe Long, said his client was trying to keep the deputy from killing her boyfriend:
Cut 9 (11) “three more times”
Long made the comments in an interview with PenPoint News.

Louisiana drivers are jerks on the road according to a driving awareness campaign that promotes courteous driving. Speeding up to prevent someone from passing us and failing to use our turn signals puts us 4th worst in the US. Kars4Kids spokesman Ari Finkelstein
Cut 8 (09) “stressful roads”

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron likes his team as it heads into the 2017 season. Jeff Palermo has the story…
voicer 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

SEC Commisisoner Greg Sankey says the league is open to a 14-week season, with two bye weeks. But Sankey says he does not want to move the start of fooball practice to even earlier into the summer.

Speaking the start of football practice, Coach O says edge rusher Arden Key will not be ready as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
At SEC Media Days today it’s Georgia, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Florida. The Bulldogs are looking to improve a defense that ranked 110th in the country last year. Gators Head Coach Jim McElwain will be asked about his quarterback situation. Competing for snaps are former LSU commitment Feleipe Franks, Kyle Trask, Luke Del Rio and Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire.

The Pelicans are 0-3 in Summer League Action after losing to Brooklyn 95-66. Guard Quinn Cook continues to be a bright spot as he had 20 points, knocking down six of his first 11 shots. Cheick Diallo was just 3-of-9 from the field. The dynamic duo DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis watched the game from the stands.

Tonight is the Major League Baseball All-Star. Former LSU Tiger DJ LeMahieu is representing the Colorado Rockies for a second time in his career. LeMahieu is hitting .307 with 4 home runs and 41 RBIs. He has been dealing with a groin cramp, so it’s unclear how much he’ll play tonight.

A 16-year-old has been arrested after allegedly beating an elderly couple with a hammer inside their Kenner home. Police responded after a 70-year-old woman walked to her neighbor’s home covered in blood asking for help for she and her 89-year-old husband. Kenner Police Lt. Brian McGregor says the teen also stole the victims’ vehicle and they learned he drove to Baton Rouge…
Cut 6 (07) “Baton Rouge”
McGregor says teen was upset that the elderly couple he performed odd jobs for did not allow him to borrow their car.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana has a new way for its members to make an informed decision when it comes to getting a medical procedure. It’s called Smart Shopper and David Hochheiser (Ho-heiser) says it’s available on the Blue Cross website…
Cut 10 (11) “or live”
Hochheiser says if a customer needs an MRI they can use SmartShopper and they’ll likely notice a wide range in costs for the same medical service.

The percentage of white Democrats in Louisiana is at 18, down from 35% in 2001. That’s according to JMC Analytics and Polling analyst John Couvillon. He says 22-percent of the electorate consisted of registered Republicans in 2001, now the percentage is up to 30-percent. He says the percentage of registered Independents is also up eight-percent…:
Cut 4 (11) “major parties”

Republican Angele Davis now joins the pool of candidates running for State Treasurer. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat…
Cut 13 (09) “knows it”
Also running are Republican State Senator Neil Riser, former Republican state representative John Schroder and Democratic Attorney Derrick Edwards.

A 16-year-old has been arrested in Baton Rouge after allegedly beating an elderly couple in Kenner with a hammer and stealing their car and wrecking it. Lt. Brian McGregor with Kenner Police says the teen did off jobs around the victims’ home and the couple remains in critical condition.
Cut 8 (08) “hospitalized”
McGregor says the juvenile faces multiple charges including attempted first degree murder.

The Department of Education says the number of high school seniors filling out financial aid forms for secondary education has increased 7-percent from last year. Stephanie Marcum, with the state department of education says when people hear financial aid they think loans, but that’s a very small aspect of what you find out through FAFSA.
Cut 10 (09) “TOPS award”
Marcum says next year it will be a requirement for all seniors to submit FAFSA by the July 1st deadline.

Since 2001, the state’s electorate has become more diverse. That’s according to John Couvillion with JMC Analytics and Polling. He says black voter registration comprised of 29-percent of the electorate at the start of President George W. Bush’s administration and is 31-percent today, but there has been much bigger gains with other racial groups.
Cut 5 (07) “66-percent”
Couvillion says his research finds there’s been a decline in white Democrats and a steady gain in registered Republicans and Independents.

The budget chief for former Governor Bobby Jindal has announced she is running for State Treasurer. Angele Davis is the third major Republican to enter the race, the other two are state senator Neil Riser and former state representative John Schroder. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it’s a wide open race…
cut 14 (06) “….runoff”
The election is October 14th.

LSU tailback Derrius Guice and edge rusher Arden Key are among 85 players named to the Maxwell Award watch list, which goes to the best college football player in the country. Guice rushed for nearly 14-hundred yards last season, despite sharing carries with first-round pick Leonard Fournette. At SEC Media Day, Head coach Ed Orgeron said he expects Guice will flourish under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada….
cut 30 (15) “….in the country”
Key is the other player on that list. Orgeron said today that Key will not be ready for the start of fall camp, because he’s still recovering from shoulder surgery. Also, Coach “O” said Quarterback Danny Etling is nearly 100-percent after undergoing back surgery.

LSU has two players on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, which goes to the best defensive player in college football. And that is defensive end-slash-outside linebaker Arden Key and cornerback Kevin Toliver. Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson is also on that Watch List after setting the school record with 14.5 sacks last season.

During this SEC football offseason, there’s been talk of Auburn moving to the East and Missouri moving to the Western division. But Commissioner Greg Sankey said such a proposal has not been listed as an agenda item at any meeting. But Sankey says the league supports a 14-week football regular season with two open dates, but does not like the idea of preseason practice starting any earlier than it does now.

The Pelicans face the Brooklyn Nets in NBA summer league action in Las Vegas. New Orleans is 0-2 as they lost a tough one to Atlanta 84 to 82 yesterday. Cheick Diallo has looked good as he has recorded a pair of double-doubles and Quinn Cook is coming off a 25-point performance.

A Kenner teen has been arrested for allegedly beating an elderly couple with a hammer in their home. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

State Police has released more details about last week’s fatal shooting involving an Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Deputy. Authorities says the man who was fatally shot, 27-year-old Dejuan Guillory, allegedly stole a four-wheeler and struck the Deputy in the head during a traffic stop. L-S-P says during a struggle, is when the Deputy fatally shot Guillory.

Former Governor Bobby Jindal’s ex-budget chief, Angele Davis, joins the pool of candidates running for state treasurer. Republican state senator Neil Riser, Republican former state representative John Schroder and Democratic attorney Derrick Edwards are the others seeking the post vacated by U.S. Senator John Kennedy. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says none of the candidates are known statewide…:
Cut 12 (07) “stand for”
Qualifying begins Wednesday.

65% of high school seniors submitted FAFSA paperwork this year compared to 58% last year. Senior Educational Technology consultant with the department of ed, Stephanie Marcum, says the numbers should continue to grow, because it will be a requirement next year for all seniors to complete the forms for federal financial aid..
CUT 11 (05) “they’re eligible”

There’s been a substantial decline in the number of whites registered as Democrats in Louisiana since 2001. JMC Analytics and Polling analyst John Couvillon says when President George W. Bush was inaugurated in 2001, white Democrats comprised 35-percent of the Louisiana electorate or 951-thousand voters. Today, the percentage of white Democrats is down to 18-percent…
cut 3 (05) “…registered Democrats”
Couvillon says meanwhile there’s been a steady gain in registered Republicans and Independents.

The number of high school seniors filling out financial aid forms for post-secondary education is up 7 percent over last year. Senior Educational Technology consultant, with the state department of education, Stephanie Marcum says they have made a big push to let students know that FAFSA isn’t just for students going to traditional college…:
Cut 9 (11) “to pay for”
Marcum says they expect the numbers to continue to go up when filling out FAFSA becomes a requirement for seniors next year

The budget chief for former Governor Bobby Jindal has announced she is running for State Treasurer. Angele Davis is the third major Republican to enter the race, the other two are state senator Neil Riser and former state representative John Schroder. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it’s a wide open race…
cut 14 (06) “….runoff”
The election is October 14th.