A Korean War veteran who died 65 years ago has finally been returned to Crowley to be laid to rest. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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State government is looking at more budget problems. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Souther”

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The Republican Party in Louisiana is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential  votes here, they are sending its volunteers to Florida — a battleground which accounts for 29 electoral votes. Party chair Roger Villere says it’s part of a nationwide effort among GOP members to go door to door in the Sunshine State…:

Cut 3 (09) “win Florida”

Villere says every poll in Louisiana has shown Trump significantly ahead of Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton – some by as many as 20 points. He says in Florida it’s an extremely close race with polls constantly going back and forth…:

cut 4  (08) “we have to win Florida”

Many polls indicate the most realistic path to the White House for Trump includes winning Florida. Villere says if  they’ve had GOP members from Louisiana in the Sunshine State rotating in and out…:

Cut 5  (10)  “for their country”

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A Korean War veteran from Crowley is finally laid to rest in his Louisiana hometown today. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a prisoner of war camp in North Korea. Alex Juan with the State Department of Veteran’s Affairs says they are so happy to welcome Smith home. She hopes this brings his family peace.

Cut 6 (08) “some peace”

In the early 1990’s, Sgt. Smith’s daughter received a call that North Korea found over 200 boxes of U.S. Servicemen’s remains and her father could be one of them. Juan says the process of properly identifying bodies and shipping them home can take a very long time.

CUT 7 (07)  “burial grounds”

Smith passed away at 26-years-old and is survived by his daughter Melinda Crowley, who plans to bury her father with her late mother. Juan says they are able to identify remains by using DNA testing now. She says full military protocol will be in effect when Smith in finally laid to rest in a family cemetery near Crowley.

Cut 8 (06) “away gets”

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Just over half of the Louisiana residents polled say the state is heading in the wrong direction. A University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll surveyed about 600 likely voters and 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year.

Cut 9 (09)  “a result”

Chervenak says the poll shows 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed compared to only 32-percent of Democrats.

Cut 10 (09) “going well”

The survey also found Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 56-percent. Chervenak says residents might be more optimistic about the state’s future because Edwards’ has a more positive rating than Jindal.

cut 11 (10) “Baton Rouge area”

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The state is looking at another round of budget cuts because the state finished last fiscal year with a 313 million dollar deficit. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says a few factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing these budget problems.

cut 12 (10) “are down”

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says many state agencies have been asked to look where they could make cuts and it looks like colleges and healthcare will take the biggest hits. Cross says the oil and gas industry is struggling and a lot of people aren’t spending money…

Cut 13 (08) “are down”

The Edwards’ administration has said they could possibly use the rainy day fund to help offset some of the deficit. Cross says Governor Edwards has put together a panel to try to come up with a way to stabilize the budget.

cut 14 (07) “Louisiana budget”

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NOAA issues a report that finds Americans ate nearly a pound more seafood in 2015 than in the previous year. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A new U.S. Senate poll by Market Research Insight finds it’s a tight race at the top. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Americans ate nearly a pound more seafood in 2015 than in the previous year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Karen Profita, believes this follows a national trend towards healthier eating.

Cut 3 (08) “for them”

Profita says now we need to educate people about the quality difference between domestic and imported seafood. She says Louisiana seafood is in high demand around the country, and people don’t mind paying more for it.

cut 4  (11) “overseas”

Profita says there are fewer shrimp this year, and no one really knows why. She says this could lead to some frustration if the supply can’t keep up with the demand, as seafood is becoming more of an everyday meal choice for people.

Cut 5  (10)  “everyday diet”

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A new survey released by Market Research Insight finds Republicans John Kennedy and Charles Boustany are on each other’s heels for the top spot in the U.S. Senate race. Kennedy is polling at 17-percent and Boustany is at 16-percent. Pollster Verne Kennedy says Boustany’s support is growing…

Cut 6 (10) “the attacks”

The poll was commissioned by a business group, and it has Democrat Foster Campbell polling at 14-percent. Kennedy says Boustany is leading among Republican voters, but the State Treasurer, who is a former Democrat, is still getting some of the white Democrat vote.

CUT 7 (06)  “Kennedy”

Kennedy says the better Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s does in the polls, the better Boustany will do. He says the reason Democrat Caroline Fayard, who is polling at 12-percent, is lagging behind Campbell is because she’s not getting support from white Democrats.

Cut 8 (10) “white democrats”

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JMC Analytics releases an analysis of the early voting turnout after two days and finds that over 162-thousand people have already voted in the 2016 election. Pollster John Couvillon says he only has one word for the early voter turnout thus far – wow.

Cut 9 (08)  “in 2012”

Couvillon believes the voter turnout will be more front-loaded this year. He says he’s not prepared to say there will be a higher overall turnout, he just thinks people are more eager to get it out of the way this year.

Cut 10 (11) “five days”

The report found that more women than men have already voted, and more Democrats early voted than Republicans. Couvillon says the people who turned out in the first two days of early voting seem to be chronic voters.

cut 11 (11) “local elections”

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The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office says an arrest has been made in a cold case dating back to 1991. Sheriff Brett Stassi says 61-year-old Tommy Francise of Plaquemine was booked in Lafayette as a fugitive from justice for the murder of a man in 1991 and another in 2002…:

cut 12 (10) “District Attorney’s Office”

Both cases will be featured on the second season of “Killing Fields” — a docudrama series on the Discovery Channel that was filmed over the summer. Stassi says the investigative television show was helpful in allowing them to put this case to bed…:

Cut 13 (10) “different places”

Season 2 of Killing Fields is expected to begin sometime in November. Stassi says when cases get the attention of investigative shows like this, it helps with getting witnesses to come forward. He says the families of the victims, Curtis “Cochise” Smith and George Barrett, have been waiting a long time for justice…:

cut 14 (08) “some peace”

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The Raising Cane’s River Center is now the new name of the Baton Rouge River Center in the Capital City’s downtown area. Founder and CEO of Raising Canes Todd Graves says this is a big day for his chicken finger company, which was founded near the LSU campus. Graves and his wife were on hand for the announcement…

Cut 15 (08) “River Center”

The Baton Rouge based food chain signed a 10-year naming rights deal worth nearly 4 million dollars. Graves hopes the Raising Cane’s River Center can become an even better entertainment venue

Cut 16  (09)  “better place”

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