Construction will soon begin on Interstate 10 between the I-49 interchange and the Atchafalaya Basin, according to the Department of Transportation. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Today marks the 4 year anniversary of the Assumption Parish sinkhole in Bayou Corne. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A 5-year-old has died after being shot accidentally by his 9-year-old brother. Col. John Fortunato with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office says police received a call from the children’s mother, 29-year-old Generra Brown, and when first responders arrived at the scene, they made a horrific discovery.

CUT 3 (09)  “the face”

The 5-year-old has been identified as Melvin Brady. Fortunato says the two boys were playing in a closet when they came across a handgun.

CUT 4 (07)  “younger child”

Fortunato says a semiautomatic handgun was found lying next to the child. He says the boys’ mother was not home at the time of the shooting.

CUT 5 (07)  “elderly neighbor”

Fortunato says no charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.

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The Department of Transportation announces they will soon begin the process of widening Interstate 10 between the I-49 interchange and the Atchafalaya Basin. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says this area of the interstate is heavily trafficked by freight trucks. He believes widening the road to three lanes in both directions will alleviate congestion.

CUT 6 (10) “travel through”

Wilson says a $60 million federal FASTLANE grant will pay for the repaving and widening of I-10. He says there are a lot of transportation improvements needed in Louisiana, but this project best fits the criteria for this award.

CUT 7 (08) “in Louisiana”

Wilson says this federal grant frees up state dollars to be used for other highway improvements. He says construction to widen I-10 should begin in January, and both lanes will remain open during the roadwork.

CUT 8 (10) “with construction”

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Today marks the 4 year anniversary of the Assumption Parish sinkhole in Bayou Corne, and leaders say many residents have moved on — but there are some who don’t want to let go. John Boudreaux is the Emergency Preparedness Director at Assumption Parish. He says this has been an unprecedented event…:

CUT 9 (07) “of the area”

The horrific environmental disaster is still affecting the community. Boudreaux says this is one of those situations that you never think could happen to you, but a reminder about why it’s so important to always been prepared for anything…:

cut 10 (10)  “emergency response”

Boudreaux says most residents are pleased with their settlements from Texas Brine and have established their lives elsewhere, but there are still about 15 who remain in the area. He says 4 years ago they were working hard to figure out where this strage bubbling was coming from, and had no idea it was anything along the lines of this massive sinkhole…:

Cut 11 (10) “and unknowns”

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Louisiana has received $400-thousand from the Centers for Disease Control to fight the Zika virus. Dr. Frank Welch with the Department of Health says this money is targeted specifically for pregnant women, who are most at risk. He says the money will be used to educate both OBGYNs and women about the virus, as well as for medical care if a woman gets Zika.

cut 12 (08) “on it”

Welch urges pregnant women to take extra precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. He says that includes removing any standing water from their yards and watching out for mosquitos when they are outside.

Cut 13 (08)  “long pants”

Welch says there have been 17 Zika cases in Louisiana, and all of them are travel related. He says we have not seen local transmission yet in Louisiana, but it’s still a possibility because the mosquito that carries the virus is active here.

cut 14 (08)  “the state”

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An employee has been arrested in Thibodaux for allegedly stealing money from her register at work in order to pay for braces and her education. Thibodaux Police spokesperson David Melancon says 20-year-old Tralvaunta Bentley pocketed a lot of money in just over two weeks…:

cut 15 (07) “her till”

Melancon says Bentley was booked with felony theft on a $35-hundred bond and was released the same day after posting bond. He says this criminal act was a slap in the face to everyone who works hard to pay for their education.

cut 16 (07) “in life”

As parents are loading up backpacks with supplies for the new school year, health experts say what students really need is a good night’s sleep. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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In a UNO poll of 600 likely voters, about one half of people approve of Governor John Bel Edwards job performance. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Kids and parents are gearing up for the start of the new school year, and that means getting back in the school routine. LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Pediatrics professor, Dr. Cory Hebert, says if parents haven’t started getting their kids adjusted to a school sleep schedule, they should. He says the most important thing for parents to do is practice good sleep hygiene.

CUT 3 (12)  “turned off”

Hebert says parents should limit the amount of caffeine their children have, especially right before bedtime, to make sure they get enough sleep. He says the amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age.

CUT 4 (10)  “nine and a half”

Hebert says parents can help their children adjust to new bedtimes by going to bed at the same time as them. He says lack of sleep can cause a child to act out in class, and it can even affect their grades.

CUT 5 (11)  “day before”

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A poll from the University of New Orleans finds that 49-percent of Louisiana residents surveyed give Governor John Bel Edward positive marks in his performance for his nearly eight months in office. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says they surveyed 600 likely voters and his favorability rating seems to be rising…

CUT 6 (09) “the ship”

Chervenak says they conducted a poll in February and Edwards had an approval rating of 43-percent. He says in this latest poll, women were more approving of Edwards than men.

CUT 7 (08) “just gender”

The UNO survey found that just over one third of the respondents gave a negative review of his job performance and 15-percent had no opinion. Chervenak says an approval rating near 50-percent isn’t bad for a Democrat in a red state.

CUT 8 (05) “for him”

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A phone survey on hurricane preparedness is being conducted by LSU, and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is urging residents of southeast Louisiana to participate. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says participants will be asked about their evacuation plans in case of a hurricane.

CUT 9 (11) “get there”

Steele says LSU will perform the survey over the next three months. He says the results of the poll will help GOHSEP and other state agencies help residents in southeast Louisiana evacuate.

cut 10 (11)  “can expect”

Steele says calls will be made to residents who live in southeastern Louisiana and “LSU” will appear as the caller ID. He says survey calls will be made to both cell phones and land lines and take about 22 minutes to complete.

Cut 11 (10) “as possible”

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A Luling man has been arrested after shooting his estranged father-in-law in the chest. St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne says 30-year-old William Canada, Jr is charged with three counts of attempted first degree murder for shooting into the home of his estranged wife’s parents where she was staying. He says Canada showed up at their home at around 4 in the morning the father-in-law was watching TV in the living room.

cut 12 (11) “handgun”

Champagne says the bullet that hit the father didn’t penetrate his chest cavity because it first went through a door and sofa. He says Canada fled the scene but left behind a makeshift Molotov cocktail and some form of accelerant. The Sheriff says they are searching Canada’s residence.

Cut 13 (10)  “the military”

Champagne says after Canada and his wife separated, he went into a depression. He says Canada went into rehab for an addiction to Oxycodone after suffering head trauma while serving in the military and quit his job at Valero oil refinery two weeks ago.

cut 14 (07)  “else out”

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There have been 27 shooting deaths in Shreveport this year. Corporal Marcus Hines says the latest victim is 15-year-old Desmon Bell, who was found dead inside a home from a gunshot wound to the head. He says they still don’t know the shooter and witnesses aren’t cooperating…:

cut 15 (07) “two different things”

A $1,000 reward is being offered for information on this crime. Hines says 27 murders so far this year is a high number, but most of them are not just random acts of violence…:

cut 16 (11) “former acquaintance”