A family cat was found sliced in half on a golf course in Covington. Emelie Gunn has more on this gruesome dismemberment…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announce that they issued over 800 citations to Louisiana establishments for selling alcohol and tobacco to minors during their 2015 Summer Crackdown. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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A beloved family cat was found mutilated on a golf course in Covington. Charlie was a friendly, 2-year-old cat, adopted last year from the St. Tammany Humane Society by the Worthington family. The family contacted the police but are still unsure of who committed this crime. Becky Worthington says they’re positive Charlie wasn’t killed by another animal.

CUT 3 (12)  “innocent animal”

Cat slicing has become an epidemic around the country, not just in St. Tammany Parish, according to the Louisiana Humane Society. Executive Director Jeff Dorson says they’re concerned this crime is being copied and shared around social media. He believes this is a bigger problem than authorities think it is.

CUT 4 (10)  “a felony”

Dorson says they’re turning to social media to get animal rights activists to take a stand against cruelty and call the sheriff’s office. He says these cases should be fully investigated to ensure it stops and doesn’t become a gateway to bigger crimes.

CUT 5 (06) “other violence”

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State Police say an unrestrained infant is dead after a single vehicle crash in Morehouse Parish. Trooper Michael Reichardt says 23-year-old Shatora Hall of Bastrop lost control of her vehicle, ran off the roadway, and struck a tree…

CUT 6 (09)  “of her injuries”

He says 1-year-old Aniyia Worsham, who was riding in the lap of a front seat passenger, was ejected from the vehicle and died from her injuries. Worsham was the only person in the vehicle who was not restrained. The five other people in the car survived the crash with only minor injuries. Reichardt says the vehicle was overcrowded…

CUT 7 (09)  “in that car”

He says Hall has been charged with reckless operation and a no child restraint violation. Reichardt says this is a terrible situation that could have been easily averted…

CUT 8 (06)  “child restraint”

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The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announce that they issued over 800 citations to Louisiana establishments for selling alcohol and tobacco to minors as a result of their 2015 Summer Crackdown operation. ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert says nearly 5,500 compliance checks resulted in 821 citations statewide. He says these numbers are consistent with previous years…

CUT 9 (11)  “underage operatives”

The summer initiative is an attempt by ATC to prevent access of alcohol and tobacco to underage persons. Violators face fines up to $5,000 and are subject to criminal and/or administrative charges. Hebert says, more importantly, it jeopardizes a business’s ability to sell tobacco and alcohol in the state…

cut 10 (09)  “doing so responsibly”

Of the citations issued, 460 were issued for alcohol sales to a minor and 361 for tobacco sales. Hebert says they will continue to educate businesses across the state to get the compliance rate higher. He says nothing good can come out of selling alcohol and tobacco to someone underage…

cut 11 (09)  “somebody else”

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Slidell Police released video today of a 50-year-old motorcyclist who survives a horrific accident with an 18-wheeler.  Public Information Officer Daniel Seuzeneau says usually when you hear of an accident like this you assume the worst but it’s a miracle he survived.

cut 12 (12)  “the ditch”

Seuzeneau says the driver of the 18-wheeler, 56-year-old Timothy Duimstra of Michigan, apparently passed out at the wheel when he made a hard right hitting the motorcycle waiting to turn onto the main road. He says Duimstra was found to be under the influence of both drugs and alcohol during the incident.

cut 13 (07)  “motor vehicle”

To view the video of the crash, visit louisianaradionetwork.com. Seuzeneau says the entire accident was caught on surveillance video by a local business. He says the driver of the motorcycle is still in serious condition but is expected to survive.

cut 14 (10)  “full recovery”

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The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team has released their updated forecast for the 2015 hurricane season and it’s not much different than their June forecast. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The price of US crude oil has fallen to its lowest price in four months and LSU economist Dr. Loren Scott says it’s having a negative impact on economies in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team has released their updated forecast for the 2015 hurricane season and it looks very much the same as their June forecast. Researchers originally predicted eight named storms with three hurricanes and one major hurricane. Lead author, Dr. Phil Klotzbach, says this update actually lowers the number of expected hurricanes this season…

CUT 3 (09)  “or five hurricane”

The new forecasts calls for five more named storms, two hurricanes, and one major hurricane. Klotzbach says the primary reason for the below-normal season is because of very strong vertical wind shears because of a strong El Nino…

CUT 4 (08)  “the storms”

He says the probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the Gulf Coast is just 12-percent, well below the full-season average of 30-percent. Klotzbach says although a below-average hurricane season is forecast, that doesn’t mean a storm won’t impact Louisiana…

CUT 5 (10) “the United States”

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The price of US crude oil has fallen to its lowest price in four months and it is having a negative impact on economies in Louisiana. The current price for a barrel of US crude is just $45 a barrel, down from $61 a barrel on June 10th. LSU economist Dr. Loren Scott says the drop in price has caused job loss in communities heavily tied to oil and gas, like Lafayette and Houma…

CUT 6 (08)  “them at all”

As oil prices continue to plummet, some of the best paying jobs in the state are lost. He says job losses are spread throughout the oil and gas industry, from supply boats to helicopters to the drilling rigs themselves. Scott believes, as we get into the fall, there will be a significant drop in oil production in the US…
CUT 7 (06) “in the shale play”

He says the number of working rigs has dropped by nearly half of what they were a year ago. Scott says it’s difficult to forecast oil prices but expects the price of crude to turn around in the near future…

CUT 8 (08)  “back up, again”

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Terrebonne Parish deputies arrested a mother in Houma for leaving her child unattended in a hot car for several minutes at a carwash. Major Malcolm Wolfe says  33-year-old Sumer Lynn Boudloche was charged with child desertion once officers arrived on the scene after receiving a call about a small child walking alone in the parking lot without adult supervision.

CUT 9 (09)  “vehicle alone”

Wolfe says  Boudloche left her two year old son in her running car while she went inside the business to use the restroom. He says once officers spoke with Boudloche, she slurred her speech and seemed to be under the influence of drugs.

cut 10 (09)  “car asleep”

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A woman was killed around 9 this morning after being hit by a Kansas City Southern Freight train close to the Lincoln-Bienville Parish line. Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance says train engineers sounded the horn multiple times to alert the woman to move away from the tracks.

cut 11 (10)  “struck her”

Ballance says the accident occurred on the railway that runs parallel to Highway 80. He says the woman was killed instantly and police are still investigating the accident.

cut 12 (05)  “is deceased”

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Public schools are reopening and it’s another year for the Common Core standards. The public has an opportunity to suggest changes to Common Core and a hearing to discuss new standards is set for August 19th. The president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, Hollis Milton, is one education leader who doesn’t want to see big changes with Common Core

cut 13 (11)  “with it”

The department of education has a portal on its website that’s taking public comment on Common Core. Milton says one change he suggests is to dump the PARCC standardized test for Aspire, which is associated with the A-C-T exam…

cut 14 (06)  “political football”

Milton also believes the Aspire exams, would be a better standardized test for third through eighth graders than PARCC

cut 15 (10) “in the nation” 

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East Baton Rouge Parish DA Hillar Moore says cell phone encryption is making it difficult to solve the murders of 29-year-old Brittney Mills and her son. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The massive Bayou Corne sinkhole in northern Assumption Parish, which forced the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents, formed three years ago today. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (26) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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East Baton Rouge Parish DA Hillar Moore says cell phone encryption is making it difficult to solve the murders of 29-year-old Brittney Mills and her son. Mills, who was 8 months pregnant at the time, was shot and killed on April 24th at her apartment. The baby later died at a hospital. Moore says they can’t get into her Apple iPhone…:

CUT 3 (09)  “court ordered”

Investigators feel the shooter is likely someone that Mills knew. Moore says the victim had the iOS-8 operating software on her iPhone and nobody knows her pass code. Therefore, he says they are unable to access any of Mills’ last text messages, phone calls and contacts…:

CUT 4 (11)  “just critical”

Moore says that this software is installed on more than 80 percent of cellphones now and believes the encryption system makes it easier for bad guys to hide behind crime. He says this is the only system that does not have to comply to court orders which could lead to critical information when it comes to solving murders such as Mills’…:

CUT 5 (06) “here on out”

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The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s office is investigating the death of a white female who was found nude in an apartment in Pointe-aux-Chenes (Pont-ah-shan). Sheriff’s Office Capt. Dawn Foret says they have arrested 50-year-old Lee Dupre, who is the tenant of the apartment, and charged him with obstruction of justice.

CUT 6 (09)  “found her”

Foret says they are unsure if Dupre is a suspect because they’re still determining the cause of death.

CUT 7 (11) “at all”

Foret says they’re still waiting on dental records to ID the victim . She says identifying her was difficult because authorities found her decomposing.

CUT 8 (04)  “36 hours”

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The massive Bayou Corne sinkhole in northern Assumption Parish, which forced the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents, formed three years ago today. It was created from a collapsed underground salt dome cavern operated by Texas Brine. Assumption Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness director John Boudreaux says the area is a ghost town:

CUT 9 (06)  “that remain”

Boudreaux says the latest data by Texas Brine shows the sinkhole has only grown by about an acre and a half so far this year. He says some scientists believe the pit will continue to slowly get bigger over the next decade…:

cut 10 (09)  “to grow in size”

Boudreaux says they are still monitoring the bubble spots monthly to ensure the safety of the residents who have remained in the small community. He says even though the sinkhole has stabilized, they continue to keep a close eye on it to make sure there are no more dramatic changes…:

cut 11 (10)  “dramatically”

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Shreveport Police are looking for a 27-year-old man who pointed his gun at officers early Thursday morning. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle after discovering the plates didn’t match the car. Chief Administrative Assistant Bill Goodin says the two men in the car, 30-year-old Joe Thompkins Jr. and 27-year-old Brandon Chin, jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled on foot.

cut 12 (12)  “the officer”

Goodin says during the pursuit, Chin, who was the passenger, regained his footing and started waving the gun at the officer again. He says the officer then fired two shots at Chin but  the suspect was able to elude the officer.

cut 13 (08)  “peace officer”
Goodin says they were able to make arrangements for the driver, Thompkins, to surrender himself and he was booked on one count of flight from an officer, one count of switched license plate, and three misdemeanor traffic bench warrants. Chin is still on the loose.

cut 14 (10)  “crime stoppers”

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The Lafayette Police Department says a 35-year-old man is fighting for his life after being shot several times by three unknown suspects in an apparent home invasion. Corporal Paul Mouton says the incident took place about 1am and witnesses report 3 black men kicked in the door of the residence and began demanding money from the occupants…:

cut 15 (10) “at that point” 

Mouton says the victim was inside the residence along with two females and three children at the time. He says the man is listed in critical condition at a local hospital…:

cut 16 (06) “the suspects”