On the eve  of ten year Hurricane Rita anniversary. Eric Gill takes a look at the hardest hit area from the storm, Cameron Parish…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Two relatives of Breaux Bridge actress and model Ali Landry were attacked and killed in Mexico. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana Tech reports the highest enrollment it’s ever had for the 125-year history of the school. The headcount is at 12,414 students for the fall quarter, a 10-percent increase over last year. The previous record was just under 12-thousand in 2003. University spokesperson Dave Guerin says they are also seeing an increase in other key areas as well…

CUT 3 (08)  “graduation rate”

The school reported earlier this year that’s graduation rate went up four-percent to 54-percent, the second highest among all public universities. Guerin says a big key to the record enrollment is that 81-percent of first-time, full-time freshman in 2014 are back at Tech this year…

CUT 4 (06)  “graduate them”

Guerin says over 55-percent first-time freshmen at Louisiana Tech scored at over above 24 on their ACT. He says a strong student retention effort is helping to build a larger and stronger student body…

CUT 5 (08) “they graduate”

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Tomorrow marks the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Rita making landfall in Louisiana. Cameron Parish was the hardest hit area from the storm with farmland and pasture inundated with saltwater and numerous homes flooded or washed away. Kevin Savoie, LSU AgCenter agent in Cameron Parish, says recovery has been slow over the past decade, but there are positive signs…

CUT 6 (09) “tax base”

He says there are some big Liquid Natural Gas projects in the parish that will help the local economy. The seafood industry in Cameron Parish was decimated as a result of Rita with docks and the only ice house being destroyed. Savoie says a big project is nearly complete that will hopefully revitalize the industry…

CUT 7 (06)  “processing facility”

He is hopeful the LNG projects and the new seafood processing facility will help sustain Cameron Parish in the long run. Savoie says, ten years later, there is still an issue of people moving back to Cameron Parish…

CUT 8 (06)  “that number” 

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Pope Francis is in Washington DC today for first full day in the United States. During a speech at the White House, he  urged those in attendance that its time to combat climate change. Doctor Tom  Ryan, director of the Loyola Institute of Ministry, says Pope Francis was not making a political statement, but instead reminding Americans we have one Earth and have to protect it

CUT 9 (04)  “our very life”

Pope Francis also spoke about protecting religious freedom. Ryan says even though President Obama was present for the speech, it was not directed at him or even conservatives for that matter…

cut 10 (07)  “deep faith commitment”

Tomorrow, the US Senate and House will have a joint session to hear from Pope Francis as he’ll make his first-ever address to Congress. Ryan says after talking about climate change and religious freedom in front of the President, what will he say to legislative leaders???

Cut 11 (06)  “…challenging us”

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The Division of Administration has begun notifying legislative leaders that the state ended its most recent budget year, which ended on June 30th, with a deficit. An exact amount of the deficit has not been released. Political pundit CB Forgotston says he isn’t surprised there was a deficit, but is surprised that the Jindal administration has waited so long to release the information…

cut 12 (08)  “intelligent votes”

The size of the deficit is expected to be announced to the Legislature’s joint budget committee in mid-October. Each of the four major gubernatorial candidates have stated that they will call a special legislative session to deal with the state’s budget issues, once sworn into office. Forgotston doesn’t think much will be done in this special session…

cut 13 (07)  “raise taxes”

This deficit has to be closed within nine months and adds to the state’s long list of budget issues. Many of the same legislators who struggled with the state’s budget problems this year will return to the capital for next year’s legislative session. Forgotston doesn’t foresee many changes in how they will deal with the budget…

cut 14 (10)  “of both”

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The Council for a Better Louisiana has released their 2015 Election Agenda which provides the group’s recommendations for roads, education, and health care to the next governor and legislature. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Will he or won’t he play against the Carolina Panthers. Jeff Palermo has the latest on Drew Brees’ status for Sunday’s game…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State Senate President John Alario will be among the guests welcoming Pope Francis at the White House Wednesday morning. The pope arrives in the US tonight and his visit will see stops in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia through Sunday. Alario says the invitation to attend came out of the blue…

CUT 3 (06)  “said yes”

Alario says he’s excited to be among those welcoming Pope Francis to the United States. The ceremony is scheduled for 8:15 Wednesday morning on the South Lawn of the White House. Alario says he’s very humbled to have received the invitation from President Obama…

CUT 4 (05)  “we’re there”

Alario says he feels he’ll be representing the people of Louisiana and will ask for a blessing for the entire state while he’s there. He feels the pope’s message of forgiveness has really resonated with Catholics…

CUT 5 (07) “to hear him”

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The Council for a Better Louisiana has released their 2015 Election Agenda. It provides the group’s recommendations for roads, education, and health care to the next governor and legislature. CABL President Barry Erwin hopes the next governor looks at raising the gas tax in an effort to increase investment in highway infrastructure…

CUT 6 (08) “of the state”

The agenda recommends restructuring the TOPS scholarship program to ensure its sustainability for the future. Erwin says the cost of TOPS should not automatically grow with an increase in tuition…

CUT 7 (09)  “appropriate them”

The agenda also supports Medicaid expansion in Louisiana. Erwin says this would afford the state more federal money to strengthen medical education and provide more health care for Louisiana citizens…

CUT 8 (09)  “other states” 

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Democrat John Bel Edwards has released a television ad that says he’s the only gubernatorial candidate who supports an increase in minimum wage. Edwards spoke about his support for raising the wages of the state’s lowest paid workers during a forum in Baton Rouge.

CUT 9 (11)  “to do it”

Republican Jay Dardenne also addressed the topic and disagreed with an increase. He says raising the minimum wage has proved to be counterproductive in many different ways.

cut 10 (10)  “is education”

Republican candidate David Vitter did not attend the forum. Republican Scott Angelle says raising minimum expectations is what we should be focusing on rather than increasing the minimum wage. He says education is the key to getting higher paying jobs.

Cut 11 (08)  “program”

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The Jefferson Parish Republican Executive Committee has announced their endorsements for the October 24th primary election. In a surprise, the group backs former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser in the Lt. Governor’s race over Jefferson Parish President John Young. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says this is not good news for Young…

cut 12 (10)  “for Nungesser”

He says this is a big win for Nungesser. Dubos says this clearly shows that Young has issues with his fellow Republicans in his home parish…

cut 13 (07)  “a runoff”

In the governor’s race, the group endorses Republican David Vitter. However, Dubos says this was not an overwhelming endorsement from Vitter’s home parish…

cut 14 (09)  “one vote”

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At a forum in Baton Rouge, Gubernatorial candidates Scott Angelle, Jay Dardenne and John Bel Edwards took turns blasting absent candidate David Vitter. Jeff Palermo has more….

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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There are concerns Quarterback Drew Brees will miss Sunday’s game against Carolina. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Many LSU fans are expected to travel to Syracuse this weekend to watch the Tigers play the Orange in LSU’s first game in the Northeast since 1947. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Gubernatorial candidates Scott Angelle, Jay Dardenne and John Bel Edwards took turns taking shots at David Vitter, who did not attend a forum in Baton Rouge. Angelle, a republican from Breaux Bridge, was asked about a recent ad from Vitter that compared the Public Service Commissioner with President Barack Obama…

cut 4  (11)  “David’s attacks”

Dardenne, a republican from Baton Rouge, says Vitter was not original in a commercial that called him a liberal. He says Vitter used the same attacks that have been used by all his opponents for the past decade.

Cut 5  (09)  “the public”

Edwards says the reason Vitter hasn’t publicly made accusations about him is because he’s still trying to dig up information and Vitter’s goal is to distract and divide. The democrat from Amite says Vitter isn’t much different than our current governor, Bobby Jindal…

Cut 6 (11)  “mistake again”

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There are wide-ranging reports on the health of Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ shoulder. The NFL Network said Brees could miss several games, while ESPN’s Ed Werder said that treatment on his injured shoulder will determine if he can play this Sunday at Carolina. Saints sideline reporter Kristian Garic says an M-R-I showed no structural damage, so now it depends on how Brees’ shoulder responds

CUT 7 (05)  “game or two”

There’s been internet rumors that Brees tore his rotator cuff after getting hit hard during a play in the first half of the loss to Tampa Bay. But Garic says Brees wouldn’t have played in the second half with a torn rotator cuff…

Cut 8  (12)  “1991 ” 

If Brees can’t play this Sunday against Carolina, former Louisiana Tech standout Luke McCown will start against the Panthers. Garic says the Saints are already off to an 0-and-2 start and they could be in a bigger hole, if Brees can’t play for a couple of weeks….:

Cut 9 (12) “…this offense” 

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The Department of Health and Hospitals has received a donation of almost 9-thousand doses of EVZIO (EV-Z-OH) Naloxone (Nuh-lox-own) Auto-Injectors, which prevents fatal Opioid overdoses. EVZIO is the first and only F-D-A approved medicine for this emergency treatment. DHH Spokesperson Ashley Lewis says they’ve distributed the medicine to police and fire departments and E-M-T’s around the state to try to prevent as many fatal overdoses as possible.

Cut 10 (10) “get there”

Lewis says this is a step in the right direction to help keep the increase of heroin and other Opioid related deaths down. She says more than 17-thousand Americans die every year from prescription opioid overdoses.

cut 11 (11) “our state”

Lewis says the hand-held auto-injector gives step by step voice directions for those administering the injection.  She says during an opioid overdose breathing can slow and the auto-injector prevents that process.

Cut 12 (11) “stop that”

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A large contingent of Tiger fans are heading to upstate New York later this week for LSU’s first football game in the Northeast since 1947. Jason Ramezan, Vice President of LSU Alumni Relations, says LSU has sold its allotted 5-thousand tickets but he expects more than that inside the Carrier Dome for the Saturday kickoff against Syracuse.

Cut 13 (09)  “those areas”

Ramezan says the Traveling Tigers are leaving on Thursday for New York and are scheduled to visit the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown. Syracuse is averaging 28-thousand fans for their three home games this year but he says The Orange fans will be out in full force because they’re playing a Top 10 team.

Cut 14 (08) “on Saturday”

Ramezan says they’re planning on waking up their Traveling Tigers early on game day and heading over to a tradition LSU tailgate party. He says they were able to work with the Syracuse ticket office, so the purple and gold will be well represented in the Carrier Dome.

Cut 15  (11)  “to be had”

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After a career-high 228 yard and three touchdown performance against Auburn, LSU running back Leonard Fournette is considered an early favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Les Miles was asked about the Fournette for Heisman Talk and the Lsu Head coach says that’s not his focus at the moment…

Cut 16  (17)  “strongest consideration”

LSU’s 2-and-0 start has vaulted them into the top ten teams in both major college football teams. Miles wants his team to keep looking to improve as they get ready for their next game…

Cut 17 (19) “we’re in good shape” 

LSU will play for the first time ever at Syracuse this Saturday. The Orange are only averaging 28-thousand this season in three home games. But Miles says the Syracuse fans will be ready for the LSU Tigers…

Cut 18 (17) “play well”

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