Louisiana’s Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson wants the Legislature to hold another special session next month to address the “fiscal cliff” the state is facing. Colleen Crain has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The U-S House Oversight Committee will begin its investigation today into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Jeanne Burns has more.

Cut 2 (29)  “…I’m Jeanne Burns.” 

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President Joe Biden has made the decision not to seek re-election. Jeff Palermo reports one local political analyst believes Kamala Harris will be the Democratic presidential nominee…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

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State lawmakers have had a busy year but Louisiana Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson hopes the Legislature will hold another special session next month. He wants to make some fundamental reforms to address a “fiscal cliff” as a result of a 600-million dollar loss in revenue when a temporary state sales tax expires next July.

Cut 4 (10) “…gonna be.”

Nelson wants to lower the state income tax while eliminating some exemptions to the state’s sales tax code. The top income tax rate is currently four and a quarter percent and he wants to bring it down to three percent to make Louisiana more competitive with other states.

Cut 5 (12) “…toward this.”

Nelson says the state has had recurring budget surpluses year after year and some of that money could be used to reduce the income tax.

Louisiana has the highest sales tax rate in the country according to Nelson and he blames the complicated tax code.

Cut 6 (11) “…really uncompetitive.”

Nelson says addressing the problems with the tax code is something the state could do to keep people from leaving and attract new people and businesses to Louisiana.

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The U-S House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing today into the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez, who is also a competitive marksman, says there are many unanswered questions that the Secret Service must answer. From the weapon type used to the competence level of the protective detail assigned to Trump and…

Cut 7 (09) “…more protected.”

The Secret Service chief said the agency provided additional security enhancements for Trump’s security detail and implemented changes after the shooting to ensure continued protection for the rest of the campaign. Miguez says there were certainly more Secret Service agents around the former president at the Republican National Convention

Cut 8 (09) “…in Pennsylvania.”

Louisiana Congressman Higgins is on this committee and promises a thorough investigation. Miguez says the nation is owed answers…

Cut 9 (09)  “…those questions.”

The U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has agreed to testify at a public hearing.

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President Joe Biden announced on Sunday he will not seek a second term and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrats’ nominee for President. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says the major shakeup in the President’s race should benefit Democrats…

Cut 10 (14) “…swing voters.”

Several Democratic governors have also been reported as potential replacements for Biden on top of the Democratic presidential ticket, including California’s Gavin Newsome, Illinois’ J.B. Prtizker, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado’s Jared Polis and Pennsyvlania’s Josh Shapiro. But Hogan doesn’t see the delegates at the Democratic National Convention going against Biden’s wishes…

Cut 11 (11) “…the nomination.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton says the Democratic Party has invalidated the votes of millions of Americans by forcing their nominee off the ballot for President. Johnson told ABC News yesterday that switching to a new candidate at this stage could violate state-level election laws. Hogan doubts that legal strategy will work because the primary elections are not the final say on who the nominee is…

Cut 12 (10) “…formalized.”

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A federal judge says the Ten Commandments should not be displayed in any public classroom until at least November 15th pending a ruling on whether the new law is unconstitutional. Loyola Law Professor Dane Ciolino believes in the end the plaintiffs will prevail…

Cut 13 (10)  “…violated the First Amendment.”

U-S District Court Judge John deGravelles (Duh-gravel) is expected to rule on whether displaying biblical text in every public school classroom violates the U-S Constitution before mid-November. Ciolino says he’s not surprised by deGravelles’ ruling.

Cut 14 (12)  “…can be held”

Attorney General spokesperson Lester Duhe says the law is not “paused,” “blocked,” or “halted.” And Louisiana schools remain subject to the law and its January 2025 compliance deadline. Ciolino says…

Cut 15 (04)  “…can be held.”

Judge deGravelles set a hearing date for September 30^th to give himself time to issue a ruling by mid-November.

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LSU football has been picked to finish fifth in the 16-team Southeastern Conference based on a poll of media members who attended media days. Tiger Rag Editor Todd Horne says that sounds about right…

Cut 16 (14) “..preseason forecast.” 

LSU won ten games last year with a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. Not only did Daniels throw for 38 hundred yards, but he also rushed for eleven hundred yards. Coach Brian Kelly on how the Tigers plan to replace those rushing yards…

Cut 17 (15) “…in the country.”

Offensive tackle Will Campbell and linebacker Harold Perkins were named first-team selections. Horne believes one other player is deserving of preseason first-team honors…

Cut 18 (18)  “..first team.”

A former art teacher at Golden Meadow Middle School in Lafourche Parish receives a 40-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a student. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) …I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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35-year-old Quentin Anderson is the youngest candidate running for the 6^th Congressional District. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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A former art teacher at Golden Meadow Middle School in Lafourche Parish has been sentenced to 40-years in prison for sexually abusing one of his  former students in 2009. Prosecutor Jason Chatagnier (shot-en-ya_ says during the trial they presented evidence on how Ralph Cheramie (cher-a-me) Junior would groom his victims…

Cut 3 (08) “…in the classroom.”

Cheramie was convicted on sexual battery, molestation and indecent behavior charges. Chatagnier says the victim initially reported the incident to school administrators, but an internal investigation yielded little action. He says the victim now as an adult came forward again, reporting the incident to law enforcement, which led to a conviction…

Cut 4 (10) “…and her partner.”

Chatagnier says Cheramie’s sentences are to be served concurrently…

Cut 5 (11)  “…ever again.”

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Political newcomer, Quentin Anderson from Baton Rouge has entered the race to run for the 6^th Congressional District and says he wants to bring integrity and honor back to public service.  As the son and grandson of preachers and military veterans, Anderson says he was taught the value of public service.

Cut 6 (12) “…my community.”

He also runs a non-profit professional called the Justice Alliance and has done consulting for Together Baton Rouge and Together Louisiana. Anderson says his background is figuring out ways to talk about progressive solutions with individuals who aren’t progressive.

The 35-year-old says he wants to focus on crime, particularly youth violent crime. Anderson says he wants to invest in youth jobs programs and ways to keep them busy.

Cut 7 (06) “…as well.”

He says addressing crime is much deeper than policing, it’s about providing opportunity instead of a life of corruption.

And Anderson says he wants to address infrastructure and revitalization.

Cut 8 (12)  “…steps backward.”

The small business owner, who received his undergraduate at Louisiana Tech and a law degree from LSU has qualified as a Democrat, running against state Senator Cleo Fields and former legislator Elbert Guillory.

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There’s a good chances for more scattered thunderstorms through the weekend as this wet weather pattern plans to stick around into next week. National Weather Service Meteorologist Marti Calhoun…

Cut 9 (10) “…few days.”

Calhoun says an upper level trough will remain in place for several days, which will bring the southern half of the state daily showers and thunderstorms…

Cut 10 (10) “…rain weather.”

At the moment there are no flash flood warnings or watches posted. Calhoun says several weeks of relatively dry weather leading up this rainfall allows the ground and rivers to soak up a lot of moisture…

Cut 11 (07) ” …flash flooding”

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A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, on seven counts of wire fraud and one count of false statement. The U-S Attorney’s office says Vappie lied to cover up a romantic relationship with Cantrell and political analyst Clancy Dubos says the indictment implicates the major who is described as “public official one”….

Cut 12 (12) “…their phones.”

The indictment says there were meals and alcohol shared between the two during at least 14 domestic and international travels from 2021 to March of this year. He says those trips cost taxpayers more than 47-thousand dollars.

So why is Cantrell not facing an indictment? Dubos says federal prosecutors take their time before indicting a public official

Cut  13 (14) “…politician.” 

Dubos says a potential Cantrell indictment could also be a much broader investigation and it will take more time…

Cut  14 (09) “…Vappie case.”

Vappie retired from the New Orleans Police Department earlier this year.