Secretary of State Nancy Landry says her office received fewer questions about the new closed party primaries during early voting for Saturday’s U.S. Senate runoffs. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kace Keischnick.”

Sources say St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith could resign as early as today. Smith is set to appear in court today as he faces a felony battery charge for allegedly attacking a vocal critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville.

Tulane has announced it will transform the former Charity Hospital building into a national hub of bioscience discovery and medical advancements.

Starting August 1^st, it will be against state law for retailers to add surcharges when you make purchases with your debit card. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell authored the legislation that created this law and she says gas stations are some of the biggest perpetrators…

Cut 8 (11) “….same as caseh”

Consumers who are hit with a debit card surcharge can call a hotline, and those businesses have 30 days to remedy the situation. Those which don’t would then face fines of 500 dollars for each violation.

An historic rain event in Avoyelles Parish last week is causing flooding issues in the towns of Washington, Palmetto and Port Barre. St. Landry Parish president Jesse Bellard says several homes are in jeopardy of flooding…

Cut 6 (11) “…in trouble”

Bellard is asking residents in the Lebeau area who live along Highway 171 from US 190 north to LA 10 to voluntarily evacuate due to flooding.

The race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate is coming down to the wire.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Last week we told you about the Australian who lives in Franklinton, who is now facing federal charges for voting in two federal elections as a non-U-S Citizen. Denise Migliore tells the Advocate Newspaper that she didn’t know she was breaking the law and considers herself a citizen because she has lived in the U-S for decades. Migliore also believes state and local election officials should have told her she could not register to vote.

A new state law will allow Licensed rehabbers to take in injured or orphaned Louisiana white-tailed deer. Last year on two occasions, LDWF agents seized deer from those caring for them and killed them. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says these incidents will not be repeated thanks to this new law…

Cut 4 (12) “…neurological disorders.”

The law goes into effect August 1^st.

Louisiana officials are urging those impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur to report damages and losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov. Governor Jeff Landry says the data collected on the website will help the state appeal for federal disaster assistance.

Cut 12 (09) “…methodic way.”

The individual assistance threshold is the one Landry says he is targeting, and the declaration will provide aid to secure temporary housing and basic home repair for flood victims.

Saturday is the party primary runoffs in the U-S Senate Race. There are polls that show Julia Letlow in the lead in the Senate Republican Primary,  but there are also polls showing John Fleming in the lead. Political analyst Ron Faucheux says the Republican runoff has the ability to break all norms in national Republican contests this year…

Cut 10 (11) “….in the lead”

Animal advocates are hailing the signing of a bill aimed at protecting Louisiana white-tailed deer. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says House Bill 1248 was spawned by a pair of high-profile incidents, in which LDWF agents seized deer from those caring for them and killed them.

Cut 3 (09) “…by good Samaritans.”

The law that will go into effect on August 1^st will allow licensed rehabbers to care for an injured or orphaned white-tail deer for up to six months.

The massive rainfall in Avoyelles Parish is one step closer to officially being a record-breaker. A rain gauge near Cottonport measured 29 inches of rain during the downpours caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. State climatologist Jay Grymes says officials just need to make sure the rain was collected properly.

Cut 7 (09) “…multiple times.”

Grymes and a team from the National Weather Service will be in Avoyelles Parish tomorrow to determine if the 29-inch rain event is accurate.

Louisiana residents who had damage from the remnants of Tropical  Storm Arthur are urged to report their losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov.   The website has a survey for flood victims to provide photos and descriptions of the damage to their homes. Governor Jeff Landry says these pictures can also be used to make FEMA claims if federal assistance becomes available

Cut 13 (11) “…la-dot-gov website”

A threshold needs to be reached before a federal disaster declaration can be declared, which would open the up the possibility for federal assistance for storm victims.

Just four days to go until the runoff elections. Ron Faucheux with Lunchtime Politics says polls in the Republican U.S. Senate race between Julia Letlow and John Fleming indicate that it’s anyone’s contest.

Cut 9 (10)  “…the Republican primary.”

A new law signed by Governor Landry allows licensed rehabbers to have the opportunity to care for injured white-tailed deer. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says there are certain procedures licensed rehabbers will need to adhere to when taking in one of these deer…

Cut 5 (08) “….Wildlife and Fisheries”

There were two recent incidents in Louisiana where L-D-W-F agents investigated a report of a person nursing a deer, but because it’s illegal to do so, the agents removed the deer from the home and killed the deer.

The 29 inches of rain recorded during a 12-hour period at a rain gauge in Avoyelles Parish near the town of Cottonport is likely a state record. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says the massive rain was possible due to numerous thunderstorms forming over the same area. Grymes says it’s similar to the 2016 thunderstorms that caused flooding in south Louisiana with the same designation.

Cut 8 (10) “…a thousand years.”

Grymes will meet up with the National Weather Service tomorrow in Avoyelles Parish to make sure the 29-inch rainfall event is accurate.

Meanwhile, Governor Landry continues to urge storm victims to report their damages to the damage-dot-la-dot-gov website. The state will use the information collected to make the case for a federal disaster declaration. Governor Landry says the website had some issues on Sunday, but they have since been resolved…

Cut 14 (09) “…those issues”

There are two types of federal declarations, each with a different threshold: public assistance and individual assistance. The individual assistance threshold is the one Landry says he is targeting, and the declaration will provide aid to secure temporary housing and basic home repair for flood victims.

State lawmakers have until 5pm today to vote on Governor Landry’s plan to provide public school teachers with a two-thousand-dollar stipend. Patrick Wall with The Advocate says districts have warned that reducing their budgets to fund the bonuses would negatively impact operations…:
Cut 11 (07) “the public schools”
It will take a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate for the Governor’s plan to move forward.  There’s also a legal challenge to Landry’s teacher pay plan.

Louisiana officials are urging those impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur to report damages and losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov. Governor Jeff Landry says the data collected on the website will help the state appeal for federal disaster assistance.

Cut 12 (09) “…methodic way.”

One rain gauge in Avoyelles Parish measured 29 inches of rain in 12 hours during Tropical Storm Arthur. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Hundreds of families in Avoyelles Parish are facing the long process of recovery after their homes were flooded last Thursday. State Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says most homeowners in Avoyelles do not have flood insurance.

Cut 14 (14) “…dropped those policies.”

Hundreds of families in Avoyelles Parish are facing the long process of recovery after their homes were flooded last Thursday. State Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says most homeowners in Avoyelles do not have flood insurance.

Cut 14 (14) “…dropped those policies.” 

Many of these residents will now have to count on assistance from the federal government should this historic rain event receive a federal disaster declaration.

Construction is complete on the 128-million dollar project to improve I-20 in Caddo and Bossier parishes. Erin Buchanan with DOTD says the rebuild will benefit local commuters.

Cut 5 (10) “…vehicles per day.”

What clues, if any, do the early voting numbers give us in the U.S. Senate runoffs? Jeff Palermo has some insight.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Last week we told you about the Australian who lives in Franklinton, who is now facing federal charges for voting in two federal elections as a non-U-S Citizen. Denise Migliore tells the Advocate Newspaper that she didn’t know she was breaking the law and considers herself a citizen because she has lived in the U-S for decades. Migliore also believes state and local election officials should have told her she could not register to vote.

State lawmakers have until 5 PM today to turn in their ballot on the governor’s plan to provide teachers with a two-thousand-dollar stipend and a one-thousand dollar stipend for school support workers. To pay for the stipend, 168-million dollars will be taken away that go towards operating costs for public schools. It will take a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate for legislators to approve the governor’s teacher pay plan. Advocate newspaper education reporter Patrick Wall says there could be consequences for lawmakers and their districts if they vote against the governor.

Cut 12 (08) “…in their districts.”

More than 151-thousand people voted during the early voting period that wrapped up last Saturday. John Couvillon of JMC Analytics and Polling says turnout was high in East Baton Rouge, as there are three high-profile tax renewal measures on the ballot…

Cut 7 (13) “…Democratic leaning parish”

The 128-million-dollar I-20 reconstruction project in Bossier and Caddo parishes was completed yesterday after nearly three years. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The state has been hit with another round of severe weather, this time in northwest Louisiana. Hundreds of customers are without power in Caddo and Bossier parishes. In Claiborne Parish, authorities say a woman and a child were rescued from a car in two feet deep water in Homer.