There are Democrats in Congress questioning whether President Joe Biden should seek a second term based on his performance in last week’s debate. Political analyst Ron Faucheux says polling will play a big role in the decision on whether Mr. Biden will be the Democrat’s candidate on November 5th…
cut 11 (10) “…positive ratings”
The president admitted in a meeting with Democratic governors, that he needs to get more sleep and he will limit his evening events so he can be rested for the job the next day.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office has charged three men with second-degree murder in three separate cases of three people who died as a result of methamphetamine and fentanyl overdoses. Sheriff Jason Ard has a simple message for the residents of Livingston…
cut 6 (09) “…age is”
32-year-old Travis Freeze of Denham Springs, 33-year-old Logan Brown of Denham Springs and 23-year-old Byrant Young of Baton Rouge are facing murder charges.

There’s a new way to help Keep Louisiana Beautiful by calling the state’s litter hotline at 855-LA-litter. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office says a 23-year-old man has confessed to killing his grandparents. Colby Stokes allegedly shot and killed Beverly and Carly stokes in the small town of Mount Hermon. Deputies say Stokes went to the next door neighbor and told him what happened. Sheriff Jason Smith says Stokes also confessed to the shooting on video.

The Presidential election is four months away, could we see a Democratic candidate other than President Joe Biden on the ballot? Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

It’s no longer necessary to have a permit to conceal carry a gun in most cases as a result of a new law that went into effect on the Fourth of July, but Louisiana State Police is recommending gun owners have a permit. The L-S-P says a permit holder receives valuable handgun safety training and without a permit you cannot conceal carry in most other states.

Louisiana residents can now report acts of litter to a hotline. That number is 8-5-5, L-A- Litter. Keep Louisiana Beautiful Director Susan Russell says When reporting the caller should give the violator’s license plate number, make and model of the vehicle along with the location of the incident. She says if it’s safe to do so take a photo. The call will be routed to the local Wildlife Enforcement Agent.
Cut 14 (09) “…information.”

It’s a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over weekend which means the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has provided funds to local law enforcement officers to specifically look for impaired drivers. Greg Fisher says If a driver has a blood-alcohol concentration of point zero eight or higher, they are over the legal limit and subject to arrest. He says alcohol isn’t the only substance that could impair driving…
Cut 9 (11) “…to jail.”

If you see someone littering, there’s now a phone number you can call to report it. The new litter hotline number is 855-LA-Litter and it will be managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Keep Louisiana Beautiful Director Susan Russell says the state spends 91-million dollars annually on litter and there are 144 million pieces of trash on Louisiana roadways…
cut 15 (07) “….together”
Russell says litter hurts the environment, the state’s economy and quality of life.

Three House Democrats are now calling for President Biden to end his re-election campaign. Pollster Ron Faucheux…
Cut 12 (11) “…election.”
The President says he’s running for a second-term and Democratic governors say they are supporting the Biden-Harris ticket.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested three people for their roles in the overdose of three different people from methamphetamine and fentanyl. This is the first time the parish has used a law that allows for a murder charge against the person who supplies a drug to an overside victim. District attorney Scott Perrilloux…
cut 5 (11) “…Russian Roulette”

Law enforcement are also upping patrols this weekend in an effort to keep drunk drivers off the roads. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission spokesperson Greg Fischer says they are in the middle of a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over law enforcement campaign…
cut 8 (07) “….people safe”
If you plan to drink, make plans for a designated driver or use a ride share.

We are four months away from the election, will President Joe Biden be on the November 5th ballot? Pollster Ron Faucheux says it’s possible Mr. Biden will step aside so another Democrat can face the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump
Cut 10 (09) “…days ago.”
The President says no one is pushing him out of the race.

The Statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is underway through Sunday and extra officers will work overtime looking for impaired drivers. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Spokesperson, Greg Fischer, says the Fourth of July weekend has historically been deadly…
Cut 7 (12) “…seriously injured.
Two people were killed early Thursday morning in a head-on crash in Avoyelles Parish.

For the first time, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested three people on charges of second-degree murder for their roles in overdose deaths from methamphetamine and fentanyl. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says 31-year-old Sarah Folse and 52-year-old Deanna Witten, both of Amite, turned themselves in yesterday after they allegedly stole three German Shepherd puppies last weekend from a home in the Loranger area. Surveillance video shows two women taking the dogs off their leashes from the homeowner’s back porch. The puppies whereabouts are still unknown.

Former WAFB-TV Chief Meteorologist Jay Grymes has been named as the State Climatologist and he’ll report to Governor Jeff Landry and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Grymes says he’ll also continue to teach at LSU…
cut 10 (12) “…Louisiana”
Unfortunately we might hear from Grymes quite a bit over the next few months as he’s predicting a hyper hurricane season for the state.

If you plan on lighting your own fireworks tonight, the President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, Tracey Normand, says don’t light fireworks if you’ve been drinking, make sure they are lit 200 feet away from homes and vehicles and never let kids light or handle fireworks…
cut 7 (11) “…the fire department”
According to the U-S Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were eight deaths and 97-hundred injuries involving fireworks nationwide in 2023.

The Essence Festival gets underway today in the Big Easy and Kelly Schulz with New Orleans & Company says the four-day event produces a 316 million dollar economic impact for the city and state…
Cut 12 (12) “…to COVID.”
The headline performers this weekend are Usher and Janet Jackson. Vice President Kamala Harris will moderate a conversation at ESSENCE on Saturday.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has posted its 2024-25 hunting regulations pamphlet on the LDWF website. Tommy Tuma says the pamphlet contains hunting rules, regulations, and season dates.
Cut 3 (11) “…to look at.”
Printed copies of the pamphlets will be available in August at L-D-W-F offices.

A 23-year-old man is facing murder charges after he allegedly fatally shot his grandparents. The Washington Parish Sheriff’s office says they began investigating the shooting in the Mount Hermon area after Colby Stokes told a neighbor he shot his grandparents. The neighbor called 9-1-1 and Stokes was arrested without incident.

It’s the Fourth of July and the President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association has a few safety tips if you decide to have your own light show…
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Former WAFB-TV chief meteorologist Jay Grymes has been named as the State Climatologist and he’ll report directly to Governor Jeff Landry and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux says Grymes will help the state prepare for weather events…
cut 11 (11) “…what we’re facing”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has posted the 2024-25 hunting regulations pamphlet on the L-D-W-F website. LDWF administrator Tommy Tuma says printed copies of the pamphlets will be available in August at LDWF offices and at vendors where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
Cut 5 (09) “…Labor Day weekend.”
This season’s pamphlet has the season schedule for the state’s ten deer hunting areas.

Hurricane Beryl has moved past Jamaica and has its eyes set on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Beryl is a Category Three storm, but weakening is expected today. Forecasters are calling for Beryl to enter the southern Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as a tropical storm and make a final landfall as a Category one hurricane early next week near the Texas-Mexico border.

Governor Jeff Landry has announced Jay Grymes as the first State Climatologist to serve under Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

It’s Fourth of July and that means a lot of people popping off their own fireworks tonight. President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association Tracey Normand says be sure you are not violating any local ordinances. Normand says drinking and driving is not a good idea; drinking and lighting an explosive is a worse idea.
Cut 6 (10) “…our digits.”

It’s a big tourism weekend for New Orleans as Essence Festival gets underway today. The annual musical festival started in 1995 in New Orleans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence Magazine. New Orleans and Company spokesperson Kelly Schulz says now Essence Fest is celebrating 30 years. Schulz says the July-August issue of Essence Magazine is a love letter to New Orleans…
cut 14 (12) “…well beyond”
Usher and Janet Jackson will perform at Essence Festival this weekend.

LSU pitcher Thatcher Hurd has entered the transfer portal. Hunt Palmer with ESPN Baton Rouge explains it’s not a big loss for the Tigers as Hurd is expected to be a high draft pick later this month and sign with a Major League Baseball team…
cut 20 (10″ to the table”
MLB-dot-com ranks Hurd as the 114th best prospect.

LSU shortstop Ryan Kucherak has also entered the transfer portal. He was ranked as the second best high school shortstop in Arizona by Perfect Game, but barely saw the field last year.

There’s been a lot of talk about Texas A-and-M infielder Kaeden Kent transferring to LSU, but Kent announced today he’s returning to the Aggies.

Louisiana Tech announced today that associate head coach Mitch Gaspard is retiring after five years with the Bulldogs. Gaspard is also a former head coach at Alabama and Northwestern State.

Former LSU star Angel Reese is a WNBA All-Star. This news comes after he was just named the WNBA Rookie of the Money for June. Reese leads the league in rebounds and she also averages 13 points a game. Reese got emotional about the honor following the Chicago Sky’s 85-77 win over the Atlanta Dream last night…
cut 19 (12) “….believed”
Reese was fifth in the WNBA All-Star fan voting with 381,518 votes. Caitlin Clark was number one with 700,735 votes.

Recreational red snapper season will be weekends-only after a brief close in the season from July 7 to 12. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Director of Marine Fisheries Chris Schieble (shee-ble) there have been similar pauses in the past couple of years and he urges anglers to remember this is nothing new or drastic.
Cut 15 (11) “…adjustments.”
The season runs until Labor Day.