After running half a mile in the dark to help save her grandfather, an eight-year-girl earns the title of hero. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (31)  “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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The state launches a new campaign to encourage Louisianans to get vaccinated to reverse declining vaccination rates, especially in the Northeast region. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

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A Tulane study finds the more you drink, the greater the effect on your blood pressure. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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An eight-year-old girl in Franklin Parish is being regaled as a hero after saving her grandfather’s life Tuesday night. Sheriff Kevin Cobb says the two were thrown from a four-wheeler and the 83-year-old was pinned underneath in a canal. Alli Glass knew to prop his head up to keep him from drowning and went for help.

Cut 4 (07)  “…a bind.”

Thanks to Alli’s courageousness first responders arrived and her grandfather is on the mend. Cobb says they are all amazed such a young girl knew what to do and there’s no one prouder than her grandfather.

Cut 5 (06)   “…type tears.”

Cobb says her grandfather is also extremely thankful that Alli didn’t get hurt after running more than half a mile to get help.

Cut 6 (09)  “…him help.”

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The state Office of Public Health is launching Operation Immunization, an initiative to address the importance of immunizations and reverse the downward trend in vaccinations among minors, especially in Northeast Louisiana. OPH Regional 8 Medical Director Tonya Hunter encourages parents to prioritize vaccinations as children begin a new school year.

Cut 7 (12) “…to school.”

Nine of the 12 parishes in northeast Louisiana have lower-than-average vaccination rates for children at the age of two. Hunter says all 12 parishes are below the statewide average for adult flu vaccinations. She says post-pandemic, Louisianans have to rethink the importance of vaccines…

Cut 8 (10) “…diseases.”

Small white flags will be placed along roadsides throughout the Monroe area to serve as a reminder to update vaccinations. Hunter says raising immunization rates is the goal the public should get behind…

Cut 9 (09)  “…we can.”

You can find information about recommended vaccinations at immunizations.la.gov.

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Acadian Ambulance is recruiting students for its National EMS Academy which provides credentials for EMTs and paramedics in the face of workforce shortages. Director of Operations in LA and MS Porter Taylor says there are plenty of opportunities in different divisions for EMTs and paramedics…

Cut 10 (10) “…are divisions”

Acadian have training sites in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. In Louisiana, training sites include Houma, New Orleans, Lafayette, Covington, Lake Charles, and Alexandria. Taylor says paramedic students can choose their level of coursework…

Cut 11 (12)  “…fourteen months.”

Although first responders must be 18 to work and pass a certified test, Taylor says they can start training in high school…

Cut 12 (11)   “…EMT class” 

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A new study finds a correlation between consuming alcohol and high blood pressure. Co-author of the study Dr. Paul Whelton at Tulane University says the observational study of 20-thousand participants conducted over a 24-year period found a direct connection and even one beer a day can increase your BP.

Cut 13 (06) “…linear relationship.” 

Whelton says the findings aren’t terribly surprising, the more you drink the more your blood pressure increases.

Cut 14 (09)  “…as that.” 

In case you’re wondering if wine has less of an impact than liquor, Whelton says when it comes to alcohol…

Cut 15 (09)  “…spirits, etc.”

The full study is published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.

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The Ragin Cajuns begin fall practice today with three quarterbacks competing for playing time. Chandler Fields opened last season as the starting QB, and redshirt freshman Zeon Chriss got a lot of the snaps in the spring, but Coach Michael Desormeaux says Ben Wooldridge is healthy after tearing his A-C-L last season and will get snaps with the first team…

Cut 16 (16) “…he is physically.”

The Ragin Cajuns finished with a losing record last year going six and seven. Desormeaux says they lost three games by six points or less. He says the goal is not to blow games they controlled for three quarters…

Cut 17  (23) fix those” 

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At ULM, senior Jiya Wright begins fall camp as the starting quarterback but coach Terry Bowden likes the depth that he has at that position…

Cut 18 (15) “…that position.” 

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Th Saints are a week into training camp and new staring quarterback Derek Carr is entering his tenth season in the league and he feels more in touch with the game than ever.

Cut 19 (19) “…installs grow.” 

Carr is considered a veteran in the NFL, but that does not bode the same for arguably the most important position besides the quarterback. The left tackle spot has been up in the air since Terron Armstead left in free agency, and the Saints have looked to replace him with Trevor Penning. Even though Penning does not have as much experience as the rest of the offensive line, Carr has faith in the people that put him there.

Cut 20 (10)  “…they’ve proven it.”  

The state department of education says LEAP scores for third through 12th graders are up for a second consecutive year. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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Pro bass angler Jake Ormond of Sterlington set a new state record for the largest longnose gar ever caught. Kace Kieschnick has the story…

Cut 2 (34)  “….I’m Kace Kieschnick.”  

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State education officials say LEAP scores have improved for a second consecutive year. The latest results show a two-point jump from last year  in the percentage of students considered proficient. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says that means 33-percent of students are scoring at the mastery rate or above…

Cut 3 (12) “…work to do.” 

Brumley says for a state that struggles with literacy, he’s pleased to see the mastery rate for third graders in English Language Arts improved five points over last year to 43 for 2023….

Cut 4 (07)  “…2017-2018” 

Brumley says it’s also encouraging to see last year’s third graders showed strong improvement in English Language Arts as fourth graders.

He says high school students improved in five out of six subject areas…

Cut 5 (13)  “…with a three percent increase.”

Brumley says U-S history scores declined, but Louisiana is implementing a more rigorous set of social studies standars, called the Freedom Framework, which will be in place for the upcoming school year.

Seventy-five percent of Louisiana school systems improved during the 2022-23 school year.

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Bass pro Jake Ormond set a state record for the largest longnose gar which he caught on Bayou Bartholomew. The Sterlington native was giving a young student a lesson when he spotted the big gar on the surface of the water. After switching rods, it took Ormond three casts to hook the big fish…

Cut 6 (10)  “…too long.” 

Ormond says he didn’t know it was a state record just the biggest longnose gar he’d ever seen. He trolled the fish back, pulled it up on the ramp and tied it up. A quick google search told him the state record was a 30.88 pound gar and Ormond thought he was close…

Cut 7 (08)  “…hit thirty-one.” 

Ormond began making calls to local stores trying to find a set of certified scales, but the scales either didn’t go above thirty pounds or the store wouldn’t let him bring it in the store. He found the biggest cooler he could and put his catch on ice before finally finding K&M Coffee and Camo in Farmerville…

Cut 8 (12)  “…inches long.” 

The fish was just over 31 pounds and 65.5 inches long.

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A three-vehicle crash in Assumption Parish yesterday morning claimed the life of a Houma woman and her unborn child. Trooper Ross Brennan says 23-year-old Tia Gorrell was traveling north on Highway 308 when she was hit by a 2014 Jeep Wrangler…

Cut 9 (09)  “…the Toyota.”

The investigation revealed the 2014 Jeep Wrangler was driven by 38-year-old Kendall Dollar. A toxicology sample is pending on Dollar however, Brennan says the driver of the RAM was not suspected of being impaired…

Cut 10 (09)  “…this time.”

There have been 15 fatal crashes in the Troop C area resulting in 17 fatalities.

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It’s another day of oppressive heat in the Bayou State. We asked State Climatologist Barry Keim what is causing it and if there is any relief in sight. He says a ridge of high pressure continues to hover over the southeast, it moves in and hangs around for about a week baking the area with triple-digit temperatures.

Cut 11 (09)  “…things down.”

Keim says the ridge of high pressure eventually moves along but unfortunately, it’s replaced with another right behind it.

It’s been one of the worst summers on record for heat. Keim says when you look at New Orleans weather data for the first six months of 2023, it’s the warmest of any year on record.

Cut 12 (10) “…yesterday.” 

He says the 104 high temp August 1^st in the capital city ranks in the top seven for hottest days ever.

Usually along the coastline, moisture from the Gulf will cycle through and cool things down, but Keim says we’re in a rut with the dome of high pressure. And in that dome is a constant downward motion of hot air.

Cut 13 (12) “…case scenario.”

Keim says the dome of high pressure keeps thunderstorms that could cool things down away. Along the coast, he says the moisture is there but it’s unable to get vertical motion needed for clouds to produce rain.