News that the proposed new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge will require a toll hasn’t set well with many including Lake Charles Representative Phillip Tarver. The Republican says funding for the bridge can be prioritized to avoid the use of tolls…
Cut 10 (13) “…with people.”
Tarver says they’ll ask the Senate and House Transportation Committee not to approve the plan to use tolls to help fund construction of the two-point-one billion dollar bridge.

Starting August 1st, operating rooms must have equipment that can quickly get smoke out of the room. Surgical smoke as its called can happen when flesh is burned during a procedure. Director of the State Nurses Association Ahnyel Burkes says it will happen during a C-Section…
cut 6 (05) “…..being used”

The National Retail Federation is predicting record spending for back-to-school items. Michelle Southern has the story…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

An Opelousas man has received a 26-month sentence after attempting to use a fake 20-dollar bill at a local donut shop last August. 33-year-old Gabriel Bates pleased guilty in a federal courtroom to counterfeiting. Secret Service agents also found numerous fake 20 and 100 dollar bills at his home.

More criticism from Lake Charles officials over the state department of transportation’s proposal to use toll money to pay for a proposed two-point-one billion dollar I-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River. Lake Charles Representative Phillip Tarver believes the project is too elaborate and so is the price tag…
cut 12 (10) “…years now”

Louisiana is the 12th state to enact surgical smoke evacuation legislation. Director of the State Nurses Association Ahnyel Burkes says smoke can form when skin is burned during surgical procedures…
cut 5 (10) “….is harmful”
The new law requires operating rooms to have equipment to get the smoke out of the room.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame class of 2023 will be inducted this weekend in Natchitoches. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz gave Kace Kieschnick a rundown…
cut 3 (33) “…I”m Kace KIeschnick”

One of the top pitchers in the Southeastern Conference is transferring to LSU. Alabama’s Luke Holman is heading to Baton Rouge after going 7-4 with a 3.67 ERA and 87 strikeouts.

WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge is reporting the autopsy on former LSU student Madison Brooks found no DNA inside her from the suspects who were in a vehicle with her when she was allegedly raped before she died. The NAACP says the charges should be dropped, while District Attorney Hillar Moore is upset these details were leaked.

A law requiring operating rooms to provide smoke evacuation for surgical smoke goes into effect on August 1st. Brooke Thorington has more…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Local officials in the Lake Charles area continue to express frustration over tolls being used to fund the construction of a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. The state department of transportation proposed a toll schedule that it would cost over 12-dollars for a large truck with a toll tag to cross the new bridge, almost 19-dollars without a tag. Lake Charles Representative Phillip Tarver says that would put more trucks on the I-210 bridge….
cut 11 (10) “…18 dollars”
These concerns are expected to be brought to the House and Senate transportation committee who will need to approve the DOTD’s toll plan.

A few bills approved by lawmakers earlier this year will go into effect August 1st. One of them is legislation by Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman which would allow a woman to recoup 50-percent of her pregnancy related medical expenses from the biological father. Frieman says the measure received strong support from women groups and fellow lawmakers…
cut 11 (09) “….and the Senate”
Paternity must be proven for mothers to recoup half of their pregnancy-related medical expenses.

Covington Republican Representative Paul Hollis is running for a seat on the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Hollis is term-limited as a state lawmaker but wants to continue his public service.
Cut 6 (09) “…the ballot.”
Hollis is looking to replace Jim Garvey on the board. Garvey is term limited.

The Grand Isle International Tarpon Rodeo got underway today. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the fishing pier damaged by Hurricane Ida in 2021 reopened and it now has high quality lights that attract fish of all kinds…
cut 5 (12) “…..a fish”
That’s Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet who says the island will attract about 25-thousand visitors this weekend.

And Saturday night is the induction ceremonies for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Shreveport native and former LSU star Wendell Davis is among the athletes who will be inducted. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz says for a receiver Davis put up big numbers in the 1980s….
cut 14 (10) “…of the Bears”
Also going into the Hall, Eli Manning, Paul Mainieri and former WNBA great Alana Beard.

The Louisiana Pardon Board has decided not to act on the 56 clemency applications they received from death row inmates. Dashing their hopes of Governor Edwards commuting their sentences to life without parole. The Board says based on its own rules, they can not take up the cases, because the applications were not made within one year of their last appeal. But Louisiana Capital appeals Project director Cecelia Kappel says they’ve waived this rule before…
cut 14 (08) “….procedural grounds”
Kappel hopes the governor will request that the Louisiana Pardon Board look at the cases.

Covington Republican Representative Paul Hollis is running for a seat on the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Hollis is term-limited as a state lawmaker but wants to continue his public service.
Cut 6 (09) “…the ballot.”

Beginning August 1st pregnant women in Louisiana will have the ability to recoup half of their out-of-pocket pregnancy-related medical expenses from the father. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (29) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.”

No break from the heat and it will only get hotter as the entire state could see triple-digit readings this weekend lasting into next week. At Saints training camp, where the heat index reached 111 degrees, two receivers Shaq Davis and Keith Kirkwood, could not finish this morning’s practice because they were over heated. Coach Dennis Allen says the heat is a serious deal.

The Louisiana Pardon Board has decided not to hear the clemency applications from 56 death row inmates hoping Governor Edwards would reduce their sentence to life in prison. Louisiana District Attorneys Association Director Loren Lampert says if the Pardon Board took up these petitions they would violate their own rules
Cut 13 (10) “…must be changed.”
An attorney for some of the death row prisoners says A-G Jeff Landry gave the Board a wrong reading of its policies in an attempt to steamroll a legitimate request to have these cases heard. Cecelia Kappel says the governor still has the authority to direct the Louisiana Pardon Board to review the cases
Cut 15 (08) “…does so.”
No comment from the governor’s office.

Earlier today, we told you Alexandria Representative Lance Harris plans to run for a District Five seat on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Well, Covington Representative Paul Hollis says he’s running for the District one seat on BESE. Hollis says much of the focus at the state capitol has been on meeting the needs of teachers, he wants to shift the focus to students…
cut 8 (09) “….can provide”

The Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo gets underway today, it’s the oldest saltwater fishing tournament in the United States. Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet says it’s more than a fishing tournament….
cut 4 (11) “…each night”
The rodeo begins today and ends Saturday.

A law to allow women to recoup half of their out-of-pocket pregnancy-related medical expenses from the father goes into effect on August 1st. Abita Springs Republican Representative Larry Frieman says his legislation gives mothers a way to recover those expenses, but you hope fathers would do so on their own…
Cut 9 (06) “…have today.”
Frieman says he filed the bill after a family practice lawyer told him there’s no way for women to legally recover half of those expenses.

The oldest fishing tournament in the United States gets underway today at Grand Isle. 23 months ago, the state’s only inhabited barrier island, took a pounding from Hurricane Ida. But Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet says Grand Isle is once again ready to host thousands of fishermen and their families…
Cut 3 (09) “…live bait.”
Tarpon Rodeo starts today and lasts through Saturday.

SunGas Renewables is planning to build a $2-billion green manufacturing facility in Central Louisiana. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana Pardon Board has decided not to act on the 56 clemency applications they received from death row inmates. Dashing their hopes of Governor Edwards commuting their sentence to life without parole. The Board says based on its own rules, they can not take up the cases, because the applications were not made within one year of their last appeal. But Louisiana Capital appeals Project director Cecelia Kappel says they’ve waived this rule before…
cut 14 (08) “….procedural grounds”
Kappel hopes the governor will request that the Louisiana Pardon Board to look at the cases.

SunGas Renewables is looking at investing one-point-eight billion dollars to build a low-carbon methanol production facility in Pineville. Mayor Rich Dupree says a Danish shipping company has signed a letter of intent to purchase fuel from the proposed Pineville facility…
cut 5 (12) “…..marine fuels”
SunGas expects to make a final investment decision on August 2024.

With football season starting up again, sports betting will also be picking up. Michelle Southern has the story…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Activities get underway tonight in Natchitoches with a free reception from five to seven PM at the Hall of Fame museum. The 2023 class that will be inducted this weekend includes Eli Manning, Alana Beard, Paul Mainieri, Paul Byrd, Wendell Davis and Olympic track star Walter Davis.