The U-S Marshal’s Service announces they recovered 14 missing children and made several arrests during their “Summer Knights” operation in New Orleans. More from Whitney Thomas

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Whitney Thomas”

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Louisiana ranks among the Top Ten states nationally for Educational Freedom. Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 2 (28) “….I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

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Lawmakers meet in Baton Rouge today to discuss the idea of eliminating the state income tax. More from Jeff Palermo…:

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The U.S Marshals Office has announced the results of their operation “Summer Knights”, conducted in the New Orleans metro area, leading to the recovery of fourteen missing endangered teens. One additional child was located, and eight arrests were made.  

Brian Fair, a senior inspector said some teens were fugitives, while others were held captive.  

Cut 4 (12)  “…That recovery.”

Out of the eight arrests made, one individual associated with a 16-year-old runaway will be facing hit-and-run charges, along with the aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.  Fair says another suspect associated with the 16-year-old runaway was wanted for various burglaries in the New Orleans Area.  

Cut 5 (10) “..with minors.”  (3x)

Fair says they couldn’t have done this deliberate operation alone.  

  Cut  6 (10)  “…these recoveries.” 

Any information about missing children should be reported to your local police department or the National Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-The-Lost.  

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A new report from the Heritage Foundation ranks Louisiana among the Top Ten states for “Educational Freedom.” State Education Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley says Louisiana’s Number 9 ranking is a great place to be in the first-ever such report by Heritage. He explains what it meant by Educational freedom…:

Cut 7 (12) “…in education appropriately.”

Brumley says Heritage Foundation gives high marks for empowering parental choice, in transparency in education policy-making and spending public dollars wisely and properly. The Heritage report ranks Louisiana among the Top 20 for both school choice and transparency. Brumley says both are important to him as the state’s Top Educator…:

Cut 8 (13)  “…even home school.”

The Heritage “Education Freedom Report Card” comes as the Department of Education observes Celebrate Freedom Week. Brumley says the recognition by heritage is good, but there’s more progress to be made

Cut 9 (07)  “…being classroom teachers.”

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A recent Washington Post analysis ranks Louisiana 17th in the nation in retention of college graduates. That puts the Pelican State ahead of southern states like Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and South Carolina. The governor’s communications director Lauren Leist says the state’s investments in higher education are paying off

Cut 10 (07) “…we’ve seen.”

Leist says in the six years the governor has been in office, he’s worked to diversify the state’s economy which is allowing college graduates to stay right here to begin their careers.

Cut  11 (13)  “..lately” 

Leist says the state has created nearly 200-thousand jobs since the worst of the COVID pandemic and many people filling those jobs are recent college grads. She says the governor will continue to diversify the economy in order to prevent the brain drain….

Cut 12 (10) “…water management.” 

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The House Ways & Means Committee meets today to discuss broad state tax reforms, including eliminating the state income tax. The meeting is the result of a resolution passed this spring by Mandeville Republican Rep. Richard Nelson. He says he hopes lawmakers can get to “the root of some fundamental problems” within the tax structure…:

Cut 13 (09) “…move the state forward.”

Nelson feels getting rid of the state income tax would help move Louisiana forward to compete with states like Texas and Florida which have no such tax. He proposed a tax reform package in 2021, but it was a bit too weighty to get passed during a short “fiscal only” session. In 2022, he came back with a resolution to meet in the off-months to discuss the idea…:

Cut 14 (13)  “…better way to go.”

Nelson feels our tax structure is “broken” and it drives people and business away from the state. He says today is likely the first of many meetings to map out a strategy for crafting a new tax system. He says it won’t be easy, but it CAN be done…:

Cut 15 (12)  “…a local level.”

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LSU football coach Brian Kelly says the Tigers need a better week of preparation than last week to defeat Mississippi State this Saturday in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs are 2-0, with wins over Memphis and Arizona and State’s air raid offense is averaging 385 passing yards, fifth best in the nation. Kelly his defensive players will need to execute their assignments

Cut 16 (12)  “…get exposed” 

LSU’s running game should get a boost with the return of running back John Emery, who served a 15-game suspension as a result of some sort of an academic infraction. Kelly says he’s excited to have the former Destrehan star back…

Cut 17 (19) “…can’t do that 

This will be Kelly’s first SEC game, but he doesn’t feel like he’s behind the other coaches in the league when it comes to familiarity. He says that’s because at Notre Dame, which does not belong to a conference, he was always preparing for a new opponent…

Cut  18 (19)“…their tendencies”

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There are plenty of corrections to be made following the Saints come from behind 27-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans Coach Dennis Allen is not happy that the Dirty Birds rushed for 201 yards. Allen says that’s not the Black and Gold standard…

Cut 19 (23) “..that area”

The Saints offense also struggled for the first three quarters, but Allen says offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael did an awesome job calling plays and Allen liked that the quarterback received the play call with plenty of time left on the play clock…

Cut 20 (20) “ …good job” 

Running back Alvin Kamara only had 39 yards rushing and three catches. Allen says Kamara was dealing with a rib issue, but should be fine. New Orleans hosts Tampa Bay this Sunday.

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and the Louisiana Motor Transport Association is celebrating drivers who deliver America’s freight every day. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Unconventional U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers appeared on “Talk Louisiana” with Jim Engster this morning, and faced more questions about his electability Marsanne Golsby has more.

Cut 2 (30) I’m  Marsanne Golsby.”  

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This week, representatives of the trucking industry are here to remind you how important truck drivers are. It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Renee Amar is executive director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.

Cut 3 (08) “…brought it to you.” 

More than fourteen hundred appreciation kits were sent to truck drivers across Louisiana. Wallace Simien the third, of Jennings, is the Louisiana Motor Transport Association’s truck driver of the year.

Cut 4 (:11) “..his truck” 

Amar says truckers nationwide have shown their commitment to delivering the goods people need during challenging times. One big concern is the nationwide shortage of truck drivers. Amar says they are aggressively trying to recruit new drivers, especially women.

Cut 5 (06) “… Louisiana.” 

There are more than 3.6 million professional truck drivers nationwide, including 10-thousand trucking companies in Louisiana. LMTA says these businesses provide 88-thousand jobs across the state.

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US Senate candidate Gary Chambers says that contrary to the opinion of many political experts, he has a real chance to beat Senator John Kennedy. Kennedy last ran in 2016. Chambers says in that election 585 thousand black voters turned out to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Cut 6 (09)  “…believed in.” 

Chambers was a guest on “Talk Louisiana” with Jim Engster this morning. He faced questions about his electability in a low turnout election year. He says of the three  Democratic candidates he is the clear leader

Cut 7 (08) “…being disingenuous .”

Kennedy has a massive war chest and has already begun advertising. Chambers says if he can get into the runoff he can beat Kennedy.

Cut 8 (08)  “…the left and the right.”

Chambers accused Kennedy of being a coward for refusing to debate him.

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Louisiana woke up to somewhat cooler, and more “Autumn-like” weather today. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a pocket of dry and cool air is parked over Louisiana…:

Cut 9 (10)  “…across the state.”

Keim says many parts of Louisiana woke up temperatures in the 60’s today; bringing in a first small “taste” of Fall…:

Cut 10 (05) “…made it through.” 

Keim says it’s not necessarily time to break out the jackets and sweaters, but we can expect even cooler weather tomorrow morning…:

Cut 11 (08)  “…most of the state.”

He says morning low temperatures should only dip into the 70’s in coastal areas. He says the less humid weather should be with us at least through Thursday.

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A Chalmette grocery store is having fun with the Saints come from behind 27-26 win over the Falcons. The bakery at Breaux Mart was already preparing cakes with icing that read 28-3, a jab at the Falcons Super Bowl collapse, but assistant store manager Stephen Exnicios says the cake decorator changed the decorations so it reads 26-10 which was the score before Atlanta blew the lead yesterday…

Cut 12 (04) “.. everybody else does.”  

The Saints trailed 26-10 with just over eleven minutes left in the game, but New Orleans scored the final 17 points to win 27-26. Exnicios says they wanted to do something to celebrate the Black and Gold’s largest fourth quarter comeback in team history…

Cut 13 (04) “…nerve racking” 

Exnicios says the cakes are the size of a traditional birthday cake and they are taking orders…

Cut 14 (04)  “…requesting them.” 

Seen at a recent Jeff Landry alligator hunt fundraiser: “Team Landry Governor” merchandise. Is this a signal the Attorney General is officially in the race? Kevin Gallagher reports…:

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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When a Calhoun man went gator hunting for the first time ever, he had no idea what he was in for. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (34) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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After three frustrating quarters, the Saints erupted for 17 fourth-quarter points to beat the Atlanta Falcons 27-26. Jeff Palermo has a recap.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Attorney General Jeff Landry’s annual alligator hunt event appeared to an un-official launch of his campaign for Governor in 2023. At the event, people passed out “Team Landry Governor” merchandise. “LAPolitics.com” publisher Jeremy Alford says that’s a good indicator that he intends to run, however…:

Cut 4 (08)  “…you’ll know it.”

Landry’s event was attended by numerous deep-pocketed Republican supporters and conservative political celebrities like Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle. Photos posted on Facebook show the Landry merchandise pretty plainly. Alford says anyone could have supplied the hat & t-shirts, and the most important thing is Landry’s eventual official announcement…:

Cut 5 (10) “..as a candidate.”

So far, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser looks poised to run next year, and state Treasurer John Schroder is expected to make an announcement soon. Alford says an actual official announcement from the Attorney General may not come until the November mid-term election…:

Cut 6 (09)  “…his own campaign.” 

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An advocacy group is seeking compensation for a man wrongly convicted, who served decades in prison. 62-year-old Malcolm Alexander’s rape conviction was overturned in 2018 after serving 38 years in Angola. But Innocence Project New Orleans executive director Jee Park says Alexander was denied compensation last year, and they are appealing the ruling. In Louisiana, it’s $40,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment.

Cut 7 (11) “…for that.”

So the maximum amount he could receive is $400,000.

Park says now they are waiting on a ruling from the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeal. The defense argued that DNA from evidence collected matched neither the victim nor Alexander. Park says not everyone who is exonerated receives compensation.

Cut 8 (10)  “…court jurisdiction.”

Even though Alexander has been free since 2018, Park says compensation is long overdue for him and is another acknowledgment of his innocence.

Cut 9 (10)  “…finish line yet.”

Park is hoping they will receive a ruling before the end of the year.

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So, imagine your 71-year-old friend who’s never been gator hunting in their life, tells you he caught one that he thought weighed around 400 pounds. You’d laugh at them, right? Well, Jerry Sepulvado of Calhoun did just last week on Lake St. John. He actually caught three gators and one was a real whopper.

Cut 10 (09) “…1,000 pounds.”

Fortunately, Sepulvado has witnesses, and thanks to Nathan Gauthier, he has video evidence of the massive gator. Sepulvado says they worked for hours on getting his prize catch in the boat.

Cut  11 (06)  “…he was.” 

So, what does one do with an almost 12-foot alligator that weighs more than 750 pounds, Sepulvado says you sell it…

Cut 12 (11) “…my man cave.” 

And if you bagged a gator like that you’d probably quit while you’re ahead right? Well, Sepulvado thinks he’ll give gator hunting another try.

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A high-ranking state lawmaker comes out with an endorsement for Democrat Luke Mixon in November’s U.S. Senate race. The 42-year-old Mixon, a former Navy fighter pilot and current airline pilot, is from Bunkie. Shreveport Representative Sam Jenkins, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, says he feels Mixon has the “right stuff” for the Senate…:

Cut 13 (10) “…Barksdale Air Force Base.”

Mixon is a White man. He is challenging Republican John Kennedy for re-election, along with two Black Democrats: activist Gary Chambers from Baton Rouge and non-profit director Syrita Steib from New Orleans. Jenkins says this is his personal endorsement for Mixon; not necessarily that of his caucus. He explains why he chose Mixon over the others…:

Cut 14 (08)  “…well-rounded candidate.”

Mixon and Chambers report having raised over a million dollars each for their campaigns, while Kennedy has nearly $16-million and is already running TV ads. Jenkins says, for him, Mixon is a good candidate with an impressive resume^’…:

Cut 15 (10)  “…of Louisiana first.”

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What a start to the Dennis Allen era in New Orleans. The Saints roared back from a 26-10 fourth-quarter deficit to beat their biggest rival the Atlanta Falcons 27-26. Michael Thomas caught two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the offense finally woke up after three sluggish quarters…

Cut 16 (15)  “…make a play.” 

Thomas finished with five catches for 57 yards in his first game since 2000. Saints fans are glad Can’t Guard Mike is back and so is Allen…

Cut 17 (13) “…what he did” 

Veteran receiver Jarvis Landry also had a big game in his first contest as a Saint. He caught seven passes for 114 yards including a fantastic 40-yard grab to set up Will Lutz’s game-winning 51-yard field goal. Landry on the come-from-behind win…

Cut  18 (18)“…made plays”

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The first-ever meeting between LSU and Southern on the football field turned into a blowout quickly and the Fighting Tigers went on to a 65-17 victory over the Jaguars. LSU scored 37 points in the first quarter, the most points scored ever in a single period in school history. Coach Brian Kelly wanted to see a fast start…

Cut 19 (16) “..go play”

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels completed ten of his eleven pass attempts for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Kayshon Boutte got involved right away and caught five passes for 42 yards and had a 41-yard carry.

Kelly also changed his offensive line, starting Charles Turner at center, Garrett Dellinger moved to guard and Miles Frazier went from guard to tackle and last week’s starting right tackle Cam Wire watched the start of the game from the sidelines…

Cut 20 (20) “ …guard position”