LSU announces Saturday night’s historic football game against Southern University is a sell-out. Whitney Thomas has more.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

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LDH is recommending the newest COVID boosters that are formulated to offer protection from the Omicron variants. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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A new poll of New Orleans voters shows over half want to see Mayor LaToya Cantrell removed from office. More from Brooke Thorington…:

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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LSU has announced Saturday night’s historic match-up against Southern University is a sell-out. LSU Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry says tickets for this first-ever match-up between the two Baton Rouge schools are more in demand than the Alabama game in November.

Cut 4 (06)  “…it’d be good.”

Ausberry says bringing both communities together, and also allowing institutions in the state of Louisiana to benefit financially was an important aspect of this game. Southern was paid $700,00, with an extra $60,000 going to their athletic foundation fund.

Cut 5 (10) “…institutions out.”

Not only is this the first time LSU has played Southern in football, but it’s also the first time the Tigers have faced a historically black university in football…

Cut 6 (08)  “…went” 

Kick-off is set for 6:30 pm

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The Louisiana Department of Health is recommending individuals who are 12 and older and fully vaccinated against COVID, get the newest booster that’s formulated for the Omicron variant. LDH Deputy Director Glennis Gray says this booster offers prolonged protection against the original strain of COVID…

Cut 7 (08) “…and the BA.5.”

The updated booster should be widely available in the coming days. Gray says you can have the new booster as soon as two months after your last vaccine dose. The Moderna booster is for ages 18 and older and the Pfizer booster is for ages 12 and up.

Cut 8 (12)  “…age guidelines.”

Health officials say there’s supporting data that the booster provides additional protection against the current circulating variant and Gray says if you’ve recently recovered from COVID you should also have the updated booster.

Cut 9 (09)  “…your booster.”

The CDC and the FDA are also recommending the use of the updated booster. Be sure to call ahead to make sure your healthcare provider has the newest booster in stock.

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A new poll on the recall effort against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell shows over half of those surveyed say she needs to go. University of New Orleans political science professor Dr. Ed Chervenak conducted to poll. He says the results were mostly similar regardless of gender, party affiliation, or race…:

Cut 10 (11) “…direction of the city.”

Cantrell said the recall is a “right-wing conspiracy” to get rid of her, but the numbers don’t seem to bear that out.

The recall petition was filed with the Secretary of State’s office after Mayor Cantrell appeared in court in support of a teen carjacker; offering little comfort to the victims. She is also under fire for lavish travel arrangements for business trips at taxpayer expense. Chervenak says respondents to this poll favor recalling her now, but…:

Cut  11 (09)  “…circumstances can change.” 

The poll surveyed just over 400 registered Orleans parish voters and showed 55-percent want her recalled. Over 64-percent say the city is headed in a bad direction. Chervenak says the poll is just a “snapshot” of how voters feel right now, and Cantrell could change those feelings before the deadline arrives to collect over 53-thousand recall signatures…:

Cut 12 (08) “…change those perceptions.” 

Recall efforts in large voter areas (including statewide) have historically met little success in Louisiana.

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A Leonville man dies after the truck he was driving ended up fully submerged in St. Landry Parish. Trooper Thomas Gossen says 59-year-old Phillip Gilyard was driving a Ford F150 north on LA 103 ran a stop sign ended up in Bayou Teche. Gossen says they know he survived the crash because he was able to call for help.

Cut 13 (06) “…the water.”

A search and rescue team located Gilyard’s body away from his vehicle. Gossen says a blood sample was collected and the accident remains under investigation.

Cut 14 (07)  “…after the crash.”

Gossen says often people assume it’s safer to not wear a seatbelt when you’re dealing with water.

Cut 15 (08)  “…water itself.”

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Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas says he feels great and it’s his goal to play in Sunday’s season opener at Atlanta. Quarterback Jameis Winston did not have Thomas to throw the football too in his first season and he’s excited to have the chance this year…

Cut 16 (14)  “…the elite.” 

Instead of Sean Payton calling plays, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael will call the plays and he’s done it before, including the 2012 season when Payton served a year-long suspension as a result of bounty gate. Winston says the offense will not change much with Carmichael as the play caller…

Cut 17 (20) “…Saints history.” 

Winston was the number one pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Marcus Mariota was the second pick that year and he’s getting a new chance to start in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu on facing Mariota and the Dirty Birds offense

Cut  18 (20)“…for us.”

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After getting beat 52-10 at Texas, ULM hosts Nicholls on Saturday in its home opener. Warhawks coach Terry Bowden says they could have played better in Austin, but the Longhorns were the better team

Cut 19 (15) “…good team.”

But this Saturday, ULM is the favorite to win, while the Colonels are the team looking to pull off the upset. Bowden says his guys will have to play well to win…

Cut 20 (19) “ …best improvement.” 

The three-digit 988 suicide intervention phone number launched in mid-July received more than 1,400 calls in its first month in service. Brooke Thorington explains.

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A former employee at the state’s child welfare agency tells lawmakers about the difficult work environment inside DCFS. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (33) I’m  Jeff Palermo”  

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In the first month that the three-digit 988 National Suicide Hotline was launched the crisis number received more than 1,400 calls in Louisiana. And Dr. Robyn Thomas, Suicide Prevention Coordinator with the department of health says the response rate for answering local calls increased significantly.

Cut 3 (11) “…connected to services.” 

She says the state was also recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for its response rate.  Thomas says when you call 988 from anywhere in the state you are routed to one of the state’s two certified crisis centers. One in Bossier City which answers calls in north, central, and southwest Louisiana, or the call center in New Orleans which covers southeast Louisiana.

Cut 4  (07) “…in the state.”

Next for the crisis hotline is to add even more counselors. Thomas says it’s important to keep those certified counselors local because they understand the state’s culture and unique stressful events for example hurricanes.

Cut 5  (10) “…as possible.”

Thomas says they are also adding training for counselors to address marginalized populations and also ramp up awareness and promotion of the 988 crisis line.

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The State Fire Marshall’s Office is sounding an alarm about the use of oxygen tanks anywhere near anything flammable. This comes after a 32-year-old woman who used an oxygen tank was the victim of a deadly house fire in St. Martinville over the weekend. Officials found her body in a wheelchair near the front door of the home. She was known to smoke cigarettes. Ashley Rodrigue is the spokesperson for the State Fire Marshall.

Cut 6 (:07) “…do so outside.” 

Rodrigue says oxygen tanks should be kept at least five feet away from anything flammable, not just cigarettes.

Cut 7 (:08) “… a fuel.” 

Rodrigue says candles, matches, stoves, aerosol sprays, and even sparking toys can cause fires when near oxygen tanks—plus kitchen grease and any kind of oils.

Cut 8 (11) “…ignitable liquids.”

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A former caseworker at the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services calls the environment within the state agency toxic. Stacey McPherson left her job as a Rapides foster care worker in July because her supervisors failed to address their repeated complaints…

Cut 9 (09)  “…excruciating”

McPherson testified in front of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee who plans to hold future meetings to look at how they can improve the agency. She says her foster kids were her life and gave them precedent over her own children, but didn’t have management’s support…

Cut 10 (11) “…from us” 

McPherson says when she would bring her concerns to her supervisors, she would face retaliation….

Cut 11 (10)  “…do it.”

McPherson says salary is not the reason why she left and she says five veteran foster care workers have left the Alexandria office in the last five weeks, it was the toxicity of the work environment.

The legislative committee plans to hold more meetings to look at how the work environment at DCFS can be fixed.

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ASAP, the Louisiana-based delivery app formerly known as Waitr, is announcing a new NIL deal for all student-athletes at LSU—not just football players. ASAP’s Kevin Burke every player who accepts the deal will promote the app on their social media accounts.

Cut 12 (13) “…promo code.”  

Burke says the arrangement with  ASAP will be offered first to athletes in fall sports—including football, women’s soccer, and even cheerleaders, and then phased in to other sports as the athletic seasons progress.

ASAP began in Lake Charles, and Burke says the company is proud to expand its partnership with LSU.

Cut 13 (10) “..the NFL.” 

Burke declined to share how much money the students might make from the arrangement. But he says it gives fans the chance to help them earn more.

Cut 14 (10)  “…student athletes.” 

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