Governor John Bel Edwards is off to Europe today to swap flood control challenges with the Netherlands.
Cut 7 (07) “….water levels increase.”
The governor will see firsthand one of the Netherlands’ most ambitious and innovative flood control infrastructure innovations and a water research campus in Delft. Edwards will also make a stop in France to raise awareness about a 400-million dollar capital campaign for the World War Two Museum in New Orleans.

Entergy says the doubling of natural gas prices from June of last year to June of this year has resulted in the higher than normal electric bills this summer. But Public Service Commissioner Craig Greene says there should be incentives for utility providers who lock in prices early and pass those savings to ratepayers…
cut 12 (10) “…their profit”

New laws signed by the governor aim to make cutting edge cancer detection and new treatments more readily available…and covered by your insurance. More from Kevin Gallagher…:
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

NOAA slightly revised its hurricane prediction for this year. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Governor Edwards will leave Louisiana tomorrow for a trip to overseas. The governor’s office says Edwards will lead a delegation of business and state leaders on an economic development, water management and resiliency mission to the Netherlands and France. Edwards will use the trip to develop economic partnerships and examine solutions those nations have implemented for flood control.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office has provided more details on a fatal house fire in Pineville on Tuesday morning. Office spokesperson Ashely Rodrigue says when the Alpine Fire Department responded to the call, they found a male victim alone in the bathtub.
Cut 12 (09) “…at the time.”
Rodrigue says investigators have determined the fire began in the carport area and it could have been an electrical malfunction.

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles is reminding residents to prepare sooner rather than later to get the REAL ID card. OMV spokesperson Matthew Boudreaux says beginning May 3rd, citizens 18 years and older will need to present a REAL ID driver’s license or passport to fly domestically or enter a federal building
cut 8 (11) “…ready now”
Customers can visit express-lane-dot org to book an appointment at their local OMV field office.

The Louisiana Department of Education says public school students performed better on LEAP tests during the 2021-22 school year after seeing test scores fall in the previous school year due to the pandemic. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says fewer students scored unsatisfactory, including a three-point decrease in students scoring unsatisfactory in math…
Cut 23 (11) “…in math”

Today the state department of education is hosting a school safety summit in Baton Rouge. Over 800 people are in attendance that includes local school leaders, law enforcement, governmental agencies and mental health experts. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says in over 70-percent of school violence incidents, a student knew something was amiss, but told no one…
cut 8 (10) “…reporting that”

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is smaller than last year. It’s at 3,275 square miles. That’s less than half the size of last year. LSU marine ecologist Nancy Rabalais says a combination of weather events led to the smaller size. She says drought conditions in the Midwest reduced the water flow from the Mississippi River into the Gulf…
cut 12 (11) “…continental shelf”
Rabalais says the goal is to get the dead zone to less than 19-hundred square miles by 2035 and more needs to be done to reduce the fertilizer runoff into the Mississippi River.

In the next hour we’ll get a revised forecast from NOAA on how many named storms we’ll see this hurricane season. So far we’ve only seen three, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says we are still a couple of weeks away from the heart of the season…
cut 6 (09) “….of the season”
NOAA previously predicted 14 to 21 named storms this year and six to ten hurricanes.

The Louisiana Department of Education is hosting its first school safety summit today. Local school leaders, law enforcement, government agencies and mental health providers are gathering in Baton Rouge to share best practices around school safety and emergency preparedness. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says the goal is to prevent a mass shooting inside a Louisiana school….
cut 9 (07) “….in one door”

Meanwhile, the Safe Schools Louisiana App announces its now in over 500 schools in Louisiana. Greater New Orleans Crimestoppers President Darlene Cusanza says when a threat is reported on the app, a team approach betwen law enforcement and school leaders respond…
cut 14 (11) “…done properly”
SafeSchools Louisiana app is free to download.

This morning NOAA will issue its yearly August update to the Atlantic Hurricane season and even though it’s been quiet so far, State Climatologist Barry Keim doesn’t expect their update to differ greatly from the forecast in May of 14 to 21 named storms, in which six to 10 would be hurricanes.
Cut 4 (11) “…teeth of the season.”
So far only three named storms this year.

The Gulf of Mexico’s infamous dead zone is much smaller than usual this year. Marsanne Golsby has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Marsanne Golsby.”

Education leaders and State Police will host the state’s first-ever School Safety Summit in Baton Rouge today. Education superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley says this is about keeping kids safe while at school…:
Cut 7 (08) “…for all of us.”
Brumley says they are expecting over 800 people at the summit. That includes law enforcement, government agencies and mental health providers.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, which is an area of low-oxygen where sea life can’t live, is less than half the size of last year at 3,275 square miles. But LSU marine ecologist Nancy Rabalais says the goal is to get the dead zone to less than 19-hundred square miles by 2035…
cut 11 (09) “…right now”

NOAA will give an update this morning on the current Atlantic Hurricane Season and if their earlier predictions remain on track…
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana Department of Health, instead of the Department of Agriculture is now regulating the state’s medical marijuana program. Houma Representative Tanner Magee says LDH has more labs which should benefit the patient….
Cut 4 (07) “…a lot of delays.”