Top law enforcement officers are pleading with state lawmakers not to override the governor’s veto of a bill that would allow non-felons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux called Senator Jay Morris’s Constitutional Carry proposal, a terrible bill…
cut 5 (11) “….state”
The Louisiana Sheriffs Association as an organization has remained neutral on this issue.

State health officials say COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again and they blame a low vaccination rate and the delta variant, which has emerged as the dominant strain in Louisiana. Region nine Public Health director Gina Lagarde says public behavior is also behind the rise…
cut 9 (08) “…masks”
State health officer Doctor Joe Kanter says it’s too soon to determine if a mask mandate will be needed again.

Today is the last day to register for the first of five weekly drawings in the state’s Shot At A Million vaccine lottery. Brooke Thorington explains…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

History was made last night involving a 14-year-old girl from Harvey…
cut 30 (07) “…
Zaila is the first person from Louisiana to win the spelling bee and the first African-American winner in the tournament’s 96-year history.

Dozens of Louisiana law enforcement officials are imploring state lawmakers to not override Governor Edwards’ veto of legislation allowing people to carry concealed handguns without a permit. Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre says the legislation endangers the public and law enforcement…
Cut 4 (06) “…weapon.”
Lawmakers are considering an override veto session later this month.

Only 39-percent of Louisiana’s population has received at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine. State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says the low vaccination rate coupled with the emergence of the delta variant has led to a spike in COVID cases and hospitalizations…
cut 8 (12) “…seeing”
The Northshore and northeast Louisiana have seen the largest increases in cases over the past week.

Gas prices continue to slowly rise. The statewide average for a regular gallon of gasoline has reached $2.78 and Triple-A fuel analyst Don Redman expects the price at the pump will increase another 15-cents this summer as a result of high demand and high crude oil prices…
cut 14 (06) “…upwards”
Redman says crude oil prices have reached a seven-year high.

The deadline to register for the first drawing of the Shot at a million covid vaccine lottery is tonight at midnight. Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public Health Kimberly Hood says you only need to register once and then you’re in the running for weekly prizes…
cxut 12 (11) “…save lives”
Louisiana will reward 14 winners with two-point-three million dollars in cash and prizes. To register go to shot-at-a-million-dot-com.

Over the past two weeks, 100 new COVID patients have been admitted to Louisiana hospitals. Matt Doyle reports the Delta variant has caused a spike in hospitalizations…
cut 2 (29) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

A 14-year-old girl from Harvey won the Scripps National Spelling Bee last night becoming the first person from Louisiana to win the bee. Zaila Avant-garde is also the first African American winner of the bee. She spelled Murraya correctly to win. M-u-r-r-a-y-a.

Sheriffs and police chiefs are calling on lawmakers not to override Governor Edwards’ veto of a bill that would remove the requirement of a permit to conceal carry a gun. Training is required in order to receive a permit. New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says putting more untrained gun owners on the streets will make the state’s crime problem worse…
cut 6 (09) “….encounter”
Lawmakers have until July 15th to decide if they want an override veto session.

And individuals who received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot have until midnight tonight to register for the first “Shot At a Million” drawing. Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public Health Kimberly Hood says the lottery is an incentive to get more people vaccinated…
cut 11 (09) “…that hump”
Winners of the weekly drawings can win 100-thousand dollars, younger contestants can win a 100-thousand dollar scholarship. The drawing for the one-million-dollar cash prize is August 6th.

State health officials believe the prevalence of the more dangerous Delta coronavirus variant is behind Louisiana’s recent increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says COVID hospitalizations have increased by 100 in just two weeks and cases have increased by 33-hundred over the past week…
Cut 7 (07) “…state.”
Kanter says the state’s low vaccination rate makes it likely Louisiana will see another surge in cases.

Prices at the pump are on the rise too. Triple-A says the statewide average for regular gasoline is $2.78 a gallon and fuel analyst Don Redman says demand will force gas prices to rise as the summer moves along…
cut 13 (08) “….2.95 a gallon”

Law enforcement officials are imploring lawmakers to not override Governor Edwards’ veto of a bill that removes the need to have a permit to conceal carry…
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Federal legislation has been introduced that would provide a tax credit for those who incur out-of-pocket expenses when caring for a family member. Brooke Thorington has more…
cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

A 12-foot python reported missing Tuesday morning from the Blue Zoom Aquarium at the mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge was found this morning alive and well in the ceiling crawl space. Cara was taken to the LSU Veterinary School for a checkup. It’s still unclear how she was able to slither away from her enclosure.

The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested 25-year-old Brian Michael Clark after he fatally shot a woman at his house multiple times. Lt. Bill Davis says Clark told investigators that he got mad at the victim..
cut 13 (08) “…of hand”
Davis says Clark was the one who called 9-1-1 to report the shooting and later confessed. The victim’s identity has not been released.

State lawmakers have until next Friday to decide if they want to cancel a veto session set for July 20th. Governor Edwards vetoed 28 bills and one of the measures blocked by the governor would have expanded state drug courts by using funds obtained in opioid settlements. The bill’s author, Port Allen Senator Rick Ward, hopes there’s an override session so that they discuss the bill again and possibly override the veto…
cut 11 (08) “…as well”

The F-B-I wants to take another look at Ronald Greene’s death. He’s the Black motorist who died while in State Police Custody following a police chase in north Louisiana in 2019. An attorney for the Greene family, Lee Merritt, says the feds are looking at the autopsy again in response to the body camera video that was released that shows Troopers stunning and punching him…
cut 5 (10) “…make sure”
None of the troopers involved have yet to be criminally charged.

Calcasieu Parish authorities are renewing their efforts to find Joe Constance, he’s wanted for the 2011 murder of his estranged wife Mary Jeanette Duhon in her Lake Charles home. Don Dixon is the lead investigator…
cut 15 (07) “…four years”
The local D-A is offering immunity to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to them finding Constance.

Based on analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate for Americans over 55 is down from over 40-percent pre-pandemic to about 38-percent. Matt Doyle reports the surge in retirements is adding to the nation’s labor shortage…
cut 2 (29) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

The search is over for the missing 12-foot python at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. Cara was found alive and well this morning in a crawl space area after escaping her enclosure early Tuesday morning.

The FBI wants to take another look at the autopsy of Black motorist Ronald Greene, who died in State Police custody in 2019 following a police chase in north Louisiana…
cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The number of people hospitalized in Louisiana as a result of COVID-19 has reached 348. That’s the highest number in two months. The state health department reported 1,229 new cases yesterday, but only two deaths. The state’s death toll from COVID-19 has reached 10,765.

A Webster Parish plant that makes plastics for the automotive industry has announced a 13-million dollar expansion. Continental Structural Plastics has been around for 50 years and will add 33 jobs to its 170-person workforce. Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says the company is glad to lay down some even deeper roots in northwest Louisiana…
cut 12 (11) “…facility”

The Pew Research Center has found that there was an increase in older Americans retiring during the Pandemic. LSU economist Doctor Loren Scott says this is adding to the labor shortage. He says this is bad news for businesses that could see their labor costs increase, but there is a clear group of winners…
cut 9 (08) “….happened”