Two years from today, candidates will be qualifying for the governor’s race. So who will challenge Governor John Bel Edwards? Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Republicans are waiting to see what US Senator John Kennedy will do…:
Cut 13 (11) “wide open”
He adds if Kennedy doesn’t run, Edwards’ chances of reelection look better.

Today is the 90th birthday of former four-term Governor Edwin Edwards and he’s still going strong. During an appearance on Talk Louisiana, Edwards credits his long life to good genes, as two of his grandparents lived to be over 100-years-old….:
Cut 10 (08) “no complaints”
A birthday bash for the former governor is planned for August 12th at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge.

About 9,000 more students chose learning at home over the classroom in 2016 than in 2010, according to the state department of education..:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Tropical Storm Franklin formed Sunday night in the Caribbean Sea. This system is not a threat to our area – it should stay far south and not affect us.

With the new school year fast approaching, the Louisiana Department of Health reminds parents to make sure their kids are up to date on their vaccines. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

President Donald Trump has nominated state Judge Terry Doughty of Rayville and Lafayette attorney Michael Juneau as federal judges in the Western District of Louisiana. There are now four vacancies in that district now that Patricia Minaldi retired to seek treatment for alcoholism.

The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State increased their storm prediction total by one and now anticipate 11 named storms for the remainder of the season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the total number of storms has been increased to 16. He says this isn’t a big change but it still shows conditions are conducive for an active season.
Cut 12 (10) “normal”

The forecast says eight of those eleven storms will become hurricanes.
The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will honor football legend Dr. Billy Cannon with a statue on the Baton Rouge campus. Cannon hopes the statue looks like he did in his glory days, young with a lot of hair….
cut 5 (09) “…present him”
Cannon won the university’s only Heisman in 1959.

As students head back to school next week and the Louisiana Department of Health wants parents to make sure their kids are vaccinated. There are theories that vaccines can cause autism, but L-D-H immunization director, Doctor Frank Welch, says parents should get the facts about vaccines from their pediatrician…
cut 11 (07) “….from an expert”
He says research shows vaccines do not cause health problems like autism.

The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State University is predicting 11 named storms for the rest of the season, eight of those expected to become hurricanes. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the tropical Atlantic has been much warmer than normal and the absence of El Nino make for perfect hurricane conditions….
cut 14 (10) “….to form”

LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Dr. Billy Cannon, will be honored at the school’s Baton Rouge campus with a statue. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A 20-year-old Alexandria man has been arrested on charges of second degree murder in connection to the fatal shooting a 29-year-old man yesterday. Authorities in Rapides Parish say Desmond Harris was found by police at around 7 p.m. after they responded to the shooting that took place just before 2 p.m. The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

The state Department of Health reminding parents to make sure their kids are up to date on their vaccinations as the new school year approaches. LDH Immunization director Doctor Frank Welch says students entering sixth grade also need a meningitis vaccine. He says kids have to get that shot before they’re exposed to the disease….
cut 10 (07) “….meningitis vaccine”
Louisiana law requires children age four or older entering kindergarten, pre-k or Head Start programs to receive vaccines for polio, measles, mumps, hepatitis and chicken pox.

Today 13 chefs will compete at the Great American Seafood Cook-off at the Morial Convention Center. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesster says the cook-off highlights the great seafood produced in America as opposed to the imports…
cut 8 (09) “…New Orleans”
Bonnie Breaux of St. Martinville is Louisiana’s representative at the cook-off.

The Colorado State Hurricane Forecast team is calling for 11 named storms for the rest of the hurricane season and eight those storms will be hurricanes. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Three of the eight hurricanes are expected to be major.
cut 13 (11) “…breeding ground”
There is a 38-percent chance a major hurricane will make landfall along the Gulf Coast.

LSU has announced they are building a statue of the university’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon. Cannon led the Tigers to the national championship title in 1958. The 80-year-old credits the erection of the statue to the work of his former teammates, Warren Rabb and Jimmy Fields and Athletic Director Joe Alleva….
cut 4 (10) “…fantastic”

Forecasters at Colorado State have upped their storm prediction total and now expect 11 named storms for the remainder of the season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the total number of storms has been increased from 15 to 16. While this isn’t a big change, he says it shows conditions are conducive for an active season.

Cut 12 (10) “normal”

The forecast says eight of those eleven storms will become hurricanes.

With the new school year just around the corner, the Louisiana Department of Health urges parents to make sure their children up to date on their vaccines. State immunization director Dr. Frank Welch says preventable diseases can spread easily in schools because children congregate in small classrooms.

Cut 9 (07) “family members”

Football legend Dr. Billy Cannon will be honored with a statue on LSU campus. The school’s only Heisman trophy winner graduated from the state’s flagship university in 1959. Cannon says he did not expect to receive this honor.

Cut 3 (10) “like me”

Cannon led the Tigers to the national championship title in 1958.

Chefs have traveled far and wide for Saturday’s Great American Seafood Cook-off at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says this is a chance for the Bayou State to show off our fresh seafood, which blows the imports out of the water.

Cut 8 (09) “New Orleans”

Tickets are $10, and the event begins at 11:30 am.

The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State has upped their storm prediction total and now anticipate 11 named storms for the rest of the season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the total number of storms has been increased from 15 to 16. He says this isn’t a big change but it still shows conditions are conducive for an active season.
Cut 12 (10) “normal”
The forecast says eight of those eleven storms will become hurricanes.

LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Dr. Billy Cannon, will be honored with a statue at the Baton Rouge campus after a decision from the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. Cannon says receiving this honor is not something that you ever expect.
Cut 3 (10) “like me”

Cannon won the Heisman in 1959.

As many students are heading back to school next week, the state Department of Health reminding kids to vaccinate their kids. Although there are theories that vaccines can cause autism, L-D-H immunization director, Dr. Frank Welch, says parents need to get the facts from their pediatrician.
cut 11 (07) “….from an expert”
He says it’s Louisiana law that students must vaccinated.

Chefs from around the country will gather at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans tomorrow for the chance to compete and become the King or Queen of Seafood in the Great American Seafood Cook-off. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says this is Louisiana’s chance to show off our fresh seafood. He says it’s a win-win for the Bayou State and the chefs.
Cut 6 (08) “…or seafood”

So far 13 chefs have entered to compete.

The Louisiana Department of Health urges parents to make sure their children are vaccinated as school is just around the corner. State immunization director Dr. Frank Welch says vaccines are an important part of a child’s health and wellbeing, especially while they’re in school. He says children congregate in small classrooms, which makes it easier for vaccine-preventable diseases to spread.

Cut 9 (07) “…family members”

Welch says that’s why Louisiana law requires students to be vaccinated.

Four people have received medals from the Coast Guard after rescuing a woman and her dog during last year’s August flood. David Phung, his brother-in-law Jason Dixon, nephew Brandon Barret, and WAFB reporter Robbie Reynold helped Hailey Brouillette escape from her car that was sinking into flood waters. They then went back to save her dog.

Chefs from around the country will compete at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans on Saturday for the chance to become the King or Queen of Seafood in the Great American Seafood Cook-off. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says this is a chance for Louisiana to show off our fresh seafood. He says it’s a win-win for the state and the chefs.

Cut 6 (08) “…or seafood”

So far 13 chefs have entered to compete for the coveted title.

Michigan officials don’t know how to react after crawfish showed up in the Wolverine State. They say the red swamp crayfish are disrupting the food chain by damaging earthen structures and competing for food and habitat. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Specialist Greg Lutz says crawfish are not as well adapted to Michigan’s geography.

Cut 10 (08) “introduced”

Red swamp crayfish are a prohibited species in Michigan.

The sales tax holiday gets underway today, as consumers will only pay three percent of the state sales tax today and tomorrow. But State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business Dawn Starns says the weekend was more beneficial to businesses when the law allowed for a tax free weekend.

Cut 4 (10) “discount”

Michigan officials don’t know what to do now that crawfish have shown up in the Wolverine State. Crawfish are extremely fertile, laying up to 600 eggs at a time twice a year. LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist Greg Lutz says that means there’s a chance of a red swamp crayfish population becoming established in Michigan.

Cut 12 (11) “in Louisiana”

The Orleans and East Carrol Sheriff’s Offices are named in a lawsuit alleging two inmates were kept in jail five months after their sentences were served. Attorney Emily Washington with the Macarthur Justice Center says officials knew Jessie Crittondon and Leon Burse were supposed to be released, but they did not let them out of jail.

Cut 8 (11) “did nothing”

East Carroll says they are looking into the suit, while an attorney for Orleans Parish says they will vigorously defend this matter.

A West Monroe man is behind bars after his wife found out he is married to another woman. The wife of 38-year-old Jeffery Jenkins reportedly found an Arkansas marriage license in their home and asked Jenkins to leave. The suspect was charged with bigamy, as no divorce documents were found.

Crawfish have been found in Michigan and that state’s Department of Natural Resources is not happy. They say the red swamp crayfish damage earthen structures and compete aggressively for food and habitat. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Specialist Greg Lutz says Michigan’s DNR is probably concerned about the white spot syndrome, which is a viral disease seen in Louisiana crawfish ponds…:
Cut 11 (10) “like Michigan”

NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says of the sales tax holiday today and tomorrow that she hopes one day law makers will exempt the state sales tax instead of just reducing it over the two days to 3-percent down from 5.
Cut 6 (08) “the consumer”

A federal lawsuit filed in Baton Rouge alleges two Orleans Parish inmates were kept in jail for five months after their sentences were served. Attorney Emily Washington with the Macarthur Justice Center says Jessie Crittindon and Leon Burse were eligible for release in August 2016, but they stayed in the River Bend Detention Center in Lake Providence until January 2017…:
Cut 7 (09) “five months”
The suit alleges constitutional and state law violations were made against the two inmates.

The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee has unanimously approved a proposal that a statue honoring football legend Dr. Billy Cannon be erected on campus. The Baton Rouge native was the winner of the 1959 Heisman Trophy as a halfback, and led the Tigers to the 1958 national championship. Details about the design and construction of the Billy Cannon statue will be announced in the coming months.