Shreveport Fire Chief Scott Wolverton held a news conference today to discuss how they located the body of 7-year-old Daysean Combest who was swept away in a storm drain Tuesday afternoon. He says railroad contractors called firefighters around 7:30 this morning…:
CUT 25 (07) “railroad trestle”
He says that’s where the body was recovered by the Caddo Parish Coroner.

The lawmakers who will sit on the TOPS task force have been announced.:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A West Monroe man survived in the wilderness of Belize completely naked. Dustin Campbell will appear on tonight’s episode of “Naked and Afraid” on Discovery Channel. He says it was a challenge completing the stretch without clothes, as bugs never bit so hard and nights never so long.:
Cut 3 (11) “how you feel”
Watch the episode tonight at 8 p.m.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais says one problem is fresh water inflow that creates a layered system. That coupled with the nutrient-rich water coming down the Mississippi River from the Midwest creates a huge dead zone..:
Cut 12 (09) “are decomposed”
She says the oxygen-depleted region is about 8,800 square miles.

A task force has been formed to study how to make TOPS a more sustainable program. Chairman Jennings Senator Blade Morrish says there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the scholarship program, which makes it harder for lawmakers to decide how to alter it. He says the goal of the committee is to put together a report of accurate information…:
Cut 15 (10) “is introduced”
They will meet in about a month.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet at about 8,800 square miles. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais one of her biggest worries about this massive oxygen-depleted region is nutrient cycling. Practically speaking, she says it’s also a problem for shrimpers…:
Cut 11 (10) “those shrimp”

An expecting mom’s diet can have huge impacts on the health of her baby. Dr. Nick Broskey with the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center says a recent study found that soda consumption during pregnancy increased the risk of childhood obesity for her baby. He says that’s why it’s important for moms-to-be to stay healthy…:
Cut 5 (09) “health outcomes”
He says they are recruiting moms with gestational diabetes to study this further.

LSU announces offensive lineman Maea Teuhema has been granted his release from the team and will transfer to another school. This comes on the heels of a prior announcement that Teuhema had been indefinitely suspended. Now the Tigers have just eleven scholarship players on the offensive line. Teuhema’s suspension and subsequent departure likely had to do with academics which Coach O mentioned at the start of practice Monday. With Teuhema gone, Lloyd Cushenberry of Dutchtown High School will take the spot at starting right guard.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one ever measured…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The members of the task force charged with discussing the TOPS scholarship program have been announced. Jennings Senator Blade Morrish will chair the committee. He says there are many things that have changed about TOPS since it launched 20 years ago…:
Cut 14 (11) “look at TOPS”

The state Department of Transportation is discussing the possibility of widening Interstate 12 in the western part of St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington. Jennifer Branton with DOTD says this expansion is necessary because of the recent increase in people commuting through the area…:
Cut 8 (08) “to cross”
Branton hopes funding will become available to make this over 100 million dollar project happen because at least 80-thousand vehicles travel through this corridor every day.

A man from Ohachita Parish will make his first appearance on the Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid tonight at 8pm. Dustin Campbell will be dropped with another woman, both without clothes, in a remote location with limited tools, where they are expected to find water and maintain life for 21 days. The West Monroe man said he signed on for the show after seeing his friend Jeremy McCaa on the show twice, the second of which was in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana for 25 days.

The lawmakers who will sit on the TOPS task force have been announced. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Police say they are investigating an officer involved shooting out of Red River Parish. They say preliminary investigations show the Sheriff’s Department went on a residence south of Coushatta in reference to a welfare concern, when they found a male subject who armed himself with a gun. Shots were then fired by both sides, and the subject was killed and a deputy injured. The investigation is ongoing.

An expecting mom’s diet can have huge impacts on the health of her baby. Dr. Nick Broskey with the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center says a mom’s lifestyle can impact their baby’s metabolism and lifelong risk for obesity and other chronic diseases…:
Cut 4 (08) “in life”
Broskey says their IMAGINE study will assess whether these moms give birth to babies with a higher risk for disease and obesity, and they’re recruiting at Pennington women with gestational diabetes.

The state Department of Transportation is discussing the possibility of widening I-12 in the western part of St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington. Jennifer Branton with DOTD says there are two proposals in the works to add one lane to the east and westbound lanes..:
Cut 7 (10) “projects”

Membership is set for a task force that will examine the 350-million dollar TOPS scholarship program for the first time. Its chairman, Jennings Senator Blade Morrish, says the panel consists of an array of lawmakers representing both parties and all corners of the state…:
Cut 13 (09) “concerning TOPS”
The first meeting is September 6.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais says the oxygen-depleted region is about 8,800 square miles, which is about the size of New Jersey. She says many of the stations, especially those close to the shore, were close to no oxygen..:
Cut 10 (08) “bottom area”
She says one cause is fresh water inflow that creates a layered system.

The state Department of Transportation is looking at possibly widening I-12 in St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington….:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Another festival is coming to Louisiana. The more than 25 artists for the October 7-8th Flambeau Fest in Ascension Parish will be announced Monday.

Construction on Bourbon Street is going slower than expected because of complications with sewage and drainage lines. The New Orleans Public Works Department say crews are about two months behind schedule. Director Mark Jernigan blames the weather for making it difficult to complete the project.

Cut 3 (09) “weather delays”

It’s expected the construction will be completed by late October.

An arrest has been made after a woman who was found stabbed to death in her Baton Rouge home on Sunday. Sgt. Don Coppola with BRPD says 42-year-old Miguel Lopez has been charged with murder in the death of 42-year-old Sara Hernandez.

Cut 9 (09) “girlfriend”

Coppola says Lopez was found after he went to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

After posting racial comments on Facebook, the Assistant Police Chief in the Acadia Parish town of Estherwood has resigned. Police Chief Ernest Villejoin says they are extremely sorry if Wayne Welsh’s posts offended anyone.

Cut 13 (10) “so he resigned”

Welsh referred to Muslim women as trash bags and posted racially charged memes.

The only shelter in the Monroe area is closing its doors later this month. Salvation Army spokesperson Jon Kalahar says they are bringing in a new officer to run the facility, and only one employee will stay on for the transition. He says this decision was not made lightly.

Cut 8 (12) “their donations”

It’s unclear when or if the overnight shelter will reopen.

The Assistant Police Chief in the Acadia Parish town of Estherwood has resigned for posting racial comments and pictures on his Facebook page. Police Chief Ernest Villejoin (Vee-jewan) says they are extremely sorry if Wayne Welsh’s posts offended anyone…:
Cut 13 (10) “so he resigned”
Welsh referred to Muslim women as trash bags and posted racially charged memes.

Citing ongoing money problems, The Salvation Army homeless shelter in Monroe, the only one in the area, is going to close later this month. Spokesperson Jon Kalahar says church services and weekly prayer meetings will continue, and so will basic social services…:
Cut 7 (10) “care program”
He says seven employees will be laid off when the shelter closes.

Gunfire killed a man and wounded a Red River Parish sheriff’s deputy Wednesday morning south of Coushatta, according to State Police. They believe a gunman and deputies fired at each other when a deputy was hit, and a wounded man taken to the hospital where he died. State Police is investigating.

An arrest has been made in the case of a woman who was found stabbed to death in her home. Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says 42-year-old Miguel Lopez asked someone at the home to call police when he fled the scene. He says the body of the victim was discovered later…:
Cut 10 (09) “12 hours”
The victim is 42-year-old Sara Hernandez. Lopez was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a charge of second degree murder.

LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron announced starting right guard Maea Teuhema has been indefinitely suspended for violation of team rules. Orgeron said earlier this week that Teuhema was not at practice, because of academic issues.