06:30 Newscast November 20, 2015

The two candidates for governor are making their last pitch to voters on this election eve. Republican Senator David Vitter says he’ll be all over the state campaigning today getting his message out…

cut 10 (11) “after issue”

Democratic Representative John Bel Edwards says as governor, he will be present, hands on and engaged. He says he will bring Republicans and Democrats together.

cut 12 (08) “do that”

Polls will open tomorrow at 7AM and close at 8PM.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler says, with this election falling on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, there’s concern that some activities may keep some voters from the polls…

cut 4 (10) “turnout down”

However, early voting numbers have Schedler predicting a 42-percent voter turnout for the runoff.

Louisiana fishermen have the rare opportunity to catch red snapper in state waters in November and December. Randy Pausina, assistant secretary for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, says a fall red snapper season begins today, after it was determined Louisiana did not reach its maximum number of red fish harvested for 2015…

cut 14 (09) “92-percent”

The fall season will run seven days a week in state waters with a daily bag and possession limit of two fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length. Pausina expects the fall season to remain open through the rest of the year.

AM Newscall November 20,2015

Saturday is election day in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The City of Natchitoches officially kicks off their Christmas Festival season Saturday with it’s “Turn on the Holidays” event. Michelle Southern reports…:

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 With Election Day tomorrow, both gubernatorial candidates are making their last pitch to get voters to support them at the polls. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Saturday is election day in Louisiana. The statewide ballot is highlighted by the gubernatorial runoff between Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says, with this election falling on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, there’s concern that some activities may keep some voters from the polls…

cut 4  (10)  “turnout down”

However, early voting numbers have Schedler predicting a 42-percent voter turnout for the runoff, up from the primary election’s 39-percent. The Lt. Governor and Attorney General’s races will also be on Saturday’s ballot. Schedler says there are also local races on the ballot that will affect voter turnout…

Cut 5  (09)  “always does”

Polls will be open from 7AM to 8PM Saturday. Schedler says it’s always important to exercise your right to vote and encourages everyone to make time in their schedule tomorrow…

Cut 6 (09)  “friend, anybody”

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The City of Natchitoches officially kicks off their Christmas Festival season tomorrow with its “Turn on the Holidays” event. Entertainment, shopping and food vendors will be showcased throughout the day, then that evening, hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights will illuminate the Natchitoches Historic Landmark District. Mayor Lee Posey…:

CUT 7 (09)  “wow”

Turn on the Holidays features live musical performances, amusements, and fireworks. The event marks the beginning of the city’s preparation for the 89th Annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 5th. Posey says there will be events in the city every weekend through Christmas and it just gets bigger and bigger every year…:

Cut 8  (09)  “get to em”

Tomorrow’s event will begin the 45 nights of Christmas lights. There was a controversy this week regarding the fact that Posey banned the Confederate battle flag from the Christmas parade this year. Posey says a standards of excellence has been established for the festival and parade and they remove certain elements from the parade all the time…:

Cut 9 (12) “particular flag”

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The two candidates for governor are making their last pitch to voters on this election eve day. Republican Senator David Vitter says he’ll be all over the state campaigning today getting his message out.

Cut 10 (11) “after issue”

Polls heading into Saturday’s election show Vitter trailing his opponent. Vitter says before the polls close, he hopes to sway undecided voters in his direction…

cut 11 (11) “the issues”

 Democratic Representative John Bel Edwards says as governor, he will be present, hands on and engaged. He says he will bring Republicans and Democrats together.

Cut 12 (08) “do that”

Edwards says if elected, he’ll put Louisiana first. His message to voters is that this election isn’t about party, but about working together to fix the state’s problems.

Cut 13 (09)  “being Louisianans”

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Louisiana fishermen have the rare opportunity to catch red snapper in state waters in November and December. Randy Pausina, assistant secretary for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, says a fall red snapper season begins today, after it was determined Louisiana did not reach its maximum number of red fish harvested for 2015…

Cut 14 (09) “92-percent”

The fall season will run seven days a week in state waters with a daily bag and possession limit of two fish per person at a 16-inch minimum total length. Pausina expects the fall season to remain open through the rest of the year, but the weather will have an impact….

Cut 15  (06)  “bad is right”

Pausina says many recreational anglers are appreciative of the opportunity to catch red snapper during the holidays…

Cut 16  (07)  “claiming our fish”

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The LSU football team looks to snap its two-game losing streak on Saturday when they visit Ole Miss. The Tigers offense has struggled to put points on the board the last two weeks. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says they want to get the running game going after attempting to throw the ball 40 times last week…

Cut 17 (13) “behind early”

Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris has been up and down in these last two losses. Cameron says they are looking for more consistency from their young Q-B…

Cut 18 (14) “….with him“

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If the UL Lafayette football team wants to play in a bowl game for a fifth straight season, they’ll need to win two of its next three games to get to six wins on the year. Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says they have yet to play up to their expectations this season, but hopes that starts on Saturday at home against New Mexico State….

Cut 19 (16) “winning record”

The Aggies come to Cajun Field with a 2-and-7 record, but they have an outstanding running back. Larry Rose the Third leads the Sun Belt in rushing, with nearly 13-hundred yards on the ground. Hudspeth says Rose is an impressive back…

Cut 20 (21) “his labor”

16:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Authorities held a press conference in New Orleans this morning to reassure residents that an attack similar to the one in Paris last week is not imminent in Louisiana. Eric Gill reports…:
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Governor Bobby Jindal is calling on the candidates for Governor to outline specific budget proposals instead of criticizing the one his Administration has laid out. Both Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards say they would reject Jindal’s plan to address the current year budget deficit. Jindal says neither candidate is suggesting detailed solutions and they should have the guts to say what their plan is.

Baton Rouge Police report a second man has been arrested in the slaying of an elderly Baton Rouge couple whose bodies were discovered at a Hammond truck stop last month. Lt. Johnny Dunham says 48-year-old Frank Garcia was arrested in Florida and will be charged with two counts of first degree murder. 42-year-old Ernesto already charged in the death’s of Denis Duplantier and Suzanne Duplantier. Dunham says this is still an active investigation and it’s possible more arrests could be made…:
CUT 5 (07) “call Crime Stoppers”

Today is the Great American Smokeout, a day that has been designated for smokers to quit their habit. According to the Center for Disease Control 24-percent of Louisiana adults smoke, which is higher than the national percentage. Mike Rogers with the Smoking Cessation Trust says, since 2012, they’ve offered a program that provides free products to help people quit:
CUT 13 (09) “benefits”

 

15:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Federal, state, and local authorities held a press conference in New Orleans this morning to reassure residents that an attack similar to the one in Paris last week is not imminent in Louisiana. FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Sallet (sa-LET) says there are currently no credible terrorist threats here and authorities will strive to keep it that way…:
Cut 11 (08) “are safe”
He says, prior to the Paris attacks, the task force has been preparing to respond and prevent multi-event attacks.

Both candidates for governor are asking the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to reject the Jindal Administration’s proposal for taking care of the state’s 487-million dollar budget deficit. The Committee meets tomorrow. Democrat John Bel Edwards and Republican David Vitter both say the plan just heaps the problems onto the next governor. Jindal accuses the candidates of not having detailed solutions and they should be leaders instead of critics.

Jim Hawthorne, The Voice of LSU, will be back doing play-by-play tonight for the first time since missing some games after undergoing a medical procedure. Hawthorne will call the LSU men’s basketball game in Baton Rouge. He says he’s been extremely humbled by how many friends and LSU fans have reached out and wished him the best for a speedy recovery…:
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Hawthorne says he plans to call the final regular season football game next week.

Funeral services for former Northwestern State University President Randall Webb will be Monday at 10am in Prather (pray-ther) Coliseum on the NSU campus. Visitation will be Sunday from 3pm-6pm in the Prather Coliseum arena. School officials say the 72-year-old died Wednesday after a long illness. At 18 years, Webb was the longest-serving president in the history of Northwestern State.

 

14:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Officials gathered in New Orleans this morning to assure citizens that there is no terrorist threat imminent in Louisiana. Mayor Mitch Landrieu says there are no credible threats from any of the Syrian refugees there. FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Sallet (sa-LET) says there is a very strong Joint Terrorism Task Force in the state. He says their job is to protect the citizens of Louisiana from attacks like the ones in France…:
CUT 10 (11) “preparing for”

Governor Bobby Jindal is calling on the candidates for Governor to outline specific budget proposals instead of criticizing the one his Administration has laid out. Both Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards say they would reject Jindal’s plan to address the current year budget deficit. Jindal says neither candidate is suggesting detailed solutions and they should have the guts to say what their plan is.

The Voice of LSU, Jim Hawthorne, is back tonight for the call of the men’s basketball game. Eric Gill reports its his first broadcast since undergoing a medical procedure last month…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office says they have found the body of a fisherman from Houma who’d been missing since Tuesday morning. A fisherman called authorities Tuesday after reporting he’d seen a man in a boat, but then later saw the vessel in the water with nobody inside. They say the body of 69-year-old Gary Crochet was later recovered from Lake DeCade.

 

13:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Authorities held a press conference in New Orleans this morning to reassure residents that an attack similar to the one in Paris last week is not imminent in Louisiana. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (27) “I’m Eric Gill”

Today is the Great American Smokeout and Mike Rogers with the Smoking Cessation Trust reminds longtime smokers that they offer a program which provides free medications and other necessary services to Louisianians who started smoking before September 1988…:
CUT 14 (06) “tobacco’s money”
The CDC says 24-percent of Louisiana adults smoke.

Baton Rouge Police report a second man has been arrested in the slaying of an elderly Baton Rouge couple whose bodies were discovered at a Hammond truck stop last month. Lt. Johnny Dunham says 48-year-old Frank Garcia was arrested in Florida and will be charged with two counts of first degree murder. He didn’t say what led to the arrest…:
CUT 4 (10) “at this point”
Denis and Suzy Duplantier were killed October 18th. 42-year-old Ernesto Alonso was previously arrested and charged in the deaths.

The Grand Theater in Lafayette, where a gunman opened fire on people during a movie, is reopening tonight for the first time since the tragedy. 11 people were injured in the incident and two women died. Lafayette Mayor President Joey Durel says the theater has been completely renovated and the community is looking forward to enjoying it again. The box office opens at 6:45.

 

12:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Federal, state, and local authorities held a news conference in New Orleans this morning to reassure residents that an attack similar to the one in Paris last week is not imminent in Louisiana. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says facts have been confused in the days following the Paris attacks…:
CUT 9 (10) “threats at all”
He says they are utilizing every effort to keep it that way.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office says a man perished in a blaze at his home in Slaughter last night. They say responders entered the structure once the fire was extinguished and found the lifeless body of the man lying on the floor at the residence which had no working utilities or running water. An autopsy is underway to determine identity of the victim and how he died. the investigation is ongoing.

Today is the Great American Smokeout, a day that has been designated for smokers to quit their habit. According to the CDC, 24-percent of Louisiana adults smoke – higher than the national percentage. Mike Rogers with the Smoking Cessation Trust says there are free products and services to help long time smokers put cigarettes down for good…:
cut 12 (10) “for it all”
He says to qualify for the free products you must reside in Louisiana and started smoking before September 1988.

Gas prices keep dropping in Louisiana. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is now $1.91 according to GasBuddy with the lowest price in New Orleans at $1.58.

 

11:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Baton Rouge Police report a second man has been arrested in the slaying of an elderly Baton Rouge couple whose bodies were discovered at a Hammond truck stop last month. Lt. Johnny Dunham says 48-year-old Frank Garcia was arrested in Hollywood, Florida Wednesday…:
CUT 3 (08) “homicide case”
Denis and Suzy Duplantier were killed October 18th. 42-year-old Ernesto Alonso was previously arrested and charged in the deaths.

The former president of Northwestern State University Dr. Randall Webb has passed away at the age of 72. State Senator Gerald Long of Natchitoches knew Webb for almost 50 years and says many other university presidents looked up to him…:
Cut 13 (11) “entire state”
At 18 years, Webb was the longest serving president in the history of Northwestern State University.

The Voice of LSU, Jim Hawthorne, will return to his play-by-play calling duties for the first time since having a medical procedure last month during tonight’s basketball game at the PMAC. Hawthorne missed football games against Alabama and Arkansas and is expected to call the home Texas A&M game November 28th. He says the doctors gave him the green light…:
CUT 6 (07) “very fortunate”
The LSU men’s basketball team is 2-0 after a win over McNeese State on Friday and victory over Kennesaw State on Monday.

Governor Bobby Jindal’s Presidential campaign is over and during a news conference with reporters upon his return, he says he is NOT getting involved in the gubernatorial runoff election Saturday…:
CUT 9 (09) “optimistic”
Jindal said he did early vote but did not disclose his selections. The governor and his family are preparing for life as private citizens.

 

10:30 Newscast, November 19th, 2015

Bobby Jindal says he has no specific political plans once his second term as governor ends in January. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Baton Rouge Police Department says a second person is under arrest in connection to the deaths of a Baton Rouge couple last month. Police in Florida took 48-year-old Frank Garcia in custody and he will be charged with two counts of first degree murder in the killings of of Denis and Suzanne Duplantier. 42-year-old Ernesto Alonso was the first suspect charged.

Tonight, the site of the deadly shooting in Lafayette over the summer, The Grand 16 movie theater, is reopening for the first time since the tragedy. 2 women were killed and 11 injured when a man opened fire during a movie on July 23rd. Lafayette Mayor-President Joey Durel says this is symbolic closure for the community. He says he’s also happy for the owner of the teater, George Solomon…:
CUT 6 (10) “were a victim”
A small ceremony honoring the victims and first responders will take place before the box office opens at 6:45.

The Jindal administration releases its plan to solve a 487-million dollar budget deficit. It calls for 150-million dollars in cuts to state agencies, dipping into the state’s “rainy day” fund and using revenues from lawsuit settlements. The plan does NOT call for cuts to higher education or state worker layoffs.

 

09:30 Newscast November 19, 2015

The Jindal administration’s plan to solve a 487-million dollar budget deficit calls for 150-million dollars in cuts to state agencies, dipping into the state’s “rainy day” fund and using revenues from lawsuit settlements. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin says the entire legislature must approve the use of 28-million dollars from the rainy day fund…

cut 16 (06) “there for”

The joint legislative budget committee will review the plan Friday.

The Grand Theater in Lafayette reopens tonight for the first time since the tragic July 23rd shootings. 11 people were shot in the incident and Jillian Johnson and Mayci Breaux lost their lives. Lafayette Mayor-President Joey Durel said during a vigil following the incident, that he wanted to buy the first ticket when the theater reopened…

cut 7 (10) “lead the way”

Before the opening tonight, a dedication will take place honoring the victims of the gunfire and first responders.

The longest serving president in the history of Northwestern State University has passed away. Emelie Gunn has more on the life of Dr. Randall Webb….

cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Shreveport Police say a man is under arrest after a domestic incident led to a stabbing. Authorities say 36-year-old Rolanda Davis was taken to a local hospital after allegedly being stabbed by her husband, 46-year-old Frank Davis during an altercation. Frank was arrested after arriving at a local hospital suffering from cuts believed to have been sustained in the incident. Investigators determined that Frank was the aggressor and he is charged with aggravated battery.