The American Automobile Association says 34.7 million people are projected to journey 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend which is the most since the recession. AAA spokesman Don Redman says people are feeling more financially confident and the fact that gas prices are so low is helping…:
CUT 6 (06) “this time last year”
The Labor Day Holiday travel period is defined as today through Monday September 1st.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals allocates 18-million dollars to a Baton Rouge Hospital to keep its emergency room open. Baton Rouge General decided to close their Mid-City ER because they were losing money providing health care to an increasing number of uninsured patients. DHH Chief of Staff Calder Lynch says now they need to find a sustainable solution to help emergency rooms across the state…:
CUT 12 (10) “for individuals”

Louisiana Public Broadcasting will air a special tonight about the life of LSU’s Leonard Fournette, one of the nation’s most heavily recruited football prospects out of St. Aug. Jeff Palermo has that.:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

Not surprisingly the teacher who is accused of having sex with a former student and a juvenile 16-year-old student has been fired from her job at Riverdale Christian Academy in Baton Rouge. Ashley Dowden was arrested after admitting that she had sex with a juvenile at the school and at that time she was placed on administrative leave but school leaders announced this week she is no longer employed with the school.

A sign the economy is moving in a positive direction is the number of people traveling this weekend starting today for Labor Day. According to the American Automobile Association’s Don Redman more people are traveling for the Holiday than since the recession. He says another intersting point from the 2014 Labor Day Travel Forecast is that more people are using the credit cards for the trip…:
CUT 5 (08) “start assuming debt”
Gas prices are also being kind to our wallets on the trip.

Tonight on LPB a special will air on LSU’s Leonard Fournette and the running back’s amazing and inspirational journey. “Road to Stardom: The Leonard Fournette Story” is produced and directed by Kenny Chenier (Shin-Yay). He says they interview Tiger Coach Les Miles in the documentary and also LSU recruiting coordinator and running back coach Frank Wilson…:
CUT 9 (08) “and the person”
The special airs on LPB tonight at 7pm.

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says tourism is encouraging for 2014 following last year’s record setting year. Eric Gill has more…:
CUT 3 (32) “reporting”

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office says the son of former LSU football coach Gerry DiNardo was arrested on felony drug and firearm charges Wednesday. They say 21-year-old Michael DiNardo was sent to jail with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a fun with drugs.

Governor Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday that Bell Helicopter is going to start assembly operations at the Lafayette Regional Airport in 2016. He says it’ll happen in a new $26.3 million dollar facility and create an estimated 115 new jobs.

The American Automobile Association says more people are traveling for the Labor Day Holiday than since the recession. Scott Carwile has that…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Today a US District Judge is scheduled to hear arguments from an abortion rights organization in a request for a temporary restraining order to keep state officials from enforcing a law they say would close Louisiana’s abortion clinics. The measure, set to go into effect Monday, would require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

The Discovery Channel announced they’ve cancelled the show “Sons of Guns” after the star and founder of Red Jacket Firearms in Baton Rouge, was charged with the aggravated rape of a 12-year-old. William Hayden was arrested Tuesday by the US Marshal in East Baton Rouge Parish…his second arrest this month.

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says tourism is encouraging for 2014 following last year’s record setting year. Over 27 million people visited Louisiana in 2013, a nearly 4-percent increase from 2012. Dardenne says international travel to Louisiana was up 18-percent last year, which is the largest percentage increase in the country…:
CUT 13 (10) “of the state”
Dardenne says his office will continue to work on enticing people to come visit the Bayou State.

In sports plenty to catch on television tonight. ULM opens their season at home against Wake Forest and A&E is gonna be there with the Duck Dynasty crew to film an episode. That can be seen on ESPNU. The Saints last preseason game is tonight in The Dome against The Ravens. You can catch it on CST.

The American Automobile Association says more people are traveling for the Labor Day Holiday than since the recession. AAA spokesman Don Redman says 34.7 million people are projected to journey 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend…:
CUT 4 (10) “great recession”
He says more people are also likely hitting the road this weekend because gas prices are so low being (statewide) about 17 cents lower than this time last year.

Officials have released the name of an armed man shot and killed by deputy rounds in Livingston Parish. He is 48-year-old Freddie W. LeBlanc. The incident happened in Albany in Livingston Parish around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Sheriff Jason Ard says deputies responded to a call about an attempted suicide with a gun. When deputies arrived, they found LeBlanc with a gun and an incident ensued and the man was shot and killed by deputy rounds. State Police is investigating.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals allocates 18-million dollars to a Baton Rouge Hospital to keep its emergency room open. Baton Rouge General decided to close their Mid-City ER because they were losing money providing health care to an increasing number of uninsured patients. But DHH Chief of Staff Calder Lynch says this commitment should meet the ER’s needs for the current fiscal year…:
CUT 10 (08) “maintain that facility”
Baton Rouge General says the increase in uninsured patients is due, in part, to the closure of LSU’s Earl K. Long Medical Center.

The Louisiana Lottery says nobody won the Powerball last night. The prize goes to $90 million for Saturday.

Governor Bobby Jindal has filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging the Obama administration violated the Constitution by using federal grant money to force states to adopt the Common Core education standards. Jindal says Common Core is the latest effort by the feds to have Washington D-C in control of everything…

cut 12 (04) “our schools”

The audio is from a recent PSA from the governor, calling for the public’s help in his effort to stop Common Core.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says they have some serious problems with Harvey Kliebert’s Turtle & Alligator Farm & Tours in Hammond. PETA council Brittany Peet says not only are the animals there living in deplorable conditions, but they are also putting their employees at risk…

cut 10 (12) “for these tours”

Peet says they’ve filed a complaint with OSHA to investigate reports of employees being required to taunt the animals. Kliebert’s has yet to respond to our request for comment.

Natchitoches Central High Principal Bill Gordy says it was a random act of violence that led to the death of 18-year-old Johnquaries Smith. Smith died yesterday from the head injury he sustained during a fight with another student at school. Gordy describes Smith as a nice young man, who he spoke to frequently…

cut 5 (09) “Johnquaries”

16-year-old Timothy Ray Robinson has been charged with manslaughter.

Questions continue to surround the case of the handcuffed New Iberia man who is said to have fatally shot himself in the back of a police car. The Iberia Parish Coroner ruled Victor White III shot himself in the chest. UL-Lafayette Anthropology Professor Maranda Kles is a former Florida homicide investigator and says we do know White was intoxicated at the time of his arrest and tested positive for marijuana…

cut 8 (07) ‘thought process”

The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and State Police have not released many details in the ongoing investigation.

The 16-year-old who sucker-punched another student at Natchitoches Central High School will be charged as an adult with manslaughter in connection with the death of another student in a fight. Principal Bill Gordy says they don’t know much about 16 year old Timothy Ray Robinson, because he had just started at Natchitoches Central…

CUT 4 (03) “much background”

Eighteen year-old Johnquaries Smith died yesterday at a local hospital.
Today, Governor Jindal filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging the Obama administration violated the Constitution by using federal grant money to force states to use Common Core for education standards. Jindal says Common Core has turned into a scheme by the feds to nationalize curriculum.

cut 14 (02) “….our schools”

US Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said Jindal’s actions are about politics, not education.
—————————————-
In the case of the handcuffed New Iberia man who is said to have fatally shot himself in the back of a police car, the Iberia Parish Coroner ruled Victor White III died after he shot himself in the chest. UL-Lafayette Anthropology Professor Maranda Kles is a former Florida homicide investigator (and she says, while rare, a handcuffed suicide is possible)

CUT 6 (09) “very twisted around”

The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and State Police are releasing very little information at this time.
The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s office says a Baton Rouge TV personality was killed early this afternoon in what is being called a murder-attempted suicide. Authorities say deputies were called to a home in St. Gabriel after receiving a call of shots fired at the residence. Scott Rogers was found dead at the home and the other man, 36-year-old Mathew Hodgkinson is in critical condition.

Natchitoches Central High Principal Bill Gordy says it was a random act of violence that led to the death of 18-year-old Johnquaries Smith. Smith died yesterday from the head injury he sustained during a fight with another student at school. He said two students had no interaction prior to their altercation…:
CUT 3 (07) “hit him”
Sixteen year-old Timothy Ray Robinson will tried as an adult on the charge of manslaughter.

The investigation continues in the police car suicide of a New Iberia man, who was handcuffed in the back seat. Victor White III shot himself in the chest. U-L Lafayette Anthropology Professor Marand Kles says he could have been under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs…
cut 08 (07) Q: “thought process”
The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and State Police are not releasing too many details at this time.

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Following second arrest of the star of the “Sons of Guns” show, the Discovery Channel, has decided to pull the plug on the series. In this latest charge, Will Hayden is accused of repeatedly raping an 11 year old for almost a year and a half. Hayden’s bond is set for $250 thousand dollars.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says they have some serious problems with a swamp tour operation out of Hammond. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

More details are coming out about the death of a Natchitoches Central High student, who passed away from injuries he sustained during a fight at school. Jeff Palermo has the story…
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Interstate 10 is open once again between Roanoke and Laccasine, after a hazardous chemical spill that involved an 18 wheeler crash in the median of the interstate between Lake Charles and Lafayette. The road was closed for over 12 hours and reopened early this morning.

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Governor Bobby Jindal is continuing his fight against the Common Core Curriculum, as he files a lawsuit against feds, claiming that the Obama administration violated the Constitution by using federal grant money to force states to adopt the Common Core education standards. Jindal says education content should be chosen by the state, and not the feds…
CUT 13 (:07) Q: “health care”
US Education Secretary Arne (arnie) Duncan has said Jindal’s actions are about politics, not education.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says they have some serious problems with a swamp tour operation in Hammond. PETA’s Brittany Peet says they received complaints about Harvey Kliebert’s Turtle & Alligator Farm & Tours.
CUT 9 (10) “and for space”
Kliebert’s has yet to respond to our request for comment.