A preseason coaches poll ranks LSU fifth even though the Tigers are the ranking national champions, coming off the greatest season in college football history. Clemson came in at number one for the second year in a row, followed by Ohio State, Bama, Georgia, and then the Tigers. Tiger faithful may be offended but USA Today sportswriter Glenn Guilbeau says they have good reason to doubt the Purple and Gold.
Cut 23, 12 seconds, meaningful game
The Pelican’s longshot dreams of sneaking into the playoffs in the Orlando bubble just got a lot longer after losing 140-125 to the Sacramento Kings, dropping them to 11th in the West.

New Orleans Saints long snapper Zach Wood and linebacker Kaden Elliss have been placed on the reserve/Covid list. The duo is the first saints to be placed on the newly formed list. It’s unknown if they have tested positive or they were just exposed to the virus. Teams are not allowed to discuss the details of the list placement.

Jason Day is atop of the PGA after shooting a sixty-five. He is joined with Brendon Todd with the lead going into the second day. The 32-year-old Australian has finished in the top 10 in three straight tournaments going into the PGA which is being played in San Francisco. Day won the 2015 PGA at Whistling Straits but has not competed for a major since then.

Tulane football announced yesterday that they are adding South Alabama and Southern Mississippi to its 2020 football schedule. This gets the green wave to a 12-game schedule.

Many bar owners are pursuing temporary restaurant licenses in order to open back up. Matt Doyle reports the Edwards Administration is working to make that process faster…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

_____________________________________

An elderly Ouachita Parish man with dementia is found in the woods after missing for four days by a neighborhood bloodhound. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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The USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll is out and LSU ranks fifth. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

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Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is expediting the process for shuttered bars to apply and receive temporary restaurant licenses if they qualify.

Edwards says if bars show they can safely transition to restaurants they can reopen because functioning like a restaurant would make them safer.

Cut 4 (12)_ “…sales”

Edwards says this move came from consulting with the Resilient Louisiana Commission, who pointed out how struggling bar owners could adapt.

Cut 5 (09)  “…possible”

Edwards says the state has been working with bar owners to help them make this transition so they can get back to paying the bills.

Cut 6 (11) “…possible”

A Baton Rouge judge backed the Edwards Administration’s bar closure order Thursday, saying the Governor has the legal authority under the public health emergency to keep bars closed.

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After missing for four days in the woods an elderly Calhoun man with dementia is found by a neighbor’s pet bloodhound.

85-year-old Kenneth Russell went missing Sunday and by Wednesday morning search crews had had no luck. That’s when local realtor Zach Stephens heard about it and showed up with his dog Ruby and met Russell’s wife…

Cut 7 (10) “trail.”

Ruby is two years old and had been trained from birth to sniff and search. Her dad works at Angola.

After nearly 90 hours missing and repeated search efforts by local authorities Ruby tracked down Russell in just 34 minutes to a heavily wooded area several hundred yards away from his home.

Cut 8 (10) “…to something.”

Once Russell was found Stephens called 9-1-1. Russell was rushed to the hospital and was treated but in good condition.

Stephens says he’s gotten hundreds of emails and calls from around the country thanking Ruby for her service. He says she’s a bit of a celebrity these days.

Cut 9 (06) “…that’s it”
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COVID nasal swaps are very uncomfortable and LSU researchers say they’ve developed a potential fix for that: an effective saliva-based test.

LSU virus expert Becky Christofferson says their research was inspired by patients stuck in situations where they have to be repeatedly tested by the convention nasal swab.

Cut 10 (11) “once”

The saliva swab does come with caveats. A person must slowly drool into the collection tube or plate and cannot have pieces of mucus or food particles in the sample.

Christofferson says the saliva spit tests are also easier to store and are not as temperature-sensitive as nasal swabs. She says the temperature issue recently led to a mass disqualification of results in Florida.

Cut 11 (07) “…detection”

Christofferson says the saliva test they’ve developed uses the same PCR testing procedure as the nasal test, making it highly accurate.

Cut 12 (07) “…virus”

________________________

A preseason college football coaches poll ranks LSU fifth.  While the Tiger faithful might be shocked with the ranking, USA Today sportswriter Glenn Guilbeau says there are valid reasons for it.

Cut 13 (12) “…Joe Brady.” 

The USA Today Amway Coaches poll ranked Clemson at the top for the second year in a row followed by Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia then LSU.

Guilbeau credits Clemson’s high ranking to their returning quarterback but also points out that LSU fans shouldn’t be upset.

Cut 14 (08) “…at quarterback.”

With many Tigers fans looking forward to the return of college football during a year that’s been anything but normal, Guilbeau says news of the ranking might sting a bit more than usual.

Cut 15 (08) “…been slighted” 

Six SEC teams made the top 25 for the Coaches preseason poll, including Florida (8), Auburn (11), and Texas A & M (13).

____________________________

Cut 16 (13) “outside contact” 

cut 17  (20) “…on it” 

Cut 18  (20) “…that way”   

___________________

cut 19 (24) “…liviliehood”  

cut 20 (30) “  of the season”  

Louisiana crossed a grim COVID-19 milestone today, we now have had more than 4,000 confirmed deaths from the disease. The state also reported 1,300 new cases today continuing our slow but steady downward trend. Governor Edwards says that’s encouraging but we can’t start slacking.

Cut 14 (10) “…near you.”

1,457 people are hospitalized with COVID, and the positivity rate for today was 6.6 percent.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says the development of La Nina conditions also factors into being more hospitable for hurricane formation and intensification.

Cut 4 (10)_ “…stronger Atlantic storms.”

A Baton Rouge judge sides with Governor John Bel Edwards over business owners who filed suit in an attempt to lift coronavirus restrictions including the mask mandate, bar closures, and crowd size limitations.  Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says the venues just aren’t safe because the main purpose of going to a bar is drinking alcohol which decreases vigilance in spread mitigation efforts.

Cut 8 (09) “…you’re not drinking.”

A 25 member task force aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd protests. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields was named chairman and the members come from a range of backgrounds, including civil rights activists, lawmakers, and law enforcement.

Cut 10 (08)“…issue”

Fields authored the resolution that formed the task force and was nominated for the chairmanship by representatives of the law enforcement community.

Louisiana crosses a grim COVID-19 milestone today, we now have had more than 4,000 confirmed deaths from the disease 1,457 people are hospitalized with COVID, and the positivity rate for today is 6.6 percent, both down significantly from just ten days ago. Governor John Bel Edwards says that’s good news but…

Cut 13 (09) “…weeks” 

A Baton Rouge judge sides with Governor Edwards over business owners who filed suit to lift coronavirus restrictions. Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says mitigation efforts are layers of protection to help fight the spread and having your mask off while eating at a restaurant means that social distancing then becomes your first line of defense.

Cut 7 (10) “…tables are spaced.”

A 25-member task force aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd protests. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields was named chairman and the members come from a range of backgrounds, including civil rights activists, lawmakers, and law enforcement.

Cut 10 (11) “…office”

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center increases the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says there have already been 5 landfalling storms in the US this season and he expects more to threaten the US in the coming months.

Cut 5 (06)  “…and major hurricanes.”

The new forecast already includes the nine named storms.

A preseason coaches poll ranks LSU fifth even though the Tigers are the ranking national champions, coming off the greatest season in college football history. Clemson came in at number one for the second year in a row, followed by Ohio State, Bama, Georgia, and then the Tigers. Tiger faithful may be offended by USA Today sports writer Glenn Guilbeau says they have good reason to doubt the Purple and Gold.

Cut 23, 12 seconds, Joe Brady

Six SEC teams made the Top 25 including Florida, Auburn, and Texas A&M.

The Pelicans longshot dreams of sneaking into the playoffs in the Orlando bubble just got a lot longer after losing 140-125 to the Sacramento Kings, dropping them to 11^th in the West.

The Saints are giving their coaches, players, and other key personnel the opportunity to stay at the Loews Hotel in downtown New Orleans through the season opener in an effort to prevent a coronavirus outbreak within the team. The team is also doubling down in practice PPE, adding shields that can be attached to the facemask to prevent droplets from entering a person’s mouth or eyes, but coach Sean Payton says they can restrict a player’s ability to breathe

cut 17  (20) “…on it” 

Yesterday the LHSAA announced that high school football games will not commence atleast until October 8^th, citing the current Phase Two status of Louisiana. They laid out a timeline saying the state would need to enter Phase Three for contact sports to be an option.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook. Brooke Thoringston has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

____________________________

A lawsuit filed by business owners against Governor Edwards to lift coronavirus restrictions sees the judge side with the Governor. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says in addition to warmer than normal sea surface temps, a mix of factors contribute to the upgrade.

Cut 3 (09)  “…spin up storms.”  

The new forecast includes the 9 named storms the season has already produced. Bell says the development of La Nina conditions also factors into being more hospitable for hurricane formation and intensification.

Cut 4 (10)_ “…stronger Atlantic storms.”

There have already been 5 landfalling storms in the US this season and Bell expects more to threaten the US in the coming months.

Cut 5 (06)  “…and major hurricanes.”

______________________

A Baton Rouge judge sides with Governor John Bel Edwards over business owners who filed suit in an attempt to lift coronavirus restrictions including the mask mandate, bar closures, and crowd size limitations.  Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says if a bar patron is drinking throughout the time at the business, there is a good chance they are leaving the mask off.

Cut 6 (08) “…quite as long.”

19th Judicial District Judge Janice Clark says Edwards has the ability to issue executive orders during emergencies in an effort to “limit the loss of life.”

Billioux says all of the mitigation efforts are layers of protection to help fight the spread and that having your mask off while eating at a restaurant means that social distancing then becomes your first line of defense.

Cut 7 (10) “…tables are spaced.”

Billioux says the main purpose of going to a bar is drinking alcohol which decreases vigilance in spread mitigation efforts.

Cut 8 (09) “…you’re not drinking.”

____________________________________________

A 25 member task force aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd protests.

Each member introduced themselves, including NAACP Louisiana President Michael McClanahan who says it’s an honor to participate.

Cut 9 (12) “streets”

The task force has been ordered to review policing policy for all of the state’s 23,000 designated peace officers.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields was named chairman and the members come from a range of backgrounds, including civil rights activists, lawmakers, and law enforcement.

Cut 10 (08)“…issue”

Fields authored the resolution that formed the task force and was nominated for the chairmanship by representatives of the law enforcement community.

There was some question today. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James asked why law enforcement trainees spend 24 hours training for defensive tactics, but only six hours on biased policing recognition.

Cut 11 (10) “…issue”

The members were split into committees and ordered to report back by November 7^th, with the full task force ordered to report their findings to the Legislature by February 1^st.

___________________________

Louisiana crossed a grim COVID-19 milestone today, we now have had more than 4,000 confirmed deaths from the disease.

Edwards solemnly announced the news today at his afternoon press conference.

Cut 12 (11) “…prayer.” 

1,457 people are hospitalized with COVID, and the positivity rate for today was 6.6 percent, both down significant;y from just ten days ago. Edwards says that’s good news but…

Cut 13 (09) “…weeks” 

1,300 new cases were reported today, continuing our slow but steady downward trend. Edwards says that’s encouraging but we can’t start slacking.

Cut 14 (10) “…near you.”

____________________

Cut 16 (11) “ light bills” 

The state marked a milestone in COVID-19 deaths today topping four thousand. The total number of deaths since March related to the coronavirus is now at 4,028. Case numbers increased by 1,303. The daily testing rate is at 6.61 percent. Hospitalizations decreased by fourteen, and vent usage also declined, down by eight.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook. Brooke Thorington has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

A Baton Rouge judge sides with Governor John Bel Edwards over business owners who filed suit in an attempt to lift coronavirus restrictions including the mask mandate, bar closures, and crowd size limitations.  Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says if a bar patron is drinking throughout the time at the business, there is a good chance they are leaving the mask off which is why bars are just not safe.

Cut 6 (08) “…quite as long.”

The 25-member task force formed in response to the George Floyd protests aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature. Taskforce Member Baton Rouge Representative Ted James asked why law enforcement trainees spend 24-hours training for defensive tactics, but only six hours on biased policing recognition.

Cut 11 (07) “…education”

A Baton Rouge judge sides with Gov. Edwards in a lawsuit filed by four Jefferson Parish business owners seeking to lift the governor’s coronavirus restrictions, including the state’s mask mandate, closure of bars, and limits on crowd gatherings. 19th Judicial District Judge Janice Clark says Edwards can issue executive orders during emergencies in an effort to “limit the loss of life.” The motion to stop enforcement of the mandate was denied.

A 25-member task force aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd protests. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields was named chairman and the members come from a range of backgrounds, including civil rights activists, lawmakers, and law enforcement.

Cut 10 (11) “…office”

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center increases the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says there have already been 5 landfalling storms in the US this season and he expects more to threaten the US in the coming months.

Cut 5 (06)  “…and major hurricanes.”

The Preseason Amway Coaches Football Poll for the 2020 college season lists Clemson at the top spot for the second year in a row. The LSU Tigers ranked fifth in the poll. The Ohio State Buckeyes filled the second spot, the Alabama Crimson Tide followed at three and the Georgia bulldogs took the fourth spot.  Three SEC teams filled out the top five of the Amway Preseason Coaches Poll.

The state tops four thousand in COVID-19 deaths today reaching a total of 4,028. Case numbers increased by 1,303.

A 25-member task force aimed at studying policing policy reform met today for the first time since being formed by the Legislature in response to the George Floyd protests. Each member introduced themselves, including NAACP Louisiana President Michael McClanahan who says it’s an honor to participate.

Cut 9 (12) “streets”

The Preseason Amway Coaches poll for the 2020 college football season lists Clemson at the top spot for the second year in a row and ranks the LSU Tigers at number five. Ohio State follows at number two, then Alabama at three and Georgia at the fourth spot. That marks three SEC teams in top five of the Amway Coaches Poll.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says the development of La Nina conditions contributes to conditions being more hospitable for hurricane formation and intensification.

Cut 4 (10)_ “…stronger Atlantic storms.”

Louisiana residents receiving unemployment will now have to begin applying for at least three jobs a week in order to keep their benefits. Louisiana’s June unemployment rate was about ten percent, but Louisiana Workforce Commission Assistant Secretary Robert Wooley says there’s a lot of jobs available right now if you search.

Cut 6 (10) “…Louisiana”

The work search requirement is standard for Louisiana unemployment but was waived by the Governor April 7^th.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center bumps up the number of expected storms for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, now calling for up to 19 to 25 named storms with 7 to 11 becoming hurricanes. Lead hurricane forecaster Dr. Gerry Bell says in addition to warmer than normal sea surface temps, a mix of factors contribute to the upgrade.

Cut 3 (09)  “…spin up storms.”  

Louisiana residents receiving unemployment will now have to begin applying for at least three jobs a week to keep their benefits. Currently, the 600 dollars a week of federal enhanced benefits have stopped, and Louisiana Workforce Commission Assistant Secretary Robert Wooley says he knows the situation is difficult, but…

Cut 4 (07)_ “…opportunity”

The LHSAA has decided to delay the start of the prep football season to October eighth. Executive director Eddie Bonine says the goal is to play a six to eight regular-season game schedule. Bonine says they are also looking at pushing the state football championships back from the second weekend in December

Cut 7 (12) “…playoff structure.”

The Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction takes place tonight in Baton Rouge, recognizing those that have made significant contributions to the state’s ag industry. Louisiana Radio Network Farm Broadcaster Don Molino says the event will look different this year with a live stream, but it brings the event to a bigger audience than ever.

Cut 14 (10) “…and Louisiana agriculture.”

The live stream starts at 7 PM on the Louisiana Radio Network Facebook page.