The second televised gubernatorial debate takes place tonight at 7 from the campus of UL Lafayette. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

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Eight people were arrested and 15 guns seized after Baton Rouge rappers decided to shoot an unpermitted music video on a residential street. Matt Doyle has more.

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Lafayette General Health is set to merge with Ochsner Health System. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

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Tonight is the second televised gubernatorial debate where candidates will try to sway voters as to why they should lead the state.  Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says tonight’s debate will focus on issues that may have gotten lost in the shuffle, adding a robust discussion with the candidates has not really occurred yet.

Cut 4 (08) “…as we can.”

Erwin hopes the debate will provide clarity on what candidates will do to tackle many of the issues that will impact the state’s future, if elected.

Cut 5 (10) “…of those things.”

The debate airs tonight at 7 on Louisiana Public Broadcasting from UL Lafayette.  Erwin says questioning will come from reporters, and the candidates will get to ask questions of each other.

Cut 6 (06) “…before they vote.”
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SeatGeek says Sunday night’s Saints/Cowboys showdown is the hottest selling ticket of the week, and one of the five hottest-selling tickets of the year.

Seatgeek Communications Manager Chris Leyden says the lowest ticket prices are hovering around 150 bucks a pop, but the average ticket is selling for significantly more.

Cut 7 (10) “change” 

New England at Buffalo is the next best selling game of the week.

If those prices seem out of your price range, Leyden recommends keeping an eye on the market for good opportunities, or if you’re in New Orleans, waiting until the last second.

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Ticket prices for this game have been a rollercoaster, high at the start of the year, plummeting after the Drew Brees injury, and rebounding after Teddy Bridgewater led the team to a win over the Seahawks…

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The cheapest Saints home game tickets this year are when the Cardinals roll into town October 27^th.

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Baton Rouge Police make eight arrests and 15 gun seizures at the scene of an unpermitted rap video that allegedly shut down a neighborhood street and scared the neighbors.

Sergent L’Jean Mckneely says they got a tip from East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s that a large group of men were gathered in the middle of a local street walking around waving assault rifles…

Cut 10 (10) “…the guns”

Five of the weapons were assault rifles, and ten were handguns.

Mckneely says if any other aspiring artists are interested in doing a music video shoot in Baton Rouge, there’s a legal, and safer way to do it.

Cut 11 (11) “…real” 

Two of the eight arrested were juveniles.

Mckneely says further investigation revealed the weapons were loaded and functional at the time they were being used, and a few of them were fully automatic, which is illegal.

Cut 12 (11) “…the area”

Arrests were made at the scene for drug possession, and possession of stolen firearms, while 24-year-old Michael Castillo was arrested on an active warrant for Home Invasion and Disturbing the Peace.

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Lafayette General Health is set to merge with Ochsner Health System, with the combination becoming the largest healthcare provider in the Gulf South.  Lafayette General Health System President David L. Callecod says the merger means a big investment into the southwest Louisiana area.

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Callecod says the merger comes as the result of a partnership formed in 2015 and the two systems have been working together since that time.

Cut 14 (10) “…value based arena.” 

Callecod says the merger will result in the construction of a new medical office building.

Cut 15 (12) “…in the market.”

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After giving up 72 points in a loss to Iowa State last Saturday, the Warhawks jump into Sun Belt Conference play this Saturday as they host South Alabama for their league opener. Warhawks Coach Matt Viator says they can’t dwell on a poor performance in Ames, Iowa

Cut 16  (18) “…move forward”

Viator says a 52-point loss didn’t set well with him, but the Warhawks will look to make amends by winning their conference opener

cut 17 (20) “…we will” 

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The Saints will welcome an undefeated Dallas Cowboys team into the Superdome on Sunday night. Through three games, the Cowboys have allowed just 44 points. Coach Sean Payton says Big D looks strong on defense

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Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has the fifth-highest Q-B rating in the NFL. Payton says he sees a big improvement in Prescott compared to when he was a rookie in 2016…

cut 19 (16)   “good leader”   

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise says the transcript of President Trump’s call with Ukraine’s president proves no laws were broken. Scalise says the conversation was not about attacking political rivals, but it was a joint effort to clean up corruption in the country that was a home base for Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election.
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House Democrats disagree and are moving forward with a formal impeachment inquiry.

DeRidder Police say they’ve had nine cases since last March where fake money used in movies was used as real currency. Chief Detective James Halbert says they are urging cashiers to take a hard look at the bills, before putting them in the cash register…
Cut 11 (11) “…to really look.” 
Halbert says one person has been arrested as part of their investigation.

The Department of Health releases the state’s first opioid response plan, aiming to reduce the state’s opioid crisis. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says they’re aiming to enhance interventions and the capacity for treatment.

Cut 4 (11) “…access and networks.”

Over 450 deaths were attributed to opioids in the state last year.

Members of a Texas motorcycle gang are under arrest for allegedly stealing two ATM machines, resulting in over 150,000 dollars stolen in Westlake.  Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says two ATM’s were ripped out of the ground by the gang who stole a number of other vehicles to pull off the heists.

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So far five people have been arrested and the search is on for two others.

The White House releases a partial transcript of a phone call where President Trump asks the Ukrainian President to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise says the text shows no improper conduct, and the impeachment inquiry is just another partisan salvo from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond is the only Louisiana delegation member calling for impeachment.

The Department of Health releases the state’s first opioid response plan, aiming to reduce the state’s opioid crisis. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says prevention is the first step in the right direction.

Cut 3 (08) “…to begin with.”

Over 450 deaths were attributed to opioids in the state last year.

DeRidder Police post a warning to social media saying they are seeing an uptick of instances where fake money used on movie sets is being used to purchase goods.  Chief Detective James Halbert says the movie money can be ordered on Amazon, and while it is legal to be in possession of it, it’s unlawful to use it like actual currency.

Cut 9 (09) “…out for it.”

Halbert says one person has been arrested as part of their investigation.

Members of a Texas motorcycle gang are under arrest for allegedly stealing two ATM machines, resulting in over 150,000 dollars stolen in Westlake. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says ays when the time came to make arrests, they had backup from the feds.

Cut 14 (10) “arrested.”

The gang is known as the Brother East Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, or B*EAST.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise says a newly released transcript of a phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian President clears President Trump of allegations of Presidential Malfeasance.  The transcript includes a back and forth where President Trump asks President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden’s son’s business dealings in the country, but Scalise says that’s not illegal.
Cut 6 (12) “…quo”
Democrats say before the call was made, President Trump had frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the country.
The Department of Health releases the state’s first opioid response plan, aiming to reduce the state’s opioid crisis. Over 450 deaths were attributed to opioids in the state last year. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says effective recovery support services and improved real-time data analytics and surveillance of the opioid epidemic are part of the plan.

Cut 5 (06) “…of the problem.”

DeRidder Police post a warning to social media saying they are seeing an uptick of fake money used in movies circulating around the area.  Chief Detective James Halbert says the fake currency often originates from people using the bills to rip off drug dealers.

Cut 10 (11) “…in real money.”

Halbert says those passing off the fake bills will target new or busy cashiers who may not be paying close attention to the money they are being handed.

Members of a Texas motorcycle gang are under arrest for allegedly stealing two ATM machines, resulting in over 150,000 dollars stolen in Westlake.  Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says two ATM’s were ripped out of the ground by the gang who stole a number of other vehicles to pull off the heists.  Mancuso says the gang may have gotten away with 150,000 dollars, but they stole and destroyed tens of thousands of additional dollars in property to pull it off.

Cut 13 (08) “…amount.”

The White House releases a partial transcript of a phone call where President Trump asks the Ukrainian President to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son. Democrats say it’s an abuse of power, but House Minority Whip Steve Scalise says their impeachment inquiry is another partisan attack and misuse of authority by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Cut 7 (05) “election” 

The only member of the Louisiana delegation to support impeachment is New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond.

The Department of Health releases the state’s first opioid response plan, aiming to reduce the state’s opioid crisis. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says they’re aiming to enhance interventions and the capacity for treatment.

Cut 4 (11) “…access and networks.”

Over 450 deaths were attributed to opioids in the state last year.

The Louisiana Department of Health cracks down on restaurants serving imported shrimp and crawfish and not properly disclosing the product’s origin…

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House Minority Whip Steve Scalise says a newly released transcript of a phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian President clears President Trump of allegations of Presidential Malfeasance. The transcript includes a back and forth where President Trump asks President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden’s son’s business dealings in the country, but Scalise says that’s not illegal.
Cut 6 (12) “…quo”
Democrats say before the call was made, President Trump had frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the country.
The Department of Health releases the state’s first opioid response plan, aiming to reduce the state’s opioid crisis. Over 450 deaths were attributed to opioids in the state last year. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says prevention is the first step in the right direction.

Cut 3 (08) “…to begin with.”

The Louisiana Economic Outlook expects the state to add 53,800 jobs over the next two years. Matt Doyle spoke with one of the report’s authors…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Louisiana Department of Health is seeing an early start to flu activity, even resulting of a school closure in the Lafayette area due to flu cases.  Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says flu shot is in stock in preparation for the flu season.

Cut 11 (06) “…they are available.” 

An impeachment inquiry has been opened against President Trump over allegations that he threatened to withhold aid to Ukraine unless the country investigated Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son’s business dealings in the country. US Senator John Kennedy says it created a buzz on Capitol Hill, but it’s not the same thing as being impeached, yet…

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New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond is the only member of the Louisiana Delegation who currently supports impeachment.

Louisiana Department of Health is seeing an early start to flu activity, and Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says flu season intensity can be tough to predict.

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At least 20 restaurants have been cited for violating a new seafood labeling law that mandates businesses to disclose where they buy their shrimp and crawfish, but Department of Health spokesperson Bob Johanessen says the citations are considered a minor violation.

Cut 13 (10) “…that they consume.”

Those citations came within the first 20 days of the law being active.

The LSU Economics Department’s Louisiana Economic Outlook projects the state will add 53,800 jobs over the next two years, pushing the state past two million total jobs for the first time ever. Those predictions are based on one significant assumption, the end of the US/China trade war, something LSU Economist Lauren Scott expects to end fairly soon.

Cut 5 (09) “…or so”

The Louisiana Economic Outlook expects the state to add 53,800 jobs over the next two years. Matt Doyle spoke with one of the report’s authors…

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 Matt Doyle spoke with US Senator John Kennedy about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s annoucement that she has opened an impeachment inquiry against President Trump…

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The Louisiana Department of Health cracks down on restaurants serving imported shrimp and crawfish and not properly disclosing the product’s origin. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

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The LSU Economics Department’s Louisiana Economic Outlook projects the state will add 53,800 jobs over the next two years, pushing the state past two million total jobs for the first time ever.

LSU Economist Lauren Scott says he expects the number of gulf rigs to increase from about 20 to 33 to 35, and for the state to see the end of it’s much-maligned construction lull.

Cut 4 (12) “…happen.”

Those projected gains will be led by the New Orleans and Baton Rouge Markets which will add 19,500 and 11,700 jobs respectively, and Lake Charles, the fastest-growing market, which will add 6,800 jobs.

Those predictions are based on one significant assumption, the end of the US/China trade war. Scott says recent developments have been promising, and the President knows this can’t continue long term.

Cut 5 (09) “…or so”

China recently announced it would be exempting US soybeans and pork from it’s latest scheduled round of tariffs.

While the outlook south of the I-10 is rosy, regions north of the interstate are projected to continue stagnating. Scott says Shreveport will add 600 jobs, while Monroe will only see 400.

Cut 6 (07) “…the state.”

Scott did highlight the National Cyber Research park, located next to Barksdale Airforce Base in Bossier City, as a highlight in north Louisiana. The park currently employs around 1,100 people.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces she’s opening an impeachment inquiry into the President’s alleged attempts to pressure Ukraine into investigating Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s son.

US Senator John Kennedy says we’ll find out more about the allegations later today, but no result may satisfy a wing of the Democratic party that desperately wants impeachment.

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The Trump Administration says they will release a transcript of the conversation with the President of Ukraine that sparked the allegations.

Kennedy says he expects an investigation to be opened into Hunter Biden’s dealings in Ukraine. He says Biden was paid 600,000 dollars to sit on the board of a Ukrainian oligarch’s gas company…

Cut 8 (07) “doubt it”

Kennedy also alleges that Biden’s law firm received substantial payments from the oligarch as well.

The state’s junior Senator says there’s been a lot of hubbub about Pelosi’s announcement, but ultimately, she did not say the President is being impeached.

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New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond is the only member of the Louisiana Delegation who currently supports impeachment.

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Louisiana Department of Health is seeing an early start to flu activity, even resulting of a school closure in the Lafayette area due to flu cases.  Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says it is a reminder the time to get the annual flu vaccine is now.

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Kanter says flu shot is in stock in preparation for the flu season.

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Kanter says flu season can be unpredictable as to when it can begin or how intense the season can be from year to year.

Cut 12 (13) “…have a third.”

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In the first 20 days of enforcement, at least 20 restaurants have been cited for the violation of the seafood labeling law requiring businesses to disclose if their shrimp and crawfish products are imported.  Department of Health spokesperson Bob Johanessen says the citations are considered a minor violation.

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Johanessen says LDH is providing restaurants with educational materials that will help them up to compliance and they are seeing support for the new law.

Cut 14 (10) “…comply with it.” 

Johanessen says usually it is an easy fix for businesses to follow the law.

Cut 15 (12) “…of the shellfish.”

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After winning its Conference USA opener by beating F-I-U, Louisiana Tech hits the road this weekend to visit a winless Rice team. Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz is telling his team not to overlook the Owls

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After losing its season opener to Texas, Tech has won three straight. Holtz is interested to see if his team can keep the win streak going on the road…

cut 17 (24) “…bit harder” 

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McNeese dropped its Southland opener last week to Abilene Christian and this Saturday the Cowboys return home to host Sam Houston State. McNeese scored 34 points in a season-opening win over Southern, but since then they’ve scored 41 points in three games. First-year head coach Sterling Gilbert believes hard work will eventually produce better results

Cut 18 (19) “perform well” 

Cody Orgeron has started all four games at quarterback for the Pokes, completing less than 60-percent of his passes for 678 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Gilbert says Cody is giving it his best

cut 19 (20)   “ he is”   

cut 20 (15) “through the air 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces the House will begin an impeachment inquiry in light of recent allegations that the President attempted to pressure Ukraine into investing Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son. The Louisiana Republican Party has responded, saying the attempt is a political move and an admission that the President cannot be beat at the ballot box. The State Republican Delegation has expressed support for the President as well.

14 years ago today Hurricane Rita rocked southwest Louisiana…

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Data shows 27,000 more kids lived in poverty in Louisiana from 2013 to 2017 than the previous five year period. Concentrated poverty is when 30% or more of an area is living in poverty, and Annie E. Casey Foundation Associate Director Scot Spencer says that has a number of devastating side effects.

Cut 4 (11) “…to be kids.”

African American and American Indian children are seven times more likely to live in concentrated poverty.

A Shreveport nursing home social worker is under arrest for posing as a licensed nurse for over 1,000 hours using the identity of an LPN with her same name. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Detective Mike King says the dangerous stunt thankfully does not appear to have led to any injuries…

Cut 8 (11) “ really south”

A Shreveport nursing home social worker is under arrest for posing as a licensed nurse for over a thousand hours using the identity of an LPN with her same name. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Detective Mike King says while pretending to be a nurse, 59-year-old Sandra Martin took on some vital, and potentially dangerous roles…

Cut 6 (07) “…called in.”

King says they suspect Martin posed as a nurse to cash in on overtime opportunities

While nationally the number of children living in concentrated poverty has gone down, it is estimated that Louisiana has 27,000 more kids living in poverty from 2013 to 2017 than the previous five year period.  Annie E. Casey Foundation Advocacy and Influence Associate Director Scot Spencer says the state is one of only ten states to see a rate increase.

Cut 3 (06) “…to 20%.”

Two Thibodeaux residents allegedly stole their grandmother’s identity and used it to go on a spending spree racking up over 5,000 dollars’ worth of bills. State Police Senior Trooper Jesse LaGrange says 30-year-old Megan Hebert and 31-year-old Roger Thibodaux conspired to rip off their grandma by stealing her personal information and…
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Hebert and Thibodaux are both in jail.

14 years ago today, Hurricane Rita made landfall in southwest Louisiana. State climatologist Barry Keim says Rita was a Category 5 storm in the Gulf.
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Keim says Rita produced a storm surge of nearly 18 feet, making it the second-highest storm surge measured in Louisiana in over a century. Keim says 95% of homes and businesses in Cameron Parish were destroyed and combined with the damage sustained by Hurricane Katrina in the weeks earlier, much of the Louisiana coastline was devastated.