New legislation signed into law will make it possible to have alcohol delivered with your food order. Kevin Barnhart has the details.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Beaches are shuttered along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as toxic algae blooms have popped up, likely as a result of the Bonnet Carrie Spillway’s opening. Beaches closed are in two of the state’s three coastal counties as a result of it. The blue-green water can cause rashes, diarrhea and vomiting in people who get to close to them.

The Saharan Air Layer, when dust from the Saharan Desert in Africa gets kicked up and swept into the atmosphere, has descended on Louisiana. While it may frustrate some allergy sufferers and create a somewhat strange milky white effect in otherwise blue skies, State Climatologist Barry Keim says there is a beautiful side effect to the weather phenomena.

Cut 8 (10) “…sunrise.”

Louisiana’s Hepatitis A viral outbreak is growing, primaryily targeting the homeless and drug users with 305 cases reported dating back to the outbreak that was declared in December of last year. Hep A can cause flu bug like symptoms, and jaundice in those who are infected. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says while we haven’t seen outbreaks in the thousands like some of our neighbors, it’s still a significantly more cases than normal.

Cut 10 (12) “…for us.”

The LSU Vet School is receiving viral fame after equipping a turtle with wheels. 

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A former Playboy playmate has been arrested on drug charges by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office. A deputy conducted a traffic stop over a brake light issue. Inside the car they found the driver and two passengers, one of which was Valerie Mason, a playmate of the month from 2008. The deputy searched the vehicle, finding 2 grams of meth and syringes.

Two men are behind bars for allegedly robbing and murdering a Natchez, Mississippi schoolteacher and then burying his body under garbage in an abandoned Ferriday food plant. McCray was visiting family across just across the state line after wrapping up his first year as an educator at Morgantown Middle School in Natchez, where he was named one of the district’s top ten teachers. Concordia Parish Chief Deputy David Hedrick…

Cut 14 (06) “…of him” 

Personal income growth was up four-percent in the first quarter of the year, outpacing the national average according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The news comes on the heels of an announcement by Coast Professional call center in West Monroe adding 146 jobs. Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says the state’s FastStart workforce program will guide recruitment…

Cut 5 (11) “…to play.”

Two men are behind bars for allegedly robbing and murdering a Natchez, Mississippi school teacher and then burying his body under garbage in an abandoned Ferriday food plant. 48-year-old Jimmy Lewis of Ferriday and Cedric Tennessee are facing first-degree murder charges. Concordia Parish Chief Deputy David Hedrick says there’s probably no way McCray could have known these two were planning the brutal crime…

Cut 13 (11) “…trust”  

2,300 of the state’s best teachers have begun specialized training aimed at preparing them to be mentors to new educators. Assistant Superintendent Hannah Dietsch says the program will give experienced educators the tools to be able to better prepare their rookie peers.

Cut 9 (10) “teachers.”

Video of a box turtle missing his rear legs has gone viral after getting a new set of wheels courtesy of some clever LSU veterinarians. LSU Vet School spokesperson Ginger Guttner says medically, Pedro the turtle was fine, but zoological medicine intern Dr. Kelly Rockwell was up for the challenge…

Cut 6 (10) “…look at toys.”

Pedro’s family had adopted the turtle when he was missing only one leg, but following an escape from his enclosure and being on the lam for a bit, when he returned, he didn’t have either of his hind legs.

Personal income growth was up four-percent in the first quarter of the year in Louisiana, and the news comes on the heels of an announcement by Coast Professional call center in West Monroe adding 146 jobs. Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says they’re decent paying jobs as well…

Cut 4 (09) “…area.”

A Natchez, Mississippi school teacher was brutally robbed and murdered just across the state line while visiting family in Louisiana, and two suspects are now in jail. Matt Doyle has more.

cut 2 (30) I’m Matt Doyle”  

According to Winn Parish Sheriff Cranford Jordan, 39 year old Oshay Booker has been arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma after he fatally shot his stepfather two weeks ago. There was a brief standoff with the Tulsa Police Department Fugitive Squad before he surrendered to police. Booker was wanted for killing Ronald Goff. Goff was a former Mayor of Winnfield, LA.

Video of a box turtle missing his rear legs has gone viral after getting a new set of wheels courtesy of some clever LSU veterinarians. LSU Vet School spokesperson Ginger Guttner says the story has since spread like wildfire, gaining Pedro and the vet school plenty of media attention.

Cut 8 (08) “…resonated with people.”

Pedro now has a Lego block glued to the bottom of his shell where the axel of the wheels snaps into place.

2,300 of the state’s best teachers have begun specialized training aimed at preparing them to be mentors to new educators and struggling students. Assistant Superintendent Hannah Dietsch says this is the first year they’re offering training for interested educators who would like to specialize in academic interventions for low performing students who may come from at-risk backgrounds.

Cut 10 (12) “…their peers.”

Personal income growth was up four-percent in the first quarter of the year, outpacing the national average according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The news comes on the heels of an announcement by Coast Professional call center in West Monroe adding 146 jobs.  Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says good paying jobs will be created through the 750,000-dollar expansion…

Cut 4 (09) “…area.”

2,300 of the state’s best teachers have begun specialized training aimed at preparing them to be mentors to new educators and struggling students. Assistant Superintendent Hannah Dietsch says the program will give experienced educators the tools to be able to better prepare their rookie peers for those first, challenging years in the classroom.

Cut 9, 10 seconds, teachers

A box turtle who was missing his rear legs now has a new set of wheels thanks to LSU veterinarians. The heartwarming story has gone viral and Spokesperson for the LSU Vet School Ginger Guttner says medically, Pedro the turtle was fine, but zoological medicine intern Dr. Kelly Rockwell was up for the challenge of improving his mobility.

Cut 6 (10) “…look at toys.”

Pedro’s family had adopted the turtle when he was missing only one leg, but following an escape from his enclosure and being on the lam for a bit, when he returned, he didn’t have either of his hind legs.

Operation Broken Heart, a statewide effort to catch child predators has resulted in 63 arrests for child exploitation. Brooke Thorington on why law enforcement say parents need to play a more active role when it comes to what their kids are doing on the phone….
voicer 1 (30) “….Brooke Thorington”

A former Playboy playmate has been arrested on drug charges by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office. A deputy conducted a traffic stop over a brake light issue. Inside the car they found the driver and two passengers, one of which was Valerie Mason, a playmate of the month from 2008. The deputy searched the vehicle, finding 2 grams of meth and syringes.

Personal income growth was up four percent in the first quarter of the year, a rate that paces the national average. The income growth rate was higher than even Texas’s for the first quarter, and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says that’s evidence that the state is headed in the right direction.
Cut 3 (10) “…the future.”
The four percent increase means Louisianans personal income grew by more than two-billion-dollars.
South Louisiana is getting a 400,000-dollar EPA grant to clean up two environmentally contaminated sites as part of the “Brownfields Program”. Congressman Garret Graves says Brownfields are plots of land, often in the middle of booming markets that have sat abandoned as a result of environmental issues. Graves says studies showed just 12.4 million dollars of investment yielded 29 to 97 million dollars of new local tax revenue in the first year alone, saying that’s a lot of bang for your government buck.

Cut 11 (11) “…you invested.”

Operation Broken Heart, a Statewide effort to catch child predators in Louisiana is using multiple law enforcement agencies to make arrests, but they still need parents to play and more active role.  Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

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A recent study by AAA indicates about 70% of drivers in America feel they are unlikely to be caught by police while driving while under the influence of marijuana.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

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 The EPA has authorized a 400,000 dollar grant to clean up two contaminated plots of land in Houma and Lafayette. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

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State Attorney General Jeff Landry announces the latest results of statewide effort to arrest child predators. Landry says Operation Broken Heart, a culmination of multiple law enforcement agencies netted 63 offenders in the last two months alone.

Cut 4 (13) “…as young as three.”

Since July of 2018 the sting arrested one-hundred-sixty-five child predators. Landry says the suspects aren’t easy to identify, they could be your neighbor or the even person walking next to you in the grocery store.

Cut 5 (12)“…out there.”

FBI Special Agent Eric Rommal says their participation in Operation Broken Heart has also lead to multiple spinoff investigations but there is much more work to be done.

Cut 6 (07) “…as we speak.”

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A recent study by AAA indicates about 70% of drivers in America feel they are unlikely to be caught by the police while driving while under the influence of marijuana. AAA spokesperson Don Redman says the findings are a big concern as more states look into legalizing recreational pot.

Cut 7 (11) “…kind of fashion.”

Redman says it is usually about an hour or so after using marijuana that the effects may set in. Millennials and young adults are the ones to report they are most likely to drive within an hour of toking up.

Cut 8 (10) “…are the women.”

Redman says it appears the numbers are as high as they are because the cannabis industry is downplaying the impact of marijuana when behind the wheel in an effort to sell states on legalizing marijuana.

Cut 9 (05) “…or totally misleading.”

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South Louisiana is getting a 400,000-dollar EPA grant to clean up two environmentally contaminated sites as part of the “Brownfields Program”.

Congressman Garret Graves says Brownfields are plots of land, often in the middle of booming markets that have sat abandoned as a result of environmental issues. He says these plots drag down property values and discourage investment.

Cut 10 (09) “…fueling station.”

An EPA study showed addressing Brownsites increased nearby property values by 5-15 percent.

Graves says an EPA survey of Brownsite cleanup showed just 12.4 million dollars of investment yielded 29 to 97 million dollars of new local tax revenue in the first year alone. He says that’s a lot of bang for your government buck.

Cut 11 (11) “…you invested.”

The two locations getting a little TLC in Louisiana are a former VFW Fall in Houma, and a federal office building in Lafayette. Graves says they sit in vital economic corridors for the local community.

Cut 12 (13) “…market.”

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Ragin’ Cajuns baseball’s head coach is recovering following a heart procedure Monday afternoon.  UL Lafayette Athletics spokesperson Patrick Crawford says Coach Tony Robichaux went to the hospital on Sunday evening and found out he was experiencing a cardiac event.

Cut 13 (11) “…a heart attack.”

Crawford says the operation went well and doctors are expecting the coach to make a full recovery.

Cut 14 (06) “…that he’s recovering.”

Crawford said the coach will be on bed rest for a bit.

Cut 15 (12) “…will look like.”

Robichaux just completed his 25th year at the helm on the baseball program for the school, scoring his 900th victory in this most recent season.

 Another New Orleans music icon has passed, legendary producer Dave Bartholomew, the man who made Fats Domino famous…

cut 2 (30) I’m Matt Doyle”  

Saints QB Drew Brees won his lawsuit against a San Diego jeweler who ripped him off by reportedly lying about the apparent value of millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds they purchased. The Black and Gold legend was awarded damages in excess of six million dollars as a result of the trial that took him off the practice field for the first few days of offseason team training.

A Bunkie man accused of stabbing a wedding guest at a reception on Saturday night has turned himself into police in Pineville.  According to investigators, a fight broke out around 11:40 p.m. Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Steven Martel says 19-year-old Dontavian Williams of Bunkie caused a disturbance at the reception.

Cut 3 (08) “…began to argue.”

El Dorado Resorts, the parent company of a string of Louisiana casinos including the Belle of Baton Rouge, has purchased Caeser’s Entertainment, the parent company of several other casinos including Harrah’s in New Orleans, for 17.3 billion dollars. Casino Association of Louisiana executive director Wade Duty says  the merger will create the opportunity for the company to reinvest in Louisiana, but our recent legislative decisions may make that a bad bet…

Cut 14 (10) “…by case basis.” 

Saints QB Drew Brees won his lawsuit against a San Diego jeweler who ripped him off by reportedly lying about the apparent value of millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds they purchased. The Black and Gold legend was awarded damages in excess of six million dollars as a result of the trial that took him off the practice field for the first few days of offseason team training.

The court featured some dramatic testimony as Brees says he considered the jeweler, Vihad Moradi, to be a friend, so much that he even had recommended the jewler’s services to other associates of his, several of whom have also accused Moradi of Fraud. Brees attorney Andrew Kim talked to the media afterwards, saying “They saw Mr. Moradi for exactly what he is: a grifter and a confidence man.”

Moradi denied those claims, says he was never friends, but only acquaintances with the QB, and accused the QB of having an addiction to buying jewelry, claiming Brees was an “addict looking for his fix”. Brees may have prevailed in the first round of court, but it’s unlikely he’ll see that money anytime soon as Moradi says he plans to appeal.

Vanderbilt and Michigan will meet on the baseball diamond for the very first time tonight at 6 P.m. for the first in a best of three college World Series games. Michigan is playing for it first championship since 1962. Both teams went 3-0 in the college World Series bracket. The wolverines slumped at the end of the season and they were one of the last teams to receive an at large invitation to the NCAA tournament.

Chez Reavie won the travelers championship golf tournament for his second pga tour victory and his first in 11 years. He finished with a one under 69 for a four stroke victory over keegan Bradley and zach sucher.

The Houston astros halted a 7 game losing streak against the New York Yankees who have won 8 of their last 10. DJ LeMahieu a former lsu stand out hit a three run drive in the fifth giving New York a home run in a franchise record 26 consecutive games. The major league mark is 27 set by the 2002 Texas rangers.

Legendary New Orleans music producer Dave Bartholomew, the man who found Fats Domino, passed away yesterday at 100 years old. Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Executive Director Mike Shepard says Bartholomew worked with, and was loved by all the greats, including Irma Thomas, Benny Spellman, Dr. John, and more. While he was known as a friendly guy, he didn’t roll over when artists tried to rip him off…

Cut 10 (11) “…ding-a-ling.”

El Dorado Resorts, the parent company of casinos including the Belle of Baton Rouge, has purchased Caeser’s Entertainment, the parent company of Harrah’s in New Orleans, for 17.3 billion dollars. Casino Association of Louisiana executive director Wade Duty says he does not foresee it having an impact on Harrah’s license renewal.

Cut 13 (12) “…of this merger.”  

A Slidell man’s fiancé allegedly shoots up a truck stop after her betrothed gets fired from his job as a truck driver. After shooting at the trucking company owner in apparent retaliation for the firing, Slidell Police spokesperson Daniel Seuzeneau says 32-year-old Natalie Williams turned to the company owner’s truck and continued the shooting spree…

Cut 7 (10) “…son”

No one was injured in the incident.

A Bunkie man accused of stabbing a wedding guest at a reception on Saturday night has turned himself into police in Pineville. Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Steven Martel says 19-year-old Dontavian Williams of Bunkie brought an outside issue inside of the wedding reception…

Cut 4 (07) “…and the stabbing.”