Federal and state officials are urging air travelers to get a Real ID before next October. Connor Ferrill has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “I’m Connor Ferrill.”

_____________________________

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards beats back a hard challenge from Republican and Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone. Kevin Barnhart has reaction from Edwards’ election night headquarters…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

__________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards wins reelection after a hard-fought run-off against GOP contender Eddie Rispone. Matt Doyle spoke with an analyst about the result…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

____________________________________________

The Transportation Security Administration and the state Department of Public Safety urge the public to get their Real ID driver’s license soon, even though the Real ID requirement to fly domestically is not needed until October 1, 2020. TSA Spokesperson Sari (Saw-ree) Koshetz is visiting Louisiana airports to get the word out…

Cut 4 (12) “…out of town.”

Travelers without a Real ID after October 1st can still fly domestically, but they’ll need a passport.

State Office of Motor Vehicles administrator Jill Jarreau says to get a REAL ID, you need to visit your local DMV with various forms in hand…

Cut 5 (11) “…social security card.”

LA Wallet, Louisiana’s digital ID, will not be Real ID-compliant October 1^st of 2020 but the Office of Motor Vehicles has applied to Homeland Security to make LA Wallet an alternative to Real ID.

Jarreau says so for only 10 percent of Louisiana citizens are Real ID-compliant, so don’t wait until the last minute to pick one up from the DMV…

Cut 6 (05) “…lines.”

Visit expressway.org for a full walkthrough of the Real ID pickup process.

_________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards survived a difficult re-election campaign beating Republican challenger Eddie Rispone by two percentage points. Rispone poured millions of dollars of his own money into the campaign and President Trump made multiple visits to the state on his behalf. But Edwards says this was always a race about Louisiana issues…

Cut 7 (09) “…over politics.”

Edwards remains the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. During his first four years, the former state lawmaker from Amite, he expanded the state’s Medicaid program, approved a criminal justice reform package that had the support of Republicans. Edwards looks forward to the next four years…

Cut 8 (16) “…minimum wage.”

Rispone says despite the hard-fought loss the Republican Party has nothing to be ashamed of…

Cut 9 (08) “   …(applause fade out).”

Rispone’s main platform during the campaign was to improve Louisiana’s standing and make it the best state in the south. He says that remains the goal…

Cut 10 (11) “…what it should be.”

_____________________________

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards wins re-election in a deep red state despite a massive push by state and national Republicans to retake the Mansion.

LSU Poli Sci Professor Robert Hogan says Edwards’ blend of cultural conservatism and dedication to popular services like healthcare and education put him at the center of the state’s political gravity.

Cut 11 (12) “voters”

This comes despite three visits to the state by President Trump in just over a month. Hogan says Rispone worked hard to tie himself to the President, but it may have been a double-edged sword.

Cut  12 (12) “turnout” 

Turnout in Orleans parish, the state’s Democratic stronghold, surged in the run-off to 49 percent, up from 39 percent in the primary.

Edwards returns for a four-year stint that Hogan says will be a lot tougher than his first term now that Republicans have a near-supermajority in the lower chamber.

Cut 13 (07) “…through”

The GOP entered the night with a supermajority in the Senate.

______________________________

The New Orleans produced the bounce-back performance they were looking for as they defeated Tampa Bay 34-17 to improve their record to 8-2. The Saints started fast and built a 20-0 lead in the second quarter, which pleased Coach Sean Payton, but he says there are areas of improvement…

Cut 14 (12) “last week” 

The defense, playing without star cornerback Marshon Lattimore, intercepted Tampa Bay four times. PJ Williams took Lattimore’s place and had an interception as he defended Bucs standout wide receiver Mike Evans. Payton says it was a good day for Williams and the defense…

Cut 15 (11) “…of games”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns. Michael Thomas had a strong game with eight catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. Brees says the trust factor he has with Thomas is high…

Cut 16  (10)  …every play.  

The Saints host Carolina on Sunday. The Panthers lost to Atlanta.

_______________________________________________

Number one LSU is one win away from winning its first SEC West title since 2011 after defeating Ole Miss 58-37 in a wild game in Oxford. The Tigers had 714 total yards as Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 489 yards and five touchdowns. But LSU’s defense couldn’t stop the Rebels ground game. Coach Ed Orgeron on what led to allowing 402 rushing yards…

Cut 17  (16)  quarterback runs”    (2x)

Ole Miss Q-B John Rhys Plumlee rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns. But there was a sense of disappointment in the locker room, because of the play of LSU’s defense. Orgeron says the most important thing is that they won the game…

cut 18  (16)  way it is” 

________________________________________________

Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls both won on Saturday setting up a huge game in Hammond on Thursday when the Lions host the Colonels in a game that could decide the Southland title. S-L-U, Nicholls and Central Arkansas are all tied for first place heading into the final regular-season game. Colonels Coach Tim Rebowe’s team started fast and defeated McNeese 34-20 on Saturday…

cut 19 (16), first half”    

Senior quarterback Chase Fourcade threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns to end the Cowboys’ three-game winning streak….

cut 20 (13) “ made plays”    

The 2019 governor’s race is a toss-up, with election day on Saturday. Jeff Palermo has the story..

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

__________________________________________

Both sides of the Governor’s race are rolling out the stars hoping to inspire their base to pack into polling stations tomorrow…

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”    

__________________________________________

A second poll released this week shows Saturday’s election for governor is a virtual tie. The JMC Analytics survey of 600 Louisiana voters finds Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican challenger Eddie Rispone each getting 45-percent of the vote. Pollster John Couvillon says it all comes down to turnout…

Cut 3 (07)   “…both candidates” 

Couvillon is predicting a turnout of at least 52-percent. He says north Louisiana and African American voters will have a big say in this election…

Cut 4 (10) “…runoff season.”

Couvillon believes voters made up their mind a long time ago, based on his voting polling throughout the race…

Cut 5 (10) “…persuade.” 

_______________________

The time for fundraising and voter persuasion in the gubernatorial race is now over and both campaigns are pushing hard to drive voters out to the polls Saturday.

Republicans have leaned on Presidential rallies and the GOP Congressional delegation to drive interest. Senator John Kennedy is calling on all Republicans to cast a ballot…

Cut 6 (11) “Governor.”

Kennedy made the call to action at last night’s Trump rally.

Trombone Shorty, Mannie Fresh, The Soul Rebels and more will be rocking a stacked concert tonight in New Orleans for a pro-Edwards election eve turnout drive. Ivan Neville’s Dumpstafunk headlines the bill…

Cut 7 (08) “…direction”

The concert will be on Fulton St. in Downtown New Orleans.

Senator Bill Cassidy says it’ll be a close election that could be decided by a little as a thousand votes, so he’s calling for all boots on the ground…

Cut 8 (07) “   …neighbor”

Governor Edwards is set to show up to “Turn up, Turn out” tonight to make one of his last pitches to votes. Neville says he hopes the night will inspire people to head to the polls Saturday.

Cut 9 (09)  “…their lives”

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

______________________

China lifts a ban on poultry imports from the United States.  In Louisiana, poultry is a $2 billion industry and the decision opens the market for Louisiana producers as the port of New Orleans is one of the largest poultry exporters in America.  Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says it is welcomed news.

Cut 10 (06) “…the foreign markets.”

China banned all US poultry imports in January 2015 after a bird flu outbreak in December 2014.  Strain says in 2013, the US was selling about $500 million in poultry annually to China.

Cut 11 (12) “…$4.3 billion worldwide.”

Strain believes Louisiana can meet the growing demand by taking product being held in storage and moving it.

Cut  12 (13) “poised for growth” 

____________________

Many Tiger fans are hitting the road this weekend to support the top ranked Bayou Bengals in their matchup with Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi.   Visit Oxford Executive Director Kinney Ferris says the excitement in the town to host the fans is high after the Tigers tamed Bama last week.

Cut 13 (11) “..influx of visitors.”

SEC Nation will be broadcasting from the town on the SEC television network.  In addition to getting fans hyped up over the game, Kinney says visitors and viewers will also see the community is ready for Christmas.

Cut 14 (11) “…for the holiday.”

Kinney says the large influx of visitors may result in the area moving at a slower pace.

Cut 15 (12) “…our small town.”

Kickoff is at 6PM.

A robo-poll survey on the governor’s race finds the electorate is split between the two candidates. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

__________________________________________

The family of a missing Caddo Parish man hopes a new push for evidence will help them find out what happened to a loved one who disappeared four years ago…

cut  2 (32) “…I’m Matt Doyle”    

__________________________________________

 A telephone robo-poll of 660 likely voters finds the governor’s race a virtual tie with 49-percent of the respondents supporting Governor John Bel Edwards and 49-percent who say they plan to vote for Republican challenger Eddie Rispone. Edgewater Research pollster Doctor Edward Chervenak

Cut 3 (10)   “…show up” 

Polls are open on Saturday from 7 AM to 8 PM.

Edwgewater Research conducted a similar survey in October after the primary and Edwards had a four-percentage point lead. Chervenak says more Republicans participated in this latest survey…

Cut 4 (10) “…two polls.”

Chervenak says the poll shows there is a lot of partisan loyalty…

Cut 5 (07) “…surprising there.” 

_______________________

The state Department of Environmental Quality receives two new Mobile Air Monitoring Labs, also known as MAMLs.  Assistant secretary for environmental assessment Roger Gingles says the units have all the bells and whistles to help sample and analyze air quality data on-site and in real time.

Cut 6 (08) “…complaints or issues.”

Gingles says thousands of hours went into researching the units prior to making the purchases with funding that came from two civil penalities.

Cut 7 (10) “…supplemental environmental project.”

Gingles says the two units are mounted on a 35 foot truck chassis with a custom body to house equipment and supplies.  They will supplement an aging existing unit that is used for similar functionality.  However, with the advanced technology the two new units offer, they are quite unique.

Cut 8 (06) “   …in the country.”

_______________________________

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office seeks the public’s help in solving a four-year-old missing person’s case where a man seemingly disappeared into thin air. 33-year-old Kenneth Cole was reported missing November 21^st, 2015, and spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says Cole’s family last spoke to him a few days before…

Cut 9 (12)  “…from.”

Cole’s vehicle was recovered days after he was reported missing, but Chadwick says there was no evidence of foul play in it, and friends and family say he gave no indication he was set to disappear…

Cut 10 (09) “…as well.”

Chadwick says often people have information about missing person cases that they don’t think is relevant, but every little bit helps…

Cut 11 (11) “ phone call”

People with information are encouraged to call the Sheriff’s office, and those seeking anonymity can call Crime Stoppers.

____________________

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 60-year-old man for allegedly tossing nails and screws on his neighbors’ driveway. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Glen Springfield says apparently Prentice Lamar Tedeton could not get along with his neighbors…

Cut  12 (08) ” few years” 

Tedeton has been charged with three counts of stalking and four counts of criminal mischief. Springfield says trying to harm your neighbor or their property is never a good idea, call law enforcement instead…

Cut 13 (09) “…be arrested.”

Tedeton denies the accusations. Springfield says at least three homes in the Calhoun area reported having the nails and screws in their driveway and video surveillance caught a possible suspect

Cut 14 (12) “…stalking charges.”

We may break a few daily record low temperatures across the state tonight as temperatures plummet. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

__________________________________________

A West Monroe woman is accused of abandoning her one-year-old child with strangers.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”    

__________________________________________

If you think it’s chilly out right now, just wait for tonight: low temperatures are expected to hit the 20s for most of the state, with lows in the low 30s near the coast.

National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Ricks says it’s unusual for a freeze this hard to hit this early in November.

Cut 3 (07)   “…all time.” 

Freeze warnings are in effect from the Arkansas line down to Baton Rouge.

Good news is at least the hard freeze is not expected to stay for long. Ricks says temperatures will be out of the 20s by tomorrow afternoon.

Cut 4 (07) “…tomorrow night.”

The high wind gusts much of the state is experiencing are also expected to die down by this afternoon.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says the freeze means heaters across the state will be turning on tonight, so make sure you check your smoke detector or go get one before night falls.

Cut 5 (08) “…your home.” 

Browning says his office offers Operation Save A Life smoke detectors for those in need, but it may take a few days to receive your device.

Most home fires in cold weather are caused by space heaters. Browning urges residents to follow space heater safety guidelines…

Cut 6 (11) “…that happens”

_______________________

Louisiana Tech reaches its Forever Loyal campaign goal raising more than $125 million to support University initiatives. The campaign was designed to help face challenges and discover potential. Vice President for University advancement Brooks Hull says growth in the donor base has helped hit the goal.

Cut 7 (07) “…28% in donors.”

Hull says almost 70,000 gifts have been given in the campaign with well over 20,000 donors.

Cut 8 (06) “   …and science building.”

Hull says the money will go toward scholarships, faculty recruitment, research and teaching grants, as well as campus building improvements.

Cut 9 (10)  “…those as well.”
Hull says they expect many more contributions through the end of the campaign on June 30^th, 2020, which also is the end of the school’s 125th-year celebration.

______________________

Ten-million dollars in hurricane recovery money will go towards building new homes to replace the old FEMA trailers that have been at Camp Beauregard in Pineville since 2005. Guardsmen and their families live in these trailers and Louisiana National Guard Colonel Ed Bush says the soldiers will appreciate an upgrade…

Cut 10 (06) “…to accomplish.”

There are 40 trailers that are in place at Camp Beauregard. Bush says the  10-million dollars will go towards building about 50 new homes…

Cut 11 (09) “ which is huge”

The money actually comes from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, which both hit Louisiana in 2018. Bush says the new homes will provide a substantial improvement for the soldiers and airmen who live on the post

Cut  12 (12) “is really huge” 

________________________

A West Monroe woman is charged with cruelty to a juvenile after leaving her one-year-old child with strangers.  Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Glen Springfield says witnesses say the woman, 28-year-old Tiera Mooney, was wet and holding a baby when she knocked on their door and gave them the child and began to leave.

Cut 13 (09) “…the lady was.”

Deputies later located the woman in a small wooded area not far from the residence. Springfield says Mooney was also charged with criminal trespassing for heading to the next-door residence.

Cut 14 (10) “…with the strangers.”

Springfield says a motive is unclear.

Cut 15 (06) “…not real coherent.”

Bail has not been set.

LSU turns its attention to Ole Miss after ending an eight-game losing streak to Alabama. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

__________________________________________

Louisiana broke a record for early voting turnout in a non-Presidential election. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”    

__________________________________________

Dozens of veterans attended a Veteran’s Day ceremony today at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Raymond Broussard, a retired marine, says military personnel appreciate the thanks they receive on this day

Cut 3 (10)   “…we get now.” 

There is an estimated 284-thousand veterans living in Louisiana. Broussard says former military service personnel are treated much better than now than post-Vietnam…

Cut 4 (09) “…community now.”

The Veteran’s Day Ceremony at the Old State Capitol was one of over 40 events taking place today to honor our living soldiers. There was a beautiful rendition of God Bless America…

Cut 5 (16) “…(applause).” 

____________________________________

Unseasonable cold temperatures are on the way from a front that hits the state this afternoon. National Weather Service Meteorologist Patrick Omundson says the front will bring a little rain and very strong winds. He says a wind advisory is in effect for the northern half of the state from tonight until tomorrow morning…

Cut 6 (10) “…the evening”

Omundson says temperatures will dip below freezing along the I-20 corridor and upper 20s near the Arkansas border…

Cut 7 (09) “…wind chills”

The coldest night is tomorrow night as temps will fall into the mid-20s in south Lousiana on Wednesday morning. Omundson says it’s warm today, but rest of the week will be cold

Cut 8 (08) “   weekend”

________________________

The Louisiana Office of State Parks wants to hear your thoughts about the state’s outdoor offerings by filling out a form on public-input-dot-com-slash-Play-OutDoors-LA.

Director of Outdoor Recreation Mitchell Aleshire says the survey will help guide future development and investment in the Sportsman’s Paradise, and they want to know…

Cut 9 (11)  “…funds”

Aleshire says there’s a lot of value in the data they are capturing because it covers every kind of outdoor recreation.

Cut 10 (12) “…fishing.”

Aleshire says filling out the survey will help Louisiana score additional federal grant money that can be used to upgrade outdoor facilities.

Cut 11 (10) “years”

The 23 question survey will be available through December 31^st.

_______________________

489,649 Louisianans early voted for the run-off, a record shattering number of early voters for a non-Presidential election.

Unlike in the primary, the early voting electorate looks a lot friendlier to Governor Edwards. 31 percent of all early voters were African American, and…

Cut  12 (09) “happened” 

That’s JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon who says three of those times were during 2008 when Barack Obama was first elected President.

Couvillon says to put the 31 percent overall black turnout and the 40 percent last day of early voting black turnout in perspective…

Cut 13 (11) “…getting”

Couvillon expects total early voting to hit 500,000 when absentee ballots are counted, and you should see about one to 1.1 million votes when you extrapolate that out to total run-off participation…

Cut 14 (11) “…range.”

Louisiana thanks its Veterans today with 42 different events across the state. Matt Doyle has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

_____________________________

LSU’s win over longtime rival Alabama will go down as one of the best victories in program history. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

________________________

Ruston scores a 17 million dollar grant that will help the city overhaul the connection between the LA Tech campus and downtown. Matt Doyle spoke with Mayor Ronny Walker…

Cut 3 (30) “…Matt Doyle”

________________________

Veterans Day honors military service members across the nation today. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs will be a part of 42 different events to help celebrate those who have served. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Alex Juan spokesperson says if you can only make it to one event…

Cut 4 (10) “…themselves.”

Juan says Veterans Day gives people the opportunity to thank veterans and ponder the many sacrifices service members make to serve the country…

Cut 5 (11) “…as well.”

Juan says Veterans Day is a significant day in history where the guns of the First World War went silent…

Cut 6 (05) “…ceremonies.”

____________________

It’s the last week of the gubernatorial campaign.  UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says both candidates need to focus on their core constituents. He says Rispone must appeal to his base of rural conservatives and Trump supporters and he needs the support of his former opponent.

Cut 7 (09) “…really great.”

Cross says Edwards should focus on African American voters and also reiterate that the state is not in a financial crisis.

Cut 8 (09) “…without a doubt.”

Cross says while the candidates focus on voters this week we can expect the PACS to only sharpen their attack ads on a variety of topics this week.

Cut 9 (12)  “…fever pitch.”

The run-off is on Saturday, November 16^th.

___________________________________

The eight-game losing streak to Alabama is over. The Fighting Tigers went into Tuscaloosa on Saturday and beat the Crimson Tide 46-41 in a game that was quite the departure from LSU’s last victory over Bama, 9-to-6 in 2011. Coach Ed Orgeron told the guys before the game they were the better team…

Cut 10 (12) “…need to be.”

The victory puts the Tigers in the driver’s seat to win the SEC West and play in the conference championship game in December. The Bayou Bengals still have three more regular-season games and Orgeron says he will not let his team become complacent…

Cut 11 (12) “…next step”

Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 393 yards and three touchdowns and he’s now the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy. Burrow says that’s not his number one goal…

Cut  12 (12) “…this year” 

__________________________

Ruston receives a 17-million dollar federal transportation grant to transform the city’s connection with Louisiana Tech. Mayor Ronny Walker says the money will go towards building seamless transition of streets, bike paths, and walkways leading from downtown Ruston to the Tech campus.

Cut 13 (11) “…move”

Baton Rouge also received a 15 million dollar grant to create a bus rapid transit project.

Part of the money will go towards installing a high tech sensor array throughout the area that Walker says will become a testbed for other smart city projects.

Cut 14 (10) “things” 

Walker says they aren’t sure when they’re going to get the money, but once it is received, it should take about three years before the project is complete.

Cut 15 (06) “…worked out.”

Walker says 895 cities applied for the grant. Ruston was one of 92 cities that were ultimately awarded.

_________________________________________

The Saints were on the wrong end of the biggest upset of the NFL season on Sunday as the one and seven Falcons came into the Superdome and flew back to Atlanta 26-9 win over New Orleans. The loss drops the Black and Gold’s record to 7-and-2. Coach Sean Payton gives credit to the Falcons

Cut 16  (15)  …with me’.  

The Saints never found the end zone as Quarterback Drew Brees was sacked six times. And New Orleans only had 52 rushing yards as the offensive line had a bad day. Brees. on the troubles the offense had

Cut 17  (15)  all that”   

The Saints were just 3-of-12 on third downs. Brees says the 12 penalties against New Orleans didn’t help…

cut 18  (27)    score points” 

________________________________________________

ULM used a balanced attack to beat Georgia State 45-31 on Saturday. The Warhawks rushed for 299 yards and threw for 291. Warhawks Coach Matt Viator says the defense also did its job

cut 19 (16),   for us”    

The win snaps a two-game losing streak. Viator is glad to see his team back respond after a tough homecoming loss to Arkansas State

cut 20 (23) “ about em”   

The Traveling Tigers are hitting the road tomorrow for the most anticipated game of the season. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

__________________________________________

JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon releases the halftime reports on the first four days of early voting.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”    

__________________________________________

All eyes are on Tuscaloosa this weekend for the biggest game in college football and the LSU’s Traveling Tigers are making the trip as well. According to Alumni Engagement Travel Manager Ali Brooks the Bama trip sold out in July. Brooks says they will load up buses tomorrow morning in Baton Rouge and hit the road.

Cut 3 (12)   “…to Tuscaloosa” 

Brooks says even if you aren’t traveling with the group and will be in Alabama this weekend, Tiger fans can participate in events the group is holding before the game.

Cut 4 (11) “in Tuscaloosa.”

For more information about tickets to the all-inclusive tailgate visit lsu-alumni-dot-org.

Brooks says LSU was allotted five-thousand tickets for the game but she says many Tiger fans are being resourceful and finding tickets on the secondary market.

Cut 5 (11) “…ready for” 

____________________________________

Last night’s Presidential rally in Monroe may have been held to hype Eddie Rispone to north Louisiana Republicans, but impeachment ended up taking center stage for most of the night.

President Trump got some of his biggest applause lines of the night going after familiar targets like Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and the media over their handling of the Ukraine scandal…

Cut 6 (08) “…*boos*”

Eddie Rispone worked impeachment into his stump speech, using it to attack Governor Edwards’ party affiliation…

Cut 7 (11) “…me in”

The Edwards campaign says the attack was just another example of Rispone trying to make the local race about national issues.

And US Senator John Kennedy dropped maybe the most controversial line of the night and one that’s got him a lot of play on national TV this morning.

Cut 8 (12) “*cheers*.”

Kennedy made the comments in the context of President Trump’s economic record.

________________________

Turnout remains strong as the first four days of early voting has resulted in 295,000 showing up to the ballot box.  JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon says he would not be surprised if nearly 500,000 total votes are cast when early voting wraps up.  That’s a boost from the primary.

Cut 9 (06)  “…in the primary.”

Only one time has early voting broke the half-million mark and that was with 2016 President with 531,000 votes.

Couvillon says he predicts a Democratic surge on Saturday as data shows a disproportionate number of Democrats wait until the last minute to early vote.  As for which parish will likely see the biggest increase in voters versus the primary…

Cut 10 (07) “…was Orleans.”

Couvillon expects early voting to account for roughly a third of all votes cast in this election, with the overall participation in the runoff eclipsing the primary.

Cut 11 (08) “…in the primary..”

_______________________

Campaign finance reports are out for the late September to late October fundraising period and Eddie Rispone has seen a fundraising explosion since entering the run-off.

Rispone pulled in 2.9 million dollars during the period. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says that because Rispone has the full weight of the GOP behind him.

Cut  12 (11) “now” 

Edwards raised 5.2 million during the period.

Pinsonat says you’ll start to see a lot more local Republican money pour into the race because donors won’t have to fear playing favorites like in the primary.

Cut 13 (09) “…situation”

Both campaigns are sprinting to the finish line with just over a week left before voters hit the polls. Pinsonat says the campaigns need any donations in by Wednesday at the latest.

Cut 14 (07) “…Thursday.”

The election will be held next Saturday, November 16^th.

LSU is ranked second and not first in the first college football playoff rankings for 2019. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

__________________________________________

Eddie Rispone is hoping President Trump’s visit to Monroe tonight will put him in the Governor’s mansion. But a recent study indicates Trump may not be pushing voters as much as one would think. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut  2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”    

__________________________________________

To the surprise of some LSU fans, the Tigers are not number one in the first college football playoff ranking for the 2019 season. The selection committee ranked Ohio State ahead of LSU and Alabama is third. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says he’s not surprised with the Buckeyes getting the top spot…

Cut 3 (12)   “…and defense” 

Higgins says it’s probably better for LSU that they are ranked second behind Ohio State….

Cut 4 (12) “…about that.”

Penn State is ranked fourth in the first college football playoff rankings, the defending national champion Clemson Tigers are fifth. So two teams from the SEC and Big 10 are in the top four, but Higgins says that will change

Cut 5 (08) “…   self out” 

____________________________________

A study of the gubernatorial primary results show President Trump’s October rally in Lake Charles may have only had a slight boost at the ballot box.  LSU political researcher Dr. Michael Henderson says Trump may have only moved the needle in the Lake Charles region by about 2%, which resulted in an additional 2,000 GOP votes.

Cut 6 (11) “…avoid a runoff.”

Henderson says there is no evidence that the impeachment inquiry galvanized Republicans to oppose the Democrat Governor.

Cut 7 (11) “…remained pretty steady.”

Henderson says the question remains as to whether the continued tethering of Trump’s and Rispone’s parallels will result in Republican voters viewing the race through a partisan lens.

Cut 8 (08) “…all about partisanship.”

Trump continues to focus on the Governor’s race with an appearance in Monroe tonight and he’ll be in Bossier City on November 14th.

________________________

Public school report cards are out and the state’s overall performance score is up slightly, but more work needs to be done to improve struggling schools.

16 percent of schools scored an A, 32 percent a B, 29 percent a C, 14 percent a D, and nine percent a failing grade. Superintendent of Education John White compares that to last year.

Cut 9 (08)  “schools.”

The total number of school systems that earned an A rating jumped from four last year to nine this year.

By state metrics, overall quality is up, but a new federal rating metric, the Every Student Succeeds Act, has identified hundreds of problematic schools.

Cut 10 (11) “years.”

571 schools were identified under ESSA as having achieved low marks for two consecutive years in achievement for certain disadvantaged groups within the school.

White touts the work done to address problematic schools. He says 36 percent of those schools identified under ESSA have seen a three-point grade increase, compared to only 29 of schools overall.

Cut 11 (07) “…state.”

All 571 schools identified under ESSA must submit an action plan on how to address their overall problematic performance or their problematic performance with certain populations.

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Renown Pointe Coupee Parish Pulitzer-nominated author, and former UL Lafayette Writer-in-Residence Ernest Gaines passed away yesterday at 86.

Gaines was born on a plantation into a rural sharecropping family during the Great Depression, and told Jim Engster during an interview in 2008 that it wasn’t an easy upbringing…

Cut  12 (11) “…that way.” 

Gaines would eventually move to California in his teens because African Americans did not have a high school at that time in Pointe Coupee. Gaines returned home in the 80s after living in San Francisco.

Cut 13 (11) “…changed”

Gaines studied Literature at San Franciso State University before serving in the Army for two years.

Gaines found mass critical acclaim with his works The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman and A Lesson Before Dying, but saw a lot of himself in a protagonist from his 1963 short story, The Sky is Gray.

Cut 14 (07) “…everything.”

Much of Gaines’ work focuses on the experience of African Americans living in the Jim Crow south.

Monroe will be a gubernatorial campaigning hotspot tomorrow with visits from President Trump, GOP challenger Eddie Rispone, and Governor Edwards. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

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A Denham Springs man allegedly told authorities he drove a stolen electric shopping cart from Walmart to avoid getting a D-W-I. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut  2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo   

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President Trump visits Monroe tomorrow in support of GOP gubernatorial challenger Eddie Rispone.  Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Trump’s popularity is high in the state and could be a big motivating factor to get the Republican voters to the polls, especially those that supported Congressman Ralph Abraham in the primary.

Cut 3 (12)   “…deal for him” 

Governor Edwards will also be in Monroe tomorrow morning, addressing what President Trump is expected to say during his visit.  Edwards will gather campaign volunteers at Charles Johnson Children’s Park.

Pinsonat says Trump has a strong history of garnering voter turnout as evident by the results of the 2016 Presidential election.

Cut 4 (10) “…the big advantage.”

President Trump has an excellent rating on his job performance to the tune of 60-70% among white voters.  Pinsonat says Trump does not have the same outlook from black voters.

Cut 5 (08) “…a huge deal.”

The Trump event takes place at the Monroe Civic Center tomorrow night.

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A Denham Springs man is under arrest for stealing an electric shopping cart from a Walmart in Houma, allegedly to avoid getting a DWI.

Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson John DeSantis says 32-year-old Brice Kendell Williams had parked at one bar, started drinking, then decided to steal the cart and drive it to another bar.

Cut 6 (08) “…DWI.”

Deputies were alerted to the alleged theft by a security guard at the bar.

But DeSantis says there’s a problem with Mr. Williams’ logic; he still could’ve been charged with a DWI for drunk driving the cart.

Cut 7 (08) “…lawnmower.”

DeSantis says nothing in Mr. Williams’ report indicated that he had a disability that would have warranted use of the cart.

And Mr. Williams had to drive the cart more than a half-mile down the road, which could have led to a potentially fatal accident.

Cut 8 (08) “…himself”

Williams is facing felony unauthorized use of a moveable and a 2,500 dollar bond.

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A 23-year-old Prairieville man was arrested for allegedly impersonating a police officer and chasing another vehicle from Jefferson to St. Charles Parish.

St. Charles Sheriff’s Corporal James Grimaldi says that led to the pursued vehicle, a Dodge Charger, wrecking on Interstate 310. He adds witnesses report seeing Peyton Oubre’s Audi with emergency lights…

Cut 9 (12)  “violation.”

Emergency lights were allegedly later discovered when Oubre’s vehicle was searched.

Grimaldi says when questioned as to why he engaged in the high-speed chase, Oubre gave a cryptic answer…

Cut 10 (09) “details.”

Oubre also allegedly told deputies he chased down the Charger because it was being operated recklessly. Grimaldi says never take the law into your own hands on the road.

Cut 11 (07) “…details.”

Grimaldi says they do not believe the incident is related to another case of reported officer impersonation that occurred in St. Charles parish in October.

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The first college football playoff rankings for the 2019 season will be released tonight at 8 PM. Jerry Palm of cbs-sports-dot-com says either LSU or Ohio State will be ranked number one…

Cut  12 (06) “…Ohio State.” 

The Tigers have defeated three teams ranked in the A-P Top 10, while the undefeated Buckeyes have won by an average score of 40 points.

Palm believes Alabama will be ranked third in the College Football Rankings. He says despite injuries, the Crimson Tide are very talented, especially if quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is healthy…

Cut 13 (09) “…beating LSU”

Tua had surgery to fix a high ankle sprain following a win over Tennessee on October 20th. He’ll reportedly play against LSU this Saturday.

Palm says even if LSU loses this Saturday in Tuscaloosa, the Tigers could still be in the four-team college football playoff, because of the schedule they’ve played…

Cut 14 (10) “…against Texas.”

The Ukraine Scandal whistleblower wants to avoid a public hearing and submit answers in writing, but many Republicans say that’s not acceptable. Kevin Barnhart spoke with a member of the state’s Republican Congressional delegation…

Cut 1 (24) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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An anti-Eddie Rispone radio ad compares Republican gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone to David Duke. Matt Doyle has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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Bayou Teche Brewing and Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine release a beer brewed from gumbo.  Brooke Thorington has the story.

Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

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Republicans are blasting a request from the Ukrainian Scandal whistleblower seeking to submit written answers instead of publicly testifying at an impeachment inquiry hearing.  Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins says a desire for anonymity is understandable, but that can be done while still offering a chance to question the whistleblower in person…

Cut 4 (10) “…authorities.”

The whistleblower’s attorney requested not to have a public hearing. Higgins says they’re fairly confident they know who the whistleblower is, and that person is ethically compromised.

Cut 5 (13) “…a bind.”

Higgins says the whistleblower had contact with Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff prior to the complaint. The whistleblower’s attorneys say that’s not true.

The Congressman, who has access to information from previous classified hearings in the Ukraine investigation, says none of the information kept secret so far was worthy of this level of secrecy.

Cut 6 (06) “…pissed.”

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GOP gubernatorial challenger Eddie Rispone lashes out over a radio ad paid for by a New Orleans based political organization that compares Eddie Rispone with former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.  Rispone says the ad is offensive and says Governor Edwards needs to demand it to be retracted.

Cut 7 (10) “path.” 

The Edwards Campaign says they are not responsible for the ad.

But Black Organization for Leadership Development, the group that produced the radio ad isn’t backing down. BOLD Operations Chief Jay Banks says Rispone and Duke are peas in a pod.

Cut 8 (09) “…true”

Banks doesn’t understand why Rispone is mad. He says Duke and Rispone are both anti-New Orleans and anti-Medicaid.

Rispone says it’s a dirty campaign season smear that reflects poorly on Governor Edwards.

Cut 9 (07)  “things”

But Banks, a New Orleans City Councilman, says Rispone has buddied up to the President and brought the President’s divisive style of racial politics to Louisiana.

Cut 10 (08) “…Louisiana”

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Bayou Teche Brewing and Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine have combined forces to release Gumbo Stout, a craft beer aimed at capturing the spirit of the signature Louisiana dish. Brewery founder Karlos Knott says the beer was brewed around the flavor of a chicken and sausage gumbo.

Cut 11 (06) “…work together.”

Knott says the beer was inspired by the Mexican Michelada.

Cut  12 (12) “…version of that.” 

Knott says Bayou Teche is no stranger to beers based around the unique flavors of Louisiana foods, adding the different variations sell quickly.

Cut 13 (13) “…some Louisiana ducks.”

Gumbo Stout will be available for a limited time at select retailers around the state.

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As the election draws closer, GOP gubernatorial challenger Eddie Rispone is hoping to take the shine away from Governor John Bel Edwards.  Rispone’s recent attack on Edwards’ military service has drawn criticism and UL Lafayette poli sci professor Pearson Cross says it probably was not the best choice when there are other areas to highlight.

Cut 14 (09) “…at that time.” 

Cross expects Rispone to bring attention to Louisiana not seeing as much of the benefit from Trump’s handling of the national economy due to Baton Rouge politics.

Cut 15 (10) “…big wild card.”

Rispone criticized Edwards supporters for running ads that draw parallels between himself, President Trump, and former KKK leader David Duke, calling the comparisons dirty politics.  Cross expects it will only get dirtier from both sides.

Cut 16  (12)  …bets are off.  
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The hype is building towards Saturday’s SEC Showdown between top ranked LSU and second-ranked Alabama. But Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban doesn’t want his players to get involved in the hype or worry about the implications of the game…

Cut 17  (19)     on thAt  

Saban will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in June. Saban when he accepts the award in Natchitoches, he’ll accept it on behalf of others…

cut 18  (20) “own right” 

Saban says star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be a game-time decision to play as he continues to test his ankle that recently underwent surgery…

cut 19 (15)   “the plan