We’ve reached the home stretch of a what has been a lackluster State Treasurer’s race. Jeff Palermo looks at whether we’ll see an increase in attention before Saturday’s election…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Tropical Storm Ophelia has formed in the middle of the Atlantic, and it’s the 15th named storm for this very active season Michelle Southern has more…:

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A truck driver was killed this morning after he lost control of his vehicle on I-10 at the Butte La Rose exit in St. Martin Parish.  Louisiana State Police Master Trooper Brooks David (Dah-veed) says the accident caused a section I-10 eastbound to be closed while crews inspected the bridge…

Cut 3 (12) “is safe”

Officials were kept busy cleaning up the mess left behind for several hours, which consisted of a load of potatoes…

Cut 4  (06) “moved off” 

David says it was fortunate that more drivers weren’t hurt since the accident occurred at 5am…

Cut 5  (11)  “that crash.”

Police are withholding the identity of the driver pending family notification…

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Election Day is less than a week away for the special election to select a new State Treasurer. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says usually we see numerous ads in the days leading up to an election, but this quiet race to remain quiet…

Cut 6 (11)  “mailers”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler predicts a voter turnout below 20-percent.  Pinsonat says even political action committees are sitting this election out and they are know for producing memorable campaign ads

Cut 7 (08)   “year election” 

The state treasurer’s race features three Republican candidates, who have been able to raise some money. There’s also a Democrat, but he has failed to receive the endorsement of his own party. Pinsonat says none of these candidates have enough money to make a huge push before election day

Cut 8 (10) “same time”

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Financial help is being provided for the family of a slain Lafayette Police Officer.  44-year-old Corporal Michael Middlebrook was killed last week while responding to an aggravated assault call at a convenience store.  A specially dedicated fund will be able to assist the Middlebrook family. President Raymond Hebert (A-Bear) with the Community Foundation of Acadiana says…

Cut 9 (08)  “of duty.”

Hebert praised the city since the fund was established several years ago at the urging of Police Chief Toby Aguillard…

Cut 10 (11) “Heroes fund.”

Hebert has taken note of the help and support Lafayette and the surrounding area is willing to give…

Cut 11 (08) “dire time.”

Donations may be made through the website c-f-acadiana-dot-org/lafayette-p-d…

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The formation of Tropical Storm Ophelia in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean makes it 15 named storms during this very active Atlantic hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says 2005, the year Katrina struck New Orleans, is still the highest recorded year for activity…

Cut 12 (08) “on record.” 

This is currently the sixth most active hurricane season and the busiest since 2012. Why has this season been so active?  Keim explains it has to do with water surface temperatures…

Cut 13 (11)  “busy years.”

There have been three landfalls of named storms on Louisiana’s coast line. Tropical Storm Cindy in June, Hurricane Harvey in August and Hurricane Nate crossed over Plaquemines Parish on Saturday. Keim says Nate didn’t do much damage in Louisiana, but it was one of fastest storms to ever cross the Gulf of Mexico at 25-miles-per-hour.

Cut 14 (07) “velocity accelerate.”

Tropical Storm Ophelia is moving away from the U.S.

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Hurricane Nate could cause a slight increase in gas prices.  Kelley Ray has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kelley Ray”

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Former Governor from 1988 to 1992, Buddy Roemer, released a book about his childhood titled, Scopena: A Memoir of Home. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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State officials report minimal damage in Louisiana from Hurricane Nate. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (25) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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With the decline in diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, any hope of exporting Louisiana goods is shrinking.  State Agricultural Commissioner Mike Strain says working on the issues between the two nations is of top priority…

Cut 4  (08) “this work.”

A year ago, Governor John Bel Edwards and Strain led a delegation from Louisiana to Cuba to strength the relationship between the Bayou State and the island nation. The U.S, has ordered Cuban diplomats out of their embassy in Washington. Strain says it’s disappointing to see…

Cut 5  (06)  “to Cuba.”

Strain says if the trade embargo with Cuba is lifted it could mean millions of dollars for the state and the ag industry, so he’s hopeful the diplomatic relations can be restored…

Cut 6 (11) “to resolve.”

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Now that Hurricane Nate is a memory for Louisiana, what will that mean for gas prices?  Oil rigs from Louisiana to Alabama were shut down and the industry hasn’t fully recovered from Hurricane Harvey in August.  Don Redman from Triple-A says any increase in prices we see will be short lived…

Cut 7 (11)  “back down.”

Refineries are also gearing up to switch from the summer blend to winter grade gasoline, which Redman says could affect prices…

Cut 8 (11) “close down.”

Regardless of the storm, Redman says drivers are paying more on average than the last couple of years…

Cut 9 (09)  “$2.25.”

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s New Orleans office estimated less than 15 percent of the oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was shutdown before Tropical Storm Nate, providing over 254-thousand barrels of oil per day.

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Former Governor Buddy Roemer has released a memoir, published by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, of his early life in north Louisiana called, Scopena: A Memoir of Home. In the book, Roemer shares with his readers what is was like to grow up on his family’s cotton plantation in Bossier Parish. He says the story is really about his father and mother, Budgie and Adeline Roemer.

Cut 10 (12)  “the family”

Roemer suffered from a stroke in 2014. The former governor says he faced many social changes growing up during the 1950s and 60s. He says his father gave he and his siblings great guidance during the Civil Rights Movement.

Cut 11 (10) “were people”

Roemer was Governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992. He graduated from high school and immediately attended Harvard. Roemer says he decided to get into politics in his preteen years after practicing his public speaking while working in the cotton fields.

Cut 12 (10) “politics”

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After suffering the program’s first loss against a team from the Sun Belt Conference, the LSU Tigers bounced back with a 17-16 win victory over Florida in the Swamp. It was a hard fought victory for the Tigers, who finished with three freshmen on the offensive line because of injuries. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says his team would not be denied…

Cut 13 (07) “did that”

The week leading up to the Florida game was a rough one for the LSU football team. The criticism of Orgeron was intense and Coach O had to fire back at a couple of fans during his call-in radio shows. He says the team grew closer during the week…

Cut 14 (12) “at hand”

Some analysts said the LSU football team was soft after the loss to Troy. Orgeron says the Tigers took that criticism to heart…

Cut 15 (10) “it tonight”

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The Ragin Cajuns snapped a three-game losing streak by going on the road and beating Idaho 21-16. Head Coach Mark Hudspeth says his team never lost confidence…

Cut 16  (17)  “t0night”

In the Cajuns previous four games, UL Lafayette allowed 40 or more points in each contest. Hudspeth says the defense came to play in Idaho…

Cut 17 (10)  “the conference” 

A key stat in this game, was that Idaho was 5-of-17 on third downs. Hudspeth says they used the bye week to make some adjustments on defense..:

Cut 18 (16) “that showed” 

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Louisiana Tech also suffered a tough loss on Saturday as UAB blocked a 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to preserve a 23-22 win over the Bulldogs. KIcker Jonathan Barnes also missed an extra point to tie the game. Head Coach Skip Holtz is more upset about 10 penalties committed by his team..

Cut 19 (12) this point“

Louisiana Tech was a big favorite to win this game. Holtz on the upset loss..

cut 20 (15)  “be a battle” 

Tropical Storm Nate is projected to possibly hit the southeast Louisiana coast early Sunday morning as a Category 1 Hurricane. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The early voting period for the October 14th election concludes on Saturday at 6 PM and the Secretary of State’s office says the turnout for the first five days was not great. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A state of emergency has been declared for Louisiana as Tropical Storm Nate races toward the Gulf Coast.  Last summer, pumps failed to work when heavy rain fell in New Orleans.  Governor John Bel Edwards has the National Guard ready to move if needed if they fail again this weekend…

Cut 3 (11) “not running”

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Grand Isle and areas outside of levee protection in St. Bernard Parish.  He urges residents in those areas to follow what their local officials are telling them…

Cut 4  (08) “every precaution” 

With three major storms that have hit the U.S., relief agencies have been stretched thin in recent weeks.  Edwards says agencies will be ready to respond if needed…

Cut 5  (11)  “this storm”

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Tropical Storm Nate is still projected to hit the southeast Louisiana coast as a Category 1 Hurricane early Sunday morning. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Nate is moving quickly into the Gulf. He says the storm is expected to turn into a hurricane right before landfall.

Cut 6 (10)  “Sunday morning”

Keim says winds are projected to be over 75 miles per hour at landfall. He says along with wind and rain, storm surge will be the biggest problem associated with Nate.

Cut 7 (11)   “higher numbers” 

Keim says it is possible Nate could veer to the east and miss the Louisiana coast.

Cut 8 (09) “good thing.”

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Early voting for the October 14^th election, which concludes tomorrow, has been light. Secretary of State Tom Schedler (Shed-lure) expects a very light turnout from the two-point-nine million registered voters…

Cut 9 (11)  “voting turnout”

Schedler says the turnout might be even lower than 20-percent. The ballot includes a special election for state treasurer, a south Louisiana Public Service Commission seat, three constitutional amendments and the general New Orleans mayoral race, where 18 candidates are running.  He (Shed-lure) hopes the candidates will stir up more interest before next Saturday..

Cut 10 (11) “October 14th”

Schedler (Shed-lure) says the lack of items on some ballots will really affect turnout in some parishes…

Cut 11 (10) “have that”

Early voting will end this Saturday at 6pm.  The general election will be held October 14^th from 7 AM to 8 PM.

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Officials in St. Tammany Parish are gearing up for the possible landfall of Tropical Storm Nate as a Category 1 Hurricane. Parish President Pat Brister says all essential personnel are on alert and the emergency operations center will be up and running Saturday morning.

Cut 12 (10) “we get” 

Brister encourages residents to stay up-to-date on the forecasts and regular update will be available through the Parish’s social media sites. She says their main concern is flooded roadways…

Cut 13 (09)  “the time”

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The eye of Tropical Storm Nate could cross over the mouth of the Mississippi River as a Category 1 hurricane and Plaquemines Parish officials are preparing. Sheriff Jerry Turlich says one concern is the main travel route in Plaquemines Parish, Highway 23, could flood. He says Myrtle Grove is especially at risk so they are making traffic control preparations.

Cut 14 (07) “levees”

Turlich says the instillation of flood walls near the St. Bernard border have caused problematic flooding on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the past and they are predicting it could happen again. He reminds residents to take precautions.

Cut 15 (10) “protection”

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Louisiana has the highest savings for bundling auto and homeowners policies, according to data from insuranceQuotes. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The LSU Tigers are ranked as the nation’s fifth most-valuable college football program in a report out of Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus.  Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Governor John Bel Edwards held his first briefing on Nate and said they do anticipate that Louisiana will take a direct hit when it makes landfall. Kelley Ray reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m I’m Kelley Ray”

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New data from insuranceQuotes finds Louisianans who bundle their auto and home insurance could save an average of nearly 600 dollars a year. Senior insurance analyst Laura Adams says if you own a home and are a driver in the Bayou State, you can save about 19-percent on insurance. She says the key to getting these savings is….

Cut 4  (11) “be more”

Adams says bundling is an easy way to consumers to save money without sacrificing quality. She says the bundle rates vary from state to state.

Cut 5  (10)  “you live”

Adams says it’s a good idea to shop around with different providers. She also recommends getting quotes from your agent about how much you’d save versus if you bought a standalone policy.

Cut 6 (11) “quote you”

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The LSU Tigers are ranked as the nation’s fifth most-valuable college football program in a report out of Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus. The analysis, by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance, broke down each team’s available revenue and expenses from 2016. He found that if the Tigers were for sale, they’d be worth about $911 million dollars…:

Cut 7 (10)  “attendance records”

The report shows the SEC as a whole put five teams in the top 10, which would make it the most valuable conference averaging $523 million per team. Brewer says he also took into account the risk of fans switching to another team, so it’s not really surprising that the SEC ranked so high…:

Cut 8 (09) “cultural deal”

Brewer says, unlike the NFL, college football ratings have not seen declines over the last year; and they are actually near all-time highs. Though he looked at these numbers from last year, he doesn’t predict LSU’s football program being any less valuable if they have a losing season in 2017. He says when a fan base is mad, it’s good because it means they care…:

Cut 9 (13)  “generated more”

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Governor John Bel Edwards held his first briefing on Nate and said they do anticipate that Louisiana will take a direct hit when it makes landfall. He says the state is prepared, but people need to pay attention…:

Cut 10 (07)  “very quickly”

Edwards says Nate is expected to impact the area early Sunday morning, as either a strong tropical storm, or category one hurricane. He says that could change at anytime, and he encourages residents to monitor the updates, and follow directions you’re given from local authorities…:

Cut 11 (08) “on Saturday”

Edwards says he has asked President Donald Trump to declare a pre-landfall state of emergency in Louisiana. He says we can expect tropical storm force winds in beginning late Saturday in the southeastern portion of the state, with some areas feeling hurricane force winds…:

Cut 12 (11) “monitor pumps”

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Tropical Storm (Or Hurricane) Nate continues to make its way to the Gulf Coast with Louisiana in its sights.  David Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) with the National Hurricane Center says Gulf Coast residents need to remain alert this weekend…

Cut 13 (14) “hurricane”

The good news is Nate will not be as strong a storm as Harvey, Irma or Maria.  Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) explains why…:

Cut 14 (09) “down somewhat”

The big question is the timing of Nate, and when the Pelican State will be affected.  Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) says it’s still hard to pinpoint an exact time…:

Cut 15 (13) “Sunday Afternoon”

This will be the fourth named storm to reach U.S. Landfall this year.  The last storm to affect Louisiana was Tropical Storm Patricia in 2015 which caused flash flooding in parts of the state.

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The LSU Tigers take on No. 21 Florida tomorrow on the road, and not many people are giving The Bayou Bengals much of a chance in the Swamp. Associate Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says if LSU wants to start winning games, they are going to have to start playing a lot better. He says there are a lot of positives..:

Cut 16  (20)  “defines this game”

This is the game that was supposed to be played in Baton Rouge, but Hurricane Matthew forced the 2016 contest to be moved from Gainesville. But Moran says after losing to Troy in Death Valley last weekend, it might not be a bad thing for LSU to take a road trip. But he says on the offensive side of the ball, you’ve got to see some sort of progress from the Tigers…:

Cut 17 (20)  “it seems like” 

Kickoff is at 2:30pm on CBS. Coach O said that Derrius Guice is probably going to play tomorrow afternoon. Moran says the offense really needs to see Guice back to his old self, and running at full speed…:

Cut 18 (19) “the healthier he is the better” 

Louisiana has the highest savings for bundling auto and homeowners policies, according to data from insuranceQuotes. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The LSU Tigers are ranked as the nation’s fifth most-valuable college football program in a report out of Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus.  Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Governor John Bel Edwards held his first briefing on Nate and said they do anticipate that Louisiana will take a direct hit when it makes landfall. Kelley Ray reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m I’m Kelley Ray”

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New data from insuranceQuotes finds Louisianans who bundle their auto and home insurance could save an average of nearly 600 dollars a year. Senior insurance analyst Laura Adams says if you own a home and are a driver in the Bayou State, you can save about 19-percent on insurance. She says the key to getting these savings is….

Cut 4  (11) “be more”

Adams says bundling is an easy way to consumers to save money without sacrificing quality. She says the bundle rates vary from state to state.

Cut 5  (10)  “you live”

Adams says it’s a good idea to shop around with different providers. She also recommends getting quotes from your agent about how much you’d save versus if you bought a standalone policy.

Cut 6 (11) “quote you”

________________________________________________________

The LSU Tigers are ranked as the nation’s fifth most-valuable college football program in a report out of Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus. The analysis, by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance, broke down each team’s available revenue and expenses from 2016. He found that if the Tigers were for sale, they’d be worth about $911 million dollars…:

Cut 7 (10)  “attendance records”

The report shows the SEC as a whole put five teams in the top 10, which would make it the most valuable conference averaging $523 million per team. Brewer says he also took into account the risk of fans switching to another team, so it’s not really surprising that the SEC ranked so high…:

Cut 8 (09) “cultural deal”

Brewer says, unlike the NFL, college football ratings have not seen declines over the last year; and they are actually near all-time highs. Though he looked at these numbers from last year, he doesn’t predict LSU’s football program being any less valuable if they have a losing season in 2017. He says when a fan base is mad, it’s good because it means they care…:

Cut 9 (13)  “generated more”

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Governor John Bel Edwards held his first briefing on Nate and said they do anticipate that Louisiana will take a direct hit when it makes landfall. He says the state is prepared, but people need to pay attention…:

Cut 10 (07)  “very quickly”

Edwards says Nate is expected to impact the area early Sunday morning, as either a strong tropical storm, or category one hurricane. He says that could change at anytime, and he encourages residents to monitor the updates, and follow directions you’re given from local authorities…:

Cut 11 (08) “on Saturday”

Edwards says he has asked President Donald Trump to declare a pre-landfall state of emergency in Louisiana. He says we can expect tropical storm force winds in beginning late Saturday in the southeastern portion of the state, with some areas feeling hurricane force winds…:

Cut 12 (11) “monitor pumps”

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Tropical Storm (Or Hurricane) Nate continues to make its way to the Gulf Coast with Louisiana in its sights.  David Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) with the National Hurricane Center says Gulf Coast residents need to remain alert this weekend…

Cut 13 (14) “hurricane”

The good news is Nate will not be as strong a storm as Harvey, Irma or Maria.  Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) explains why…:

Cut 14 (09) “down somewhat”

The big question is the timing of Nate, and when the Pelican State will be affected.  Zelinsky (Zuh-lin-ski) says it’s still hard to pinpoint an exact time…:

Cut 15 (13) “Sunday Afternoon”

This will be the fourth named storm to reach U.S. Landfall this year.  The last storm to affect Louisiana was Tropical Storm Patricia in 2015 which caused flash flooding in parts of the state.

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The LSU Tigers take on No. 21 Florida tomorrow on the road, and not many people are giving The Bayou Bengals much of a chance in the Swamp. Associate Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says if LSU wants to start winning games, they are going to have to start playing a lot better. He says there are a lot of positives..:

Cut 16  (20)  “defines this game”

This is the game that was supposed to be played in Baton Rouge, but Hurricane Matthew forced the 2016 contest to be moved from Gainesville. But Moran says after losing to Troy in Death Valley last weekend, it might not be a bad thing for LSU to take a road trip. But he says on the offensive side of the ball, you’ve got to see some sort of progress from the Tigers…:

Cut 17 (20)  “it seems like” 

Kickoff is at 2:30pm on CBS. Coach O said that Derrius Guice is probably going to play tomorrow afternoon. Moran says the offense really needs to see Guice back to his old self, and running at full speed…:

Cut 18 (19) “the healthier he is the better” 

Visitation is today for the Lafayette Police officer killed while responding to an incident at a convenience store. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Emergency preparedness planners are gearing up for a possible hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. Michael Farrar has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

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An LSU researcher finds that a fish which can be found along the coast from Texas to Maine has reduced in size because of the rise of ocean temperatures. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Visitation is today at Our Savior’s Church for fallen Lafayette Police Officer Cpl. Michael Middlebrook who was killed during an exchange of gunfire at a convenience store last weekend. Police Chief Toby Aguillard says Middlebrook was born in Thibodeaux and had a stellar nine year career with Lafayette PD.

Cut 4  (08) “our city”

Middlebrook was allegedly shot by 28-year-old Ian Howard who is in jail without bond and charged with first degree murder. Aguillard says Governor John Bel Edwards presented Middlebrook with the Heart of Law Enforcement award for his charity on and off duty.

Cut 5  (11)  “less fortunate”

Middlebrook leaves behind a wife, a three year old child and two step daughters. Aguillard says Middlebrook cared about this community and he is an enormous loss to the department and leaves a void behind in Lafayette. He says when officers arrived on the scene when Middlebrook was shot, they kneeled in respect then took off in pursuit of the man who shot their brother.

Cut 6 (09) “of done”

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20 people have been arrested after an investigation into drug trafficking in Winn Parish. 11 of those individuals face federal charges and 10 will be brought up on state charges. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District Alexander Van Hook says the defendants facing federal charges are involved in a plan to distribute large amounts of methamphetamines in and around Winnfield.

Cut 7 (11)  “imprisonment”

They can also face fines up to 10 million dollars. Van Hook says the investigation began back in April of 2016. He says the one individual not yet arrested is Cristina Santos, who is thought to be the ringleader and authorities believe she is in the Los Angeles area and those facing federal charges have been indicted on 13 counts.

Cut 8 (07) “methamphetamines “

Winn Parish Sheriff Cranford Jordan says these arrests came through the partnership of the FBI, State Police, Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Justice. He says the investigation began as a result of a lot of crime in the Winnfield area.

Cut 9 (10)  “domestic abuse”

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Tropical Depression number 16 is along the Nicaragua coast, but it’s expected to keep heading north and be a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend.  National Hurricane Specialist Robbie Berg says a landfall along the Gulf Coast is likely on Sunday….

Cut 10 (05)  “at this point”

Berg says there is a complex steering pattern that will guide the system towards the United States…

Cut 11 (07) “Gulf of Mexico”

Berg says the developing storm will interact with land as it crawls along the Nicaraguan and Honduras coast, plus it may go over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula…

Cut 12 (11) “bit difficult”

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New research suggests an economically important fish is shrinking due to the rising temperatures of the ocean. LSU Boyd Professor Eugene Turner says the Menhaden (man-hayden), a small silver fish, make up half of the US commercial fish harvest by weight, and they have reduced in size by about 15 percent over the past 65 years. He says there is less oxygen in warmer water…:

Cut 13 (12) “warmer temperatures”

Turner says this trend is occurring with other sea life too, and the data shows a decline in annual eight and length among 3,4 and 5 year old fish…:

Cut 14 (10) “lesser amounts of time”

Turner says Menhaden had a dockside value of about $129 million dollars in 2013, and that dollar amount will continue to go down the smaller the fish get. He says they don’t see the trend changing if the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans continue to warm…:

Cut 15 (08) “in the 60s”

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After Saturday’s disappointing loss to Troy, LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron said a meeting occurred involving himself, athletic director Joe Alleva and the two coordinators. Oregeron says he and Alleva meet weekly and he thought it was good to bring in Dave Aranda and Matt Canada too…

Cut 16  (10)  “very positive”

The other news from the SEC coaches teleconference is that Jacoby Stevens is back on defense. Stevens was the nation’s top safety prospect for the Class of 2017 coming out of Tennessee, but the coaching staff decided to use him at wide receiver. This week, Stevens has been working the defensive backs and Orgeron says that’s where he’ll stay

Cut 17 (23)  “respect him” 

ULM is a 6-point favorite heading into Saturday’s road game at Texas State. The Warhawks have won two in a row, while the Bobcats have lost four straight. Coach Matt Viator is not expecting an easy win in San Marcos

Cut 18 (25) “of game” 

Louisiana Tech is at UAB on Saturday. Bulldogs Quarterback J’Mar Smith goes in as the one of the highest ranked QBS in Conference USA as he’s averaging 264 yards a game. Head Coach Skip Holtz likes how Smith is spreading the ball around to his receivers…

Cut 19 (22) his growth “

Holtz says he’s impressed with Blazers quarterback A-J Erdely who has five rushing touchdowns to go along with six passing touchdowns and just one interception…

cut 20 (22)  “every week” 

Former Marksville marshal Norris Greenhouse Jr. was formally sentenced today for his involvement in the shooting death of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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After a search warrant, police found the LSU fraternity pledge who passed away last month may have drunk an excessive amounts of alcohol by playing a drinking game. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Depression number 16 has formed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea and move into the Gulf of Mexico this weekend as Tropical Storm Nate. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the the storm has the potential to strengthen into a hurricane…

Cut 3 (08) “of landfall”

The official forecast track calls for this system to become a hurricane and make landfall this weekend anywhere between the Alabama-Mississippi line to Tampa, Florida. Keim says it’s not too late in the season for a hurricane in the Gulf….

Cut 4  (12) “weaker hurricane” 

Keim says there is a lot of uncertainty with this tropical system in the Carribbean, so he advises Louisiana residents to monitor future forecasts…

Cut 5  (07)  “very, very seriously”

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Police records indicate the LSU fraternity pledge who died last month may have consumed an excessive amount of alcohol as a result of a drinking game. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Louisiana has a law that holds someone responsible for causing an overdose by injecting or consuming illegal drugs but there isn’t a similar statute for alcohol, so he says the fraternity members involved may not face felony charges.

Cut 6 (10)  “evidence”

Meche says to charge these students with a hazing crime, would also be difficult. He says it’s a relatively new statute and not many regulations are attached to it.

Cut 7 (10)   “organized effort” 

Meche says he doesn’t expect any new laws following Max Gruver’s death, because the alcohol and beverage lobby in Louisiana is one of the most powerful in the nation.

Cut 8 (10) “criminally”

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If you’ve been feeling more allergy symptoms than normal for this time of year, fall allergies are expected to be worse for sufferers thanks to hotter, muggier weather. Dr. Sanjay Kamboj is an Allergy and Immunology Associate Professor at LSU Health New Orleans. He says ragweed counts are high right now, and they’re seeing more and more patients coming in with worse symptoms…:

Cut 9 (10)  “post-nasal drip”

Kamboj says if you’re prone to bad allergies, there are several things you can do to prevent symptoms. He says you should clean your nose twice a day with saline nasal spray, then follow with nasal steroids…:

Cut 10 (10) “over the counter”

Kamboj says if over-the-counter remedies do not seem to work, and avoidance of fall pollen is not enough, that’s when it’s time to see an allergist. He says in terms of prevention, keeping windows and doors closed and running the air conditioning should help….:

Cut 11 (09) “allergens”

LSU Health New Orleans measures pollen in the air and reports counts every day.

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State Police are awaiting autopsy results on an infant that was found dead in a dumpster in Tensas Parish. Media reports say the grisly discovery was made at Tensas Elementary School. Senior Trooper Michael Reichardt says once the autopsy is completed they’ll have a better idea what happened…

Cut 12 (10) “investigation” 

Reichardt says the infant was found dead Monday morning…

Cut 13 (07)  “come back”

Reichardt says they anticipate they’ll have more information soon…

Cut 14 (06) “other people”

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Norwegian Cruise Line has announced it’s sending Norwegian Breakaway to sail from New Orleans beginning November 2018. Michael Farrar reports..:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

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Police records indicate the LSU fraternity pledge who died last month may have consumed an excessive amount of alcohol as a result of a drinking game. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Southeastern has new scholarships to attract high achieving students. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (32) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Norwegian Cruise Line has announced it’s sending the Norwegian Breakaway to sail from New Orleans beginning November 2018. This will be the largest cruise vessel ever to sail out of The Big Easy. Port of New Orleans spokesperson Donnell Jackson says this ship is over 1,000 feet and will hold about 4,000 passengers..:

Cut 4  (10) “from The Big Easy”

The ship will undergo a two-week dry dock in spring 2018 with standard upgrades to public spaces and staterooms such as new flooring and furniture. Jackson says the Norwegian Breakaway will delight cruisers of all ages…:

Cut 5  (09)  “as well as an aqua park”

Jackson says the Norwegian Breakaway will sail seven, ten and 11 day seasonal cruises…:

Cut 6 (13) “Belize”

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Louisiana is set to receive 55-million dollars in federal grant money to improve the reading and writing skills of struggling students. State department of education spokesperson Sydni Dunn says the state will receive 18.5 million dollars each year for the next three years and they already know how the money will be allocated

Cut 7 (08)  “their proposed plans”

State Superintendent John White says only 36-percent of Louisiana children are able to read and write on grade level by fourth grade. Dunn says this grant will accelerate the learning of all students reading below grade level

Cut 8 (08) “practices”

Dunn says Louisiana is one of 11 states selected to benefit from the federal grand and the only state to receive it three consecutive times

Cut 9 (11)  “our effort”

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Southeastern Louisiana University has new scholarships available to attract high achieving students. Senior Director of University Marketing Mike Rivault says SLU has always been ranked highly in terms of graduating students with low debt. He says they created this scholarship to applaud students who performed well in high school and will continue that in college.

Cut 10 (11)  “covered”

Rivault says in state students can also receive TOPS on top of this scholarship. He says eligible students can receive this scholarship if they apply before January 15^th, 2018.

Cut 11 (10) “otherwise have”

Students with an ACT score of 30 or higher could receive the highest scholarship amount, which is 7-thousand dollars. Rivault says earlier this year, Southeastern launched the Promise program which locked tuition rates at the same cost if the student promises to graduate in four years. He says this new scholarship along with Southeastern Promise gives students a great education at a great value.

Cut 12 (11) “to you”

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The National Hurricane Center is watching an area of low pressure in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, which has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression as it moves toward the Gulf of Mexico. Senior hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart says the disturbed weather will move north past Nicaragua and Honduras

Cut 13 (12) “by Friday”

Stewart says this system could move into the Gulf of Mexico by the weekend….

Cut 14 (12) “week or so”

Stewart says sea surface temperatures are still warm, which can help develop this system in a named storm. But he says atmospheric winds can hinder growth….

Cut 15 (10) “the atmosphere”

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Injured LSU players are starting to come back to the field. Running back Derrius Guice, right tackle Toby Weathersby, H-back J-D Moore and nose tackle Ed Alexander could return this Saturday when the Tigers visit Florida. Starting defensive end Rashard Lawrence says he’s playing….

Cut 16  (11)  “on always”

Lawrence is considered one of LSU’s best defensive linemen, but he’s missed three of the last four games because of ankle injuries. The Tigers have lost two of those games and in both games they were beaten badly at the line of scrimmage. Lawrence is anxious to get back on the field, especially against Florida, who won in Tiger Stadium last year….

Cut 17 (12)  “disrespected yes” 

Head Coach Ed Orgeron says he plans on playing starting quarterback Danny Etling all four quarters. But Etling says he will not change his preparation

Cut 18 (15) “coached to do” 

Orgeron also says he’s staying out of the offense, after asking offensive coordinator Matt Canada to simply the offense. It didn’t work against Troy, so expect to more shifts and motion this Saturday. Starting Center Will Clapp likes what Canada is trying to do….

Cut 19 (10) they should do “

A Houma couple was attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival when their night of fun turned into terror. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Saints Coach Sean Payton says it’s obvious the US needs common sense gun control after the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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What Houma natives Holly and Tracy Pitre thought would be an evening of dancing and fun at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas turned into a night of terror. Holly Pitre says she was hit with an intuition that Las Vegas could be a target for a terror attack during the concert. So as Jason Alden’s show started they decide to back away from the stage and that’s when gunshots started ringing out…

Cut 3 (10) “going wild”

Holly Pitre says they were the lucky ones who happened to be at the right place at the right time to avoid being killed or injured.

Cut 4  (12) “our life” 

Tracy Pitre had never been to Las Vegas before. Pitre says he’s thankful he and his wife weren’t drinking at the concert because it took a clear mind to get out of a situation like that. He says the gunshots were echoing in the buildings.

Cut 5  (10)  “wouldn’t end”

The Pitre’s were able to safely get back to their hotel, the Luxor, hours later.

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State Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasters are keeping an eye on a broad area of low pressure down near the Yucatan peninsula, as the National Hurricane Center gives it a 30% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone…:

Cut 6 (07)  “should be”

Keim says there is also another wave that’s moving into Florida right now from the east, and heading toward the Gulf of Mexico. But he says there is a zero percent change this system will develop over the next five days…:

Cut 7 (09)   “tropical activity” 

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A Mississippi man, who told authorities he was on his way to see a voodoo doctor, has been arrested after crashing through a fence at the Slidell Municipal Airport. Detective Daniel Seuzeneau with the Slidell Police Department says police received a call yesterday morning of a vehicle that ran into a utility pole. He says when authorities arrived 43-year-old Kevin Bolton told them he thought he was being chased by police.

Cut 8 (10) “Slidell”

Seuzeneau says Bolton has been charged with careless operation and hit and run. He says when they found Bolton, he was barely clothed.

Cut 9 (11)  “of work”

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Saints Coach Sean Payton says current gun laws are flawed and frustrating as he spoke about gun control in light of the massacre that occurred in Las Vegas during a country music concert. In a conference call with beat reporters, Payton says the current system in our country right now is not working…:

Cut 10 (10) “better that way”

Payton says he made these same statements after the shooting of former Saints player Will Smith, who was tragically killed in a road rage incident. He says it seems like incidents like this keep coming up over and over, and it’s not good when you draw parallels with other countries..:

Cut 11 (08) “and it’s obvious”

Payton says if people don’t like his position for common sense gun control, that’s tough. He says you can either quietly sit and do nothing, or speak up about what he calls a clear problem in our country…:

Cut 12 (06) “it’s madness” 

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State Police are investigating an officer involved shooting in West Monroe that left one person dead yesterday afternoon. Trooper Michael Reichardt says a Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputy made a vehicle stop on Guyton Road…

Cut 13 (06)  “fatal injuries”

Reichardt says no one else was injured during this incident. He says they are working to determine what happened leading up to the fatal shooting.

Cut 14 (09) “their job”

(The arrest affidavit says the driver pulled a gun from his waistband and one of two deputies fired his weapon, killing the driver.

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LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says many voters don’t know there is a state treasurer race coming up this month, and even fewer care. Michael Farrar reports..:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

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Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley is reassuring those attending Flambeau Fest that it will be a safe weekend. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A Baton Rouge business owner tells the story of her horrifying experience when a gunman opened fired on a country concert in Las Vegas. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Early voting for the October 14th election is underway, and most people still don’t know about the race for state treasurer. That’s according to LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford who says even donors aren’t writing checks the way the normally do. He says that’s partly because wealthy leaders and activists have just been through an active three year election cycle…:

Cut 4  (09) “on TV”

Alford says since the state treasurer candidates don’t have very big war chests, they are limited in what they can spend on exposure which leads to lack of voter engagement. He also says those in the running aren’t actually talking about the job, because it’s boring…:

Cut 5  (09)  “the race for treasurer”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler predicts turnout for this race will be below 20%. Alford also doesn’t see interest in this election spiking during the runoff. He says voters might start seeing some more commercials from the candidates now until election day…:

Cut 6 (07) “voters’ attention”

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This weekend’s Flambeau Music Festival takes place in Ascension Parish and authorities are assuring ticketholders that safety will be of the utmost importance after Sunday night’s attack at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas. Sheriff Jeff Wiley says preparation is the best plan for a safe and enjoyable concert.

Cut 7 (10)  “somewhere else”

Wiley says it is their responsibility to move forward and reassure that the concert at Lamar Dixon Center in Gonzales will be a safe place. He hopes no one decides not to attend given what happened in Las Vegas.

Cut 8 (12) “Lamar Dixon”

Wiley says recently, Ascension Parish hosted the balloon festival and is up to the task of protecting concertgoers. He says security will be widespread and obvious.

Cut 9 (07)  “or two”

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The three candidates for the south Louisiana Public Service Commissioner seat faced off at a forum at the Baton Rouge Press Club. Dr. Craig Greene, an orthopedic surgeon from Maringouin, has never held political office and is running for the position. He says his goal is to represent the ratepayer and provide reliability and affordably to customers.

Cut 10 (11)  “every year”

Former state Representative from Houma Lenar Whitney proudly stated at the forum that she is the most conservative in the race. Whiney says there is a serious need for good conservative rulings and legislation. She says Louisiana needs to keep its low rates.

Cut 11 (11) “enterprise”

Interim Public Service Commissioner Damon Baldone of Houma says he is the candidate most committed to the job. Baldone was appointed by the governor four months ago and is ready to continue his service as an elected official.

Cut 12 (11) “this term”

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A Baton Rouge business owner was in a shuttle near the Mandalay Bay Hotel as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on a country music concert. Allie Wester, owner of Weddings by Allie, says she’s in town for a wedding planning conference and was Snapchatting when all of a sudden her shuttle driver started driving at a high rate of speed.

Cut 13 (10) “Paris Hotel”

Wester says at the time she didn’t realize how serious this situation was. She says once she and her friend got settled at their hotel, they walked outside to hundreds of people running down the street screaming active shooter. She says they ended up separated so she followed employees to the staff parking lot to take cover.

Cut 14 (11) “your rooms”

Wester says she was not able to return into her hotel room until after 5 am. She says when she saw people running down the street, she saw the fear of God in their eyes.

Cut 15 (10) “of me”

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There are many problems with the LSU football team, but a recurring issue for the last several years has been the lack of consistent production from the offense. Head Coach Ed Orgeron asked offensive coordinator Matt Canada to simplify the offense before the upset loss to Troy, now Coach “O” says he’s backing away

Cut 16  (20)  “clean up”

Tiger nation is frustrated over the Tigers 3-2 start and some already calling for the firing of Ed Orgeron. Coach “O” says he’s unaware that the fan base has put him on the hot seat…

Cut 17 (20)  “my control” 

Defensive end Christian LaCouture says it’s disrespect and absurd for fans to say Orgeron should be fired after just five games

Cut 18 (15) “it’s us” 

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After a bye week, the Ragin Cajuns get back to work as they’ll face Idaho for a four PM kick-off. UL-Lafayette started its season with a win over Southeastern Louisiana, but they’ve lost three straight, including a double-overtime defeat in their last game against ULM. Coach Mark Hudspeth says the bye week came at a good time…

Cut 19 (20)  to Idaho “

In 2014, the Cajuns started 1-3, but finished with nine victories, including a bowl win versus Nevada. Hudspeth is hoping for the same kind of turn around…

cut 20 (18)  “can happen”