Lawyers representing Alton Sterling’s children file a wrongful death lawsuit in state court seeking unspecified damages. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The state will study whether it would be a good idea to raise the minimum age to buy smokes to 21. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

Tiger fans will soon have a new brew of their own, as Louisiana’s own Community Coffee gears up to launch an LSU Blend full-bodied special dark roast coffee. Community Coffee spokesperson Jodi Conachen says the Baton Rouge based company was born wanted to honor its roots. She says all fans of the purple and gold will love the new LSU Blend.

Cut 3 (10) “your Tigers”

Conachen says this is a great way for a local company to show support for their flagship university. She says the LSU Blend will launch in July and run through football season.

Cut 4  (09) “Winn Dixie”

Conachen says the special dark roast blend is already extremely popular in Tiger Country. She says they believe Tiger fans will enjoy the coffee and showing off their love for the Bayou Bengals.

Cut 5  (09)  “a little while”

________________________________________________

This year’s Fourth of July gas prices are the lowest since 2005. Senior petroleum analyst Patrick Dehaan with GasBuddy.com says prices have been sliding over the last few weeks. He says believe it or not, prices at the pump are lower now than they were on January 1.

Cut 6 (09) “hit the road”

Dehaan says if you’re driving on the Fourth, expect roadways to be crowded as families take advantage of the drop in gas prices. He says prices usually peak around May when refineries finish up maintenance and transition to summer grade gasoline, and we usually see a slight decline after that.

Cut 7 (08)  “at the pump”

Dehaan says prices are even cheaper now than they were this time last year. He says Louisiana drivers will save even more compared to other parts of the country. The statewide average of $2.06 a gallon is well below the national average of $2.25.

Cut 8 (08) “refining capacity”

_________________________________________________________

Lawyers representing Alton Sterling’s children have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baton Rouge, it’s police department and police chief and the two white police officers involved in last summer’s fatal shooting of the black man. Attorney Chris Stewart says a culture of racial bias among Baton Rouge cops fueled the shooting…

Cut 9 (09)  “BRPD”

The U.S. Justice Department has already said they will not pursue charges against Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake the 2nd.  Salamoni fired six bullets into the 37-year-old man’s body after a brief physical struggle. But Attorney Michael Adams says Sterling’s children lost a father because of poor police training and racist attitudes

Cut 10 (12) “racial bias”

Adams says they’ll use testimony from current and former Baton Rouge Police officers to back up their case that there is a pattern of racist behavior and excessive force by the B-R-P-D….

Cut 11 (08) “get there”

he lawsuit was filed in state court in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge Police Department is not commenting. Adams says the suit seeks unspecified damages…

Cut 12 (11)  “5 children “

__________________________________________________________

A House Resolution out of the recent legislative session calls on the State Health Department to study the feasibility of increasing the age to purchase tobacco produces to 21. It’s by West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman who says one of the things they want the state to examine is the impact of being more mature before you can buy smokes..:

Cut 13 (11) “to do”

Hoffman has gotten behind many anti-smoking measures as a legislator including tobacco tax increases and laws against lighting up on a school campus. He knows there will be some push back to this idea, but he says people who are former smokers will approve…:

Cut 14 (09) “start smoking”

Hoffman says the study will be completed before the start of the next regular legislative session. He says there is evidence that increasing the age limit would mean more people would never consider smoking..:

Cut 15 (04) “start at all”

____________________________________________________________

Two new laws were passed to address the opioid epidemic, but East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. Beau Clark says more can still be done. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Edwards administration is very concerned about the Republican Senate healthcare bill, while others are encouraged. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

LSU’s backs are against the wall again. Jeff Palermo reports the Tigers need to win tonight to force a third and deciding game of the CWS championship series…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

__________________________________

Even after lawmakers passed two laws aimed at addressing the state’s opioid epidemic, experts say more can be done to solve the growing problem. East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. Beau Clark says the new laws are phase one, which is to stop creating new addicts by limiting opioid prescriptions. But he says many people are already living with an addiction, and they need treatment.

Cut 4  (10) “takes place”

Clark says the challenge with treating these people is that rehabs are not funded on the state level, which is why many addicts end up in prisons. He says addiction is an illness that belongs in a medical facility, not the judicial system. But he says that takes money.

Cut 5  (11)  “the right thing”

In 2016, 34 people died of heroin overdoses in East Baton Rouge Parish, and there’s already been 20 overdose deaths in 2017. Clark says another key component to addressing the opioid epidemic is getting drug dealers off the streets. He says it will take law enforcement targeting drug cartels that bring heroin into the state.

Cut 6 (11) “their addiction” 

________________________________________________________

A father and son have been cited for killing a Louisiana black bear in Iberia Parish. Adam Einck with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says agents found the bear shot to death in November of 2015. He says the bullet was pulled from the bear during a necropsy.

Cut 7 (09)  “from the bear”

Einck says an extensive investigation followed resulting in the citation against 59-year-old Elie Dupre and his 15-year-old son. Both are from New Iberia. He says the charge of illegally killing a Louisiana black bear carries serious penalties.

Cut 8 (10) “ten thousand dollars”

The bear was a 9-year-old female that was part of a long term monitoring program and wore a tracking device. Einck says while this bear provided a lot of essential data to LDWF, it’s important to protect all Louisiana black bears because they are a protected species.

Cut 9 (11)  “it is disturbing”

__________________________________________________________

The Republican Senate healthcare bill has the Edwards administration very concerned about the future of healthcare in Louisiana. State Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee says if passed as is, the bill would result in up to 500,000 Louisianans losing their insurance.

Cut 10 (11) “affordable care now”

Gee says this bill also does not address one of the biggest concerns that came after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, like the rising cost of health insurance. She says the Senate’s plan will actually drive up insurance costs even more.

Cut 11 (09) “problem worse”

Gee says this healthcare bill could also impact the state’s economy. She says it ties healthcare reimbursement to medical inflation. She says that could mean Louisiana’s budget would upswing up to a billion dollars from one year to the next.

Cut 12 (09) “lot of tweaking”

Supporters of the bill say it will save federal dollars and lower insurance premiums for patients. Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills likes that the bill repeals the federal mandate to purchase insurance. He says it all comes down to making healthcare affordable for as many people as possible.

Cut 13 (10) “did not comply”

____________________________________________________________

A three-run fourth inning was the difference last night as Florida held on for a 4-3 victory over the LSU Tigers in Game 1 of the championship series of the CWS. LSU starting pitcher Russell Reynolds was excellent through three innings, but three consecutive walks in the 4th inning led to three Florida runs. LSU Coach Paul Mainieri wishes he took Reynolds out after the 3rd inning…

Cut 14 (10) “back fired”

Despite the 3-0 deficit in the 4th inning, LSU battled back to close the gap to one run on two occasions, but couldn’t get over the hump. Mainieri says it was a great effort by his players…

Cut 15 (11) “shot tonight”

LSU needs to win tonight to send the series to a third and deciding game. Mainieri says he’s still confident the Tigers can win their seventh national championship, because of the starting pitchers that are scheduled to throw in Games 2 and 3…

Cut 16 (12)  “long stretch”

Students fees are going up at most of the colleges within the University of Louisiana System, but the hike is the lowest increase in a decade. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The USDA awards nearly one million dollars to the LSU AgCenter for honeybee research. Don Molino reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

The LSU AgCenter receives nearly one million dollars from the USDA for honeybee research. Entomologist Kristen Healy says any given year there’s higher than normal losses in honeybee colonies, and many studies look at what stressors contributes to these losses. One factor they’ll look at is the mite population in the hives. She says Varroa mites can be devastating to honeybee colonies.

Cut 3 (11) “these colonies”

Healy says it’s important to protect the bee population because one out of every three bites of food we eat relies on bees for pollination. She says the mites also transmit pathogens to the bees, and they’ll study the effects of those diseases, like the deformed wing virus.

Cut 4  (09) “transmitting as well”

Healy says they also want to study movement as a stressor. She says beekeepers move their colonies around the country for pollination services every year, including almond pollination in California. She says researches will look at stress physiology in the bees after these migrations.

Cut 5  (08)  “for example”

The AgCenter’s $935,000 grant is one of seven handed out to universities to study pollinators.

________________________________________________

Universities within the UL system will see their lowest fee increase in a decade, as their Board of Supervisors approved a hike of less than three percent for the nine public colleges. Fee increases range from $98 to $212. UL System president Dr. Jim Henderson says Louisiana still ranks dead last in total resources per student among southern states.

Cut 6 (09) “per student”

Henderson says because the TOPS award has been decoupled from tuition and fee increases, the taxpayer funded scholarship will not cover the cost of this increase for students. The increase will cost students an extra 108-dollars on average. But Henderson says college students will pay less for their education this year, because TOPS is fully funded

Cut 7 (08)  “two thousand dollars”

Henderson says while any increase in out of pocket costs is significant for students, the hike is necessary to provide classroom resources and compete to retain and recruit faculty. He says compared to other states in the region, Louisiana ranks 7^th for tuition and fees per student, but 15^th in state support. He hopes with more state support, he can one day announce no fee increases on students.

Cut 8 (09) “to increase”

Grambling State University and the University of New Orleans are the only two institutions not to increase fees this year.

_________________________________________________________

A tourist visiting New Orleans remained in critical condition at last report after a brutal beating during a robbery in the French Quarter. NOPD Chief Michael Harrison says the entire incident was caught on video:

Cut 9 (09)  “coming for you”

Investigators are seeking assistance in identifying and locating four suspects wanted in connection with the second degree robbery. Harrison says they are also asking for additional video from the community if it’s out there…:

Cut 10 (08) “community’s help”

Harrison says there were two victims and they were in town visiting from the Boston area. Harrison said the incident occurred shortly before 9pm Saturday night…:

Cut 11 (06) “incident happened”

_________________________________________________________

A strong contingent of LSU fans are making their way to Omaha for tonight’s Game One of the championship series of the College World Series. Baton Rouge resident Jacques Berry is a lifelong LSU fan, who decided shortly after the Tigers beat Oregon State on Saturday that he wanted to be at the C-W-S in person…

Cut 12 (10)    “ready to go”

LSU will face Florida in a best of three series that starts tonight in Omaha. The Tigers had to beat top-seeded Oregon State twice to get to this point. Berry says the LSU fan base has a lot of faith in Coach Paul Mainieri’s squad, because they are playing so well as a team…

Cut 13 (07) “Bertman days”

Berry and three other fans were in Kansas City at lunchtime and planned to be in their seats for the start of tonight’s game. He says they’ve been seeing LSU fans during their 950-mile journey…

Cut 14 (12) “saw some”

____________________________________________________________

If you’re trying to quit smoking, vaping may not be the answer. Halen Doughty has more from experts at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Upward Bound Program at Tulane University received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support college readiness programs. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

__________________________________

Vaping may not be the best way to kick your cigarette habit, according to experts at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. Physician assistant with the hospital’s smoking cessation program, Josselin Carter, says vaping can end up being a substitution for the same habit because many juices contain nicotine.

Cut 4  (11) “our success”

Carter adds doctors aren’t sure vaping is safer than cigarettes, as there is no long-term data to support that claim. She says there’s some overlap in chemicals from both e-liquids and cigarettes, but there’s other chemicals in the vaping solutions that could potentially be problematic.

Cut 5  (08)  “in vaping”

Carter notes e-liquids come in a variety of nicotine concentrations. She says that can make it hard for consumers to know exactly how much nicotine they’re ingesting on a daily basis. She adds there are other factors that affect it as well.

Cut 6 (11) “be taking in” 

To get more information on how to quit smoking, visit SmokingCessationTrust.org.

________________________________________________________

Tulane University’s Upward Bound Program has received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help high school students who hope to become their first in their family to go to college. Upward Bound is a program aimed at helping prospective college students academically prepare for higher education. Cowen Institute Director Amanda Kruger Hill says low income students grade 9 through 12 can greatly benefit from this grant.

Cut 7 (10)  “financial aid”

Hill says the program works with students three days a week throughout their four years in high school and supports the students through college. She says this opportunity is so important to at risk youth.

Cut 8 (10) “their needs”

Hill says they work directly with high schools and the educators identify students who would be a perfect fit for the program. She says the Upward Bound staff is completely committed to changing life outcomes for their students.

Cut 9 (10)  “lives around”

__________________________________________________________

A small insect, commonly referred to as Phragmites or the Roseau Cane Mealy Bug is causing extensive damage to Roseau cane in southern Plaquemines Parish. LSU Ag Center entomologist Rodrigo Diaz says over 100-thousand acres of the cane in the wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta have been affected by this bug. He says this is a major concern…

Cut 10 (10) “parish”

The Roseau cane helps to reduce the wave action on the ground and helps to protect the state’s bird foot delta. Diaz says there are different varieties of the plant, some of which are not affected by Phragmites. He says they are hoping to learn why some are resistant to the bug.

Cut 11 (06) “restoration”

Diaz says usually, insects in crops are controlled using insecticides. He says the problem they run across here is that many of these pest control measures are harmful to aquatic life, so much research has to be done.

Cut 12 (09) “oysters”

____________________________________________________________

The Alliance for Excellent Education ranks Louisiana’s education plan one of the most promising in the country. Erin Bendily with the state Department of Education says Louisiana students are just as capable as students from other states. She says that’s why their plan sets ambitious but achievable goals for students and school systems.

Cut 13 (07) “be successful”

Bendily says they’re also looking to provide more transparency about how schools are doing and making progress toward those goals. She says they want to help children and educators meet these goals by specifically looking at how each cohort is performing.

Cut 14 (09) “students performing”

State Education Superintendent John White says this plan is one of the reasons Louisiana’s high school graduation rate is higher than ever at 77 percent. Bendily says improving education outcomes isn’t just about helping students make it to graduation, it’s about preparing them for what comes after.

Cut 15 (12) “those opportunities”

_______________________________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. The Tigers and Gators have already met in a series this season, with Florida taking two of three in Gainesville. LSU Shortstop Kramer Robertson says both teams are playing better, and differently now than back in March…:

Cut 16 (16)  “are stronger”

Coach Paul  Mainieri announced he’s going to start fifth-year senior Russell Reynolds of Baton Rouge tonight. He said he’d go with Jared Poche on the mound Tuesday, and not pitch Alex Lange before Wednesday. Poche, who picked up his school-record 39th career victory in the win over Florida State last week, says there isn’t much you have to guess at this point in the season…:

Cut 17 (10) “behind you”

First pitch is set for 6pm. This is the 6th appearance for LSU in the CWS finals, and The Tigers have won all six times…the last being in 2009. Robertson says this feels like an SEC weekend with more at stake…:

Cut 18 (10) “gets the job done” 

If you’re trying to quit smoking, vaping may not be the answer. Halen Doughty has more from experts at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Upward Bound Program at Tulane University received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support college readiness programs. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

__________________________________

Vaping may not be the best way to kick your cigarette habit, according to experts at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. Physician assistant with the hospital’s smoking cessation program, Josselin Carter, says vaping can end up being a substitution for the same habit because many juices contain nicotine.

Cut 4  (11) “our success”

Carter adds doctors aren’t sure vaping is safer than cigarettes, as there is no long-term data to support that claim. She says there’s some overlap in chemicals from both e-liquids and cigarettes, but there’s other chemicals in the vaping solutions that could potentially be problematic.

Cut 5  (08)  “in vaping”

Carter notes e-liquids come in a variety of nicotine concentrations. She says that can make it hard for consumers to know exactly how much nicotine they’re ingesting on a daily basis. She adds there are other factors that affect it as well.

Cut 6 (11) “be taking in” 

To get more information on how to quit smoking, visit SmokingCessationTrust.org.

________________________________________________________

Tulane University’s Upward Bound Program has received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help high school students who hope to become their first in their family to go to college. Upward Bound is a program aimed at helping prospective college students academically prepare for higher education. Cowen Institute Director Amanda Kruger Hill says low income students grade 9 through 12 can greatly benefit from this grant.

Cut 7 (10)  “financial aid”

Hill says the program works with students three days a week throughout their four years in high school and supports the students through college. She says this opportunity is so important to at risk youth.

Cut 8 (10) “their needs”

Hill says they work directly with high schools and the educators identify students who would be a perfect fit for the program. She says the Upward Bound staff is completely committed to changing life outcomes for their students.

Cut 9 (10)  “lives around”

__________________________________________________________

A small insect, commonly referred to as Phragmites or the Roseau Cane Mealy Bug is causing extensive damage to Roseau cane in southern Plaquemines Parish. LSU Ag Center entomologist Rodrigo Diaz says over 100-thousand acres of the cane in the wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta have been affected by this bug. He says this is a major concern…

Cut 10 (10) “parish”

The Roseau cane helps to reduce the wave action on the ground and helps to protect the state’s bird foot delta. Diaz says there are different varieties of the plant, some of which are not affected by Phragmites. He says they are hoping to learn why some are resistant to the bug.

Cut 11 (06) “restoration”

Diaz says usually, insects in crops are controlled using insecticides. He says the problem they run across here is that many of these pest control measures are harmful to aquatic life, so much research has to be done.

Cut 12 (09) “oysters”

____________________________________________________________

The Alliance for Excellent Education ranks Louisiana’s education plan one of the most promising in the country. Erin Bendily with the state Department of Education says Louisiana students are just as capable as students from other states. She says that’s why their plan sets ambitious but achievable goals for students and school systems.

Cut 13 (07) “be successful”

Bendily says they’re also looking to provide more transparency about how schools are doing and making progress toward those goals. She says they want to help children and educators meet these goals by specifically looking at how each cohort is performing.

Cut 14 (09) “students performing”

State Education Superintendent John White says this plan is one of the reasons Louisiana’s high school graduation rate is higher than ever at 77 percent. Bendily says improving education outcomes isn’t just about helping students make it to graduation, it’s about preparing them for what comes after.

Cut 15 (12) “those opportunities”

_______________________________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. The Tigers and Gators have already met in a series this season, with Florida taking two of three in Gainesville. LSU Shortstop Kramer Robertson says both teams are playing better, and differently now than back in March…:

Cut 16 (16)  “are stronger”

Coach Paul announced he’s going to start fifth-year senior Russell Reynolds of Baton Rouge tonight. He said he’d go with Jared Poche on the mound Tuesday, and not pitch Alex Lange before Wednesday. Poche, who picked up his school-record 39th career victory in the win over Florida State last week, says there isn’t much you have to guess at this point in the season…:

Cut 17 (10) “behind you”

First pitch is set for 6pm. This is the 6th appearance for LSU in the CWS finals, and The Tigers have won all six times…the last being in 2009. Robertson says this feels like an SEC weekend with more at stake…:

Cut 18 (10) “gets the job done” 

If you’re trying to quit smoking, vaping may not be the answer. Halen Doughty has more from experts at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Upward Bound Program at Tulane University received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support college readiness programs. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

__________________________________

Vaping may not be the best way to kick your cigarette habit, according to experts at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. Physician assistant with the hospital’s smoking cessation program, Josselin Carter, says vaping can end up being a substitution for the same habit because many juices contain nicotine.

Cut 4  (11) “our success”

Carter adds doctors aren’t sure vaping is safer than cigarettes, as there is no long-term data to support that claim. She says there’s some overlap in chemicals from both e-liquids and cigarettes, but there’s other chemicals in the vaping solutions that could potentially be problematic.

Cut 5  (08)  “in vaping”

Carter notes e-liquids come in a variety of nicotine concentrations. She says that can make it hard for consumers to know exactly how much nicotine they’re ingesting on a daily basis. She adds there are other factors that affect it as well.

Cut 6 (11) “be taking in” 

To get more information on how to quit smoking, visit SmokingCessationTrust.org.

________________________________________________________

Tulane University’s Upward Bound Program has received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help high school students who hope to become their first in their family to go to college. Upward Bound is a program aimed at helping prospective college students academically prepare for higher education. Cowen Institute Director Amanda Kruger Hill says low income students grade 9 through 12 can greatly benefit from this grant.

Cut 7 (10)  “financial aid”

Hill says the program works with students three days a week throughout their four years in high school and supports the students through college. She says this opportunity is so important to at risk youth.

Cut 8 (10) “their needs”

Hill says they work directly with high schools and the educators identify students who would be a perfect fit for the program. She says the Upward Bound staff is completely committed to changing life outcomes for their students.

Cut 9 (10)  “lives around”

__________________________________________________________

A small insect, commonly referred to as Phragmites or the Roseau Cane Mealy Bug is causing extensive damage to Roseau cane in southern Plaquemines Parish. LSU Ag Center entomologist Rodrigo Diaz says over 100-thousand acres of the cane in the wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta have been affected by this bug. He says this is a major concern…

Cut 10 (10) “parish”

The Roseau cane helps to reduce the wave action on the ground and helps to protect the state’s bird foot delta. Diaz says there are different varieties of the plant, some of which are not affected by Phragmites. He says they are hoping to learn why some are resistant to the bug.

Cut 11 (06) “restoration”

Diaz says usually, insects in crops are controlled using insecticides. He says the problem they run across here is that many of these pest control measures are harmful to aquatic life, so much research has to be done.

Cut 12 (09) “oysters”

____________________________________________________________

The Alliance for Excellent Education ranks Louisiana’s education plan one of the most promising in the country. Erin Bendily with the state Department of Education says Louisiana students are just as capable as students from other states. She says that’s why their plan sets ambitious but achievable goals for students and school systems.

Cut 13 (07) “be successful”

Bendily says they’re also looking to provide more transparency about how schools are doing and making progress toward those goals. She says they want to help children and educators meet these goals by specifically looking at how each cohort is performing.

Cut 14 (09) “students performing”

State Education Superintendent John White says this plan is one of the reasons Louisiana’s high school graduation rate is higher than ever at 77 percent. Bendily says improving education outcomes isn’t just about helping students make it to graduation, it’s about preparing them for what comes after.

Cut 15 (12) “those opportunities”

_______________________________________________________

It’ll be an SEC showdown in the College World Series Finals as LSU takes on conference rival Florida in a best-of-three beginning tonight. The Tigers and Gators have already met in a series this season, with Florida taking two of three in Gainesville. LSU Shortstop Kramer Robertson says both teams are playing better, and differently now than back in March…:

Cut 16 (16)  “are stronger”

Coach Paul Maineri says he’s going to start Jared Poche on the mound Tuesday, and not pitch Alex Lange before Wednesday, but he did not name a Monday night starter. Poche, who picked up his school-record 39th career victory in the win over Florida State last week, says there isn’t much you have to guess at this point in the season…:

Cut 17 (10) “behind you”

First pitch is set for 6pm. This is the 6th appearance for LSU in the CWS finals, and The Tigers have won all six times…the last being in 2009. Robertson says this feels like an SEC weekend with more at stake…:

Cut 18 (10) “gets the job done” 

If you’re trying to quit smoking, vaping may not be the answer. Halen Doughty has more from experts at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Upward Bound Program at Tulane University received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support college readiness programs. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

__________________________________

Vaping may not be the best way to kick your cigarette habit, according to experts at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. Physician assistant with the hospital’s smoking cessation program, Josselin Carter, says vaping can end up being a substitution for the same habit because many juices contain nicotine.

Cut 4  (11) “our success”

Carter adds doctors aren’t sure vaping is safer than cigarettes, as there is no long-term data to support that claim. She says there’s some overlap in chemicals from both e-liquids and cigarettes, but there’s other chemicals in the vaping solutions that could potentially be problematic.

Cut 5  (08)  “in vaping”

Carter notes e-liquids come in a variety of nicotine concentrations. She says that can make it hard for consumers to know exactly how much nicotine they’re ingesting on a daily basis. She adds there are other factors that affect it as well.

Cut 6 (11) “be taking in” 

To get more information on how to quit smoking, visit SmokingCessationTrust.org.

________________________________________________________

Tulane University’s Upward Bound Program has received a 2.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help high school students who hope to become their first in their family to go to college. Upward Bound is a program aimed at helping prospective college students academically prepare for higher education. Cowen Institute Director Amanda Kruger Hill says low income students grade 9 through 12 can greatly benefit from this grant.

Cut 7 (10)  “financial aid”

Hill says the program works with students three days a week throughout their four years in high school and supports the students through college. She says this opportunity is so important to at risk youth.

Cut 8 (10) “their needs”

Hill says they work directly with high schools and the educators identify students who would be a perfect fit for the program. She says the Upward Bound staff is completely committed to changing life outcomes for their students.

Cut 9 (10)  “lives around”

__________________________________________________________

A small insect, commonly referred to as Phragmites or the Roseau Cane Mealy Bug is causing extensive damage to Roseau cane in southern Plaquemines Parish. LSU Ag Center entomologist Rodrigo Diaz says over 100-thousand acres of the cane in the wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta have been affected by this bug. He says this is a major concern…

Cut 10 (10) “parish”

The Roseau cane helps to reduce the wave action on the ground and helps to protect the state’s bird foot delta. Diaz says there are different varieties of the plant, some of which are not affected by Phragmites. He says they are hoping to learn why some are resistant to the bug.

Cut 11 (06) “restoration”

Diaz says usually, insects in crops are controlled using insecticides. He says the problem they run across here is that many of these pest control measures are harmful to aquatic life, so much research has to be done.

Cut 12 (09) “oysters”

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The Alliance for Excellent Education ranks Louisiana’s education plan one of the most promising in the country. Erin Bendily with the state Department of Education says Louisiana students are just as capable as students from other states. She says that’s why their plan sets ambitious but achievable goals for students and school systems.

Cut 13 (07) “be successful”

Bendily says they’re also looking to provide more transparency about how schools are doing and making progress toward those goals. She says they want to help children and educators meet these goals by specifically looking at how each cohort is performing.

Cut 14 (09) “students performing”

State Education Superintendent John White says this plan is one of the reasons Louisiana’s high school graduation rate is higher than ever at 77 percent. Bendily says improving education outcomes isn’t just about helping students make it to graduation, it’s about preparing them for what comes after.

Cut 15 (12) “those opportunities”

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The 67^th Annual Peach Festival in Ruston is underway. Jeff Palermo has more on what it has to offer…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Check to Protect Campaign is underway as the National Safety Council hopes to get motorists to check for open recalls. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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John Floyd, an Angola inmate, is now free after 36 years in prison. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The 67^th Annual Ruston Peach Festival begins today at noon. Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce President Judy Copeland says even though the peach harvest wasn’t good this year, visitors can try a large variety of different peach flavored foods. She says all vendors are required to have a least one item on their menu with peaches.

Cut 4  (06) “probably here”

Copeland says about 23-thousand people come to the festival each year and it’s always a success. She says a favorite for festivalgoers is the great live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Cut 5  (09)  “at 10”

Uncle Kracker is the headliner for Saturday night. Copeland says other events that take place outside the festival bring in a big crowd.

Cut 6 (08) “as well” 

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The National Safety Council has launched a vehicle recall campaign to allow motorists to enter in their VIN number to determine if a there has been a manufacturer recall on the vehicle. President and CEO of the National Safety Council Deborah Hersman says Louisiana has the third highest rate of open recalls in the country.

Cut 7 (10)  “open recalls”

One in four vehicles on the road in Louisiana have an open recall. Hersman says many drivers don’t understand the urgency to get a recalled vehicle fixed. She says recalls are not to be taken likely and it’s very easy to check.

Cut 8 (10) “your door”

Hersman says cars with open recalls pose an urgent and serious risk to drivers and passengers. She says the Check to Protect website will also give a motorist information on a nearby dealership to receive repairs.

Cut 9 (10)  “of charge”

Visit CheckToProtect.org to find out if your vehicle has an open recall.

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Angola inmate John Floyd is free after spending 36 years behind bars, after a U.S. District Court judge tossed his life in prison conviction. Deputy Director and attorney for the Innocence Project in New Orleans, Richard Davis, says Floyd was wrongly convicted of second degree murder in 1982 for the murder of Williams Hines. He says new forensic evidence was found in the case.

Cut 10 (11) “the time”

Davis says Floyd plans to spend his days of freedom working on a farm in the Lafayette area with a businessman he met during his time at Angola.

Cut 11 (08) “5th circuit”

Floyd’s case came to the attention of the Innocence Project in New Orleans in the early 2000′s. Davis says Floyd’s wrongful conviction comes after he confessed to the crime. But he says Floyd has a severe mental impairment.

Cut 12 (07) “properly”

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LSU and No.1 Oregon State play today at 2pm in the College World Series. With a win, the Tigers will force an elimination game versus The Beavers on Saturday. With a loss, the 2017 LSU baseball season will come to an end. The Tigers will start All-SEC pitcher Alex Lange, who says he’s ready to go….:

Cut 13 (10) “it’s gonna be fun”

LSU hopes Lange can go deep into the game as they are running low on starters in Omaha with injured Eric Walker out. The Chicago Cubs first-round draft pick says he knows the bull pen has to step it up…:

Cut 14 (11) “deep in the game”

In the Tigers nice victory over Florida State on Wednesday, LSU put points up on the board right away. Lange says that’ll be the goal starting out tonight against the team that’s only lost four games…:

Cut 15 (13) “for the pitcher”

Cindy continues to weaken as the tropical depression treks inland, but forecasters are keeping a close eye on the system. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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LSU advances in the College World Series following the win against Florida State last night, and now the Tigers must beat No. 1 Oregon State twice in Omaha to make the finals. Michelle Southern reports..:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Cindy made landfall as a tropical storm this morning near the Texas-Louisiana border, but has since been downgraded to a tropical depression. State Climatologist Barry Keim says flooding remains the concern. He says as the system moves inland it will weaken, but rainfall is still a threat to Louisiana.

Cut 3 (10) “flash flooding”

Keim says we still need to be vigilant. He says northwest Louisiana is likely to get the heaviest rains with potential for up to five inches. He says we aren’t out of the woods yet.

Cut 4  (10) “tomorrow morning”

Flash flood watches remain in effect for much of the state through this evening. Keim says strong winds could also cause problems in some areas.

Cut 5  (11)  “the wind”

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State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson advises residents to take caution while driving today. He says 18 corridors across the southern half of the state have road closures on them because of high water. Wilson says drivers should never cross flooded roadways.

Cut 6 (07) “that water”

Wilson encourages motorists to visit 511la.org for up to date travel information. He says over 37,000 people have visited the site in just 24 hours. He says this is the most central location for information on road closures.

Cut 7 (07)  “high water”

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The Board of Regents has granted a license for ULM to host New York Institute of Technology’s new medical school in northeast Louisiana. ULM President Dr. Nick Bruno says this will give students throughout Louisiana the opportunity to attend medical school right on the Monroe campus.

Cut 8 (07) “major strength”

Bruno says this is an incredible opportunity that’s been about two years in the making. He says the targeted timeline for enrolling students is fall of 2019. He says it’s exciting to host a medical school at the only publicly funded pharmacy school in the state.

Cut 9 (11)  “the community”

Bruno says this new med school could also help to improve the health of the community, which is one of the poorest regions in the country. He adds the economic impact could also be quite significant. He says the Stubbs Hall building on campus could be the future home of the medical school.

Cut 10 (09) “med school”

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LSU advances in the College World Series following the win against Florida State last night, and now the Tigers must beat No. 1 Oregon State twice in Omaha to make the finals. LSU fell to The Beavers in embarrassing fashion on Monday, but Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says Friday’s contest will be a whole new ballgame with ace Alex Lange on the mound…:

Cut 11 (15) “on Friday”

First pitch tomorrow is set for 2pm. Moran says Saturday will be a taller order when right-hander Caleb Gilbert gets the start…:

Cut 12 (11) “at least”

This is the furthest the Tigers have advanced into the tournament since winning it all back in 2009. The Beavers have only lost 4 games and Moran feels LSU would be the underdog even if they just had to beat OSU once…:

Cut 13 (14) “at this point”

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The Louisiana Nursing Home Association announces 18 facilities in the state have been chosen as a recipient for the Bronze-Commitment to Quality Award. This achievement spotlights providers who have demonstrated commitment to quality care for seniors. Lisa Gardner with CommCare nursing centers says all these facilities have shown a great improvement.

Cut 14 (09) “targeted”

Gardner says this Bronze achievement points nursing homes in a direction to improve their facilities even more. She says there are three levels of commitment, bronze, silver, and gold.

Cut 15 (09) “the gold”

The 18 facilities that received the achievement are located throughout the state from Bossier City to Houma. Gardner says this shows many facilities in Louisiana are dedicated to improving the lives of our senior citizens. She says the award is not easy to receive.

Cut 16  (11)  “is remarkable”

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Governor John Bel Edwards urges residents to use caution as Tropical Storm Cindy moves across the state. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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As Tropical Storm Cindy treks across the state today, forecasters warn residents to take extra precaution. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Louisiana National Guard wants residents to know they are ready to assist if needed as Tropical Storm Cindy moves inland. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Flood victims are not completing the survey to get federal assistance as quickly as state officials had hoped. Governor John Bel Edwards says only 26,000 people have completed the survey so far. He advises people to do so quickly because the homeowner assistance program is in full swing.

Cut 4  (10) “rebuilding programs”

Edwards says the first step to getting into the homeowner assistance program is completing the survey at restore.la.gov. He says it’s imperative that flood victims fill out this application, even if they’ve already applied with FEMA.

Cut 5  (12)  “for this”

So far Louisiana has received $1.6 billion in federal flood aid. Edwards encourages every Louisiana resident who was impacted by the March and August floods to fill out the survey at restore.la.gov. He says there’s also another option for less tech-savvy flood victims.

Cut 6 (08) “through Friday” 

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Forecasters warn residents to be alert as Tropical Storm Cindy treks across the state today. Stephen Carboni with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says Cindy still carries the risk of life-threatening flash flooding.

Cut 7 (09)  “8 or 10″

Carboni says tropical storm force winds will also be a concern. The winds can down tree limbs and power lines, and he warns the public to be aware of that possibility.

Cut 8 (09) “with that”

Alek Krautman with the National Weather Service in New Orleans says the heaviest rains will be on the eastern side of the storm. He says three to 6 inches is possible across the state, with some areas receiving 12 inches or more.

Cut 9 (10)  “of Cindy”

Krautman says along with the strong winds and heavy rains, there’s also an increased risk on the roadways. He advises drivers to take caution if you have to get out in the storm.

Cut 10 (10) “extreme caution”

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With Tropical Storm Cindy moving inland, the Louisiana National Guard wants residents to know they are ready if assistance is needed. Major General Glenn Curtis with the Louisiana National Guard says they have pre-staged 100 high water vehicles and 33 boats throughout the southern and central regions of the state. He says they have additional assets available if needed…

Cut 11 (10) “on standby”

20 parishes had declared a state of emergency as of Tuesday and it’s expected more will follow. Curtis says they are working closely with parish governments.

Cut 12 (09) “time comes”

Curtis says the National Guard has staged vehicles all along with I-10 and I-12 corridors beginning in the Lake Charles area.

Cut 13 (06) “harm’s way”

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A West Monroe man is facing a murder charge after human remains were found in western Ouachita Parish. Glenn Springfield with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office says the homicide appears to be three years old.

Cut 14 (12) “in this case”

Springfield says 24-year-old Titus Harris has been booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center on one count of second degree murder. He says they aren’t releasing any more details about the victim until the identity can be confirmed, which can be difficult given the remains are years old.

Cut 15 (10) “takes time”

Springfield says more arrests are possible as the investigation is ongoing.