Prostitution allegations have surfaced against a candidate for US Senate, Republican Congressman Charles Boustany. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The LSU AgCenter finds the total damage to agriculture from the August floods to be about 277-million dollars. Don Molino has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Don Molino”

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American Cancer Society volunteers from Louisiana and many other states are in Washington, D.C, today rallying for more funding for cancer research. Director of the LSU Health Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Augusto Ochoa, is among those volunteers. He says the advances in science over the past several decades have been phenomenal, and we are at a turning point in cancer research that just needs an additional push.

CUT 3 (12)  “chronic disease”

Ochoa and the other volunteers are asking Congress to increase funding for the National Cancer Institute by $680 million. He says, more than 9-thousad Louisiana residents die from cancer every year, and Louisiana has one of the highest rates of death by cancer in the country.

CUT 4 (07)  “a year”

According to the National Institute of Health, in 2015, almost $24 billion funded nearly 50-thousand cancer research grants over 25-hundred research facilities around the country. Ochoa says Louisiana receives some of those grants.

CUT 5 (11)  “cancer institute”

For more information on how to volunteer with the American Cancer Society, go to A-C-S-CAN-dot-org (acscan.org).

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The wife of Republican US Senate candidate Charles Boustany says prostitution allegations against her husband are “false attacks.” The accusations were raised in a new book that claims Boustany was involved with prostitutes who were killed in Jefferson Davis Parish. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this has the potential to hurt Boustany’s campaign…

CUT 6 (08) “running that”

A statement from Boustany’s campaign says these allegations are completely false. The author of the book stands by what he wrote. Pinsonat says we saw something similar last year in the governor’s race with PACS attacking David Vitter’s prostitution scandal.

CUT 7 (11) “or not”

Pinsonat expects voters will give Boustany the benefit of the doubt as long as nothing more comes from this allegation. But he says only time will tell if attacks ads will come…

CUT 8 (08) “background noise”

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Louisiana State Police has arrested a Slidell man on 500 counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Trooper Dustin Dwight says 73-year-old Lanier Lively was sharing pornographic files involving juveniles over the internet. He says after executing a search warrant of his house, authorities found massive amounts of suspected child pornography…

CUT 9 (05) “of data.”

Dwight says the investigation into Lively began in April. He says Lively had nearly 32-thousand gigabytes of data….

cut 10 (10)  “amassed”

Dwight says State Police is constantly looking for criminals like Lively. He says this is a very appalling case.

Cut 11 (07) “to justice” 

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An Ascension parish man will spend the next five years behind bars after he beat his dog to death with a baseball bat. Jeff Dorson with the Humane Society of Louisiana says Jamari Jackson faced up to 10 years for the 2014 crime, but they are happy with the sentence he got.

cut 12 (08) “what he did”

Jackson reportedly claimed that he hit his dog because it was stuck in a barbed wire fence and he wanted to “relax” it to get it loose. Dorson says this is a good result for a horrible tragedy.

Cut 13 (07)  “in Louisiana”

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An updated analysis from the LSU AgCenter finds agriculture losses from the August flooding totaled nearly 277-million dollars. The original estimate was 110-million dollars in damage. AgCenter Economist Kurt Guidry says rice and soybeans were the two hardest hit crops.

cut 14 (11)  “the storm”

Guidry says row crop producers affected by the flooding are eligible for emergency loans. He says corn was the next hardest hit commodity taking a 44-million dollar hit and cotton is at 27-million dollars…

cut 15 (10) “crop”

Agriculture losses from both the March and August floods are a combined 367-million dollars. Guidry says livestock also suffered greatly during last month’s floods and the Farm Service agency has programs to help livestock producers.

cut 16 (09) “the storms”

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Governor John Bel Edwards has requested an additional 800 million dollars in federal disaster assistance. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (24) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Insurance Commissioner, Jim Donelon, says people who live in areas that flooded this year will pay more for car insurance in the future. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Alto Congressman Ralph Abraham is seeking more federal assistance for the victims of the March flood in north Louisiana. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Governor John Bel Edwards has requested an additional 800 million dollars in federal dollars for disaster relief. The now 2.8 billion dollar request will be considered by Congress in the coming weeks. Edwards says the extra money will go towards flood control projects, instead of requiring flood victims to elevate their homes…

cut 4  (11)  “their homes”

Edwards says the funds are need for both the historic flooding events in north and south Louisiana. The governor says President Obama will meet with the leaders of the House and Senate to further discuss the legislation, which could come out of the Senate by Wednesday. He says he will be in Washington D.C. on Wednesday and Thursday to address funding for transportation and…

Cut 5  (07)  “as well”

Edwards says he’s concerned Congress might not move the package now, but not because members of the Louisiana delegation voted against funding for Super Storm Sandy. He says he had the opportunity to talk to both democrats and republicans in the House and Senate…

Cut 6 (08) “asking for”

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Louisiana residents who live in areas that flooded this year will pay more for car insurance as a result of the 2016 floods, according to state Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. He says drivers’ comprehensive coverage will go up because over 100-thousand cars were destroyed by the flood.

CUT 7 (11)  “the case”

Donelon says when companies file rate increases, it’s based on losses they’ve covered in previous years. In the August flood event, he says there were 60-thousand flooded vehicles that will be paid for by insurance companies.

Cut 8 (11) “particular area”

Donelon says the amount of the rate hike will vary from one company to another. He says people who live in areas that did not experience any flooding will not see the rate increase, but those that did flood should expect their rates to go up in years to come.

Cut 9 (09)  “and beyond”

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Democratic US Senate candidate Caroline Fayard has won the endorsement of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says Landrieu’s endorsement is a nice feather in the cap of Fayard’s campaign.

Cut 10 (10) “for Fayard”

Fayard is one of two well-known Democrats in the 24-person race. The other is Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, who has the endorsement of Governor John Bel Edwards. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says splitting big name endorsements will make it harder for one of these candidates to make it in the runoff.

cut 11 (09) “endorsements”

Dubos says while Democrats seem to be dividing themselves into different factions behind their candidates, they are not at war with one another. He says even though Landrieu and Edwards are supporting different people, they still have a good relationship.

cut 12 (10) “that candidate”

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While south Louisianans are recovering from a historic flood, flood recovery efforts are still ongoing from the catastrophic flood that hit north Louisiana just five months before. Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham of Richland Parish met with White House officials in an attempt to get more federal support for the March flooding recovery efforts in north Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09) “victims got”

President Obama has only agreed to increase the feds’ cost-share for the August flood. Abraham says between the two floods, 22 of the 24 parishes in his district were declared federal disaster areas. He says he sent a personal letter to the president explaining that the road to recovery is long in both north and south Louisiana, and the state needs more assistance from the federal government.

cut 14 (10)  “same treatment”

Governor John Bel Edwards will be in Washington tomorrow. The governor’s total request for both floods is two-point-eight billion dollars. Abraham says that request includes assistance for March flood victims who are rebuilding their homes and he’s talking with Congressional leaders about that need.

Cut 15 (08) “very quickly”

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LSU Football Coach Les Miles is not revealing who will be the starting quarterback for Saturday’s SEC opener against Mississippi State. Danny Etling sparked the Tigers to a win over Jacksonville State last weekend, after Brandon Harris struggled in the first quarter. Miles was asked if Etling’s emergence on the field led to the team playing with a greater level of enthusiasm

Cut 16  (13)  “the field”

Harris also struggled in the season opening loss to Wisconsin. But Miles has no regrets about not playing Etling against the Badgers. He says Etling was in a better position to take the field against Jacksonville State…

Cut 17 (19)  “to improve”

Because of Harris’ struggles, LSU has yet to score any points in the first quarter this season. Miles says they scripted and rehearsed their first few plays and he’s surprised by Harris’ ineffectiveness…

Cut 18 (08) “fast”

Governor John Bel Edwards announces Delta Regional Authority is making investments in two programs designed to grow Louisiana’s workforce, as part of a $72 million economic investment. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden speaks out about being in Taiwan rather than in DC testifying before Congress. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A Baton Rouge woman is behind bars after she accidentally fatally shot her boyfriend during an argument. That’s according to Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola, who says 25-year-old Larriana Hughes came home to her boyfriend, 27-year-old Christopher Payne, after receiving a text from him. Coppola says they began to argue, and Payne began slapping Hughes in the face.

CUT 3 (08)  “of him”

Coppola says Hughes was trying to put the gun away when she accidentally shot her boyfriend in the torso.

CUT 4 (11)  “the firearm”

Coppola says Payne was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He says Hughes sustained minor injuries in the dispute before her arrest.

CUT 5 (10)  “negligent homicide”

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Delta Regional Authority announces $72 million in investments in Louisiana to strengthen infrastructure, prepare for disasters, build the workforce, and support small businesses. Federal Co-chairman Chris Masingill says they are investing $275-thousand for two water pumps in Assumption parish. He says the water pump near Paincourtville was damaged by the tornado in February, leaving many residents without clean water if the pump broke or the power went out.

CUT 6 (10) “of need”

Masingill says they are investing more than $1 million for waterworks improvements in Monroe to support CenturyLink’s new Century Village project. He says they are also investing $150-thousand into the geauxBiz program to provide support for small businesses in central Louisiana.

CUT 7 (09) “startup community”

Masingill says another investment will expand sewer capacity in Boyce, where many of the components were constructed in the late 1950s. He says this investment is leveraging an additional $30 million from Sundrop Fuels for new research and development.

CUT 8 (07) “win-win”

Masingill says they are also growing the state’s Jobs for American Graduates Program by 30-percent. He says this program seeks to keep at risk youth in school.

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating a boat crash in St. Mary Parish that claimed the life of a 7-year-old girl. LDWF Spokesperson Adam Einck says at around 2 p.m. yesterday a bass boat with one passenger, collided with an aluminum vessel carrying four people in Bayou Cheramie. He says the collision caused Jaidyn Montet to hit her head.

CUT 9 (03) “boat.”

Einck says Motet was pronounced dead at Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City. He says LDWF officials are going to recreate the crash to determine if anyone was at fault.

cut 10 (10)  “wrong way”

The driver of the aluminum boat was also treated for minor injuries. Einck says this is devastating.

Cut 11 (09) “good ending” 

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Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden is under scrutiny for being in Taiwan last week rather than speaking before Congress with the mayors of Central, Denham Springs and Walker about flood relief. Holden says he went out of the country to attend a forum about building sustainable port cities. He says he did not go to Washington D.C. because his office was not invited.

cut 12 (09) “this area”

Holden says no area of Baton Rouge will be left untouched by the services the government is providing after the flooding and there is still a lot to be done. He says he is completely engaged in the recovery process.

Cut 13 (08)  “their lives”

Holden says some candidates for Baton Rouge mayor are attacking his lack of presence in the city during this tough time. He says Baton Rouge isn’t going to fall apart because there is communication between his staffers and everyone is working together.

cut 14 (11)  “Rouge Parish”

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Kids in Livingston Parish Schools finally return to class today after the flooding. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Louisiana elected leaders are making the push for more federal aid to assist in the flood recovery, but will they be successful? Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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About one-quarter of the estimated $8.7 billion dollars in overall flood damage affected businesses in the state. Michelle Southern reports on the assessment by Louisiana Economic Development…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Students in Livingston Parish finally return to school today after being out for almost a month because of the historic flooding. Parish School Superintendent Rick Wentzel says going back to school gives these kids a sense of normalcy that’s been missing for too long. He says this also helps parents relax a little more knowing their children are safe and back to learning.

cut 4  (10)  “stable”

Six schools in Livingston Parish will not reopen due to flood damage. Wentzel says some schools are platooning, which means students at the home school attend classes in the morning, while kids from a flood damaged school go in the afternoon. He says they are still working to find contractors to begin construction on schools that were completely ruined by the flood waters.

Cut 5  (09)  “kids back”

 Wentzel says the re-opening of schools is a major milestone in the recovery…

Cut 6 (09) “this parish”

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The push is on for more federal dollars to assist in flood recovery. Governor John Bel Edwards has requested Congress pass a two billion dollar federal aid package. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says Louisiana’s Congressional delegation will face some difficulty, because three of our members voted against a Superstorm Sandy relief package. Hogan says party politics could also play a factor…

CUT 7 (11)  “for support”

Hogan says House Minority Whip Steve Scalise plays a critical role in Louisiana’s efforts, because of his leadership position. But he says Louisiana’s request could run into some resistance from a Republican-controlled Congress…

Cut 8 (09) “efforts”

Hogan says other areas of the country have also dealt with significant flooding, which could result in Congressional leaders approving a financial aid package that helps multiple states. But he says time is a factor with Congress taking a recess at the end of the month for the November election.

Cut 9 (04)  “legislative process”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has closed several oyster harvesting areas and delayed the season because the industry is struggling. John Tesvich is a fourth generation oyster grower and also sits on the Oyster Task Force. He says planting usually opens after Labor Day, but this year was more of a partial opening.

Cut 10 (08) “harvesting”

Tesvich says the industry is still recovering from the BP oil spill that happened over 6 years ago, and then there was a mass die off this summer because of dead zones in the water. He says high water levels in the rivers are bringing more nutrient rich water into the harvesting areas and killing the oysters.

cut 11 (09) “of oxygen”

Tesvich says sacking usually begins on October 15, but LDWF delayed it until November 15 in the hopes of helping the oysters grow more. He says most of the Louisiana oysters on the market are coming from private harvesting areas, not public reef.

cut 12 (08) “normal production”

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Businesses in Louisiana suffered losses due to the historic floods to the tune of over $2 billion dollars. That’s according to Don Pierson, the Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development. He says overall, the August 2016 disaster caused a total of about $8.7 billion dollars in damage…:

Cut 13 (14) “economic impact”

More than 6,000 businesses flooded in the 22 affected parishes. Pierson says it’s vital that employers take advantage of the assistance being provided by the Small Business Administration, and get their case in prior to October 13th. He says so far, FEMA has surpassed $1 billion dollars in total federal assistance to Louisiana disaster survivors…:

cut 14 (12)  “so far”

LED is providing a complete resource guide for flood assistance at OpportunityLouisiana.com. Pierson says the good news is that most of Louisiana’s major industries remained open and today are continuing operations successfully. He says what’s been majorly impacted is the workforce…:

Cut 15 (11) “get our workforce back”

(LED’s assessment found that Louisiana shouldered labor and value-added production losses that affected 6 percent of our economic activity statewide.)

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Two back-ups led the LSU Tigers to a 34-13 win over Jacksonville State for the Bayou Bengals first victory of the season. Quarterback Danny Etling came off the bench for an ineffective Brandon Harris and on his first drive connected with DeSean Smith on a 46-yard touchdown pass. Etling says he was ready for his opportunity…

Cut 16  (08)  “succeed”

Etling ended up throwing for 100 yards, all of it came in the 2nd quarter. He also had a rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Etling arrived on LSU’s campus last year after transferring in from Purdue. He came to LSU after losing his starting job at the Big Ten School and understands the demands of the quarterback position…

Cut 17 (17)  “keep rolling “

When Etling came on the field for the first time in the 2nd quarter, the energy level picked up in Tiger Stadium. Derrius Guice, who filled in for the injured Leonard Fournette and rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown, noticed that LSU played better with Etling at the controls…

Cut 18 (16) “it together”

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The Saints fail to preserve a two-touchdown lead in the 2nd half and lose to the Oakland Raiders 35-34 in the season opener. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw for 423 yards and touchdowns, but the defense gave up numerous big plays in the 4th quarter to allow Oakland to score 22 points in the 4th quarter. Brees says it was one of those games that could have gone either way…

Cut 19 (13) “different”

Payton says he was disappointed with his defense, but the offense also takes some of the blame in this loss…

Cut 20 (17) “played today”

FEMA was bashed by members of Congress over the South Louisiana flood response. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Forecasters are monitoring three tropical waves in the Atlantic basin. The first is about 1200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, and forecasters say could become a tropical depression by this weekend or early next week. The other two systems are not favorable for additional development.

Two new polls on the upcoming U.S. Senate race put Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy in the lead. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says after looking at the poll by the Remington Research Group, it’s likely a democrat and republican will make the runoff, but both polls have Republican Charles Boustany looking good.

Cut 11 (08) “Kennedy” 

A Hineston man was killed in a crash after ignoring construction zone warnings. State Trooper Scott Moreau says 61-year-old Kenneth Keele was driving a Jeep Liberty down the middle of Highway 461 in Rapides Parish when a flagman in the northbound lane attempted to have him slow down.

CUT 7 (12) “excavator”

FEMA was bashed by members of Congress over the South Louisiana flood response. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Two new polls have been released on the U.S. Senate race in Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Leaders in Louisiana whose communities were devastated by historic flooding spoke before members of Congress Friday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss FEMA’s response to this disaster. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says the speed at which aid is getting to people is far too slow:

CUT 3 (09)  “more resilient”

A representative from FEMA was present and gave updates on the number of flood victims they have assisted. Graves says he’s baffled that FEMA director Craig Fugate did not attend…

CUT 4 (08)  “here today”

Governor John Bel Edwards testified and said that the help isn’t coming fast enough for people who have lost their homes and have nowhere to go. Congressman Cedric Richmond says many of the FEMA agents on the ground are brand new to the job and the process of getting aid to victims has been extremely confusing…:

CUT 5 (08)  “in red tape”

Three local mayors also spoke at the meeting; Walker Mayor Rick Ramsey, Denham Springs Mayor Jr. Shelton and Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry. US Congressman John Mica of Florida, who chairs the Subcommittee on Transportation and Public Assets, toured the flooded areas with Graves. He asked FEMA spokesman Tony Robinson about the manufactured homes progress:

CUT 6 (14) “either”

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A Hineston man was killed in a crash after ignoring construction zone warnings. State Trooper Scott Moreau says 61-year-old Kenneth Keele was driving a Jeep Liberty down the middle of Highway 461 in Rapides Parish when a flagman in the northbound lane attempted to have him slow down.

CUT 7 (12) “excavator”

Moreau says Keele was wearing a seatbelt, but he was pronounced dead at the scene on Thursday afternoon. He says 52-year-old Arnold Johnson of Oakdale was on the Caterpillar mini excavator and was not injured. Moreau says drivers should yield to workers in construction zones for their own safety and the safety of those working on the road.

CUT 8 (09) “their instructions”

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Two new polls have been released on the state’s U.S. Senate race. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the survey conducted by The Remington Research Group and The Hayride confirms what we’ve been hearing, with Republican Treasurer John Kennedy with a comfortable lead. But he says the other survey is quite different…

CUT 9 (09) “number.”

The Anzalone poll finds Kennedy leads with 18-percent and Democrat Caroline Fayard and Republican Congressman Charles Boustany are tied at 13-percent. Cross says this poll was paid for by a group that supports Fayard.

cut 10 (10)  “construction sites”

Cross says, looking at the Remington Poll, the most logical outcome for a runoff would be a republican and a democrat but the two democrats in the race, Fayard and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell are splitting fairly equally the democratic vote. He says both polls have Boustany looking good…

Cut (08) “Kennedy” 

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Sunday marks the 15 year anniversary of the deadly terrorist attack on the World Trade Center that took the lives of nearly 3-thousand people, including one man from Sulphur, Louisiana. Sulphur Mayor Chris Duncan says Leo Russell Keene III was working at the World Trade Center during the attack and died saving people from an elevator. He says the city will honor Keene at Saturday’s memorial service when they unveil a bust made in Keene’s honor.

cut 12 (08) “a hero”

Duncan says the service includes the Stars and Stripes Classic Car Show, free food, and a community march. He says they hand out a bunch of American flags and march from City Hall down to Heritage Square.

Cut 13 (12)  “in 9/11”

Duncan says Keene’s bust will be placed in the Brimstone Museum so people can learn about his sacrifice for generations to come. He says the unveiling of the bust will feature a special speaker, Allan Grimm.

cut 14 (-08)  “the statue”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors elects not to take up a proposal to give football coach Les Miles an additional 100-thousand dollars if the Tigers make it to the college football playoff. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham was there when the item agenda came up for a vote and it was quickly deferred to be considered at a future meeting

cut 15 (11) “table it”

Miles’ current contract calls for him to get a 100-thousand dollar boost in pay if LSU reaches the C-F-P. The proposal that was on today’s agenda would’ve increased that incentive to 200-thousand dollars. Miles is taking a lot of criticism for how LSU played in the season opening loss to Wisconsin and Worsham says it appears the LSU Board of Supervisors is not ready to discuss any aspects of his contract.

cut 16 (11) “surprising”

The statistical peak of hurricane season is this Saturday. Emelie Gunn has more of what we can expect in the second half…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Walker, Central, and Denham Springs mayors are in the nation’s capital to discuss FEMA’s performance during last month’s historic flooding. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The President has announced the federal government will cover 90-percent of Louisiana’s flood relief costs. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Tomorrow is the statistical peak of the hurricane season and State Climatologist Barry Keim says on September 10^th, sea surface temperatures in the breeding grounds for tropical storms are at the maximum. He says so far this season we’ve had eight named storms, which puts us on track for 16 this season…

cut 4  (08)  “of us”

 Keim says up to this point, Louisiana has been pretty lucky in terms of named storms, however a tropical wave brought south Louisiana record flooding last month.  He says we’ll likely end the season a little above the average of 12 named storms.

Cut 5  (08)  “general context”

 Keim says typically the hurricane season is front loaded for Louisiana with us getting our strongest storms during the first half of the season. But he says we have seen some late season storms like Hurricane Rita and Juan.

Cut 6 (11) “we go”

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Hubig’s fans will be happy to learn that another New Orleans bakery is launching its own hand pies beginning today. The Hubig’s Pie factory burned down four years ago, and the popular pastries have not been around since. Haydel’s Bakery is now selling its debut New Orleans hand pie, similar in size and shape to Hubig’s. Haydel’s spokesperson Christine Adams…:

CUT 7 (08)  “individually”

Adams says Haydel’s pies will have the same dough as their full-sized pies which are sold for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She says these pies will be baked, and not fried like Hubig’s…:

Cut 8 (09) “they’re delicious”

Adams says they are going to gauge the popularity of the pies before they add more flavors. She says today you can get the pies at Fleurty Girl stores in New Orleans and also at the bakery, but they hope to be able to share with more establishments in the future…:

Cut 9 (04)  “distribute them”

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The mayors of Walker, Central and Denham Springs will testify before Congress today in Washington DC on the federal response to the historic flooding. Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry says he will voice concerns that many residents who suffered flood damage may have to either tear down their home or raise their house under FEMA guidelines…

Cut 10 (08) “necessary”

Landry says if a home has been flooded multiple times, it does make sense for FEMA to require the home to be elevated, but not in this situation. He says homeowners could potentially spend 100-thousand dollars to lift a home that’s only been flooded once.

cut 11 (08) “do so”

Landry says he will also address the lack of information and misinformation many flood victims received from FEMA.

cut 12 (07) “our folks”

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President Barack Obama has announced the federal government will increase its cost-share for flood relief efforts in Louisiana from 75-percent to 90-percent. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the state has to pay for a lot of the repairs up front, so decreasing the state and local share will help tremendously.

Cut 13 (09) “its repairs”

Dardenne says the feds will cover 90-percent of the cost for repairs to public roads and infrastructure. He says the 90-10 match will also include first responder expenses, debris removal, and other costs associated with flood relief.

cut 14 (10)  “evacuate people”

Dardenne says the 90-10 match also extends to local governments.

Cut 15 (08) “25-percent level”

Governor John Bel Edwards is in Washington DC through Friday. The governor is requesting additional federal assistance to help flood victims who face major repairs to their homes, many of them do not have flood insurance.

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After a humbling loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in Green Bay, LSU returns to Tiger Stadium tomorrow night to host Jacksonville State. Fullback JD Moore says the Tigers learned from their mistakes and they are ready to show what kind of team they can be…

Cut 16  (13)  “they’ve made”

Moore says they are eager to play well in front of the home fans on Saturday night….

Cut 17 (20)  “cheer about “

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Even though he re-signed with the Saints on Wednesday, offensive guard Jahri Evans expects to play Sunday in the regular season opener against Oakland. The five-time All-Pro returned to the team, after he was released by New Orleans seven months ago. Evans says it’s awesome to be back and he’s ready to contribute

Cut 18 (13) “out there”

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ULM can match last year’s win total if they can pull of an upset against the 14th ranked Sooners on Saturday night in Norman, Oklahoma. ULM beat Southern last week, while Oklahoma fell to Houston. Warhawks Coach Matt Viator knows the Sooners will be hungry for a win, but he’s more interested in his team’s performance…

Cut 19 (15) “try to do”

Warhawks quarterback Garrett Smith played well in a win over Southern last week as he threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 150 yards and another score. Viator says the sophomore from Texas needs to keep progressing…

Cut 20 (15) “to improve”

Louisiana Strawberry farmers are once again dealing with the aftermath of a devastating flood. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Four Louisiana Universities are doing very poorly when it comes to fiscal health. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Customers could pay more for Louisiana strawberries in the coming months after strawberry fields were hammered by two historic floods this year. Heather Robertson and her husband own Johndales Farm in Ponchatoula. Robertson says because strawberries are a specialty crop, there’s not much financial assistance, and a lot of producers will not grow strawberries again.

CUT 3 (10)  “strawberry farmers”

Robertson says they’re trying to get their fields ready to plant by late September or early October, but there’s a lot that has to be done. She says they have to mix sediment into the wet soil, like a cake mix, with a big disc on a tractor.

CUT 4 (12)  “to do”

Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says Tangipahoa parish is the center of strawberry production, and it was hit by both floods. Robertson says flooding last March ruined the 2016 crop and the flooding in August is making it very difficult to get a crop ready for next year.

CUT 5 (12)  “every day”

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Four Louisiana Universities have been placed on the fiscal watch list by the Board of Regents. It has been determined that Southern University at New Orleans, LSU Health Shreveport, Grambling State and Southern University at Shreveport are all in poor financial standing. Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo explains why they put out this report…

CUT 6 (11) “structural problems”

Rallo says these schools are facing financial challenges because of a decline in state funding for public universities and enrollment is down.

CUT 7 (10) “Katrina”

Rallo says they established this test to raise visibility to legislators that these universities are really struggling. He says there has been a lot of concern about the future of the LSU Health Center in Shreveport with many people worried it’s on “life support.”

CUT 8 (10) “they have”

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The Department of Transportation announces upgrades to their 511 travel information system. Rodney Mallett with DOTD says motorists can now get personalized traffic updates by creating an account at 511LA.org and the system can alert of any traffic disruptions.

CUT 9 (09) “your route”

Mallett says they also have a new Louisiana 511 app for smartphones that offers hands-free, eyes-free audio notifications for motorists. He says the app has a variety of features, like live streaming traffic cameras, so people can see what the roads are like before they head out the door.

cut 10 (10)  “construction sites”

Mallett says they have partnered with Waze, a crowdsource traffic alert site, so the 511 app and website should have more up to date information. He says this allows drivers to make the most informed choices they can make. He says this is especially important for displaced flood victims who are living in new areas.

Cut 11 (10) “major thoroughfares”

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A 15-year-old girl was killed and her 12-year-old sister was seriously injured while helping their mother take out the garbage in Belle Rose. State Trooper Jesse LaGrange says the two girls were in the tailgate of their mother’s truck bringing the garbage bins to the street. He says the vehicle the kids were riding on, stopped on the highway and faced the wrong way as a truck approached…

cut 12 (09) “riding on”

Impairment has been ruled out. LaGrange says the teenager, Sydny Landry, suffered fatal injuries and her sister was airlifted to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge for treatment. He says the crash occurred at night so it’s possible visibility was limited for the other driver.

Cut 13 (11)  “outside”

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Just over a month after the Blue Lives Matter law went into effect, a man has been arrested in New Orleans and charged with a hate crime against police officers. Police say 28-year-old Raul Delatoba was being booked on unrelated charges, when he used sexist and racial slurs against the arresting officers. Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana, Marjorie Esman, says Delatoba should not have been charged with a hate crime for what he said, because free speech is a constitutional right.

cut 14 (10)  “it too”

Delatoba’s bond was set at $15-thousand, $10-thousand for the hate crime, and $25-hundred for each of the other charges, disturbing the peace and criminal damage to property. Esman says police have lost sight of the fact their job.

cut 15 (11) “those charges”

Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authored the Blue Lives Matter Law. He says he pushed for the new law to give District Attorney’s another tool in their tool box and provide protection for first responders.

cut 16 (09) “those charges”

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Republican Congressman John Fleming begins airing television ads statewide for his U.S. Senate campaign. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today, Governor John Bel Edwards meets with the President and members of Congress in Washington to discuss additional assistance for flood victims in Louisiana. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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There may not be many FEMA mobile homes set up in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo explains why…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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First Lady Donna Edwards is visiting schools in flood ravaged areas of south Louisiana to distribute school supplies. Edwards has teamed up with the Louisiana School Boards Association to collect over 16-thousand dollars with the GoFundMe account called “LSBA Fund for Restoring Schools.” She says she will be at Greenbrier Elementary today.

cut 4  (10)  “the classroom”

Edwards says the donations not only go to students, but teachers as well. She says many teachers lost everything and they hope to give them a chance to bring their classrooms back to normal.

Cut 5  (10)  “purposes”

Edwards says partnering with LSBA are many Louisiana celebrities like Saints Punter Thomas Morstead is delivering backpacks full of supplies to classrooms and Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder is collecting funds to provide new electronics and uniforms. She urges anyone who can to donate.

Cut 6 (09) “in need”

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Republican Congressman John Fleming launches a seven figure statewide TV ad for the U.S. Senate race.  Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com says Fleming is a U.S. Representative for north Louisiana who doesn’t have much name recognition outside of his district. But he says this TV spot gives Fleming the chance to introduce himself to voters and jump start his campaign.

CUT 7 (11)  “Kennedy”

Republican Congressman Charles Boustany has also started running TV commercial and Alford says Treasurer Kennedy will soon have TV ads running too. He says on the democratic side, there is a big war playing out on urban radio stations.

Cut 8 (09) “as well” 

Alford says TV and radio commercials are the best way to get the attention of voters because there are a lot of other distractions, like the presidential race, football season and the start of duck season. He says these first set of ads will be positive but that won’t last long.

Cut 9 (06)  “pay attention”

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Governor John Bel Edwards is traveling to Washington, D.C., today to meet with federal officials about getting more assistance for Louisiana flood victims. Edwards says his office now has a better understanding of the flood damage and an idea of how much money it will take to repair it all. He says they are asking for $2 billion to help flood victims rebuild their homes.

Cut 10 (08) “housing piece”

Edwards says he plans to tell Obama administration officials that this is the most significant natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The governor says he’ll also speak with Congressional leaders who returned from summer recess this week, so they understand the level of damage the historic flood spread across 20-plus parishes.

cut 11 (10) “in Louisiana”

Edwards says the state has to make sure the spending is accountable and that we spend the money wisely. He says he’s also asking for full funding for the Comite River Diversion Project, which could prevent disastrous flooding in the Baton Rouge area.

cut 12 (08) “our businesses”

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It doesn’t look like we’ll see a lot of FEMA mobile homes in Louisiana. Louisiana Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer, Tito Hernandez, says five families are currently in the units, and 40 others are waiting for hookups. But he says the manufactured homes are a last resort housing option.

Cut 13 (08) “that option”

Hernandez says over 63-thousand flood victims have received FEMA assistance for rent or home repairs, and 24-hundred are currently in hotels. He says there have been problems with setting up the new mobile homes in someone’s yard.

cut 14 (07)  “housing units”

Hernandez says 19-thousand people have registered for the Shelter At Home program, and 28-thousand flood insurance claims have already paid $229 million for home repairs. He says they talked to 3-thousand families who qualified for a manufactured housing unit, and many of them were not interested.

Cut 15 (08) “their lot”

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Quarterback Drew Brees will remain the Saints signal caller through at least the 2017 season as a result of a contract extension that pays him 44-million dollars over the next two years. The deal also gives the Saints 13-million dollars in salary cap relief, so the team can make additional roster moves this season. Brees says he wanted to sign a deal that was a win-win

Cut 16  (14)  “at a championship”

Brees contract extension runs for five seasons, but the last three years can be voided. The 37-year-old Q-B has said he can play for another five years, but he didn’t want to force the Saints to sign him to a contract that ate up a lot of the salary cap for the next several years…

Cut 17 (15)  “build the team “

According to ESPN, Brees will receive 20-million dollars this season and 24-million dollars next year. The future hall of famer remains one of the highest paid players in the game…

Cut 18 (10) “they do”

NOAA researchers say climate change may have contributed to the flooding in south Louisiana. Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans is opening its first international location in Vietnam today. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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LSU announces Mike VI will not come out on the field during home football games this season. Ginger Guttner with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine says Mike underwent radiation treatment in June for a cancerous tumor on his face. She says because of his health, he will stay in his habitat on game days, but fans will still be able to see the live mascot.

CUT 3 (09)  “see him”

Guttner says the treatment appears to have been successful, as the tumor has shrunk, but they are continuing to monitor him. She says he does not appear to be in any pain.

CUT 4 (05)  “is normal”

Guttner says without the treatment, Mike might have only lived another month or so, but after the treatment he could live another one or two years. She says vets will evaluate Mike again in the fall to see what the status of the tumor is and decide where to go from there.

CUT 5 (05)  “doing fine”

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Mandeville Police have made a second arrest in connection with the alleged rape of a 78-year-old resident at the Beau Provence Memory Care facility. Officer Becky White says 55-year-old Julie Henry was the Associate Program Director and knew about the reported sexual assault.

CUT 6 (10) “the police”

Last week 58-year-old Jerry Kan, a cook at Beau Provence, was arrested for first degree rape of a female resident at the facility. White says Henry had evidence of the incident.

CUT 7 (05) “destroyed”

White says Henry has been employed at Beau Provence since last November. She says Henry faces multiple charges, and the investigation is ongoing.

CUT 8 (05) “of justice”

Joe Rapanti, attorney for Beau Provence, released a statement on behalf of the facility saying its management supports Henry. The statement adds, “Once this investigation is finalized, it will be obvious that Julie is innocent.”

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NOAA researchers say the 1,000-year flood that devastated south Louisiana last month may have been intensified by climate change. State climatologist Barry Keim did not participate in this report, but says there are some consistencies between the massive rain event and climate change. He says in a warmer world, the atmosphere would be able to produce bigger storms.

CUT 9 (08) “rainfall events”

Keim says another variable consistent with climate change is warmer sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which helped strengthen the tropical wave that produced the unusual amount of rainfall from August 12^th to the 14th.

cut 10 (07)  “particular storms”

A team of experts that comprise of government and university experts published the report that concluded climate change made it possible for a weather event that produced more than 30 inches of rain. But Keim says what happened last month is not enough to tell us anything about climate change.

Cut 11 (07) “so efficient”

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PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans is expanding to Vietnam, opening its first shop today at a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh. Chief Development Officer for Ballard Brands, PJ’s parent company, David Mesa, says this is their first international store. He says they chose to open in Vietnam because it is a very coffee rich country…

cut 12 (10) “their culture”

Mesa says they are planning to expand PJ’s Coffee even more over the next five years.

Cut 13 (09)  “as well”

Mesa says PJ’s Coffee currently has 85 shops in seven states throughout the U.S. He says they are on the heels of launching a coffee house in Malaysia and are excited to give other countries the chance to taste Louisiana coffee.

cut 14 (10)  “world wide”

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