Four of the 18-thousand homes that have registered for the Shelter At Home program have been repaired. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

================

Flood victims testified at a meeting of the Senate Small Business Committee this morning to voice their concerns about the federal flood response. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

==============================================

Construction has only been completed on four flood victims’ homes as part of the new Shelter At Home program. Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor’s Office, Julie Baxter Payer, says she expects that number to rise quickly over the next few days. She says with so many people registered for the program, it’s taking a while to get to them all.

CUT 3 (08)  “as possible”

Payer says 357 homes are under construction now, while 850 are in the process of getting work orders. She says the program is only a few weeks old so they had to get their team put together. She says initially they had five contractors, but they are hiring more.

CUT 4 (10)  “the homeowners”

Payer says over 12-hundred homes have been inspected, and more than 2-thousand inspections are scheduled. She says an additional 14-hundred homes are ready to be inspected. She says once construction beings, the homeowners can get back in their homes soon after.

CUT 5 (07)  “these days”

==================================================

An arrest has been made in the case of the elderly couple found murdered in a barn near their Avoyelles parish home. Chief Deputy Steven Martel with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office says the couple’s grandson, 28-year-old Michael Mayeaux, has been charged with two counts of first degree murder. He says autopsy results are pending, but the initial findings were gruesome.

CUT 6 (08) “be determined”

Martel says 69-year-old Hillman Mayeaux and his 67-year-old wife Eloise were found near their property in Bordelonville yesterday afternoon after they were reported missing earlier that day. He says Michael Mayeaux does have a record, but has never been charged with any violent crimes.

CUT 7 (08) “of violations”

Martel says there is a known motive, but they are not releasing it publicly. He says Bordelonville is a small, tightknit community. He says this crime came as a shock to everyone.

CUT 8 (10) “the family”

==================================================

US Senator David Vitter led a meeting of the Senate Small Business Committee this morning to address concerns of Louisiana flood victims. State Representative Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales owns Car Craft Automotive and spoke at the hearing. He says communication between state and local officials and FEMA have been a big problem.

CUT 9 (13) “right now”

Schexnayder says some of his constituents are living in tents or repairing their homes on their own, because the feds are taking too long. President and CEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce, Ron Erickson Sr., raised concerns about flood victims possibly having to elevate their homes.

cut 10 (09)  “thousand dollars”

Vitter encouraged people to contact his office if they are having trouble cutting through the red tape with federal agencies. He says today’s hearing is an important step to getting more assistance and helping his colleagues understand the level of devastation from this flood.

Cut 11 (10) “the way” 

===================================================

US Representative Charles Boustany says allegations that he was involved with prostitutes who were killed in Jefferson Davis Parish are false and hurtful. He says operatives working for State Treasurer John Kennedy are spreading these lies. Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says there is no actual evidence that Boustany had anything to do with those women…:

cut 12 (10) “out there”

The accusations are published in a new book about the murders. A spokesperson for the Kennedy campaign says the book speaks for itself. Both men are seeking the US Senate seat up for grabs in November. Dubos says, when it comes to the politics of all this, it’s really up to voters to decide who to believe and what to believe…:

Cut 13 (10)  “on this”

Boustany says he is more proud of his work as a faithful husband and father than he is about anything else he’s done in his life. Dubos says he feels most voters will wait and see if any additional information on the allegation comes out, and how Kennedy and Boustany handle it…:

cut 14 (10)  “they wanted”

===================================================

Flood victims who are still at the shelter at the Baton Rouge River Center will be moved to a shelter at Celtic Studios today. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The US Department of Defense is teaming up with the LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Facility to find ways to improve soldiers’ endurance on the battle field. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

A reaction video to Disney’s gumbo recipe video has almost reached one million views. Emelie Gunn has more on why Louisianans were outraged….

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The shelter at the Baton Rouge River Center is closing today. Red Cross spokesperson Vicki Eichstaedt says the flood vicitms who are still in the shelter will be moved to a shelter at Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge. The Department of Children and Family Services reports there were 372 as of yesterday. Eichstaedt says the Red Cross is redoubling their efforts to make sure no one is forgotten.

cut 4  (12)  “for them”

Eichstaedt says the River Center has asked them to vacate their facility as they prepare for upcoming events, but she says there is not a hard close date for the Celtic Studios shelter. She says they will be there to help these flood victims as long as it takes.

Cut 5  (07)  “to stay”

Eichstaedt says they want to encourage people to register with FEMA for federal aid. She says people can get more information about more assistance from the Red Cross by calling 855-224-2490. She says there’s lots of individual reasons why people are having trouble finding the next place for them.

Cut 6 (10) “security deposit”

_______________________________________________

US Senator David Vitter will chair a meeting of the Senate Small Business Committee today to discuss the federal response for flood victims in Louisiana. Vitter says this is an important opportunity to explain just how devastating this flooding really was, and still is for many people.

CUT 7 (12)  “third biggest”

Vitter says the SBA administrator will be present at the meeting. He says the FEMA administrator will not be there because “he’s come up with a series of excuses.” But he says there will be other people there to help make the case for additional assistance.

Cut 8 (09) “testimony”

Vitter says opportunities to highlight the enormity of this event are important, because they are running out of time to approve a $2.6 federal aid package requested by the Obama Administration. Louisiana’s Senior Senator says they are trying to get the federal appropriation passed this month.

Cut 9 (06)  “that done”

________________________________________________________

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Facility is partnering with the US Department of Defense on a study that looks at improving a soldier’s endurance. Dr. Jennifer Rood is the principal investigator for the Optimizing Performance for Soldiers Study. She says many soldiers in military operations are only getting half of the daily recommendation of calories, which leads to weight loss and impacts their performance.

Cut 10 (12) “that weigh loss”

Rood says because of that, soldiers also experience a drop in testosterone levels. She says the study will explore the effects of testosterone injections to maintain normal testosterone levels to see if it can prevent side effects, like loss of muscle and problems with memory, mood and concentration.

cut 11 (08) “of weight loss”

Rood says they are looking for men ages 18 to 39 to participate in the study who are active two to three days a week. She says it’s a three month study divided into three phases. She says the first phase involves participants eating, exercising, and coming to the center daily, but the second phase is more intense.

cut 12 (12) “a day”

Rood says in phase three, they follow up with participants for a month after they leave the facility. She says applicants can enroll online at prbc.edu/ops. She says LSU was chosen to perform the OPS study because of their long standing relationship with the Department of Defense.

_______________________________________________________

Disney released a gumbo recipe video on Facebook that is driving Louisianans mad. The video has since been removed after receiving backlash for adding kale, quinoa and not even starting with a roux. KATC Lafayette Production Assistant David Hilbun created a reaction video. Hilburn says his first thought when watching the video was this looks nothing like real gumbo.

Cut 13 (10) “to me”

Hilbun says he was so disgusted by the Disney video that he had to remake it to show the reaction of Louisianans. He says there have been nearly a million views of his video…

cut 14 (10)  “ingredients”

Hilbun says he never intended for the video to blow up the way it did in just two days. He says people are so passionate about their gumbo, because it’s the flagship dish of the Cajun culture.

Cut 15 (07) “butchered”

_______________________________________________________

The Saints visit the Giants this Sunday in a rematch of last year’s wild contest that saw New Orleans beat New York 52-49 in the third-highest scoring game in league history. El Manning and Drew Brees combined to throw for an NFL-record 13 touchdown passes. Brees is not expecting that kind of game again…

Cut 16  (12)  “play for”

The Saints need a win on Sunday to avoid an 0-2 start. Brees says there’s a sense of urgency to get in the win column…..

Cut 17 (13)  “it happen”

__________________________________________________________________

LSU’s senior starting tight end Colin Jeter says the offense is ready to play hard for whoever starts at quarterback this Saturday against Mississippi State. Coach Les Miles has strongly hinted that Danny Etling will be the guy, but Colin Jeter says the offense is ready to make plays for whoever calls the signals…

Cut 18 (14) “I’m behind”

Etling was 6-of-14 for 100 yards and a touchdown and an interception in the win over Jacksonville State. Jeter says Etling gave them a spark that was definitely needed at the time…

Cut 19 (15) “the game”

Governor John Bel Edwards has created the Restore Louisiana Task Force to oversee flood recovery. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

================

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says getting the flood aid package approved will be an uphill battle. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

==============================================

Governor John Bel Edwards announces the creation of the Restore Louisiana Task Force, which will oversee flood recovery and redevelopment. The task force is comprised of 21 members ranging from cabinet secretaries to state lawmakers and local mayors. There are also business people on the panel, including Lamar Advertising CEO Sean Reilly who was on the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which was formed after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

CUT 3 (09)  “our work”

Reilly says the task force will push for extra federal aid to help flood victims, because the majority did not have flood insurance. He hopes we learn lessons after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita when it comes to the rebuilding of homes…

CUT 4 (10)  “their house”

Reilly says the Restore Louisiana Task Force will also help victims of the March flooding in north Louisiana. He says another goal is to aid small businesses in getting back up and running.

CUT 5 (10)  “Rita”

==================================================

Enrollment at Nicholls State University is up for the first time since 2009. Nicholls President Bruce Murphy says they saw an increase of 103 students, which is just over a 1% hike. He says they have improved their recruitment by empowering recruiters to give scholarships to potential students.

CUT 6 (09) “kind of stuff”

Murphy says as a result of their recruiting efforts, freshmen applications were up 300 over last year. He says even after the confusion over TOPS, having to increase fees, and the flooding, their enrollment is still went up.

CUT 7 (10) “the fall”

Murphy says he doesn’t think reduction of the TOPS scholarship program will bring more students to Nicholls, because tuition is similar at most Louisiana universities. But he says college students from the Houma-Thibodaux area moving back home, may have boosted their numbers.

CUT 8 (09) “or not”

==================================================

LSU Football Coach Les Miles told reporters on the SEC teleconference that he would like to keep it in-house on who will start at quarterback this Saturday against Mississippi State. But the head coach still gave us a strong clue that it will be Danny Etling…

CUT 9 (07) “don’t mind”

Etling replaced a struggling Brandon Harris in the second quarter of last Saturday’s 34-13 win over Jacksonsville State. Etling led to touchdowns on three consecutive drives. Miles says they have spoken to Harris about being ready to play if they need him….

cut 10 (10)  “understands that”

All-American running back Leonard Fournette did not play against Jacksonsville State, because of an injured ankle. But Miles expects Fournette will play against the Bulldogs…

Cut 11 (10) “right now” 

===================================================

The Obama Administration has sent a $2.6 billion request to Congress for Louisiana flood relief assistance. Congressman Garrett Graves says it will be an uphill battle to get the request approved. The Baton Rouge Republican says the Louisiana delegation is trying to make other Congressional leaders understand the impact of this flood.

cut 12 (07) “insufficient”

Graves says one problem is that other states have also experienced devastating natural disasters, and they want more funding too. He says although it’s never a good idea to compare one another’s disasters, in this case the numbers speak for themselves.

Cut 13 (07)  “US history”

The federal request is $200 million less than what Governor John Bel Edwards requested Monday. But Graves says some members of Congress just don’t want to spend any money. He says he understands that, but the reality is that this will cost taxpayers money one way or another.

cut 14 (10)  “in my mind”

===================================================

The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office says they have located the bodies of the missing couple authorities had been searching for, and believe the victims’ grandson could be involved. Chief Deputy Steven Martel says Hillman and Eloise Mayeaux were found in a barn near their home. He says there is a person of interest in the case…:

cut 15 (10) “130 pounds”

Martel says they have not been able to locate 28-year-old Michael Mayeaux:

cut 16 (10) “area code 318”

===================================================

Interstate 10 will be widened from four to six lanes from Highland Road in Baton Rouge to Highway 73 in Ascension parish. Jeff Palermo has more on the announcement from Governor John Bel Edwards…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Solar panel customers in Louisiana are suing the state over a cap that was placed on the solar tax credit program. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

More Louisianans than ever are now covered by health insurance, according to new census data. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards announces I-10 will be widened from four to six lanes between Highland Road in Baton Rouge and Highway 73 in Ascension Parish. He says about 30-percent of the traffic on I-10 is moving commerce. But he says this project will benefit all drivers.

cut 4  (10)  “as well”

State Department of Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says the project will cost more than 60-million dollars, but the state plans to use 40-million dollars in federal monies to get the project started.  Edwards says they are also looking at elevating parts of the interstate in this 7 mile stretch.

Cut 5  (10)  “this area”

Construction is expected to begin in about a year. Edwards says this is an important project because this section is one of the most congested parts of I-10, because the interstate goes from three lanes to two east of Highland.

Cut 6 (11) “this area”

_______________________________________________

This week is National Drive Electric Week and the state department of natural resources would like motorists to learn about the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars.  Executive Director of Louisiana Clean Fuels program, Ann Shaneyfelt, says the range of some fully electric vehicles is up to 200 miles, which is similar to having a full tank of gas.

CUT 7 (08)  “every single morning” 2x

Shaneyfelt says the maintenance cost of electric vehicles is also much lower, and most public charging stations are free. She says there are also tax credits available for people who purchase electric and hybrid vehicles.

Cut 8 (08) “hundred dollars”

Shaneyfelt says Plugin Louisiana is one of their initiatives that encourages employers to install workplace charging for plug-in electric vehicles. LSU is the first Workplace Charging Challenge partner in Louisiana.  She says workplace charging is an appealing incentive for many employees that can help attract and retain a cutting-edge workforce, while also increasing consumer exposure of electric cars.

Cut 9 (08)  “their employees”

________________________________________________________

Solar panel customers in Louisiana are suing the state over the cap that was placed on the solar tax credit program earlier this year. New Orleans lawyer Larry Centola says the state violated these people’s rights when they retroactively capped the program.

Cut 10 (11) “on em”

Centola says because the program is now first come first serve, people who bought their panels after the cap was passed could get a tax credit before those bought them before the cap, depending on who filed their taxes first. Centola says about 2-thousand homeowners installed their panels before the June 2015 vote on the cap.

cut 11 (09) “entitled to”

The tax credit program was capped at $25 million during the 2015 session. Centola says they will be seeking more than $10 million in the suit. He says he understands that the state was in a budget crunch, but…

cut 12 (10) “rules on them”

_______________________________________________________

New census data shows that more Louisianans than ever before are now covered by health insurance. Director of the Louisiana Budget Project Jan Moller says this is great news because for the longest time, Louisiana had one of the highest uninsured rates in the country.

Cut 13 (10) “percent” 3x

And Moller says this number doesn’t even include all the people who received coverage this summer through the expansion of Medicaid. He says nearly 212-thousand people in Louisiana signed up for coverage through the federal health insurance exchange program.

cut 14 (09)  “preventative care”

The new census data also found the overall median income rose 5-percent in 2015, but in the south, it only climbed three percent. Moller says we can’t be sure exactly why the southern part of the country is behind but the south in general has lower levels of educational attainment. He says even though it’s not as much, 3-percent is still an improvement.

Cut 15 (09) “class family”

_______________________________________________________

Mississippi State is getting ready to travel down to Baton Rouge for Saturday night’s SEC showdown with the 20th ranked LSU Tigers. Bulldogs Coach Dan Mullen says despite the Tigers opening week loss to Wisconsin, they have one of the most talented rosters in the country…

Cut 16  (19)  “defensive lineman”

Two years ago, Mississippi State came into Tiger Stadium and beat LSU 34-29 for their first win over the Tigers since 1992. The Bulldogs quarterback that day was Dak Prescott, who played an exceptional game. Mississippi State’s quarterback this Saturday will be Nick Fitzgerald who threw for 178 yards and rushed for 195 yards against South Carolina. Mullen on Fitzgerald and Prescott’s running styles

Cut 17 (18)  “of running”

__________________________________________________________________

ULM and UL Lafayette open Sun Belt play this Saturday. The Warhawks are at Georgia Southern and Coach Matt Viator says the Eagles option offense is hard to simulate in practice…

Cut 18 (17) “of challenges”

The Cajuns host South Alabama. UL Lafayette Coach Mark Hudspeth likes how quarterback Anthony Jennings is developing in their system…

Cut 19 (19) “effective there”

South Alabama comes into Lafayette with a 1-1 record. They upset Mississippi State in the season opener and then lost to Georgia Southern last week. Hudspeth says his defense will have to pay attention to Gerald Everett…

Cut 20 (11) “outstanding players”

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”

================

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).

==================================================

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”

==================================================

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” 

===================================================

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”

===================================================

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”

===================================================

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”

______________________________________

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”

______________________________________

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”

______________________________________

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”

_______________________________________________

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”

________________________________________________________

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”

_______________________________________________________

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”

_______________________________________________________

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”

================

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”

==============================================

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.

==================================================

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”