Tonight’s Saints-Falcons games marks the 10^th anniversary of the reopening of the Mercedes Benz Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Congressman Garret Graves has introduced a bill that would get flood insurance claims to people quicker. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Shocked and sad is the reaction from the LSU players over the firing of LSU Head Coach Les Miles and Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron. Jeff Palermo has the story

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Tonight’s Saints-Falcons game marks the 10th anniversary of the Mercedes Benz Superdome reopening after Hurricane Katrina. Former Governor Kathleen Blanco prioritized the repair of the iconic stadium. Blanco says the building’s roof was badly damaged and it was a symbol of despair for New Orleans. The former governor says despite criticism, she knew they could turn the dome into a symbol of victory.

cut 4  (10)  “nasty place”

Blanco says repairing the stadium in nine months rather than the predicted 2 years was a huge endeavor. She says Saints owner Tom Benson promised if they could open the Superdome before the 2006 season, he wouldn’t move the franchise.

Cut 5  (08)  “dire moment”

Blanco faced criticism, as many wondered why fix the Superdome when thousands of people needed help. The former governor says the money could only go into repairs of the building and they received funds from the NFL and FEMA. She says in the end, she received many public apologies.

Cut 6 (10) “or losing”

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Over a month after the historic flooding in south Louisiana, many flood victims are still struggling to recover. Congressman Garret Graves of Baton Rouge has introduced a bill to help future disaster victims get assistance in a timely manner. He says the biggest complaint he’s heard is that it’s taking too long to get money from flood insurance claims.

CUT 7 (10)  “federal program”

Graves’ bill would require the national flood insurance program to make determinations within 30 days of the claim being filed. He says people need this assistance now, and he wants to push this bill through in an expedited process.

Cut 8 (07) “the Congress”

Graves says schools, police and fire departments, and drainage systems are all funded by property taxes. He says if people can’t get their homes repaired quickly, it will cause major problems for the entire community because there will be less tax revenue coming in.

Cut 9 (11)  “public services”

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After 114 wins, a BCS National Championship and two SEC championships, Les Miles is no longer the head coach at LSU. Miles, along with LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron were let go, after a bad loss to Auburn to drop their record to 2-2. Safety Jamal Adams says Miles spoke with the team before he left…

Cut 10 (11) “lettin go”

Senior wide receiver Travin Dural of Breaux Bridge says he showed up to a 5:00 meeting and never thought he would be told that Miles was let go….

cut 11 (07) “this program”

South LaFourche High School and Northwestern State grad, Ed Orgeron, takes over as the interim head coach. He was the Tigers defensive line coach and a former head coach at Ole Miss and interim head coach at USC. Dural looks forward to what Coach “O” can bring to the team…

cut 12 (09) “success”

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A new book about the murders of prostitutes in Jefferson Davis parish is surrounded by controversy. Murder in the Bayou by Ethan Brown documents the author’s investigation into the murders of 8 prostitutes between 2005 and 2009. The book alleges that Congressman Charles Boustany may have been involved with the women. Brown, who appeared on the Jim Engster Show, says Boustany’s response to the accusation is included in the book.

Cut 13 (08) “in the book”

The book claims that a staffer at Boustany’s office also worked at the hotel where these women would perform the services. Brown says there is no question that staffer worked at the Boudreaux Inn.

cut 14 (09)  “the staffer”

Brown says a lot of independent media outlets have been reporting the claims against the congressman. He says in all the stories he’s seen, reporters have noted that they have not been able to independently verify the allegations.

Cut 15 (07) “been made”

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The Saints are 0-2 heading into their Monday night matchup with their NFC South rival the Atlanta Falcons. A loss tonight and it will be very difficult for the boys in Black and Gold to make the playoffs. Quarterback Drew Brees is confident this team can string some wins together…

Cut 16  (12)  “this week”

Brees has thrown for nearly 700 yards and 5 touchdowns through two games, but New Orleans has yet to get tight end Coby Fleener involved in the offense. Fleener was signed a free agent in the offseason and has just three catches on the young season. Brees expects Fleener to be a major contributor as the season moves along…

Cut 17 (15)  “come”

The Saints have struggled to convert on 3rd down this season, as they have moved the chains on 3rd down only 7 times on 24 opportunities. Brees on how they can improve that percentage…

Cut 18 (20) “3rd down”

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LSU beat Auburn, but then they didn’t. It turns out Danny Etling’s touchdown pass to DJ Chark never happened, because the Tigers didn’t get the play off, before the clock struck triple zero. After a penalty on the Tigers, there was one second left, when LSU lined up for a potential touchdown pass. Coach Les Miles on what happened…

Cut 19 (15) “I’m told”

Auburn’s 18-13 over LSU leaves the Tigers with a 2-2 record for the first time since 2001. The Bayou Bengals chances of playing in the college football playoffs are dashed and LSU’s continuing problems on offense make it hard to think they can win the SEC West. Miles, whose coaching seat is getting hotter, looks forward to the rest of the season…

Cut 20 (18) ” back end”

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves says he is unsatisfied with the proposal to get Louisiana $500 million dollars in federal aid to assist flood victims because it’s wrapped up in politics. The money is part of a short-term budget fix and is earmarked as disaster assistance for multiple states. Graves says this money would be spread across 16 different major disasters…:
CUT 9 (04) “to Louisiana”

Graves says when you look at the tens of thousands of people that need assistance to get back in their homes, $500 million doesn’t go anywhere.

Take Em Down Nola, an activist group in New Orleans, is protesting today in Jackson Square when they say they will take down the statue of Andrew Jackson. The group seeks to remove all confederate monuments in the Crescent City. Group member Malcom Suber says they want to rename the area Freedom Square.
CUT 3 (08) “our city”

 
The Advisory Council on Student Behavior finds over one-thousand kindergartners were suspended last school year. New Orleans attorney and chairwoman of the council, Jennifer Coco, says they hope to find better ways to discipline students than kicking them out of class.
Cut 12 (08) “feel safe”

Hunters for the Hungry’s annual Cleanout your Freezer Day is tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m. Hunters with leftover meat from last hunting season are encouraged to donate. H-F-H Executive Director Jimmy Anthony says the program began 25 years ago when a group of hunters thought it was a shame to waste all of last year’s frozen game.
Cut 6 (11) “new meat.”

Visit hunters4hungrylouisiana.org for more information.

A New Orleans activist group has announced plans to take down the statue of Andrew Jackson during a protest Saturday. Don Molino has more…

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US Congressman Garret Graves says he’s frustrated that the proposal to get $500 million dollars in federal aid to flood victims is wrapped up in politics. Michelle Southern reports…:

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A New Orleans activist group is planning a protest tomorrow in Jackson Square when they say they will take down the statue of Andrew Jackson. Malcom Suber is a member of Take Em Down NOLA, a group that seeks to remove confederate monuments from the city. He says they want to remove the statue of Jackson and rename the area Freedom Square.

CUT 3 (08)  “our city”

Suber says the protest will begin at 1pm, and they expect hundreds of people to come. City officials say they support peaceful protests, but vandalism of public property is a crime.  But he says they see this as an issue of civil rights.

CUT 4 (08)  “this city”

Suber says they feel they are within their rights because the city council voted to remove confederate statues in New Orleans. He says their position has always been to remove any monuments that represent white supremacy.

CUT 5 (10)  “come down”

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Hunters for the Hungry is hosting their annual “Clean out your Freezer Day” to benefit food banks throughout Louisiana. On Sunday, September 25^th from 1 to 4 p.m., hunters with leftover meat are encouraged to donate before they stock up again during hunting season. H-F-H Executive Director Jimmy Anthony says the program started 25 years ago when a group of hunters thought it was a shame to waste all of last year’s frozen game.

CUT 6 (11) “new meat”

The donations will be directly distributed to nearly 400 agencies across Louisiana. Anthony says typically the Baton Rouge Food Bank stores all of the meat but there is no room this year after the flooding so a New Orleans Food Bank will be collecting the food. He says they will also be collecting canned goods.

CUT 7 (06) “Food Bank”

H-F-H collected more than 230-thousand pounds of fish, game, and other meats in years past. Anthony says there are 12 collection sites and to find one in your area visit hunters-the-number-4-hungry-louisiana-dot-org (hunters4hungrylouisiana.org). He says they are not collecting any meat over a year old

CUT 8 (10) “and dated”

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US Congressman Garret Graves says he’s frustrated that the proposal to get $500 million dollars in federal aid to flood victims is wrapped up in politics. The money is part of a short-term budget fix and is earmarked as disaster assistance for several states. Graves says this money would be spread across 16 different major disasters…:

CUT 9 (04) “to Louisiana”

Graves says when you look at the tens of thousands of people that need assistance to get back in their homes, $500 million doesn’t go anywhere..:

cut 10 (09)  “drop in the bucket”

Graves says he’s been trying to collect as many flood stories as he can so that he can get the message out to Congress how dire the situation in Louisiana is…:

Cut 11 (06) “up here”

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A state panel has made surprising discoveries about student discipline in Louisiana. The Advisory Council on Student Behavior found that over a thousand kindergartners were suspended during the last school year. New Orleans attorney and chairwoman of the council, Jennifer Coco, says they want to find better ways to discipline students than kicking them out of class.

cut 12 (08) “feel safe”

The council found that nearly 8-thousand students between pre-kindergarten and third grade received out of school suspensions during the 2015-16 school year. Coco says the primary reasons students are getting suspended is being disrespectful or disobedient. But she doesn’t think that kicking a child out of school will teach them to be more respectful.

Cut 13 (11)  “by that”

Coco says the 24-member council is required to meet three times a year and discuss their findings. She says they will put together an annual report and present it to the education committees in the legislature and BESE.

cut 14 (07)  “might be”

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Livingston Parish Schools have received more than $100,000 in donations, grants and gifts to assist teachers, staff and students with flood recovery efforts. Superintendent Rick Wentzel says the St. Tammany Parish Public School System and their surrounding communities stepped up in a huge way…:

cut 15 (10) “over $8000”

Wentzel says they also got a massive donation from a huge celebrity…:

cut 16 (14) “means a lot to us”

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Louisiana’s highways rank 34^th in the nation for overall performance, according to the Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report. Jeff Palermo has more…

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 State and federal officials are defending the Shelter at Home program as criticism increases about the quality of the work done to the flooded homes. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Lafayette police release more details about the deceased woman found in a toolbox. Halen Doughty has more on the bizarre story…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Monday is the deadline for Livingston parish pet owners to claim pets that were lost in the flood, and then shelters will start adopting them out. Executive Director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, Jeff Dorson, says they have been sheltering over 500 pets from the Livingston parish area since the flood, but they could only hold them for 45 days.

cut 4  (09)  “rescue partners”

Dorson says people who lost a pet should check the Livingston Reuniting Pets Facebook page or contact the Humane Society of Louisiana. He says adoption counselors can help people find their lost pets.

Cut 5  (07)  “long way”

Dorson says pets are being sheltered around Louisiana and in other states, so finding a pet after this deadline will be a challenge. He says there is a local shelter people can visit if they want to adopt a pet that was displaced during the flood.

Cut 6 (07) “30 dogs”

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The Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report ranks Louisiana’s roadways 34^thin the nation for overall performance, up 6 spots from the previous year. Louisiana ranked poorly in the areas of fatality rate and urban interstate pavement condition. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the state has announced two different interstate widening projects that should lead to safer and smoother traveling on I-10 in the Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas.

CUT 7 (10)  “these investments”

The Bayou State came in 40^th for the number of deficient bridges in the state. Wilson admits the state is not spending enough to keep up with the maintenance of our bridges.

Cut 8 (09) “as a bridge”

Wilson says there’s almost a $13 billion backlog in transportation projects, and it will take more consistent funding resources in order to improve Louisiana’s overall ranking.

Cut 9 (11)  “we need”

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State and federal officials are defending the Shelter at Home program after there have been complaints that the jobs aren’t done to the flood victim’s satisfaction. Deputy Chief of Staff with the Governor’s Office Julie Baxter Payer says the Shelter at Home program is for temporary basic repair. She says the state is constrained by FEMA guidelines so they cannot help with permanent rebuilding.

Cut 10 (11) “at home”

Alice O’Connor of Baton Rouge, is a shelter at home program recipient. O’Connor says she’s appreciative of the program because she is finally able to live in her house, which is close to work, rather than living in a crowded apartment with family members. She says the first thing contractors did was kill the live electrical wires that could electrocute her.

cut 11 (10) “for sure”

There are also concerns by many about the Temporary Housing Units and why there aren’t more flood victims already living in the manufactured homes. FEMA representative Tito Hernandez says these mobile homes are a last resort, because it takes a long time to get them set up in a flooded homeowner’s yard.

cut 12 (10) “putting them”

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An unusual homicide in Lafayette becomes more and more bizarre as the details unfold. Lafayette Police Officer Karl Ratcliff has confirmed the body of 23-year-old Alannah Montalvo was dismembered in a toolbox on the side of the road, four days after her boyfriend, 36-year-old Barrett Farabee, was shot while trespassing in someone’s backyard.

Cut 13 (08) “the victim”

Montalvo’s body parts were found on Tuesday. Ratcliff says a few days before that Farabee was fatally shot by a homeowner after he spotted him naked and armed with two guns in his backyard on Fanny Street. He says at this time, they are still not sure why the man was naked at 8am.

cut 14 (08)  “was armed”

Ratcliff says they are not releasing any details about Montalvo’s murder at this time out of respect for her family. He says Montalvo and Farabee had been in a relationship for quite some time prior to these horrific events.

Cut 15 (07) “that relationship”

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It’s LSU versus Auburn tomorrow on the Plains in a big SEC Western Division contest. Last year Tigers running back Leonard Fournette rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns against Auburn. Last week, Fournette had two fumbles and Coach Les Miles says Fournette has worked hard on protecting the ball….

Cut 16  (16)  “ball security period”

LSU quarterback Danny Etling will make his first road SEC start. Miles says spent the week at practice getting him ready for the atmosphere he’ll face at Jordan-Hare Stadium…

Cut 17 (16)  “to play”

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The Ragin Cajuns and Tulane meet Saturday at Yulman Stadium in a non-conference instate match-up. UL Lafayette is 2-1, while the Green Wave are 1-and-2 under first-year head coach Willie Fritz, who runs a spread-option offense. Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says it’s difficult to defend…

Cut 18 (16) “somebody miss”

Hudspeth likes how his defense has performed since defensive coordinator Melvin Smith was replaced by Mike Lucas after the season-opening loss to Boise State….

Cut 19 (13) “think a lot”

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Louisiana Tech begins Conference USA play by visiting Middle Tennessee. After losing 59-45 to Texas Tech, Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz says we can see another shootout in Murfreesboro…

Cut 20 (14) “40 points a game”

During his monthly call-in radio show, Governor John Bel Edwards responded to a viral video that shows substandard work completed at a home in the Shelter At Home program. Michelle Southern has more…

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US Senator Bill Cassidy announced today that Louisiana has been included in a spending bill that contains $500 million dollars in federal disaster relief. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A viral video showing shoddy work done at house in the Shelter At Home program has many questioning the reliability of the new program. Governor John Bel Edwards responded on his monthly call in radio show, saying he sent crews to inspect the home after seeing the video. He admits the work in that home was not up to standards.

CUT 3 (09)  “been redone”

Edwards did provide some clarification about what work Shelter at Home will complete, and what it will not. He reminded listeners the program pays up to $15-thousand for basic repairs- just enough to make the home livable, while long term renovations continue.

CUT 4 (08)  “shelter program”

Edwards says many people have the wrong expectation of what their home will look like once the work is completed. He says Shelter at Home workers are now required what kind of work will be done in their home.

CUT 5 (09)  “the kitchen”

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LSU football quarterback Brandon Harris received death threats following the Tiger’s devastating season opening loss to Wisconsin. Head coach Les Miles hopes the person writing these messages doesn’t really know what he is saying and will not act on the threats.

CUT 6 (11) “wrong decision”

Harris received one twitter threat telling him to kill himself and another said Harris would be murdered. Miles says they will give the information to law enforcement to find out who is threatening Harris.

CUT 7 (10) “pursue it”

Harris has been replaced in the last two games by junior Danny Etling. Miles hopes whoever wrote these threats only meant them in a mundane and insincere way but it’s gone too far.

CUT 8 (04) “do that”

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The Military Family Assistance Fund, which was originally set up to support families when a National Guardsman was deployed overseas, is now helping veterans who were affected by the flooding. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Col. Joey Strickland says the legislature modified the fund to help all veterans who have a financial need.

CUT 9 (09) “online”

Strickland says they hope by the end of this month to give out a total of 350-thousand dollars to flood impacted veterans. Veterans eligible for this aid must show proof of service and a FEMA number. He says it typically takes about three days for veterans to collect the money.

cut 10 (09)  “DD214”

The L-D-V-A estimates 171-thousand veterans were impacted by the flooding and those interested in receiving an average check of 350 dollars can fill out a necessary form at the Veterans Service Office in their parish or call (225) 219-5000. Strickland says veterans only need to fill out one form and can either come to headquarters to pick up their check or it can be mailed to them.

Cut 11 (06) “our veterans”

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US Senator Bill Cassidy announced today that Louisiana has been included in a spending bill that contains $500 million dollars in federal disaster relief. The Governor requested $2.8 billion. Cassidy referred to the half billion as a down payment…:

cut 12 (09) “from the flood”

Governor Edwards issued a statement saying he is hopeful and optimistic that the final version of this bill will include this assistance. Cassidy said it’s actually a good thing that they are not getting the full amount now, because the fund that this money is coming from is limited in what it can be used for…:

Cut 13 (07)  “flood mitigation”

Cassidy says Louisiana’s relief is coming from two pots of money, this is the first and the second is coming in December. Some of this funding could go to other states, but Cassidy is confident a majority will go to Louisiana. He says as soon as this is passed, the money will be available to the state..:

cut 14 (10)  “several weeks”

(The flood aid for Louisiana is contained in legislation that would prevent a government shutdown and it must be approved by next Friday at midnight.)

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East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore announces the fatal shooting of a suicidal man by four sheriff deputies on February 23rd was legally justified. Moore says the deputies were exercising their rights of self defense when they opened fire on 48-year-old Travis Stevenson, who was using his sedan to ram a Sheriff’s office vehicle…

cut 15 (09) “multiple times”

Moore says there is no video evidence of the shooting and he came to the decision of clearing the deputies involved, after an extensive investigation by State Police. He says L-S-P investigators spoke with several witnesses, who supported the claim of self-defense by the officers…

cut 16 (09) “run over”

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A new poll by Southern Media and Opinion Research finds Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is up 13 points since May, while 6 out of 10 Louisiana voters disapprove of democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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 Today is the start of autumn. Emelie Gunn has more on what kind of weather we can expect throughout the season…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Governor John Bel Edwards is back in Washington for the third time trying to get federal aid for the ongoing flood recovery efforts in Louisiana. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A new poll released by Southern Media and Opinion Research finds Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 63-percent. That’s a 13-percent increase from May. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says there is a saying by a lot elected officials, you never let a crisis go by without taking advantage of it. He says that what Edwards did by being very visible during the tragic shootings and the flooding.

cut 4  (10)  “wish for”

Pinsonat says the governor still faces some hurdles, especially with housing issues after the flooding. But he says this popularity will likely benefit him during the upcoming legislative session.

Cut 5  (09)  “tough issues”

The survey also finds presidential candidate, Democrat Hillary Clinton, has an unfavorable rating in Louisiana of 60-percent. Pinsonat says Republican Donald Trump has shot in front of her by a good margin and is very popular with white voters in Louisiana.

Cut 6 (10) “his corner”

According to the poll, if the election were held today, 49-percent would vote for Trump, 33-percent for Clinton, and 8-percent for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. Pinsonat says Trump has high negatives in Louisiana, at 47-percent, but that’s not anywhere near as bad as Clinton’s.

CUT 7 (10)  “to win”

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Today is the start of the fall season and Louisianans can expect above average temperatures and below normal rainfall. That’s according to state climatologist Barry Keim. Keim says the basis for this forecast is due to a high probability for a La Nina.

Cut 8 (08) “the state”

Keim says we’re still seeing high temperatures but we just need to sit tight because fall weather is coming soon.

Cut 9 (08)  “temperatures”

Keim says Louisiana had one of the wettest summers on record in 2016 but there will be a shift in that pattern with dryer than normal conditions over the next three months.

Cut 10 (10) “from August”

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Governor John Bel Edwards is in Washington, D.C., today continuing the ongoing battle to get federal funding for flood recovery efforts in Louisiana. Edwards says he is optimistic they can get something done before lawmakers recess at the end of the month for the November election.

cut 11 (10) “meaningful assistance”

Republican lawmakers are making the push for Louisiana funding, but Democrats want to include funding for the Flint, Michigan water crisis in the spending bill as well. The state has requested $2.6 billion in federal funding, but Edwards doesn’t expect to get the full amount at once.

cut 12 (09) “relief package”

The initial flood recovery dollars would be contained in a stop-gap funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown. Edwards hopes it will be approved this month and Congress will approve more funding during the “lame duck” winter session. He says what we need immediately is help with housing.

Cut 13 (07) “with housing”

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The investigation is ongoing in Lafayette parish about a body that was discovered in a tool box on the side of the road. Cpl. Bridgett Dugas says they have connected the victim, Alannah Montalvo, with the naked man who was recently shot and killed while trespassing.

cut 14 (09)  “Fanny Street”

Dugas says Montalvo was in a relationship with the naked trespasser, 36-year-old Barrett Farabee. She says they still do not know the exact cause of death for Montalvo, but they do have a suspect in Farabee.

Cut 15 (05) “death”

Dugas says police are actively searching for the vehicle the couple was travelling in, a green Honda Accord. She asks anyone who sees the vehicle to contact police.

Cut 16  (09)  “license plate”

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The Saints have put cornerback PJ Williams on injured reserve, after the second-year pro as carted off the field last Sunday after taking a knee to the helmet twice while trying to make a tackle. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the Saints are snakebit at this position as they’ve lost several cornerbacks this year because of injuries…

Cut 17 (12)  “tough loss”

The Saints have lost several cornerbacks this season due to injuries. They are expected to get Delvin Breaux back, but he’ll still miss several weeks because of a broken fibula. Detillier says the Saints defense played well last week, but it will be tough for them to keep that level of play up…

Cut 18 (25) “period”

The Saints will host Atlanta on Monday night. New Orleans is looking for its first win of the season and Detillier says despite the injuries, he likes the Black and Gold’s chances against the hated Falcons…

Cut 19 (19) “wins”

A new independent poll on Louisiana’s US Senate race shows its tightening. Jeff Palermo has the story..

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A new app has been developed to help identify the more than 350 caskets that were uprooted in the recent flood in south Louisiana. Don Molino has more…

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Don Molino”

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A new independent poll on the election for US Senate in Louisiana finds a tight race. Republican State Treasruer John Kennedy still leads the Southern Media and Opinion Research survey of 500 likely voters with 17-percent. But Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says GOP Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany is only two-percentage points back….

CUT 3 (10)  “his ads”

The poll was conducted from September 15th to the 17th. Pinsonat says Democrat Caroline Fayard has improving poll numbers as well as she’s up to 11-percent…

CUT 4 (06)  “in New Orleans”

The poll shows Democrat Foster Campbell at nine-percent and Republican Congressman John Fleming at eight percent. Pinsonat says this survey shows there’s five candidates who can still make the runoff…

CUT 5 (06)  “barn burner”

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While the August flood destroyed homes and impacted thousands of people in south Louisiana, the living were not the only ones affected. Department of Health Program Manager in Emergency Preparedness, Henry Yennie, says over 350 graves were disrupted in at least 8 parishes, and they’ve come up with a solution to get the deceased back to their final resting place.

CUT 6 (09) “the carrier”

Yennie says so far they have identified roughly 15-percent of the caskets that were disrupted in the recent flood. He says the hardest hit cemeteries are in northern Livingston parish and St. Helena parish. He says they’ve already starting using the new app as they identify the disrupted caskets.

CUT 7 (11) “identify people”

Yennie says it will be a while before the barcode system can be implemented on a larger scale. But he says in the next six months they want to put it to use targeting at risk cemeteries.

CUT 8 (10) “these barcodes”

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Millions of drivers waste money on premium gasoline, according to a new study from AAA. Spokesperson Don Redman says over 16 million drivers are putting higher octane gas in their cars, and paying more for it, when their vehicle doesn’t require it.

CUT 9 (10) “regular gasoline”

Redman says they encourage people to check their car’s owner’s manual to see what kind of gas their car requires. He says 70-percent of vehicles on the road just need regular gas.

cut 10 (09)  “your money”

Redman says some high end vehicles do require premium gas because of the way the engine is calibrated. He says the only differences between regular and premium gas are the octane levels and the price.

Cut 11 (08) “gallon difference”

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Lafayette Police are trying to get some answers in the case of a body that was discovered in a tool box. Corporal Bridgette Dugas says they received a call around 4pm Tuesday in reference to a possible deceased person enclosed in some type of bin…:

cut 12 (04) “inside a tool box”

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact authorities. Dugas says they are working to identify the victim and also the cause of death. She says details about how the box got there are scarce…:

Cut 13 (04)  “inside of the tool box”

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A West Monroe police officer who fatally shot a man in 2014 has been found not guilty of negligent homicide. Officer Jody LeDoux shot Raymond Martinez, who according to the evidence was drunk and belligerent outside of a store. Defense Attorney Mickey Dubose says despite the controversy surrounding the case, he was confident LeDoux acted properly….

cut 14 (11)  “to fire”

Dubose says Martinez reached for a silver object inside a newspaper bin that LeDoux believed to be a gun, but it turned out to be a silver flip phone. A total of nine witnesses were called during the trial, including the accused. Dubose says experts also testified about the incident.

cut 15 (10) “to surrender”

If convicted, LeDoux was charged with five years in prison. Dubose says he’s not sure whether or not LeDoux will go back to work at WMPD.

cut 16 (08) “future holds”

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Many flood victims in the Baton Rouge area are choosing to sell their flood damaged homes as is. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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 The federal Bureau of Economic Analysis released numbers showing two of the nation’s fastest growing economies are in Louisiana but there’s also two metro areas considered the worst. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A summer for the weather record books comes to an end today. Jeff Palermo has the story….

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today is the final day of what was a hot and wet summer. Alek Krautmann with the National Weather Service in Slidell says it goes down as one of the warmest summers on record for several Louisiana cities and in New Orleans it was the warmest summer on record since 1947. He says a very warm Gulf of Mexico is to blame.

cut 4  (10)  “temperatures”

Krautmann says our warm summer fits into the trend of an incredibly warm summer across the country, which could be the hottest summer nationwide. He says Louisiana also saw a very wet summer, with Baton Rouge experiencing the wettest one on record.

Cut 5  (11)  “was received”

Krautmann says heavy rains are another result of the warm Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 6 (10) “downpours”

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More and more south Louisiana flood victims are selling their flood damaged homes to investors as is. Baton Rouge area realtor Ginger Maulden says the category “Currently Damaged” is being used to help flood victims track and sell their homes. She says the listing will be especially helpful to investors.

CUT 7 (08)  “it later”

Maulden says several homes in this category have already sold, and all of them were cash buys from investors. She says they expect the number of homes in the listing group to continue to grow.

Cut 8 (08) “already sold”

Maulden says she believes this category will be useful for at least another year or two. She says there are a lot of flood victims who still don’t know what they’re going to do with their flood damaged homes.

Cut 9 (11)  “market area”

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Louisiana has two of the country’s fastest growing economies, while also having two of the fastest-shrinking, according to data from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis. Baton Rouge grew by over 5-percent and Lake Charles grew by about 8-percent. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says right now, Lake Charles has almost 100 billion dollars in industrial announcements…

Cut 10 (10) “one place”

Scott says Baton Rouge has about 10 billion dollars in projects. He says these growths are primarily going on in the chemical industry and the liquefied natural gas export sector.

cut 11 (11) “in Asia”

The numbers released show Houma-Thibodaux has the nation’s second worst economy, shrinking nearly 8-percent and Lafayette shrunk four-percent. Scott says these drops are linked to the oil bust. He says back in 2014, there were about 56 rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico, now there are less than 15…

cut 12 (10) “gas industry”

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A multi-agency investigation in Terrebonne parish has led to 29 arrests in just four days. State Trooper Jesse LaGrange says state police partnered with several narcotics agencies in Terrebonne parish to identify and target criminals in the wake of increased gun violence. He says they used street level enforcement, undercover operations and fugitive warrant services to find the violators.

Cut 13 (08) “an arrest”

Eighteen of the arrests were for felony charges. LaGrange says they also seized 388 grams of marijuana, 6 grams of crack cocaine, 5 grams of heroin, and various prescription pills. He says they recovered 6 guns, two of which were stolen, and over $6-thousand during the investigation.

cut 14 (08)  “the streets”

The multi-agency partnership was nicknamed “Operation Carpe Platearum,” which means seize the streets. LaGrange says the public plays an important role in identifying criminal suspects and encourages anyone with information about criminal activity to report it.

Cut 15 (08) “website”

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18th ranked LSU is getting ready for an Auburn team struggling on offense. The War Eagles have scored a total of 29 points against the two Power 5 teams they’ve played this year. Tigers Defensive Coordinator Dave Aranda says the big challenge for his players is all of the formations Auburn uses…

Cut 16  (12)  “main points”

Senior defensive back Tre’Davious White has flourished in Aranda’s defense. Through three games, he’s already had an interception, a fumble recovery and a sack. White is playing more nickel back this season and Aranda says it’s because he’s a smart football player…

Cut 17 (13)  “great nickel”

Linebacker Kendell Beckwith and safety Jamal Adams are two of LSU’s leading tacklers. Aranda says believes those two can be bigger playmakers as the season goes along…

Cut 18 (16) “matched up”

Dukes of Hazzard star John Schnieder, who lives and has a studio in Livingston Parish, is enraged with the cleanup process after the flooding. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Louisiana has the second highest rate of women who are killed by men, according to a study by the Violence Policy Center. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Brown tap water has been flowing from faucets in the City of Oak Grove in West Carroll parish for years, and city officials are taking action to get clean water. Mayor Adam Holland says he and some city council members toured America Water and Waste’s facility last week to find out what is causing the discoloration in the water.

CUT 3 (11)  “should be”

Holland says during his meeting with the company owners last week, he informed them that he is executing the 120 day termination clause in their contract. But he wants to give the company the city has been with since 2002 one more chance.

CUT 4 (08)  “the meeting”

Holland says some of the issues they want addressed are the joints at the plant that need to be replaced and better transparency between the company and the city. He says most importantly they just want clean, clear drinking water.

CUT 5 (09)  “my pipes”

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Movie star John Schneider is upset with the cleanup process south Louisiana has seen after the historic flooding. Schneider has a studio and home in Holden and another property on the Amite River, which were all flooded. The Dukes of Hazzard actor says a month later, he still sees mountains and mountains of trash on the road…

CUT 6 (10) “their roadway”

The Livingston Parish Office of Emergency Management says there is still over one million cubic yards of trash that needs to be collected. Schneider says seeing the trash every day is a constant reminder of some kind of failure. He says we pay our taxes for debris removal yet we still don’t seem important enough for FEMA to take some sort of action.

CUT 7 (10) “and uncaring”

Schneider says Louisiana was in the news this summer for tragic shootings, but the flooding even hasn’t gotten the attention of our government. He says the debris removal process should’ve begun immediately after people removed their water logged belongings from their home.

CUT 8 (11) “failed system”

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A new study from the Violence Policy Center finds Louisiana ranks second in the country for the rate of women who are murdered by men. VPC Legislative Director, Kristen Rand, says this is the sixth year in a row that Louisiana has made the top 10. She says that may have something to do with the state’s gun laws.

CUT 9 (09) “with firearms”

Alaska was the only state with a higher rate of women murdered by men. Rand says black women are at a higher risk than white women because 29 of the 51 females murdered by men in 2014 were African American. She says in most cases, the woman has a relationship with the attacker.

cut 10 (11)  “the perpetrator”

In 2014, the Louisiana passed a law that prevents convicted domestic abusers from purchasing a gun for ten years after the completion of their probation, but the law doesn’t require them to surrender their weapons. She says Louisiana needs to keep passing laws to protect domestic violence victims.

Cut 11 (09) “volatile situations”

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The Louisiana Community and Technical College system had another record setting year in 2015-16. Collectively, 28,853 students graduated from a community and technical college, up over 6000 from the prior year. LCTCS president Monty Sullivan says it’s great to see students that are completing programs in high demand fields…:

cut 12 (09) “technical colleges”

The WISE fund was created in 2014. It allocates $40 million dollars to higher ed in Louisiana, and $12 million to two-year colleges. Sullivan says dollars from the WISE fund and private company matches were instrumental in getting them to the numbers they’ve seen the past year…:

Cut 13 (11)  “fields”

Graduates from across Louisiana earned credentials in programs that are critical economic drivers such as computer science, process technology, construction crafts, engineering technology, industrial production, allied health, manufacturing and accounting. Sullivan says these are also critical to Louisiana families…:

cut 14 (09)  “progress”

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The Louisiana Department of Health has issued a water advisory for the Bouge Chitto River after six million gallons sewage was released into the waterway. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The body of a missing 6-year-old was found in a pond early this morning. Michelle Southern has the tragic story…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Authorities say a dangerous, escaped Assumption parish inmate has been captured. Lonny Cavalier with the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office says on Sunday night they got a call from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office with some good news about 44-year-old Drake Domangue of Houma.

CUT 3 (09)  “go next”

Cavalier says Domangue is wanted by Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes for felony charges and parole violations. He says the inmate also has numerous traffic violations, and he was being held in Assumption parish on several charges.

CUT 4 (08)  “related charges”

Cavalier says Domangue was able to escape Wednesday while he was being transferred from the Assumption Parish Detention Center to St. Mary parish for mental health evaluation and treatment. He says upon arrival at the mental health facility, Domangue escaped from deputies.

CUT 5 (12)  “to escape”

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The Louisiana Department of Health issues a recreational water advisory for the Bouge Chitto River in St. Tammany Parish after a levee breach at the Brookhaven, Mississippi sewage plant released six million gallons of storm water diluted sewage. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the Department of Environment Quality is testing the water, but people should stay out of the river.

CUT 6 (09) “an infection”

Guidry warns people that microorganisms can enter the body through the mouth, nose, eyes, ears and open wounds. He says it will take at least a week to know exactly what we’re dealing with as the contamination travels through the entire length of the river.

CUT 7 (09) “that sewage”

Guidry advises people not to swim near drainage pipes and avoid ingesting water. He says the levee breach has now been fixed.

CUT 8 (09) “as well”

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The body of a missing 6-year-old autistic boy was found early this morning in Lafayette Parish. Youngsville Police Chief Ricky Boudreaux says Keaton Jones was reported missing yesterday afternoon. He says the child was tragically discovered a little after 4am in a pond near his home.

CUT 9 (06) “to frequent”

Boudreaux says Keaton was known to wander and left the home yesterday afternoon through a door to the garage that was left open. He says Keaton was autistic and nonverbal and liked being around water.

cut 10 (10)  “into the water”

Boudreaux says the family and neighbors searched for Keaton for two hours before calling the authorities. When police arrived they enlisted the help of several other agencies. He says they had a feeling he was near the pond, but initial searches turned up nothing.

Cut 11 (11) “negative results”

Boudreaux says after the dive and sonar didn’t find him, they began draining the pond and found Keaton.

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Almost 95-percent of Livingston parish students showed up for the first day back to class September 12th after the historic flood. Livingston School Superintendent Rick Wentzel says more than 24-thousand students returned to school last week. He says they were pleasantly surprised at the turnout.

cut 12 (10) “450 kids”

Less than 6-percent of last year’s October 1 enrollment count missed the first day back. Wentzel says there were some areas that had lower first day turnouts than others, as a lot of students had to transfer to other schools in the district.

Cut 13 (08)  “their enrollment”

Wentzel says even the hardest hit schools are only down about 20-percent in enrollment. Southside Elementary reportedly had the lowest enrollment, down about one-third over last year. He says the high percentage of students are back in the classroom is a testament to the community and the school system.

cut 14 (07)  “to school”

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