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

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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

cut 4  (10)  “stable”

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

Cut 5  (09)  “kids back”

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

Cut 6 (09) “this parish”

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

CUT 7 (11)  “for support”

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

Cut 8 (09) “efforts”

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

Cut 9 (04)  “legislative process”

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

Cut 10 (08) “harvesting”

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

cut 11 (09) “of oxygen”

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

cut 12 (08) “normal production”

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

Cut 13 (14) “economic impact”

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

cut 14 (12)  “so far”

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

Cut 15 (11) “get our workforce back”

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

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

Cut 16  (08)  “succeed”

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

Cut 17 (17)  “keep rolling “

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

Cut 18 (16) “it together”

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

Cut 19 (13) “different”

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

Cut 20 (17) “played today”

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

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

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

Cut 11 (08) “Kennedy” 

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

CUT 7 (12) “excavator”

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

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

CUT 3 (09)  “more resilient”

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

CUT 4 (08)  “here today”

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

CUT 5 (08)  “in red tape”

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

CUT 6 (14) “either”

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

CUT 7 (12) “excavator”

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

CUT 8 (09) “their instructions”

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

CUT 9 (09) “number.”

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

cut 10 (10)  “construction sites”

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

Cut (08) “Kennedy” 

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

cut 12 (08) “a hero”

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

Cut 13 (12)  “in 9/11”

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

cut 14 (-08)  “the statue”

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

cut 15 (11) “table it”

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

cut 16 (11) “surprising”

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

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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

cut 4  (08)  “of us”

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

Cut 5  (08)  “general context”

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

Cut 6 (11) “we go”

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

CUT 7 (08)  “individually”

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

Cut 8 (09) “they’re delicious”

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

Cut 9 (04)  “distribute them”

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

Cut 10 (08) “necessary”

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

cut 11 (08) “do so”

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

cut 12 (07) “our folks”

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

Cut 13 (09) “its repairs”

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

cut 14 (10)  “evacuate people”

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

Cut 15 (08) “25-percent level”

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

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

Cut 16  (13)  “they’ve made”

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

Cut 17 (20)  “cheer about “

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

Cut 18 (13) “out there”

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

Cut 19 (15) “try to do”

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

Cut 20 (15) “to improve”

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

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

CUT 3 (10)  “strawberry farmers”

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

CUT 4 (12)  “to do”

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

CUT 5 (12)  “every day”

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

CUT 6 (11) “structural problems”

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

CUT 7 (10) “Katrina”

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

CUT 8 (10) “they have”

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

CUT 9 (09) “your route”

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

cut 10 (10)  “construction sites”

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

Cut 11 (10) “major thoroughfares”

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

cut 12 (09) “riding on”

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

Cut 13 (11)  “outside”

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

cut 14 (10)  “it too”

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

cut 15 (11) “those charges”

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

cut 16 (09) “those charges”

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

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

cut 4  (10)  “the classroom”

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

Cut 5  (10)  “purposes”

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

Cut 6 (09) “in need”

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

CUT 7 (11)  “Kennedy”

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

Cut 8 (09) “as well” 

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

Cut 9 (06)  “pay attention”

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

Cut 10 (08) “housing piece”

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

cut 11 (10) “in Louisiana”

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

cut 12 (08) “our businesses”

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

Cut 13 (08) “that option”

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

cut 14 (07)  “housing units”

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

Cut 15 (08) “their lot”

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

Cut 16  (14)  “at a championship”

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

Cut 17 (15)  “build the team “

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

Cut 18 (10) “they do”

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

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

CUT 3 (09)  “see him”

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

CUT 4 (05)  “is normal”

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

CUT 5 (05)  “doing fine”

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

CUT 6 (10) “the police”

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

CUT 7 (05) “destroyed”

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

CUT 8 (05) “of justice”

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

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

CUT 9 (08) “rainfall events”

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

cut 10 (07)  “particular storms”

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

Cut 11 (07) “so efficient”

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

cut 12 (10) “their culture”

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

Cut 13 (09)  “as well”

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

cut 14 (10)  “world wide”

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After being put on hold during the budget crisis, three new expansions will begin at schools in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System that are focused on training people for the workforce. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana Economic Development is offering a scholarship for new businesses to become licensed contractors in the state. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A New Orleans Saint teamed up with the First Lady to deliver backpacks full of school supplies to students at a Baton Rouge elementary school on their first day back since the flood. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Governor John Bel Edwards announces three new expansion projects for schools in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System that will provide more training and improve employment opportunities for thousands. The announcement was made in Alexandria. President of the LCTCS, Monty Sullivan, says that’s where the Central Louisiana Technical College is building a 50-thousand square foot facility.

cut 4  (09)  “recent memory”

New facilities training centers are also going up at Baton Rouge Community College and Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Sullivan says these new facilities will provide training in various areas like welding, automotive technology, construction, manufacturing, and information technology.

Cut 5  (08)  “the workforce”

Delgado Community College will soon begin construction on a new 45-thousand square foot Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center. Sullivan says the center will serve thousands of students who are enrolled in maritime programs, which will support industries along the Mississippi River.

Cut 6 (11) “which is maritime”

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Louisiana Economic Development is offering a contractor accreditation scholarship to small businesses with the state’s technical schools and community colleges. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says LED is offering the course to help new companies become a licensed contractor in Louisiana, especially with the rising need after the historic flooding.

CUT 7 (08)  “this exam”

Pierson says many flood victims are hiring contractors to fix their homes and want to ensure they have an accredited business doing construction. He says long term, there are a lot of contracting needs and LED wants to lend those businesses a hand in accelerating their efforts.

Cut 8 (09) “a week” 

Pierson says courses run from October 3^rd to November 9^th at community and technical colleges statewide. He says to get on board call…

Cut 9 (09)  “LCAI”

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Students at Eden Park Elementary in Baton Rouge had a welcome surprise when New Orleans Saints Punter Thomas Morstead and First Lady Donna Edwards showed up to deliver 500 backpacks filled with school supplies following the historic flood.

Cut 10 (10) “the flooding”

The delivery came on the students’ first day back in the classroom since the flood. In every classroom, Morstead was greeted by cheering students, one of them even sporting a #6 jersey. Morstead says it’s a small thing to do for each child, but he hopes it motivates the students to have a good school year.

cut 11 (08) “great year”

Morstead says 50 volunteers rode on the bus from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to hand out the supplies. A total of 6,000 backpacks will be distributed to students throughout East Baton Rouge parish. The veteran NFL player says he’s glad to help the students, but he was most moved by seeing the number of volunteers who turned out to help deliver the backpacks.

cut 12 (08) “as I do”

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We may not see the presidential candidates much in the Bayou State before Election Day, according to UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross. He says Donald Trump is leading Hillary Clinton in Louisiana substantially, so the candidates will focus their attention on the so-called battleground states.

Cut 13 (10) “elsewhere”

Cross says Louisiana should be an easy win for Trump, because Clinton is not popular among voters in the predominantly red state. He says although the Bayou State does have a large number of minority voters, it likely won’t be enough for a Clinton win.

cut 14 (08)  “tea leaves”

Cross says if Trump starts to slip in the polls here, then that could be cause for alarm. But he says that doesn’t seem like much of a possibility at this point.

Cut 15 (08) “this state”

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Ragin Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth says the decision to fire defensive coordinator Melvin Smith gave him indigestion and heartburn, but it was a move that needed to be made after the team gave up 584 yards in a 45-10 loss to Boise State. Hudspeth says there was no reason to wait any longer to make a move

Cut 16  (15)  “be successful”

While Hudspeth was not happy with how his defense played, he is encouraged by the play of quarterback Anthony Jennings, who completed 21 of 33 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown pass in the loss to the Broncos. Hudspeth says he liked how Jennings played with poise…

Cut 17 (17)  “we’re doing “

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LSU Coach Les Miles is not making any major changes on offense for Saturday’s home opener against Jacksonville State. Miles is moving offensive coordinator Cam Cameron from the sidelines to the press box and he’ll call plays from above the field. The head coach is not making a change at quarterback, but wants Brandon Harris to be more accurate..

Cut 18 (18) “get you yards”

Miles says Harris is not all to blame for the problems that the offense had last Saturday. He says the receivers also failed to catch the ball at times…

Cut 19 (15) “we can fix”

The offensive line also struggled to give Harris time to throw or create running lanes for Leonard Fournette. But Miles is optimistic that unit will get better with time and more practice. He says injuries during preseason camp, kept them from gelling…

Cut 20 (20) “good line”

The Legislative Auditor’s Office has issued a report detailing how Louisiana can reduce its incarceration rate, which is higher than anywhere else in the world. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Office of Motor Vehicles is giving drivers an option to cancel license plates online. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Coast Guard and other agencies are responding to an oil spill off the coast of Bay Long, near Grand Isle. Petty Officer Lexie Preston says roughly 53-hundred gallons of crude oil leaked from a pipeline owned by Harvest Pipeline Company. She say it was struck by a vessel owned by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company…

CUT 3 (08)  “leaking”

Preston says ECM Maritime Services, an oil spill response organization, along with a variety of other agencies, are currently out and managing clean-up operations.

CUT 4 (07)  “collecting oil”

Preston says aircrews have conducted aerial assessments of the spill…

CUT 5 (06)  “of yet”

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The Legislative Auditor’s Office has released a report highlights possible ways to reduce Louisiana’s incarceration rate, which is the highest in the world. Karen LeBlanc with the Legislative Auditor’s Office says they looked at everything from pre- to post-incarceration. She says the state can save money by providing alternatives like diversion and specialty courts for people arrested on drug charges.

CUT 6 (10) “a jail”

LeBlanc says they also propose sentencing reform, like reducing mandatory minimum sentences and habitual offender laws, which she says results in longer jail time for those convicted and more expenses for the state. She says they also want to see nonviolent offenders with more probation and less jail time.

CUT 7 (12) “state facility”

LeBlanc says they are calling for more rehabilitation programs in jails, especially at the local level where over half of Louisiana’s inmates are housed. She says the money the state saves from these reforms can be used to fund the rehab programs.

Executive Director of the Louisiana District Attorney’s Office, Pete Adams, says they would rather see solutions that didn’t cost anything and only had savings. He says they like the idea of drug courts, but they cost money. He says it takes a dedicated team for drug courts to be successful.

CUT 8 (09) “work right”

Adams says putting more nonviolent offenders on probation instead of in jail would mean getting more probation officers, and there’s a cost associated with that. He says it could also be dangerous for the public.

CUT 9 (12) “best move”

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A new animal disaster relief shelter has opened in Amite. Executive Director of the Humane Society of Louisiana Jeff Dorson says this new center is the base of operations for not only Amite, but the surrounding parishes. He says the key reason they opened this shelter was to help reunite pets and livestock with their owners.

cut 10 (10)  “multiple weeks”

Dorson says at this site, they have 50 dogs and 20 cats in separate areas with air conditioning. He says if you’ve lost your pet in the flooding, they could very well be at the new Amite location.

Cut 11 (07) “humane”

Dorson says the Humane Society originally partnered with the Livingston Government Animal Control during the flood recovery stage, but the Livingston Shelter needed to return to normal business. He says this Amite Arena is in a perfect location.

cut 12 (10) “incident center”

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The Office of Motor Vehicles is letting drivers cancel their license plates online. Deputy Commissioner Staci Hoyt says before the flood, car owners never had the option to cancel their license plates on the OMV website. But she says State Police Col. Mike Edmonson asked if the OMV would look at this option, because so many vehicles were flooded…

Cut 13 (07)  “get here”

Hoyt says drivers wishing to cancel plates online will have to enter the vehicle’s VIN number, the plate number, and the zip code of the registered owner.

cut 14 (08)  “be canceled”

Hoyt hopes this will help the massive OMV wait times that have only increased after the flooding event. She says the office also has extended hours…

cut 15 (06) “4:30”

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The American Red Cross is providing limited financial aid and casework for people affected by the flooding. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Congress is expected to begin discussions about federal aid for Louisiana’s flood relief efforts as they return to Washington D-C for the fall session today. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

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Fort Polk is in the process of trying to find homes for 750 horses that roam on the grounds of the military base in Vernon Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The American Red Cross is now providing casework that can connect flood victims with other resources, besides the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Red Cross Spokesperson Anthony Tornetta says in some case they will actually provide a family with some spending cash, if they don’t qualify for federal disaster assistance through FEMA…

cut 4  (10)  “case basis”

Flood victims can register for this aid at Red-Cross-dot-org-slash-LA-flood-assistance (redcross.org/lafloodassistance). Tornetta says after registering, the Red Cross is able to provide limited financial assistance in 48 to 72 hours. He says the amount of aid available is done on a case by case basis.

Cut 5  (09)  “by home”

Tornetta says it’s not a lot, but the idea is to help start the recovery process and transition to some sort of normalcy. He says financial assistance is only available to certain people and the Red Cross has case workers on hand that can help flood victims find additional resources to assist in their recovery…

Cut 6 (10) “considered damaged”

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Congress reconvenes for the fall session today, which means the discussion begins about getting more federal aid to Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards wants Congress to approve a two-billion dollar federal aid package that will cover housing, economic development and infrastructure repairs. In a letter to the White House, the governor called it a reasonable request. Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy is optimistic Congress will help

CUT 7 (08)  “pretty generous”

Edwards says they’ve documented that 55-thousand homes were damaged the catastrophic flooding and over 80-percent of damaged homes lacked flood damage. Cassidy says he’s already spoken to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about Louisiana’s needs…

Cut 8 (10) “to help” 

Cassidy also wants to help those who were impacted by the flooding in north Louisiana in March. He says 49 parishes have been declared disaster areas this year from floods and the entire state is trying to recover.

Cut 9 (09)  “the job”

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The third phase of the disaster food stamp program begins today as flood victims in nine more parishes can receive a benefits card to purchase food. Sammy Guillory, with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, says if you lost food or income as a result of the floods and do NOT receive regular food stamps, you could be eligible for this special assistance…

Cut 10 (05) “by the floods”

D-SNAP operations open in Evangeline, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, St. James, St. Martin, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana and western parts of St. Tammany. So far, Guillory says almost 110-thousand households have received disaster food stamps and the distribution has gone well…

cut 11 (10) “serve them” 

Guillory says if you are a flood victim and were denied disaster food stamps, you can appeal…

cut 12 (07) “by a supervisor”

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Fort Polk has about 750 horses on their property and the military base in Vernon Parish is looking to give them a new home. Public Affairs Officer Troy Darr says the horses were probably abandoned over the years and started to reproduce. He says they are willing to give the horses to animal welfare groups or private citizens.

Cut 13 (08) “the horses”

Darr says the horses range from very healthy to some that are probably on their last leg. He says three animal welfare groups have already signed up, and a lot of people are interested.

cut 14 (08)  “couple dozen”

Darr says they have to get the horses off the property, because the soldiers use the grassy areas to train, but that’s also where the horses like to graze. He says they also land planes and helicopters in those areas, which can be dangerous for the horses and the soldiers.

Cut 15 (08) “themselves”

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We hear from LSU Coach Les Miles today for the first time since Saturday’s disappointing loss to an unranked Wisconsin team. Former LSU offensive lineman and now talk show host on WWL Radio in New Orleans, T-Bob Hebert, says Miles has likely told the players that this isn’t the time to sit around and feel sorry for yourself…

Cut 16  (12)  “of them”

There’s a lot of blame to go around for the way the Tigers played against the Badgers. Much of the criticism has fallen on the shoulders of quarterback Brandon Harris. Hebert says it’s important for the junior signal caller to ignore the negative comments about his play…

Cut 17 (08)  “at hand “

The Tigers had just 257 yards of total offense on Saturday. Hebert says it’s unlikely the coaching staff will make big adjustments after a poor performance against the Badgers….

Cut 18 (10) “I don’t know”