State Farm is advising college students to protect their back-to-school purchases with renter’s insurance. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

The Big Easy is becoming more popular than ever for the vacationing public from all over the world. Don Molino reports…:

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s smartphone app now include a
symptom checker with a suggested diagnosis and a list of
treatments. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 3 (22) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Many college students are using this end of summertime to shop for expensive items to fill their dorms or apartments and State Farm is urging young adults to protect their back-to-school purchases with renter’s insurance. State Farm spokesperson Roszell Gadson says it’s important to have protection in the event of a fire, flood, for theft.

cut 4  (08)  “the case”

Gadson says renters should meet with an agent about buying coverage. He says lots of college students believe renter’s insurance is too expensive for them…

Cut 5  (08)  “a month”

Gadson says renter’s coverage also includes liability insurance, in the event a party gets out of hand and someone hurts themselves. He says although some students might be covered under their parents, he advises young adults to get their own policy because it establishes a positive record.

Cut 6 (09) “a loss”

_______________________________________________

More and more travelers are choosing New Orleans as their vacation destination. Kristian Sonnier with the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau says the Big Easy is now the second most popular destination for international travelers, behind New York City. But he says the number of international visitors is growing much faster in New Orleans.

CUT 7 (10)  “37 %”

Sonnier says New Orleans was also ranked at the top of the list for food and music travel destinations by two prestigious lifestyle magazines.

Cut 8  (11)  “UK”

Sonnier says they have been hard at work making New Orleans a world-class travel destination for visitors both here and abroad.

Cut 9 (07)  “attractive city”

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Think you’re getting sick or have a broken arm? Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana’s smartphone app now has a symptom checker. Owner of the mobile app, Kassim Rasoulian, says the symptom checker is available to both members and non-members. He says this is beneficial for anyone wanting to research different health and wellness topics.

Cut 10 (10) “poison ivy”

Rasoulian says the symptom checker will give the user a list of symptoms, images, and give a self-care advice section. He says there is also an area within the symptom checker to direct the user on the best method to obtain help.

cut 11 (09) “at home”

The Blue Cross Blue Shield app is available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. Rasoulian says the other features on the mobile app are mainly for members. He says users can find a doctor, view their benefits and claims, as well as, billing information.

cut 12 (08) “information”

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Tensions have run high between the Edwards Administration and the Office of Attorney General Jeff Landry, and the jabs keep coming. The two sides have been at odds on several issues including budgets and immigration policy. At the Baton Rouge Press Club, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne believes Landry has had a problem with him for months…:

Cut 13 (10) “allowance”

Landry said in a statement that the Governor and Dardenne are trying to distract from the largest tax and spend plan passed in the history of this state. Dardenne said Landry was trying to get a monthly car allowance from the state, as well as the ability to file mileage reimbursements…:

cut 14 (07)  “appreciated that”

The AG’s office denies that Landry was trying to double up on car benefits from the state — and that he drives a privately-owned car and gets reimbursed for mileage. Dardenne said the AG never responded to his letter denying the monthly driving allowance…:

Cut 15 (06) “I don’t know”

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The Saints will take on the New England Patriots tonight in their first preseason game of the 2016 season. The contest will be held in Gillette Stadium and kick off at 6:30. NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says one of the big spots to keep an eye on with this Black and Gold team, is the defense:

Cut 16  (12)  “all game long”

Detillier says they’ll want to see if there’s anyone who can step into the shoes of the pass rusher opposite defensive end Cam Jordan…:

Cut 17 (12)  “that area”

Coach Sean Payton said Quarterback Drew Brees will probably play a snap or two. Detillier says on the offense, the main concern is the line up front…:

Cut 18 (17) “unless you can protect Drew Brees”

Former ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert, candidate for US Senate, is suing Southern Media and Opinion Research pollster Bernie Pinsonat claiming he was misrepresented in a survey. Emelie Gunn reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “Emelie Gunn”

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Budget limitations mean there will be fewer construction projects in Louisiana, according to Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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US Senate candidate Troy Hebert is suing Southern Media and Opinion Research pollster Bernie Pinsonat claiming he misrepresented him in a May poll. Hebert says the poll listed him under the wrong party affiliation.

CUT 3 (10)  “to court”

Hebert says he is not seeking damages in the suit, but it would be up to the judge to decide whether or not to award him any money in this case.

CUT 4 (09)  “this election”

But Pinsonat says identifying Hebert as an Independent certainly wouldn’t have helped his numbers. He says it’s not his fault that Hebert was excluded from a forum because of the poll, and he is not responsible for the decisions those organizations make.

CUT 5 (09)  “are subjective”

Pinsonat says polls always have potential margins of error and should not be used in these kinds of cases because of that margin. He says using the poll was their decision, and he didn’t have anything to do with that.

CUT 6 (08) “correctly”

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One Marksville deputy city marshal charged with murder in the death of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis wants to find out if prosecutors used hypnosis on any of their witnesses. Norris Greenhouse Jr’s attorney, George Higgins, filed a motion to discover if polygraph tests or sodium pentothal were used. Legal Analyst Tim Meche says this is a more common practice than most think…

CUT 7 (10) “it ahppened”

Meche says typically professional law enforcement organizations do not use hypnosis but less experienced and knowledgeable agencies are sometimes susceptible to these practices.

CUT 8 (10) “departments”

Meche says he’s unsure if the witnesses could’ve been hypnotized, but it was completely appropriate for Greenhouse’s attorney to file the motion.

CUT 9 (09) “these tests”

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Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there will be fewer construction projects in Louisiana for the next couple of years because of budget limitations. He says the bond commission only allows the state to borrow 6% of what funds the Revenue Estimating Conference says the state has.

cut 10 (10)  “can borrow”

Dardenne says the capital outlay bill has become more of an extensive wish list than a plan of what the state can actually accomplish. He says just because a project is included in the construction bill doesn’t mean it will be completed because the funds may not be available.

Cut 11 (08) “billion dollars”

Dardenne says lawmakers are having to prioritize projects with what dollars they have to use for construction. He says they didn’t want to add to college campuses’ financial burdens, so they did not include new campus projects in this year’s construction bill.

cut 12 (11) “already have”

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The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that claimed the life of 84-year-old Jimmy D. Long Sr. — a leader in state government for nearly a half-century. Chief Micky Dove says Long was pulling out of the driveway of his house..:

Cut 13 (07)  “juvenile”

Dove says Long was a staple in the community and the tragic accident has the community in mourning…:

cut 14 (12)  “friendly”

Dove says it appears Long perhaps just didn’t see the other car coming…:

cut 15 (06) “vehicle”

Hillary Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine, is visiting Louisiana today and is scheduled to attend a fundraising event in New Orleans…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Governor John Bel Edwards was sworn into office seven months ago today. Emelie Gunn has more on his term so far…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Governor John Bel Edwards is calling for the resignation of state Senator Troy Brown after his second domestic abuse arrest in less than a year. Don Molino has more…

Cut 3 (22) “I’m Don Molino”

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine is visiting New Orleans today. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says the goal of the visit is probably to support other Democratic candidates on the November ballot and to raise money for the Hillary Clinton campaign.

cut 4  (10)  “Democratic candidates”

Dubos says Republican candidate Donald Trump’s poll numbers are falling nationwide. But he says Trump’s numbers are staying consistently high in the South.

Cut 5  (10)  “right now”

Dubos says Clinton and Kaine will have to ramp up their campaign efforts in the South because if Trump’s popularity continues to decline, they could have a shot at winning the Bayou State.

Cut 6 (07) “become competitive”

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Today marks seven months since Governor John Bel Edwards was sworn into office. Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com says the governor carved out a place for himself in the record books from day one. He says Edwards pretty much had the House against him as he is the first governor in modern history to not have his choice selected as speaker.

CUT 7 (11)  “in office”

Alford says even with everything stacked against him, he has never taken is eyes off of the goal of being reelected. He says Edwards quickly had to become a governor who dealt with one crisis after another.

Cut 8  (09)  “seven months”

But Alford says the more the Governor is forced to deal with emergency situations, those only strengthen his approval numbers. He says overall, voters are reassured that Governor Edwards has been present during the state’s time of need, unlike former Governor Bobby Jindal.

Cut 9 (08)  “functions”

_______________________________________________

A flood watch is in effect for several southeastern Louisiana parishes through Friday, as forecasters say abundant tropical moisture aligned with the Gulf Coast will create heavy rains. Andrew Ansorge with the National Weather Service in Slidell says accumulations over the next few days could produce several inches of rain across southeast Louisiana…:

Cut 10 (08) “and done”

Ansorge says flooding will be a big concern in some low lying areas.

cut 11 (09) “on those”

Ansorge says this system should taper off Saturday and possibly into Sunday. He says the heavy rains are a result of a system that’s been slowly moving across the northern Gulf of Mexico since last weekend.

cut 12 (08) “meandering really”

___________________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has called on state Senator Troy Brown to resign from the legislature after the senator’s second arrest on domestic abuse charges. Brown was arrested last month after allegedly biting his wife on the arm during a dispute, just 8 months after he was arrested in New Orleans for reportedly punching his mistress in the face. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says it’s a devastating blow to the senator to have the chief Democratic official in the state essentially ask him to step down, but…

Cut 13 (11) “a senator”

Cross says this incident just draws more attention to the dangers to women. Brown has been suspended from the four committees he serves on, but Cross says it will take a recall election to remove him from office.

cut 14 (07)  “the line”

Cross says the governor has presented himself as protector of women’s rights. He says by speaking out on this issue, Edwards is establishing himself as a champion on women’s issues.

Cut 15 (10) “electorate”

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LSU’s defense looks to have taken a major hit this week as multiple reports indicate that Senior Christian LaCouture, a starter at defensive end, could be out for the season with a knee injury. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says they’re hearing it could be a torn ACL…:

Cut 16  (10)  “defensive end spot”

Moran says as far as replacing LaCouture, a lot depends on 340-pound former Tiger Travonte Valentine, who told 247Sports that’d he’d been cleared to begin practicing. He says assuming Valentine is fully eligible, he could play nose tackle and allow Davon Godchaux to take the defensive end spot:

Cut 17 (09)  “as time goes on”

Moran says LaCouture is also the leader of a talented defensive front that projected as deep as any at LSU since 2011 or 2012. He says anytime you lose a senior, starting leader it’s going to hurt, but with Dave Aranda’s 3-4 defense, it’s a lot easier to absorb…:

Cut 18 (14) “in the middle”

The National Federation of Independent Business says small business owners are not increasingly optimistic. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

Attorney General Jeff Landry announces the arrest of an illegal immigrant in Calcasieu Parish on child pornography charges. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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As the new school year gets underway, the state Department of Transportation has begun their “Be a Roll Model” bicycle safety campaign. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the number of deaths involving cyclists tripled from 2014 to 2015. He says cyclists need to bike safely and always follow traffic laws.

CUT 3 (09)  “to consider”

Wilson says helmets are required for children under age 12 and encouraged for all other riders. He says motorists should also be alert and watch out for cyclists, especially in areas where there are no bicycle lanes.

CUT 4 (09)  “their destination”

Wilson says everyone needs to be safe out on the road, whether on a bike or in a vehicle. He says as students are heading back to school, more bicycles will be out on the road.

CUT 5 (07)  “safe future”

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

The National Federation of Independent Business says Small Business Optimism only rose by one-tenth of a point for July, showing no significant enthusiasm for expansion. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns links this feeling to the uncertainty small business owners now face with all the recent tax changes Louisiana has seen during the legislative session. She says business owners are now going into maintenance mode.

CUT 6 (08) “doors open”

Starns says in a booming economy we’d see small business owners making investments into expansion and creating more jobs, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Although she is hopeful things will look up when we near the election in the fall and believes lawmakers will address this in the April legislative session.

CUT 7 (10) “our state”

Starns says small business owners are having a difficult time finding qualified and good workers and cite that’s their third single most important business problem. She says it’s hard when businesses have a limited number of employees and some gets sick and others are on vacation…

CUT 8 (10) “uphill climb”

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

State Police are seeking a suspect in a crash that resulted in Interstate 10 being closed in Baton Rouge for over 12 hours. Trooper Bryan Lee says on August 5 a red Ford Fusion struck an 18-wheeler, causing it to overturn. He says the truck driver sustained minor injuries, and the other driver fled on foot.

CUT 9 (07) “stolen also”

Lee says the suspect is a white male with long blonde and brown hair and tattoos covering both arms and legs. He says after fleeing the scene, he went into a nearby Wal-Mart and changed clothes.

cut 10 (09)  “pulled up”

Lee says once the suspect is apprehended, he will face multiple charges.

Cut 11 (08) “pending”

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

The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office along with the Human Society rescued 27 dogs and 11 cats from a filthy home in Bunkie. Sheriff Doug Anderson says in July, they received a call that animals were being neglected at the home of Maxine and Gordan Doughty, so they began an investigation. He says when authorities returned to check on the animals a week later, the conditions were deplorable.

cut 12 (10) “and cats”

Anderson says the Doughtys were cited for simple cruelty to animals and additional criminal charges are pending. He says the 38 animals are receiving medical care.

Cut 13 (10)  “adoption”

Anderson reminds citizens that animal neglect is a serious crime.

cut 14 (08)  “every complaint”

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

Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland today unveiled planned facility improvements at Joe Aillet (pronounced eye-a) Stadium. He says the total price for the various upgrades, $18.6 million dollars, will be funded 100% through private donations…:

cut 15 (15) “impressive”

McClelland says an additional $2.1 million dollars will be invested on things like LED lighting, a permanent west side ticket booth. He says fans will be very excited to hear the west side bathrooms will also be renovated…:

cut 16 (12) “as you walk in”

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A report from the personal finance website, Wallethub, finds Louisiana the second worst state to have a baby. Jeff Palmero has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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 Levees.org is planning on turning a house flooded during Hurricane Katrina into a memorial. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The state’s ag commissioner has a warning for horse owners. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A study from the personal finance website, WalletHub, finds Louisiana is the 2^nd worst state to have a baby. Louisiana ranks last when it comes to rate of low birthweight, number of OB-GYNs, and preterm births.  State Department of Health Deputy Secretary Michelle Alletto says this is disappointing news but they aren’t surprised. She says the expansion of Medicaid will hopefully help improve birth outcomes.

cut 4  (10)  “and families”

 The study ranks Louisiana 49^th in number of Pediatricians and Family Doctors and 47^th for infant- mortality rate. Alletto says they’re working in cities and rural areas to help improve access…

Cut 5  (10)  “pregnant women”

 Alletto says the March of Dimes puts out a report card annually and finds one of the barriers to improving the birth outcome is access and coverage…

Cut 6 (10) “healthier state”

_______________________________________________

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announces that TOPS students will have to pay a small portion of their scholarship for the fall semester. When the second special session ended, lawmakers approved legislation so that TOPS students would be fully covered in the fall semester, but Dardenne says the actual breakdown will be.

CUT 7 (07)  “spring semester”

Dardenne says 93-percent of a TOPS scholarship will be covered for the fall semester, while students will have to pay for over half of their tuition for the spring semester.

Cut 8  (10)  “may be”

Dardenne says it’s the governor’s hope that when lawmakers return to Baton Rouge next spring, they’ll be able to allocate more money, so TOPS students in future years are not hit with a bill for tuition.

Cut 9 (08)  “maintain it”

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Levees.org is planning on turning a New Orleans home that was flooded during Hurricane Katrina, into a memorial. Website founder Sandy Rosenthal says when people get off the airplane at the Louis Armstrong Airport, they want to better understand what went on 11 years ago. She says the plan is to make the home look like it did right after the hurricane hit.

Cut 10 (09) “painted”

Rosenthal says a water line would be painted on the outside because the original line has faded with time. She says it’ll cost about $50-thousand dollars to revamp and preserve the house from further decay but she expects a lot of donors to help with the recreation.

cut 11 (09) “out there”

Rosenthal hopes to open the memorial by December 1^st, the close of hurricane season. She says the house was bought in April and construction has been ongoing ever since.

cut 12 (09) “April”

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Investigators with the Lake Charles Police Department are working to close some cold cases, starting with the 29-year-old murder of Noah Breaux, whose home was burned down to cover up the homicide. Deputy Chief Mark Kraus says in March of 1987, the 75-year-old Breaux’s home was burned down and once inside authorities found his body.

Cut 13 (09) “back up”

KPLC-TV reports a murder weapon was never found, but Kraus has multiple skull fractures. Kraus says police have exhumed Breaux’s body in the hopes of finding more evidence. He says because of advances in technology, police can now collect evidence they never thought they’d be able to.

cut 14 (10)  “the case”

At the time of Breaux’s death, authorities suspected robbery was a motive and the elderly man may have known his attacker. Kraus says anyone with any information on this case is encouraged to contact Lake Charles Police.

Cut 15 (09) “it’s solved”

_______________________

Jury selection is underway for a murder trial in which the alleged crime  took place over 50 years ago in Lake Charles. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The state Department of Education announces a record number high school students have achieved AP college credits this year. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A 76-year-old man accused of killing his wife over 50 years ago in southwest Louisiana will finally stand trial. Jury selection is underway in Calcasieu Parish as Mississippi native Felix Vail is charged with 2^nd degree murder for allegedly killing his 22-year-old wife, Mary Horton Vail, in 1962. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s difficult to try a case after such a long time, because evidence deteriorates and there’s no DNA.

CUT 3 (10)  “of cases”

The investigation in Mary Horton Vail’s death was reopened after a Mississippi newspaper featured a series about the victim, as well as the disappearances of two other women who were close to Felix Vail in 1973 and 1984. Meche says those incidents could be discussed in the courtroom, if the judge decides it’s relevant.

CUT 4 (07)  “of evidence”

Vail was arrested after his wife’s death in the 1960s, but the jury declined to indict because the death was ruled accidental. Meche says it’s cases like this that make him wish it was legal to broadcast court proceedings on TV in Louisiana.

CUT 5 (07)  “fascinating case”

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A low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida coast could bring heavy rains to southeast Louisiana by the end of the week. Michael Hill with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the system is not a tropical disturbance yet, but it will push some rain into Louisiana.

CUT 6 (08) “entire week”

Hill says the New Orleans metro area and surrounding parishes will be the hardest hit by the rains. He says we’ll likely see scattered showers today and tomorrow, but he says it should start to ramp up by the middle of the week.

CUT 7 (07) “entire day”

Hill says the heavy rains should begin on Wednesday and flash flooding is possible…

CUT 8 (06) “of waves”

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A record number of Louisiana high school students earned advanced placement college credits in 2016. State  Education Superintendent John White says they’ve been working hard to raise expectations when it comes to academics. He says these scores prove that while we have a ways to go, students are just as smart and capable as any in the country.

CUT 9 (11) “108-percent”

White says 845 more A.P. tests were passed this year in Louisiana compared to 2015.

cut 10 (11)  “similar things”

White says these improvements show when opportunities are given to students to show their potential, they rise to the challenge and do great. He says students in Louisiana also earned record numbers of college credits by taking the College-Level Examination Program.

Cut 11 (08) “were taken”

White says over the last 4 years, Livingston Parish is the most improved parish when it comes to students receiving college credits on their AP tests. St. Bernard Parish is second and Terrebonne is third.

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

There was a bizarre incident on I-10 this morning near LaPlace, as a small plane had to make an emergency landing in the median. That’s according to Melissa Matey with State Police. She says the aircraft had some mechanical failures…:

cut 12 (09) “St. James line”

Matey says State Police was able to tow the plane off the scene. She says it was smart of the pilot to do some quick thinking…:

Cut 13 (03)  “no injuries”

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Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says there’s a good chance the state will end up with a deficit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30th. Dardenne says they are still waiting for all of the numbers to come in, so it’s hard to say how much that deficit will be. But he says a member of the Revenue Estimating Conference has an idea.

cut 14 (09)  “was seeing”

Dardenne says this means that lawmakers will once again have an immediate budget problem to deal with when they convene for the fiscal session in 2017. He says his office and the governor have advised state agencies to spend their money wisely in preparation for potential cuts in the future.

cut 15 (11) “from 16”

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A man who used to work at the war veterans home in Monroe has been arrested after stealing from one of his patients. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

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

LSU says they won’t be able to host Bayou Country Superfest at Tiger Stadium for the next couple of years due to renovations that need to be made during the off season. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A Thibodaux man has been arrested after stealing donation containers from multiple convenience stores in Houma. Maj. Malcom Wolfe with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office says 34-year-old Walter Richard was caught on video at one of the stores.

CUT 3 (09)  “convenience stores”

Wolfe says the video was posted on social media, and people called in giving the suspect’s name. He says authorities then found more stores that had been robbed.

CUT 4 (09)  “their stores”

Wolfe says Richard was booked on four counts of theft for stealing those containers. He says Richard has a history of stealing as he’s also been accused of shoplifting at Best Buy and Rouses Superstores.

CUT 5 (07)  “in court”

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

The 17^th annual National Farmers Market Week kicks off Saturday in Alexandria at Inglewood Farms and runs until the 13^th. USDA State Conservationist Kevin Norton says this is an opportunity to celebrate the connection that these markets bring for farmers and agriculture in urban settings.

CUT 6 (08) “agriculture”

Every child who attends will receive a 5-dollar token to use with the vendors to buy healthy snacks. Norton says farmers markets help to strengthen local food systems to support farmers and help develop rural economies.

CUT 7 (11) “great thing”

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

A former Assistant Administrator at a war veteran’s home in Monroe has been arrested after stealing thousands of dollars from a patient there. Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street says 51-year-old Tommy Shoemaker gained access to the man’s credit card and banking information.

CUT 8 (09) “his account”

Street says Shoemaker started stealing from the victim in 2012, and it’s unclear if other patients may have been robbed. He says Shoemaker stole upwards of $6-thousand.

CUT 9 (09) “cash withdrawals”

Street says Shoemaker has been booked on counts of exploiting persons with infirmities and theft of an aged or disabled person. He says this is especially disappointing because] our veteran deserve the utmost care we can give them.

cut 10 (09)  “dementia”

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

LSU says they won’t be able to host Bayou Country Superfest at Tiger Stadium for the next couple of years due to renovations that need to be made during the off season. Visit Baton Rouge President Paul Arrigo says it’s disappointing, but they are glad LSU was nice enough to allow BCS to be held there for the past several years…;

Cut 11 (09) “could describe”

BCS Producer Quint Davis says they are exploring alternative locations to hold the festival. Arrigo says this came out of left field and he even met with Davis recently to talk about how they could incorporate the 2017 BCS with the 200th anniversary of Baton Rouge as a city…:

cut 12 (08) “disappointment”

Some are speculating that this is a sign BCS will never return to Tiger Stadium. Arrigo says this is a major loss to the tourism industry in Baton Rouge, especially for Memorial Day weekend…:

Cut 13 (08)  “and a miss”

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

Lafayette Metro Narcotics and the Sheriff’s Office are warning the public about a dangerous drug believed to be responsible for multiple deaths. Lafayette Police Corporal Paul Mouton says the drug’s name is Fentanyl and it’s a potent synthetic opioid that’s similar to Heroin. He says when the supply is cut off for people addicted to prescription drugs, they often turn to Heroin….

cut 14 (08)  “as heroin”

Mouton says Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin so when it’s used in the same manner it can be deadly. He says they’re working with local and state officials to identify the dealers of the dangerous drug.

cut 15 (10) “internet”

Mouton says if you know someone who is a drug user, it’s time to get them help before they purchase Fentanyl. He says since the beginning of the year there have been 8 Fentanyl related deaths inside the City of Lafayette and 5 outside the city.

cut 16 (09) “blood system”

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

The National Federation of Independent Business isn’t pleased that for this year’s sales tax holiday the sales tax isn’t completely waved. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (25) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Because of a new law, Louisiana students will learn more about financial literacy this year. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The 13^th annual Great American Seafood Cook-off gets underway tomorrow in New Orleans as chefs compete for the title of King of American Seafood. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The new school year is getting underway, as some kids are already back in the classroom and others will be soon. Dr. Frank Welch with the state Department of Health reminds parents to make sure their kids are up to date on their vaccinations because there is an immunization law in Louisiana.

cut 4  (10)  “school rush”

Welch says parents can get their children vaccinated at their pediatrician’s office or family doctor or at a parish health unit. He says there are two important times during a child’s life where their shots need to be up to date.

Cut 5  (07)  “needs shots”

Welch says vaccinating children protects them and others from getting dangerous and potentially life threatening diseases, like measles, flu, mumps, whooping cough and pneumonia. He says despite contrary reports, vaccines are safe and help keep others safe.

Cut 6 (07) “in school”

_______________________________________________

Today and tomorrow it’s the state’s annual sales tax holiday. Instead of a five-percent sales tax, customers will pay 3-percent on most purchases. In years past, the state sales tax was completely exempted, but the legislature changed it, because of budget difficulties. The NFIB Director for Louisiana, Dawn Starns, says small business retailers would prefer a full tax holiday, instead of a partial one…

CUT 7 (07)  “their advantage”

Starns says even though it’s not the ideal sales tax break, consumers will still see a little saving while shopping today and Saturday. She says many stores are offering additional end of summer sales to entice customers.

Cut 8  (10)  “the fall”

Starns says they understand legislators had to alter this year’s sales tax break, but hope to get the holiday back once the budget crisis is over. She says people are always looking for a chance to save a little money, so she still expects shoppers will be out this weekend.

Cut 9 (09)  “community partners”

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Public school students will learn more about money and finances in school this year, thanks to a bill by Minden Representative Gene Reynolds. He says students used to be required to learn financial literacy in school, but teachers have gotten away from it in the past few years. He says this new law seeks to change that.

Cut 10 (07) “high school”

Reynolds says the law does not establish a class just for financial literacy but allows teachers to incorporate it into their lessons. He says most text books have at least a small part that deals with money.

cut 11 (08) “and objectives”

Reynolds says managing money is a crucial skill that kids need to have when they graduate and this will prepare them for the real world. He says school shouldn’t just be about passing a test.

cut 12 (09) “test score”

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Chefs from around the country will compete in New Orleans tomorrow for the title of King of American Seafood. Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Karen Profita, says the 13^th annual Great American Seafood Cook-off will take place in front of a live audience at the Ernest Morial Convention Center at 11:30. She says eleven chefs will work up their best seafood dish…

Cut 13 (09) “to that”

Profita says the chefs will have one hour each to prepare their dish. She says at the end of their hour, they will bring their dish up to the judges for review and tasting.

cut 14 (07)  “come in”

Chef Blake Phillips from Restaurant Sage in Monroe will represent Louisiana this year. Profita says he is really passionate about bringing classic Louisiana flavors and putting a new twist on it.

Cut 15 (07) “of chef”

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The Saints have brought in several veteran players in the hopes of improving a defense that’s been one of the worst in the NFL the last two seasons. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley signed a one-year contract for three million dollars in the offseason and he’s expected to help defend the run and eat up space in the middle of the field. Coach Sean Payton expects Fairley to have a big role on this team…

Cut 16  (15)  “noticeably”

Linebacker Nate Stupar is another veteran addition to the Saints defense. Stupar, who played the last two seasons in Atlanta, says creating turnovers have been a big emphsis in training camp

Cut 17 (15)  “to victory”

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LSU’s defense will use fall camp to learn a new defense that’s being installed by first-year defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. Last year, the Tigers were guilty of several blown coverages that allowed to big plays from their opponents. But Sophomore cornerback Kevn Toliver doesn’t think that will happen again this year and he likes the aggressive style of Aranda’s defense…

Cut 18 (09) “play man-to-man”

LSU sophomore defensive back Donte Jackson from Riverdale High School says the success of this year’s defense is up to the players and making big plays at critical times…

Cut 19 (16) “change a lot”

LSU is ranked sixth in the preseason coaches poll. That’s the Tigers highest preseason ranking since 2012. Linebacker Corey Thompson was a freshman that year. The fifth year senior says he wants to leave LSU with a championship….

Cut 20 (16) “this year”

The forecast team at Colorado State University is still predicting a near normal hurricane season. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Governor John Bel Edwards and the Department of Transportation announce plans to address the congestion problem on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Authorities are working to determine the identity of a woman who was murdered and burned beyond recognition near Bogalusa. Washington Parish Sheriff Chief Deputy Mike Haley says they received a call early Wednesday morning about a murder at the residence of 41-year-old Joey Mixon.

CUT 3 (10)  “her body”

Haley says after the confession, Mixon led detectives to the location of the body, which was badly burned. Officials believe the victim is from St. Tammany parish. He says her family has been notified and provided DNA for identification.

CUT 4 (11)  “the scene”

Haley says Mixon has been booked on one count of second degree murder. He says they know Mixon knew the victim and they’d gotten into an argument, but they still have a lot of unanswered questions.

CUT 5 (07)  “the crime”

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The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State University continues to predict a near average Atlantic hurricane season. Researcher Dr. Phil Klotzbach says they’re expecting to see 10 named storms and four more hurricanes. But he says given how quiet the last three years have been, this season will seem a lot more active…

CUT 6 (10) “the storms”

Klotzbach says the season will really pick up in the middle of August. He says there is a 29-percent chance of a major hurricane making landfall on the Gulf Coast.

CUT 7 (10) “average season”

Klotzbach says an El Nino the last couple of years kept hurricane activity down. He says we don’t have an El Nino, which will lead to more tropical storms.

CUT 8 (10) “season”

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The state Department of Education announced Louisiana students are showing improvement after receiving the results of the 2016 LEAP assessments. Superintendent of Education John White says these are promising results. He says this year students improved in English and math with 38-percent achieving mastery compared to 33 percent in 2015.

CUT 9 (07) “expectations”

White says although we are seeing progress, the results also show that many groups of students in our state are significantly behind their peers. He says often times those gaps cut across lines of race, income, and disability.

cut 10 (11)  “our state”

White says even though overall student performance improved, the achievement gap between African-American students and white students at the Mastery level is at 26-percent.

Cut 11 (08) “their peers”

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The Department of Transportation announces that a new on-ramp will be built in place of the Washington Street exit on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge. Governor John Bel Edwards says alleviating congestion on I-10 is critically important for shipping commerce across the country.

cut 12 (09) “the country”

Edwards says the project will be funded through state dollars because a federal grant freed up more money in the construction budget. He says this is the only area in the country where the interstate comes down to one lane, and it causes serious traffic problems.

Cut 13 (11)  “the congestion”

Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond says this is about more than resolving transportation problems. He says it’s about improving quality of life for the people of Baton Rouge.

cut 14 (10)  “sitting in traffic”

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This weekend is the state’s annual sales tax holiday, dropping sales taxes from 5 to 3 percent on Friday and Saturday. Emelie Gunn has more on these back to school sales tax exemptions….

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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 Attorney Lance Unglesby denies allegations that Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa bribed Gonzales city council candidate, Wayne Lawson, to drop out of the race. Jeff Palermo has more on the case…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana saw a 36% increase in international travel to the state, according to Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Halen Doughy has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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This Friday and Saturday is the state’s annual sales tax holiday where shoppers will only have to pay 3-percent sales tax on purchases, rather than 5-percent. Department of Revenue Spokesperson Byron Henderson says the exemption applies to the first 25-hundred dollars of the purchase price of each eligible item, not the entire transaction.

cut 4  (11)  “exemption”

With school coming up, Henderson says this is a great weekend for parents to do their back to school shopping. But he says there are some purchases that are not eligible for the sales tax exemption…

Cut 5  (09)  “rentals”

Henderson also reminds parents to save their receipts on back-to-school items like school supplies, uniforms, tuition and educational equipment because they are tax deductible. He says you can report these purchases and get a tax break when you filed your state income taxes.

Cut 6 (11) “refund”

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Attorney Lance Unglesby says Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa did not bribe Gonzales city council candidate, Wayne Lawson, in an effort to get him out of the race. Unglesby says Matassa was actually offering Lawson a loan to get him out of financial trouble.

CUT 7 (10)  “his sister”

Allegations surfaced earlier this week when an audio recording was released that purportedly has Matassa and a business partner offering Lawson 12-hundred dollars.  Unglesby says Matassa’s intent was not to bribe Lawson for the benefit of the incumbent in the race, Neal Bourque.

Cut 8  (09)  “his life”

Ascension Parish District Attorney Ricky Babin decided to open the investigation after audio was released on the website, the Pelican Post, of a private conversation between Lawson, Matassa and his friend Olin Berthelot. He says his office is working with the Attorney General’s office to put the facts together.

Cut 9 (09)  “the originals”

Babin says the fact that these allegations were made is very troubling and they take cases like this very seriously.

Cut 10 (09) “a community”

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Louisiana’s FastStart workforce training program has been ranked the best in the nation for the seventh year in a row by the corporate site selection website, Business Facilities. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says what really drives the program’s success is the workforce in Louisiana.

cut 11 (10) “work space”

FastStart has helped over 150 companies in Louisiana and provided training for more than 23-thousand employees in the past 8 years. Pierson says the program draws companies to Louisiana and then finds them qualified workers to fill positions once the facilities open.

cut 12 (10) “company needs”

Pierson says similar programs in other states have also done well, and it’s only by constantly improving our program that Louisiana has remained the best program in the country for seven years running.

Cut 13 (09) “our state”

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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser announces that international travel to Louisiana has increased 36% over the past year. He says that puts Louisiana second only to Michigan for annual growth. He says international tourism has huge benefits for the state.

cut 14 (08)  “one city”

Nungesser says New Orleans saw a 37% increase during the same time period and this is the third consecutive year of double digit growth in international visitors. He credits Louisiana’s great food and culture and its people for the big increase in tourists from outside of the United States.

Cut 15 (11) “hospitality industry”

Nungesser says he wants to make sure that visitor rate continues to rise. He says we just have to make sure Louisiana always puts its best foot forward.

Cut 16  (09)  “our state”

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The LSU football team his the practice field this morning for the first of several practices leading up to the season opener against Wisconsin on September 3rd. Coach Les Miles knows he has a lot of talent on this squad and wants to see it play out over the next month…

Cut 17 (20)  “very happy”

LSU is considered one of the favorites to win the Southeastern Conference and play in the College Football Playoff. They’ll need to get good play from quarterback Brandon Harris. Miles says he likes the poise the junior brings to the field…

Cut 18 (15) “more of that”

Veterans on the LSU team will practice this morning and then freshman and a few of the older players will have their own practice in the afternoon.

Cut 19 (15) “need reps”