The latest Republican presidential polls in Iowa show Governor Bobby Jindal rounding up very little support. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs says the current state of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry is not pretty. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The latest Republican presidential polls in Iowa show Governor Bobby Jindal rounding up very little support. A Monmouth University survey shows Jindal receiving one-percent of Iowa Republican caucus goers support, while a Bloomberg/Des Moines Register poll shows him with two-percent. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this has got to be discouraging for Jindal’s campaign…

CUT 3 (09)  “his optimism”

In the Bloomberg poll, Jindal’s favorability was within the top 5 candidates which could be an indicator that the governor should be able to improve his standing in the Republican field. But Pinsonat says the fact that Jindal is a sitting governor could be working against him…

CUT 4 (09)  “of the problem”

He says Jindal has a few months left to generate some excitement around his campaign and move up in the polls. Pinsonat says you can expect Jindal to remain in the race at least through the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary…

CUT 5 (09) “won’t be around”

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Les Miles says he’s doing fine after visiting the hospital, he just had a little too much coffee after not having it in his diet for a few months. Miles missed his weekly press conference on Monday but returned to campus in the afternoon for a successful practice.

CUT 6 (12) “to roll”

LSU’s first home game is Saturday against McNeese State. Miles says McNeese is a very quality football team and they have some skilled receivers and running backs. He says the Tigers are looking forward to playing another Louisiana team in Death Valley after finishing the last season on the road.

CUT 7 (12)  “and LSU”

Miles says both Jennings and Harris showed great progress during training camp and he wouldn’t hesitate to play both quarterbacks but ultimately, sophomore Brandon Harris will be starting on Saturday for the McNeese game.

CUT 8 (08)  “an observation”

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State Police say a two vehicle crash in Tangipahoa Parish has claimed the life of a bicyclist. Trooper Dustin Dwight says the unidentified cyclist was traveling on the US 190 Tangipahoa River Bridge late Monday night…

CUT 9 (05)  “survive the crash”

He says the bicycle was not equipped with proper safety equipment and the rider was wearing dark clothing when struck from behind by an SUV. The victim was thrown from her bicycle and pronounced dead at the scene. Dwight says this is a reminder to always keep safety in mind when riding a bicycle, especially at night…

cut 10 (11)  “oncoming motorists”

Authorities are working to determine the victim’s identity. Dwight says investigators found the driver of the SUV, 24-year-old Kateria Edmon of Hammond to be not at fault…

Cut 11 (05)  “suspected, either”

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Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs describes the current state of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry as not pretty. He says the declining prices of crude oil has caused the industry to hit record lows in several areas in the past year. Briggs says the number of working drilling sites in the state has taken a huge hit…

cut 12 (06)  “71 rigs”

He says it’s unclear when the industry will rebound. Briggs says there are only 71 oil and natural gas drilling sites in Louisiana, down from 116 a year ago. He says just nine drilling sites are in operation in South Louisiana. Briggs says the drop in production means a loss of jobs…

cut 13 (09)  “on those rigs”

He says it’s estimated that over 150,000 jobs have been lost in the industry nationwide since the crash began late last year. Briggs says continued low oil prices could not only lead to major layoffs but more state budget cuts, as well. He says every dollar drop in the price for crude oil equals a $12.5 million loss to the state budget…

cut 14 (10)  “lot of money”

Louisiana DOTD will hold the first of three public meetings tonight at 6 about proposed improvements to the I-10 Corridor which runs through Baton Rouge. I’m Jeff Palermo

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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After West Monroe High School leaders confiscated Confederate flags from student’s vehicles Friday, principal Shelby Ainsworth says he hopes students understand the new policy. I’m Eric Gill

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill “

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The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office says three people have been arrested after allegedly striking moving vehicles with full one-gallon water jugs. Lt. Col. Bobby Webre says their investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old Chance Lambert, 18-year-old Layne Goodman, and 17-year-old James McCormack…

CUT 3 (09)  “could have happened”

He says no one was seriously injured in the incidents, but vehicles were damaged. Webre says the suspects would throw the water jugs from a moving vehicle, which made the situation even more dangerous…

CUT 4 (09)  “the impact”

It is reported that Lambert is a volunteer firefighter with the Galvez-Lake Volunteer Fire Department. The suspects are being charged with felony aggravated criminal damage to property…

CUT 5 (04) “adults, in this”

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation will hold the first of three public meetings about proposed improvements to the I-10 Corridor in the capital city beginning tonight at 6 p.m. at the Baton Rouge River Center. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says the meeting will go over the results of the survey presented to residents earlier this year…

CUT 6 (10) “in Baton Rouge”

Mallett says many of the survey response suggestions included building a new bridge or adding lanes to the corridor. He says there are those who are hesitant about the benefits of any traffic flow improvements because of the possible cost to the Baton Rouge community…

CUT 7 (09)  “traffic flow”

These public meetings are a part of a requirement by law that the department receive public input before moving forward with any plans. Mallett says each meeting will be the same with the presentation, so people only need come to one. After the presentation of preliminary plans, the public will be able to give its input before DOTD moves forward with a feasibility study…

CUT 8 (08)  “in the corridor”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office says a 2-year-old girl was killed and her mother injured in a house fire in Monroe. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says little Kataleya Williams and her mother were inside the home when the fire broke out Sunday afternoon…

CUT 9 (09)  “in the fire”

He says burglar bars on the home hampered escape efforts. Neighbors and firefighters were able to remove them, allowing the mother to escape. Browning says they believe the fire was caused by a pot left unattended on the stove…

cut 10 (07)  “significant fire”

Authorities say the body of Williams was found under a table in the living room of the home in an apparent attempt to hide from the blaze. Browning says they don’t believe there were working smoke alarms in the home. He says this is just a sad situation…

Cut 11 (07)  “thing to happen”

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After confiscating Confederate flags on Friday, West Monroe High School principal Shelby Ainsworth says he hopes people will understand the school’s new policy. The Ouachita Parish school’s mascot is the Rebels. He says after a mass shooting in South Carolina, the entire nation has put restrictions on the Confederate flag, and this is just a continuation of those efforts.

cut 12 (06)  “country’s officials”

At the beginning of the school year, Ainsworth says he and school officials told students they could not fly the Confederate flag from their vehicles. Ainsworth says this past Friday he announced this policy would be enacted during football games and other school events as well. Although some thought the school would not allow students to wear Rebel themed attired, Ainsworth says that was not the case

cut 13 (07)  “Confederate flag”

Ainsworth says the school has designed its own West Monroe rebels flag in recent years, and the school supports students flying that as well as the American flag. He says students may wear rebel or Confederate flag clothing, and the policy only applies to flying the flag on campus.

cut 14 (05)  “in general”

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The state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control has suspended the alcohol license for the Wet & Wild Saloon in Houma after drug and prostitution activity was discovered there. ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office uncovered some disturbing video evidence against the establishment…

cut 15 (09) “this place” 

ATC cited the business for numerous violations including allowing entertainers to engage in lewd and immoral acts and improperly allowing employees to solicit drinks from patrons for a fee. TPSO has arrested the owners, Lance and Rachel Smiley, on numerous charges. Hebert says this type of activity is something his office will not tolerate…

cut 16 (10) “health and safety” 

A group of men and women begin their first full day of training today to become a State Police Trooper. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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September is typically the busiest month for hurricanes. Scott Carwile chats with a forecaster to tell us what we can expect…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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The LSU football team opens its season against McNeese State this Saturday. Jeff Palermo looks at why the Tigers are beginning the year against an FCS school, and not a big-name opponent…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A new Louisiana State Police cadet class starts their first full day of training today in Baton Rouge. Sgt. Nick Manale says over the next 16 weeks, they will cover everything from classroom instruction to hands on scenario based training. He says these individuals were carefully selected to ensure State Police has the right people.

cut 4  (10)  “new academy”

Manale says 80 cadets will participate in the intense training in hopes of graduating in December and wearing the “Gold Boot” badge. He says this is the third State Police cadet class since 2014, which is helping to boost their numbers after not having any new troopers for five years.

Cut 5  (10)  “of course”

Manale says even though they’ve added over 100 troopers since 2014, they are still hoping to have another cadet class soon, after this current one wraps up.

Cut 6 (12)  “application process”

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According to BankRate.com, Louisiana is the worst state for drivers. The website’s research and statistics analyst Chris Kahn says they ranked all 50 states according to the amount of fatal crashes, car thefts, commute times, gas prices, and insurance premiums….

CUT 7 (07)  “in Louisiana”

Kahn says the fatal crash rate is above the national average in the state but the one main factor that is always dragging Louisiana down is the absurdly high insurance premiums. He says the reason it’s so high could be because of a couple different things.

Cut 8  (12)  “really high” 

Kahn says one way to help get Louisiana from the bottom of the list is to chat with your insurance provider to find out about discounts.

Cut 9 (11) “insurance premiums”

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As we enter the month of September, it’s usually the busiest month of the year for the hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temperatures tend to peak during this month.

Cut 10 (10) “recent times”

Keim says in September, we typically see an average of three to four named storms in the north-Atlantic and about two to three become hurricanes. He says we’ve had several September hurricanes that had devastating impacts.

cut 11 (10) “good shape”

But Keim says this year an El Nino is creating wind shear, which is hurting the formation of storms. He says although these conditions have been working against the storms, we’ve already had five named storms and 10 to 12 is the average number.

 Cut 12 (07) “them apart”

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As part of Louisiana Radio Network’s continuing Q-and-A with the men running for governor, we asked the four candidates about how transparent their administration will be once they are in office. Democrat John Bel Edwards says he’s the only candidate that voted for a bill that will bring new transparency to the records in the governor’s office…

Cut 13 (09)  “light of day”

Republican David Vitter plans to make more documents available to the public than what’s currently available and the US Senator says he’ll make himself available to the public with town hall meetings in every parish

Cut 14 (07) “relaxed way”

Republican Scott Angelle says his administration will be more transparent than any past administration. He says access to records is a critical part in building public’s trust with government

Cut 15  (08)  “Louisianians”

Republican Jay Dardenne also agrees that the records of the executive branch, including the office of the governor, need to be made open and available upon request

Cut 16  (11)  “as well”

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Game week has arrived for the Tigers as they kick-off the season against McNeese State this Saturday. In years past, LSU has opened the season against big name opponents, but senior associate athletics director Verge Ausberry says with Mississippi State and Auburn looming in Weeks two and three, they didn’t want to start the season with a Top 5 opponent

Cut 17 (05) “to win” 

Ausberry says it just happened to be LSU’s year to play a couple of early SEC matchups. But he says when that’s not the case, they like to open the season with a strong opponent…

Cut 18 (05) “big opponents”

For the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, former President George W. Bush visited New Orleans and gave a speech praising the recovery of its public schools…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Monroe-based Centrylink has plans to bring high-speed internet to 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana.  Eric Gill has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Former President George W. Bush spoke at Warren Easton High School today to emphasize how far public education in New Orleans has come since Hurricane Katrina. In his speech, Bush said nine in 10 public school students in New Orleans now attend a charter school and praised the good work done by these charter schools…

CUT 3 (11)  “almost doubled”

Bush said he and wife Laura visited New Orleans to salute the leaders of the city who have helped it and its schools progress since the tragic storm. After Katrina, Bush says educational entrepreneurs came together to help reform the school system…

CUT 4 (07)  “school reform”

In closing his speech, Bush spoke of the spirit in Warren Easton High and other schools in the New Orleans area that had to rebuild and reform. He acknowledged the New Orleans spirit was stronger than any Hurricane Katrina or storm like it…

CUT 5 (07) “of this city”

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The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office seized nearly 200 pounds of cocaine–the largest in the parish’s history–after receiving an anonymous tip about several suspicious packages. Commander Eric Becnel says there is an ongoing investigation with the United States Homeland Security New Orleans office because the wrapping of the cocaine is consistent with drug trafficking…

CUT 6 (05) “in our parish”

After a field test and examination, the drugs were determined to be pure cocaine. Becnel says the sheriff’s office estimates the street value of the cocaine to be 18 million dollars. No arrests have been made as of yet. But he says the seizure has helped prevent the possibility of property and violent crimes that would have been fueled by the drugs…

CUT 7 (04)  “their habit”

Becnel says the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office is grateful to have a relationship and the support of the community. He says this relationship allows the public to notify authorities when there is suspicious activity in the parish…

CUT 8 (05)  “wound up”

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Tropical Storm Erika continues to drop heavy rains as it moves through the Caribbean. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the current projected path of Erika has it making landfall in South Florida sometime Monday. He says the good news is that very little strengthening is forecast…

CUT 9 (06)  “by that”

He says Erika is not expected to reach hurricane strength. Keim says some bad news regarding Erika is the cone of uncertainty now includes the Gulf of Mexico…

cut 10 (09)  “very, very carefully”

Keim says Erika is disorganized which is giving forecasters problems in predicting how strong it will get and where it will move. He says the unpredictability of Erika warrants our attention…

Cut 11 (09)  “the peninsula”

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Monroe-based Centurylink announces plans to bring high-speed internet to more than 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana. Centurylink Senior vice-president John Jones says they have accepted money from the Federal Communications Commission to get this work done…

cut 12 (08)  “exisiting markets”

Jones says the company accepted about 500-million dollars a year for six years from the FCC to develop high-speed Internet service to one-point-two million Centurylink customers nationwide

cut 13 (10)  “little time”

Jones says they’ll spend the next few months mapping out a plan to bring high-speed internet to rural areas and construction is expected to begin early next year….

cut 14 (09)  “get too”

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Many people are reflecting back to 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina descended on the Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic widespread damage. Michelle Southern speaks to our Governor at the time, Kathleen Blanco:

CUT 1 (33) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The man who directs the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is in a much better position to respond to another Katrina-like event. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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Former President George W. Bush visits New Orleans today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which political observers call the low point of his presidency. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Visitation is today for fallen State Police Trooper Steven Vincent, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week. Due to tremendous support, the location of the visitation has been moved to the Lake Charles Civic Center Rosa Heart Theater. Calcasieu Parish Police Juror Tony Stelly says he watched Vincent grow up and he will be greatly missed by everyone.

cut 4  (12)  “of people”

The funeral service will take place Saturday at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Stelly expects many people to come out and pay their respects at the visitation and funeral. He says Vincent’s reputation was like gold in his hometown of Iowa because he was such a caring person.

Cut 5  (07)  “number one”

Stelly says Steven comes from a great family who is widely respected and the community will do whatever they can to make this time easier for the Vincent’s.

Cut 6 (09)  “through this”

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Many people are reflecting back to 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina descended on the Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic widespread damage. Families throughout the New Orleans area were displaced and people all over the state were opening their doors to evacuees. Our Governor during that time, Kathleen Blanco, says the unbelievable recovery in the last decade shows the resiliency and determination of Louisianians…:

CUT 7 (10)  “come alive again”

The immediate response efforts to the disaster by federal, state and local governments is widely criticized. Blanco says following Katrina and Rita she instructed her staff to rewrite the disaster response. She believes Louisiana now leads the nation in knowing what to do before, during and after storms…:

Cut 8  (08)  “less chaotic” 

Political leaders were shown on television clearly shaken by their surroundings and many of those who remained in New Orleans after the storm had no access to water, food or shelter. Blanco says the thing she suffers from the most about the response is that they couldn’t do enough, fast enough in a short period of time…:

Cut 9 (11) “pain and suffering quickly”

______________________________________

The director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is in a better position to respond to a Hurricane Katrina like event. GOHSEP director Kevin Davis says one of the biggest advancements is a better relationship between the state and FEMA. Davis says he meets with the FEMA regional director on a regular basis…

Cut 10 (09) “together”

Davis was the president of St. Tammany Parish during Hurricane Katrina. He remembers the difficulty in communication, especially after the strom blew through. He says the state now has equipment to combat situations when cell service is nonexistent….

cut 11 (08) “back up”

Where to shelter evacuees was a huge issue during Katrina. Davis says since then they have identify enough shelter to house individuals in Louisiana, if there’s a need to evacuate the New Orleans area. He says their sheltering plan is very specific…

 Cut 12 (09) “in transportation”

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Former President George W. Bush visits New Orleans today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which political observers say was the low point of his presidency. Many blame Bush’s administration for not getting aid to the people of Louisiana fast enough. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says when people think about Katrina, they think “Bush Administration”…:

Cut 13 (10)  “timely way”

Hogan says in some ways it seems strange that Bush would come back after being so chastised about what he did and did not do following the storm, but no matter what he is eternally tied to the event. He says it’s not unusual for presidents and former presidents to commemorate tragedies…:

Cut 14 (11) “to them”

Hogan says Katrina happened a few years after 9/11, and many people were very optimistic about the state of the country. He says after the storm that perception of the Bush administration almost completely dissipated…:

Cut 15  (07)  “view him as”

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Before even coaching his first LSU football game, Coach Les Miles was forced to deal with tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. 10 years ago the Ohio native came to Baton Rouge as the brand new football coach with big shoes to fill. Miles says looking back at that time, the landfall of Hurricane Katrina proved to be one of the strongest moments in Louisiana history.

Cut 16  (11)  “witness it”

Miles says at first he didn’t realize summers weren’t always like this and major hurricanes weren’t so common. Miles says he still held practice during this hectic time, but would let the athletes out early to donate their time to assist those flown to the P-MAC for medical treatment.

Cut 17 (10) “and commitment” 

Miles says the community went above and beyond their duties to help those in need. He says many of his players housed their displaced family members in small dorms, but it was a time where he learned what was most important in life.

Cut 18 (11) “great time”

The St. Landry Parish town of Sunset is mourning the loss of Police Officer Henry Nelson. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture unveils its new mobile pet shelter that can be used in the next Hurricane. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office and Capital Area Human Services are teaming up to raise awareness about the growing heroin and synthetic marijuana problem in the area. Coroner Dr. Beau Clark says his office has already seen 24 heroin overdose deaths so far this year. He says the message of this campaign is clear…

CUT 3 (07)  “last ride”

He says at this rate, East Baton Rouge Parish could surpass the record of 35 heroin overdose deaths recorded in 2013. Clark says it’s not a coincidence that this campaign is being launched at this time of year…

CUT 4 (07)  “of overdoses”

He says they’ve seen an uptick of heroin overdoses in the fall over the past few years. Clark has confirmed three deaths this year directly from synthetic marijuana use, but those are much more difficult to determine with current testing methods. He says the ultimate goal of this campaign is to save lives…

CUT 5 (08) “synthetic marijuana”

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture says its new mobile pet shelter is ready for use. Commissioner Mike Strain says the tractor trailer can be used to evacuate up 55 domesticated animals in the event of an emergency.

CUT 6 (11)  “and ramps”

Before the mobile shelter, they were loading pets into 18-wheelers to transport them during natural disasters which was very difficult and not as safe. He says if a natural disaster strikes and you can’t take your pet with you, when you come to an evacuation point, L-D-A-F will provide safe transportation to a mega pet shelter….

CUT 7 (10)  “and others”

Strain says 40-thousand of the 80-thousand dollars needed to complete the project was donated by veterinary foundations. He says they want to ensure all animals are safe and well taken care of in the event of an emergency.

CUT 8 (11)  “during emergencies”

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The St. Landry Parish town of Sunset is mourning the loss of Police Officer Henry Nelson. 35-year-old Harrison Lee Riley is accused of shooting and killing Nelson in the line of duty Wednesday while responding to a domestic disturbance. Sunset Mayor Charles James says the town will get past this tragedy…

CUT 9 (09)  “not explainable”

Riley is also accused of stabbing three women in the incident, killing 40-year-old Shameka Johnson. James says this incident has really shaken the town of approximately 3,000 residents…

cut 10 (09)  “knows everyone”

Riley faces charges of first degree murder of a police officer, first degree murder, and attempted first degree murder. James says he knew Nelson since he was a child and he will be someone who won’t be forgotten…

Cut 11 (06)  “his job well”

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10 years ago thousands of people were evacuating out of the New Orleans area as Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on Louisiana; and it was chaos. So in that time how has the state improved efforts to make such a large scale evacuation smoother? Department of Transportation spokesman Rodney Mallett says they now contract with bus services…:

cut 12 (10)  “evacuations”

At the time Katrina approached, there was no real mechanism in place to get so many citizens safely out of harm’s way — but Mallett says now there is. He says one of the important things they’ve learned in dealing with past contraflow situations, is to work closely with our neighbors:

cut 13 (08)  “contraflow plans”

Mallett says they have also expanded the Motorists Assistance program so that in a mass evacuation situation, there would be more vehicles out on the road to help out motorists who get stranded in travel lanes. He also says they have since added traffic cameras on interstate systems in metropolitan areas…:

cut 14 (08)  “traveling public”

President Obama visits the Crescent City today to honor those lost in Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago and see the progress made. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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For a second time this week a Louisiana police officer has been gunned down while on-duty. Jeff palermo has the details…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the merger of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. Michelle Southern has more on what this means for customers…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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President Barack Obama visits New Orleans today and he’ll visit areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago. Between the Obama and Bush administrations, a reported 71 billion dollars in federal money was allocated to assist recovery efforts in the region. U-N-O Political Science professor Ed Chervanek says while the federal money helped, the recovery didn’t accelerate until Mayor Mitch Landrieu got into office.

cut 4  (09)  “to move”

Chervanek says the federal government did supply billions of dollars to the recovery but is also responsible for the damage to New Orleans because of an inadequate flood control system. He says President Obama did the best he could to aid in the rebuilding of the Crescent City.

Cut 5  (11)  “Bush administration”

Chervaneck says Obama wants to make New Orleans a showcase of his administration to separate his administration for Bush’s. He is surprised former President George W. Bush is coming on Friday and says he would’ve thought Bush would stay away.

Cut 6 (09)  “after that”

______________________________________

Researchers at the University of Louisiana Lafayette New Iberia Research Center are testing an Ebola vaccine for wild apes. The Research Center says Ebola is one of the leading killers of gorillas and chimpanzees. Division Head of Research Resources at the center Jane Fontenot says the vaccine is similar to a rabies immunization and this testing could benefit future vaccinations in humans and other wildlife.

CUT 7 (09)  “the wild”

Fontenot says there have been other wild ape vaccination programs in the past, but were difficult to complete because they required three different shots over a span of time. But she says now they are testing an oral vaccine in a controlled environment…

Cut 8  (11)  “activity levels” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in West Africa took the lives of about 11-thousand people. The global effort is led by Apes Inc., President Dr. Peter Walsh who says this testing could help pave the way for an oral vaccination for humans….

Cut 9 (12) “in Africa”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the merger of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana. The single utility company will be called Entergy Louisiana and the consolidation will take effect in October. Entergy Louisiana President Phillip May says they anticipate this will mean up to $140 million in savings to customers…:

Cut 10 (10) “December 1”

May says the merger of the two Entergy units will save customers at least $107 million dollars over nine years, which translates to an 11-dollar savings for the average customer in the first year. He says this larger and more financially strong company will allow them to better obtain capital required to improve systems…:

cut 11 (08) “our customers”

May says the combined company expects to invest more than $5 billion dollars in upgrades over the next four years to boost industrial load growth and meet the demands of our growing economy. He says this means more major business customers will be attracted to the state…:

 Cut 12 (10) “state of Louisiana”

______________________________________

Another Louisiana policeman has been shot dead in the line of duty. Sunset Police officer Henry Nelson was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the suspect, Harrison Lee Wiley Junior of Arnaudville, fatally shot Nelson in the front yard of the home and then stabbed three women he was arguing with

Cut 13 (09)  “Lafayette General Hospital”

The other fatal victim has been identified as 40-year-old Shameka Johnson, who is a sister Grand Coteau Mayor Shaterral Johnson. Guidroz says Officer Nelson was fatally shot in the front yard of the home where the stabbings occurred…..

Cut 14 (07) “the officer”

One of surviving victims is Wiley’s wife, Courteny Jolivette, who was airlifted to a hosptial in Alexandria.  Wiley is in police custody, but not before he barricadded himself inside a nearby convenience store. Guirdoz says they believe Wiley was on some sort of illegal narcotic, but they are not sure what….

Cut 15  (09)  “hurt your”

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The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish deviates from the state party in endorsing incumbent Buddy Caldwell in the Attorney General’s race. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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A new poll by Triumph Campaigns shows Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards neck and neck in the governor’s race.  Michelle Southern reports…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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State Police say a high-speed chase that began in Carencro ended in Duson with one trooper injured and four State Police units damaged. Master Trooper Brooks David says Carencro Police asked for assistance with this pursuit around 7:30 this morning. David says the pursuit really became dangerous when the vehicle entered Interstate 10…

CUT 3 (08)  “Police units”

David says speeds exceeded 110 miles per hour with the driver running people off the road and purposely hitting State Police units. He says the suspect vehicle exited the interstate in Duson and when the driver tried to re-enter the roadway, troopers took action…

CUT 4 (07)  “complete stop”

He says the suspect appeared to be highly impaired at the time of his arrest. One trooper received minor injuries in the incident and was treated at a local hospital. David says it’s unclear what started the chase, but the unidentified man is in a lot of trouble…

CUT 5 (09) “Carencro’s jurisdiction”

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The Louisiana National Guard, which played a huge role during the Hurricane Katrina response, has dedicated an exhibit to the destructive storm at their Jackson Barracks museum in New Orleans. Captain Heather Englehart says one of the biggest parts of the exhibit is a Huey helicopter used to save thousands trapped on rooftops.

CUT 6 (08)  “during Katrina”

Englehart hopes the exhibit shows the soldiers’ spirit of hope and determination to help during Katrina and the rebuilding efforts that took place. She says the National Guard flew in around 32-thousand guardsmen to Louisiana to rescue those stranded during the flooding.

CUT 7 (11)  “wide spread”

Englehart says the 10^th anniversary exhibit will be open for the next year but they’re working to keep a permanent display in the museum for years to come. She says the Katrina display has interactive stations where visiting survivors can share their memories of Katrina, as well as, large photos and paintings of the destruction and flooding along with other discovered artifacts.

CUT 8 (12)  “as well”

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The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish deviates from the state party in endorsing incumbent Buddy Caldwell in this year’s Attorney General’s race. The Republican Party of Louisiana threw their support behind former congressman Jeff Landry. East Baton Rouge GOP chairman Woody Jenkins on the endorsement…

CUT 9 (10)  “he has done”

Jenkins says Caldwell has done an excellent job in standing up for conservative values. He lists the AG’s attempt to block Obamacare and filing suit to lift the President’s moratorium on drilling in the Gulf as a couple of examples. Jenkins says this endorsement is in no way a criticism of Landry…

cut 10 (10)  “be re-elected”

Jenkins says when you have more than one Republican running for a political office a difference of opinion like this could happen. There are three Republicans running for the AG’s office, including Martin Maley. Jenkins says Caldwell’s litigation experience is a real plus…

Cut 11 (09)  “anywhere”

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A new poll by Triumph Campaigns shows Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards neck and neck in this year’s governor’s race. The telephone survey of over 2,000 respondents shows Vitter leading with 31-percent of the vote followed by Edwards with 30-percent. Pollster Justin Brasell says they kept this survey focused solely on the governor’s election to get a good look at the race…

cut 12 (10)  “of error down”

Republicans Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle come in with 14-percent and 13-percent respectively. The survey has a margin of error of 2.1-percent. Brasell says the big question is whether Dardenne and Angelle can do enough to shake this race up…

cut 13 (10)  “have to see”

The survey shows that 11-percent of respondents are undecided. Brasell is not sure what kind of impact this will have on October’s election…

cut 14 (10)  “at this point”

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It appears self-financing is becoming a trend for political candidates in Louisiana. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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Governor Bobby Jindal plans to attend the funeral of fallen State Trooper Steven Vincent. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A grand opening ceremony takes place today for the brand new $1.1 billion dollar University Medical Center in New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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It looks like self-financing is becoming a trend for political candidates in Louisiana. LaPolitics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says seven statewide candidates reached into their own pockets and loaned money to their campaigns. Alford says it’s not unheard of to have a self-financed candidate in a major state election…

cut 4  (09)  “pretty surprising”

He says in the last fundraising quarter, statewide candidates collectively loaned themselves over $1.3 million. Gubernatorial candidate Scott Angelle loaned his campaign $122,000 as well as taking out a bank loan for an additional $253,000. Alford says fundraising is becoming more difficult because many candidates are kind of picking over the same pool of donors…

Cut 5  (10)  “gonna kill them”

All three declared candidates for Attorney General, including incumbent Buddy Caldwell, have turned to self-financing. He says Super PACs are involved in the state election for the first time and that’s another reason campaigns are finding money hard to come by…

Cut 6 (10)  “their campaign”

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If the public wants to help out the family of fallen Louisiana State Police Trooper Steven Vincent, there are a couple of ways to do so. L-S-P Sgt. James Anderson says there are two accounts set up for the public to donate money that can assist Vincent’s widow and 9-year-old son.

CUT 7 (09)  “Capital One Bank”

Anderson says the donations can be made at any Capitol One nationwide and all funds will go directly to Vincent’s wife, Katherine. He says Steven was an extraordinary person and the family is doing their best to cope.

Cut 8  (10)  “totally unexpected” 

Anderson says Vincent’s funeral will take place Saturday at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Governor Bobby Jindal has made plans to be there. He says Vincent’s family made the decision to donate his organs and seven organ transplant recipients have already been identified.

Cut 9 (08) “years to come”

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Much of Louisiana is waking up to temperatures in the 60s this morning. Tim Humphrey, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, says it is rare to see these temperatures before Labor Day

Cut 10 (07) “in August”

Humphrey says the cooler temperatures with lower humidity will only last a couple of days

cut 11 (10) “around 70″

The National Weather Service is also monitoring Tropical Storm Erica in the Atlantic. But Humphrey says the potential hurricane doesn’t look like a threat for the Gulf of Mexico

 Cut 12 (08) “east coast”

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A grand opening ceremony takes place today for the brand new $1.1 billion dollar University Medical Center in New Orleans. The 446 patient facility was constructed to replace the old Charity Hospital which never reopened after Hurricane Katrina. UMC spokeswoman Siona LaFrance says the hospital is 2.3 million square feet and employs 2,000 people…:

Cut 13 (10)  “one location”

LaFrance says they’ve began seeing patients on August 1st and today Governor Bobby Jindal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu will be on hand for the celebration of the opening. She says they feel this new facility represents a new era in healthcare…:

Cut 14 (08) ” our region”

LaFrance says since Katrina happened 10 years ago, medical services have been scattered across the city and the opening of this UMC complex signals the return of top-notch medical care. She says it also marks a milestone in New Orleans’ recovery from the storm…:

Cut 15  (09)  “wanna be”

State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, is not surprised about the discovery of the brain eating amoeba in three water systems in the state this summer. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The number of on-duty police officer slayings rises to five in 2015 after this week’s fatal shooting of Trooper Steven Vincent. Emelie Gunn has more on why the number is so high…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting applications for the “Wildlife Enforcement Cadet” position until September 9^th. L-D-W-F Spokesperson Adam Einck says they want to bring in new recruits to bolster the ranks they have in the field and the plan to enroll around 24 cadets for training which will begin in December.

CUT 3 (08)  “as well”

Einck says the cadets will train at the L-D-W-F’s training facility at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center in Baton Rouge. He says they’ll be taught boating laws, state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws and other law enforcement training.

CUT 4 (12)  “on land”

Einck says they’re searching for men and women who want to make a difference in wildlife conservation. He says applicants can apply online at the Louisiana Civil Service website.

CUT 5 (11) “website”

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This summer the state Department of Health and Hospitals has reported three water systems in the state that tested positive for the brain eating amoeba. State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, is not surprised. He says these discoveries are not likely due to a sudden appearance of the amoeba in water systems…

CUT 6 (10)  “not the case”

Guidry says the public should be aware of the discoveries, but not alarmed. He says improved testing techniques now allow officials to better detect the amoeba. He says this amoeba has probably been in our water systems for years…

CUT 7 (11)  “we did before”

He feels officials are doing something right because there are no widespread infections from the amoeba being reported. Guidry reminds residents that the water in systems where the amoeba has been found is safe to drink, just avoid getting that water up your nose…

CUT 8 (10)  “it up there”

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Army officials announce about 1,000 infantrymen from Fort Polk’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team will deploy to Afghanistan next month. Base spokesperson Kimberly Reischling (rye-shling) says the unit will be serving as advisors to the Afghan National Defense Security forces which includes their army and police…:

CUT 9 (08)  “self sustaining”

A ceremony for the soldiers deployment will be held on the base September 3rd. Reischling says Afghanistan is now capable of securing their own country and the focus of this mission will be to advise them how to maintain security over time. She says this mission continues to evolve because the capability of the Afgan security institution keeps growing…:

cut 10 (09)  “over there”

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Baton Rouge Police arrested a Kenner man after he allegedly tried to run over two officers with his vehicle. Corporal L’Jean Mckneely says 30-year-old St. Julian Baranco is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder of a police officer. Mckneely says Baranco refused to pull over during a traffic stop and reversed into two police cruisers while trying to flee.

Cut 11 (06)  “torso area”

Mckneely says after being shot, Baranco and the passenger bailed from the car and attempted to escape on foot. He says the officers were able to catch Baranco and he was taken to a local hospital then booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. The passenger is still at large.

cut 12 (07)  “from police”

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This week’s fatal shooting of State Trooper Steven Vincent raises the number of on-duty officer killings to five in Louisiana in 2015. There were no on-duty officers fatally shot last year, only one in 2013 and two in 2012. So why the high number this year? Professor at the LSU School of Public Health Peter Scharf says there’s a variety of factors.

cut 13 (11)  “person cars”

Scharf says training needs to be pushed up and officers need a more heightened sense of awareness. He says cop killers are sociopaths and show no remorse for what they’re doing.

cut 14 (11)  “dangerous folks”

Scharf says with the high number of police shootings, hyper vigilance from officers goes up, so it’s up to sheriffs and police executives to calm both officers and citizens down. He says the recent demonizing of police officers is also not helping….

cut 15 (10) “bad ones will” 

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