A report by the Centers for Disease Control shows Louisiana’s average school start time of 7:40AM is the earliest in the country. Is it too early? Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Eric Gill”

______________________________________

The Calcasieu Parish town of DeQuincy was named the safest place to live in Louisiana by an online study released recently.

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Souther”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Education collected about 30,000 comments from an online portal about wanted changes to Common Core in the state. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Are Louisiana schools starting too early in the morning? According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, early start times contribute to lack of sleep in teens, which negatively impacts their health and academic performance. Sleep expert, Dr. David Thomas of the Neuromedical Center, says this information is nothing new…

cut 4  (07)  “and-a-half”

Louisiana’s average school start time for public middle and high schools, 7:40AM, is the earliest in the country. The report states the national average is 8:03AM. Thomas says that extra sleep could have a positive effect on kids…

Cut 5  (09)  “to an hour”

The CDC recommends schools start their day at 8:30AM or later. Thomas says technology, like cell phones, is keeping people up later these days. He says it’s important for parents to ensure kids get the proper amount of sleep…

Cut 6 (07)  “for a teenager”

(Teenagers should get between 8.5 and 9.5 hours of sleep daily according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

______________________________________

In an online study conducted by Only in Your State, the Calcasieu Parish town of DeQuincy was named the safest place to live in Louisiana. DeQuincy Mayor Lawrence Henagan says he is happy that his town of nearly 3,200 residents is a place with no violent crimes…

CUT 7 (05)  “very dedicated”

The study took statistics from the FBI crime reports in 2013 to rank the top 11 safest places to live in Louisiana. The statistics reported that DeQuincy had the highest population in the state with zero violent crimes. Mayor Henagan also credits the residents for this success…

Cut 8  (05)  “living here” 

Blanchard, Golden Meadow, Berwick and Haughton round out the top five in the online list of safest cities in the state. Henagan says that extra patrols at night help contribute to the safety of the people in the town on a larger scale.

Cut 9 (04) “at night”

______________________________________

It’s much cheaper for teens to stay on their parent’s car insurance, rather than going out on their own. According to InsuranceQuotes.com, it costs 26 percent more for young adults to get their own car insurance policy in Louisiana than staying on their parent’s. Senior analyst Laura Adams says this number is eight percent higher than the national average.

Cut 10 (11) “own policy”

Adams says there are some advantages that mom and dad can pass on to their young driver, like having discounts because of multiple vehicles or good credit. She knows many parents want to push their teens to be on their own when it comes to insurance but suggests making an agreement.

cut 11 (08) “lower rate” 

Adams says even if a teen goes on their own policy, there are some ways to save on the cost of a young driver. She says young adults can qualify for a good student discount by keeping around a “B” average and staying proactive with sending in their results.

cut 12 (10) “best deal”

_____________________________________________

The State Department of Education says they’ve collected nearly 30,000 comments on its online portal from people about possible changes to Common Core in Louisiana. The comments came from 723 people and 23 percent were parents. Regina Sanford, the chairperson of the standards review committee, says these opinions were collected from July 8^th through August 5^th.

Cut 13 (11)  “recommendations”

Sanford says the first public hearing on possible Common Core revisions is set for August 19^th. She says the work they’re going to do is very important for the students and faculty in the state.

Cut 14 (11) “move forward”

Sanford says BESE will make recommendations in March, which will then get legislative review and have to be approved by the next governor. Public comments will continue to be collected through the fall online at louisianabelieves.com.

Cut 15  (08)  “Louisiana students”

___________________________

The New Orleans Saints final practice of the week is today then they’ll fly out Wednesday to Baltimore for Thursday’s preseason game against the Ravens. They started the second week of training camp with a full pads practice at the Greenbrier in West Virginia and worked for a little over two hours. Coach Sean Payton says he likes what he’s seeing

Cut 16  (14)  “pretty well”

Payton says these first two weeks of training camp are about getting everyone up to speed…:

Cut 17 (13) “being Baltimore” 

LSU went through the first full squad practice of the fall and the battle for the starting quarterback position is far from over. Coach Les Miles said that sophomore Brandon Harris continues to get the first snaps, but if it will be he or Anthony Jennings that will start on September 5th against McNeese has not been decided.

Cut 18 (09) “to evolve”

Jennings started 12 games for the Tigers a year ago, passing for 1,611 yards and 11 touchdowns. Harris played in nine games with one start last year as a true freshman. He threw for 452 yards and six touchdowns and added another 159 yards and three scores on the ground. Miles says both guys continue to show improvement every day and there is not a certain person he has in his mind that will start at QB…:

Cut 19 (09) “good portion of them”

In a recent survey by pollster Verne Kennedy, Republican Scott Angelle has moved ahead of fellow GOP candidate David Vitter in the race for governor. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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

Baton Rouge food blogger and radio host Jay Ducote finds himself in the top three of the Food Network Star competition as the finale airs this Sunday. The top prize is your own show on Food Network. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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

In a recent survey by pollster Verne Kennedy, Republican Scott Angelle has moved ahead of fellow GOP candidate David Vitter in the race for governor. The poll of 600 residents, conducted between July 27th-31st, shows Angelle with 25-percent of the vote and Vitter with 22-percent. But ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley notes that previous polls have consistently showed Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards on top…

CUT 3 (06)  “is perplexing”

The poll shows Edwards at 20-percent and Republican Jay Dardenne at 12-percent with 21-percent undecided. Stockley say he is skeptical about the results of this poll, but says it is possible that Angelle has increased support over the last few months…

CUT 4 (06)  “of the summer”

He says Angelle is the only gubernatorial candidate, thus far, to spend any real money on advertising and it could be paying off. Stockley says it may be time for the other candidates to take notice…

CUT 5 (10) “and appearances”

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

Baton Rouge food blogger and radio host Jay Ducote will be competing in the finale of Food Network’s Star on August 16 to win his own show on the network. Three finalists made their own pilot for a cooking show in last night’s episode. Ducote prepared fried catfish topped with crawfish etoufee as his showcase dish. He says he has enjoyed the experience and the unique opportunities the show has offered:

CUT 6 (07)  “with Rachael Ray”

In Ducote’s pilot, he filmed an episode of Deep-Fried America which explores the best versions of fried food all across the country. Ducote says if he wins, his show will remain Louisiana focused the way he’s competed throughout the season…:

CUT 7 (05) ” fried food master”

Ducote says there will be a viewing party for the show’s finale, which begins at 8pm, at the Varsity near LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge. He is still quiet about what his plans are for the future until Sunday’s episode is aired, but he says he is excited about his progress through the season…

CUT 8 (10)  “show on Food Network”

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

The largest public company headquartered in Louisiana, CenturyLink, says its estimating the elimination of 1000 jobs company-wide. Spokeswoman Annmarie Sarter says it’s unclear how the layoffs will impact the company’s corporate headquarters in Monroe…:

CUT 9 (09)  “couple of weeks”

CenturyLink has already committed to expanding in northeast Louisiana and create 800 new jobs by next summer. Sarter says that deal is still on track…:

cut 10 (04)  “in Monroe”

CenturyLink said in a prepared statement that results for the second quarter were below forecast primarily due to pressure on wholesale revenue and higher employee and benefit costs. Sarter says in addition to the layoffs, they are working on other ways to reduce expenses such as minimizing the number of contractors they work with and reducing travel expenses…:

cut 11 (08)  “for us”

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

Just in time for the much anticipated start of football season, the Louisiana Lottery is back with its popular “Saints Fever” scratch-off which launched today. Lottery spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says this is their 7th Saints-branded scratch off game…:

cut 12 (08)  “pleased with it”

Chopin says the $5 “Saints Fever” ticket features four top prizes of $100,000 plus the opportunity to enter non-winning tickets into a series of second chance drawings. She says Who Dat fans love this game because it also offers prizes that are once in a lifetime opportunities…:

cut 13 (09)  “drawings”

Chopin says complete game and second chance drawing entry rules can be found online at louisianalottery.com. She says Louisiana Lottery’s long standing partnership with the Saints is a good one as they love supporting all things Louisiana…:

cut 14 (12)  “Saints too”

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

Now that school is back in session, authorities are urging drivers to be more cautious on the roads. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The Department of Children and Family Services is spreading the word about Louisiana’s safe haven law. Emelie Gunn has more on what this means…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

New research suggests that disturbed sleep may cause an increase in the chances of getting Alzheimer’s Disease. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

______________________________________

Now that school is back in session, authorities are urging drivers to be more cautious on the roads. Don Redman with the American Automobile Association says now that summer is over, motorists should be on alert as kids will be walking along roads before and after school…:

cut 4  (08)  “precautions”

Redman says the first step drivers can take is to slow down in school and residential zones. He says drivers also need to take special care to keep their hands on the wheel on not on their phone…:

Cut 5  (11)  “situation”

The use of any handheld device in a school zone is prohibited even to engage in a phone call. “Hands-free zone” signs have been posted throughout the state. Redman says fines are doubled when in a school zone and cops will be out there. He says parents need to talk to their teen drivers about being vigilant and watch out for children walking and riding bicycles…:

Cut 6 (11)  “teen driver”

______________________________________

Under legislation approved in the last session, more information is being distributed to the public about Louisiana’s safe haven law, which allows parents to legally give up a baby until they’re two months old. Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier says she wants people who feel like they’re in a crisis to know this law exists.

CUT 7 (09)  “of prosecution”

Sonnier says a mom or dad can give their infant to an individual at a number of safe haven locations. But they cannot leave the baby unattended.

Cut 8  (08)  “centers” 

Sonnier says they’re doing everything they can to get the word out to parents that this is an alternative. She says D-C-F-S has seen more abandonments than people using safe havens and the goal is to keep babies safe and find them  loving homes.

Cut 9 (09) “wonderful life”

______________________________________

Researchers have discovered there may be a link between poor sleep and the increased risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Director of Imaging from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center Owen Carmichael says those with the disease generally have disturbed sleep. He says the question of whether sleep issues cause Alzheimer’s has long been something scientists have wondered…

Cut 10 (08) “Alzheimer’s Disease”

A protein is produced throughout a person’s life that Carmichael calls the “garbage of the brain.” He says that Alzheimer’s is caused when there is too much of this protein stored up and not emptied out…

cut 11 (10) “during sleep” 

People who do not sleep well at night are often diagnosed with other medical problems because of their poor sleeping habits. Carmichael says this research shows that not getting adequate, undisturbed sleep can mean the protein isn’t cleaned out properly…

cut 12 (08) “steadily over time”

_____________________________________________

Today marks the first official day of football practice for Louisiana High School Athletic Association schools and temperatures continue to rise. Director of the Louisiana High School Coaches Association Terrence Williams says when possible, practice times are adjusted to avoid peak heat hours…:

Cut 13 (14)  “times of the day”

The LHSAA has issued an extreme heat warning to remind parents, coaches and student athletes of the dangers of heat related illnesses. Williams says teams are given “best practice guidelines” as steps to take to avoid heat stroke…:

Cut 14 (12) “in their body”

Williams says it’s extremely important for student athletes to be hydrated before, during and after practice or any type of physical activity. He says their coaches use common sense and know that it’s important to keep talking to the kids during practice…:

Cut 15  (18)  “hydrated”

The National Federation of Independent Business is encouraging people to shop local during Friday and Saturday’s sales-tax holiday. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

With his first presidential debate behind him, the question is how did Governor Bobby Jindal do? Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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

The National Federation of Independent Business is encouraging people to shop local as the annual state sales tax holiday is expected to give small businesses a much needed shot in the arm. Retail items are exempt from the 4 percent state sales tax, up to 25-hundred dollars Friday and Saturday. N-F-I-B State director Dawn Starns says this is great timing because the last few months a lot of small businesses have been suffering.

CUT 3 (11)  “floated around”

Starns says this is a great way for customers to give back to those who create jobs and do so much to improve the economy in their community. She asks back to school shoppers to consider giving their business to local business.

CUT 4 (05)  “to offer”

Starns says this sales-tax holiday gives people more bang for their buck. She says if more individuals shop at smaller stores, more jobs will be saved and the economy will bounce back quicker.

CUT 5 (11) “create jobs”

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

Now that Governor Bobby Jindal has his first presidential debate behind him, how did he do? Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the governor did okay during the forum. Pinsonat says he would give Jindal a B-plus on his performance…

CUT 6 (09)  “than his”

Political pundits ranked Jindal’s performance second, behind former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. Pinsonat says Jindal showed a lot of poise on stage, slowing down his normally rapid fire speech and giving good answers to the questions. He says there was a definite high point in Jindal’s performance…

CUT 7 (08) ” want to hear”

He says the governor definitely did not hurt his chances at the Republican nomination in the debate and may have even helped his cause, somewhat. Pinsonat says, moving forward, Jindal will continue to target his message to smaller groups of Republican voters…

CUT 8 (08)  “speaks about”

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

Sweltering temperatures are expected across the state this weekend. State Climatologist Barry Keim says dangerous heat levels are expected into the first part of next week. Keim says afternoon high temps will be in the triple digits across Louisiana…

CUT 9 (06)  “in Baton Rouge”

The National Weather Service says record high temperatures are possible in some areas of the state. Keim says an area of high pressure in the central Gulf is severely limiting clouds and thunderstorms. He says humidity levels will remain high, driving the heat index way up…

cut 10 (05)  “state of Louisiana”

Keim says heat indices could reach up to 120 degrees in some areas this weekend. He suggests limiting your time in the direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day, and keeping yourself well hydrated. Keim says some slight relief is in sight as a cold front is expected to roll across the state Tuesday night into Wednesday..

cut 11 (09)  “upper 90s”

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

The State Department of Education launches a new web portal which outlines Louisiana’s career education options. The program Jump Start now has an online site called “All things Jump Start.” State Superintendent of Education John White says Jump Start allows high school graduates to enter the workforce with an industry credential:

cut 12 (10)  “how to do that”

He says all Jump Start resources are now at the touch of a button on the department’s website: louisianabelieves.com. Traditional high school diplomas require 23 course credits and under Jump Start, at least 9 of those have to be selected in a certain career field. White says the portal provides more than 200 valuable resources for students who are interested in going down the Jump Start Path..:

cut 13 (12)  “industry partners”

White says the portal and the Jump Start program are part of the department’s effort to overhaul Louisiana’s career education options. He says the new site simplifies the entire process…:

cut 14 (12)  “ready to work”

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

Louisiana’s Annual Sales Tax Holiday happens today and tomorrow. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Eric Gill”

______________________________________

A memorial service for slain Shreveport Police Officer Thomas LaValley will take place this afternoon. The suspected shooter is behind bars. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The four gubernatorial candidates discuss the steps they’ll take to cut down the poverty rate in Louisiana. Scott Carwile has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

______________________________________

Louisiana’s Annual Sales Tax Holiday happens today and tomorrow. During the holiday, the 4% state sales tax on the first 25 hundred dollars of each item a customer buys will be waived. Department of Revenue spokesperson Kizzy Payton says this is a good opportunity for parents to save as they shop for the new school year…

cut 4  (08)  “back to school”

The tax exemption only applies to the state sales tax of 4%. Local sales taxes will still apply to purchases unless the local taxing authority has created its own exemption. Payton says shoppers should keep in mind that not all items and services qualify for the tax holiday…

Cut 5  (08)  “the full list”

You can go to revenue-dot-louisiana-dot-gov-slash-taxholiday for more information. Payton adds that you may want to hold on to your back-to-school shopping receipts…

Cut 6 (10)  “those receipts”

______________________________________

The Jindal Administration announces Moody’s Investors Service affirms Louisiana will keep its same credit rating for an upcoming bond sale that will be used to finance work on I-49 South. State Treasurer John Kennedy says we remain on negative credit watch which is good news for Louisiana tax payers because Moody’s could have downgraded us…:

CUT 7 (12)  “fix the problem”

Kennedy says he plans to go to market soon to sell Unclaimed Property bonds that will finance portions of I-49 South. He says he asked Moody not to downgrade Louisiana to give the next governor and Legislature time to fix our state’s serious budget issues…:

Cut 8  (09)  “has agreed” 

Kennedy said Moody had noticed that Louisiana was budgeting too much nonrecurring money and not doing anything about future liability…:

Cut 9 (12) “will go up”

______________________________________

Although Governor Bobby Jindal did not take part in the prime-time Republican presidential debate, he did participate in the consolidated debate earlier Thursday afternoon. In the first question Jindal answered, he defended himself against the low popularity numbers here at home. Jindal says he ran for office to make a difference and be a leader for Louisiana…

Cut 10 (07) “mess we’re in”

When asked about the war against ISIS, Jindal says that as president, he would call the group by the name of “radical Islam,” unlike President Obama. Jindal criticized the president for apologizing to the world rather than taking action against what Jindal calls the enemy…

cut 11 (05) “murderous, evil terrorists” 

One of the questions of the evening involved whether to defund Planned Parenthood, particularly over the recent videos that show aborted babies’ organs being sold. Jindal was passionate in his answer, going against candidate Carly Fiorina who said the government should not be shut down over the issue. However, Jindal expressed his distaste in the group…

cut 12 (06) “Planned Parenthood”

_____________________________________________

The four candidates for governor say they want to take steps to reduce the number of people who live below the federal poverty line because Louisiana’s poverty rate is one of the highest in the country. Republican David Vitter says one way to tackle this issue is by dramatically improving education for the children of Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09)  “Start program”

Republican Jay Dardenne says education and job opportunities are essential to raise the embarrassing poverty rate in the state.

Cut 14 (10) “employment”

Republican Scott Angelle says in order to rid the state of poverty we need to ramp up our technical and community college programs, strengthen the Louisiana family and increase job creation.

Cut 15  (10)  “job creation”

Democrat John Bel Edwards says he wants to call on Congress to raise the minimum wage up from $7.25. He says he will also work toward equal pay to reduce the poverty rate in Louisiana.

Cut 16  (11)  “legislation”

___________________________

The first day of LSU fall football practice is in the books and five freshman got to work out with the veterans. All rookies the coaches allowed in were defenders: defensive backs Kevin Toliver II, Donte Jackson and Xavier Lewis and defensive ends Arden Key and Isiah Washington. Senior linebacker Lamar Louis on new DC Kevin Steele…:

Cut 17 (10) “all said and done” 

Brandon Harris, Anthony Jennings and Brad Kragthorpe were the only quarterbacks working out in the morning group. Harris got the first rep with Leonard Fournette and J.D. Moore during play-action drills. Sophomore Wide Receiver Malachi Dupre says Harris still has a strong arm but he’s becoming more consistent with it…:

Cut 18 (14) “no matter what”

Coach Les Miles awarded junior Tre’Davious White with the team’s prestigious No. 18 team meeting this week and the junior cornerback wore it for the first time Thursday. No. 18 typically goes to a team leader who “displays a selfless attitude while representing the Tigers. White says it’s a great feeling…:

Cut 19 (13) “voting me as it”

____________________________

The Shreveport Police Department is looking for the person they believe is responsible for the death of one of their own, 29-year-old Officer Thomas LaValley. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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

NOAA’s updated their Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook for the 2015 season and the forecast remains below-average. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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

The Shreveport Police Department is looking for the person they believe is responsible for the death of one of their own, 29-year-old Officer Thomas LaValley who was shot and killed Wednesday night. Chief Willie Shaw says they will not rest until they find the suspect, 27-year-old Grover Cannon…:

CUT 3 (09)  “to justice”

The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Cannon. Shaw says officer LaValley was responding to a suspicious-person call at a residence when he confronted Cannon, who then shot the cop multiple times. He says LaValley was in full uniform at the time and wearing his department issued body armor when he was shot..:

CUT 4 (11)  “to his wounds”

Reports indicate LaValley was from St. Amant. Details about what happened inside the home are under investigation. Shaw says Cannon was already wanted on an attempted second degree murder warrant and he is now wanted for first degree murder. He calls the suspect a total coward for running from this horrific crime…:

CUT 5 (09) “looking for him”

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

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center updated 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook is now calling for a 90% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA’s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster, Gerry Bell, says a below normal-season is now even more likely than predicted in May when it was at 70%…:

CUT 6 (11)  “major hurricanes”

Bell says El Nino is stronger than they originally predicted and is expected to stay throughout the remainder of the hurricane season. He says the atmospheric conditions like strong vertical wind shear come along with El Nino and low sea-surface temperatures are also making for this below average hurricane season.

CUT 7 (05) ” global tropics”

Bell says this seasonal outlook doesn’t include landfall predictions. He says even though we’re looking at a below average season, it is very possible for tropical storms and big hurricanes to form during El Nino.

CUT 8 (09)  “Ready.gov”

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

The State of Louisiana will soon begin to reshuffle the letters and numbers on new license plates. Officials say they’re are running out of combinations to use in the current configuration of three letters followed by three numbers. State Police Lt. JB Slaton says a plan is already in place to address the issue…

CUT 9 (09)  “letter, letter, letter”

The plan is to reverse the configuration on new plates to three numbers followed by three letters. The current arrangement of letters and numbers was implemented in the mid-90s. Slaton says this change will give the Office of Motor Vehicles a little breathing room…

cut 10 (07)  “18 years, approximately”

He says the change should give the state about 20 years before having to address the issue again. You could begin seeing the new plates in as soon as eight months. Slaton says this change will have no effect on the current plate on your vehicle…

cut 11 (07)  “no longer good”

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

In the wake of the Lafayette theater shooting, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette football team will express their pride in their community on the football field this fall. Coach Mark Hudspeth says his team will wear Lafayette Strong decals on their helmets as a token of solidarity …

cut 12 (10)  “is unbelievable”

The Lafayette Strong decals will be same design as signs appearing throughout the area, the Acadiana flag inside an outline of the state of Louisiana. Hudspeth says the inspiration for this comes from how the community came together after the tragedy…

cut 13 (10)  “the same way”

Even though Governor Bobby Jindal didn’t make it to tonight’s prime time debate, his face will still be seen on Iowa TV stations during this evenings telecast. Jeff Palermo has more….

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Louisiana AARP is hosting a forum today in Baton Rouge but one gubernatorial candidate will not be attending. Scott Carwile has more….

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Education announces high schoolers achieved a record number of scores on A-P exams. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal is in Cleveland today getting ready to participate in a debate involving the second tier Republican Presidential candidates. Jindal did not poll well enough to get invited to the prime time debate featuring the major candidates on Fox News. But a super PAC supporting Jindal has paid for a commercial to run in Iowa during the prime time debate. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat…

cut 4  (07)  “viral videos”

Pinsonat says Jindal can’t compete with the front-runners right now so he is spending a lot of his time in Iowa. He says using Jindal’s money there is his best approach to raise his numbers to get into future big debates.

Cut 5  (10)  “in Iowa”

Pinsonat says the smaller debate is still a time for Jindal to get good national exposure. He says the trick for Jindal is he will need to mention topics that catch attention and get him remembered.

Cut 6 (10)  “proposition”

______________________________________

The Louisiana AARP is holding a governor’s forum today in Baton Rouge but US Senator David Vitter is the one major candidate out of the four that will not attend. Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says the closer we get to the election, the more important it is for all the candidates to attend forums.

CUT 7 (08)  “to decide”

Dubos says Vitter is missing the chance to talk to likely voters because this particular forum is aimed at senior citizens, who are the most chronic voters in the country. He says although Vitter is in the lead, that doesn’t mean he’ll stay the front-runner.

Cut 8  (09)  “has slipped” 
The State Troopers Association is hosting a forum on Saturday and all four candidates are expected to attend. Dubos says he won’t be surprised if Angelle, Dardenne and Edwards use Vitter’s absences to their advantage.

Cut 9 (06) “if any”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Education announces that high school students in the state earned more than 13-hundred more qualifying scores on Advanced Placement exams in 2015 than 2014. Superintendent John White says this is a 20 percent increase in A-P test scores, which are the nation’s most challenging academic assessment given to students across the country.

Cut 10 (08) “this country”

A-P exam scores are transferable to most colleges in the country. White says the growth is due to an increase in kids deciding to participate in rigorous A-P courses. He says this is an 89 percent increase in scores from 2012.

cut 11 (11) “alike” 
White says African American students have also greatly improved with nearly 215 more qualifying scores this year than 2014. He says he’s very proud of the great strides these kids are making in academics.

cut 12 (12) “146 percent”

_____________________________________________

According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, a 23-year-old man was arrested after driving through two fences and on to the runway at the Louis Armstrong airport in New Orleans. Colonel John Fortunato says they sent officers to the scene after receiving a 911 call that there was a vehicle on a live runway.

Cut 13 (11)  “access road”

The man was identified as Kaleb Clement from Paulina. Fortunato says luckily there were no planes on the tarmac during the incident. He says Clement ran after seeing airport personnel coming toward him.

Cut 14 (07) “thereafter”

Fortunato says Clement is charged with one count of hit and run driving and one count of driving with intoxicated. He says this could’ve ended much worse.

Cut 15  (10)  “without incident”

___________________________

The LSU Tigers begin fall practice today and head coach Les Miles says quarterback is the one position most unsettled. Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris will spend the next month competing to be the starting QB when the Tigers kick-off the season on September fifth against McNeese State. Miles says there’s enough talent around the quarterback position for that person to succeed…

Cut 16  (17)  “whoever he is”

Jennings missed most of the summer, because he was suspended for an arrest, where the criminal charges were dropped. Defensive back Dewayne Thomas was also arrested with Jennings, but Miles made it sound like that both players will NOT be suspended for the season opener

Cut 17 (13) ” been derived” 

During the first few days of fall camp, veterans will participate in the morning workout, while freshmen and selected veterans will go through drills in the afternoon. Miles anticipates a good number of freshmen getting on the field this year…

Cut 18 (16) “be used “

Governor Bobby Jindal is the star in a video that has him winning a push-up competition. Jeff Palermo explains…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy and Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bill to Congress that attempts to address the nation’s problems when it comes to the treatment of mental illness. Jeff Palermo has more

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

State police say an 18-year-old, who was pushing a friend’s disabled SUV out of the roadway, was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver. Trooper Bryan Lee says the fatal crash happened last night on LA 42 in Ascension Parish. Lee says 41-year-old J Thomas Bowers was traveling eastbound on the road and failed to stop before striking pedestrian Richard Billingsley, Jr…

CUT 3 (07)  “second offense”

The vehicle that Bowers hit had previously become disabled in the roadway so Billingsley was  on the road pushing it with emergency flashers on. Billingsley was struck by the oncoming vehicle Bowers was driving…

CUT 4 (03)  “at the scene”

Lee says that Bowers was traveling at speeds faster than allowed along the highway. Police will be able to determine the exact speed after their investigation is completed. Lee says impaired driving is still an issue in the state that causes many deaths, and he advises people to make wise choices when they drink…

CUT 5 (04) “behind the wheel”

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

Governor Bobby Jindal has joined the viral video craze that other republican presidential candidates are participating in. In a video produced by Buzzfeed, Jindal is in a push-up competition against “the issues” which are taxes, Obamacare, hyphenated Americans and Jindal’s own widely panned response to the State of Union in 2009. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat isn’t sure how this will get him more support..

CUT 6 (06)  “hope not”

GOP presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul have also taken time from their campaigns to shoot offbeat videos as a way of getting attention. Pinsonat says that’s apparently the new trend in national campaigns…

CUT 7 (08) ” than the other”

In the video, Jindal does 67 push-ups, while other people representing the issues, can’ t keep up, and Jindal is declared the winner. Pinsonat says it is telling that the front-runners for the republican nomination are not doing these kind of videos

CUT 8 (08)  “what is this”

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

Baton Rouge State Representative Alfred Williams has died. Williams passed away Tuesday night following complications related to a recent knee surgery. Representative Pat Smith of Baton Rouge says she was shocked to hear the news and that Williams will be missed…

CUT 9 (08)  “he represented”

Williams was 64-years-old. He was elected to the State House in 2011 after serving on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. Smith says Williams’ loss will leave a big hole not only in the legislature, but in his district as well…

cut 10 (05)  “just priceless”

Smith not only served with Williams in the House, but on the School Board as well. She says Williams always worked for the people…

cut 11 (08)  “help them”

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

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, along with Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, introduced legislation that addresses the issues in the nation’s care and treatment of mental health. Studies indicate that one in five American adults have a serious form of mental illness, and Cassidy says everyone is impacted in some way…

cut 12 (07)  “serious mental illness”

Cassidy says he has been working on this bill for about four years, but has only recently been able to introduce it to Congress–less than two weeks after the Lafayette theater shooting. Cassidy has spoken with sheriffs who have told him they deal the most with the mentally ill because many people are not treated or cannot afford treatment…

cut 13 (10)  “members of society”

Cassidy’s bill would come up with solutions to help families dealing with mental illness and provide states with grants up to two million dollars to treat low-income persons with serious mental conditions. Cassidy says his goal with the legislation is to make sure those who have their first psychotic episode never have another one again…

cut 14 (11)  “it happens (2x)”

Governor Bobby Jindal will not be one of the ten republican presidential candidates who will appear in a primetime debate on national TV Thursday night. Jeff Palermo has the story….

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The ACLU of Louisiana releases a report which shows it’s a common practice here to jail people who are too poor to pay a fine. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office arrests a man in the brutal rape of a convenience store clerk in Sulphur. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Researchers have determined the size of the “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is nearly 17-thousand square kilometers, which is the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.  Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium executive director Nancy Rabalais says the dead zone is bigger than anticipated, because more fresh water and nutrients flowed out of the Mississippi River basin than anticipated…

cut 4  (07)  “30 years”

The dead zone is an area of low oxygen in the Gulf, where sea animals are unable to live. She says it’s 28-percent larger than in 2014….

Cut 5  (09)  “oil spill”

Rabalais says in order to reduce the size of the dead zone, more needs to be done by farmers to reduce the amount of nutrients that’s running off their fields into the Mississippi River and then into the Gulf

Cut 6 (10)  “2015″

______________________________________

The ACLU of Louisiana has released a report on incarcerating the poor and it indicates there’s a common, unlawful practice of jailing people who don’t have enough money to pay court-ordered fines. Executive Director Marjorie Esman says this practice often sends financially stressed individuals into a downward cycle of incarceration…:

CUT 7 (08)  “regular basis”

Esman says people who can afford the fines assessed against them don’t run the risk of incarceration, but those who can’t are routinely jailed because they lack the resources. She says in 1983 the US Supreme Court ruled that judges must hold hearings to determine someone’s ability to pay before assessing a fine…:

Cut 8  (11)  “a month’s rent” 

Esman says these practices hurt communities by separating children from their parents, costing working people their jobs and they lead to needless fear. She says by bringing the report to light she hopes that courts will learn what the law is and also realize the jailing people because they are poor is counter-productive…:

Cut 9 (10) “on with their lives”

______________________________________

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office arrests a 26-year-old man who allegedly locked up a convenience store clerk in Sulphur and raped her in a storage room. Spokesperson Kim Myers says James Domingue of Sulphur entered the business and locked the door unbeknownst to the clerk, then lured her to the back of the store pretending to search for an item.

Cut 10 (12) “the face”

Myers says the woman tried to resist bit was unable to get away, then Domingue knocked  her to the ground and raped her. She says Domingue made the clerk give him goods from the store and then let himself out.

cut 11 (12) “was identified” 

Myers says Domingue was arrested on charges of rape, kidnapping and false imprisonment. She says this seems to be a random act from Domingue, who has a criminal background.

cut 12 (07) “in 2011″

_____________________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal misses the cut as he will not participate in the first first formal Republican Presidential debate. Jindal did not poll well enough in recent national surveys to be among the ten candidates who will square off tomorrow night on Fox News. ULM political science professor Joshua Stockley says missing this debate is a blow to the Jindal presidential campaign…

Cut 13 (11)  “few points”

Jindal and the other GOP candidates who did not finish in the top ten in national polling, will be able to participate debate featuring secondary candidates that will take place on Thursday afternoon. Stockley says while missing the primetime debate is a blow to Jindal’s chances in gaining the republican nomination, its still early

Cut 14 (10) “front-runner”

National polls have the Louisiana governor only getting one to two percent of the vote. Jindal recently made the cover of the Boston Herald for saying sanctuary city mayors should be arrested. Stockley says Jindal may need to change his campaign strategy

Cut 15  (07)  “traction”

___________________________

The LSU football team reports for fall camp today looking to improve on an eight-win season from a year ago. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says quarterback is once again a question mark for the Tigers, but whether it’s Anthony Jennings or Brandon Harris, the offense should be better than last year..

Cut 16  (20)  “to succeed”

Moran also expects LSU’s defense to be very good this year, even though John Chavis is no longer the defensive coordinator…

Cut 17 (20) ” Ed Paris” 

Moran believes LSU can win at least ten games this year…

Cut 18 (11) “from that “

The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team has released their updated forecast for the 2015 hurricane season and it’s not much different than their June forecast. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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

The price of US crude oil has fallen to its lowest price in four months and LSU economist Dr. Loren Scott says it’s having a negative impact on economies in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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

The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team has released their updated forecast for the 2015 hurricane season and it looks very much the same as their June forecast. Researchers originally predicted eight named storms with three hurricanes and one major hurricane. Lead author, Dr. Phil Klotzbach, says this update actually lowers the number of expected hurricanes this season…

CUT 3 (09)  “or five hurricane”

The new forecasts calls for five more named storms, two hurricanes, and one major hurricane. Klotzbach says the primary reason for the below-normal season is because of very strong vertical wind shears because of a strong El Nino…

CUT 4 (08)  “the storms”

He says the probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the Gulf Coast is just 12-percent, well below the full-season average of 30-percent. Klotzbach says although a below-average hurricane season is forecast, that doesn’t mean a storm won’t impact Louisiana…

CUT 5 (10) “the United States”

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

The price of US crude oil has fallen to its lowest price in four months and it is having a negative impact on economies in Louisiana. The current price for a barrel of US crude is just $45 a barrel, down from $61 a barrel on June 10th. LSU economist Dr. Loren Scott says the drop in price has caused job loss in communities heavily tied to oil and gas, like Lafayette and Houma…

CUT 6 (08)  “them at all”

As oil prices continue to plummet, some of the best paying jobs in the state are lost. He says job losses are spread throughout the oil and gas industry, from supply boats to helicopters to the drilling rigs themselves. Scott believes, as we get into the fall, there will be a significant drop in oil production in the US…
CUT 7 (06) “in the shale play”

He says the number of working rigs has dropped by nearly half of what they were a year ago. Scott says it’s difficult to forecast oil prices but expects the price of crude to turn around in the near future…

CUT 8 (08)  “back up, again”

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

Terrebonne Parish deputies arrested a mother in Houma for leaving her child unattended in a hot car for several minutes at a carwash. Major Malcolm Wolfe says  33-year-old Sumer Lynn Boudloche was charged with child desertion once officers arrived on the scene after receiving a call about a small child walking alone in the parking lot without adult supervision.

CUT 9 (09)  “vehicle alone”

Wolfe says  Boudloche left her two year old son in her running car while she went inside the business to use the restroom. He says once officers spoke with Boudloche, she slurred her speech and seemed to be under the influence of drugs.

cut 10 (09)  “car asleep”

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

A woman was killed around 9 this morning after being hit by a Kansas City Southern Freight train close to the Lincoln-Bienville Parish line. Bienville Parish Sheriff John Ballance says train engineers sounded the horn multiple times to alert the woman to move away from the tracks.

cut 11 (10)  “struck her”

Ballance says the accident occurred on the railway that runs parallel to Highway 80. He says the woman was killed instantly and police are still investigating the accident.

cut 12 (05)  “is deceased”

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

Public schools are reopening and it’s another year for the Common Core standards. The public has an opportunity to suggest changes to Common Core and a hearing to discuss new standards is set for August 19th. The president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, Hollis Milton, is one education leader who doesn’t want to see big changes with Common Core

cut 13 (11)  “with it”

The department of education has a portal on its website that’s taking public comment on Common Core. Milton says one change he suggests is to dump the PARCC standardized test for Aspire, which is associated with the A-C-T exam…

cut 14 (06)  “political football”

Milton also believes the Aspire exams, would be a better standardized test for third through eighth graders than PARCC

cut 15 (10) “in the nation” 

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