With LSU and the Saints both kicking off their season openers this weekend on the road, Louisiana restaurants are expecting fans to pour in. Eric Gill has the story..

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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We’re in for a break from the summer heat this weekend as a cold front is rolling through Louisiana tonight. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 2 (24)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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With LSU and the Saints both kicking off their season openers this weekend on the road, Louisiana restaurants are expecting fans to pour in. Erica Burns with the Louisiana Restaurant Association says after the summer lull, the packed houses will be a nice boost for establishments. She says bars and restaurants often see increased business during home and away game days…

CUT 3 (06)  “game time”

Summer is typically a slow period for restaurants in the state because it’s hot and a lot of people go on vacation. Now that the weather is beginning to cool down and football season is in full swing, Burns says this will have a positive impact on business…

CUT 4 (08)  “start getting busier”

Fall is a time that many restaurant owners look forward to. Burns says, on game days, patrons will often spend extensive amounts of time eating and drinking at restaurants while watching their team play on television.

CUT 5 (05) “do well”

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Louisiana is getting a major break from the summer heat this weekend as a cold front is coming late tonight. Jonathan Brazzell with the National Weather Service says we can expect low temperatures in the middle 50s throughout the state.

CUT 6 (08) “to it”

Brazzell says Saturday’s afternoon highs will be in the mid-80s and we’ll get into the low 80s come Sunday.

CUT 7 (07)  “nice weekend”

Brazzell says the cold front should give us some relief from the mugginess we’ve experienced all summer. He says it’ll be a great time to spend some time outdoors because it’s going to feel refreshing compared to what we’ve been seeing the past few months.

CUT 8 (06)  “be cooler” 

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A former state legislator, who served two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to money laundering charges in 2008, announces that he is once again seeking office. Derrick Shepherd, a Democrat from Marrero, qualified to run for the 87th District House seat Thursday. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says whether Shepherd, a convicted felon, will remain on the ballot remains to be seen…

CUT 9 (09)  “of that”

Dubos says the Louisiana Constitution prohibits convicted felons from seeking public office at the state level. Shepherd says he plans to challenge that restriction as unconstitutional. Dubos says with just four weeks until early voting begins, Shepherd doesn’t have much time to resolve the issue. Dubos doesn’t think the outcome will go in Shepherd’s favor…

cut 10 (10)  “of voters”

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Former Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover has qualified to run for his old District 4 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Glover, a Democrat, held the same spot in the House from 1996 to 2006 before he was elected Mayor of Shreveport. Political analyst Elliott Stonecipher says Glover is very popular in that district…:

Cut 11 (10)  “to do that” 

Current District 4 Representative Patrick Williams decided not to seek a new term. Glover is going up against educator Fred Moss IV who is known for the Good Times Roll Festival -and- Shreveport accountant Reginald Johnson…both Democrats. Stonecipher says Glover has the highest name recognition by far…:

cut 12 (08)  “take him on”

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State police say an 80-year-old man died after he was run over while changing his tire on the side of the road in East Baton Rouge Parish. State Police spokesperson Bryan Lee says Lawrence Shepherd was changing the tire on his vehicle on the shoulder of LA42, known as  Burbank in Baton Rouge, around 6:30 Thursday…

cut 13 (07)  “and his vehicle”

Lee says 47-year-old Haosheng Huang of Baton Rouge missed a curve when he lost control, running onto the shoulder where Shepherd’s vehicle was parked. He says Huang submitted to a breath test but the result was negative, and he is not suspected to have been impaired…

cut 14 (10)  “charges will be pending”

Lee says police will be investigating why Huang lost control of his vehicle and charges are pending. He reminds motorists, if you experience car trouble, try to get your vehicle into a parking lot or another safe place. Drivers should also be vigilant for pedestrians along roadways…

cut 15 (04) “left as possible” 

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The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a Houma man this morning in connection to the stabbing of his girlfriend.  Spokesperson Dawn Foret says 35-year-old Ashraf Khalil is charged with attempted second degree murder after a woman ran into a convenience store begging for help after claiming she was stabbed by him in a vehicle.

cut 16 (10) “detain him” 

Foret says Khalil was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex. She says the victim was taken to a hospital where her condition improved and she is expected to survive.

cut 17 (08) “was slit”

The Franklin Parish community continues to mourn the loss of Tyrell Cameron, the Franklin Parish High School football player who lost his life after an injury during a game last Friday. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A political action committee releases a new television commercial reminding voters about David Vitter’s 2007 prostitution scandal. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Bayou Teche Brewing and U-L Lafayette say a new Ragin’ Cajuns Genuine Louisiana Ale is available today in select locations. Michelle Southern has more….

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Franklin Parish community continues to mourn the loss of Tyrell Cameron, the Franklin Parish High School football player who lost his life after an injury during a game last Friday. FPHS Principal Brian Gunter says he’s thankful for the wave of support shown to the school and the Cameron family…

cut 4  (10)  “people have done”

Gunter says there have been several events in Winnsboro over the past week to commemorate and remember the life of Cameron. He says a GoFundMe account has been set up to help defray funeral costs for the Cameron family. Gunter says he’s impressed with how schools in the area are showing their support…

Cut 5  (11)  “to the family”

Visitation for Cameron will be held this evening with funeral services scheduled for Saturday afternoon at River of Life Church in Winnsboro. Gunter expects this to be a very emotional weekend in Winnsboro…

Cut 6 (07)  “as you can”

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A political action committee, called the Louisiana Water Coalition, released a television commercial reminding voters of David Vitter’s 2007 prostitution scandal. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Vitter needs 30 percent of the vote to make the runoff and those voters have stuck with him since day one.

CUT 7 (10)  “be running”

Pinsonat says the majority of Louisiana voters aren’t worried about what happened with Vitter seven years ago, they just want the most conservative candidate. He says these commercials need to come up with new information for it to really have an impact.

Cut 8  (11)  “about this” 

Pinsonat says this ad won’t impact Vitter’s chances of making the runoff and it’s going to take more than this to stop him.

Cut 9 (09) “replace him”

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Former 5th District Congressman Vance McAllister has jumped back in the political ring. McAllister qualified Thursday to run for the state Senate District 33 seat currently held by second term incumbent Mike Walsworth. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this could be a very entertaining race. He says McAllister does have a couple of things going for him…

Cut 10 (09) “him competitive”

McAllister lost his congressional seat in last fall’s elections after a kissing scandal became public. Stockley says one of the biggest criticisms against Walsworth is his allegiance with Governor Bobby Jindal…

cut 11 (08) “for the district”

He says McAllister’s name recognition and available money for the race give him a real chance. But Stockley says it will not be easy for McAllister to take unseat Walsworth…

Cut 12 (08) “out for him”

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Bayou Teche Brewing announces their new Ragin’ Cajuns Genuine Louisiana Ale is now available at select locations. President Karlos Knott says his brewery worked closely with the university to create a beer that symbolizes the school and the U-L marketing department designed the logo.

Cut 13 (10)  “as well”

Knott says they wanted to create a beer that was easy to drink for tailgating in the extreme heat. He says Ragin’ Cajuns Genuine Louisiana Ale is brewed with rice, so it’s light and refreshing.

Cut 14 (09) “the park”

Knott believes this will be a very successful product because of the great name and the success of the university, itself. He says they spared no expense when it came to brewing this ale.

Cut 15  (10)  “we use”

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A big match-up in Saturday’s LSU game against Mississippi State is the Tigers defense against Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott had his way with the LSU defense last year as he rushed for over 100 yards and threw over 200 yards against the Bayou Bengals in Baton Rouge. LSU defensive tackle Christian Lacourture (Lock-uh-chur) on their gameplan to stop Dak

Cut 16  (10)  “bigger plays”

Lacourture says getting a lot of players around Prescott will be a key…

Cut 17 (17) “be okay” 

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The Saints open their regular season Sunday afternoon at Arizona. The Black and Gold are looking to rebound after a disappointing 7-9 campaign last season. Saints radio color analyst Hokie Gajan says preseason injuries have him concerned heading into the season opener…

Cut 18 (14) “be out there”

Gajan says the only bright spot for him in the preseason was the limited action of the first team offense. He says there is concern about the defense, who gave up some big plays and only tallied two sacks in four preseason games. Gajan says this is about as uncomfortable he’s been about the Saints heading into a season opener…

Cut 19 (17) “very limited”

Governor Bobby Jindal says Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is a carnival act and urges the republican party not to nominate an unstable narcissist. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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One day soon, you will be able to cast your ballot in an election by using an iPad. Emelie Gunn has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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State Police say a Breaux Bridge man is under arrest charged with attempted manslaughter of a St. Martin Parish Deputy. Master Trooper Brooks David says the deputy observed 22-year-old Donald Clement Jr. in what is believed to be illegal narcotic activities in a convenience store parking lot. David says that’s when the deputy approached Clement’s car…

CUT 3 (10)  “to the vehicle”

He says Clement took off with the officer hanging on to the driver’s side door in an attempt to avoid arrest. David says Clement drove quite a distance with the deputy hanging on…

CUT 4 (08)  “severe injuries”

He says the officer became separated from the vehicle just before it crashed into a fence. The officer remains hospitalized for treatment of the injuries he sustained. David says it’s fortunate that the deputy fell off the vehicle before the crash…

CUT 5 (07) “and the fence”

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Governor Bobby Jindal went after Donald Trump today, the front-runner for the republican presidential nomination. During a speech at the National Press Club, Jindal admitted he’s amused by Trump’s antics and comments, but he says it’s a carnival act and his campaign has no substance

CUT 6 (10) “for Donald”

Jindal says the Democrats are basically giving republicans the next election, but Trump could destroy America’s chances to be great again…

CUT 7 (10)  “no priciples”

Jindal says it would be a huge mistake if the republican party nominated for president a narcissist and egomaniac, who the American people has no idea what he’ll do once he gets in office

CUT 8 (10)  “you are fired” 

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Secretary of State Tom Schedler says in the near future you will use an iPad to cast your ballot instead of going into a voting booth. Schedler says he’s looking at phasing out the traditional voting booth and replacing those old machines with an iPad

CUT 9 (09)  “huge savings”

Schedler says with this new technology, you’ll still have to go to a voting location. But he says you can use the Geaux-vote app on your phone to fill out your ballot beforehand and these iPADs can read your ballot…

cut 10 (09)  “the like”

Schedler says he doesn’t expect to use iPADs for voting until at least 2017. He says the plan would be to lease the i-pads, which would cost the state 50-60-million dollars.

Cut 11 (09)  “voters first” 

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 55-year-old man in Alexandria on human trafficking charges after receiving a complaint in reference to alleged child abuse. Spokesperson Lt. Tommy Carnline says officers continued their investigation and discovered additional allegations.

cut 12 (08)  “human trafficking”

Carnline says as a result of the investigation from the original complaint, Bobby Otis Augustine was arrested on five counts of Human Trafficking, as well as, four additional charges.

cut 13 (11)  “abuse battery”

Carnline says Augustine was taken into custody without incident and is currently in the Rapides Parish Detention Center awaiting bond.

cut 14 (08)  “this time”

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Today marks the statistical peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, the date where a hurricane is most likely to be in the Atlantic. Eric Gill has more on this year’s season…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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A day of action will be held today in Lafayette to take a stand against gun violence. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden has qualified to run for Lt. Governor. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today marks the statistical peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, the date where a hurricane is most likely to be in the Atlantic. Eric Blake, Hurricane Specialist with the National Hurricane Center, says so far this season has produced seven named storms but only two hurricanes. He says the two hurricanes that have formed have been pretty weak…

cut 4  (10)  “below normal”

Hurricane season ends on November 30. Blake says long range forecasts are unpredictable, but weather conditions in the Atlantic Basin are not favorable for the formation of hurricanes…

Cut 5  (09)  “a mystery”

He says the dry air and wind shear hovering over the Atlantic Basin could keep the formation of storms down for the rest of the season. Blake says it’s possible that we’ve already seen the worst of this year’s hurricane season has to offer…

Cut 6 (09)  “to prepare”

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A “Whatever It Takes” Day of Action will be held today at the Lafayette Public Library in response to a long summer of gun violence across the country. Victoria Coy, with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, says they are outraged by the political inaction to prevent gun violence.

CUT 7 (10)  “take action”

Coy says friends and bandmates of Jillian Johnson, a woman killed in the Lafayette Theater shooting in July, including Sara Ritchey, will be speaking out about violence. She says over 50 other events across the nation are holding the same event today to prove there are basic common sense changes that could be made to gun laws.

Cut 8  (07)  “get guns” 

Coy says this event is also the launch of their Lafayette local group, which helps to empower the Acadiana community and reach out to victims of gun violence not just high profile shootings.

Cut 9 (10) “a difference”

______________________________________

A slow moving cold front will give Louisiana its first taste of fall during the weekend. But National Weather Service Forecaster Freddie Zeigler says first we’ll have to deal with some rain, as today and Friday we should see an increase in showers and thunderstorms across Louisiana…

Cut 10 (08) “half inches”

Zeigler says north Louisiana will start to feel cooler temperatures and lower humidity as early as Saturday.

cut 11 (10) “Monday morning”

Zeigler says we’ll experience dryer air all across the state with this cold front. He says as far south as Alexandria and Baton Rouge could also see temperatures into the upper 50s.

Cut 12 (12) “the area”

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Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden is the fourth person to qualify to become the state’s next Lieutenant Governor. So far Holden is the lone democrat in the field that features three republicans, Elbert Guillory, Billy Nungesser and John Young. All four of the candidates are from south Louisiana, but Holden says he’ll campaign hard to get votes from north Louisiana

Cut 13 (07)  “Monroe”

Holden is a former state legislator and has served as the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish since 2005. Based on the latest campaign finance reports, Holden’s campaign is not as well financed as Nungesser and Young, who at last report each had over 1.6 million dollars in funds on hand. Holden says funding is a concern, but he can overcome it

Cut 14 (10) “to us succeeding”

_________________________________________________________

The president of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Chas Roemer, announces he will not seek re-election for his seat on the state’s top school board. Roemer says he needs to spend more time with his investment management business and his family

Cut 15  (07)  “right now”

Roemer is the son of former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer. He’s been ally to state superintendent of education John White. The two of them were in a very public fued with Governor Bobby Jindal over Common Core. Roemer says his decision to step away from BESE had nothing to do with that very public debate

Cut 16  (10)  “long term”

The Louisiana Tech football team faces a tough challenge on the road tonight as they face Western Kentucky. Tech beat the Hilltoppers 59 to 10 last season in Ruston, but Western Kentucky has won six straight since then and Holtz believes his team is the underdog going into tonight’s match-up

Cut 17 (13) “have returning” 

It’s a match-up of two teams that are expected to win their respective divisions in Conference USA. Holtz says there’s also two good quarterbacks in this game, Jeff Driskel for Louisiana Tech and W-K-U’s Brandon Doughty, who was the nation’s passing leader last season

Cut 18 (20) “side of the ball”

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Saints Coach Sean Payton had expressed his dissatisfaction with quarterback Drew Brees jumping on a crocodile as he did in the NBC television show with Bear Grylls. Brees says he knew he would be out of his comfort zone by being out in the wild with snakes, but also didn’t feel he was going to seriously hurt himself

Cut 19 (20) “on my own”

The daring act by Brees is not putting a strain on his relationship with Payton. Brees says in fact, the two just celebrated ten years together in the NFL

Cut 20 (18)  “every opportunity”

The latest Triumph Campaigns poll doesn’t show a lot of change in the governor’s race. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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AT&T has plans to bring widespread internet access to remote areas in Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The latest Triumph Campaigns poll on the governor’s race shows that voter’s preference has not changed much. The survey shows Democrat John Bel Edwards, with 31.4-percent, and Republican David Vitter, with 30.6-percent, in a statistical tie for the lead. Pollster Justin Brasell says the two front runners are beginning to solidify key voting blocks…

CUT 3 (12)  “everybody else”

The two other Republicans are running a distant third and fourth with Scott Angelle polling at 14-percent and Jay Dardenne at 13-percent. Brasell says Vitter and Edwards are receiving a lot of support from their respective parties…

CUT 4 (07)  “Democrat voters”

The survey shows only 11-percent of voters remain undecided. Brasell says even though the election is a little more than six weeks away, there’s still time for Angelle and Dardenne to make an impact…

CUT 5 (08) “really resonating”

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AT&T announces plans to provide internet access to almost 75-thousand rural Louisiana businesses and homes over the next six years.  Director of External and Regulatory Affairs Rick Demint says they will receive almost 28 million dollars from the federal government, plus AT&T will also supply financial resources expand broadband to rural areas.

CUT 6 (10) “rural areas”

Demint says AT&T has decided to participate in the federal government’s program so they can fill in the blanks in terms of areas where services aren’t currently available. He says this is a very important opportunity for those living in areas without access to internet.

CUT 7 (09)  “to do it”

Demint says it will take time before they can bring high speed internet services to rural areas that currently do not have it but with this help from the federal government they can get it done.

CUT 8 (08)  “in need” 

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Monday night, nearly three million people watched the telecast of NBC’s Running Wild with Bear Grylls that featured New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. One person who was surprised by the episode was Saints head coach Sean Payton. Payton says the show was a lot different than what was described to him…

CUT 9 (08)  “pretty unbelievable”

As part of the episode, Brees, with the help of Grylls, jumped on the back of a live crocodile and stabbed it. Payton says he thought Brees was going to some sort of “Sea World” type atmosphere and not the Panama wilderness…

cut 10 (05)  “news to me”

Payton says he’s sure precautions were in place in case something went wrong with Brees on the set. If you’re wondering if Payton would let his star quarterback do something like this again…

Cut 11 (05)  “no” 3X

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says one of their agents rescued 8 people from the Gulf of Mexico in Vermilion Parish. Adam Einck says, on September 6th near the point where Rollover Bayou meets the Gulf, a huge storm came up out of nowhere producing a lot of wind, rain and high seas…:

cut 12 (11)  “vessels as well”

Einck says Sgt. Nicholas Guillory got a call about a vessel which began taking on water near Pecan Island. He says the agent then made his way out there as quickly as possible in conditions that were extremely hard to navigate because of the storm…:

cut 13 (08)  “into his vessel”

Einck says on Guillory’s way back to the original distress call, he came across a total of three boats that were in trouble and was able to get all occupants to safety and also tow the vessels. He says for one man to do all of this in one day is really incredible…:

cut 14 (10)  “as well”

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50 years ago today Hurricane Betsy made landfall in Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more on the devastating storm…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Three men have signed up to be the state’s next Lieutenant Governor. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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LSU announces its refund plan for those who had tickets to the cancelled McNeese State game. Emelie Gunn has the story…

Cut 3 (25) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today is the 50^th anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Betsy made landfall in Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Betsy was the signature storm of New Orleans and a turning point for the city up until Hurricane Katrina. He says the hurricane made landfall at night and created major flooding across the region.

cut 4  (12)  “top of it”

Keim says as time passes, the more Betsy gets forgotten but it was a defining moment for the Crescent City and should be remembered. He says forecasters knew the storm was coming yet, still not many residents were prepared to leave New Orleans.

Cut 5  (10)  “that great”

Hurricane Betsy killed more than 75 people and caused over one billion dollars worth of damage. Keim says this storm impacted more of the southern part state than just New Orleans.

Cut 6 (11)  “miles an hour”

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The three major Republican candidates in the Lt. Governor’s race qualified for this fall’s election Tuesday morning. Opelousas state Senator Elbert Guillory says he has over 45 years of experience in law and government and is excited about the race…

CUT 7 (05)  “raring to go”

Democrat Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden is expected to qualify this afternoon. Jefferson Parish President John Young says, if elected, he’s eager to work with the new administration…

Cut 8  (10)  “and retire” 

Former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser says as Lt. Governor he wants to get involved in anything he can to make a difference in the state. Nungesser says he looks forward to collaborating with people statewide to keep the state’s tourism industry strong…

Cut 9 (09) “it happen”

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A couple of new polls show Governor Bobby Jindal gaining more support in Iowa. The governor has pledged to visit all 99 counties and has already spent a lot of time there. An NBC/Marist Poll shows four percent of Iowa caucus-goers plan on voting for Jindal, which is up from one percent in July. There is also a Gravis Poll that showed Jindal at 5 percent, and Gravis Marketing President Doug Kaplan…

Cut 10 (09) “nearly anyone”

Kaplan says Donald Trump and Ben Carson are the frontrunners, with Trump at 32 percent and Carson at 16 percent. But he says there is plenty of time left for Jindal or another candidate to catch up and take the lead.

cut 11 (09) “anyone’s guess”

Kaplan says Jindal isn’t doing well in the national polls but those don’t really matter at this point in the race. He says in the past other low ranking candidates were able to rise to the top in Iowa.

Cut 12 (07) “or Santorum”

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LSU has released its plans for refunding those who had tickets for Saturday’s cancelled McNeese State football game. Brian Broussard, who is the head of the LSU athletic ticket office, says If you purchased the tickets through LSU with a credit card or if you’re a season ticket holder, you will automatically be issued a refund on your credit card account by September 30th

Cut 13 (07)  “on record”

If you paid for a ticket for the McNeese State game through the LSU ticket office with cash or check, then you’ll need to show proof of purchase before getting a refund…

Cut 14 (07) “that transaction”

Broussard says those who bought tickets without using a credit card, will be reimbursed with a refund check by October 15th. Saturday night’s McNeese State game was cancelled as a result of lightning after just ten plays. Broussard says AD Joe Alleva believes a refund is the right thing to do in this case…

Cut 15  (08)  “we could”

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14th ranked LSU is getting ready to face 25th ranked Mississippi State on Saturday night in Starkville. The Bulldogs have been tough to be at home the last couple of years as they’ve recently expanded their stadium, plus there’s thousands of cow bells going off during the game. But Coach Les Miles is not worried about the cowbells

Cut 16  (20)  “cowbells”

Last year, Mississippi State came into Baton Rouge and beat the Tigers 34-29. Bulldogs quarterback and Louisiana native Dak Prescott had a big game as he rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown and threw for 268 yards and two more scores. Miles on what LSU needs to do this Saturday to defend Dak

Cut 17 (14) “tackle him” 

Sophomore Quarterback Brandon Harris only got a few snaps in before the weather halted play against McNeese State. Harris will make his second road start this Saturday and says he’s more prepared this time around and the game comes to him easier now…

Cut 18 (14) “do more things”

Qualifying began today for this fall’s statewide elections and the four major gubernatorial candidates all qualified before 10AM. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of two suspects who are accused of trying to kill deputies who were on patrol last week in Marrero. Emlie Gunn reports…:

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office says a house fire in East Carroll Parish has taken the life of a Lake Providence man. 54-year-old Kenneth Jefferson died in route to the hospital from injuries suffered while trying to put out the fire. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says they believe unsafe smoking habits likely played a part in the blaze…

CUT 3 (10)  “caused this fire”

He believes Jefferson and his girlfriend, Anita Jones, were asleep when the fire started. Jones told investigators that she and Jefferson were habitual smokers who often smoked in bed. Browning says smoking inside a building is dangerous, particularly while lying in bed…

CUT 4 (09)  “place outside”

Jones says she saw Jefferson attempting to put out the fire while she ran to call for help. Browning says whenever there is a fire, one should notify everyone in the area and then escape to safety, rather than stay behind to put out the fire…

CUT 5 (08) “trapped themselves”

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The four major candidates in Louisiana’s governor’s race all qualified for the election this morning in Baton Rouge. Republican Senator David Vitter qualified first saying the state currently faces enormous challenges…

CUT 6 (10) “ahead of us”

The gubernatorial primary election is October 24th. Republican Scott Angelle says he’s confident this campaign will be about issues and not money…

CUT 7 (09)  “enough money”

John Bel Edwards is the lone Democrat in the race and doesn’t think last year’s attitude among voters in the US Senate election will carry forward this year. He says this year’s election is not focused on Washington, DC, but on Baton Rouge…

CUT 8 (07)  “those lines” 

If necessary, a runoff election will be held November 21st. Republican Jay Dardenne is excited about the race and plans to bring the governor to the people, if elected…

CUT 9 (09)  “in the state”

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While the governor’s race will get a lot of the attention this fall, the race for attorney general will be just as heated as two major challengers attempt to defeat two time incumbent, Buddy Caldwell. Caldwell, a republican from northeast Louisiana, was the very first candidate to qualify at the Secretary of State’s office today

cut 10 (12)  “proud of that”

West Baton Rouge Parish prosecutor Marty Maley is a dark horse in the race, but is confident he can win. He says right now Louisiana has an Attorney General with a nice skill set but doesn’t have experience in the court room.

Cut 11 (11)  “wanted a change”

Republican Jeff Landry, a former congressman from Iberia Parish, says it’s time for a change in the A-G’s office. He says he wants to bring honesty and integrity into the office because it’s not there now.

cut 12 (12)  “they deserve”

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The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of two suspects who are accused of trying to kill deputies who were on patrol last week in Marrero. Sheriff Newell Normand says, on September 2nd, the cops were investigating an area that officials described as high crime when they noticed a laser on the windshield…:

cut 13 (10)  “officers”

No one was struck. 21-year-old Malcolm Hall and 20-year-old Terrance Carter were charged in the incident. Normand says the suspects, who were part of a large drug-dealing operation, admitted they knew they were shooting at the police…:

cut 14 (07)  “cop killers”

Normand says counts of attempted killing of police officers carries a minimum of 20-50 years without probation or parole. He says that neither man is showing any remorse about shooting at the police…:

cut 15 (09) “it’s over” 

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Qualifying for the fall elections begins today and runs through Thursday. Michelle Southern reports on the official kickoff of the campaign season…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Louisiana motorists are enjoying gas prices around two dollars a gallon, but there is a downside. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A study finds we might be seeing the end of an active hurricane period that we’ve been experiencing since the mid-1990s. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Qualifying for the fall elections begins today and runs through Thursday. The gubernatorial primary is October 24th and in the event of a runoff, voting day would be November 21. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says traditionally this is the official kickoff of the campaign season..:

cut 4  (10)  “to the election”

Cross says even though polls have been fairly inconsistent, he still sees Republican Senator David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards in a runoff. He says Republicans Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne will be making hard pushes to get past Edwards for the runoff spot…:

Cut 5  (08)  “desperate”

Cross says at this point voters know an election is coming up, but don’t know who all the candidates are. He says people have started seeing the signs but not really taken the time to get information..:

Cut 6 (09)  “most voters”

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There’s actually a downside for Louisiana motorists when gas prices are low. And that is higher insurance rates. The Insurance Information Institute says more people are driving now and when more people drive, there are more accidents, which leads to higher insurance costs. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner, Jim Donelon, blames distracted driving for an increase in wrecks

CUT 7 (10)  “every stop light”

Donelon says there are several factors that go into how a person’s insurance premium is determined. He says a recent study from bank-rate-dot-com, why Louisiana insurance rates are so high

Cut 8  (08)  “of those analysis” 

Donelon says it’s up to the motoring public to help reduce the number of crashes on our roads and law enforcement has role in that as well….

Cut 9 (11) “necessary standards”

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is assisting in the recall of cucumbers because of a salmonella outbreak across several states. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says we’ve seen three cases in Louisiana that could possibly be linked to the contaminated cucumbers. He says they’re working with distributors to get the vegetable off the shelves.

Cut 10 (11) “prevent it”

Guidry says there aren’t many restaurants or stores that were carrying these cucumbers. He says if you have cucumbers in your kitchen, make sure they are not Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce.

cut 11 (07) “this company”

Guidry says the three cases of salmonella in Louisiana did not result in any kind of long-term health effects, but it’s still a nasty infection that can ruin your day…

 Cut 12 (10) “fevers”

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According to a study in the Nature Geoscience journal future hurricane seasons in the Atlantic could feature weaker and fewer storms. State Climatologist Barry Keim says there is evidence that we could be entering a period where the tropics are relatively quiet…

Cut 13 (08)  “named storms”

Hurricane researchers say changes in ocean patterns, like low sea surface temperatures and salinity levels, have caused hurricane activity to increase or decrease for long periods of time since the 1800s. Keim says we’ve been in an active period since the mid 1990s and there’s a possibility that we could be taking a brief pause….

Cut 14 (12) “a change”

Keim says only time will tell whether we are entering a quieter period for hurricanes…

Cut 15  (12)  “slowing down”

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By not playing a full game against McNeese State on Saturday, sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris missed out on some valuable reps. But Coach Les Miles says Harris prepared well for the Cowboys and expects that same level of preparation to continue for the new season opener

Cut 16  (14)  “Mississippi State”

Mississippi State went on the road for its season opener and beat Southern Miss. Miles says the cancellation of the McNeese State game will not be used as an excuse for how they perform against the Bulldogs

Cut 17 (13) “hinder it” 

Louisiana is making strides in increased wages and gender pay equality but there is still a long way to go for workers on this Labor Day. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The LSU Ag Center increases its estimate on how much damage feral hogs perform on Louisiana farms. Michael Farrar has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

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After a long Saturday night that resulted in a cancelled football game, the LSU Tigers prepare for a tough test in Starkville against Mississippi State. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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There is mixed news for the workers of Louisiana on this Labor Day. The Louisiana Budget Project found that wages for workers in the state have finally started to turn upwards, with the median wage rising to $15.63 an hour, a 39-cent increase from 2012 to 2014. L-B-P Director Jan Moller says with the good news, there is also some bad news to report.

cut 4  (12)  “get wilder”

Moller says we’re not doing nearly enough to improve the lives of workers across Louisiana. He says we have more people working in the state than ever before, yet these large pay gaps continue to get bigger.

Cut 5  (11)  “middle class”

Moller says we’re losing many jobs in the construction industry and manufacturing, which are jobs that pay more. But he says some redeeming news is the gender pay gap is shrinking, as women are beginning to make some headway on their male counterparts.

Cut 6 (10)  “with men”

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To conclude our series of questions to the gubernatorial candidates, we asked them how they would work with state agencies to reduce the number of sexually transmitted diseases. Louisiana has some of the highest STD rates in the country. Senator David Vitter says education is the first step to lowering these numbers.

CUT 7 (09)  “early grades”

Republican Scott Angelle believes Louisiana suffers from such high STD rates because we’re failing to educate children. He says parents should have the birds and the bee’s conversation at home but sex education should also be taught in public schools.

Cut 8  (09)  “our educators” 

Republican Jay Dardenne says problem needs to be addressed through increased awareness, testing and treatment. He says the areas experiencing the highest rates of STDs are Louisiana’s bigger metropolitan cities, which also are at an increased risk for human trafficking.

Cut 9 (11) “entire community”

Democrat John Bel Edwards says healthcare access is crucial to reducing the rate of HIV, AIDS and STDs, as well as, treating those already infected. He says educating the public on prevention is key to stop the spread of more diseases.

Cut 10 (10) “educational curriculum”

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Damage from feral hogs cost Louisiana farmers an estimated 74-million dollars in 2013. That’s according to research conducted by LSU AgCenter Economist Shaun Tanger, who says the hogs caused 53-million in damage to Louisiana crops…

cut 11 (08) “non-production losses”

The additional 21-million in non-production losses includes replanting costs and damage to pastures and levees. Tanger says since the feral hog population continues to grow, so will the amount of damage

 Cut 12 (07) “continue to escalate”

The LSU AgCenter estimates Louisiana’s feral hog population at a half-million, with heavier concentrations in the south-central and northeastern regions of the state. He says this study is based on a survey of Louisiana farmers, so it doesn’t account for damage to non-farm land

Cut 13 (10)  “considerably bigger”

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There’s no LSU game from Saturday to react to on this Labor Day. The Tigers and McNeese State played a handful of snaps, when lightning near the stadium halted the contest. The decision to cancel the game, came just after 10:30 after the teams waited nearly four hours for the lightning to stop. Coach Les Miles says there was no sense in trying to resume the game at around midnight

Cut 14 (12) “in the morning”

Saturday’s cancelled game will not be made up. McNeese will still receive a 500-thousand dollar game check from LSU. Miles is not sure how this will impact the team, if they are a candidate to play in the four-team college football playoff and they only played eleven games, while everyone else played 12

Cut 15  (17)  “might play”

LSU is now getting ready for Mississippi State, without the benefit of having a full game under their belt. But Miles says the Tigers will be ready for the Bulldogs…

Cut 16  (11)  “positivies there”

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Franklin Parish remains in shock over the death of 16-year-old Tyrell Cameron, who died from an apparent broken neck sustained while playing football on Friday night. Matt Reynolds is the play-by-play man for the Franklin Parish Patriots and says Cameron was covering a punt and ran into a Sterlington player who was blocking for the returner…

Cut 17 (09) “instantly” 

Cameron was taken off the field on a stretcher and quickly rushed to a local hospital, but died shortly after the fatal hit. Reynolds says it was Cameron’s first varsity game as a starter and he was well liked by his teammates

Cut 18 (08) “brought laughter”

Reynolds says there was vigil at the football stadium on Saturday night, which was attended by about a thousand people. He says it was great to see Franklin Parish support the team and Cameron’s family

Cut 19 (12) “terrible event”

A Baton Rouge waitress showed her gratitude to the Baton Rouge Police Department by buying three officers lunch. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon, releases a tell all book revealing the untold stories of his life. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A waitress at a Baton Rouge restaurant showed her gratitude to the Baton Rouge Police Department by buying three officers lunch. Lt. Johnny Dunham says Officers Brandon Blust, Dustin Conde, and Fred Thornton were surprised when they went to pay the bill…

CUT 3 (10)  “buy lunch”

Dunham says this gesture not only touched the three officers, but the entire BRPD. When the officers went to thank the waitress, Crystal Gordon, she said she was upset about how police officers have been targeted lately…

CUT 4 (09)  “and kindness”

Dunham says he posted a photo of the check on the BRPD Facebook page and it has already garnered over 30,000 likes and almost 9,000 shares. He adds that the officers did leave Crystal a sizable tip. Dunham says it’s nice to be reminded that there are people out there who side with law enforcement…

CUT 5 (09) “really wonderful”

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With the start of another LSU football season, the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon, has released a book that tells stories of his childhood, his accomplishments on the field and his time in jail. The book is called “Billy Cannon: A Long, Long Run.” During an appearance on the Jim Engster Show, Cannon talked about why he finally agreed to a tell all book written by Charles deGravelles.

CUT 6 (12) “the book”

Cannon tells many stories this biography, even ones he never told his children. He gave details about growing up in Baton Rouge and why he considered himself a “thug” during his time at Istrouma High.

CUT 7 (09)  “did fail”

Cannon reveals memories of his time playing at LSU and getting married while still on the team. He also gives insight to his two and a half years in federal prison for his part in a counterfeiting money scheme and how that time changed him for the rest of his life.

CUT 8 (11)  “good one” 

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The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s office says four workers at Renewable Energy Group, or REG, sustained injuries as a result of an explosion Thursday night at the bio-diesel plant in Geismar. Sheriff Jeff Wiley says an initial investigation revealed a hydrogen line under maintenance had become pressurized…:

CUT 9 (07)  “pipe rupture”

Wiley says one of the employees has been released from the hospital, one is in good condition, one is in serious and the other is in critical. He says they believe the rupture released hydrogen which then ignited causing the explosion…:

cut 10 (07)  “burn victims”

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Two boat ramps on the Red River in Caddo Parish have been re-opened in time for the Labor Day weekend. The ramps have been closed since the Red River flood event which began in May. Mark Woods, a Bossier City fisherman, says he’s ready to get back on the water…

Cut 11 (04)  “open again”

The North Caddo Highway 2 boat ramp along with the Bishop Point boat ramp are open, while a third, the Stoner boat ramp, remains closed due to damage from the flooding. Authorities urge boaters to be cautious as flood waters may have moved sandbars in the river. Woods says he’s ready to catch some fish…

cut 12 (08)  “catching up”

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A state judge has held the City of New Orleans in contempt of court over their dispute with firefighters over back pay. Judge Kern Reese threatened Mayor Mitch Landrieu with house arrest if the city doesn’t come up with a reasonable plan to pay the back wages within the next week. Landrieu says he’s willing to accept the sentence…

cut 13 (06)  “of my term”

The New Orleans Firefighters Union claims the city owes them $75 million in back wages plus $67 million in interest. Union President Nick Felton says no one should be arrested and it’s time to make this right for the city. Landrieu says paying that huge amount of money at one time would cripple the city…

cut 14 (09)  “of America”

Previously, the city reportedly offered to pay $15 million up front and the remaining balance over the next 30 years, but that offer was rejected. Landrieu says they will continue to try to work with firefighters to work out the issue. He says Reese’s ruling undermines the US Constitution and plans to appeal…

cut 15 (08) “Supreme Court” 

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