PM Newscall September 24th, 2014

State Police say a 14-year-old high school freshman from Houma was allegedly shot by a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s deputy. Jeff Palermo reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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There’s a new radio ad hitting the airwaves in the 5th District today featuring Phil and Kay Robertson of Duck Dynasty endorsing their nephew, Zach Dasher, for Congress. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Louisiana State Police say they are investigating the death of a 14-year-old high school freshman who was allegedly shot by a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s deputy. The teen is identified as Cameron Tillman — a student from Ellender High School Trooper Evan Harrell says deputies got a 911 call around 5:30 Tuesday evening…:

CUT 3 (07) “of Houma”

The deputy involved in this shooting is not being identified while the investigation into this incident is underway. Harrell says they aren’t sure exactly what transpired inside the home when cops arrived…:

CUT 4 (07)  “to the body”

Harrell says three other suspects were taken into custody at the abandoned home where the shooting took place — two were juveniles and the other is 18-years-old. He says a fifth person was seen fleeing the residence and LSP is asking anyone with information on that person’s whereabouts to please call 911. Harrell says investigating troopers are actively working on this case…:

CUT 5 (07) “judgement calls”

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There’s a new radio ad hitting the airwaves in the 5th District today featuring Phil and Kay Robertson of Duck Dynasty endorsing their nephew, Zach Dasher, for Congress. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says, with this, Dasher is trying to create legitimacy and name recognition…:

CUT 6 (09)  “endorse him”

Stockley says a lot of people still don’t know who Dasher is, but almost everyone recognizes the Duck Dynasty label…:

CUT 7 (11) “Dasher”

On the negative side, Stockley says Dasher is trying to run a campaign on his own merits and the Duck Dynasty endorsement could be seen by some as contradictory to that claim. Stockley also says if Phil Robertson keeps making controversial statements it could spell trouble for Dasher…:

CUT 8 (10) “Neil Riser”

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Baton Rouge Congressman and US senate candidate Bill Cassidy says it was inappropriate for Senator Mary Landrieu to assist another man perform a keg stand at an LSU tailgate. Cassidy says beer distributors are also not happy because it promotes drunkenness

CUT 9 (11)  “want that”

Cassidy made the comments at an event where he received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business. He says the beer industry spends a lot of money promoting responsible drinking and Landrieu’s actions on a college campus  were unfitting for a US Senator

CUT 10 (06) get in an accident

Landrieu has downplayed the incident. She has said her opponents who are making political fodder over this need to get a sense of humor and get a life. Landrieu explained what happened at that LSU tailgate during an appearance on W-R-K-F’s Jim Engster Show…

CUT 11 (11) “funding source

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A District Judge ordered today that businesses won’t have to pay BP back money the oil giant says was overpaid as a result of a flawed settlement money formula. BP said these companies who claimed the 2010 oil spill hurt their business should be forced to return payouts but the judge did not agree. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says this is yet another setback for BP…:

CUT 12 (08) “yet again”

Judge Carl Barbier had ordered the formula changed several weeks ago but as for money already paid, the ruling was a deal is a deal. Ciolino says this is good news for the plaintiffs…:

CUT 13 (07) “has paid them”

Ciolino says BP keeps trying to reduce its liability for the oil spill but the rulings continue to be against them…:

cut 14 (08) “kicking and screaming”

 

AM Newscall September 24, 2014

Governor Bobby Jindal’s former Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein faces perjury charges. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (33) “reporting”

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The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors has unanimously selected Dr. James Henderson as the 18th President of Northwestern State University. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

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Today marks the nine year anniversary of Hurricane Rita making landfall on Sabine Pass. Jeff Palermo has a look at how things are going today…

Cut 3 (28) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal’s former Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein has been indicted by a grand jury for perjury. The charges stem from allegations Greenstein lied about having contact with a company he used to work for that was awarded a MAJOR state Medicaid contract. Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell:

Cut 4  (13)  “improperly”

Caldwell says Greenstein is accused of lying under oath about having contact with his former employer, CNSI, before a state Senate confirmation hearing and before the grand jury. He says this is a very wide ranging corruption case that’s still under investigation and it’s possible more charges will be filed. Caldwell says corruption needs to stop in Louisiana…:

Cut 5  (07)  “a fair shake”

The Medicaid contract in question awarded to CNSI was worth about $200 million dollars and at the time Caldwell says it was the biggest government services contract in the history of Louisiana. Greenstein’s attorney John McLindon says his client has never denied being friends with his former co-workers at CNSI…:

Cut 6 (07)  “nothing wrong with that”

McLindon says the contract was awarded by a series of evaluation teams and Greenstein didn’t even know who those people were…:

CUT 7 (11) “to CNSI”

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The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors has unanimously selected Dr. James Henderson as the 18th President of Northwestern State University. Henderson is a 1994 graduate of Northwestern and is currently the Chancellor of Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC). He says he and his wife could not be more honored or humbled by this appointment…

Cut 8 (09)   “more excited”

Henderson will begin his term at Northwestern on January 1st. During his five years at BPCC, he worked with NSU through a partnership between the schools. Henderson says that relationship will be a tremendous advantage…

Cut 9 (05) “truly revolutionary” 

Enrollment has grown by 85-percent under Henderson’s leadership at BPCC. He sees growth in Northwestern’s future, but it will be a different type of growth…

Cut 10 (09)  “regional economy”

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Today marks the nine year anniversary of Hurricane Rita making landfall on Sabine Pass. Jennings Senator Blade Morrish says southwest Louisiana learned a lot as a result of Rita and has done quite well rebuilding. He says, even today, as the area builds, they build with hurricanes in mind…

cut 11 (10) “around hurricanes” 

Morrish says most of the infrastructure of the area damaged by Hurricane Rita has been rebuilt and is functioning well. But he says there is still an issue of people moving back to Cameron Parish. Morrish says prior to Rita, there were around 10,000 residents there…

cut 12 (09)  “for business”

He says many would like to move back to Cameron Parish, but due to high insurance costs, they cannot afford to. Morrish says, as far as hurricane protection goes, they are concentrating on true hurricane coastal restoration and protection…(Hurricane Rita was the fifth major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season.)

Cut 13 (10)  “from hurricanes”

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In Money magazine’s 2014 Best Places to Live rankings, Bossier City ranks seventh among the best places to find a new job.  City Spokesman Mark Natale says the magazine did a lot of research looking at job growth in Bossier City…

Cut 14 (09)  “hospitality industry”

The magazine’s rankings are based on a community’s unemployment rate, past job growth, and projected job growth.  Money says tourism and gaming are dominant employers, but Natale says Bossier City has a lot more to offer…

Cut 15  (07)   “as well”

He adds that Barksdale Air Force Base has been a long-time employer and an anchor of economic development in Bossier City.  The rankings cited job growth in Bossier City was 10-percent since 2010, with projected growth of nearly 12-percent through 2018.  Natale says the city is obviously proud of their ranking…

Cut 16  (07)   “economic development”

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LSU failed to rush for over 100 yards as a team in Saturday’s loss to Mississippi State. There were very few holes for the Tiger running backs against the Bulldogs defense. LSU Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron says they still have confidence they can run the ball against some of the best defenses in the country…

Cut 17  (18)   “getting better”

Freshman Leonard Fournette was LSU’s leading rusher on Saturday. The nation’s number one recruit in 2014 had just 38 yards and for the season he’s rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Cameron sees Fournette breaking off a few more long runs as the season goes on

Cut 18 (16)  “down the stretch”

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After a gut wrenching loss to Northwestern State last weekend, Louisiana Tech will face 5th ranked Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday. Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz has preached to his team that they have to put the loss to the Demons in the rear view mirror

cut 19 (14)  “for Auburn”

Auburn comes into Saturday’s game with a 3-and-0 record. They’ve been a difficult offense to stop under head coach Gus Malzahn and Holtz is excited to see how his defense plays against the War Eagles

Cut 20 (20) ” what they do”

PM Newscall September 23, 2014

Gas prices this autumn haven’t been this low since 2010. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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According to a study by the state, tolls starting at 18 cents a mile could fund up to half of the $3 billion dollar project which would finish I-49 South from Lafayette to New Orleans. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 2 (33) “reporting”

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Today is the first full day of autumn and gas-buddy-dot-com says this fall gas prices will be the lowest they’ve been since 2010. Gas-Buddy Senior Petroleum Analyst, Gregg Laskoski, says an increase in domestic production of gasoline has pushed prices below three-dollars a gallon at many service stations in Louisiana…

CUT 3 (09) “what we consume”

Laskoski says usually when there’s a conflict in the Middle East, as there is now with ISIL, gas prices go up, but because of a boom in gas production in North America, prices have been able to decline since the end of July…

CUT 4 (06)  “crude oil prices”

Laskoski says the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.11….

CUT 5 (10) “this time”

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The state’s highest Democratic elected official has declined to endorse former Governor Edwin Edwards in his bid for the 6th Congressional District seat. The Louisiana Democratic Party has endorsed Edwards but Senator Mary Landrieu said Monday each of their respective races are “parallel”….:

CUT 6 (09)  “get a good vote”

Landrieu was asked if her comments meant she supported Edwards and she didn’t say yes or no…:

CUT 7 (07) “my race”

Landrieu said she thought the 86-year-old has been very energetic and would get a good vote. But she says she’s running her campaign and Edwards is running his..:

CUT 8 (05) “working hard”

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A new state funded feasibility study found that tolls could pay for up to 50 percent of the $3 billion dollars it would take to complete I-49 South from Lafayette to New Orleans. Franklin Senator Bret Allain is one of the founders of the I-49 South Coalition which is pushing to make the project a reality. He’s disappointed the study didn’t show tolls would pay for a bigger portion of I-49 South…:

CUT 9 (08)  “in the 80s”

The study looked at tolls starting at 18 cents a mile. Allain says one of biggest parts of the project is construction of an elevated I-49 Connector through Lafayette which is estimated at more than $700 million dollars. He says there are many reasons we need an interstate from Acadiana to The Big Easy…:

CUT 10 (10) “harms way”

Allain also says interstates are safer and the route would help facilitate one of the most productive areas of energy in our country. He says a toll proposal shouldn’t focus on the entire stretch but on areas where upgrades are still needed…:

CUT 11 (11) “funding source

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Temperatures dropped into the mid-50s for many areas of the state this morning on this first full day of Fall. Andrew Ansorge, with the National Weather Service in Slidell, says enjoy it while you can as high temperatures will return to the upper 80s on Thursday….

CUT 12 (10) “nights too”

Ansorge says a cold front pushed through the state yesterday, bringing us fall like weather on this first full day of Autumn…

CUT 13 (07) “September heat”

Ansorge says not only will we see lower humidity over the next couple of days, anticipate seeing a lot of sunshine….

cut 14 (07) “as well”

AM Newscall September 23, 2014

The Louisiana Department of Revenue is gearing up to offer Louisiana tax payers another amnesty period.  Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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The state Department of Veterans Affairs says they’ve been approved for a grant to fund a State Veterans Cemetery in Rayville. Michelle Southern has that…:

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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A Lafayette district judge has ruled that Louisiana’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Department of Revenue is gearing up to offer Louisiana tax payers another amnesty period.  Last year, the department was able to collect $452-million in delinquent taxes.  Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield told the Baton Rouge Press Club that many tax payers wanted to participate last year, but couldn’t afford to pay 100-percent of the tax…

Cut 4  (10)  “over six times”

This year, tax payers will be offered an installment plan to pay their delinquent taxes over seven payments.  Barfield said this year’s amnesty period begins October 15th and will end November 14th…

Cut 5  (09)  “of the penalties”

During the amnesty period, you will be able to settle tax debts with no penalties and only half the interest charged.  Barfield said they hope to collect at least $104-million during the amnesty period.  He says you may want to consider taking part in this or next year’s amnesty period if you owe taxes because it could be a while before it happens again…

Cut 6 (07)  “2025”

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The state Department of Veterans Affairs says they’ve been approved for a grant to fund a State Veterans Cemetery in Rayville. Secretary David LaCerte says the $7.3 million dollars will fund 100% of the costs to develop the cemetery on property donated by the Franklin family. He says they’ve been competing for this grant a while…:

CUT 7 (12) “early November”

LaCerte says this project has been in the works for years and he’s grateful to everyone who has thrown their support something that’s now becoming a reality. He says the property is located near I-20 off Highway 425 and spans about 50 acres…:

CUT 8 (11)   “on the first build out”

Lacerte says construction on the site is set to begin by November and is scheduled for completion by Spring 2016, weather permitting…:

CUT 9 (10) “served our country”  

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The photo of Senator Mary Landrieu assisting an LSU fan with a keg-stand over the weekend has generated a lot of talk across the nation. This apparently has caused quite a stir among political reporters and her opponents. The Senator feels this is much ado about nothing…

cut 10 (07)  “way we roll”

She says this is just the way we roll at tailgate parties. Landrieu adds that the man she helped is more than capable of making his own choices…

cut 11 (09) “like to do” 

Sources say one of Landrieu’s opponents, Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy, showed up at the same tailgate party about an hour later. There have been no reports of Cassidy performing or assisting in a keg-stand. It is reported that the man first asked Landrieu to do a keg stand. The Senator declined and, instead, decided to help him out…

cut 12 (04)  “just helping him”

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A Lafayette district judge has ruled that Louisiana’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Judge Edward Rubin’s made his ruling in a lawsuit filed by a same-sex couple requesting the state recognize their marriage certificate from California. Legal analyst Tim Meche says he expects the judge or the Louisiana Supreme Court to stay the ruling…

Cut 13 (08)  “review the ruling”

Meche feels the ruling will not go into effect until the Louisiana Supreme Court has a chance to review it. He says he doesn’t expect any surprises from the Supreme Court in their review of the ruling…

Cut 14 (11)  “of weeks ago”

US District Court Judge Martin Feldman upheld the state’s ban on same-sex marriage earlier this month. It is reported that the state’s Attorney General’s Office has already initiated an appeal to Rubin’s ruling. Meche says there is one big reason why he thinks the state’s Supreme Court will overturn this ruling…

Cut 15  (11)   “same-sex marriage”

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17th ranked LSU is working this week to try and correct the mistakes that led to Mississippi State posting 570 yards of total offense against the Fighting Tigers. Coach Les Miles says it was a combination of things that led to the number of big plays they gave up on Saturday night

Cut 16  (21)   “technique”

Miles says anticipate seeing more of backup middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith on the field this Saturday against New Mexico State. The head coach says sophomore defensive lineman Lewis Neal is another guy who will see more playing time after a good performance against the Bulldogs

Cut 17  (15)   “we play”

On the offensive side of the ball, Miles says quarterback Brandon Harris has earned more playing time after throwing throwing two touchdown passes in the 4th quarter against the Bulldogs

Cut 18 (179  “to win”

PM Newscall September 22nd, 2014

Officials in Sabine Parish say a little 19-month-old boy died of apparent asphyxiation over the weekend after he got his head stuck in a car window while his mom was driving.  Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A photo of Senator Mary Landrieu helping a man perform a keg stand at an LSU tailgate is making national news. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Officials in Sabine Parish say a little 19-month-old boy died of apparent asphyxiation over the weekend after he got his head stuck in a car window while his mom was driving. Deputy Coroner Ron Rivers says they learned the mother had left a family gathering in Zwolle with her child Saturday night…:

CUT 3 (08) “just down the road”

Rivers says at one point on the route to the second residence, the child, who was not restrained, rolled down the back window without the knowledge of his mother…:

CUT 4 (11)  “of the vehicle”

Rivers says little Robert Lynch was taken to a hospital Saturday and was taken off life support yesterday evening. He says they are working to determine exactly how long the child was stuck before the mom made the realization. Rivers says the mom could be arrested for this…:

CUT 5 (07) “in this case”

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A photograph was captured this weekend of Senator Mary Landrieu helping an LSU fan perform a keg stand prior to Saturday night’s game. The picture has Landrieu holding the spigot of a keg to the mouth of fan, who is being up hoisted by his feet while consuming beer. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this is another distraction for the Landrieu campaign to deal with….

CUT 6 (09)  “now this”

Pinsonat says Landrieu’s campaign message is that she plays an important role for Louisiana because of her seniority and chairmanship of the Senate Energy Committee, but instead she’s had to address her residency, improperly charged charter flights and now this….

CUT 7 (07) “keeps stumbling”

Landrieu is in a tough re-election battle against Congressman Bill Cassidy and retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness. Two republican activisits reportedly sent out the pictures, but Pinsonat says Landrieu’s supporters will say no big deal that she helped a man perform a keg stand

CUT 8 (10) “another distraction”

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Incumbent 5th Congressional District Representative Vance McAllister started out with a television ad today featuring his wife by his side offering forgiveness to her husband. It’s the first spot we’ve seen since the Congressman was involved in a kissing scandal with a married woman earlier this year. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says this is a bold move by McAllister…:

CUT 9 (09)  “the indiscretion”

Kelly McAllister addresses the camera in the commercial and says, “I’m blessed to have a husband who owns up to his mistakes.” Stockley says even though candidates normally wouldn’t want to remind voters about past indiscretions, the fact that Kelly has such a major role in this commercial is important…:

CUT 10 (11) “advertisement”

The commercial began running throughout the 5th Congressional District today. Stockley says if others are willing to forgive, especially the wives, voters will be more likely to forgive. He says it’ll be interesting to see how McAllister’s opponents respond to this ad…:

CUT 11 (11) “the issue

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The Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s office says two people were killed and a juvenile is in the hospital following a 4-wheeler accident. Sheriff Mike Couvillion says the crash involved 34-year-old Shawn Lalonde and 29-year-old Kyle Dudding and a 13-year-old at the intersection of Highway 35 and Clint Rd near Kaplan…:

CUT 12 (09) “went airborne”

Both Lalonde and Dudding were pronounced dead at the scene and the juvenile is listed in stable condition. Couvillion says the investigation reveals the ATV ran a stop sign and crashed into a ditch embankment…:

(Couvillion says there was evidence at the scene suggesting Lalonde was the driver and a slight incline in the road may have served as a ramp causing the ATV to become airborne before it crashed.)

CUT 13 (10) “doing well”

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The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office says an Opelousas man is behind bars for misusing the emergency 911 line by calling it 18 times. Captain Megan Vizena says 63-year-old Olan “Arlen” Deville was requesting medical attention…:

cut 14 (10) “to respond”

Vizena says Deville made multiple calls to 911 but when paramedics arrived he refused medical attention and even became extremely aggressive which is when deputies had to be called…:
Vizena says Deville is charged with 18 counts of criminal mischief and is being held at the St. Landry Parish Jail on $6500 bond.)

CUT 15 (07) “criminal mischief”

LRN AM Newscall for Sept 22

The Louisiana Inspector General found that between 2011 and 2013, over half a million dollars in non-refundable airline tickets were purchased by state entities, but never used.  Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Starting today a brand new license plate will be available to Louisiana drivers boasting, “I’m Creole, and Proud.” Michelle Southern has that…:

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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The Saints finally picked up their first win of the season as New Orleans defeated Minnesota 20-9. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (34) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Inspector General has issued a set of recommendations for state agencies to stop wasting airline tickets.  Stephen Street’s office found that between 2011 and 2013, over half a million dollars in non-refundable airline tickets were purchased by state entities, but never used.  Street says his office is mandated to find and eliminate waste and this is a classic example of waste…

Cut 4  (09)  “thousands of dollars”

The report shows that nearly 12-hundred non-refundable airline tickets expired, but could have been used within one year to pay for another ticket.  Street says the topic was addressed in a previous report in 2010 and the results of that report were similar to this year’s…

Cut 5  (12)  “that is happening”

Street says, in tight budget times, we have to be especially careful about this sort of waste of taxpayer money.  He says the report includes a set of recommendations for the Office of State Travel to ensure unused airline tickets are not wasted…

Cut 6 (08)  “to evaporate”

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Starting today a brand new license plate will be available to Louisiana drivers boasting, “I’m Creole, and Proud.” Lafayette Representative Vincent Pierre says he lead the effort to make this happen because he wanted to give more exposure to the Creole culture. He says one of the plate’s features is a black pot…:

CUT 7 (09) “over to visit”

Pierre says the Creole plate also features an accordion to represent Zydeco music. He says there’s also a scrub board on the specialty item…:

CUT 8 (06)   “of the world”

Pierre says the design also includes a fleur de lis to tie it all together in representing Louisiana. He says you can get it as soon as the DMVs open today for $30 plus fees. Pierre says the funds that are generated from the Creole plate will go to the French Immersion Program…:

CUT 9 (07) “along with the community”  

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Autumn begins today.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says fall officially begins tonight at 9:29PM.  Keim forecasts normal temperatures across the state for the next three months…

cut 10 (09)  “Gulf of Mexico”

Above average rainfall is predicted for Lousiana over the next three months due to expected El Nino conditions forming over the Gulf of Mexico.  Keim says this El Nino event has been predicted to form as far back as May…

cut 11 (08) “an El Nino ” 

Keim says, as we get into the fall season, fronts will start coming through and temperatures will begin to fall across the state…

cut 12 (06)  “wait for it”

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Secretary of State Tom Schedler is advising voters to study up on their November fourth ballot, because they’ve had a record number of candidates who have withdrawn from their respective races since qualifying. Schedler says 110 candidates have dropped out of their race and the printed ballot may not reflect the change in the number of candidates…

Cut 13 (08)  “withdrawn candidates”

Many of names of withdrawn candidates will remain on the ballot because it is required by law that these ballots are made 45 days from the election.  Schedler says local election commissioners are supposed to inform voters at polling stations of withdrawn candidates on the ballot…

Cut 14 (12)  “to say that”

Even a US Senate candidate has withdrawn from the race and that is Raymond Brown.  Schedler says, with that,  there will be withdrawn candidates on the ballot in every single parish.  Schedler says you can always go to GeauxVote-dot-com to keep yourself updated…

Cut 15  (12)   “use that”

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Northwestern State scored 20 4th quarter points to come from behind and upset their long time rival Louisiana Tech 30 to 27. Chris Moore’s 47-yard field goal with no time left was the game winner. It was Northwestern’s first win over an FBS opponent since 2005 and the Demons first win over the Bulldogs since 1979.  Northwestern Coach Jay Thomas says it’s like a dream…

Cut 16  (16)   “loss of words”

The Bulldogs had a ten point lead going into the 4th quarter, but eight penalties and five turnovers finally caught up with them. Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz says they were ready to play, but they couldn’t overcome the mistakes…

Cut 17  (14)   “fourth quarter”

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For the first time since 1991, Mississippi State beat LSU in Baton Rouge as the Bulldogs held on for a 34-29 victory on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. State throughly outplayed LSU for most of the game and Coach Les Miles says his team has several areas where they need to get better

Cut 18 (17)  “this season”

LSU trailed by 24 points early in the fourth quarter, but backup quarterback Brandon Harris led the Tigers on three scoring drives and threw two touchdown passes to Malachi Dupre. Miles says they’ll look at Harris possibly starting this Saturday….

cut 19 (17)  “we are”

LSU’s defense allowed 570 total yards, 302 came on the ground as the Tigers could not stop State quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Josh Robinson. Sophomore defensive tackle Christian LaCouture says they’ll look at the tape to try and figure out what went wrong…

Cut 20 (17) ” be fine”

 

 

AM Newscall September 19, 2014

Four years ago today workers were able to cap the BP well that created the largest environmental disaster in the history of North America. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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The investigation into a fatal officer involved shooting in Pineville has determined that shooting to be justified. Eric Gill has more….

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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A record crowd is expected in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night, which will put to test LSU’s new contraflow plan to help the flow the traffic after the games. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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Four years ago today workers were able to cap the BP well that created the largest environmental disaster in the history of North America. Executive Director for The Coastal Protection Restoration Authority, Kyle Graham, says, four years later, most of the oil has been removed from the coastal beaches and marshes in Louisiana…

Cut 4  (09)  “for decades”

Graham says they anticipate to see oil on Louisiana’s coast for decades. He says it’s still too early to tell what the long-term effects the oil-spill will have on the ecosystem along the state’s coast…

Cut 5  (13)  “will be”

Graham says they have been receiving money associated with the criminal penalties as a result of the spill. He says some of that money has been used to progress the engineering and design of barrier island and diversion projects…

Cut 6 (08)  “in Louisiana”

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A new poll conducted by Fox News shows Republican US-Senate candidate Bill Cassidy with a substantial lead over the incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu in a head-to-head matchup. The survey shows Cassidy with 51% of the vote and Landrieu with 38% in a potential runoff scenario. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley questions the validity of this poll…:

CUT 7 (12) “38%”

The poll interviewed just over 600 likely Louisiana voters between September 14th-16th. Stockley says it’s possible that Landrieu has lost some support, but he’s skeptical that she’s all the way down to just 38% support. He says so many other polls on this race show Landrieu in the mid to upper 40s..:

CUT 8 (09)   “skeptically”

According to the poll numbers in the jungle primary, Landrieu has 31% support, Cassidy has 35% and Republican tea-party favorite Rob Maness has 7%. Stockley says that would mean that Maness is taking votes away from Landrieu which is highly unlikely…:

CUT 9 (13) “in this state”  

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The investigation into a fatal officer involved shooting in Pineville has determined that shooting to be justified. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s spokesman, Lt. Tommy Carnline, says Pineville Police Officer Vince Deville responded to a call and was confronted with the suspect, Christopher Leblanc, brandishing a large sword. Carnline says witnesses said they heard the officer order the suspect to drop his weapon “repeatedly and loudly”…

cut 10 (13)  “torso area”

Leblanc refused to comply and charged the officer, who fired his weapon and struck the suspect several times. Leblanc was pronounced dead at the scene. Carnline says the officer responded to a tense, uncertain, rapidly evolving situation and performed in accordance with his training and the law…

cut 11 (10) “in the area ” 

Detectives say the sword Leblanc was holding was 38-inches long with a slight curve and extremely sharp. Carnline says Leblanc was an immediate and continuous danger to Officer Deville and the other civilians in the area. He says the use of deadly force is not something any officer wants to do and this situation could have been avoided…

cut 12 (08)  “no alternative”

______________________________________

The largest crowd to ever watch a football game in Tiger Stadium is expected Saturday when the Tigers face SEC West foe Mississippi State. The game is nearly sold-out in, which means 100-thousand tickets have been sold and LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette says this will put to test their contralow plan after the game

Cut 13 (10)  “this poing”

Contraflow is being used this year for fans that are heading south on Nicholson Drive. Bonnette says a record crowd and a potentially close game, with tens of thousands of fans leaving at the same time, will give them a better idea if it works as intended

Cut 14 (08)  “bit more”

Bonnette says they are also encouraging fans to get to campus early. He says last week they had a bottle neck for those fans tyring to get to their seat in the east upper deck

Cut 15  (10)   “south side”

__________________________________

The Ragin Cajuns head to Boise State in desperate need of a win after back-to-back blowout losses to Ole Miss and Louisiana Tech. Coach Mark Hudspeth knows the last two games have been disappointed, but the players are determined to play better..

Cut 16  (12)   “rather than later”

Boise State enters this game with a 2-and-1 record. Hudspeth says the Broncos are tough to prepare for because of the different personnel packages they use on offense

Cut 17  (17)   “on their field”

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Louisiana Tech has its home opener on Saturday night as they face in-state rival Northwestern State. The Bulldogs should be feeling good about themselves are winning two consecutive games on the road against the Ragin Cajuns and North Texas. But Tech coach Skip Holtz says it’s too early to be patting themselves on the back

Cut 18 (18)  “in the future”

Holtz says he wants to be more consistent on offense, especially the running game. He says defensively, his guys will be tested by a good passing offense led by Demons quarterback Zach Adkins…

cut 19 (13)  “very well”

PM Newscall September 18, 2014

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says a 31-year-old United States Postal worker is under arrest for allegedly stealing marijuana from packages. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Louisiana’s highway system ranks 40th in the country according to a report released today by the Reason Foundation, which is a Los Angeles-based libertarian think tank. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (27) “reporting”

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Officials in Lafourche Parish are alerting residents that a North Larose resident was found deceased last week and the Department of Health and Hospitals confirmed he had the West Nile Virus. Parish Administrator Archie Chaisson says they’ve started a very aggressive spraying campaign…:

CUT 3 (08) “different insecticide”

According to DHH this makes the 5th death from the disease in Louisiana this year. The last West Nile report from DHH indicates this year’s total reported infections is 92. Chaisson says they are spraying insecticides in the area to try to kill mosquitoes in every stage of life…

CUT 4 (08)  “West Nile either”

Chaisson says the public should be aware that this is happening in their area and to reduce the chances of mosquito bites as much as possible by using spray that contains DEET and not leaving standing water in your yard. He says this is prime time bite season…:

CUT 5 (08) “vigilant”

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

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says a United States Postal worker is under arrest for allegedly stealing marijuana from packages he was supposed to be delivering. CPSO spokesman Bobby Herring says they got an anonymous tip that 31-year-old Russell Leon Ellis of Shreveport was stealing the mail he thought contained pot…:

CUT 6 (09)  “these packages”

Herring says initially Ellis was charged with possession of schedule I marijuana. He says narcotics agents moved in on the mailman as he was removing the drugs from the postal packages…: (Herring says the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General also investigated this case and Ellis could face federal charges.)

CUT 7 (09) “street value”

Herring says they were able to obtain a search warrant for the suspect’s home and there they found an additional 618 grams of suspected marijuana with a street value of $6100, 25 weapons and $15,000 in cash. He says the suspect was targeting packages being sent from states that have legalized marijuana…:

CUT 8 (04) “and smell it”

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The condition of Louisiana’s highways rank 40th in the nation in a report released today. The Reason Foundation, which is a think tank out of Los Angeles, says Louisiana has fallen 16 spots from its 2011 highway report. Author of the study, David Hartgen, says the pavement condition of the state’s rural and urban interstates contributed to the poor ranking…

CUT 9 (09)  “….prior year”

A spokesperson for the state department of transportation says Louisiana has spent six-point-four billion dollars since 2008 in highway improvements. But Hartgen says their ranking also takes into account highway safety and Louisiana does not fare well in that category

CUT 10 (11) “…national average “

Hartgen says Louisiana’s highways rank 44th in fatality rate and it also gets poor marks for the percentage of deficient bridges….

CUT 11 (07) “…21-percent

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According to new census data, Louisiana women make about two thirds of what men in The Bayou State are paid. The figures show males here earn 33 percent more than females which is the largest pay gap in the nation. Tulane Business Professor Dr. Mark Rosa says high paying fields of study are dominated by men in Louisiana…:

CUT 12 (08) “that’s for sure”

Rosa says, from a geographical standpoint, very few women work in the high-paying oil and gas area in the south and certainly Louisiana…:

CUT 13 (07) “bit better”

Rosa also believes women in Louisiana, even if they have a high paying degree, are more inclined to stay home and not work in favor of raising their family…:

cut 14 (08) “shouldered with that”

AM Newscall September 18, 2014

The DA in DeSoto Parish is expected to dismiss criminal charges against the Yogi and Friends Exotic Cat Sanctuary in Frierson this morning. Michelle Southern has that…:

CUT 1 (35) “reporting”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association announces a plan to commission a study on the economic impact of Louisiana’s film tax credit incentive program. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 2 (33) “reporting”

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The US House voted to give President Obama authority to train and arm Syrian rebels in the effort to defeat ISIL forces in the Middle East. Eric Gill has more…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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The DA in DeSoto Parish is expected to dismiss criminal charges against the Yogi and Friends Exotic Cat Sanctuary in Frierson this morning. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was trying to secure a court order to physically remove 9 exotic cats at the location citing safety concerns. But Yogie and Friends Executive Director Jenny Senier says they have tried extremely hard to comply:

Cut 4  (13)  “and we’ve done that”

DA Richard Johnson is quoted as saying they “don’t have a dog in the fight” between wildlife officials and the cat sanctuary. Senier says they are working very hard to make LDWF happy but their facility is perfectly safe…:

Cut 5  (13)  “we’ve gone above and beyond”

Senier says they’ve spent $10,000 since July working to upgrade the facility. She says since they’ve been operating in 2000 they have not had any problems that would create public safety concerns. Senier says the DA was set to evaluate a safety misdemeanor charge against the facility…:(LDWF still has the animals seized on paper and Senier says their legal team needs to decide where to go from here.)

Cut 6 (08)  “dismissed the charges”

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The NFL’s image is suffering because of the Ray Rice domestic abuse case and now Vikings star Adrian Peterson is facing child abuse charges. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says unfortunately the perception is NFL players beat their wives and children but that’s only a handful of cases in a league that has 17-hundred players

CUT 7 (10) “your community”

Brees is considered one of the faces of the NFL. He says with the league is taking a lot of P-R hits, he understands the importance of demonstrating how to represent the NFL in a positive light on and off the field

CUT 8 (11)   “this position”

Brees says the Rice and Peterson cases provide examples for other players that there are consequences for poor decisions away from the field…

CUT 9 (11) “right path”  

______________________________________

It’s a question many new parents deal with, should your children sleep in your bed? Jennifer Kelley, who is a pediatrics  instructor at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, says an estimated 45-percent of families co-sleep. Kelley says proponents say it encourages breastfeeding and babies seem to sleep better, but she says it’s also dangerous

cut 10 (10)  “all night”

A study published in Pediatrics found 74-percent of deaths in babies younger than four months occurred in a bed-sharing situation.  Kelley recommends “room sharing,” which means having your baby in the same room and keeping him or her in a bassinet or crib for up to the first year of their life…

cut 11 (09) “baby safe ” 

Kelley says many parents have a difficult time deciding if they should have their child sleep in their bed, but she says the safest thing you can do is have the infant sleep right next to your bed….

cut 12 (07)  “that’s convenient”

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The Louisiana Film Entertainment Association announces a plan to commission a study on the economic impact of Louisiana’s film tax credit incentive program. The study is estimated to cost $150,000. LFEA President Will French hopes the results of this study will show what the program actually costs the state…

Cut 13 (09)  “hard to quantify”

The state commissions an analysis of the film tax credits every two years and their most recent study shows it costs the state about $4.35 for every dollars’ worth of credits collected. French says Louisiana Economic Development projects economic benefits by merely plugging in spending numbers. He says the state’s analysis doesn’t take into account tourism dollars the film industry brings in, among other factors…

Cut 14 (09)  “as a whole”

The group will launch a Kickstarter campaign later this month to help with the cost of the study. French says their study will look at every component that could be providing an economic benefit to the state because of the industry and try to account for what that benefit likely is…

Cut 15  (11)   “return on investment”

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The US House voted to give President Obama authority to train and arm Syrian rebels in the effort to defeat ISIL forces in the Middle East. The authorization passed on a 273-156 vote that crossed party lines. Republican Minden Congressman John Fleming is the only member of the Louisiana delegation to vote against the authorization. Fleming says he feels we are going down the wrong path in dealing with the militant group…

Cut 16  (12)   “and doctors”

Fleming says it would easily take two years to get any type of group trained just for the basic ability to fight. He says while training is taking place, ISIL forces will be adapting and gearing up. However, Republican Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany, who voted in favor of the measure, says this is a necessary first step, although it is insufficient. He says we need a broader strategy that involes a coalition…

Cut 17  (10)   “coalition together”

Boustany says this first step will show America’s resolve and pull this coalition together. He says this will help the President have the necessary leverage to put this coalition in place to defeat ISIL…

Cut 18 (08)  “the United States”

Fleming feels this is a situation that US troops need to handle. He says if it is necessary to go in there after ISIL, then we need to acknowledge the truth: it will require boots on the ground. Fleming says this move to train Syrian rebels will not help us build a coalition…(The Senate is expected to vote on this measure today.)

cut 19 (09)  “to do that”

PM Newscall September 17th ,2014

The US-House has passed three bills by Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany that spotlight recent IRS controversies and would ultimately limit the power of the federal agency. Michelle Southern has that..:

CUT 1 (33) “reporting”

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

A federal report indicates Louisiana’s prison population declined two-percent from 2012 to 2013, but the state still leads the nation for its incarceration rate. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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

The Shreveport Police Department says a man is in jail today for allegedly beating a child so badly he had to be hospitalized. Corporal Marcus Hines says school officials contacted authorities after the 5-year-old child arrived to class Tuesday…:

CUT 3 (08) “to a serious degree”

Hines says the allegation is that the suspect hit the child with a belt about 25 times which caused a significant amount of injuries..:

CUT 4 (11)  “hospitalized”

Hines says 23-year-old Frank Butler was arrested yesterday evening and booked with a single count of Second Degree Cruelty to a juvenile. The relationship between the child and the suspect is unknown at this time. Hines says the child is expected to recover. He says their are ways to legally discipline your child…:

CUT 5 (09) “for that here”

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

The US-House has passed three bills by Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany that spotlight recent IRS controversies and would ultimately limit the power of the federal agency. Boustany says House Republicans learned a woman was forwarding emails from her official email account to a personal account to conduct business. He says this should never be happening…:

CUT 6 (09)  “any official business”

Boustany, who is the chair of the oversight subcommittee of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, says safeguards must be put in place to ensure that the public’s trust is not breached. He says another issue he wanted to address was that some denials of tax exempt status were not subject to appeal which he think is wrong..:

CUT 7 (11) “certain organizations”

Boustany says the third bill would permit release of reports about investigations into unauthorized leaks of taxpayer information to the victims. He says Americans are demanding higher ethical standards from public servants and they plan to continue to expose the rot at the core of the IRS’s culture…:(The Senate still needs to approve the bills.)

CUT 8 (09) “and accountability”

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A federal report says Louisiana’s prison population fell two-percent last year, but the state still has the highest incarceration rate in the US, well ahead of Mississippi who is second. Doctor Peter Scharf, with the Justice and Public health institute at the LSU Health Science Center, says there’s a major effort to lower the prison population, but it will take time…

CUT 9 (07)  “….got involved”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Louisiana’s prison population in 2013 was at 39-thousand, a drop of nearly nine-hundred people from 2012. Scharf anticipates the state’s incarceration rate will continue to decline, but it will take time to get it at more acceptable level…

CUT 10 (10) “…very large’ “

Scharf says the department of corrections has put programs in place to help recently released inmates stay out of jail and there’s been a push to lower sentences for certain crimes. He says the mindset on how to punish criminals is changing and that should help lower the prison population…

CUT 11 (11) “…fix crime

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Louisiana State Police say a man from Mississippi is dead after a head-on collision this morning involving a garbage truck. Spokesman Jared Sandifer says 23-year-old Cody Temple of McComb was traveling in East Feliciana Parish south of Clinton around 6am:

CUT 12 (13) “head on”

Sandifer says sadly Temple was not buckled up and was pronounced dead at the scene. He says the other driver is going to be okay…:

CUT 13 (08) “just minor injuries”

Sandifer says they are still working to determine other possible factors in the crash…:

cut 14 (08) “as we speak”