A school shooting in St. Helena Parish has left one person dead and left two others wounded. Jeff Palermo has the details…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves gave us his thoughts on the announcement of an impeachment inquiry of President Biden. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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The investigation continues today into yesterday’s fatal shooting at a high school in Greensburg. Joe Chaney with the St. Helena Parish Sheriff’s Office says a student started shooting in the parking lot at St. Helena College and Career Academy…

Cut 3 (09) “…in the gunfire”

The gunman, a 14-year-old boy, was taken into custody and Chaney says he’s facing several charges for fatally shooting one person and injuring two others as school was dismissing for the day…

Cut 4 (10) “…free zone”

A relative has identified the deceased victim as 16-year-old Vernon Gordon a football player. Chaney says the shooting has left St. Helena Parish stunned…

Cut 5 (07) “ ..local schools”  

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Baton Rouge Police has charged 30-year-old Douglas Brown with murder for allegedly shooting his father, 79-year-old John Brown. John Brown was found dead on Saturday morning inside the home the two shared. Lt. L’Jean McKneely says Douglas Brown may have had an ulterior motive for killing his father.

Cut 6 (08) “…the shooting.”

Douglas Brown was booked on counts of second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies.

McKneely says tips and evidence, including surveillance video led to Douglas Brown’s arrest.

Cut 7 (08) “…apprehended him.” 

McKneely says Douglas Brown was booked in the East Baton Rouge Prison.

Cut 8 (08) “…convicted felon.”

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US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced he will begin an impeachment inquiry of President Biden in an effort to seek financial records of the president and his son Hunter Biden. Republican Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves says an inquiry doesn’t automatically mean an impeachment hearing is a sure thing.

Cut 9 (12) “…an investigation.” 

Graves says over the past few months, serval committees, like Judiciary, Oversite, and Ways & Means, have all done investigations and requested information concerning the Bidens and they’ve found questionable items.  For example, Hunter Biden has been paid $20 million by countries like Ukraine and Russia to name a few.

Cut 10 (11) “…20-million dollars.”

Graves says whistleblowers are coming forward from the FBI, IRS, and others that have linked President Biden to some of the countries, and potentially even official actions carried out that could be the President using his office to benefit his son’s clients.

Cut 11 (10) “…lines.”

Graves reiterates it’s not an impeachment hearing, it’s simply an investigation. He hopes the committee will follow the evidence and thoroughly develop a case before jumping to impeachment hearings.

Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, says the decision to open an impeachment inquiry is quote “absurd.”

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A mother and her two children were tragically killed in a house fire in the Mount Airy community of St. John the Baptist Parish this morning. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says they believe the deadly blaze started in an upstairs apartment over a vacant home.

Cut 12 (09) “…was inside”

Rodrigue says the home was engulfed when firefighters responded to the scene. 38-year-old Quintella Chopin and her two children ages seven and two were found in different areas of the home.

Cut 13 (10) “…bedroom area”

While the investigation is still active, the State Fire Marshal was unable to locate any working smoke alarms in the home. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

For the first time in school history, LSU has surpassed 400-million dollars in research spending. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (31)……I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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East Baton Rouge District Attorney was joined by NFL star Warrick Dunn as he filed an injunction to stop upcoming clemency hearings for death row inmates. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Extreme heat and drought conditions are taking a toll on the state’s wildlife, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 3 (30) …I’m Teiko Foxx.”

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For the first time ever, LSU has surpassed the 400-million dollar mark in research activity. Vice president of research and economic development at LSU, Robert Twilley, says the university is reporting 428-million dollars in total research activity in one year, up 16-percent from the previous year. Twilley says their research initiatives are gaining momentum…

Cut 4 (11) “… President Tate.”

Twilley says an increase in research dollars shows the university’s commitment to solving pressing problems for Louisiana. He says it also creates an estimated one-point-two billion dollar economic impact on Louisiana…

Cut 5 (09) “…buy food.”

Twilley says LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda is focusing its research investment in agriculture, biomedicine, the coast, cybersecurity, and energy, with a focus on carbon capture and underground storage…

Cut 6 (10) “..the future.”

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East Baton Rouge District Attorney was joined by NFL star Warrick Dunn as he filed an injunction to stop clemency hearings for death row inmates. Dunn, whose mother, Baton Rouge police corporal Betty Smothers was gunned down 30 years ago, says it’s not fair that her killer, Kevan Brumfield is still alive.

Cut 7 (09) “…disrespectful.”

Dunn says while Brumfield has been fed and housed by taxpayers’ dollars for years, his family continues to mourn the loss of his mother.

Cut 8 (09) “…with that.”

After Governor John Bel Edwards publicly stated he opposed the death penalty, all but one inmate on death row filed for clemency. Dunn says commenting the sentences of these inmates is disrespectful to the victims’ families and in his case, law enforcement also.
Cut 9 (12)  “…that fair?”

Executive Director of the Louisiana Capital Appeals Project, Cecelia Kappel says the lawsuit filed by Moore is another baseless attempt to block the Pardon Board and Governor Edwards from taking a close look at Louisiana’s broken death penalty system.

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Optimism among small businesses declined for the month of August as inflation continues to drive costs higher. NFIB State Director Dawn McVea says the optimism index decreased 0.6 last month to 91.3, for the 20^th consecutive month below the 49-year average of 98.

Cut 10 (10) “…of months.”

McVea says small business owners are reporting that they feel like they are losing sale opportunities whether it’s because of inflation or the lack of labor.

Cut 11 (11) “…lost sales.”

As for future optimism, fewer small business owners have a positive outlook for the next six months. McVea says that’s unfortunate because typically retailers look for a strong 4^th quarter with promotions like Small Business Saturday.

She says it’s so important that consumers shop locally versus big-box retailers.

Cut 12 (10) “…tax dollars.” 

Forty percent of small business owners reported job openings that were hard to fill.

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LDWF says the wildlife is being impacted by the drought conditions and excessive heat. State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Jim Lacour says the limited availability of water results in ducks and other animals having to travel for alternative water sources.

Cut 13 (12) “…or ditches.”

When drought puts stress on plants, there’s a negative ripple effect on deer and other wildlife that depend on vegetation in large quantities. He says when plants die, deer miss out on nutrition that plants provide..

Cut 14 (11) “…everything else.”

Many animals eat insects to build fat reserves for migration. Lacour says a decrease in water sources and lower plant growth can reduce insect populations. He says birds like quails and turkeys rely on mast crops and insects to feed their newborn.

Cut 15 (09) “…later on.”

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Mississippi State is gearing up to host 14th ranked LSU on Saturday. The Bulldogs are 2-0 after beating Southeastern Louisiana 48-7 in the season opener and then holding off Arizona 31-24 in overtime last Saturday. First year head coach Zach Arnett liked the improvement he saw from his team from week one to week two…

Cut 16 (16) “…anybody”

LSU beat State 31-16 last season.  Jayden Daniels threw for 210 yards and ran for 93 against the Bulldogs in that game. Arnett was M-S-U’s defensive coordinator last season and knows how difficult it is to defend Daniels…

Cut 17 (20) “…of a game”

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After winning their first two games at home, ULM heads on the road this Saturday to face Texas A-and-M. Warhawks Coach Terry Bowden says his players are looking forward to the trip to College Station…

Cut 18 (17) “…to play”

ULM leads the Sun Belt in rushing as they’ve rushed for 492 yards in their first two games, but they are last in the league with just 95 yards through the air. Bowden says they came into the season wanting to run the ball…

Cut 19 (15) “…second half especially”

Redshirt freshman James Smith had 2.5 sacks last week. Bowden says Smith has great length and athletic skills…

Cut 20 (17) “…better team”

Saints linebacker Demario Davis helped lead New Orleans to a season-opening 16-15 win over Tennessee on Sunday. Jeff Palermo reports after the game Davis told an inspiring story about prayer and faith…

Cut 1 (29)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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In addition to the insurance crisis plaguing Louisiana, there’s a movement among insurers to drop natural disaster coverage in areas across the country. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (34)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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Saints linebacker Demario Davis helped lead New Orleans to a 16-15 season opening victory over Tennessee. Davis says knew Sunday would go well after his prayers were answered as his four-year old daughter was hospitalized on Friday with a serious seizure. Davis says she was better than ever on Saturday…

Cut 3 (10) “…sharper than before”

Davis says this was his daughter’s third epileptic seizure, but this was the worst one. She stopped breathing twice on the way to the hospital.

The veteran linebacker says people who suffer from epilepsy usually need a few days to get back to normal after a seizure, but he says thanks to the power of prayer his daughter was playing with her friends on Saturday…

Cut 4 (09) “…care of itself”

Davis had ten tackles on Sunday as New Orleans’ defense kept Tennessee out of the end zone.

When he met with the media postgame, he read a passage from Revelations about opening the door for the Lord when he comes knocking…

Cut 5 (09) “ …going to be there”  

The Saints next game is a week from tonight against Carolina.

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When it comes to raising the state’s minimum wage of $7.25, of the five candidates who participated in a televised debate last week, their responses were mixed. Republican and Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt’s answer was maybe.

Cut 6 (06) “…conversation.”

Fellow Republican Stephen Waguespack and former Louisiana Association of Business and Industry president responded with a resounding no. A surprising answer to the question came from Republican, Treasurer John Schroder who said yes.

Lake Charles attorney and Independent Candidate Hunter Lundy believes it’s time to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Cut 7 (02) “…wage.” 

Democrat and former state transportation secretary Shawn Wilson said it’s time to increase the state’s minimum wage.

Cut 8 (03) “…seven-twenty-five.”

Republican front-leader Jeff Landry, who didn’t participate in the debate, stated on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster in June he’s against raising the minimum wage.

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A recent Washington Post article says major insurers have told the National Association of Insurance Commissioners they plan to cut out coverage for areas prone to natural disasters. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says it’s a huge concern because wind, hail, and wildfire coverage would cost extra.

Cut 9 (09) “…supplemental policies.(x2)” 

Of the major insurers who plan to cease natural disaster coverage, Riggs says they cover about 80 percent of property owners in the country.

Riggs says the move to end natural disaster coverage has nothing to do with tort reform and policyholders suing over coverage disputes.

Cut 10 (12) “…a scapegoat.”

Riggs says the move is an example of someone wanting to be able to point the finger and claim they are doing something, when in reality what they are doing is taking savings out of your policy and turning it into a junk policy…

Cut 11 (12) “…accountable.”

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Grambling State linebacker Jaquavis Richmond needed emergency surgery after he was carted off the field in Saturday night’s loss to LSU at Tiger Stadium. Grambling says Richmond suffered an injury to the head-neck area. LSU Coach Brian Kelly says the doctors at Our Lady of the Lake took good care of him…

Cut 12 (10) “…hopeful”

Richmond prepped at Woodlawn-Shreveport High School. He’s listed as a redshirt sophomore. Kelly says he’s received word the surgery went well…

Cut 13 (13) “…successful outcome”

We’ve made it to the statistical peak of the hurricane season. Jeanne Burns has an update with what’s going with the tropics…

Cut 1 (31)  “….I’m Jeanne Burns”

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Gubernatorial candidates who participated in the televised debate Thursday were asked if they think the voters should decide if abortion should be legal or not in Louisiana. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (36)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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 We’ve hit the statistical peak of the 2023 hurricane season and state climatologist Barry Keim says it’s been an active year with 13 named storms….

Cut 3 (12) ..kind of an interesting”

Early projections for the 2023 hurricane season were for a below normal season, because of an El Nino. But Keim says the warm sea surface temperatures are winning out over the shear that an El Nino can create…

Cut 4 (10) “… busy season.”

Keim says El Nino’s intensity is expected to pick up, which should help suppress tropical activity…

Cut 5 (12) “…of the season”

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The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana will host their Second Annual Rural Economic Development Summit along with Southern University Law Center in Marksville at Paragon Casino today and tomorrow. Chief of Staff Megan Guillot says the goal of the summit is to connect rural communities with local, state, and national leaders, as well as Native American Country.

Cut 6 (10) “…and resources.”

The summit started in 2019 but was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guillot says the summit returns at a critical time for small business owners who are trying to build or rebuild their businesses. She says there will discussions on topics to improve  business relationships with tribal governments.

Cut 7 (12) “…funding resources.”

In 2023, the tribe has secured more than $70 million in grants to assist in stabilizing and propelling its citizens through workforce development training, increased access to the internet, and various small business supports. Guillot says this will be a great networking conference for small business owners.

Cut 8 (08) “…very excited.”

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In a televised debate, five of the seven major candidates for governor were asked if they believe in a ballot initiative to allow voters to decide if abortion should be legalized or not. The three Republicans and one Independent say the Legislature adequately represented the pro-life stance of Louisianans. They are against letting voters decide the issue at the polls. Republican Stephen Waguespack…

Cut 9 (14)  “…as well.”

Republican state Senator Sharon Hewitt, who sponsored legislation to make it illegal for companies to send abortion pills through the mail in Louisiana, is against a ballot initiative.

Cut 10 (10) “…the books.”

Republican Treasurer John Schroder agrees the legislature’s abortion ban is reflective of what voters in the state want and he’s against a ballot initiative.

Cut 11 (10) “…and Senate.”

Independent Hunter Lundy…

Cut 12 (15) “…agree with them.” 

Democrat Shawn Wilson is the only candidate who supports a ballot initiative on abortion…

Cut 13 (14) “…in jeopardy.”

When Roe v Wade was overturned, the state’s trigger laws banning abortion in most cases went into effect. Early voting for the October 14th primary begins Saturday, September 30th.

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LSU’s offense nearly had a perfect performance on Saturday night in a 72-10 win over Grambling State. It’s the first time they scored 70 in regulation time of a game since a 70-14 win over Arkansas State in 1991. Coach Brian Kelly is pleased with what he saw on offense.

Cut 14 (14) “…very often.”

Quarterback Jayden Daniels threw for a career-high five touchdown passes.

But the defense struggled early on. Grambling had 173 yards of offense in its first two possessions and scored ten points. For the night, Kelly’s defense gave up 320 total yards.

Cut 15 (15) “… too many tackles”

Kelly promised more playing time for receiver Chris Hilton and he caught two passes for 53 yards including a 47-yard touchdown catch where he burned the defense on a post pattern.

Cut 16 (16) “…sick this week”

Also, freshman right tackle Lance Heard got playing time in the second series and there’s a chance we could see more of Heard this Saturday in Starkville against Mississippi State.

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The Saints started  the 2023 season with a 16-15 victory over the Tennessee Titans yesterday. The two teams traded field goals in the first half, but New Orleans finally got in the end zone in the third quarter as Rashid Shaheed caught a TD pass. The Saints turned it over twice, but New Orleans defense intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times and only allowed them to convert on third down twice. Coach Dennis Allen is pleased with the win…

Cut 17 (16) “…divisional opponent”

In his first game as a starter for the Saints, quarterback Derek Carr threw for 305 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted once and sacked four times. The ten-year vet says this was one of the most physical games he’s ever played in…

Cut 18 (11) “…the way.”

Carr says it was a solid win against a good opponent…

Cut 19 (13) “…the win”

A federal judge has told the state it must remove the 15 juvenile offenders that are housed at the State Penitentiary in Angola by September 15th .Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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Grambling will battle LSU for the first time ever on the football field Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.  Teiko Foxx spoke with the University’s President about what this means.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”  

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A federal judge has ordered that the dozen or so violent juvenile offenders housed at the State Penitentiary at Angola must be removed by September 15th. In her ruling, Judge Shelly Dick said the facility screams prison and the youth are not getting rehabilitation they need. The lead attorney for the plaintiffs is David Utter…

Cut 3 (09) “…for a kid”

The state created the Bridge City Center for Youth at Angola last summer after several violent episodes at other youth facilities. This is only a temporary set up, until a new facility opens at Monroe this fall. Utter says Judge Dick agreed with them that housing youths at Angola will only hardened them…

Cut 4 (11) “…harmed.”

Utter says at last report the state was housing 15 juvenile offenders at the former Death Row facility at Angola. Utter says the state broke several promises when it came to how they would be treated. He says they have evidence that some kids were in solitary confinement for 23 hours….

Cut 5 (12) “ … happen” 

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice says it disagrees with the ruling and will appeal. They also plan to explore other options that ensures the safety of staff, the public and youth in their care.

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It’s going to be the battle of the tigers this weekend in Baton Rouge. Grambling State will face LSU on the football field for the first time tomorrow night. GSU President Rick Gallot says this is a great opportunity for the school and football team.

Cut 6 (11) “…football too.”

The historic Grambling Tigers have won 15 national titles and 26 SWAC Conference Championships. Gallot says the football team is used to playing in big venues across the country.

Cut 7 (12) “…college football.” 

Kick-off is set for 6:30 p.m. Gallot says GramFam will make their presence known.

Cut 8 (12) “…death valley.”

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Among the topics in the first statewide televised debate with five of the seven major gubernatorial candidates, was the state’s property insurance crisis. Four of the candidates say they would call for a special session immediately after taking oath. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says how the state regulates the industry needs to be changed.

Cut 9 (14) “…portfolio.” 

Former Louisiana Business and Industry president, Stephen Waguespack…

Cut 10 (14) “…should be.”

The sole Independent candidate Hunter Lundy says multiple hurricanes and the court system being shut down due to COVID only exacerbated the problem and there was little legal recourse.

Cut 11 (11) “…homeowner’s program.”

Democrat Shawn Wilson says he’s for legislation that requires insurers to make payments in a certain time period, so policyholders receive the coverage they paid for.

Cut 12 (12) “…things done”

Treasurer John Schroder says he would call for a summit with several entities to discuss the best way to address the crisis.

Cut 13 (14) “…the other”

Frontrunner Republican Jeff Landry did not participate in the debate. Representative Richard Nelson’s polling numbers kept him from being invited to debate.

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The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved a new ten-year, 36-million dollar contract for Lady Tigers basketball coach Kim Mulkey. It’s richest contract in women’s college basketball and board member Remy Starns was happy to vote for it…

Cut  14 (04) “…basketball coach”

Only one board member voted against it and that was Jay Blossman, who would rather see coaches get huge bonuses for winning championships

Cut 15 (13) “…compensation”

Blossman says if a coach has a bad season, you can’t go back and ask for the money back.

Mulkey will make 3.15 million dollars in the upcoming season, slightly higher than fellow national championship coaches Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma. Starns believes LSU has the best women’s college basketball coach in the country…

Cut  16 (09)   “…program”

The Louisiana Office of Tourism kicks off a new ad campaign to attract tourists to the Bayou State. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 1 (32)  “….I’m  Teiko Foxx”

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A new law that went into effect this year allows more students to receive free meals. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism launch a new ad campaign to bring more visitors to the state. The “My Louisiana” campaign promotes staycations and domestic and international travel. Nungesser says the campaign shows potential visitors that Louisiana has something for everyone.

Cut 3 (13) …over Louisiana”

The campaign will reach potential visitors in the media they use most for travel inspiration and planning. Nungesser says the ads will run on billboards, in major outlets, and through other formats.

Cut 4 (11) “… Louisiana is.”

The campaign will also use digital video, print advertising, streaming audio, still photography, visitor guide assets, and trade show assets. Nungesser says marketing will also include missions to feeder markets like Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago.

Cut 5 (08) “…alternate routes.”

The Office of Tourism also launched a new website just months ago which nearly eight million people visited last year.

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Almost $12 million was won from lottery tickets in Louisiana last month, along with $877 thousand in fast-play winnings and more than $16 million in scratch-off winnings. And that’s not all, Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison…

Cut 6 (07) “…in August.”

And while the numbers vary month-to-month, Annison says things are off to a good start for the new fiscal year…

Cut 7 (08) “…so far.”

Annison says a ticket with the winning numbers for a Lotto prize of $1.85 million was sold in New Orleans last month. So far, no one has claimed the prize, but the winner has 180 days from the August 30^th draw date to come forward.

Cut 8 (06) “…their check.”

Annison says scratch-off tickets are always their biggest seller.

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Five of the seven major candidates for governor appeared in the first statewide TV debate last night and the first question thrown at them was what will they do about the state’s crime problem if elected governor. Treasurer John Schroder, a former narcotics detective, says crime fighting isn’t always about putting someone in jail…

Cut 9 (13)  “…dealt with”

Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says fentanyl is the root cause of our crime problem…

Cut 10 (13) “…young people”

Former Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack says the state needs more law enforcement on the street and he wants to use technology…

Cut 11 (13) “…retribution”

Independent Hunter Lundy says better-educated children would result in less crime…

Cut 12 (14) “…incarceration” 

Democrat Shawn Wilson used this question to take a shot at the front-runner in the race, Republican Jeff Landry, who decided to skip this event…

Cut 13 (11) “…be engaged.”

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A new law that went into effect this year allows more students to receive free meals. Rhonda Jackson, Director of No Kid Hungry Louisiana says there are three categories of school meals, free, reduced meals, and paid lunch.

Cut 14 (10) “…as well.”

The bipartisan legislation provides $860,000 in funding each year which allows 14,000 more students eligible for free meals, totaling 440,000 more meals for Louisiana students.

Jackson says there’s a common misconception about how dire the need is for students, especially when the state is known for such good food.

Cut 15 (05) “…reenter the classroom.”

By allowing more students access to free meals, Jackson is hopeful it will improve their lives and their ability to focus on their education.

Marrero Representative Kyle Green who sponsored the legislation says he plans to introduce legislation in the future that expands the program to include all students.

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After a poor performance last Sunday against Florida State, LSU returns to Tiger Stadium tomorrow night to face the Grambling Tigers. Quarterback Jayden Daniels says practices have been spirited this week.

Cut 16 (16) “…essentially.”

Some valuable lessons were had in the blowout loss to the Seminoles, but defensive tackle Maason Smith said you can’t dwell on it for too long.

Cut 17 (22) “…next opponent”

The G-Men lost its season opener to Hampton 35-31. Grambling allowed 279 rushing yards, so this should be a contest where LSU gets its running backs involved and gets the ground game going. Running back Noah Cain…

Cut 18 (14) “…on Grambling.”

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The Ragin Cajuns kick-off Sun Belt play on Saturday as they visit Old Dominion. U-L Lafayette won its season opener over Northwestern State 38-13. Senior QB Ben Woolridge threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns, but only completed 44-percent of his passes. Coach Michael Desormeaux is hoping they complete a higher percentage of their passes tomorrow…

Cut 19 (14) “…protect better”

The Monarchs lost their opening game to Virginia and they are picked to finish last in the East Division. But Desormeaux says they present some challenges…

Cut 20 (19) “…their too”

Christmas Town Christmas Tree farm in Tangipahoa Parish announced they are closing for the 2023 season due to extreme drought. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.” 

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Treasurer John Schroder launches an attack ad linking gubernatorial opponent Jeff Landry to a Texas attorney accused of scamming property owners after the 2020 hurricanes. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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This year’s Christmas Grinch is the state’s extreme drought. Christmas Town, a tree farm in Tangipahoa Parish, will not open for business this year. Owner Lisa Miller says drought and extreme temperatures killed too many trees

Cut 3 (09) “…as well.”

Tangipahoa Parish is classified as being under exceptional drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The farm, which offers customers the chance to cut down their own trees, has been in business for 14 years. Miller says a large portion of her harvest could not handle this year’s dry heat.

Cut 4 (08) “…finished yet.”

It takes seven to nine years to grow a 6-foot to 8-foot marketable size Christmas tree. She hopes to preserve the tradition next Christmas.

Cut 5 (12) “ … next year.” 

The Southern Christmas Tree Association says the Christmas Town farm is the only one they know of that will not be open this season. Other farms have lost trees but not to the extent of Christmas Town.

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Treasurer John Schroder launches an attack ad linking gubernatorial opponent Jeff Landry to a Texas attorney accused of scamming property owners after the 2020 hurricanes. ULM Political Science Professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says it’s a topic that south Louisiana residents are familiar with…

Cut 6 (11) “…the needle.”

Tonight is the first statewide televised debate with five of the seven viable gubernatorial candidates. Landry is not participating, and Stockley says Schroder it’s not a coincidence the ad started today…

Cut 7 (10) “…accusations.” 

Stockley believes the strategy is not only to get Schroder into a runoff…

Cut 8 (09) “…candidate events.”

Today’s debate begins at 7 p.m.

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Brutally hot and dry weather has kept 95 percent of the state in drought conditions, according to the U-S Drought Monitor. State climatologist Barry Keim says the areas in “extreme and exceptional” drought conditions have gotten worse.

Cut 9 (12) “…move forward.” 

The southwest corner of Louisiana is classified as exceptionally dry along with Northshore and the Baton Rouge area. In exceptional drought, fishing is compromised, pasture and crop loss is widespread, and water shortages are implemented. Keim says almost 70 percent of the state is D3 or D4 status.

Cut 10 (08) “…across Louisiana”

The extreme northern part of the state is not experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions. Keim says the conditions in the extreme southeastern part of the state have improved.

Cut 11 (12) “…last week”

The U-S Drought Monitor, released every Thursday, shows how bad drought conditions are across the country.

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LSU coach Kim Mulkey has reportedly agreed to a ten-year contract worth 32-million dollars, which would be the richest total contract in women’s college basketball history. LSU won the first national championship in program history last April and the Advocate’s Scott Rabalais says it took Mulkey only two seasons to reach the top…

Cut 12 (10) “…once again”

The LSU Board of the Supervisors is expected to approve the record deal tomorrow.

Mulkey has won four national championships and turned 61 in May. She experienced a health scare in June and had a procedure to put in two stents to alleviate a blocked heart artery. Rabalais says it will be interesting to see if Mulkey coaches another ten years, but she’s good to go for now…

Cut 13 (09) “…like that”

Women’s basketball is not a revenue generating sport, but Rabalais says LSU’s athletic director looks at Mulkey’s new contract as a wise investment…

Cut  14 (12) “…dollars and sense.”

The state Department of Transportation announces there will be lane closures on I-20 in the Shreveport-Bossier City area for the next two and a half years because that highway will be getting new pavement starting September 18th. Teiko Foxx has more.

Cut 1 (30)  “….I’m  Teiko Foxx”

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The first televised debate in the 2023 governor’s race is tonight. Brooke Thorington on what to expect.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Despite the recent rain, the statewide burn ban remains in effect. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 3 (33) …I’m Brooke Thorington”

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The state Department of Transportation announces a 117 million dollar construction project will begin on I-20 in Bossier and Caddo Parishes on September 18th. DOTD Spokesperson Erin Buchanan says workers will spend the next two and a half years replacing the original pavement from the 1960s.

Cut 4 (08) “… the top.”

The work will result in lane closures. The interstate will be reduced to one lane from Hamilton Road to Industrial Drive in both directions. Buchanan says a real-time traffic system will alert motorists to changing traffic conditions.

Cut 5 (08) “…alternate routes.”

Motorists are urged to use I-220 as an alternate route. The work will be performed at night to minimize traffic. Buchanan says reconstruction work will also be underway from Pines Road to Market Street on the west end.

Cut 6 (11) “…as well.”

This section of the interstate services 70 to 100 thousand vehicles daily. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

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Five of the seven major candidates will participate in the first televised debate for the 2023 governor’s race tonight. Republican Jeff Landry refuses to participate because he says the organizer, the Urban League is biased toward Democrats. UNO Political Science professor Dr. Ed Chervenak says it’s unfortunate because voters are interested in what Landry has to say.

Cut 7 (10) “…front-runner.”

Republican Representative Richard Nelson was not invited to participate due to low polling numbers.

With fellow Republicans and Independent Hunter Lundy polling in the single digits, Chervenak says they’ll need to capture viewers’ attention and set themselves apart.

Present or not, Chervenak believes the candidates will go after Landry.

Cut 8 (11) “…Republicans.”

And even though two of the seven viable candidates will be missing,  Chervenak thinks voters will still tune in to get a better idea of what the participating candidates’ plans are for Louisiana.

Cut 9 (11)  “…direction.”

The debate at, WWL-TV’s studio in New Orlean will be televised statewide tonight at 7 pm. KATC, WBRZ, and KTBS are also sponsoring tonight’s debate.

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Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says they are once again taking applications from insurance companies who are interested in receiving grant dollars if they write more homeowners insurance policies. Donelon says they allocated 42-million dollars to eight insurers following the first round of applications and it resulted in thousands of homeowners finding coverage through a private insurer…

Cut 10 (04) “…since April.”

Donelon says many of the new policies were written in southeast Louisiana…

Cut 11 (14) “…22-hundred”

Donelon says the total amount of grant funds during this second application period is 13 million dollars. He says the goal is to reduce the number of homes that have coverage through the state-run insurer of last resort Citizens, which by state law has to offer policies with more expensive premiums…

Cut 12 (09) “…Citizens insurance.”

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The statewide burn ban remains in effect, even though parts of the state have received rain, but officials say it’s not enough to reduce the increased risk of fire due to the prolonged drought. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue…

Cut 13 (11) “…fire service (x2).”

Despite recent rains near some of the ongoing wildfires, Rodrigue says those blazes remain active.

Cut 14 (08) “…those scenes.”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, however, says residents can resume outdoor cooking, but Rodrigue encourages those who do grill out to have safety measures in place before they light up.

Cut 15 (09) “…cooking there.”

At Tiger Stadium tailgaters have been asked not to grill out for LSU’s home opener against Grambling on Saturday.

The state’s burn ban will be reconsidered on a weekly basis.

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The regular season opener is fast approaching for the Saints, who will face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. New starting quarterback Derek Carr believes the Black and Gold will have a great season

Cut 16 (16) “…this week.”

Carr expects Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel to bring a physical style of play to the Superdome on Sunday…

Cut 17 (14) “…he’s coaching that.”

Carr on the importance of winning the first game…

Cut 18 (12) “…even better.”

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LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith will make his season debut on Saturday night when the Tigers host Grambling. Smith was suspended for the season opener for getting paid for autographs before NIL took effect. Coach Brian Kelly says it will be Smith’s first game since last September…

Cut 19 (19) “…impact the game.”

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Louisiana Tech will host north Louisiana rival Northwestern State on Saturday. Bulldogs Coach Sonny Cumbie says the stakes get raised when you play another team from Louisiana…

Cut 20 (20) “…football team.”

The Bulldogs are 1-1 after losing to SMU last week, Northwestern State dropped its season opener to U-L Lafayette.

Singer Jimmy Buffett died Friday from a rare skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. Teiko Foxx spoke with an LSU Oncologist expert about the aggressive disease.

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.” 

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The first televised debate of the 2023 governor’s race is tomorrow night, but the front-runner will not be there. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (28)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Margaritaville Singer Jimmy Buffett died as a result of merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare but aggressive form of skin cancer, diagnosed in less than three thousand people in the U-S every year. LSU School of Medicine Oncologist Dr. Brian Boulmay says the disease develops on areas of the body that are regularly exposed to natural or artificial sources of light.

Cut 3 (12) “…any kind.”

MCC tumors show up on the forearm, neck, face, and lower legs. It quickly spreads to the lymph nodes first and then to the liver, bones, lungs, and brain. Boulmay suggests contacting your physician if you see a mole, freckle, or bump that is changing in size, shape, or color.

Cut 4 (11) “…be biopsied.”

Men are twice as likely to develop this cancer than women. About 90 percent of the people who have it are White, and about 80 percent are 70 and older. Boulmay says early detection is key but you can protect yourself.

Cut 5 (11) “ … for cancer.” 

The survival rate of MCC is 51 percent when the cancer is confined to one spot on the body.

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Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy was asked his thoughts on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health after the Kentucky lawmaker appeared to freeze in front of the public on at least two occasions. Cassidy, who’s also a physician says he’s satisfied with the U.S. Capitol attending physician’s report.

Cut 6 (08) “…caucus.”

The physician’s report says McConnell has not suffered a stroke or a seizure disorder.

Concerns about the 81-year-old’s health have generated calls for his resignation and reignited the debate on term limits for members of Congress. Cassidy is satisfied with the physician’s report and McConnell’s role in the Senate.

Cut 7 (11) “…minority leader.” 

Fellow Kentucky lawmaker Rand Paul criticized the Capitol attending physician’s report. Paul believes McConnell had a seizure. Cassidy says he’s going to go with the report of the healthcare provider who actually examined McConnell.

Cut 8 (11) “…most significant.”

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The first televised debate of the 2023 governor’s race is tomorrow. Five of the candidates will discuss the issues facing Louisiana at 7 PM at WWL-TV’s studio in New Orleans. But the front-runner, Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, will not be there. Landry says one of the organizers the Urban League has a bias towards Democrats

Cut 9 (09) “…anti-Donald Trump.” 

The Urban League says they do not have any bias towards a particular candidate. Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson will also not participate tomorrow, because his polling numbers are not high enough.

Landry says one of his criteria to attend a debate is that all seven major candidates appear on stage…

Cut 10 (05) “…a whole”

Early voting for the October 14th election begins Saturday, September 30th. Landry has an estimated eight million dollars in cash on hand. The Attorney General says it’s a sign that voters believe he’s the right guy for the job…

Cut 11 (08) “…our message”

Campaign finance reports from all candidates are due September 14th.

Three more people have arrested in connection with last Friday night’s fatal shooting during the Brusly-Port Allen football game in West Baton Rouge Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31)  “….I’m Jeff Palermo”

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In an update, Beauregard Parish authorities say the Tiger Island Fire continues to burn but the situation is looking better. Teiko Foxx has the story…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

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Louisiana has received a 73-million dollar federal grant to build electronic vehicle charging stations and the state  is looking for businesses that want to operate and maintain the stations. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 3 (32) …I’m Brooke Thorington”

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West Baton Rouge Parish authorities announce three more people have been arrested for their role in a fatal shooting at a high school football game that left 15-year-old Ja’Kobe Queen dead. West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Mike Cazes…

Cut 4 (07) “… his life.”

The suspect, 18-year-old Jarrettin Ranaud Jackson II, was arrested Monday in Baton Rouge. Jackson is charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder, carrying a firearm on school property, and possession of a machine gun.

28-year-old Brasia Davis of Port Allen was also injured at the 52^nd Sugar Cane Classic, an annual match-up between Port Allen and Brusly high schools.

18-year-old Jailyn Smith and two other juveniles were also arrested in connection with the shooting. They face obstruction of justice, manslaughter, and disturbing the peace charges.

18^th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton says it’s a tragedy that’s impacted several lives.

Cut 5 (15) “… peripheral folks.”

Even with a large presence of law enforcement on-site, Cazes says Queen’s life ended Friday.

Cut 6 (10) “…behind you”

The school district plans to use scanners and limit entrances for future football games.

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Despite some rain over Labor Day weekend, the Tiger Island wildfire, the state’s largest in history, is still active. We spoke with Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford who says progress continues but they’re not out of the woods yet.

Cut 7 (11) “…well-contained.”

The fire has burned over 31 thousand acres. Herford says crews are working to reinforce dozer lines around the town of Merryville to withstand any possible advancing fire. He says there are still a few active spots but the fire remains within the current footprint.

Cut 8 (10) “…this fire.”

The Southern Area Red Incident Team continues to mop up operations along LA 110 between Singer and Merryville.  Herford says more than 330 people are working to assist with the Tiger Island fire. He says this is an unprecedented situation and the statewide burn ban is still active.

Cut 9 (12)  “…dangerous situation.”

Authorities believe the Tiger Island fire is arson-related. The Louisiana Forestry Association is offering up to two thousand dollars to anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction. If you have information, call LDAF, Beauregard Parish Sheriff, or local law enforcement.

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State Transportation is looking for partners to build and maintain electric vehicle charging stations. DOTD Chief Maintenance Engineer Kevin Reed says 80 percent of the costs of the charging stations are funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the potential businesses will fund the remaining 20 percent.

Cut 10 (11) “…sites up.”

Louisiana is receiving $73 million from the IIJA. Reed says he expects to see more charging stations as a result of the grant program in Louisiana around this time next year.

Reed says an example of a business that would be interested in being part of the private-public partnership would be a truck stop or a gas station that has the infrastructure and wants to add EV charging stations.

Cut 11 (12) “…these grants”

Cost estimates for the charging stations per site range from $750,000 to a million. Reed says it takes a lot of utility upgrades in some cases for the extremely robust charging stations. Unlike plugging your car into a socket in your garage and charging your vehicle for 12 hours…

Cut 12 (05) “…twenty-minutes”

Currently in Louisiana, Reed says there’s not a large presence of EV charging stations, but the purpose of the grant is to build a national network of them to encourage more individuals to purchase alternative fuel vehicles.

For more information for those businesses who are interested in applying for the grants visit DOTD.la.gov

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West Monroe Football Coach Todd Garvin has been placed on administrative leave until further notice. KNOE TV Sports Director Aaron Dietrich says Principal Dan Lane made the decision after a player was hospitalized due to heat illness as he was apparently worked too hard during Monday’s practice…

Cut 13 (07) “…all the details.”

Dietrich says four players have been sent to the hospital suffering from heat exhaustion since Garvin took over in May…

Cut 14 (11) “…after practice”

The Ouachita Citizen reports the player that went the hospital on Monday was doing extra work because he missed practice the week before because of COVID.

Garvin is trying to bring West Monroe back to its glory years. Dietrich says the Rebels have won eight state championships, but none since 2011…

Cut 15 (11) “… play out”

Offensive coordinator Kevin Davis will serve as acting head coach. West Monroe beat Sterlington last Friday and will head to East Ascension this Friday.

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After getting beat 45-24 on Sunday night in Orlando, Coach Brian Kelly says they are re-assessing everything that includes the use of linebacker Harold Perkins. Perkins was an all-American as an outside linebacker last year, but he’s playing middle linebacker this season and only had five sacks on Sunday. Coach Brian Kelly says they want to do what’s best for Perkins and the team….

Cut 16 (22) “…and LSU”

There was a lot of talk in the preseason about Alabama transfer Aaron Anderson solving LSU’s punt return woes from a season ago. But Anderson muffed a punt in the first half against Florida State. Kelly says the former Edna Karr star will continue to return punts…

Cut 17 (19) “…squirt out”

LSU’s secondary had trouble keeping up with Florida State’s talented receivers. Kelly says his defensive backs could have played

Cut 18 (18) “…be there”

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ULM is looking to go 2-0 on the season this Saturday when they host Lamar out of the Southland Conference. The Warhawks rallied to beat Army 17-13 last Saturday in Malone Stadium. Coach Terry Bowden liked the fight he saw from his team

Cut 19 (14) “…our way”

ULM forced five turnovers in the victory. Last year the Warhawks were last in the Sun Belt in giving up 34 points a game. But Bowden knows his defense is better this year…

Cut 20 (14) “…off the track”