Governor John Bel Edwards traveled to Lake Charles to see for himself the damage wrought by a suspected EF-2 tornado that touched down on the city’s south side Wednesday; severely damaging more than two dozen homes and injuring two people. The Governor says, after two hurricanes just over a year ago, this disaster is especially trying…:

CUT 07(12)      “…to test anybody.”

The National Weather Service is collecting data to confirm the size and intensity of that twister.

After Lake Charles, the Governor boarded a jet for England and an economic development meeting with Drax Biomass in York. Then it’s on to Glasgow, Scotland for the U.N. Summit on Climate Change. He returns to Louisiana November 5^th.

Police in Bossier City say road rage led to a fatal shooting Wednesday night in the parking lot of Willis-Knighten Hospital. BCPD Lt. Bart Cavanagh says the suspect, Ramsey Akes, followed the victim, Cynthia Walker, into the lot and shot her several times. Cavanagh says Akes was angry over something that occurred in traffic elsewhere…:

CUT 05(07)      “…in this case.”

Akes is charged with 1^st Degree Murder. His bond is set at 275-thousand dollars.

A Louisiana energy industry leader is in the hospital; mourning the loss of his wife in a Wednesday traffic crash on I-12 in Tangipahoa Parish. State Police Trooper William Huggins says Louisiana Oil & Gas Association founder Don Briggs will recover, but 77-year-old Nannette Briggs was riding without a seat belt and did not survive. Huggins reminds us to make good choices when driving or riding the highways…:

CUT 14(11)      “…or death.”

An apparent fit of road rage leads to murder in Bossier City. BCPD Lt. Bart Cavanagh says they’ve arrested a 23-year-old man for following a woman into a hospital parking lot Wednesday night, and shooting her several times. The victim is 65-year-old Cynthia Walker. The alleged shooter is Ramsey Akes. Cavanagh says they’re still investigating, but it certainly looks like road rage..:

CUT 04  (09)        “…the shooting happened.”

Akes is being held pending $275-thousand bond.

Cops in Walker – in Livingston Parish -say they found a Nike brand tote bag and they hope to reunite it with the owner … and ask him or her why the bag contained over a hundred oxycodone tablets and nearly 50 grams of cocaine. Walker Police Captain John Sharp says it’s unlikely the bag’s owner will come forward, but stranger things HAVE happened…:

CUT 11  (08)        “….claim it.”

Many folks are recovering from yet another blow from Mother Nature in southwest Louisiana. Dasve Brannen reports Governor Edwards went to the scene today…:

CUT 02(36)      “…Brannen.”

The Louisiana State Senate has created a special committee to examine the alleged use of excessive force by State Police. This comes after body cam video was released of two roadside beatings of black men that happened in 2019 in LSP Troop F. One of those left a man dead. The panel will meet in early December.

More than two dozen homes suffered damage when an EF-2 tornado ripped through an area south of Lake Charles early yesterday afternoon. The storm left two people with minor injuries. Governor John Bel Edwards surveyed the area this morning…:

CUT 06(09)      “…from flying debris.”

Remember it’s been just a little over a year since Lake Charles was hit by two hurricanes.

A traffic accident Wednesday on Interstate 12 claims the life of the wife of Louisiana Oil and Gas Association founder Don Briggs. Briggs was sent to the hospital and is expected to recover. State Police Trooper Clay Huggins says it happened in Tangipahoa Parish, when Brigg’s SUV collided with a truck stopped in heavy traffic, then careened off the roadway and overturned…:

CUT 13(10)      “deceased at the scene.”

State Police are investigating the crash.

A suspected road rage incident Wednesday night leaves a 65-year old woman dead and a 23-year old man behind bars in Bossier City. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 01(34)      “…Thorington.”

The sex crimes trial of former St. Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain went abruptly into recess when a witness for the prosecution – one of Strain’s alleged victims – had an emotional outburst. The witness called Strain a coward and said he should admit his crimes. Strain is accused of molesting several young men both before and during his time as sheriff.

A good number of folks in southwest Louisiana are recovering from yet another blow from Mother Nature. Dave Brannen reports Governor Edwards was at the disaster scene earlier today…:

CUT 02  (36)        “…Brannen.”

After Lake Charles the Governor boarded a jet bound for England and a meeting with Drax Biomass in York … then he’s off to the U.N. Summit on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland. He’ll be returning to Louisiana November 5^th.

A federal grand jury indicts a Ruston man for threatening a member of Congress. We only know that the object of 38-year-old Chase Levi Thibodeaux’s ire is a female U.S. House member, and threat was allegedly made on October 12^th via social media. No trial date has been set. If convicted, Thibodeaux could face up to 5 years in federal lockup.

Bossier City cops say a road rage incident led to the shooting death of 65-year-old Cynthia Walker in the parking lot of Willis-Knighton Hospital Wednesday. Bossier City Police Lt Bart Cavanagh says it happened shortly after 7 pm and while two off-duty officers were in the parking lot…:

CUT 03  (11)        “…she passed away.”

23-year-old Ramsey Akes is the suspected shooter.

Police in Walker want to reunite a lost lunch bag with its owner. The reason? The bag contained over a hundred oxycodone tablets and almost 50 grams of cocaine. Walker PD Captain John Sharp says other details about the Nike brand bag are being kept under wraps so they assure they get the right owner…:

CUT 10  (06)        “…give us a call.”

The founder of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, Don Briggs, is hospitalized and his wife is dead after a car crash yesterday morning on I-12 in Tangipahoa Parish. State Police Trooper William Huggins says 77-year-old Nannette Briggs died at the scene from a collision with a truck that was stopped due to traffic congestion

Cut 12 (07) “…trailer”  

Bossier City police have charged Ramsey Akes with first-degree murder in connection with a road rage incident that led to the death of a woman early last night. It happened in the parking lot of the Willis-Knighton Hospital. The exact motive for the shooting that left 65-year-old Cynthia Walker dead is under investigation. Police Lt. Bart Cavanaugh says it appears the altercation began elsewhere:

Cut 5 (07) “…the case.”

The 23-year-old Akes is being held on a $275,000 bond.

More than two dozen homes suffered damage when an EF-2 tornado ripped through an area south of Lake Charles early yesterday afternoon. The storm left two people with minor injuries. Governor John Bel Edwards surveyed the area this morning and said of the twister.

Cut 8 (10) “..miles per hour.”

The National Weather Service is still assessing the damage from the storm to better pinpoint just how powerful it was and how many homes were impacted by the twister.

Walker Police are working hard to reunite a Nike lunch bag with its owner. The black and white bag was found among some debris on Florida Boulevard Wednesday and Walker Police Captain John Sharp says the bag just happen to have 120 oxycodone tablets in it.

Cut 9 (09) “…we provide.”

The insulated lunch bag also contains nearly 50 grams of cocaine and a few other items.

There are people in the Lake Charles area once again cleaning up after a weather event. National Weather Service meteorologist Johnathan Brazzell says yesterday’s severe weather produced a tornado in southwest Louisiana…
cut 14 (12) “….solid tornado”
Governor John Bel Edwards visited the damage this morning. Edwards says he’s relieved no one was killed, but this area endured two major hurricanes last year, a winter storm in February and a flash flood in May…
cut 7 (12) “…anybody”
Edwards is now on his way to Scotland as he’s leading a Louisiana delegation that’s attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

A suspected road rage incident Wednesday night leaves a 65-year old woman dead and a 23-year old man behind bars in Bossier City.
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

More than two dozen homes suffered damage when an EF-2 tornado ripped through an area south of Lake Charles yesterday afternoon. The storm left two people with minor injuries. Governor John Bel Edwards surveyed the area this morning.

Cut 6 (09) “..from flying debris” 

Sustained winds from the twister are believed to have peaked at 130 miles per hour, tearing down trees and power lines and cutting electricity to 75-hundred Entergy customers.

A suspected road rage incident led to the death of a 65-year-old woman who was shot several times in the parking lot of Willis-Knighton hospital Wednesday. The suspect is a 23-year Rasmey Akes and Bossier City Police Lt Bart Cavanagh says they are still investigating what motivated the shooting.

Cut 4 (09) “…shooting happened.”

Akes is charged with first-degree murder.

The 115^th State Fair of Louisiana opens today in Shreveport. Kevin Gallagher has more.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

Walker Police are trying to reunite a Nike bag with its owner. They say the black and white insulated lunch bag contained nearly 50 grams of cocaine and 120 oxycodone tablets. Walker Police say the owner should “just do it” and pay them a visit at their new location in the old City Hall building.

Once again there are folks in Lake Charles dealing with storm damage. National Weather Service meteorologist Johnathan Brazzell says a squall line produced wind damage in Beauregard, Cameron and Calcasieu parishes…
cut 13 (09) “….E-F 2 greater”
There are no reports of any major injuries. Governor John Bel Edwards surveyed the storm damage this morning and we’ll hear from him in future newscasts.

Edwards will head to Scotland later today where he’ll attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference which begins Sunday. Edwards says there’s no other state in the country that’s impacted more from climate change which, he says is why a delegation from Louisiana needs to be there…
cut 8 (11) “….and CPRA”

Cops say a possible road rage incident led to the death of a 65-year-old woman who was shot in the parking lot of Willis-Knighton hospital. The suspect is a 23-year old man and Bossier City Police Lt Bart Cavanagh says it happened shortly after seven last night and two off-duty officers were in the parking lot.
Cut 3 (12) “….passed away.”
The suspect Ramsey Akes is charged with first-degree murder.

The Louisiana Department of Education is launching an initiative to get parents and families more involved in student outcomes. Dr. Antiqua Hunter with the LDOE says the “Be Engaged Initiative” involves the app, PimsPoints, that’s used to track points earned while involved with a child’s education.
Cut 4 (08) “…into the system.”
Those coupons could be discounts at local restaurants. The app is available for download on November 15th.

The cold front has made its way through the state but not before damaging homes. Lake Charles National Weather Service meteorologist Johnathan Brazzell says it was an EF-2 or greater that destroyed some homes in that area of the state Wednesday afternoon.  As cold fronts begin to make their way into the state this time of year, they can easily spawn tornadoes.

Cut 15 (11)  “…quite a bit.”

After touring damage in Lake Charles this morning Governor Edwards is headed to Scotland to take part in the International Climate Change Summit. Edwards says he wants the state to learn more about climate change and new technology aimed at reducing our carbon footprint.

Cut 9 (08)  “…as well.”

Edwards created a task force last year aimed at reducing carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050.

The Louisiana Department of Education is launching the “Be Engaged Initiative” next month with the goal of getting parents and others more involved in a student’s education outside the classroom.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Dave Brannen.”

A 65-year-old woman was killed outside of Willis-Knighton hospital Wednesday night following what police say was an altercation in the parking lot with a 23-year old male. Bossier City Police say the suspect Ramsey Akes is charged with first-degree murder and is being held on a $275,000 bond. The woman was shot several time, and police believe road rage may have been a facto