A Mangham Police Officer is recovering after he was shot during a traffic stop on Saturday night. State Police Trooper Michael Reichardt says 27-year-old Hermandus Semien of Ville Platte shot the officer after stealing a vehicle and robbing a pharmacy in Rayville. Semien faces several charges including attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. Reichardt says the officer will survive after getting shot in the stomach…

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Louisiana has seen record numbers of early voter turnout so far for the Presidential Election. JMC Analytics publisher John Couvillon says anecdotes of voters waiting in long lines to cast an early ballot are strongly supported by the data.

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Early voting ends Oct 27^th.

Stress levels are unusually high in the state, we’re seven months in a pandemic, recovering from two hurricanes and in the midst of a heated election. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter the state has a free and confidential 24-hour Keep Calm Hotline to help and even if you don’t feel you need the help, it could be vital for someone you know who is going through a hard time.

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The number is 1-800-310-7977 or a text line, type “reach out” to 741-741.

The Louisiana Department of Health is offering free flu shots around the state with drive-up clinics. LDH flu expert Dr. Frank Welch says last year in Louisiana there were over 15-thousand hospitalizations for the flu alone and it’s even more important to get vaccinated now.

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For a list of free flue clinic sites and locations visit the LDH website

A Mangham Police Officer is recovering after he was shot during a traffic stop on Saturday night. State Police Trooper Michael Reichardt says 27-year-old Hermandus Semien of Ville Platte shot the officer after stealing a vehicle and robbing a pharmacy in Rayville earlier in the day

Cut 3 (07)  “…Franklin Parish”  

Semien faces several charges including attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. Reichardt says the officer will survive after getting shot in the stomach.

The Louisiana Department of Health wants you to roll up your sleeve and get your annual flu shot, especially this year, to reduce the strain on the healthcare system. LDH flu expert Dr. Frank Welch says they are offering free flu shot clinics at locations around the state but this year the process is different.

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Stress levels are high in Louisiana as we’re seven months into a pandemic, recovering from two hurricanes, and in the middle of a heated election. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says there are free resources available to Louisiana residents who need help. He says if you’re feeling stressed call the 24-hour Keep Calm Hotline.

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The number is 1-800-310-7977.

You can get COVID-19 twice. LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine Doctor Najy Masri says he treated a nurse who tested positive, got sick, recovered, and then seven weeks later came back with symptoms and tested positive again. Masri says this is one of a few documented examples of reinfection. So, he says if you’ve had COVID, don’t act like you’re invulnerable…
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If you’ve had COVID but have recovered, there are documented cases of people getting the virus again. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Louisiana reported eleven-hundred new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday for the weekend. The statewide total has reached 175-thousand. The health department is also reporting 23 more deaths for a total of 5,550. Hospitalizations fell by seven to 550 and ventilator use remained at 60.

Early voting continues today and voters will find seven constitutional amendments on the ballot. Amendment One deals with abortion and an effort by pro-life supporters to make sure the state constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion if Roe Versus Wade gets overturned. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says the amendment also does one other thing…
cut 6 (06) “…some effect”

The state health department is holding drive-thru flu shot clinics in the towns of Bunkie. Jena, Colfax, Leesville, and Winfield this week. L-D-H flu expert Doctor Frank Welch says with a COVID-19 vaccination possible in 2021, holding a drive-up clinic for the flu is a test run…
cut 8 (10) “…in the future”

You can get COVID-19 twice. LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinial Medicine Doctor Najy Masri says he treated a nurse who tested positive, got sick, recovered, tested negative, and then seven weeks later came back with symptoms and tested positive again. Masri says this is one of a few documented examples of second infection of COVID-19 worldwide. So he says if you’ve had COVID, don’t act like you’re invulnerable…
Cut 14 (10) “…exists”

There are seven constitutional amendments on the November 3rd ballot and Amendment one asks voters if they support an amendment that the right to an abortion and the funding of abortion shall not be found in the Louisiana Constitution. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott…
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For more information on the constitutional amendments go to the Public Affairs Research Council’s website.

It’s a stressful time to be alive and Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter has a message for anyone struggling to deal with the pressure…
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Tropical Depression 27 has formed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s no threat to the Gulf of Mexico, but if it becomes a named storm, it will tie the record for most named storms in a season at 27, which was set in 2005.

And the Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reports the Saints will play Carolina in the Superdome on Sunday. There have been talks about moving Saints home games to LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Fans are not allowed in the Superdome.

There have been cases worldwide where people test positive for the virus, recover and test positive again weeks later. LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine Doctor Najy Masri says the reality of reinfection will have an impact on vaccine development. So that might mean the need for a booster shot and the other possibility is…
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Stress levels are high as we’re seven months into a pandemic, plus recovering from two hurricanes and in the middle of a heated election. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter has a message for those struggling to cope
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The state has a 24-hour Keep Calm Hotline, 1-800-310-7977.

Early voting continues today at 8 PM at your parish registrar of voters’ office or other designated locations. The ballot has seven constitutional amendments. Amendment One asks voters if the state constitution should protect a person’s right to an abortion. Brooke Thorington has more…
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You can go to the Public Affairs Research Council website for a complete explanation of the seven amendments and the proposition on sports betting. PAR provides a non-partisan view of each amendment.

There have been cases worldwide of people getting infected by COVID-19, recovering, and then testing positive again weeks later. LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine Doctor Najy Masri says there are two possibilities on how some people get the virus twice…
cut 13 (07) “….issue”
Masri says for people who had COVID-19, they should not act like they are completely immune to the virus.

COVID-19, job losses, two hurricanes, and a tense Presidential election season is resulting in higher stress levels for many. Assistant State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says the state has a 24-hour Keep Calm Hotline…
cut 11 (12) “….somewhere”
The hotline number is 1-800-310-7977.

Early voting continues today and there are seven Constitutional Amendments on the ballot. Amendment One asks voters if they support an amendment declaring that to protect human life, a right to abortion and the funding of abortion shall not be found in the Louisiana Constitution. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says the amendment would have no immediate effect but would limit any future state judicial interpretation that might otherwise find a right to abortion…
cut 5 (13) “….process section”
A vote against the measure would result in no specific language in the state constitution on abortion.

Lawmakers are catching some heat for including 22 million dollars of funding for a series of 113 local projects in a supplemental budget bill that’s headed to the Governor’s desk.

Critics like Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott say things like refurbishing a lighthouse, park beautification, and sports complex construction can wait until after the state’s pandemic budget woes end…

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House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue disagrees saying that money covered a lot of crucial items like funding for public defenders and more…

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Governor Edwards indicated he may line-item veto expenditures he finds questionable.

Last year lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment for this year’s November ballot, one covering the topic of abortion.

That amendment will be the first on the ballot this year, and asks voters to decide whether or not there should be a right to an abortion, or funding for abortions in Louisiana. Scott says this would mostly kick in should Roe vs. Wade be overturned by the US Supreme Court.

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Again that is amendment number one on your November 3rd ballot. 

This afternoon Senate Education will meet and among other topics take up legislation inspired by the suspension of a Jefferson parish 4^th grader who had a BB gun in the frame of his web camera during class. That bill would create an appeals process for some school discipline issues and flew through the House last week with little to no opposition.

Early voting has begun in Louisiana at select locations. Early voting stations are open 8 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday. The lines may look long when you show up, and the pandemic has slowed down the process a good bit and keep in mind you need to wear a mask while in line or you could get an earful like this voter did yesterday at the State Archives Building in Baton Rouge…

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Senator Bill Cassidy and Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins tied in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race, but UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says Cassidy’s warchest is much bigger and Perkins only reports having 680,000 on hand…

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Cassidy reported having $4.57 million on hand as of September 30^th, greatly outspending his opponents.

There’s some controversy over 22 million dollars for 113 projects approved in a supplemental budget bill by the Legislature. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott blasted it as old-school pet project legislation that covers items like lighthouse refurbishment, park beautification, and sports complex construction at a time when the state budget has been crushed by COVID…

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House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

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Zeringue also highlighted the bill sends millions of dollars in funding to various entities to help them pay for their COVID response, and three million dollars to help address public defenders’ current budget woes.

Voters were lined up around the side of the State Archives Building for the first day of early voting Friday and many are lining up again today to cast an early ballot for the November 3^rd election. It’s a bit chilly out but these voters say don’t let the cold keep you from voting…

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Early voting ends October 27th and is available at select locations Monday through Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM.

LSU Student Body President Stone Cox asks the administration to implement mandatory monthly COVID testing so that the school could move into Phase Three of the reopening.

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Cox says this would allow for student organizations to hold larger events.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, ties Senator Bill Cassidy in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race. UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pearson Cross says it’s an uphill battle for Perkins, but if he can force Cassidy into a run-off, it greatly increases his chances of more campaign contributions.

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Overall Cassidy’s warchest is still much larger.

State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects. The Public Affairs Research Council has labeled the 22 million “pet-projects” and the Governor has indicated he may use his line-item veto authority on some of the expenditures but House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says there are quite a few vital projects on that list…

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State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contains funding for lighthouse improvements in Madisonville, construction of a sports complex in Central, and other small-ticket items. Public Affairs Research Council head Robert Travis Scott says it’s disappointing…

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Other items included $500,000 for the Louisiana Leadership Institute, $639,000 for fire hydrants in Assumption Parish, and $500,000 for Opelousas parks.

The bill passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House on a near-unanimous vote despite some concerns that lawmakers had no idea what was in the legislation. House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

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LSU Student Body President Stone Cox sent a letter to Interim President Thomas Galligan, suggesting monthly COVID-19 testing for all students in order to move into Phase Three.

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41-year-old Kendrick Myles of Baton Rouge has been charged with 1st-degree murder and other offenses after an alleged spree of crimes that began with the kidnapping of a nine-year-old who was reportedly Myles nephew and at one point involved the shooting of a two-year-old who later died at a hospital.