Governor Edwards addressed his GOP gubernatorial opponent’s plan to freeze Medicaid enrollment if elected.  Edwards says Eddie Rispone’s plan will rip away healthcare from more than 300,000 people, with seasonal workers who see pay fluctuations feeling the biggest impact.
Cut 9 (12) “…has been frozen.”
Rispone’s campaign responded calling Edwards address a political stunt and says the expansion is unstable and full of waste.

There’s controversy in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race as one of the candidates was reportedly offered help winning a future judgeship in exchange for dropping out. Franklin Foil and Steve Carter are in tie for second. Republican mega-donor Lane Grigsby allegedly tried to get Foil to drop out by calling the seat’s term-limited incumbent. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says it’s a rare look at how the sausage gets made in Baton Rouge.

Cut 5 (10) “…newspaper.”

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly move to the northeast. National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says this mid-October storm is not expected to have a major impact on Louisiana…

Cut 8 (11) “…this storm”

LED will invest $3.6 million in an infrastructure project in Madison Parish Port so a natural gas pipeline can be expanded and attract new industries to the state. LED’s contributions along with $4 million from Complex Chemical and a half a million from the Port will provide installation of a pipeline double the capacity as previously planned. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says initially only one company was going to benefit now it’s going to be ten.

Cut 12 (12) “…port facilty” 

GOP mega-donor Lane Grigsby reportedly offers one of two tied Republicans in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race help winning another office if he drops out. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says Grigsby reportedly called the seat’s term limited incumbent Dan Claitor, asking him to pass along the offer. Ballard says Claitor was concerned the offer was illegal and didn’t pass it along.

Cut 4 (09) “similar”

A hand recount is scheduled for today.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and quickly move towards the Florida panhandle. But National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says areas south of Lake Pontchartrain could see some effects…

Cut 7 (10) “…tropical storm force.”

St Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl that was left in a vehicle, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle.  Legal analyst Chick Foret says the aunt has a defense that can be presented in that the death was an accident.

Cut 11 (06) “…have to make.”

The University of Alabama freshman who allegedly called in a bomb threat during the LSU-Florida game was booked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Wednesday. Conner Croll is charged with one count of communication of false information of a planned bombing on school property. His bond is set at $100-thousand.

Here’s a look at today’s commodity prices

An economic impact study shows planned sediment diversions will be a significant boon to local economies in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I”m Matt Doyle”

State Police arrested four juveniles Wednesday afternoon in Shreveport after the car they were traveling in was reported stolen from Monroe. After they pulled over the 2013 Mercedes the teens fled on foot.  Inside the vehicle was more than one-hundred thousand dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise. All four were booked into the Shreveport Juvenile Justice Center.

There’s controversy in a tied Baton Rouge Senate race as one of the candidates was allegedly offered help winning a future judgeship in exchange for dropping out. Franklin Foil and Steve Carter are in a 12,522 vote tie for second. The Advocate’s Mark Ballard says Republican mega-donor Lane Grigsby tried to get Foil to drop out by calling the seat’s term-limited incumbent…

Cut 3 (10) “…race”

A hand recount of paper ballots will be held today

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for a portion of coastal southeast Louisiana as Nestor is expected to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and quickly move to the northeast. National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson says they are not expecting this developing storm to ramp up into a hurricane

Cut 6 (11) “…their separate ways.”

Nestor is expected to form in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and race towards the Florida panhandle

A new set of classes available to high school students may sway them toward pursuing a career in education.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The 19-year old University of Alabama freshman who allegedly called in a bomb threat during the LSU-Florida game was booked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Wednesday. Conner Croll is charged with one count of communication of false information of a planned bombing on school property. His bond is $100,000. Croll reportedly admitted he called in the threat because a friend was about to lose a large bet.

A report says coastal southeastern parishes could see significant economic benefits from the planned construction of the mid-Barataria and mid-Breton sediment diversion projects. Restore the Mississippi Delta Director Steve Cochran says the two projects will cost 1.8 billion dollars to complete. Cochran says they’re substantial investments, the likes of which we haven’t seen in this state in half a century.

Cut 5 (10) “…iceberg.”

St Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl that was left in a vehicle, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle following a shopping trip.  Legal analyst Chick Foret says it is usually not an easy decision for a prosecutor to charge a guardian.

Cut 10 (05) “…of the law”

Engineers from around the country are in New Orleans trying to figure out the safest way to bring down two damaged cranes attached to the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel. New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell…
cut 9 (11) “….some kind”
McConnell says they need to find an answer quick because tropical weather could arrive in southeast Louisiana this weekend.

48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan is facing a negligent homicide charge in the death of her two-year-old niece who was left in a hot car for about six hours after a shopping trip. The child’s grandmother also went on the trip but is not facing charges. Legal analyst Chick Foret says this will be a tough case for the jury….
cut 12 (11) “….not guilty”

A new report says parishes in southeast Louisiana would see significant economic benefits during the construction of two recommended Mississippi River diversion projects. The study says the projects will generate three billion dollars in regional sales and support 4,000 new jobs. Restore the Mississippi Delta Campaign Director Steve Cochran says it’s a win-win.
Cut 4 (10) “…as well”
Residents will see an 809 million dollar increase in earnings across Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes as a result.

High school students interested in pursuing a career in the education field can now take a special progression of courses focused on building the skills needed for the job. Assistant Superintendent of Education Ken Bradford says students can take collegiate level teacher prep classes.
Cut 13 (10) “…of Louisiana Monroe.”

Engineers are racing to bring down damaged cranes attached to the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans before the possible arrival of a tropical system. Governor Edwards says he’ll hold a unified command group meeting at 1 o’clock to figure out what to do about the two cranes close to collapsing.
Cut 7 (07) “…weekend.”
Search and rescue operations have ceased, and the final death toll from the collapse is three.

A new study shows that the construction of Mississippi River Sediment Diversions will increase regional sales in southeast Louisiana by three-billion dollars and support nearly four-thousand jobs over seven years. Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign Director Steve Cochran says the diversions will provide real economic opportunities and protect the region from flooding…
cut 6 (10) “…further north”

A 2-year-old girl is dead after being left in a hot car and her aunt is charged with negligent homicide. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement say a detainee committed suicide at the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, which is one of several prisons in Louisiana housing immigrants seeking asylum. 43-year-old Roylan Hernandez Diaz of Cuba was taken into custody by the U-S government at a border bridge in El Paso, Texas.

The National Hurricane Center says there’s a high likelihood we’ll soon see a tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. A broad area of low pressure is expected to move off the Mexican coast and move towards the northern and northeastern Gulf Coast. Locally heavy rainfall is possible with this system, which is a concern for those in New Orleans trying to deal with the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel construction site. New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says two damaged cranes are vulnerable and they want to take those cranes down, before strong winds and heavy rain arrive…
cut 8 (10) “…that”
McConnell says they have engineers on-site from around the country working out the best way to bring the cranes down.

We are learning more about the arrest of a 17-year-old high school student in Lafayette who has been accused of attempting to poision another student. Police records say sodium hydroxide was put into a student’s drink, which is the main ingredient in Drano.

St. Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl who died in a hot vehicle earlier this month, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought the child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle following a shopping trip. Legal analyst Chick Foret says it is usually not an easy decision for a prosecutor to charge a guardian.
Cut 10 (05) “…of the law”

A new set of classes available to high school students may sway them toward pursuing a career in education. Kevin Barnhart has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A 48-year-old Destrehan woman is facing a negligent homicide charge after she left her two-year-old niece in a hot car earlier this month for about six hours. St. Charles Parish deputies say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan failed to take the child out of a vehicle after returning from the store with the infant’s grandmother. Legal Analyst Chick Foret…
cut 11 (06) “….have to make”
Foret says there’s a good chance a jury would not find Sanabria guilty of negligent homicide if the case goes to trial.
The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved a new training pathway for high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in education. Assistant Superintendent of Students Opportunities with the Department of Education Ken Bradford hopes this will help elevate the teaching as a career option…
cut 15 (06) “…. 21st-century eductors”

Bradford says these students will also spend 30 to 40 hours observing and spending time as a classroom assistant so they can learn more about K-12 teaching.
An economic impact study shows planned sediment diversions will be a significant boon to local economies in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I”m Matt Doyle”

An economic impact study shows planned sediment diversions will be a significant boon to local economies in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I”m Matt Doyle”

_____________________________

A 2-year-old girl is dead after being left in a car and her aunt is charged with negligent homicide. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

________________________

A new set of classes available to high school students may sway them toward pursuing a career in education. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________

A report says coastal southeastern parishes could see significant economic benefits from the planned construction of the mid-Barataria and mid-Breton sediment diversion projects.

The study, by Dr. Loren Scott and Associates, says the projects will generate three billion dollars in regional sales and support 4,000 new jobs. Restore the Mississippi Delta Director Steve Cochran says it’s a win-win.

Cut 4 (10) “…as well”

Residents will see an 809 million dollar increase in earnings across Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Orleans, and Jefferson Parishes as a result.

The two projects will cost 1.8 billion dollars to complete. Cochran says they’re substantial investments, the likes of which we haven’t seen in this state in half a century.

Cut 5 (10) “…iceberg.”

Cochran says the economic benefits are plus, but first and foremost the projects are an investment in making sure south Louisiana remains in existence…

Cut 6 (10) “…north”

The study looked at the economic impact of the projects from 2021 to 2027, the years in which they will be built.

____________________

New Orleans officials are racing against the clock to bring down damaged cranes attached to the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel before the possible arrival of a tropical system this weekend.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s meeting with his modified unified command group in New Orleans at 1 o’clock to figure out what to do about the two cranes that are dangerously close to collapsing.

Cut 7 (07) “…weekend.” 

New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says if they can’t get the cranes down in time, the heavy winds and rains from the system could send them careening into nearby structures.

Cut 8 (10) “…that.”

McConnell says they have engineers on-site from around the country working out the best way to bring the cranes down without damaging nearby buildings like the historic Saenger Theatre.

Cut 9 (11)  “…some kind”

Search and rescue operations have ceased, and the final official death toll from the collapse sits at three. Authorities say they have now moved into recovery mode and hope to discover two missing bodies.

______________________________

St Charles Parish deputies arrest the aunt of a 2-year-old girl that was left in a vehicle, charging her with negligent homicide. Detectives say 48-year-old Lezly Sanabria of Destrehan told them she thought child’s grandmother took the girl out of the vehicle following a shopping trip.  Legal analyst Chick Foret says it is usually not an easy decision for a prosecutor to charge a guardian.

Cut 10 (05) “…of the law”

Sanabria was arrested Wednesday and transported to the Nelson Coleman Correctional Center.  Foret says the aunt has a defense that can be presented in that the death was an accident.

Cut 11 (06) “…have to make.”

Foret says a jury might show leniency toward Sanabria upon the case making it to trial.

Cut 12 (11) “…her not guilty.” 

Authorities say the child was left in the car for six hours on October 4th, when the temp reached 97 and a triple-digit heat index outside of the vehicle.

__________________________________________

High school students who are interested in pursuing a career in the education field can now take a special progression of courses focused on building the skills needed for the job.  Assistant Superintendent of Student Opportunities with the Department of Education Ken Bradford says students can take classes that are a part of collegiate level teacher prep programs.

Cut 13 (10) “…of Louisiana Monroe.”

Bradford says the courses don’t just prep students for a career as a teacher.

Cut 14 (09) “…be professional tutors.” 

Bradford hopes the pre-education pathway will elevate education profession as a career option.

Cut 15 (06) “…21^st century educators.”

_____________________________________

The Ragin Cajuns face the Arkansas State Red Wolves tonight in a battle between two teams in the Sun Belt Conference. Arkansas State lost its starting quarterback a few weeks ago to a broken hand, but U-L Lafayette Coach Billy Napier says his back-up Layne Hatcher has played well

Cut 16  (14) “…on offense” 

U-L Lafayette’s defensive secondary will have its hands full with Red Wolves receiver Omar Bayless, who is averaging 19 yards a catch and has caught 10 touchdown passes on the season. Napier says Kirk Merritt is also a talented receiver

cut 17  (17) “…for a long time” 

____________________________________________

LSU will travel to Mississippi State looking to avoid a let down after a big win against Florida. Tigers Quarterback Joe Burrow says last week’s performance against the Gators was their best to date on offense…

Cut 18 (15)  play that way” 

Burrow says it’s been fun playing in this record-breaking LSU offense…

cut 19 (16)   “for us”   

An area of low pressure just off the southern Mexican coast has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression and possibly a storm according to the National Hurricane Center. National Weather Service Slidell Meteorologist Michael Hill says forecasts show the system moving away from Mexico, and heading towards the central Gulf coast this weekend.

Cut 3 (09) “…will go”

And Hill says depending on which way the storm tilts over the next two days, we could be looking at a very wet weekend

A woman is arrested in Breaux Bridge for impersonating a police officer. 48-year-old Christina Macdonald is accused of initiating a traffic stop.  Assistant Police Chief Terry Latiolais says the suspect flashed a badge to encourage another driver to pull over.

Cut 6 (11) “…their separate ways.”

At the Hard Rock Hotel collapse site, today is day five and likely the last day of rescue mode operations.  New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says they have not had a detection of life since Sunday morning from any of the dogs searching the rubble.

Cut 9 (11) “…mode to recovery.”

McConnell says the transition to recovery mode means reducing the risk to responders take at the site as a further collapse is likely.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office has charged a 71-year-old Alexandria man with two counts of first-degree murder for the 1989 deaths of his wife and her friend. Lt Stephen Phillips says Robert Blair was responsible for the disappearances of 34-year-old Isabelle Blair and 31-year-old Marian Coutee after finding a vehicle in a pond on a piece of property that once belonged to Robert Blair…

Cut 12 (10) “…the victims”