The governor’s office says the state has now saved over 12-million dollars from the 2017 criminal justice reform package approved by the state legislature. Louisiana Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc says the savings are being reinvested into programs to reduce recidivism…
cut 15 (07) “….these reform efforts”
Louisiana’s prison population continues to decline, from a peak just shy of 40-thousand at the end of 2012 to 32-thousand inmates at the end of 2018.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers began the long process today of closing the Bonnet Carre Spillway. Once closed, it would stop redirecting Mississippi River water into Lake Pontchartrain. Corps spokesman Matt Roe says they will close 10 of the 168 bys currently open and hope to have all of them completed by the first week in August…
cut 8 (03) “…everything’s good.
A recent study by Project Know finds that nearly 29-percent of Louisiana high school students admitted to using illegal drugs on school grounds. American Addiction Centers Researcher Ruchi Dhani says…
Cut 14 (11) “…percent”
The study looked at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2017.

LSU Ag Center sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois says sugarcane farmers dodged a bullet from Hurricane Barry. Gravois says the storm produced three to 14 inches of rain across the sugarcane belt, but there were only pockets flooding and storm surge tha needed attention…
cut 10 (06) “…worst of it”
Gravois says they are still on pace to haul in a near-record sugarcane harvest this fall.

The US Army Corps of Engineers announces they have begun closure of the Bonnet Carre Spillway. The environmental effects of opening has resulted in a negative impact for the seafood industry in St. Bernard Parish as well as shuttering Mississippi beaches. Corps spokesperson Matt Roe says the process on the closure began this morning.

Cut 7 (04) “…bays each day.”

This year marks the first time the spillway has had to be opened twice in one year.

A study by Project Know shows Louisiana high schoolers consume alcohol and injectable drugs at the highest rate in the nation. American Addiction Centers Researcher Ruchi Dhani says eight percent of high schoolers admitted to injecting, and the state as a whole has some of the worst drug use rates in the nation…

Cut 13 (09) “…Louisiana”

And those adult drug use numbers effect the next generation, where young people who have addicted parents are more than four times more likely to become addicted themselves.

LSU believes it has set the standard with its renovated football operations building that includes a new training room, players lounge, cafeteria and locker room. Equipment manager Greg Stringfellow says each player’s locker features a pod as a chair that folds out into a bed, allowing a player to take a nap

Cut 3 (11) “…resting.”

The 23-million project also includes a new performance nutrition center.

The state’s sugarcane crop appears to be on track for another successful harvest, despite the impact of Hurricane Barry that delivered anywhere from three to fourteen inches of rain to areas across the sugarcane belt. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois says despite the gloomy forecast prior to the storm, the state did okay.

Cut 9 (09) “…standing back up.”

The US Army Corps of Engineers announces they have begun closure of the Bonnet Carre Spillway.  This year marks the first time the spillway has had to be opened twice in one year, but Corps spokesperson Matt Roe says the river is finally starting to go down.

Cut 6 (06) “…of the workers.”

The opening has resulted in mass toxic algae blooms.

A study by Project Know shows Louisiana high schoolers consume alcohol and injectable drugs at the highest rate in the nation. American Addiction Centers Researcher Ruchi Dhani says the national average for alcohol use is 28 percent, but Louisiana topped the list at 34 percent, and led in another concerning category as well.

Cut 12 (11) “…percent.”

Louisiana’s high school rate of marijuana use was about average at 18.8 percent.

LSU has opened its doors to a newly constructed football operations center that features a place where players can take a nap in front of their locker. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Gretna Police Officer Charlie Rispoli is at the center of a now national controversy over a facebook post about New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The post states “This vile idiot needs a round, and I don’t mean the kind she used to serve”, referencing the Congresswoman’s previous employment as a bartender. Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson responded, saying this will not go unchecked.

Louisiana casino revenues are down 10 percent year to year and industry experts are warning gaming may be shrinking in Louisiana…

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

The Army Corps of Engineers announces they have begun closure of portions of the Bonnet Carre Spillway this morning.  This year marks the first time the spillway has had to be opened twice in one year, with the current opening lasting 74 days.  The environmental effects of opening has resulted in a negative impact for the seafood industry in St. Bernard Parish as well as shuttering Mississippi beaches.

Louisiana’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.3 percent in June, down .7 percent from the same time last year. Louisiana’s unemployment rate is it’s lowest since January 2008.  Louisiana Workforce Commission Chief Economist Ali Bustamante says New Orleans powered the state’s above national average performance in June, adding 1,600 jobs, the only metro area in the state to add jobs during that period.
Cut 5  (11) “… right now.” 
The city has added 8,800 jobs year to year, followed by Lafayette at 1,500 and Lake Charles at 1,100.

Louisiana’s Justice Reinvestment Reforms 2019 Annual Performance Report indicates the state has saved more than $12 million from criminal justice reform, twice the anticipated savings. Secretary of the Department of Corrections James LeBlanc says the total prison population has fallen from around 40-thousand at its peak at the end of 2012.

Cut 14 (08) “…had in 2012.”

Louisiana’s riverboat casinos report a 10-percent decline in revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30th. Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Jones says legal sports betting in Mississippi and the growth of indian casinos in Okalhoma are drawing customers away…
cut 8 (10) “….kicked”
Seven casinos saw a 10 percent or more decline in revenue.

Louisiana’s latest employment report finds that Houma has lost the most jobs out of any market, with 29-hundred fewer jobs since June 2018. Louisiana Workforce Commission Chief Economist Ali bustamante…
cut 6 (10) “…compeititive”
Shreveport is down 2,400 jobs year to year, and Baton Rouge is down 1,700.

Republican U-S Representative Clay Higgins of St. Landry Parish was among a bipartisan group of Congressmen who visted a Southern border detention center in McAllen, Texas. Higgins says the U-S has the most generous immigration system anywhere
Cut 12 (13) “…and Chuck Schumer.”
Higgins says the facilities are at overcapacity, but they are trying to process these children of God in a very humane manner.

Louisiana’s annual performance report on the criminal justice reform package approved in 2017 finds it has saved the state over 12-million dollars, twice the anticipated savings. Department of Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc…
cut 13 (08) “…would be today.”
Leblanc says they are reinvesting the savings into programs that help to reduce recidivism.

Louisiana’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.3 percent in June, down .7 percent from the same time last year. Louisiana’s unemployment rate is it’s lowest since January 2008. Louisiana Workforce Commission Chief Economist Ali Bustamante says the state gained 300 jobs from May to June, which is better than most places in the US during the same period.
Cut 4 (10) “…direction.”
Healthcare and social assistance, which added 1,200 jobs from the previous month, and 9,400 jobs over the year.

The governor’s office says the state has now saved over 12-million dollars from the 2017 criminal justice reform package approved by the state legislature. Louisiana Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc says the savings are being reinvested into programs to reduce recidivism…
cut 15 (07) “….these reform efforts”

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins visited McAllen, Texas, late last week where US Customs and Border Protection agents process immigrants coming across the border from Mexico. Higgins says if compassionate law enforcement is the goal in America, no one is doing it better than those at the southern border.
Cut 10 (11) “…broken a law.”
Higgins is the Republican leader of the Homeland Security subcommittee.

Louisiana’s riverboat casinos report a 10-percent decline in revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30th. Seven casinos saw 10 percent or more declines in revenue year to year, but the Belle of Baton Rouge posted the most shocking decline, at 43 percent. Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Jones says the owner is trying to get out…
Cut 9 (11) “…yet”

Louisiana casinos have seen substantial declines in revenue in the last year, leading casino advocates to sound the alarm that the state’s gaming industry is shrinking. Shreveport casinos are down 11.6 percent, Lake Charles 10 percent, New Orleans five percent, and Baton Rouge 13 percent. Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Jones…
Cut 7 (11) “…operate”
Jones says gaming revenue now exceeds oil and gas revenue in funding the state.

The governor’s office says the state’s prison population continues to decline…
cut 14 (08) “…had in 2012”
That’s Corrections Secretary James Leblanc who says Louisiana no longer has the highest imprisonment rate in the nation.

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins scoped out border security operations in McAllen, Texas. Kevin Barnhart has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Franklin Parish Sheriff deputies are trying to find the person responsible for the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old woman at a birthday party. Waneshia Bush died from her injuries at a local hospital yesterday morning. Sheriff Kevin Cobb says he expects multiple arrests and adds that the victim was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Louisiana’s annual performance report on the criminal justice reform package approved in 2017 finds it has saved the state over 12-million dollars, twice the anticipated savings. Department of Corrections Secretary James LeBlanc…
Cut 13 (08) “…would be today.”
Leblanc says they are reinvesting the savings into programs that help to reduce recidivism.

Congressman Clay Higgins was among a bipartisan delegation that toured a facility in McAllen, Texas that processes immigrants coming across the U-S Mexico border. The Republican from St. Landry Parish says after seeing first-hand how the operations at the border work, he believes many media outlets are casting the treatment of immigrants in the wrong light…
Cut 11 (10) “…totally false, man.”
Higgins says the immigrants are being handled as compassionately as possible.

The national unemployment rate rose slightly in June, but Louisiana is on the decline, powered by a robust job market in New Orleans. Matt Doyle has more.
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

Governor Edwards holds a ceremonial bill signing for “Katie Bug’s Law.” It requires drug testing of all drivers involved in crashes that result in serious injury. Bossier City Senator Ryan Gatti says the bill is named for 4-year-old Katie Grantham who died in the days following a wreck in 2017.

Cut 3 (12) “…he was incapacitated.”

The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash that killed Katie only pleaded guilty to running a red light.

Baton Rouge Chef Jay Ducote is victorious over a world-renowned chef, after an appearance on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay. The program lets local chefs challenge Flay to a dish of their choice and both sides have 45 minutes to cook it. Ducote, says he got the idea last year during crawfish season. He first thought of crawfish etouffee, but…

Cut 7 (11) “…anyway.”

An Orleans Parish judge is allowing a Saints fan’s lawsuit over the ending of the NFC championship game to move forward. Judge Nicole Sheppard denied the NFL’s motion to dismiss the suit.  Attorney Tony LeMon says if the league has nothing to hide, they should not resist being questioned in court, adding they should apologize if they did something wrong.

Cut 11 (06) “…going on.”

The judge also ruled that LeMon could get the chance to question NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and game officials in depositions

Media at Southeastern Conference Media Days pick LSU to finish second in the Western Division behind Alabama. The Tigers are set to report for preseason camp on August 1st. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says LSU landed eight players on the preseason All-Southeastern Conference teams, which is why LSU is picked to finish near the top of the division standings

Cut 13 (12) “…second team”

A Baton Rouge chef Beat Bobby Flay on his own Food Network TV show by challenging the iconic chef to a crawfish boil…
cut 2 (32) I’m Matt Doyle”
Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last June was four-point-three percent, a point-seven-percent decline from the previous June. According to the governor’s office, that’s the largest such drop for any state and Louisiana’s unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since January 2008.

An Orleans Parish judge is allowing a Saints fan’s lawsuit over the ending of the NFC championship game to move forward. Judge Nicole Sheppard denied the NFL’s motion to dismiss the suit.  Attorney Tony LeMon says the purpose of his lawsuit is to hold the league accountable and just because the NFL is big, does not mean they are untouchable.

Cut 9 (10) “…for civil liability.”

The judge also ruled that LeMon could get the chance to question NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and game officials in depositions,

Media at Southeastern Conference Media Days pick LSU to finish second in the Western Division behind Alabama. LSU was picked to finish fifth last year, but the Tigers outperformed the low expectations. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says LSU is once again thought of as the Crimson Tide’s biggest challenger in the West

Cut 12 (08) “…last year.”