The very first hurricane of the season debuted when Hurricane Beryl (BARREL) formed in the Atlantic Ocean.  Forecaster with the National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg it’s not unusual to see a hurricane form this early in the season…

Cut 8  (07) “every year.”

In the case of Hurricane Beryl (BARREL) it may not have the strength to get very far into the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 7  (10)  “it could weaken.”

This is the first full weekend of operation for Duck Dynasty Museum in West Monroe.  Last Sunday the facility opended featuring displays from the Duck Dynasty TV series.  The television show featured the Robertson family’s personalities and hunting business.

Lt. Governor Billy Nunguesser plans to visit the 15 thousand square foot Duck Dynasty Museum this coming week to promote it as a tourist destination in North Louisiana.

Louisiana State Police asked for the public’s help in the death of a Slidell woman who was struck from behind as she rode her bicycle on Louisiana 1090 at Brown-Switch road.  A tip led the arrest of 33- year-old Ray Louis Clark of Slidel was arrested for Felony Hit and Run and Driving with a Suspended License.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says the cyclist took proper safety precautions for riding her bike at night.

Cut 4  (10) “..type of collision.”

And in Louisiana sports news, the Pelicans are reportedly bringing back point guard Ian Clark.  He’s signing a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract.  Clark was one of the team’s top guards off the bench last season as he averaged seven points and two assists in 74 games. His role grew on the team after DeMarcus Cousins went down with a torn Achilles tendon in January.

A pioneer in cardiovascular health, New Orleans surgeon John Ochsner, has passed away at the age of 91. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Hurricane Beryl (BARREL) became the first hurricane of the season after forming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Forecaster with the National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg says it’s a small storm…
Cut 6 (09) “…5 miles wide”

Berg says tiny Hurricane Beryl may not be a threat for the Gulf of Mexico, because it might not hold together as it approaches the Lesser Antilles.

CB&I laid off 370 contract workers according the Advocate newspaper. The job losses are due to Shintech canceling two contracts with CB&I. The contracts revolved around construction to expand a $1.4 billion ethylene plant project in Plaquemine. Shintech signed an agreement with Toyo Engineering which hired C B & I to perform much of the construction. The work that on the Shintech facility changed toward two other contractors.

More tickets were sold for this year’s Essence Festival than in prior 13 years according to the Advocate newspaper. A blockbuster movie that was filmed at 2016 event played a big role in driving ticket sales. “Girls Trip” was a comedy focusing on four friends attending the Essence Festival in New Orleans.

The film was released in 2017 earning over $100 million at the movie box office. The popularity of “Girls Trip” seemed to renew interest in the Essence Festival 2018 event ticket sales. The Essence Festival kicked off Friday and lasts through Sunday in the Superdome.

A pioneer in cardiovascular health, New Orleans surgeon John Ochsner, has passed away at the age of 91. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

LSP are asking for the public’s help as they are currently looking for a truck in the Slidell/Pearl River area following a fatal hit and run.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says be on the lookout for possible damage to the front end and the passenger side of the vehicle.

Cut 3 (10) “…of the crash.”

Essence Festival has started in New Orleans, bringing three days of entertainment some of the biggest names in music, comedy, and culture. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle” 

A hit and run Thursday night has left a 42-year-old Slidell woman dead.  LSP are asking for the public’s help as they are currently looking for a truck in the Slidell/Pearl River area.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight offers advice for cyclists.

Cut 5  (07) “off the roadway.”

The man who performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South has passed away in New Orleans. Doctor John Ochsner conducted over 12-thousand surgeries during a 57 year career. He passed away at the age of 91. President of the Ochsner Health System, Warner Thomas, calls Doctor Ochnser an icon in the industry

cut 9 (10)  “…as well”

Thomas says Doctor Ochsner pioneered valve and coronary surgery and received the prestigous Michael E DeBakey Surgical Award in 2000.

Essence Fest has kicked off today in New Orleans, taking over the city for three days as some of the biggest names in entertainment take the town. Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Snoop Dog headline the show tonight, and New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s bureau Spokesperson Kristian Sonnier says that’s not all.

Cut 12 (10)   “and more”

Hurricane Beyrl is the first hurricane of the season after forming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Forecaster with the National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg says it’s a small storm…

Cut 6 (09)  “…5 miles wide”

A hit and run Thursday night has left a 42-year-old Slidell woman dead.  LSP are asking for the public’s help as they are currently looking for a truck in the Slidell/Pearl River area.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says it’s important that drivers remember that bicycles have many of the same rights on the roadways as cars and to give cyclists a three-foot gap when passing them.  He also offers advice for cyclists.

Cut 5  (07) “off the roadway.”

3:30 PM News

A pioneer in cardiovascular health, New Orleans surgeon John Ochsner, has passed away at the age of 91. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A 4 year-old girl is dead today following a shooting in Chalmette last night.  Deputies in St. Bernard Parish received the call that a child had been shot around 9:30 PM.  The girl was taken to University Medical Center where she later died.  Investigators recovered handgun believed to be used in the shooting.  The shooting appears to be accidental, but the investigation is ongoing.

A hit and run last night has left at 42-year-old Slidell woman dead.  LSP are asking for the public’s help as they are currently looking for a truck in the Slidell/Pearl River area.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says to be on the lookout for possible damage to the front end and the passenger side of the vehicle.

Cut 3 (10) “…of the crash.”

Essence Fest kicked off today in New Orleans, taking over the city for three days as some of the biggest names in entertainment take the town. Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Snoop Dog headline the show tonight, and New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s bureau Spokesperson Kristian Sonnier says that’s not all.

Cut 12 (10)   “and more”

Renowned New Orleans heart surgeon Doctor John Ochsner has passed away at the age of 91. President of the Ochsner Health System, Warner Thomas, says Doctor Ochsner performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South and conducted over 12-thousand surgeries during a 57-year career. He received the utmost respect from his patients…
cut 10 (09) “…amazing outcomes”
His father co-founded the Ochsner Health System.

Hurricane Beyrl is the first hurricane of the season after forming in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Forecaster with the National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg says its a small storm…
Cut 6 (09) “…5 miles wide”
Beyrl is not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico at this time.

State Police are looking for the driver that hit a bicyclist in Slidell last night and then fled the scene. Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says 42-year-old Sandra Royer took proper safety precautions for a night ride…
cut 4 (10) “…type of collision”
Dwight says be on the lookout for an SUV with damage to the front end and passenger side.

The Essence Music Festival is underway in New Orleans. It’s known as the country’s largest celebration of black women and black culture. Influential voices in business, politics and entertainment are speaking throughout the day and then there’s big concerts at night. New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Kristian Sonnier says it’s the coolest event in town….
cut 13 (09)_ “….air conditioning”

A recent escape from Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe marks at least the fifth of the year for the juvenile detention facility. Kevin Barnhart has the details on the issues with the facility.
Cut 1 (29) I’m Kevin Barnhart“

We have our first hurricane of the 2018 season. Hurricane Beryl is way out in the Atlantic Ocean. Robbie Berg with the National Hurricane Center says it’s not unusual to see a hurricane form this early in the season…
cut 8 (07) “….every year”
Beryl has a chance to become a Category Two storm, but not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico at this time.

The man who performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South has passed away in New Orleans. Doctor John Ochsner conducted over 12-thousand surgeries during a 57 year career. He passed away at the age of 91. President of the Ochsner Health System, Warner Thomas, calls Doctor Ochnser an icon in the industry
cut 9 (10) “…as well”
Doctor Ochsner’s father, Alton Ochsner, helped found the Ochsner health care system.

State Police are looking for an S-U-V that fatally struck 42-year-old Sandra Royer of Slidell. Troopers say at around 9:30 last night on Brownswitch Road, Royer was riding her bike and wearing an orange safety vest, when she was struck from behind by a dark colored S-U-V. Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says it’s important drivers give cyclists a three-foot gap when passing them and he has this advice for cyclists…
cut 5 (07) “…off the roadway”

A hit and run last night has left at 42-year-old Slidell woman dead.  LSP are asking for the public’s help as they are currently looking for a truck in the Slidell/Pearl River area.  Senior Trooper Dustin Dwight says to be on the lookout for possible damage to the front end and the passenger side of the vehicle.

Cut 3 (10) “…of the crash.”

One-point-four billion dollars is coming to Louisiana to pay for flood mitigation projects. 343-million dollars will fully fund the Comite River Diversion Canal, a major flood protection project for East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. US Representative Garret Graves says receiving this money allows the state to focus on other issues…

cut 10 (12) “….in our region”

There’s also 760-million dollars for a flood protection project in the River Parishes.

A man sentenced earlier this year to five years in prison for driving drunk into a crowd of Mardi Gras parade goers is set to be released from prison later this month as a result of the criminal reform legislation passed last year. Twenty-six-year-old Neilson Rizzuto injured 32 people at the Endymion parade in 2017 and pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino on why Rizzuto is not serving more time with all of the sentences being served consecutively….

cut 16 (11) “….case was”

Rizzuoto’s expected release date is July 20.

Here’s a peak at your commodities.

The Louisiana Revenue Department is estimating that they’ll be ready to start collecting sales taxes on all items purchased online by the start of next year. A recent Supreme Court decision has paved the way for collection of sales taxes from stores without a physical presence in states they ship too. Many major online sellers, such as Amazon, already collect state sales tax for online purchases, but Secretary Kimberly Robinson says  right now they’re not getting 100 percent compliance form many of the smaller online outlets.

Cut 13 (11)  “sales tax.” 

An 81-year-old West Monroe man is in jail after an alleged dispute involving his nephew resulted in the accidental shooting death of the nephew’s dog. Police say Doyle Quimby shut off the power to his nephew’s camper that was on the property. After the power went out, that nephew allegedly tried to break in and turn it back on, leading to Quimby firing what he called “warning shots” that flew through a wall and hit the canine. Quimby has been charged with aggravated assault.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has appropriated one-point-four billion dollars to Louisiana for flood and hurricane protection projects. 343-million dollars of that money will go towards completing the long-delayed Comite River Diversion Canal in East Baton Rouge Parish, which can rapidly drain floodwaters. This funding also frees some slack for the ‘Comite Plus’ project which has nearly 2 billion dollars in federal funding which provides drainage improvements throughout the Comite, Amite, and Manchac River. Baton Rouge US Representative Garret Graves says the holistic upgrades should help bring parishes together.

Cut 9 (09)  “…one area to another.”

A recent escape from Swanson Center for Youth marks at least the fifth of the year for the juvenile detention facility.  While attention can be turned to staffing issues, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Juvenile Justice, Dr. James Bueche says budget constraints are leading to a staffing crisis that’s partially responsible for the break outs.

Cut 5  (13)  “…able to retain”