Harvey has been upgraded to a dangerous Category 2 hurricane and continues to intensify on it’s track toward the Texas coast. Forecasters say it’s expected to become a major hurricane before making landfall. So what will this mean for Louisiana? Stephen Carboni with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says large rainfall totals are expected in southwest Louisiana..:
Cut 14 (10) “at this point”
The forecast track from the National Hurricane Center calls for Harvey to make landfall either tonight or Saturday morning.

Louisiana is home to the third worse drivers in the nation, according to a report by SmartAsset. Vice President of Financial Education AJ Smith says there was just one area in their study where the state did not rank in the bottom…:
Cut 6 (10) “in the country”

The state Department of Education is seeking to train 500 teachers to become mentors for aspiring educators. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The $759 million dollar Powerball jackpot was hit in Massachusetts Wednesday, but here in Louisiana a Lake Arthur convenience store employee won $2 million. The manager of the Tiger Mart, April Lemaire, says the employee actually picked her own numbers…:
Cut 8 (11) “happy for her”

Texas is bracing for the landfall of a major hurricane, but Louisiana is not of the woods. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Louisiana is home to the third worst drivers in the nation, according to a report by SmartAsset. Vice President of Financial Education AJ Smith the state scored poorly in vehicle fatalities, insurance rates, and Google searches…:
Cut 4 (08) “of that factor”
Smith says at 86 percent, Louisiana has the 16th lowest rate of insured drivers in the country.

A southwest Louisiana mother of four is now a millionaire after winning $2 million in the Powerball. The woman works as an assistant manager at the Tiger Mart in Lake Arthur. Store manager April Lemaire says if anyone deserves to win, it’s her…:
Cut 7 (09) “giving person”
The Tiger Mart will receive a bonus of 20-thousand dollars for selling the ticket.

The state Department of Education announces a new program has launched that would let experienced teachers statewide get training to become mentors to aspiring educators. Assistant Superintendent of Talent Hannah Diestsch says these expert teachers will receive a one thousand dollar stipend if they are selected by their school district as mentors…:
Cut 11 (11) “resources”
You can find out more online at LouisianaBelieves.com.

What will Category 2 Hurricane Harvey bring to Louisiana? Stephen Carboni
with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says the storm is expected
to deliver Texas damaging winds and life-threatening flooding. He says
Louisiana is also in for wet weather…:
Cut 13 (11) “storm surge”
In Cameron Parish, a mandatory evacuation has been issued for all areas south
of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Louisiana Department of Education is seeking to train over 500 Louisiana
educators so they can serve as mentors to future teachers. Assistant
Superintendent of Talent Hannah Diestsch says they are looking for passionate
teachers…:
Cut 12 (10) “most useful”
You can find out more online at LouisianaBelieves.com

A southwest Louisiana mother won $2 million in the Powerball…:
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Baton Rouge Police have charged a 20-year-old Ponchatoula man with negligent
homicide for fatally shooting a 19-year-old Hammond girl as they were driving
down Florida Boulevard on Tuesday. Authorities say James Seymore was playing
with a hand gun, when it off, striking Briana Hornsby, who died at a local
hospital.

Hurricane Harvey is expected to reach Category 3 strength by the time the storm makes landfall in Texas. Eric Blake with the National Hurricane Center says the storm isn’t expected to move far inland, as it makes landfall early Saturday morning.

Cut 7 (08) “southeastern Louisiana”

Models show Harvey moving east towards Louisiana after making landfall, and Governor John Bel Edwards has already declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the storm. Extensive rainfall is expected, and the governor says citizens should prepare now.

Cut 11 (13) “government assistance”

Edwards says the biggest concern is in southwest Louisiana, but the entire state could see high rainfall totals.

Louisiana customers now have access to Walmart’s new Express Money Services. Company spokesperson Erin Hulliberger says this new feature will help shoppers save time while making in store money transfers.

Cut 14 (08) “our customers”

She says with Express Lanes in most Walmart stores, all Louisiana customers can enjoy this new feature.

More jobs are coming to Union Parish, as Foster Farms announces a $30 million expansion that will result in 50 new direct jobs and 42 indirect jobs. Farmerville Mayor Stein Baughman says this is huge for the parish.

Cut 4 (12) “Union Parish”

The poultry processing facility will also maintain over 1,000 existing jobs.

Hurricane Harvey is intensifying as it moves towards the Texas coast for landfall on Friday night or early Saturday morning. Eric Blake, with the National Hurricane Center, says Louisiana faces the potential for 6 to 15 inches of rain, the heaviest in southwest Louisiana. He says as of right now Texas will get the worst of it.
Cut 8 (10) “storm surge
The official forecast track has Harvey heading towards Louisiana after spending the weekend along the Texas coast. Governor John Bel Edwards says the Louisiana National Guard has over a half million sandbags available and agencies are prepping for water rescues…
cut 13 (12) “…national guard”

The state Department of Education is seeking to train 500 teachers to become mentors for aspiring educators. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Baton Rouge Police have charged a 20-year-old Ponchatoula man with negligent homicide for fatally shooting a 19-year-old Hammond girl as they were driving down Florida Boulevard on Tuesday. Authorities say James Seymore was playing with a hand gun, when it off, striking Briana Hornsby, who died at a local hospital.

The National Hurricane Center says Harvey is expected to be a Category 3 storm when it slams into the Texas coastline early Saturday. Eric Blake with the N-H-C says the storm is quickly strengthening.
cut 6 (09) “…in Texas”
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency. Edwards says this is a serious storm that everyone should take seriously.
Cut 12 (11) “in Texas”
Edwards says the biggest concern is in southwest Louisiana, where the most rainfall will happen and the greatest storm surge affects will occur, but the entire state could see high rainfall totals. He says the National Guard has over a half million sandbags available.
Twenty-five years ago today Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida and two days later left a path of destruction through southeast Louisiana. Former WAFB Meteorologist Mike Graham says we’ve seen bigger disasters since then from Katrina to last year’s devastating floods..:
Cut 28 (11) “weather events”

Louisiana customers who use WalMart to conduct money tranfers can use a new feature called Express Money Services. Company spokesperson Erin Hulliberger says instead of filling out paperwork at the store, you can enter the information into the WalMart app…
cut 15 (11) “…saved electronically”
She says customers will use a dedicated Express Lane at the store to complete the transaction.

The National Hurricane Center says Harvey is rapidly intensifying as it approaches the Texas coast and southwestern parishes are gearing up…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

A third relative has been arrested in Webster Parish in the bizarre case of a seven-year-old who shot his aunt twice. The child’s grandmother, 64-year-old Cheryl Lee of Shreveport was booked on obstruction of justice as she allegedly tried to cover up the shooting. The boy’s mother and grandfater are also facing charges.

Foster Farms announces a $30 million dollar expansion and upgrade to its poultry processing plant in Farmerville. Louisiana Economic Development expects this will create 50 new jobs. Farmerville Mayor Stein Baughman says this strengthens the town’s relationship with the company..:
Cut 3 (11) “available here”
Foster Farms will receive a $500,000 Modernization Tax Credit.

Walmart says Louisiana customers can use their new Express Money Services to perform money transfers. Wamart spokesperson Erin Hulliberger says this will save shoppers time…
Cut 14 (08) “our customers”
She says customers no longer need to fill out lengthy money transfer paperwork in stores; now this work can be done at home or with the Walmart App.

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency so Louisiana can put assets in place to prepare for Hurricane Harvey. Harvey is expected to intensify into a Category Three storm and strike the central Texas coast early Saturday morning. National Hurricane Center Forecaster Eric Blake says once Harvey reaches the coast it will become stationary…
cut 7 (08) “…southeastern Texas”
Edwards says the biggest concern is in southwest Louisiana, where the most rainfall will happen and the greatest storm surge affects will occur, but the entire state could see high rainfall totals. He says agencies are ready to conduct water rescues…
Cut 13 (12) “national guard”

Foster Farms is making a 30-million dollar investment into its poultry plant in Farmerville. Construction has started and it will lead to 50 more jobs. In 2009, the facility almost closed, but former Governor Bobby Jindal worked out a deal with Foster Farms to keep the plant open and Farmerville Mayor Stein Baughman says the town has been grateful ever since….
cut 5 (10) “….30 million dollars”

Walmart launches a new service for Louisiana customers who use the retail giant to perform money transfers. It’s called Express Money Services. Walmart spokesperson Erin Hulliberger says customers no longer need to fill out lengthy money transfer paperwork in stores; now, this work can be done at home or on-the-go using the Walmart App…
cut 16 (09) “…time and money”

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana as the state prepares for potential impacts from Hurricane Harvey. Extensive rainfall is the major concern as the storm is expected to linger and possibly turn towards Louisiana next week. Edwards says citizens need to prepare:
Cut 11 (13) “government assistance”
He says this is a serious storm that everyone should take seriously.

They are getting ready in Cameron Parish. OEP spokeswoman Ashely buller says the path of Harvey is hard to predict at this point…:
Cut 10 (10) “or Thursday”

Foster Farms announces it will make a $30 million capital investment to expand and upgrade its poultry processing facilities in Farmerville. Mayor Stein Baughman says this is great for all of Union Parish…:
Cut 4 (12) “Union Parish”
The expansion will maintain the more than 1,000 existing jobs at the facility. LED estimates it will also result in an additional 42 indirect jobs for a total of more than 90 new jobs in North Louisiana.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office has ruled the death of a 53-year-old man whose body was found in the backyard of a home in an overgrown area, as a homicide. They say Dale Sands had been reported missing by the Sheriff’s Office, and officials say he was shot in the chest and head. Investigators have not yet established a motive or suspect.

We now have Hurricane Harvey. The storm in the Gulf that’s headed for the Texas coast is now producing winds of 80 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. Eric Blake with the N-H-C says Louisiana could see up to 15 inches of rain over the next 7 days, but as of right now Texas will get the worst of Hurricane Harvey…:
Cut 8 (10) “storm surge”
Harvey is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Cameron Parish OEP is bracing for the all the rain. Spokesperson Ashley Buller says no evacuations have been ordered, but they are monitoring the situation closely…:
Cut 9 (10) “inundated”
Governor John Bel Edwards is giving an update at GOHSEP at this hour.

Foster Farms announces a $30 million upgrade to its Union Parish poultry processing plant. Don Molino has more…:
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

The $759 million dollar Powerball jackpot was hit in Massachusetts last night, but here in Louisiana a Lake Arthur convenience store employee won $2 million after buying a ticket from her own store for the drawing.