A weeklong search for a suspected kidnapper has ended, as Lafayette authorities say Lawrence Michael Handley is in custody. Handley is accused of kidnapping a woman who was found in the back of a van in West Baton Rouge Parish. Two suspects evaded police and drowned in the Intracaostal Canal. Handley is charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempted and second degree kidnapping, and violation of a protective order.

The state’s budget deficit for next fiscal year has grown to $1.5 billion, up from $1.2 billion. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin questions why the deficit has been increased to one-point-five billion dollars, when legislators do not have to fund inflationary costs.

Cut 15 (11) “this year”

It will likely take a special session to address the fiscal cliff.

Louisiana Fosters is a new program that seeks to help connect foster parents with community resources. Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says these organizations can offer the kind of support her department cannot.

Cut 9 (08) “to be supported”

For more information, visit LouisianaFosters.La.gov.

It’s looking like a wet weekend in the Bayou State. But State Climatologist Barry Keim says the good news is the rain is cooling things off during one of the hottest months of the year.

Cut 4 (10) “creeping up”

Keim says fronts stalling along the coast are the cause of the continued rains.

Nate Cain, the former warden of the Avoyelles Correctional Center, has been indicted on fraud charges by a federal grand jury. Cain and his estranged wife, Tonia, each face 18 counts. Prosecutors allege they used state Department of Corrections credit cards to buy personal items over a three year period. Nate Cain is the son of ex-Angola warden Burl Cain.

According to Insure.com’s latest study, Louisiana drivers are paying the second highest annual car insurance premiums in the country at just over $1900. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says there is new technology that can help lower rates like a product called usage-based insurance, which measures how far and how you drive..:
Cut 16 (11) “travel at”
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, about 20-percent of all auto insurers will offer usage-based insurance within the next five years.

First Lady Donna Edwards has helped launch a new website designed to help Louisiana foster parents care for their children. Donna Edwards says Louisiana-fosters-dot-la-dot-gov connects foster families with community organiziations who are willing to provide assistance…
cut 11 (08) “…come together”
Over 78-hundred children were in Louisiana’s foster care system last fiscal year.

A contract has been signed with a contractor that will expand interstate 10 in the Baton Rouge area from Highland Road to LA 73 in Ascension Parish. Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says construction will begin in January and take two-and-half-years to widen the interstate by one lane in each direction….
cut 8 (08) “…paying attention”
State and federal dollars are funding the 72-million dollar project.

The state’s budget deficit for fiscal year 2018, which begins next July, is up to one-point-five billion dollars. Most of the shortfall is due to the loss of temporary taxes. But rising costs and inflationary expenses also make up the budget gap. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin questions why inflationary costs are included in the fiscal cliff deficit…:
Cut 13 (07) “scares everybody”
Fannin made his comments during today’s joint legislative budget committee. Barry Dusse, with the governor’s budget office, responded that inflationary dollars are added to the budget deficit projection, because state law requires them to do so…
Cut 14 (07) “look like”
Legislators and the governor have yet to reach an agreement on how to handle the fiscal cliff.
First Lady Donna Edwards is teaming up with the Department of Children and Family Services to launch a new program supporting foster parents. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

It’s been a wet couple of weeks and State Climatologist Barry Keim says it’s not showing any signs of stopping. He says the wet pattern is caused by summer fronts crossing Louisiana and stalling along the coast….:
Cut 3 (10) “a few days”
He says expect the wet pattern to continue through the weekend.

Louisiana’s budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts next July is now up to one-point-five billion dollars. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

An active member of the U.S. Army was booked into the Rapides Parish Jail on 80 counts of child pornography dealing with kids under the age of 13. The state attorney general’s office says 22-year-old Christopher Duverge was stationed in Lousiiana when the alleged crimes occurred.

First Lady Donna Edwards launched a webiste today that provides network of support for foster parents. Edwards says at louisiana-fosters-dot-la-dot-gov, is a list of organiziations who can provide much needed assistance to help foster parents take care of their children…..
cut 12 (10) “….foster parents”
The website also contains information how you can become a foster parent.

Another inch of rain is expected to fall across Louisiana this weekend as they daily showers and thunderstorms will not stop. State Climatologist Barry Keim says at least the wet ground is helping to cool things off during one of Louisiana’s hottests months of the year…
cut 4 (10) “…creeping up”

Louisiana foster parents can find support thanks to a new website launched by First Lady Donna Edwards. DCFS Secretary Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says it takes more than government to raise a child. That’s why this program gets the community involved to help…:
Cut 10 (08) “little bit of respite”
Louisiana-fosters-dot-la-dot-gov connects parents with businesses, church groups and nonprofits to help meet the child’s needs.

The Department of Transportation says it’s been given the all clear to go ahead with the project to widen I-10 from Highland Road in Baton Rouge, to LA 73 in Ascension Parish. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says it’s very exciting that this major improvement to infrastructure is being made on such a heavily traveled thoroughfare…:
Cut 7 (08) “on a regular basis”
Wilson says it will take around two and a half years to widen the interstate by one lane in each direction.

The state’s budget deficit for fiscal year 2018, which begins next July, is up to one-point-five billion dollars. The previous budget deficit estimate was one-point-two billion dollars. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin questions why the deficit has been increased to one-point-five billion dollars, when legislators do not have to fund inflationary costs…:
Cut 15 (11) “this year”
An agreement between the governor and legislators on how to close the budget gap has yet to be reached and it will likely take a special session to do so.

Cops in Tangipahoa Parish say a man, who reportedly refused to leave someone’s property and allegedly was threatening residents with a knife, was shot and killed Thursday evening. They say 53-year-old Ronald Morgan was found dead outside of a Ponchatoula home. Detectives say the homeowner had an active protective order against Morgan. TPSO said the deadly shooting remains under investigation, but no charges have been filed as of now.

The state’s budget deficit for fiscal year 2018, which begins next July, is up to one-point-five billion dollars. Most of the shortfall is due to the loss of temporary taxes. But rising costs and inflationary expenses also make up the budget gap. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin questions why inflationary costs are included in the fiscal cliff deficit…:
Cut 13 (07) “scares everybody”
An agreement between the governor and legislators on how to close the budget gap has yet to be reached and it will likely take a special session to do so.

It’s been a wet week and it looks to be a wet weekend. State climatologist Barry Keim says all that moisture in the air is pushing humidity levels way up, but at least it’s not as hot…:
Cut 5 (10) “any day”
He says the wet pattern is caused by summer fronts crossing Louisiana and stalling along the coast.

First Lady Donna Edwards is teaming up with the Department of Children and Family Services to launch a new program supporting foster parents…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu today announced an update on flooding concerns saying that repairs and tests have been completed and crews were able to put a damaged power providing turbine back into service. But he says even though the reinstall was successful, the pump system still has limits. Two of the five turbines that power the pumps are now functional. Two more are scheduled to return to service later this month.

Louisiana foster parents can find support thanks to a new website launched by First Lady Donna Edwards. Louisiana-fosters-dot-la-dot-gov connects parents with businesses, church groups and nonprofits to help meet the child’s needs. DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says these groups can provide parents with assistance that the state can’t offer…:
Cut 9 (08) “to be supported”
At any given time, there are about 4,300 children in foster care in Louisiana.

The Department of Transportation says it’s been given the all clear to go ahead with the project to widen I-10 from Highland Road in Baton Rouge, to LA 73 in Ascension Parish. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says motorists should start seeing activity before the end of the year…:
CUT 6 (04) “of 2018”
Wilson says it will take around two and a half years to widen the interstate by one lane in each direction.

Louisiana’s budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts next July is now up to one-point-five billion dollars. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

It’s been a wet couple of weeks in the Bayou State, and State Climatologist Barry Keim says it’s not showing any signs of stopping. He says the wet pattern is caused by summer fronts crossing Louisiana and stalling along the coast….:
Cut 3 (10) “a few days”
He says we can expect to stay in a wet pattern at least through the weekend.

One year ago today, rains began pouring down on south Louisiana, causing a flood of biblical proportions.The Lafayette Parish town of Youngsville saw most of its residents displaced because of the water. Mayor Ken Ritter says to this day, crews work seven days a week in drainage channels to stay a step ahead of the next rain event…:
Cut 10 (10) “great results”
20 parishes were declared federal disaster areas as a result of the flood.

Louisiana has moved up a couple of spots to number two when it comes to the most expensive car insurance rates in the country. Don Molino has the story:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

If you’re going to be viewing the August 21st eclipse with special glasses to protect your eyes, Executive Director of the Optometry Association of Louisiana Dr. James Sandifer says make sure they’re authentic…:
Cut 6 (10) “and viewers”
He adds you should never stare directly at the eclipse without special glasses.

Today and this weekend marks the one year anniversary of the historic August flood of 2016. 75-percent of the homes flooded in Livingston and parish president Layton Ricks says many are still rebuilding. Ricks says one cause for the delay could be money, but financial assistance could be available if homeowners fill out the survey at restore-dot-la-dot-gov….
cut 8 (11) “….funding from it”

Louisiana has moved up two spots to number two in Insure-dot-com’s ranking of states with the most expensive auto insurance. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says an excessive amount of litigation is one factor..:
Cut 14 (07) “claims to litigation ratio”
He says distracted driving is also pushing auto rates up.

A 30-year-old St. Martinville man was killled and two young children were injured when an ATV collided with a vehicle on Wednesday night in Avoyelles Parish. Trooper Scott Moreau says none of the ATV riders were wearing a helmet…
cut 13 (09) “…a helmet”

Eye doctors urge people who plan to watch the solar eclipse to do so safely. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

One year ago today, rains began pouring down on south Louisiana, causing a flood of biblical proportions. Jeff Palermo reports on the recovery…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A senior student at Acadiana High School was arrested is under arrest for allegedly punching a school safety officer multiple times on the first day of school. The Scott Police Department said the incident happened after the student, 17-year-old Robert Hebert was sent to the office for a dress code violation because his hair was dyed red.

According to Insure.com’s latest study, Louisiana drivers are paying the second highest amount in annual car insurance premiums at just over $1900. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says there is new technology that can help lower rates like a product called usage-based insurance, which measures how far and how you drive..:
Cut 16 (11) “travel at”

State Police is investigating a fatal ATV crash in Avoyelles Parish that claimed the life of a man, and injured two young children. Trooper Scott Moreau says 30-year-old Jeremy Armand of St. Martinville crossed into an oncoming lane of traffic on a roadway, and collided head on with a van traveling in the other direction…:
Cut 12 (09) “trauma center”
The public is reminded that it is illegal to operate off-road vehicles on any public roadway in this state.