Parents stocking up on back-to-school supplies can save a few dollars this weekend during the annual sales tax holiday. Byron Henderson with the state Department of Revenue says most purchases are only subject to three percent of the state sales tax this Friday and Saturday….:
Cut 9 (10) “school supplies”

Could you survive in the forests of Belize “Naked and Afraid?” Halen Doughty has more from the West Monroe man who did just that…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The state Department of Transportation will host a public meeting tonight at the Lake Charles Civic Center to discuss replacing the Calcasieu River Bridge. Deidra Druilhet with DOTD says the purpose of the open-forum is to give the community a chance to see the future plans and receive feedback. She says the construction would extend from the I-10/I-210 interchange on the west side river to the interchange on the east side…:
Cut 6 (09) “enhance safety”
The meeting is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Officials in Shreveport say the body of missing seven-year-old Daysean Combest has been found. He’s been missing for three days. His mother says Daysean was in a drainage ditch during a heavy rainstorm and he was swept away.

Shreveport Fire Chief Scott Wolverton held a news conference today to discuss how they located the body of 7-year-old Daysean Combest who was swept away in a storm drain Tuesday afternoon. He says railroad contractors called firefighters around 7:30 this morning…:
CUT 25 (07) “railroad trestle”
He says that’s where the body was recovered by the Caddo Parish Coroner.

The lawmakers who will sit on the TOPS task force have been announced.:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A West Monroe man survived in the wilderness of Belize completely naked. Dustin Campbell will appear on tonight’s episode of “Naked and Afraid” on Discovery Channel. He says it was a challenge completing the stretch without clothes, as bugs never bit so hard and nights never so long.:
Cut 3 (11) “how you feel”
Watch the episode tonight at 8 p.m.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais says one problem is fresh water inflow that creates a layered system. That coupled with the nutrient-rich water coming down the Mississippi River from the Midwest creates a huge dead zone..:
Cut 12 (09) “are decomposed”
She says the oxygen-depleted region is about 8,800 square miles.

Media reports out of Shreveport say it appears the body of missing seven-year-old Daysean Combest has been found. He’s been missing for three days. His mother says Daysean was in a drainage ditch during a heavy rainstorm and he was swept away. It’s unknown how he got into the ditch.

The state Department of Transportation is looking at widening I-12 in St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Membership is set for a task force that will examine the 350-million dollar TOPS scholarship program for the first time. Its chairman, Jennings Senator Blade Morrish, says the panel consists of an array of lawmakers representing both parties and all corners of the state…:
Cut 13 (09) “concerning TOPS”
The first meeting is September 6.

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is conducting a study to see if expecting mothers with gestational diabetest are at a higher risk to giving birth to a baby that will suffer from diabetes or obesity. Dr. Nick Broskey says they’re recruiting women with gestational diabetes for the study…
cut 6 (11) “…or diet”

A task force has been formed to study how to make TOPS a more sustainable program. Chairman Jennings Senator Blade Morrish says there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the scholarship program, which makes it harder for lawmakers to decide how to alter it. He says the goal of the committee is to put together a report of accurate information…:
Cut 15 (10) “is introduced”
They will meet in about a month.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet at about 8,800 square miles. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais one of her biggest worries about this massive oxygen-depleted region is nutrient cycling. Practically speaking, she says it’s also a problem for shrimpers…:
Cut 11 (10) “those shrimp”

An expecting mom’s diet can have huge impacts on the health of her baby. Dr. Nick Broskey with the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center says a recent study found that soda consumption during pregnancy increased the risk of childhood obesity for her baby. He says that’s why it’s important for moms-to-be to stay healthy…:
Cut 5 (09) “health outcomes”
He says they are recruiting moms with gestational diabetes to study this further.

LSU announces offensive lineman Maea Teuhema has been granted his release from the team and will transfer to another school. This comes on the heels of a prior announcement that Teuhema had been indefinitely suspended. Now the Tigers have just eleven scholarship players on the offensive line. Teuhema’s suspension and subsequent departure likely had to do with academics which Coach O mentioned at the start of practice Monday. With Teuhema gone, Lloyd Cushenberry of Dutchtown High School will take the spot at starting right guard.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one ever measured…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The members of the task force charged with discussing the TOPS scholarship program have been announced. Jennings Senator Blade Morrish will chair the committee. He says there are many things that have changed about TOPS since it launched 20 years ago…:
Cut 14 (11) “look at TOPS”

The state Department of Transportation is discussing the possibility of widening Interstate 12 in the western part of St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington. Jennifer Branton with DOTD says this expansion is necessary because of the recent increase in people commuting through the area…:
Cut 8 (08) “to cross”
Branton hopes funding will become available to make this over 100 million dollar project happen because at least 80-thousand vehicles travel through this corridor every day.

A man from Ohachita Parish will make his first appearance on the Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid tonight at 8pm. Dustin Campbell will be dropped with another woman, both without clothes, in a remote location with limited tools, where they are expected to find water and maintain life for 21 days. The West Monroe man said he signed on for the show after seeing his friend Jeremy McCaa on the show twice, the second of which was in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana for 25 days.

The lawmakers who will sit on the TOPS task force have been announced. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Police say they are investigating an officer involved shooting out of Red River Parish. They say preliminary investigations show the Sheriff’s Department went on a residence south of Coushatta in reference to a welfare concern, when they found a male subject who armed himself with a gun. Shots were then fired by both sides, and the subject was killed and a deputy injured. The investigation is ongoing.

An expecting mom’s diet can have huge impacts on the health of her baby. Dr. Nick Broskey with the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center says a mom’s lifestyle can impact their baby’s metabolism and lifelong risk for obesity and other chronic diseases…:
Cut 4 (08) “in life”
Broskey says their IMAGINE study will assess whether these moms give birth to babies with a higher risk for disease and obesity, and they’re recruiting at Pennington women with gestational diabetes.

The state Department of Transportation is discussing the possibility of widening I-12 in the western part of St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington. Jennifer Branton with DOTD says there are two proposals in the works to add one lane to the east and westbound lanes..:
Cut 7 (10) “projects”

Membership is set for a task force that will examine the 350-million dollar TOPS scholarship program for the first time. Its chairman, Jennings Senator Blade Morrish, says the panel consists of an array of lawmakers representing both parties and all corners of the state…:
Cut 13 (09) “concerning TOPS”
The first meeting is September 6.

This year’s “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one yet. LSU scientist Nancy Rabalais says the oxygen-depleted region is about 8,800 square miles, which is about the size of New Jersey. She says many of the stations, especially those close to the shore, were close to no oxygen..:
Cut 10 (08) “bottom area”
She says one cause is fresh water inflow that creates a layered system.

The state Department of Transportation is looking at possibly widening I-12 in St. Tammany Parish between Mandeville and Covington….:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Another festival is coming to Louisiana. The more than 25 artists for the October 7-8th Flambeau Fest in Ascension Parish will be announced Monday.

Construction on Bourbon Street is going slower than expected because of complications with sewage and drainage lines. The New Orleans Public Works Department say crews are about two months behind schedule. Director Mark Jernigan blames the weather for making it difficult to complete the project.

Cut 3 (09) “weather delays”

It’s expected the construction will be completed by late October.

An arrest has been made after a woman who was found stabbed to death in her Baton Rouge home on Sunday. Sgt. Don Coppola with BRPD says 42-year-old Miguel Lopez has been charged with murder in the death of 42-year-old Sara Hernandez.

Cut 9 (09) “girlfriend”

Coppola says Lopez was found after he went to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

After posting racial comments on Facebook, the Assistant Police Chief in the Acadia Parish town of Estherwood has resigned. Police Chief Ernest Villejoin says they are extremely sorry if Wayne Welsh’s posts offended anyone.

Cut 13 (10) “so he resigned”

Welsh referred to Muslim women as trash bags and posted racially charged memes.

The only shelter in the Monroe area is closing its doors later this month. Salvation Army spokesperson Jon Kalahar says they are bringing in a new officer to run the facility, and only one employee will stay on for the transition. He says this decision was not made lightly.

Cut 8 (12) “their donations”

It’s unclear when or if the overnight shelter will reopen.

In Acadia Parish, Esterwood Assistant Police Chief Wayne Welsh has resigned amid allegations he posted racists remarks on his Facebook page. Police Chief Ernest Villejoin says Welsh has publicly apologized…:
Cut 12 (08) “department”
Welsh posted multiple comments on his Facebook page referring to Muslim women as trash bags, as well as, a racially charged meme.

Baton Rouge police arrest a 42-year-old man for the stabbing death of his 41-year-old ex-girlfriend. Sara Hernandez was found dead in her Baton Rouge home on Sunday. Sergeant Don Coppola says detectives quickly learned Miquel Angel Lopez was their main suspect and they learned he suffered injuries during the attack…
cut 11 (10) “…into custody”
Authorities believe Lopez stayed with Hernandez’s body 10 to 14 hours before fleeing the scene.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the biggest one ever measured. Jeff Palermo has more…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Citing money problems, The Salvation Army homeless shelter in Monroe, the only one in the area, will close later this month. Spokesperson Jon Kalahar says church services and weekly prayer meetings will continue, and so will basic social services…:
Cut 7 (10) “care program”
About 30 homeless individuals sleep at the shelter every night.

U.S District Judge Patricia Minaldi of Lake Charles is retiring. The federal judge took a medical leave in December to receive alcoholism treatment. According to court records, Minaldi’s drinking got so bad that a colleague asked the court to rule she cannot take care of herself. Minaldi said a few months ago that her alcoholism didn’t impact the outcome of her cases.

The projected starter at right guard for LSU has been suspended….

Voicer 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

In Acadia Parish, an assistant police chief resigned after referring to Muslim women as trash bags on Facebook, plus he posted a racially charged meme. Esterwood Police Chief Ernest Villejoin (Vee-jewan) says Wayne Welsh made the right decision to step down….
cut 14 (06) “…it happened”
Welsh was a police officer for the town for over two years.

The end to the construction on Bourbon Street is moving slower than anticipated. New Orleans Public Works Department Director Mark Jernigan says rain has caused delays, along with poor utility plan depictions. He says they’ve also uncovered that many businesses along the historic street are in violation of the state’s plumbing code.:
Cut 5 (09) “businesses”
He says they are about two months behind and all of the work might not get completed until Halloween.