DOTD has cleared the last financial hurdle in building a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

A police shooting in Morehouse Parish yesterday has left a person in serious condition. The Northwest Louisiana Sheriff’s Investigative Unit says Morehouse Sheriff deputies were executing an order for protective custody when they were met by a man with a gun. Deputies reportedly told the man to drop the weapon but the situation escalated and the person was shot. He was airlifted to a regional hospital.

The Louisiana Lottery says last fiscal year was there second best ever, with 643-million dollars in revenue and 205-million dollars of that revenue will go to K-through-12 public education. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says they’ve transferred around five billion dollars since they started in 1991, 35-percent of their total revenue…
cut 11 (10) “….education”

New real estate rules go into effect on Saturday that changes the way how an agent gets paid. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors President-elect Larry Miller says compensation has always been between the client and broker…
cut 9 (11) “….will be”

Entergy Louisiana customers will see a rate increase in early 2025 but fees will go down. Sean Richardson has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

The Louisiana Department of Health has told residents in Madison Parish not to drink the water if the drinking water comes from the Walnut Bayou Water District. L-D-H says the Walnut Bayou Water System suffered a water line break resulting in the drinking water being exposed a toxic herbicide that’s used for weed control. Bottle water has been made available.

The state department of transportation has announced preliminary work on a new I-10 Lake Charles Bridge may begin this year and full-on construction operations will begin in 2026 and construction should be completed in 2031. One-point-two billion dollars in state and federal funding will help pay for the bridge’s construction and so will tolls. But Project Manager Paul Vaught says the state will retain about 15-percent of the tolls net profit…
cut 15 (11) “….five-parish area”
Tolls will not be collected on the bridge until its open to traffic.

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation just ended its’ second-best fiscal year ever, with around 643 million dollars in revenue. Spokesperson Dustin Annison says the Lottery transferred almost 205 million dollars to the state treasury that will go towards K-through 12 public education…
cut 10 (12) “…education system.”

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see a rate increase of four-dollars in early 2025 but Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis says the rate hikes could have been worse…
Cut 4 (13) “…eight to ten dollars.”
Lewis says on a positive note, Entergy is reducing its late fees, eliminating connection and reconnection fees and expanding eligibility for low-income senior bill discounts.

The state department of transportation says preliminary construction activities can begin this year on a new two-point-three billion dollar I-10 Lake Charles bridge as DOTD and the developer, Calcasieu Bridge Partners, have reached what is called a financial close, which allows the contractor to proceed. Project manager Paul Vaught says the Landry administration put a financing plan in place earlier this year that received legislative approval…
cut 14 (10) “…were made”
Tolls will help pay for the bridge.

Real estate agent commissions will change starting tomorrow. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors’ President-elect Larry Miller says buyers who previously didn’t have to pay a commissioner to their realtor who helped them purchase a home will be expected to pay for the service…
cut 8 (10) “..broker directly”
There is a concern this could hurt first-time homebuyers because they are already stretched for cash.

The Louisiana Lottery says last fiscal year was their second best year on record as lottery ticket sales produced 643-million dollars in revenues and 205-million dollars of that will go to K-through-12 public school education. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says scratch-offs continue to be the top seller in the Lottery’s game portfolio and the lottery tries to keep scratch offs fresh by adding more, higher and unique prizes…
cut 12 (10) …our games”

The Louisiana Department of Transportation says a major step has been taken in the construction of a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. Project Manager Paul Vaught says they’ve officially reached a financial close, which means the developer has sold the bonds needed to complete financing. He says the developer, Calcasieu Bridge Partners, will start final designs immediately…
Cut 13 (09) “…to complete.”
One-point-two billion dollars in state and federal funds will help pay for the two-point-three billion dollar bridge and tolls will also pay for the bridge.

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see their rates go up by about four dollars early next year, but Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis says Entergy has agreed to expand low-income senior discounts, eliminate connection and reconnection fees, and they are reducing late fees…
cut 5 (06) “….one and a half percent”

A settlement involving the National Realtor’s association is bringing changes to the way Realtors help homebuyers purchase a home.
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins has released his preliminary investigative report into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Higgins says it was a local SWAT operator that shot Matthew Crooks’ rifle stock and fragged his face, neck and shoulder, which stopped Crooks’ from shooting and then a Secret Service sniper fatally shot him. Higgins says he found it disturbing that Crooks’ body was released for cremation ten days after the shooting, but the FBI says they followed proper protocols.

A tragic story out of Jennings: a ten-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car Tuesday. Jennings Police Chief Danny Semmes (Simms) says the baby’s mother was unexpectedly called into work at a local restaurant and accidentally left the child in the car during her hour-and-a-half long shift…

cut 9 (12) “…emergency room.”

26-year-old Trystan McMillon of Hammond was arrested on charges of second-degree murder after allegedly selling fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose. The Fentanyl Overdose Response Team has seized 8 pounds of fentanyl since January as the drug has contributed to a surge of overdose deaths in Louisiana. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron stresses that those who sell drugs that result in death can face several charges, including murder…

cut 4 (05) “…member of our community.”

DOTD has completed financing for the new Calcasieu River Bridge project. State and federal funding cover 1.2 billion dollars of the 2.3 billion total cost, and the rest will come from tolls collected at the bridge. Once the bridge is open, it will cost those outside the five-parish area $2.50 with a toll tag and $3.75 without. Project Manager Paul Vaught says the state will retain around 15 percent of the tolls’ net profit…

cut 15 (12) “…five-parish area.”

Construction will start early 2026 and finish by 2031.

 
Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves donated 10 thousand dollars to fund a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast of Grand Isle.  He expressed his commitment to preserving Louisiana’s natural resources with plans to build four more artificial reefs in the Gulf.

cut 8 (07) “…great fishing again.”

A tragic story out of Jennings: a 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car Tuesday. According to Jennings Police Chief Danny Semmes (Simms), the mother says she left her child in the hot car for an hour and a half by accident, and took the baby to the hospital as soon as she realized.

cut 10 (11) “…we all are.”

DOTD has completed financing for the new Calcasieu River Bridge project. The project to replace the current I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, which is over 70 years old, has been discussed for years, and project manager Paul Vaught says a joint committee voted against it as late as last October. However, Vaught says Governor Landry’s administration is keen on the project…

cut 14 (11) “…that were made.”

Construction is expected to start early 2026 and finish by 2031.

 
26-year-old Trystan McMillon of Hammond was arrested on charges of second-degree murder after allegedly selling fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose. Jay Platt, father of the victim, 27-year-old Nicholas Platt, says he hopes this leads to more related arrests and spares other families from losing loved ones.

cut 5 (10) “…thank you.”

Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, donated 100 thousand dollars to fund a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast of Grand Isle. The donation supports the efforts of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, and LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan says this is a huge opportunity to show what a public-private partnership can do in the state…

cut 7 (08) “…anglers across the state.”

A 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car for an hour and a half Tuesday in Jennings. Jennings Police Chief Danny Semmes (Simms) says the girl’s mother was called into work and accidentally left the child in the car. Temperatures were in the mid-90s with heat indexes over 105 degrees. Semmes says it’s a miracle hospital workers were able to establish a pulse on the baby, though she ended up passing away Wednesday night.

Cut 11 (11) ” …one hundred and twenty.”

According to Kids and Car Safety, the ten-month old from Jennings is the 23rd child who has died this year after being left in a hot car. It’s the second one in Louisiana. An infant died in East Baton Rouge Parish last month after the parent “forgot” the child was in the car and was at work.

Kids and Car Safety say since 1995 at least 46 children have died in hot cars in Louisiana, making Louisiana the sixth worst state in the country when it comes to child hot car deaths.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers founder Todd Graves donated $100,000 to fund the creation of a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast near Grand Isle. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (29) …I’m Sean Richardson.”

DOTD has made a major step forward in the new Calcasieu River Bridge Project. Project Manager Paul Vaught says they’ve officially reached a financial close, or the developer has sold the bonds needed to complete financing. He says the developer will start final designs immediately…

Cut 13 (09)  “…to complete.”

A sad story out of Jennings: a 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car on Tuesday. Mel Bridges has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Mel Bridges.” 

This is the second Louisiana Baby and the 23^rd in the nation to die this year after being left in a hot car.

A Louisiana state trooper charged in the death of Ronald Green has been allowed to retire, WAFB in BATON ROUGE is reporting Kory York who has been on suspension since January 12, 2023 was allowed to retire effective August 11, 2024. And according to their sources Louisiana State Police said York was waiting to retire until he hit 20 years with the state. Greene was killed in May of 2019. Months later leaked body camera footage showed Greene pleading for his life as he was beaten an dragged by his ankle shackels.

York’s trial is scheduled for October.

26-year-old Trystan McMillon, of Hammond, was arrested on charges of second-degree murder after allegedly selling fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron reported that McMillon sold the potent synthetic opioid to 27-year-old Nicholas Platt who later died from an overdose.

Cut 3 (11) “…everything we can to stop that”

The Fentanyl Overdose Response (FOR) Team has seized 8 pounds of fentanyl since January as the deadly drug has contributed to a surge in overdose deaths in Louisiana.

Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, donated $100,000 to fund the creation of a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast of Grand Isle. The reef will replace an old, decommissioned oil platform, contributing to marine conservation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 6 (08) “…for the community.”

The donation supports the efforts of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Louisiana, which is collaborating with researchers and environmentalists to design and deploy the artificial reef.

The Rapides Area Drug Enforcement has arrested a Pineville man for allegedly selling THC products to kids. 40-year-old Ahmed Gaber (gah-bear) of Pineville was booked in the Rapides Parish Detention Center for distribution of a stage-one classified drug above 2.5 pounds and released the same day on a ten-thousand-dollar bond. Tommy Carnline with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says vapes in schools are a big problem…

Cut 12 (12) “…this type of stuff.”

A 10-month-old baby girl has died after being left in a hot car Tuesday in Jennings. Jennings Police Chief Danny Semmes (Simms) says the girl’s mother was unexpectedly called into work at a local restaurant and accidentally left the child in the car during her hour-and-a-half-long shift.

Cut 9 (12) “…emergency room.”

Temperatures were in the mid-90s across Acadiana on Tuesday, with heat indexes over 105 degrees.

This school year, some of Louisiana’s educators will be evaluated under a new system. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson (sha-son) says the old system lacked a comprehensive rubric or ongoing support, so they developed Louisiana’s Educator Advancement and Development System, or LEADS…

Cut 13 (09)  “…one-time event.”

LEADS will be fully implemented for the 2025-26 school year, this year will be treated as a learning year.

Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, donated $100,000 to fund the creation of a 3D-printed artificial reef off the coast of Grand Isle. The reef will replace an old, decommissioned oil platform, contributing to marine conservation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Graves expressed his commitment to preserving Louisiana’s natural resources with plans to build four more artificial reefs in the Gulf.

Cut 8 (07)  “…great fishing again.”

11-year-old Joe Petraro from Long Island, New York, will take online classes at LSU this fall as a sports leadership major. Joe, who has Tourette’s, graduated high school this year after speeding through middle and high school in two years. He says his Tourette’s and intelligence used to be at odds, but now he’s using them to his advantage.
Cut 29 (11) “…and it helps.”
Joe has an IQ of 168. He’s built a friendship with former LSU basketball star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who also has Tourettes.

The owner of Raising Canes, Todd Graves is putting 100-thousand dollars towards the construction of a Artificial Coral reef near Grand Isle. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Madison Sheahan says the new reef is called Cajun Coral, uses a highly flexible type of Three-D printed concrete…
cut 7 (08) “…across the state”

Twenty-six-year-old Trystan McMillion is in the Tangipahoa Parish prison on second-degree murder charges in the overdose death of 27-year Nicholas Platte, who was found dead in a Hammond home last January. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron says fentanyl killed McMillion and those who sell drugs that leads to death will face charges, including murder…
cut 4 ((05) “…community”
Platt was a son, husband and father.

40-year-old Ahmed Gaber of Pineville is facing charges after allegedly selling THC infused products and other vape products to juveniles at the Pineville Smoke Shop. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tommy Carnline says Gaber was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center for distribution of THC greater than 2.5 pounds…
cut 11 (10) “…juveniles”
Gaber has been released on a ten-thousand dollar bond.