We’re not even in November, and flu activity is ramping up in Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office says they detained 18 undocumented adults in Ferriday yesterday. Authorities say they were riding in a large passenger van that was towing a utility trailer that became disabled on the side of the road on Highway 84. The undocumented adults were in the van and the trailer was loaded with luggage.

Baton Rouge Police have arrested two 19-year-olds who were involved in an accidental shooting on Southern University’s campus late yesterday afternoon. Corporal Saundra Watts says one of the teens arrested was handing the gun to the other teen when the gun went off…

Cut 10 (10) “…firearm on campus”

Watts says the shooting took place in the parking lot at University Apartments  and the victim is expected to survive his injuries.

The Shreveport Regional Airport is offering daily nonstop flights to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for the first time in 18 years. The new United Airlines service began Sunday, and airport spokesperson Mark Crawford says Monday’s flight was nearly full…

Cut 6 (11) “…out and about.”

Crawford says the Chicago once-daily flight leaves between seven AM and nine AM and takes about two hours to arrive at O’Hare.

Just a few hours to go in early voting in the November 3rd election. Early voting ends at six this evening. After that, your last chance to cast a ballot will be on that November 3rd Election Day. Everyone will be voting in the general election for U.S. Senate, the open primary for U.S. House and on ten proposed constitutional amendments.

Louisiana has the highest rate of flu activity of any state in the Continental United States. According to the CDC, Louisiana and Hawaii are the only states where flu activity has risen to the level of “moderate” this early into flu season. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the prevailing subtype this year is H1N1.

Cut 4 (14) “…isn’t as good.”

Some scary moments on the campus of Southern University yesterday evening as a student is accidentally shot on campus. Baton Rouge Police Corporal Saundra Watts says 19-year-olds Jiqueze Dillon and Robert Washington were with a 20-year-old student in the parking lot at University Apartments

Cut 9 (13)  “…struck the victim.”

The victim was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive his injuries. Dillon and Washington are both facing charges.

For the first time in 18 years, Shreveport Regional Airport is offering daily nonstop flights to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport through United Airlines. Airport spokesman Mark Crawford says it allows you to take an easy day trip or weekend trip to Chicago.

Cut 8 (11) “..10:45.”

If you want to take advantage of early voting, you have until six this evening to do so. After that, you’ll have to wait until Election Day one week from today. One of the hot races this year is in the Fifth Congressional District. At a candidate forum in Baton Rouge yesterday, Michael Echols says it’s important for Republicans to stick together when voting on legislation.

Cut 12 (13) “…what America is.”

The Shreveport Regional Airport is offering daily nonstop flights to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for the first time in 18 years. Airport spokesman Mark Crawford says the once-daily flight leaves between seven AM and nine AM and takes about two hours to arrive at O’Hare.

Cut 7 (12) “…United Airlines.”

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office is accusing a northeast Louisiana police chief of stealing funds intended for the family of a police officer killed in the line of duty. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

You can add West Baton Rouge Parish to the long list of parishes under burn bans. This comes as dry, breezy weather conditions increases the chances of wildfires. Burn bans are in effect for nearly the entire state, except for most of southeast Louisiana.

The Baton Rouge Press Club held a Fifth District Congressional forum on Monday and three of the Republican candidates attended. In the last newscast, we heard from state representative Gabe Firment. In this newscast, let’s hear from small business owner Austin Magee, who says the federal government can make sure Social Security does not become insolvent, by reducing spending that does not benefit the United States…

Cut 11 (12) “….Africa”

In the next newscast, we’ll from state representative Michael Echols.

We are looking at another dry work week, but rain chances increase on Saturday….

Cut 13 (10)  “…some scattered showers.”

LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim.

We’re not even in November, and flu activity is ramping up in Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office says they detained 18 undocumented adults in Ferriday yesterday. Authorities say they were riding in a large passenger van that was towing a utility trailer that became disabled on the side of the road on Highway 84. The undocumented adults were in the van and the trailer was loaded with luggage.

The Baton Rouge Press Club held a Fifth District Congressional forum on Monday and three of the Republican candidates attended. So we will hear from them over the next few newscasts. Starting with State Representative Gabe Firment, who says he supports the Medicaid work requirement provision in the Big Beautiful Bill…

Cut 10 (08) “….a productive citizen”

In the next two newscasts, we’ll hear from small business owner Austin Magee and state representative Michael Echols.

According to the CDC, Louisiana has the highest rate of flu activity of any state in the Continental United States –. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says this is a relatively early start to flu season.

Cut 3 (12) “…time of year.”

Dr. Lopez says the prevailing subtype this year is H1N1.

The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership says the Capital Region leads comparable metro areas in job growth. Andrew Fitzgerald, the senior vice president of strategy and research, says the region added 13,700 jobs over the past year, with construction accounting for much of the growth.

Cut 7 (04) “…the Capital Region.”

Fitzgerald says the Capital Region now has more than 58-thousand construction jobs.

The Shreveport Regional Airport is offering daily non-stop flights to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. It’s been 18 years since you could fly directly from Shreveport to one of the busiest airports in the world. Shreveport Airport spokesperson Mark Crawford says the service started Sunday and the United Airlines flight leaving yesterday was nearly full….

Cut 6 (11) “…out and about”

Crawford says if demand is high, a second daily flight could be added, as they’ve seen with flights to Charlotte and Denver.

Today is the last day of early voting, and Election Day is one week from today. Yesterday, candidates vying for the open seat in the Fifth District met for a one-hour forum in Baton Rouge. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has accused Mangham Police Chief, Perry Fleming and assistant police chief Dakota McKinney of allegedly stealing funds for the family Mangham Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty in October 2020.

A lawsuit has been filed against the Vermilion Parish Policy Jury and the Vermilion Parish Industrial Development Board that seeks to void the massive tax deal Space X received from the parish to build its 100-billion dollar spaceport. Attorney William Most says the public never had a chance to give its input, because the police jury used the code name “Project Osprey” on the agenda of the board meetings…

Cut 6 (11) “…the law requires”

Vermilion Parish Police Jury president Chad Vallo declined to comment on the litigation.

The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership says the Capital Region leads comparable metro areas in job growth, adding 13, 700 jobs over the past year. Andrew Fitzgerald, the senior vice president of strategy and research, workers are moving to the Baton Rouge area to fill some of the 58-thousand construction jobs in the area and locals are also getting the training needed to join the workforce.

Cut 8 (13) “…trades and construction.”

Three Vermilion Parish residents and a non-profit are suing the parish government, claiming it used deceptive methods to approve the SpaceX deal. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Today is the final day of early voting. Polls will close at 6 PM tonight. The number of registered voters who have already cast a ballot is 433-thousand. So far more registered Democrats have voted than Republicans, 186-thousand to 170-thousand.

A new report from the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership finds that the Capital Region leads all peer metros in annual job growth, adding 13-thousand,-seven-hundred jobs over the past year. Andrew Fitzgerald, the senior vice president of strategy and research, says the region also has an affordability advantage. Since 2019, home values and rents have increased less in the Baton Rouge area than in comparable metro areas.

Cut 9 (09)  “…and groceries too.”

The next decent chance for rain in Louisiana could come on Halloween. Until then, LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says drought conditions will continue to worsen…

Cut 15 (09) “….seriously in sight”

Keim says 89-percent of Louisiana is in drought, and 41-percent of the state is in either extreme or exceptional drought.

A new report finds that the Baton Rouge area leads metros comparable to its size in job growth. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Today’s the last day for early voting in Louisiana.   If you want to cast your ballot today, you’ll have to do it by 6 this evening.  Election Day is next Tuesday, November 3^rd.

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89 percent of Louisiana remains in a drought  and farmers in particular are feeling it. With little to no rain, farmers are footing the bill to maintain their fields and livestock.  LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim 41-percent of the state is in either extreme or exceptional drought…

Cut 14 (10) “…time of year.”

Three Vermilion Parish residents and a non-profit are suing the parish government for allegedly violating the Open Meetings Act when it gave the green light to the SpaceX development. William Most of Most and Associates, who is representing the plaintiffs, says the police jury was very secretive in its proceedings, including in its revival of the industrial development board, which had been inactive since 1997, using a code name to conceal the identity of SpaceX.

Cut 5 (13) “…anything about them.”

Today is the last day of early voting. Yesterday, candidates vying for the open seat in the Fifth District met for a one-hour forum in Baton Rouge. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Election day is next Tuesday, November 3rd.  For details on what’s on the ballot, go to geauxvote.com.
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Three Vermilion Parish residents and a non-profit are suing the parish government for allegedly violating the Open Meetings Act when it gave the green light to the SpaceX development. William Most of Most and Associates, who is representing the plaintiffs, says they were kept in the dark as the state offered SpaceX a 24-billion-dollar tax exemption to build its spaceport in Vermilion Parish.

Cut 4 (11) “…give their say.”

The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership says the Capital Region leads comparable metro areas in job growth adding 13, 700 jobs over the past year. Andrew Fitzgerald, the senior vice president of strategy and research, workers are moving to the Baton Rouge area to fill  some of the s58-thousand construction jobs available while locals are getting the training needed to join the workforce.

Cut 8 (13) “…trades and construction.”

Three Vermilion Parish residents and a non-profit are suing the parish government, claiming it used deceptive methods to approve the SpaceX deal. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership says the Capital Region leads comparable metro areas in job growth. Senior vice president of strategy and research Andrew Fitzgerald says the region added 13,700 jobs over the past year, with construction accounting for much of the growth.

Cut 7 (04) “…the Capital Region.”

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Today is the last day of early voting for the November 3rd election. One of the key races is in the Fifth Congressional District, in which six Republicans are vying for the open seat. Three of them attended a forum hosted by the Baton Rouge Press Club. Gabe Firment on the Medicaid work requirement of the Big Beautiful Bill.

Cut 10 (08) “…a productive citizen.”

Austin Magee says the government should redirect money to Social Security from things the U.S. should have no business spending taxpayer money on.

Cut 11 (12) “…sub-Saharan Africa.”

While Magee says he would go against his party on an issue if it hurts his constituents, Michael Echols says it’s important for Republicans to stick together.

Cut 12 (13) “…what America is.”