Last month was the warmest September on record for the state dating back to 1895.  State climatologist Barry Keim says after calculating a preliminary value for the entire state, the state exceeded the previous record by half a degree.Keim credits the heat spike to a lack of cold front activity.

Cut 11 (09) “…lack of rain.” 

Ruston’s recovery from last April’s deadly EF-3 tornado has stalled due to the wait for FEMA assistance reimbursement. Mayor Ronny Walker says debris was removed and power restored in the days after the twister, but recovery efforts are going slower than desired now.

Cut 6 (13) “…it goes through.”

The city owns its own power distribution and dipped into reserve funds to restore electricity within four days.

A new law signed in California will allow college athletes to hire agents and make money from the use of their image, name or likeness, starting in 2023.  LSU QB Joe Burrow was asked about how the compensation could be possibly spread to the offensive linemen who may not have the same name recognition but contribute to a QB’s performance.

Cut 14 (10) “…about that later.”

Burrow adds it will be interesting to see if it sways recruits, but he’s unsure if it would have influenced his own decision in recruiting.

Violent crime in Louisiana was down three percent year to year in 2018, and the murder rate is down down eight points according to new FBI crime data.  LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist Peter Sharf credits reinvestment from the criminal justice reform, new crime prevention programs in New Orleans, and statewide adoption of 21st-century police training programs.

Cut 4 (12) “…occur”

Despite an eight percent decline last year Louisiana remains the state with the highest murder rate. LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist Peter Sharf says the murder rate decline we did see is largely thanks to an 8 percent drop in the Crescent City.

Cut 3 (10) “…elsewhere”

But 2019’s murder rate decrease may be more substantial as Sharf says New Orleans appears set to see a nearly 30 percent drop in murders this year.

Last month was the warmest September on record for the state dating back to 1895.  State climatologist Barry Keim says a city by city breakdown further illustrates just how brutal the past month has been for state residents.

Cut 10 (13) “…state wide phenomena.”

Keim credits the heat spike to a lack of cold front activity.

Starting in 2023 California college student-athletes will be allowed to hire agents and make money from the use of their image, name or likeness as the result of a new law signed by their governor. LSU QB Joe Burrow says it will be interesting to see if it sways recruits, but he’s unsure if it would have influenced his decision in recruiting.

Cut 13 (07) “…think about.”

California is the first state to pass a law that defies the NCAA’s stance on compensation for amateur athletes. 

Ruston’s recovery from last April’s deadly EF-3 tornado has stalled due to the wait for FEMA assistance reimbursement. The city owns its own power distribution and dipped into reserve funds to restore electricity within four days. Mayor Ronny Walker says because of that they were able to get the lights on much faster than anticipated.

Cut 7 (10) “…back up also.” 

Violent crime in Louisiana was down three percent year to year in 2018, and the murder rate is down eight points according to new FBI crime data. Despite the good news Louisiana still leads the nation with the highest murder rate, and LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist Peter Sharf says our murder rate is roughly ten times that of New York’s. He says there’s a lot of work to be done.

Cut 5 (10) “…society”

Nationwide the violent crime rate was also down three percent.

A new law signed in California will allow college athletes to hire agents and make money from the use of their image, name or likeness, starting in 2023.  LSU QB Joe Burrow says he believes it is a step in the right direction.

Cut 12 (10) “…the other way.”

If you thought September was hot, you were not wrong. It was one for the record books. Brook Thorington has the story.

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

A St. Landry Parish man is dead a week after falling out the back of a pickup truck that travelling down LA 103. 38-year-old Fredrick Freeman was in the back of the truck when for some reason he fell off the back and slammed his head on the concrete. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but the injuries turned out to be too severe. Neither the driver nor Freeman is thought to have been impaired at the time.

The state’s murder rate is down eight percent but still good for the highest in the nation, while the violent crime rate dropped three percent. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

More than 150 restaurants in the state have been cited for not disclosing to customers that their seafood is imported as opposed to domestic. The Louisiana Department of Health is issuing the citations since a new law is now in effect. No fines are associated with the citation.

Last month was the warmest September on record for the state dating back to 1895.  State climatologist Barry Keim says after calculating a preliminary value for the entire state, the state exceeded the previous record by half a degree.

Cut 9 (11) “…we were 82.6.”

Keim credits the heat spike to a lack of cold front activity and very little rain.

Ruston’s recovery from last April’s deadly EF-3 tornado has stalled due to the wait for FEMA assistance reimbursement.  Five miles of the city’s fiber network had to be replaced.  Mayor Ronny Walker says they are punching the numbers on the FEMA reimbursement.

New FBI Crime stats show the state’s murder rate is down eight percent while the overall violent crime rate declined at the national average of three percent. LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist Peter Sharf credits reinvestment from the criminal justice reform, new crime prevention programs in New Orleans, and statewide adoption of 21st-century police training programs.

Cut 4 (12) “…occur”

Despite the improvements, Louisiana’s murder rate remained the highest in the nation.

Ruston’s recovery from last April’s deadly EF-3 tornado has stalled due to the wait for FEMA assistance reimbursement. Mayor Ronny Walker says debris was removed and power restored in the days after the twister, but recovery efforts have slowed.

Cut 6 (13) “…it goes through.”

A Monroe dog trainer was arrested after allegedly faking the death of one of his client’s 25,000 dollar duck hunting dogs so that he could sell the pup to a dog club. Ouachita Parish Chief Deputy Marc Mashaw says about a week ago 44-year-old Lester Langley called his clients and told them the dog had died, and he had buried it, but he refused to provide the body or allow the clients to see the grave.  Mashaw says when deputies arrived to investigate the matter, Langley couldn’t produce a body…

Cut 14 (12) “…a dog” 

Mashaw says they’re now searching nationwide to try to find the prized canine.

Violent crime in Louisiana was down three percent year to year in 2018, and the murder rate is down eight points according to new FBI crime data.

LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist Peter Sharf says the murder rate decline is largely thanks to an 8 percent drop in the Crescent City.

Cut 3 (10) “…elsewhere”

But despite the decline in violent crimes, Louisiana continues to lead the United States for its homicide rate.

Bayou Steel in St. John Parish announces it is closing, resulting in the layoff of 376 workers…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association says a new survey is out that puts Louisiana as having the ninth-worst overall transportation infrastructure in the country. Association president Ken Perret points to a 14-billion dollar backlog in transportation projects and that will not go away until the state raises its gasoline tax…
cut 11 (12) “…loss of lives”
Louisiana’s 20-cent a gallon gasoline tax has not been adjusted in 30 years and Perret says the gubernatorial and legislative candidates need to have an open discussion with voters on transportation funding.

A new gasoline tax goes into effect today in Arkansas as the gas tax in the Natural State will rise by three-cents to 24.5 cents a gallon and diesel fuel goes up an additional six-cents. It’s the first change in Arkansas fuel taxes in 20 years and it’s expected to generate an additional 95-million dollars.

Hundreds of workers have learned they will soon be without a job. Bayou Steel in LaPlace has announced its closing, resulting in layoff notices for 376 employees. St John Parish President Natalie Robottom says the closure comes as a shock…
Cut 4 (12) “…this was coming.”
The Louisiana Workforce Commission says they’ve deployed a mobile unit at the local American Job Center Office in LaPlace to provide re-employment assistance.

The Attorney General’s office announces the Broussard Police Department is the home to the newest prescription drug dropbox. Special projects coordinator at the AG’s office, Monica Taylor describes the boxes similar to a mailbox where items drop in, but they don’t come out.

Cut 9 (10)  “…can destroy it.”

A Blue Cross Blue Shield grant has paid for the boxes.

A new study ranks Louisiana as having the ninth-worst overall transportation infrastructure in the United States. Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association President Ken Perret says the study shows poor roads cost the average Louisiana driver 624-dollars a year in vehicle and operating costs and only six states have a higher percentage of structurally deficient bridges than Louisiana…
Cut 10 (10) “…timber pilings.”
Perret calls on all gubernatorial and legislative candidates to be open and honest with voters on how they will address transportation issues.

A dog trainer is under arrest after allegedly faking the death of his client’s 25,000-dollar duck hunting Labrador.  Ouachita Parish Chief Deputy Marc Mashaw says 44-year-old Lester Langley of Monroe had been tasked with training a local family’s pet during the hunting offseason when, out of the blue, he called the family with some bad news…

Cut 13 (10) “the dog”