The National Hurricane Center is now calling for Tropical Storm Harvey to become a Category 3 hurricane tomorrow before hitting Texas. Eric Blake with the N-H-C says the storm is quickly strengthening…:
Cut 6 (09) “in Texas”
Blake says Louisiana faces the potential for 6 to 15 inches of rain, the heaviest in the southwest part of the state and some coastal flooding.

Twenty-five years ago today Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida and then took its aim on Louisiana…:
Cut 25 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Foster Farms in Union Parish announces a $30 million investment to expand and upgrade the poultry processing facilities in Farmerville. Louisiana Economic Development expects this will create 50 new direct jobs. Farmerville Mayor Stein Baughman says the town has a good relationship with the company..:
Cut 3 (11) “available here”
Foster Farms will receive a $500,000 Modernization Tax Credit, and it’s expected the company will utilize the Industrial Tax Exemption Program.

The state Department of Education announces a new program has launched that would let experienced teachers statewide get training to become mentors to aspiring educators. They say beginning in the fall and over the next three years, Louisiana will establish at least 2,500 professionals equipped with the necessary skills to help guide a new generation of teachers.

The 10 AM advisory from the national hurricane center is now calling for Tropical Storm Havey to be a Category Three Hurricane before making landfall in Texas. Michelle Southern has more on the Louisiana impact from State Climatologist Barry Keim…
voicer 5 (24) “…I’m Michelle Southern”

As of now there are no watches or warnings in Louisiana as a result of Harvey. Calcasieu Emergency Preparedness Director Dick Gremillion says when the heavy rain starts to fall, stay off the roads….
cut 11 (09) “…preparedness”

Louisiana Higher Education Commissioner Joe Rallo has announced he will retire next June, so the state needs a new leader to oversee public colleges. Rallo has been the state’s higher ed leader since 2015.

Foster Farms has announced a 30-million dollar upgrade to its poultry plant in Farmerville. Construction has started and it will lead to 50 more jobs. In 2009, the facility almost closed, but former Governor Bobby Jindal worked out a deal with Foster Farms to keep the plant open.

St. Martinville wants to be known as the “Pepper City of the World.” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Fuselier says it would be an appropriate title considering the many different types of peppers that grow in the area….
cut 6 (07) “…habanero”
St. Martinville will ask the legislature next year to pass a resolution designating the Acadiana town as the “Pepper City of the World.”

And the Gueydan Duck Festival gets underway tonight in Vermilion Parish.

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to drop 10 to 15 inches of rain with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches over the Texas coast through next Wednesday. State Climatologist Barry Keim says tracking of the system once it hits Texas near Corpus Christi is not certain, but they do know it’s extremely slow moving…:
Cut 15 (08) “for this entire region”

Local officials in Southwest Louisiana are preparing for the worst. Calcasieu Parish Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Dick Gremillion says with heavy rain and flash flooding still the primary threats, the public needs to be reminded not to drive through water of unknown depth…:
Cut 12 (10) “events”
Forecasters say over the next several days rainfall totals of 7 to 10 inches are possible here with isolated amounts of over 12 inches.

Twenty-five years ago today one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history made landfall in Florida and then crossed the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall near Morgan City. Former WAFB Meteorologist Mike Graham says we’ve seen bigger disasters since then from Hurricane Katrina to last year’s devastating floods..:
Cut 8 (11) “weather events”

LSU quarterback Danny Etling is excited about being named the stater when the Tigers hit the field September 2nd against BYU in Houston. The fifth year senior says he’s never entered a season without competing hard for that starting job…:
Cut 16 (13) “that I’m proud of”
Coach O said QB true freshman Myles Brennan was a close second.

Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to make landfall on Friday in Texas and Calcasieu Parish is getting prepared. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida 25 years ago today, and slammed into Louisiana on August 26th, 1992. Edwin Edwards was the governor then.:
Cut 9 (06) “federal government”
Private property damage from Andrew was estimated at one billion dollars.

There was just one ticket that hit the $759 million dollar Powerball jackpot last night, which will pay the largest single lottery prize in US history. The winning ticket was sold in Chicopee, Massachusetts to an unnamed winner. The all-time biggest Powerball jackpot in the America was the $1.6 billion split among three winners in January 2016.

St. Martinville wants to be officially designated as the “The Pepper City of the World.” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Fuselier says they are already known for their pepper products internationally, and they also host the popular pepper festival now going on 26 years. He says St. Martinville is a big tourist attraction and adding this title will only boost visitors…:
Cut 5 (10) “good stuff”
He says they plan to ask the legislature for the distinction during next year’s session.

Harvey was upgraded to a tropical storm late last night and strengthened even more this morning, as it is still expected to reach hurricane strength before making landfall along the Texas coast. State Climatologist Barry Keim says that should happen tomorrow evening as the storm turns east and slows down. He says there’s the potential that over 20 inches of rain will fall, with Houston/Galveston being ground zero…:
Cut 14 (09) “the state”
Keim says 5 to 10 inches of rain over any given area of the state can not be ruled out over the next week.

Calcasieu Parish is putting their guard up. Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for the parish, Dick Gremillion, says they anticipate a lot of rain and depending on the track, storm surge is also a possibility:
Cut 10 (08) “inches”

Twenty-five years ago today one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history made landfall in Florida and then crossed the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall near Morgan City. Former WAFB Meteorologist Mike Graham was working at the Baton Rouge TV station and remembers the anxiety as the storm took aim on Louisiana…:
Cut 7 (11) “Louisiana coast”
Andrew slammed into Louisiana on August 26th, 1992.

St. Martinville hopes to become “The Pepper City of the World.” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Fuselier says they will ask the state legislature to pass a resolution giving them the prestigious title. He says for nearly a century, St. Martinville has had a pepper industry, like Pepper’s Unlimited…:
Cut 4 (07) “internationally”
St. Martinville is also known for the company Cajun Chef, which produces 250 different products.

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before it nears the Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts into the weekend or early next week. State Climatologist Barry Keim…:
Cut 13 (10) “coastal zone”
Harvey is expected to gain strength and will make landfall somewhere along the Texas coast late Friday night.

Calcasieu Parish Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Dick Gremillion, advises members of the public who live in a warning zone to move to higher ground due to the possibility of storm surge. He also urges residents to stay inside because flash flooding is possible:
Cut 11 (09) “preparedness”
Governor John Bel Edwards will hold a news conference this morning at GOHSEP to provide updates on Harvey.

Twenty-five years ago today Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida and then took its aim on Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Powerball announced that a single ticket sold at a convenience store in Massachusetts was the winner of Wednesday night’s $758.7 million jackpot.

Tropical Depression Harvey has re-formed in the Gulf of Mexico and it could be a significant rainmaker for Louisiana. Joe Rua, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, says Harvey is expected make landfall as a strong Tropical Storm near Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday, but Louisiana will certainly feel the impact…:
Cut 6 (08) “slow mover”

A young woman from Rayne has gained thousands of signatures on her petition to replace Confederate statues with monuments of Britney Spears. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

As expected, LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron has named Danny Etling as the starting quarterback, but added there are also some other incredible QBs on the team. He says Myles Brennan fought hard for the job, but was understanding and respectful of the decision..:
Cut 15 (07) “they cheered”
The Tigers open the season September 2nd against BYU in Houston.

A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an elderly man in Opelousas in a road rage incident. Police Chief Donald Thompson says they arrested Joshua Babineaux this morning after the public recognized him from surveillance video released to the media. He says the attack happened after the 72-year-old victim supposedly cut off Babineaux and they pulled over:
Cut 10 (10) “the face”
Babineaux is charged with aggravated second degree battery and simple battery of the infirm.’

No surprise when it comes to who will be LSU’s starting quarterback in the regular season opener against BYU. Danny Etling has been named the starter, but Head Coach Ed Orgeron says freshman Myles Brennan finished a close second in the quarterback derby. Orgeron says Brennan fought hard for the job, but was understanding and respectful of the decision..
cut 15 (07) “…they cheered”
Orgeron says Etling has been consistent during camp and his experience also gives him an edge. O” says Brennan has exceeded expectations during camp, but he’s still a rookie…
cut 13 (14) “…fantastic balls”
The starters are expected to play in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Houston Texans. Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Mark Ingram, Zach Strief and Cam Jordan have yet to play in the preseason, but Coach Sean Payton strongly hinted they’ll see action against the Texans. Also, center Max Unger has been removed from the physically unable to perform list.

Southern Lab High School has to vacate its two football state championships in 2016 and 15, because an independent investigation uncovered evidence the school recruited players who lived outside of the attendance zone and provided payments or inducements that regular students do not receive. Kittens Head Football Coach Marcus Randall has been fired and the LHSAA has suspended the former LSU quarterback for a year.

Not only does Shreveport mayor Ollie Tyler want to build a 30-million dollar sports complex for an NBA minor league team for the New Orleans Pelicans, she’s also proposing a training camp practice facility for the Saints. It’s unclear if the city will fund the mayor’s proposal.