Lawyers representing Alton Sterling’s children file a wrongful death lawsuit in state court seeking unspecified damages. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Warrants have been issued for the final two suspects in the brutal beating in New Orleans that left one victim with acute brain injury. Two suspects have turned themselves in, and the remaining two have been identified as 20-year-old Rashad Piper and 18-year-old Nicholas Polgowski. Police encourage the suspects to come forward.

The state will study what would happen if the legal smoking age was raised to 21. West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman authored the resolution calling for the study. He knows there will be some pushback but says former smokers will approve.

Cut 14 (09) “start smoking”

The study will be completed before the start of the next legislative session.

Community Coffee is gearing up to launch an LSU Blend that will be available through football season. Company spokesperson Jodi Conachen says the special dark roast blend is popular in Tiger Country, and Tiger fans will enjoy showing off their love for the purple and gold.

Cut 5 (09) “a little while”

The blend will hit the shelves in July.

The family of Alton Sterling has filed a lawsuit against the city of Baton Rouge, as well as the police department, police chief, and two officers who were involved in the fatal shooting. Attorney Michael Adams says there is a pattern of racist behavior end excessive force by BRPD.

Cut 11 (08) “get there”

Adams says they’ll use testimony from current and former officers to back up their claim.

This Fourth of July drivers will enjoy the lowest gas prices since 2005. Senior Petroleum Analyst with GasBuddy Patrick Dehaan says after dropping over the past few weeks, prices are now lower than they were on January 1.

Cut 6 (09) “hit the road”

Dehaan expects lots of drivers will take advantage of the lower prices at the pump.

The state will study whether it would be a good idea to raise the minimum age to buy smokes to 21. Michelle Southern reports…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

LSU pitcher Jared Poche’s father helped save a Florida fan’s life at Game 1 of the College World Series finals. Dr. Jerry Poche says the 87-year-old man had no pulse when he was alerted by the family. Poche helped perform CPR on the man until medics arrived. The unidentified man is reportedly in good condition.

Lawyers have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of Alton Sterling for unspecified damages against the officers and others involved in the police shooting. The U.S. Justice Department has already said they will not pursue charges against Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake the 2nd. Attorney Michael Adams…:
Cut 12 (11) “5 children”
He says Sterling’s kids lost a father because of poor police training and racist attitudes.

A House Resolution out of the recent legislative session would have the State Department of Health study the feasibility of increasing the age to purchase tobacco products to 21. It’s by West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman who says there is evidence that increasing the age limit would mean more people would never consider smoking..:
Cut 15 (04) “start at all”
Hoffman says the study will be completed before the start of the next regular legislative session.

This year’s Fourth of July gas prices are the lowest since 2005. Senior petroleum analyst Patrick Dehaan with GasBuddy.com says prices usually peak around May when refineries finish up maintenance and transition to summer grade gasoline, and we usually see a slight decline after that:
Cut 7 (08) “at the pump”
The statewide average of $2.06 a gallon is well below the national average of $2.25.

Authorities in Tangipahoa Parish believe they have found the body of the little 9-year-old girl who went missing in the river Sunday while swimming. They say Gabriell McCoy was recovered about two miles where she was last reported to have been seen. The body was taken to the Tangipahoa Parish Corner’s Office for positive identification.

The NOPD has made a second arrest in the attack and robbery in the French Quarter over the weekend. There are two other suspects at large.

Lawyers representing Alton Sterling’s children file a wrongful death lawsuit in state court seeking unspecified damages…:
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

We’re now learning through reports that three of the four suspects allegedly involved in the brutal beating and robbery in the French Quarter over the weekend had lived at the Covenant House youth shelter in New Orleans. Two are in custody, but police know the identifies of the others. The two victims have been identified as Tim Byrne and James Curran who were in town for a church convention. Byrne’s condition is critical.

Should Louisiana raise its smoking age? A House resolution passed in the last legislative session asked the state to look at the potential impacts of increasing the minimum age to buy cigarettes to 21. It’s by West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman who says there will be some push back to this idea, but he says people who are former smokers will approve…:
Cut 14 (09) “start smoking”
Hoffman says the study will be completed before the start of the next regular legislative session.

Community Coffee says they plan to launch an LSU blend. Spokesperson Jodi Conachen says says it’ll be out in July and run through football season.:
Cut 4 (09) “Winn Dixie”
She says the LSU Blend is a full-bodied special dark roast coffee that Tiger fans will love.

There are plenty of those in Omaha today as you could hear last night in game 1 of the College World Series Finals. Game 2 is tonight at 7.

The family of the man who was killed in a scuffle with Baton Rouge Police officers have filed a lawsuit against several parties involved in the incident. Lawyers spoke on behalf of Alton Sterling’s five children. This is Attorney Michael Adams…:
Cut 10 (12) “racial bias”
The U.S. Justice Department has already said they will not pursue charges against the officers. The lawsuit was filed in Baton Rouge.

Senior petroleum analyst Patrick Dehaan with GasBuddy.com says July 4th gas prices are the lowest since 2005. He says we’re paying $2.06 here compared to the national average of $2.25…:
cut 8 (08) “refining capacity”
He says this means you can expect the roads to be busy for the holiday.

A House Resolution out of the recent legislative session would have the State Department of Health study the feasibility of increasing the age to purchase tobacco produces to 21. It’s by West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman who says one of the things they want the state to examine is the impact of being more mature before you can buy smokes
CUT 13 (11) “to do”
Only two states, California and Hawaii, have raised the smoking age to 21 so far.

The NOPD has made a second arrest in the attack and robbery in the French Quarter over the weekend. Today Joshua Simmon was booked, after Dejuan Paul surrender Monday. There are two other suspects at large.

Lawyers representing the five children of Alton Sterling have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baton Rouge, it’s police department and police chief and the two white police officers who were involved in last summer’s fatal shooting of the black man. Attorney Chris Stewart says a culture of racial bias among Baton Rouge cops fueled the shooting.

Cut 9 (09) “BRPD”

The U.S. Justice Department will not pursue charges against Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake the 2nd.

Authorities have discovered what they believe to be the body of a 9-year-old girl who was swept away by rushing waters while swimming in the Tangipahoa River. Police located what they suspect is the body of Gabrielle McCoy about two miles south of where she was last seen. Nearly 100 rescuers from 15 agencies in the Tangipahoa Parish area have combed the area since Sunday afternoon.

Tiger fans will soon have a new brew of their own, as Louisiana’s own Community Coffee gears up to launch an LSU Blend full-bodied special dark roast coffee. Community Coffee spokesperson Jodi Conachen says the Baton Rouge based company was born wanted to honor its roots. She says all fans of the purple and gold will love the new LSU Blend.

Cut 3 (10) “your Tigers”

Conachen says the special dark roast blend is already extremely popular in Tiger Country.

This year’s Fourth of July gas prices are the lowest since 2005. Senior petroleum analyst Patrick Dehaan with GasBuddy.com says prices have been sliding over the last few weeks. He says believe it or not, prices at the pump are lower now than they were on January 1.

Cut 6 (09) “hit the road”

The US Senate’s version of the healthcare bill has state Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee concerned about the future of healthcare in Louisiana. She says this bill could even impact the state’s economy by tying healthcare reimbursement to medical inflation. She says that could cause the state’s budget to upswing up to a billion dollars from year to year.

Cut 12 (09) “lot of tweaking”

Supporters of the bill say it will save money and reduce insurance costs.

A former Monroe choir director is accused of violating his probation just weeks after receiving a plea deal. 25-year-old Christian Amos was told to register as a sex offender and not to live near a school. The former Neville High School teacher was booked after records show he failed to reside at a residence provided. Amos was arrested in March for allegedly giving pot to students and having sex with them.

Two new laws seek to curb the state’s opioid epidemic, but East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. Beau Clark says more can still be done. He says the new laws seek to prevent people from becoming addicts, but he says many people are already addicted to opioids.

Cut 4 (10) “takes place”

Clark says another challenge is the lack of state funding for rehab centers.

An Iberia Parish man and his son have been cited for illegally killing a Louisiana black bear. Adam Einck with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 59-year-old Ellie Dupre and his son were cited because Louisiana black bears are a protected species.

Cut 9 (11) “it is disturbing”

The bear was killed in November of 2015.

Department of Health Secretary Rebekah Gee says the Republican Senate healthcare bill would mean up to 500,000 Louisianans would lose their insurance. She says the plan aims to address the rising cost of coverage, but this would actually drive prices up even more…:
Cut 11 (09) “problem worse”
But supporters say it all comes down to making healthcare affordable for as many people as possible.

It was a great effort by LSU, but the Tigers ended up coming up short in a 4-3 loss to Florida in Game 1 of the College World Series finals. But there is still ball to be played. LSU Coach Paul Mainieri says he’s still confident the Tigers can win their seventh national championship, because of the starting pitchers that are scheduled to throw in Games 2 and 3:
Cut 16 (12) “long stretch”

A father and son have been cited for killing a Louisiana black bear in Iberia Parish in 2015. Adam Einck with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says they were actually able to match the bullet from the dead bear with one from the gun of 59-year-old Elie Dupre. He says LDWF takes this very seriously…:
Cut 8 (10) “ten thousand dollars”

Even after lawmakers passed two laws aimed at addressing the state’s opioid epidemic, experts say more can be done to solve the growing problem. East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. Beau Clark says the challenge with treating people is that rehab isn’t funded on the state level, and addicts end up in prisons. He says he says they need treatment, not jail…:
Cut 5 (11) “the right thing”
He says last year 34 people died of heroin overdoses in East Baton Rouge Parish.