Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency so Louisiana can put assets in place to prepare for Hurricane Harvey. Harvey is expected to intensify into a Category Three storm and strike the central Texas coast early Saturday morning. National Hurricane Center Forecaster Eric Blake says once Harvey reaches the coast it will become stationary…
cut 7 (08) “…southeastern Texas”
Edwards says the biggest concern is in southwest Louisiana, where the most rainfall will happen and the greatest storm surge affects will occur, but the entire state could see high rainfall totals. He says agencies are ready to conduct water rescues…
Cut 13 (12) “national guard”

Foster Farms is making a 30-million dollar investment into 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 and Farmerville Mayor Stein Baughman says the town has been grateful ever since….
cut 5 (10) “….30 million dollars”

Walmart launches a new service for Louisiana customers who use the retail giant to perform money transfers. It’s called Express Money Services. Walmart spokesperson Erin Hulliberger says customers no longer need to fill out lengthy money transfer paperwork in stores; now, this work can be done at home or on-the-go using the Walmart App…
cut 16 (09) “…time and money”

Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana as the state prepares for potential impacts from Hurricane Harvey. Extensive rainfall is the major concern as the storm is expected to linger and possibly turn towards Louisiana next week. Edwards says citizens need to prepare:
Cut 11 (13) “government assistance”
He says this is a serious storm that everyone should take seriously.

They are getting ready in Cameron Parish. OEP spokeswoman Ashely buller says the path of Harvey is hard to predict at this point…:
Cut 10 (10) “or Thursday”

Foster Farms announces it will make a $30 million capital investment to expand and upgrade its poultry processing facilities in Farmerville. Mayor Stein Baughman says this is great for all of Union Parish…:
Cut 4 (12) “Union Parish”
The expansion will maintain the more than 1,000 existing jobs at the facility. LED estimates it will also result in an additional 42 indirect jobs for a total of more than 90 new jobs in North Louisiana.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office has ruled the death of a 53-year-old man whose body was found in the backyard of a home in an overgrown area, as a homicide. They say Dale Sands had been reported missing by the Sheriff’s Office, and officials say he was shot in the chest and head. Investigators have not yet established a motive or suspect.

We now have Hurricane Harvey. The storm in the Gulf that’s headed for the Texas coast is now producing winds of 80 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. Eric Blake with the N-H-C says Louisiana could see up to 15 inches of rain over the next 7 days, but as of right now Texas will get the worst of Hurricane Harvey…:
Cut 8 (10) “storm surge”
Harvey is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Cameron Parish OEP is bracing for the all the rain. Spokesperson Ashley Buller says no evacuations have been ordered, but they are monitoring the situation closely…:
Cut 9 (10) “inundated”
Governor John Bel Edwards is giving an update at GOHSEP at this hour.

Foster Farms announces a $30 million upgrade to its Union Parish poultry processing plant. Don Molino has more…:
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

The $759 million dollar Powerball jackpot was hit in Massachusetts last night, but here in Louisiana a Lake Arthur convenience store employee won $2 million after buying a ticket from her own store for the drawing.

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.