14:30 Newscast, February 2nd, 2016

Residents in the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph have been dealing with some brown, murky running water which has raised concerns. The EPA and the state Department of Health and Hospitals say the level of iron in the system discolors the water, but it’s not a health issue. State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, says the St. Joe water system is old and they are working on a fix for the dark water…:
CUT 7 (05) “address it”
He says the state legislature has approved funds to work on the system.

The Thibodaux Police Department arrests one of the men in connection with the double shooting at a parade. They say it was 20-year-old Ryan Harris of Napoleonville who, while wearing body armor, approached Quincy Johnson and shot him in the chest as several thousand people were gathering for Mardi Gras festivities on Sunday. Johnson fired back striking Harris on the left side. Harris is charged with attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Unlawful Use of Body Armor, Terrorizing, and Illegal Carrying of a Firearm at a Parade.

The Cajun groundhog climbed out of his cottage in New Iberia today to tell us if we we’ll be seeing an early spring. Emelie Gunn has more on Pierre C. Shadeaux’s forecast…:
CUT 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Meanwhile most parishes in south central, southeast and on up to far northeast Louisiana are under a tornado watch until 7 this evening. The National Weather Service says a strong thunderstorm system is moving through that could produce damaging wings in excess of 40 miles per hour. Temperatures are expected to drop significantly following the storm with Wednesday highs in the 60s.

 

LRN PM Newscall Feb 2

State health officials, along with the EPA, are reviewing water quality concerns in the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Cajun groundhog climbed out of his cottage in New Iberia today to tell us if we’ll see an early spring. Emelie Gunn has more on Pierre C. Shadeaux’s forecast…

CUT 2 (27)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Louisiana’s Cajun groundhog, Pierre C. Shadeaux, predicts an early and long spring this year. The young nutria came out of his Cajun cottage in New Iberia this morning in front of a crowd awaiting to find out his forecast. Publisher of the Daily Iberian Will Chapman led the ceremony and says since he didn’t see his shadow, we will have a longer spring and put off the extreme summer heat.

CUT 3 (09)  “temperatures”

Chapman says every February 2nd Pierre C. Shadeaux makes his prediction at Bouligny Plaza. He says every year there is a great turnout for the event and the kids really look forward to seeing him come out of his Cajun cottage.

CUT 4 (10)  “welcome Pierre”

Pierre’s cousin, Punxsutawney Phil, made a similar prediction today in Pennsylvania calling for an early spring. Chapman says Pierre takes his job very seriously, as he has a lot of responsibility with predicting this forecast.

CUT 5 (11)  “no shadow”

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The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, along with the EPA, are looking into water quality issues in the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph. Residents have reported brown, murky water coming from their faucets. State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, says the system’s source water contains a level of iron that discolors the water…

CUT 6 (08) “quite expensive”

He says the iron in the water is not a health issue. Guidry adds that the St. Joseph Water System is an older system in need of maintenance and repair. The state legislature has approved funds to work on the system. Guidry says they’re doing everything they can at the state level to move this project on as quickly as possible…

CUT 7 (05) “address it”

He says the legislature would have to make water treatment a top priority before those funds are readily available. Guidry says it could be a while before the water is cleared up…

CUT 8 (10) “treatments occur”

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The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the murder of a Melville teenager. Capt. Clay Higgins says 14-year-old Treyvon Goudeau was shot once and found dead in the woods on Friday. He says the case was originally identified as just a suspicious death but it has now turned into a homicide investigation.

CUT 9 (10)  “the field”

The coroner says Goudeau was shot once in the head. Higgins says detectives searched a Melville home this morning and interviewed a number of people but no arrests have been made at this point.

cut 10 (07)  “an arrest”

Goudeau was a student at Port Barre High School. Higgins says they can’t imagine why someone would murder this teenager. He says detectives have been working non-stop to find who is responsible…

Cut 11 (10) “a homicide”

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Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says he’s paying his executive staff nearly 400-thousand dollars less than what employees were paid under the previous administration. Dardenne says he’s decided against filling a couple of positions and will pay a few people less, because of the state’s budget problems

cut 12 (10) “to understand”

Dardenne’s annual salary is 237-thousand dollars, a 33-thousand dollar increase than his predecessor. Dardenne says that’s the salary the governor offered him and he accepted the challenge of solving Louisiana’s budget mess…

cut 13 (11)  “do that”

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Governor John Bel Edwards will answer questions tonight from public school teachers at a town hall style meeting at a Baton Rouge high school. Edwards is participating in an event sponsored by the Louisiana Association of Educators at Broadmoor High School. L-A-E President Debbie Meaux says the governor will discuss a variety of topics…

cut 14 (06)  “several others”

Meaux says they’re honored to have the new governor attend one of their events and hopes he gives insight on the fate of funding for K-12 education. She says they’ll make sure L-A-E members who cannot come are updated on what Edwards’ says….

cut 15 (10)  “access that”

13:30 Newscast, February 2nd, 2016

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says he’s paying his executive staff nearly 400-thousand dollars less than what employees were paid under the previous administration. Dardenne says he’s made these decisions because of the state’s budget problems…:
cut 12 (10) “to understand”

A mother and father are facing several charges after investigators say their baby was discovered alone at a Baton Rouge residence with what call cops described as having horrific living conditions. Baton Rouge Police were assisting a bails bondsman at the house when they found a one year old alone on a bed in a dirty diaper and the house filled with rotten food and animal feces. 24-year-old Jasmine Rose and 25-year-old Hollis Banks were booked on charges of cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, criminal abandonment and resisting an officer with force.

It’s Groundhog Day and Acadiana’s Cajun Groundhog, a young nutria named Pierre C. Shadeaux, predicts we’ll have a long spring. This morning Pierre did not see his shadow, just like Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil. Publisher of the Daily Iberian Will Chapman led the ceremony and says the nutria knows he has a lot of responsibility with predicting this forecast..:
CUT 5 (11) “no shadow”
He adds Pierre has never been wrong.

Landry’s Incorporated, which operates the Golden Nugget Casino in Lake Charles, says a large scale data breach resulted in customers credit card information being compromised for months. If you used a credit or debit card at Golden Nugget from May 4, 2014 through March 15, 2015 and from May 5, 2015 through December 3, 2015, being the latest 7 month long breach, you may have been affected.

 

12:30 Newscast, February 2nd, 2016

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, are reviewing water quality concerns in the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph. Eric Gill reports…
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

It’s unclear if the Republican-controlled legislature is willing to go along with Governor John Bel Edwards plan of revenue raising, including raising the state sales tax by a penny. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says they’ve been communicating with G-O-P legislators…:
cut 1 (08) “from happening”

An autopsy determined that a 14-year-old Melville boy died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and authorities are searching for answers. St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Clay Higgins says Treyvon Goudeau’s body was found in a wooded area, Friday…:
CUT 9 (10) “the field”
He says the case is now ruled a homicide.

 

11:40 LRN sportscast

The LSU men’s basketball team can’t worry about what happened on Saturday when they lost to number one ranked Oklahoma, because tonight they take on Auburn at Auburn Arena at six PM. The Tigers are 6-2 in league play, while Auburn is 3-5. LSU is still very much on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament and need to win games likes tonight.

There’s a good match-up in the Cajundome tonight as ULM squares off with UL Lafayette. The Warhawks have won four in a row, while the Cajuns have won six in a row. A win for ULM and they’ll move into a second place tie with UL Lafayette in the Sun Belt.

Also tonight…Northwestern State hosts Central Arkansas. Last night…Southeastern defeated McNeese 82-80, UNO thumped Nicholls 74-53 and Grambling lost.

The Pelicans ended their seven-game homestand with a 110-95 loss to Memphis. Memphis hit 9 three-pointers, five of them in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory.

11:30 Newscast, February 2nd, 2016

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is reviewing concerns about water quality in the Tensas Parish town of St. Joseph. Residents have reported brown, murky water coming from faucets in the town. State Health Officer, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, says the system’s source water contains a level of iron that discolors the water…:
CUT 6 (08) “quite expensive”
He says the legislature would have to make water treatment a top priority before those funds are readily available.

Acadiana’s Cajun Groundhog, the nutria Pierre C. Shadeaux, predicts an early spring as he did not see his shadow on this Groundhog Day. Pierre came out of his house this morning in New Iberia in front of a huge crowd led by Daily Iberian Publisher Will Chapman. He says the young nutria forecasts a shorter winter for the fifth year in a row…:
CUT 3 (09) “mile temperatures”

LSU researchers are using body scanning technology to study ways better-fitting clothing could be developed. Casey Stannard, an assistant professor at LSU Ag’s Department of Apparel, Design and Merchandising, says right now a lot of companies work off of a dated hour glass figure — and so few people in the population these days actually have that shape…:
CUT 15 (06) “win-win for everyone”
She says they are looking for men and women to participate in the study, who would receive regular 3D body scans researchers can track and hopefully develop information they can pass on to the apparel industry.

The Attorney General’s Office has announced six more arrests of people involved in the Lafayette D.A. bribery scandal. A-G Jeff Landry says the corrupt practices that were being dismissed in this office were ignored by the previous Attorney General, Buddy Caldwell. He says it’s disturbing that action wasn’t taken earlier…
cut 10 (10) “our act”

 

10:30 Newscat, February 2nd, 2016

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says new revenues are a must when it comes to plugging the state’s $750 million dollar midyear budget hole — in order to avoid cuts to higher ed and health care. He says, even if it means raising the state sales tax by a penny, they aim to be completely honest with the public about the situation at hand…:
CUT 7 (11) “raise some revenue”
A three-week special legislative session is set for later this month.

Governor John Bel Edwards is slated to speak tonight at Broadmoor High School in Baton Rouge in the annual kickoff gathering of the Louisiana Association of Educators “Ask An Educator” forum. Organizers say teachers and other school staff members will be given the opportunity to ask questions and offer recommendations on how public schools could be improved. The event begins at 6pm.

A study out of LSU Health Shreveport finds more radiation is being overused in elderly women with breast cancer. Emelie Gunn has more on the discovery:
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Today is Groundhog Day and Louisiana’s Cajun groundhog, Pierre C. Shadeaux — a nutria, not a groundhog, emerged from his home early this morning in New Iberia and did not see his shadow. That means south Louisiana can expect a longer spring this year. This is the fifth yer in a row that Pierre did not see his shadow. The prediction matched that of Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil.

 

09:30 Newscast February 2, 2016

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says new revenues, possibly from an additional one-cent increase to the state sales tax, are needed to solve this fiscal year’s 750-million dollar shortfall. It’s unclear if the Republican-controlled legislature is willing to go along with the governor’s revenue raising plans. Dardenne says they’ve been communicating with G-O-P legislators…

cut 9 (08) “from happening”

Governor John Bel Edwards will call a special session later this month where he’ll ask lawmakers to raise taxes.

The Attorney General’s Office says six more arrests have been made in the Lafayette D.A. bribery scandal. A-G Jeff Landry says none of those arrested are currently working in the D.A.’s office. He says the Attorney General’s Office is tired of public corruption…

cut 12 (07) “this state”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has already convicted and sentenced 5 people in connection with this case.

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in the weekend stabbing death of 18-year-old Dylan Poche. They say 18-year-old Andrew Jacob Wallace was arrested after authorities discovered what they describe as a “critical piece of evidence” near the crime scene Monday afternoon. Wallace is being held at the Nachitoches Parish Detention Center on a count of second degree murder.

LSU researchers are studying body shapes to try to get a better idea of what types of clothing sizes would best fit individual consumers, especially those losing weight…

cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

08:30 Newscast February 2, 2016

Commissioner of administration Jay Dardenne says to avoid deep budget cuts to government services, the state will need to raise revenue…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The fight over the removal of confederate statues in New Orleans is heading to the state’s highest court. President of the Monumental Task Force, Pierre McGraw, has filed paperwork with the Louisiana Supreme Court in an effort to keep the city of New Orleans from taking them down. The filing comes after an appeals court judge refused to issue a restraining order to stop their removal. McGraw has requested expedited consideration on the issue.

The Attorney General’s Office has announced six additional arrests in the Lafayette D.A. bribery scandal. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has already sentenced and convicted 5 people in connection with this case. State A-G Jeff Landry says the six people arrested here are some that have been prosecuted in the federal investigation and are now facing a variety of charges from the state…

cut 11 (08) “public bribery”

He says none of those arrested are currently working in the D.A.’s office.

An LSU Health Shreveport study shows that radiation is being over used to treat elderly woman with breast cancer. Lead researcher Dr. Quyen Chu hopes that by releasing this study, more doctors will start following what the guidelines call for. He says the reason radiation is still being used is likely because doctors are set in their ways in treating patients…

cut 6 (11) “come back”

He says radiation treatment can cause many different complications in patients.

07:30 Newscast February 2, 2016

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says new revenue is needed to solve this fiscal year’s 750-million dollar shortfall. Dardenne says they are proposing to use some one-time money, rainy day funds, and there are some proposed budget cuts, but he says additional revenue is also needed to avoid big cuts…

cut 8 (12) “that money”

He says just cutting the budget will not solve the budget crisis.

LSU researchers are trying to get a better idea of what types of clothing sizes would best fit individual consumers. Casey Stannard, with LSU Ag’s Department of Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising, says they want to see a system where a customer could get a body scan and then purchase clothing based on the results…

cut 14 (08) “fit them”

She says they are using body scanning technology to learn about ways better-fitting clothing could be developed.

A new LSU Health Shreveport study finds radiation is being over used to treat elderly woman with breast cancer. Lead researcher Dr. Quyen Chu says radiation treatment can cause many different complications in patients…

cut 5 (11) “the heart”

Chu says their research shows that 2/3 of women age 70 or older with stage 1 breast cancer are still receiving radiation.

The Attorney General’s Office has announced six more arrests of people involved in the Lafayette D.A. bribery scandal. A-G Jeff Landry says the corrupt practices that were being dismissed in this office were ignored by the previous Attorney General, Buddy Caldwell. He says it’s disturbing that action wasn’t taken earlier…

cut 10 (10) “our act”

Landry says it’s a collaborative effort with federal authorities to clean up corruption in the state.