10 years ago today, Hurricane Rita hit southwest Louisiana causing immense damage. Emelie Gunn has more on how we’ve recovered…

cut 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The state Attorney General’s Office says a Carencro woman has been arrested in connection with an elaborate financial fraud scheme that resulted in the more than 300 victims of identity theft and over $5 million in fraud. 64-year-old Brenda Taylor is accused of creating false bank records in an attempt to obtain a $250,000 loan. Taylor is charged with racketeering and criminal conspiracy to commit racketeering.

In one month voters will head to the polls for Louisiana’s primary elections. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross still expects Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards to make the gubernatorial runoff. He says Republicans Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle really have their work cut out for them with only one month to go…

cut 9 (08) “putative front-runners”

Cross says it appears the governor’s race is finally starting to heat up.

The latest Public Policy Polling Republican presidential survey in Iowa shows Governor Bobby Jindal receiving four-percent of the vote. There’s still over four months to go before the Iowa caucus and polling analyst Jim Williams says they’ve already seen poll numbers shift dramatically. He says the now departed Scott Walker’s decline is a prime example…

cut 15 (08) “the race”

He says Jindal’s four-percent standing puts him in the top ten in Iowa.

The latest Public Policy Polling survey shows Governor Bobby Jindal continuing to poll in the single digits in Iowa. But polling analyst Jim Williams says a positive sign for Jindal is that his favorability rating is 59-percent…

cut 14 (08) “in Iowa”

The poll of nearly 500 Republican primary voters last weekend showed four-percent said they would like to see Jindal receive the GOP nomination for President.

The 2014-15 school year saw a record number of students graduating from the state’s technical and community colleges. Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Dr. Monty Sullivan says 70 percent of graduates go directly into high demand jobs and they’re making wages that are enough to sustain a family…

cut 11 (07) “those jobs”

Sullivan says they’re projecting that they need to produce about 40-thousand graduates to meet the workforce demands for Louisiana in 2020.

Louisiana’s October 24th primary election is one month from today. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it appears the governor’s race is finally starting to heat up. He says we’re beginning to see some hostility among the candidates and that’s something everyone’s been waiting for…

cut 8 (07) “now gone”

Cross says with all four major gubernatorial candidates running television ads and taking shots at each other, it finally feels like election season.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Rita and many remember the destruction it caused only a month after Katrina. Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany recalls the immense flooding and tornadoes that slammed into southwest Louisiana. He says the only fortunate thing that came out of this tragic event was there were no lives lost.

cut 4 (09) “leadership”

Boustany says both Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes showed extreme resilience and entrepreneurship after the storm.

Governor Bobby Jindal continues to poll in the single digits in Iowa. Public Policy Polling surveyed nearly 500 Republican primary voters last weekend and four-percent said they would like to see Jindal receive the GOP nomination for President. Polling analyst Jim Williams says Jindal’s four-percent standing puts him in the top ten in Iowa..

cut 13 (07) “John Kasich”

Public Policy Polling continues to see Donald Trump leading the state with 24-percent.

We’re one month away from Louisiana’s October 24th primary election. For a while, the governor’s race seemed to be lackluster, at best. However, UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it appears the governor’s race is finally starting to heat up…

cut 7 (08) “election season”

Cross still expects Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards to emerge from the primary into November’s runoff.

A record number of students have graduated from the state’s technical and community colleges in the 2014-2015 year. Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Dr. Monty Sullivan says they’ve graduated over 21-thousand students, who have entered the workforce or moved on to universities to pursue bachelor’s degrees…

cut 10 (07) “across Louisiana”

Sullivan says 70 percent of graduates go directly into high demand jobs. He says by entering into critical economic fields, they’re making wages that are enough to sustain a family.

Governor Bobby Jindal’s administration is reportedly telling legislative leaders that Louisiana finished the fiscal year that ended on June 30th with a deficit. It’s not known how large the deficit is and we are expecting more details next month. Political blogger CB Fortgotston says the deficit must be closed within nine months…
cut 14 (10) “….of both”
The four gubernatorial candidates have said they would call a special session in January to deal with the state’s budget problems.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees met with reports today and talked about his bruised shoulder, which kept him from throwing at practice today. But the veteran Q-B hopes to play this Sunday…
cut 30 (05) “…with this”
Brees has never missed a game due to an injury while with the Saints.

On the eve of the ten year Hurricane Rita anniversary. Eric Gill takes a look at how Cameron Parish is recovering…
cut 1 (29) “…reporting’

Louisiana Tech says its student enrollment is at an all-time high. Over 12-thousand students are enrolled in the fall quarter, a 10 percent increase from last year. Tech spokesman Dave Guerin says a big key to the record enrollment is that 81-percent of first-time, full-time freshman in 2014 are back this year…:
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The school reported earlier this year that its graduation rate is the second highest among all public Louisiana universities.

As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Rita tomorrow, leaders in Cameron Parish say their economy continues to suffer from the devastation of the storm. Kevin Savoie, with the LSU Ag Center in Cameron Parish, says the depressed oil industry has also hurt them but that could be offset by the planned construction jobs coming:
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He says still it’s been a decade and the town of Cameron, which had 2200 people pre-Rita, still hopes steady at about just 400 residents living there.

Injured Saints Quarterback Drew Brees was back on the practice field today and participated in the portion that the media was allowed to attend. Brees status was called “day to day” by coach Sean Payton earlier this morning. Number 9 says he’s not throwing in practice so he can rest his bruised rotator cuff, but he’s pretty confident that he will play in the game Sunday at Carolina.

Two relatives of Breaux Bridge actress and model Ali Landry were attacked and killed in Mexico. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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Pope Francis is in Washington DC today and gave a speech at the White House. Tomorrow he’s addressing Congress. Doctor Tom Ryan, director of the Loyola Institute of Ministry, says after talking about climate change and religious freedom in front of the President, what will he say to legislative leaders???
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Pope Francis will travel to New York and Philadelphia later in the week to wrap up his six-day visit.

The Jindal Administration has started letting lawmakers know that the last budget year ended with a deficit. The exact amount of money the state came up short in the fiscal year that ended June 30th is not being made known. Political pundit CB Forgotston believes this inability to properly balance the budget will continue with the next legislature..:
CUT 14 (10) “or both”
We’re expected to know the exact amount that was off in mid-October.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees said during an afternoon news conference that he’s “pretty confident” he will play in Sunday’s game against the Panthers in Carolina. Number 9, who sustained a bruise to his rotator cuff during the Bucs game, says this is just another hurdle that’s not that big of a deal. He was at practice today, but says he did not throw.

Hurricane Rita hit Louisiana 10 years ago tomorrow.. and Cameron Parish, which suffered the most, is still trying to get things back to normal. The seafood industry there was decimated as a result of the storm with docks and the only ice house being destroyed. Kevin Savoie, LSU AgCenter agent in Cameron Parish, says a big project is nearly complete that will hopefully revitalize the industry…:
CUT 7 (06) “processing facility”
He says a boost in the economy is just around the corner in southwest Louisiana and he hopes more people will move back to Cameron Parish.

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says a 14-year-old student from Boyet Junior high is under arrest on felony battery charges after allegedly shoving a 67-year-old teacher to the ground. They say the altercation apparently started during a disagreement over an assignment and afterwards the juvenile left campus. Deputies found him a few blocks from the school and he was sent to jail.