The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging the public to wear purple today to mark Purple Heart Day. LDVA Program Manager and Purple Heart recipient William McInnis emphasizes the importance of acknowledging these brave individuals.

Cut 3 (07) “…keep the country free.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries along with other organizations are offering a reward of $12,500 to anyone who can help them with information to find and convict the person responsible for killing an endangered Whooping Crane earlier this year. LDWF District 5-A Supervisor, Lt. Wendell Vaughn…

Cut 14 (10)  “…of Mamou.”

Whooping Cranes had not been seen in Louisiana since 1950 until an effort to reintroduce them began in 2011.

An updated August hurricane forecast continues to predict a well above-average Atlantic Hurricane season. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.” 

The Ponchatoula Police Department has arrested a 16-year-old boy after he threatened to kill two female schoolmates. Police Chief Bry Layrisson says the suspect told other students the two girls would not make it past the first day. Layrisson says he can’t remember having to stop a school threat before a school year began.

Governor Jeff Landry’s advice for parents who do not like Louisiana’s new law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displaced in every public school classroom. just tell the child not to look at it. Freedom of Religion Foundation co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor calls the response inappropriate…
cut 5 (12) “…unconstitutional law”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill will make the argument in federal court that the law can be applied constitutionally.

Colorado State University’s hurricane forecast team maintains its prediction of a well above-average hurricane season. Researcher Levi Silvers says the revised forecast anticipates 23 named storms, including 12 hurricanes and six major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
Cut 8 (06) “…relative to the average.”
This outlook is influenced by the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic, which fuel storm development.

A $12,500 reward is being offered for information about the fatal shooting of an endangered Whooping Crane this past January in Evangeline Parish. Colleen Crain has more.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Greenfield Louisiana will not build an 800-million dollar grain export facility in St. John the Baptist Parish because of multiple delays in getting permits approved by the U-S Army Corps of Engineers. The project was projected to create more than one-thousand construction jobs and more than 300 permanent jobs, along with 300-million dollar in state tax revenue.

The debate continues over whether the Ten Commandments should be displayed in every public school classroom from kindergarten to college. Attorney General Liz Murrill is fighting against a lawsuit that claims the state’s Ten Commandments law is unconstitutional.

The state argues the Ten Commandments are the foundation of our laws and among the reasons legislators passed the law was because of the uptick in juvenile crime and they felt this was one way to address it.
Cut 6 (13) “…rules matter.”
Freedom of Religion Foundation is one of the plantiffs in the case and Annie Laurie Gaylor asks should the seventh commandment be on display in classrooms…
cut 7 (10) “…what’s adultery”
A hearing in federal court on this lawsuit is scheduled for September 30th.

We are nine weeks into the 2024 hurricane season and there have been four named storms, but the Colorado State Hurricane forecast team still predicts this season will produce around two dozen storms. CSU Hurricane Forecast Team researcher Levi Silvers says sea surfaces temperatures are running well above average…
cut 9 (07) “…active season”
Silvers says there’s a 20-percent chance Louisiana will see a major hurricane this year.

A low-oxygen area where marine life struggle to live, also known as The Dead Zone, off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico is larger than average this year. LSU Oceanographer Professor Nancy Rabalais says efforts to prevent nutrients from getting into the Mississippi River that cause the dead zone have not been successful…
cut 12 (10) “…dead zone in the Gulf”
The goal is to reduce the dead zone’s average size to fewer than 19-hundred square miles by 2035, but this year its 67-hundred square miles making it the 12th largest dead zone in the 38 years of recorded history.

Governor Landry has a response to parents who oppose the state’s new law that requires the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom starting January first…
cut 4 (09) “…look at it”
Co-founder of Freedom of Religion Foundation, Annie Laurie Gaylor calls the governor’s response inappropriate…
cut 5 (12) “….unconstitutional law”
A federal judge will hear arguments next month in a lawsuit that contends the displaying of the Ten Commandments in a classroom setting would violate the separation of church and state.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a brief in response to the lawsuit, saying its premature because the Ten Commandments haven’t been posted in the classroom, therefore they can’t claim harm to children.

An updated long-range forecast continues to predict a well above-average hurricane season.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

The Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone” is larger than average this year. LSU Oceanography Professor Nancy Rabalais says it’s about 67-hundred square miles, roughly the size of New Jersey, and the five-year average is 42-hundred square miles. Rabalais says the dead zone is an area where marine life can’t live because of nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater that flowed down the Mississippi River…
cut 13 (05) “…going to happen”

Governor Landry’s statement to parents who disagree with the Ten Commandments law prompts a response from a plaintiff in a lawsuit against it. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Ponchatoula Police Department has arrested a 16-year-old boy after he threatened to kill two female school mates. Police Chief Bry Layrisson says the suspect told other students the two girls would not make it past the first day. Layrisson says he can’t remember having to stop a school threat before a school year began.

The Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone, an area with critically low oxygen levels, is significantly larger this year, covering about 6,700 square miles making this the 12th largest dead zone in the 38 years of recorded measurements. LSU Oceanography Professor Nancy Rabalais says this hypoxic zone, is mainly caused by nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater, coming down the Mississippi River, and severely affects marine life.
Cut 11 (06) “…into the Mississippi River.”

The Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast Team has revised its long-term forecast and the researchers are now calling for 23 named storms for this year, which means we could see 19 more. Researcher Levi Silvers there’s a really good chance Louisiana will at least see a tropical storm this year…
cut 10 (10) “…51-percent”
And he says there’s a 20-percent chance Louisiana will see a major hurricane.

Governor Landry’s statement to parents who disagree with the Ten Commandments law prompts a response from a plaintiff in a lawsuit against it. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

_______________________________________________

An updated August hurricane forecast continues to predict a well above-average Atlantic Hurricane season. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.” 

____________________________________________

 A $12,500 reward is being offered for information about the shooting of an endangered Whooping Crane this past January. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.” 

______________________________________________

While State Attorney General Liz Murrill and Governor Jeff Landry updated the public on a lawsuit filed against the state law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, Landry was asked what if parents disagree with the law…

Cut 4 (09) “…look at it.”

One of the advocacy groups representing plaintiffs in the case is the Freedom of Religion Foundation. Co-founder of that group, Annie Laurie Gaylor says his response was inappropriate.

Cut 5 (12) “…unconstitutional law.”

A brief was filed Monday in response to the lawsuit, saying it’s premature because the Commandments haven’t been posted in the classroom, therefore they can’t claim injury of children being exposed to them.

Murrill says among the reasons legislators passed the law was because of the uptick in juvenile crime and they felt this was one way to address it.

Cut 6 (13) “…rules matter.”

Gaylor says the First Commandment violates the First Amendment and lawmakers wanting the Commandments to start a conversation about the rule of law in the classroom also opens the door for a discussion about adultery.

Cut 7 (10) “…(x2) what’s adultery.”

After the law was signed by Governor Landry in June, he was asked about it at the Republican National Convention and he stated if the Ten Commandments had been in the classroom for Thomas Michael Crooks, he might not have attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump.

_________________________________________________________

Colorado State University (CSU) has updated its Atlantic hurricane forecast for August, maintaining its prediction of a well above-average season. CSU Hurricane Forecast Team Researcher Levi Silvers says the revised forecast anticipates 23 named storms, including 12 hurricanes and six major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

Cut 8 (06) “…relative to the average.”

This outlook is influenced by the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic, which fuel storm development, and the current El Niño conditions. While El Niño typically suppresses hurricane activity, the impact is expected to be offset by the warmer waters.

Cut 9 (07)  “…overly active season.

The season has already seen several named storms, reinforcing the forecast’s accuracy. The CSU team emphasizes the importance of preparedness for coastal residents, given the heightened risk.

Cut 10 (10) “…hurricane in Louisiana is 51-percent.”

This forecast aligns with similar predictions from other meteorological agencies, all still pointing to a highly active hurricane season.

_____________________________________________________________________

The Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone, an area with critically low oxygen levels, is significantly larger this year, covering about 6,700 square miles making this the 12^th largest dead zone in the 38 years of recorded measurements. LSU Oceanography Professor Nancy Rabalais says this hypoxic zone, is mainly caused by nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater, and severely affects marine life.

Cut 11 (06) “…into the Mississippi River.”

The 2024 measurement by NOAA is nearly double the target size set by environmental agencies. Excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to algal blooms that deplete oxygen when they decompose, creating inhospitable conditions for fish and other aquatic species.

Cut 12 (10) “…dead zone in the Gulf.”

The state and federal partnerships aim to reduce the dead zone’s average size to fewer than 1,900 square miles by 2035. The current five-year average, however, stands at 4,289 square miles.

Cut 13 (05)  “…not going to happen”

This year’s expansion underscores the persistent challenge of managing agricultural runoff and protecting marine ecosystems.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries along with other organizations are offering a reward of $12,500 to anyone who can help them with information to find and convict the person responsible for killing an endangered Whooping Crane earlier this year. LDWF District 5-A Supervisor, Lt. Wendell Vaughn…

Cut 14 (10)  “…of Mamou.”

Whooping Cranes had not been seen in Louisiana since 1950 until an effort to reintroduce them began in 2011. Repopulating the Bayou State is a difficult task, and Vaughn says, LDWF and their partners want to know who is responsible for killing this rare juvenile bird…

Cut 15 (11)  “…shot it.”

Vaughn says the birds are very rare. The Louisiana flock of Whooping Cranes is estimated to number around 80 and is protected under state law.

Cut 16 (09) “… these birds.” 

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the USFWS at 985-882-3756 or LDWF Lake Charles Office at 337-491-2588.

____________________________________________________________

After five days of preseason camp for LSU, three guys have emerged as the Tigers top receivers. They are Kyren Lacy, Chris Hilton and CJ Daniels, the transfer from Liberty University. At practice, the coaching staff is rotating in several other receivers with the first team and Coach Brian Kelly explains why…

Cut 17 (24) “…some time.”

Kelly has announced tight end Mac Markway will not play for the Tigers after spending one season at LSU. The former four-star recruit from St. Louis is expected to enter the transfer portal. He caught 3 passes for 16 yards and a touchdown last season. Kelly says this will give back-up tight ends Ka’Morreun Pimpton and freshman Trey’Dez Green more opportunities…

Cut 18 (24)  “…expected.”

Young cornerbacks PJ Woodland and Ashton Stamps have been making plays, which is a good sign for a secondary that really struggled last season. Kelly says he’s still looking for more consistency…

Cut 19 (11) “…championship level play.”

At the Olympics, former LSU pole vaulter and Lafayette native Mondo Duplantis, who competed for his mother’s home country of Sweden, vaulted 20 and a half feet to break the world record for the ninth time and win a gold medal. After he won gold and set an Olympic record, Duplantis had the bar moved one centimeter higher than world record height. Though he missed his first two jumps, he made the third and sealed a world record. He says he’s so thrilled about winning, he can’t possibly think about what’s next.

Cut 5 (12)  “…except this.”

Duplantis is 24-years-old and the next Summer Olympics is in Los Angeles in 2028.

Triple-digit high temperatures are expected across the state this week, as highs will threaten to break records. LSU Climatologist Barry Keim says when it’s this hot, visits to the emergency room increase with people suffering from heat related illnesses. He says if you are going to be outside for long periods, where loose fitting clothing…

Cut 7 (12) “…little bit.”

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. John Couvillon of JMC Analytics says Walz is a safe pick for the Harris campaign, adding Walz is…

Cut 9 (10) “…Democratic Party.”

An arrest has been made in connection to the July 22nd murder of a Marksville man. Tim Ryan with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Department says officers responded to a call of a deceased person near LA Highway 1192 and found Gary P. Normand of Marksville deceased.

Cut 12 (11) “…suspects involved.”

Triple-digit high temperatures are expected across the state this week, as highs will threaten to break records. LSU Climatologist Barry Keim says Louisiana is baking under another heat dome…

Cut 6 (10) “..Gulf of Mexico.”

Keim says when it’s this hot, visits to the emergency room increase with people suffering from heat-related illnesses.

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Pollster John Couvillon of JMC Analytics compares the pairing to another Democratic presidential pair: Barack Obama choosing Joe Biden as his VP in 2008.

Cut 11 (10) ” …for president.”

Before serving as governor, Walz was a teacher, member of Congress, and command sergeant major in the Army National Guard

19-year-old Jacob Michot of Marksville has been arrested in connection with the July 22^nd murder of Gary P. Normand. The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Department says Michot is charged with Principle to Second Degree Murder and Possession of Stolen Things related to the murder. APSO expects more arrests in the case

Former LSU pole vaulter and Louisiana native Mondo Duplantis set another world record at the Paris Olympics. Mel Bridges has the story.

Cut 1 (31) …I’m Mel Bridges.”

19-year-old Jacob E. Michot, of Marksville, has been arrested in connection with the July 22nd murder of Gary P. Normand of Marksville. Michot is charged with Principle to 2nd Degree Murder and Possession of Stolen Things related to Normand’s murder Tim Ryan with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Department says Michot isn’t the only suspect in this case.

Cut  13 (08) “…forthcoming.” 

Michot is being held on 1.1 million dollar bond.

This week’s triple digit high temperatures are expected to break records across Louisiana. LSU climatologist Barry Keim says even the early morning temperatures will be oppressive as Louisiana bakes under a heat dome…
cut 8 (07) “…above normal.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate as she campaigns for president. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

Former LSU pole vaulter and Lafayette native Mondo Duplantis vaulted 20 and a half feet to break the world record for the ninth time and win a gold medal at the Olympics. Duplantis says he didn’t think about setting a record, but it all hit him once he hit the ground.

Cut 4 (12) “…freaking out.”

Duplantis, who competed for his mother’s home country of Sweden, began pole vaulting as a child in his backyard in Lafayette.