It’s time for motorists to pay extra attention as kids return to school. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (30) “…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 that the two girls would not make it past the first day of school….
cut 13 (08) “…or not”
Layrisson says it’s the first time his department acted on a school threat before the school year began.

The Mobile, Alabama City Council has unanimously signed off on the return of passenger rail service that will connect Mobile to New Orleans with multiple Amtrak stops along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross expects service to begin early next year and funding will go towards making sure the train can move quickly between New Orleans and Mobile.,…
cut 7 (08) “….speed up substantially”
Ross expects a lot of passengers will use this service for weekend getaways.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries continues to seek the public’s assistance in the fatal shooting of whooping crane in south Louisiana. The large…endangered bird was shot down in Evangeline Parish near Mamou last January….
cut 16 (09) “…these birds
L-D-W-F’s Lt. Wendell Vaughn says there are around 80 whooping cranes in Louisiana. There’s a 12,500 dollar reward for anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and a conviction.

In a rare move, the Louisiana Supreme Court has temporarily removed a 19^th Judicial District Judge saying there was probable cause that Judge Eboni Johnson Rose committed a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct and poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and the administration of justice. They cited questionable decisions saying Rose convicted a police officer for a non-existent crime and convicted a former teacher moments after acquitting her. The investigation could take six months.

State Police are urging motorists to slow down as kids head back to the classroom. Trooper Eddie Thomas says to be mindful of school zones along your commute and to pay extra attention to your surroundings.

Cut 9 (09) “…school season.”

In school zones, motorists should make a concerted effort to minimize distractions, maintain an elevated level of alertness, and be mindful of children in the area.

In a unanimous vote, the Mobile City Council approved funding for the Amtrack train service for two trains that will run round trip from New Orleans to Mobile with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 1 (00) …I’m Sean Richardson.”

Purple Heart Day is a time to pay tribute to those who have shown extraordinary bravery and selflessness in the line of duty. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging the public to wear purple today to visibly show support and appreciation for these veterans, and LDVA Program Manager and Purple Heart recipient William McInnis says if you see a Vet wearing a Purple Heart…

Cut 5 (06)  “…tell you their story.”

In a unanimous vote, the Mobile City Council approved funding for the Gulf Coast Amtrak Train Service that will run from New Orleans to Mobile. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says with platforms ready in New Orleans and the Mississippi cities in between the next steps are getting the platform and station track completed in Mobile…

Cut 6 (06) “..start date.”

Today is Purple Heart Day and the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging the public to wear purple to recognize recipients of the oldest military honor in the United States awarded to U.S. Armed Forces members wounded or killed in the line of duty. LDVA Program Manager and Purple Heart recipient William McInnis says their aim is to foster greater public awareness and respect for these veterans, showing their sacrifices are not forgotten.

Cut 4 (07) “…lift their spirit.”

Phase 2 construction of the Houma Navigational Canal Lock complex breaks ground today. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says the navigation, flood protection, and hydrologic restoration project is designed to help limit saltwater intrusion pushing freshwater within the Terrebonne Basin which allows maintenance of thousands of acres of wetlands that serve wildlife and fisheries. When completed the HNC Lock Complex will span 110 feet across and 800 feet in length and will have sector gates on either side.

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 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. Researcher Levi Silvers…

cut 10 (10) “…51-percent”

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.”

and McInnis says if you see a Vet wearing a Purple Heart them ask them about it and honor them by listening to their story.

A juvenile Whooping Crane was found dead near Mamou in January and there’s a 12,500-dollar reward to find the person responsible. The rare birds had not been seen in Louisiana since 1950 until an effort to reintroduce them began in 2011. Lt Wendell Vaughn with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and fisheries…

Cut 15 (11)  “…shot it.”

There are an estimated 80 Whooping Cranes in Louisiana

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”