The National Federation of Independent Business says small business owners are not increasingly optimistic. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Attorney General Jeff Landry announces the arrest of an illegal immigrant in Calcasieu Parish on child pornography charges. Michelle Southern reports…:
CUT 2 (26) “I’m Michelle Southern”
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As the new school year gets underway, the state Department of Transportation has begun their “Be a Roll Model” bicycle safety campaign. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the number of deaths involving cyclists tripled from 2014 to 2015. He says cyclists need to bike safely and always follow traffic laws.
Wilson says helmets are required for children under age 12 and encouraged for all other riders. He says motorists should also be alert and watch out for cyclists, especially in areas where there are no bicycle lanes.
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Wilson says everyone needs to be safe out on the road, whether on a bike or in a vehicle. He says as students are heading back to school, more bicycles will be out on the road.
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The National Federation of Independent Business says Small Business Optimism only rose by one-tenth of a point for July, showing no significant enthusiasm for expansion. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns links this feeling to the uncertainty small business owners now face with all the recent tax changes Louisiana has seen during the legislative session. She says business owners are now going into maintenance mode.
Starns says in a booming economy we’d see small business owners making investments into expansion and creating more jobs, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Although she is hopeful things will look up when we near the election in the fall and believes lawmakers will address this in the April legislative session.
Starns says small business owners are having a difficult time finding qualified and good workers and cite that’s their third single most important business problem. She says it’s hard when businesses have a limited number of employees and some gets sick and others are on vacation…
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State Police are seeking a suspect in a crash that resulted in Interstate 10 being closed in Baton Rouge for over 12 hours. Trooper Bryan Lee says on August 5 a red Ford Fusion struck an 18-wheeler, causing it to overturn. He says the truck driver sustained minor injuries, and the other driver fled on foot.
Lee says the suspect is a white male with long blonde and brown hair and tattoos covering both arms and legs. He says after fleeing the scene, he went into a nearby Wal-Mart and changed clothes.
Lee says once the suspect is apprehended, he will face multiple charges.
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The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office along with the Human Society rescued 27 dogs and 11 cats from a filthy home in Bunkie. Sheriff Doug Anderson says in July, they received a call that animals were being neglected at the home of Maxine and Gordan Doughty, so they began an investigation. He says when authorities returned to check on the animals a week later, the conditions were deplorable.
Anderson says the Doughtys were cited for simple cruelty to animals and additional criminal charges are pending. He says the 38 animals are receiving medical care.
Anderson reminds citizens that animal neglect is a serious crime.
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Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland today unveiled planned facility improvements at Joe Aillet (pronounced eye-a) Stadium. He says the total price for the various upgrades, $18.6 million dollars, will be funded 100% through private donations…:
McClelland says an additional $2.1 million dollars will be invested on things like LED lighting, a permanent west side ticket booth. He says fans will be very excited to hear the west side bathrooms will also be renovated…:
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