You're watching UPN 21 Minden Shreveport.
UPN 21 News, straight to the point.
Good evening and thanks for joining us for UPN 21 News, straight to the point.
I'm Gwen Campbell. Tonight we'll give you a look at these stories.
Shreveport, Bossier becomes the target for a new form of identity theft.
An early morning house fire leaves the Shreveport family homeless this holiday.
A Texas man dies after losing the wheel of his vehicle on I-20.
And take a look at this. $21,000 in cash and it could all be yours.
Really, we're just days away from announcing the winner of our brand new U! contest.
And it's not too late to get in on the winnings. We'll tell you what you can do coming up.
But first, straight to the point. A new form of identity theft hits Shreveport, Bossier.
And as Jerry May reports, crooks have figured out that your name and your Social Security number are just a mouse click away.
Managers at Thrifty Car Sales in Bossier City caught a woman who filled out a credit application
with a name and Social Security card number that were both almost the same as hers.
And as you can see, there's only one digit difference between the two.
Just the third digit is different. Yeah.
You can find their port records which would have their Social Security number on it.
Business manager Jerry Dias showed us how, by doing a people search, you can find someone with your same name.
And for a fee of about $40, you can get access to lots of personal information, including their Social Security numbers.
Jerry May, UPN 21 News.
Thrifty Car Sales has turned the case over to Bossier Police.
Meanwhile, here's what you can do to protect yourself.
Shred your mail and other documents that have your identity information.
Check your credit report at least twice a year and promptly address any problems or concerns.
You can even sign up for a service that notifies you when your credit is pulled.
Serving the community is one thing. Understanding those you serve is another.
And starting next week, Shreveport police officers will get some intense training in cultural diversity with the help of the U.S. Justice Department.
The weeklong seminar will focus on topics like bias-based policing, racial profiling, and minimizing civil liability related to diversity issues.
Police administrators say the seminar is a must to maintain a healthy relationship between officers and citizens.
The Shreveport Police Department wants to reflect the diverse community that we serve.
And this training is going to enhance us and give us an opportunity to do that better.
Right now, recruits at the Shreveport Police Academy get an eight-hour course in diversity training, but the chief says that training will expand after next week's seminar.
Early morning holiday travelers trying to get out of town ran into a long delay.
A major traffic jam caused by a wrecked 18-wheeler shut down the westbound lanes of I-20 for about eight hours today.
The accident happened near the airline drive exit.
Police say a big rig veered off the shoulder of the road and hit an unoccupied van.
The 18-wheeler flipped onto its side and hit a concrete bridge, breaking the trailer in half.
Half of it came to rest on the railroad overpass just west of the airline, while the other half fell several feet from the overpass onto an embankment leading into a drainage ditch.
The driver of the 18-wheeler, 35-year-old Rodney Lane Cheeks, was taken to Willis-Knighton with a broken arm.
A Texas man is dead after a one-vehicle accident on I-20 in East Texas this morning.
State police say the man was headed west on I-20, just west of Longview in Harrison County, when he lost control, skidded off the highway and rolled over, killing a Dallas Texas man.
Troopers say the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. There were four people inside the van, but there were only two seats.
It was a close call for a mother and three children who narrowly escaped a house fire.
Flames broke out this morning in the 3600 block of Lakeland Street at about 445 this morning.
Officials say the mother smelled smoke and immediately got her kids out of the house.
When fire crews arrived at the scene, the house was completely engulfed in flames. No one was injured, but the house is a total loss.
Fire officials say clothes stacked too close to the water heater in the utility room started the fire.
While that home had no smoke detectors, stats show that 70 percent of all fire deaths in the United States happen in homes with no smoke detectors.
UPN 21 and KTBS 3 are teaming up with the Shreveport Fire Department to collect smoke detectors to give to local families.
If you'd like to donate a brand new smoke detector, all you have to do is drop it off at our studios here at 312 East Kings Highway in Shreveport during regular business hours.
And if you need a smoke detector for your home, all you have to do is call Shreveport's fire prevention hotline.
Those against an alcohol referendum in Minden are giving up their court fight.
Earlier this month, Minden residents voted to allow restaurants to serve alcohol.
Those who challenged the referendum before the election claimed that it would impact the city's way of life.
The group now has decided to accept voters' wishes.
Blood banks across the country are dealing with the same thing this time of year.
Donation shortages.
Workers say this time of year the demand is high because of people involved in accidents and requiring surgeries.
And with people going home to visit family members, donations are typically low.
What we really are in need of right now is O positive, O negative, B positive and B negative red cells and AB plasma.
And you can come by the center or go to any of our mobiles and donate whole blood for red cells.
For AB plasma, it would be best to call and make an appointment.
And donate blood the rest of the week and this weekend.
Live Share Blood Centers on Linwood Avenue will be open Friday from 8.30 until 5.30 and Saturday from 10 until 3.
Live Share Bossier is open Friday from 8.30 until 5.
Units of blood will be collected at several other locations over the next four days.
To find out where, call Live Share.
Well, the aqua tax is under a severe thunderstorm watch tonight.
So will your turkey day turn soggy?
Let's ask Joe, he's over in the weather lab tonight.
Joe, you're keeping track of the storm for us.
Do you see a lot of rain out there for us tomorrow?
No, that will be some good news for us.
Now we do need the rain.
If you check out the weather maps, we do have the showers and thunderstorms pushing across the area.
Severe thunderstorm watch goes until one o'clock.
We'll talk about this more detail in just a moment.
But a quick peek of your 24 hour forecast taking you through your Thanksgiving.
Looks like just a slight chance of rain early, then drying weather for the rest of the day.
It'll be a little bit on the windy side, but all in all, your turkey day looks pretty good.
Coming up here in a few minutes, we'll have a look at Mega 3 Doppler radar.
We'll also talk about the rest of your holiday forecast.
All right, Joe, thanks a lot.
Coming up, California officials say they're holding off on formal charges against Michael Jackson.
We'll tell you why.
U.S. officials detained the wife and daughter of one of America's most wanted terrorists.
And more than 36 million travelers are expected to hit the highway or take to the skies this holiday.
We've got those stories for you and a lot more coming up.
So keep it here. More news straight to the point.
We'll be right back.
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These are the teachers just found out they have an extra one thousand dollars for a project to enhance education in their classroom.
You could be the next winner through one class at a time.
KTBS 3 UPN 21 LifeWise cable media and our generous sponsors invite you to log on to KTBS dot com and tell us how you'd like to help your students.
We're on your side.
One class at a time sponsored by John Harvey Toyota Lexus of Shreveport, Bossier and your Northwest Louisiana State Farm agents.
Come light up your life and celebrate the 77th annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival.
This year's celebration will be held the first weekend in December.
Festival activities kick off Friday with a lighted barge parade and live entertainment.
Then Saturday, get ready to party.
The parade starts at one and by four, the riverfront will come alive with plenty of fun, food and live entertainment.
Featuring festival headliner Starship.
All this and so much more for just five dollars for adults and children under five absolutely free.
It's the premiere event of the season. It's the Natchitoches Christmas Festival.
UPN 21 News. Straight to the point.
Here's a 90 second look at what's making news around the world.
Hold up on the charges. Officials in California are delaying formal charges against pop star Michael Jackson.
They're waiting until a website is created before the child molestation charges proceed.
The Santa Barbara County DA says his office has decided the web is the best way to inform the public about the investigation.
His wife and daughter are in the custody of U.S. forces while they hunt for the number six man on the list of most wanted Iraqis.
The military says he has helped lead the anti-American insurgency by capturing his wife and daughter.
The U.S. hopes to force him to surrender.
Three more are arraigned in Turkey for their alleged role in suicide bombings that killed 57 people in five days.
The man and two women are charged with belonging to and aiding an illegal operation.
The Reagan family is against it, but a psychiatrist says the man who shot President Reagan should be allowed unsupervised visits with his parents.
The psychiatrist says John Hinckley no longer poses a danger to himself or to others.
Americans are boarding planes and packing up their cars as the Thanksgiving traveling rush gets underway.
AAA says 36 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more, the highest number of holiday travelers since 9-11.
That's a look at news around the world in 90 seconds.
And coming up, a soldier from Louisiana is killed in Iraq.
A dying boy's birthday is shattered after someone steals his toys.
The flu is taking a toll on Arkansas.
Over two-thirds of the counties are affected.
Details on those stories are coming up.
In state-by-state news, a soldier killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq has ties to Louisiana.
Staff Sergeant Eddie Metweather, a native of Monroe, was part of Fort Hood's 4th Infantry Division.
The Army said Metweather was killed Sunday when his truck was hit by a remote-controlled roadside bomb.
The 14-year Army veteran spent his childhood in Monroe before moving to California.
His father and sister still live in Monroe.
In Texas, a dying boy's birthday wish for a toy store shopping spree turned sour after someone stole his toys.
Stephen Rael has lost a leg to cancer and the disease has spread to his lungs and to his bones.
Rael spent three hours on Monday in a shopping spree in a Houston toys arrest store.
He collected over $5,000 worth of toys.
After the shopping spree, the goods were loaded into a cab.
The cab was supposed to follow Rael and his parents to his house, but it never made it there.
The driver was found a short time later, but the toys were gone.
The cab company says the driver contends that someone hijacked his cab and stole the presents.
The cab company promises to give Stephen and his family $3,000 to help replace the stolen toys.
In Arkansas, health officials are urging residents to get their flu shots because 57 of the state's 75 counties are reporting the flu.
One doctor says it's only a matter of time before reports trickle in from the remaining 18 counties.
The strain of flu that's causing a lot of the problems this year is not covered by the vaccine.
However, a strand that's very close is in the vaccine and that shot will help protect against the virus.
Well, if you're making a late night run to the store to pick up some things that you might need to complete your Thanksgiving feast,
take an umbrella with you.
JoHane says has a look at your forecast coming up next.
But first, here's a look at the top 10 music singles on Billboard this week.
Room service.
Your grape nuts, sir.
It'd take four balls of grape nuts to get the B vitamins in just one bowl of total.
That's a manly breakfast.
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Ten balls to equal the zinc in total.
I'll keep the gym open.
Your special came is?
Forty balls to equal the calcium in total.
Late check out this morning.
You need total. It's got 100% daily value of 12 vitamins and minerals. No other leading cereal comes close.
I'll take total.
Kitchen's just closed.
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One out of every three people will need blood, and you never know when you or someone you love might be the one.
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The three minute smile.
We're on your side.
Make your holidays a little brighter by joining KTBS 3 and UPN 21 for Rockets Over the Red.
Saturday, November 29th on the Shreveport Riverfront.
The fun starts at 5 p.m. and includes food, music, the KCS Holiday Express and Santa himself.
Then the sky lights up at 8 p.m. as Horseshoe and Go-X present Rockets Over the Red.
Shuttle service is available and the event is free, so start your holidays with us.
We're on your side.
Now UPN 21 news continues with weather.
Live from the Storm Team 3 Weather Lab, here's meteorologist Joe Haynes.
Good evening folks and welcome back.
Mega 3 Doppler radar continuing to show showers and thunderstorms mainly in northwest Louisiana and southwest Arkansas.
Still a few lingering showers in northeast Texas.
Heavy rain just to the east of the Shreveport-Bosier metro area from Minden South,
southern Webster Parish, also some heavier showers on down to the south.
The rain has been heavy.
In fact, some areas are reporting some minor street flooding,
especially in southern sections of Bosier and Caddo Parish and also northern DeSoto Parish.
But nothing severe at this time.
It's still some very heavy rain.
We've had some reports of some hail and also a severe thunderstorm warning was ongoing
for about a half an hour down to our south in Sabine Parish.
But the heaviest of the precipitation right now just south of Minden,
and that is moving to the northeast at about 40 miles per hour.
Southern sections where the weather has been rather heavy here for the evening hours,
well the showers and thunderstorms continue moving up into the Natchitoches area.
Here's your Skycast forecast for your Thanksgiving.
Well it looks like a lingering shower or a thunder shower possible.
The temperature is in the middle 60s as we start our day.
I do think though that the showers and thunderstorms will push off to the east.
We'll have better weather ahead for the afternoon hours.
Temperatures in the 70s by lunchtime falling off into the 60s by 5 o'clock,
and it will be a windy afternoon, especially in northern sections of the region.
Current temperatures in the mid 60s out there and most likely won't fall too much more.
Precision cash shows the rain pulling to the east with a cold front,
bringing us windy weather as we head into tomorrow afternoon.
Here's your forecast for tonight.
Lows in the mid 60s, showers and thunderstorms a good bet,
especially in eastern sections and for tomorrow.
We'll see showers and thunderstorms mainly in eastern areas.
We'll see clearing skies from the west, but very windy weather,
especially for the late afternoon.
High temperatures in the 60s to the low to mid 70s for your Thanksgiving.
Here's the rest of your holiday forecast, and at this time the weather looks dry.
We'll see high temperatures in the 50s on your Friday with a low of 38.
That's good shopping weather right there and some pretty nice weather for Saturday, Sunday.
Looking dry and really dry as we head into the first of next week,
and we do need the rain, we really do.
Some areas are getting a little bit too much tonight.
Fortunately though, we did have a tornado watch earlier that has expired.
Severe thunderstorm watch goes until 1 o'clock in the morning,
and we've had only one report of severe weather, and that was in the far southern sections.
Now we've just got to watch out for some very heavy rain across eastern sections of the architects here
for the remainder of tonight.
Alright Joe, Joe, I'll be here tomorrow, but you won't, but have a great Thanksgiving.
Same to you.
Alright, thank you.
Christmas is just 29 days away, and do we have something that will light up your holiday?
How does $21,000 in cash sound?
Well that's what one lucky person from right here in the architects will win in just five days.
Today is the last day of the UPN 21 Brand New You contest,
and there is good news because if you missed any of the 21 words,
all you have to do is log on to upn-21.com and there you will find all 21 clues.
Now, starting today, you can start to submit your entries,
and there are three ways that you can do that.
You can log on to upn-21 and click the Brand New You icon,
or you can mail your entries to our studio at upn21-312 East Kings Highway,
Shreveport 711-04, and the last way to enter, well you can bring it by.
Drop off your list in person at the address that we just gave you.
Now you have until Monday morning at 9 a.m. to submit your entries,
and for all the details you can log on to upn-21.com and click the Brand New You icon.
Good luck.
Coming up this Friday, what the Huntington Raiders do on the field
will determine if they advance to the next round of playoffs,
and one of the guys that will help them do it is this week's Athlete of the Week.
We'll introduce you to him. Coming up next, game time with Cliff is next.
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These Arclitex teachers just found out they have an extra $1,000 for a project to enhance education in their classroom.
You could be the next winner through One Class at a Time.
KTBS 3, UPN 21, LifeWise Cable Media, and our generous sponsors invite you to log on to ktbs.com
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We're on your side, One Class at a Time, sponsored by John Harvey Toyota Lexus of Shreveport,
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The LSU Tigers spent the last month keeping one eye on the BCS standings and one eye on
the SEC West standings.
Coach Nick hates it when we talk about the BCS.
He would prefer Tiger fans spend all of their energy worrying about the Arkansas Razorbacks,
but the possibility of the Tigers playing for the national title in New Orleans is just
too juicy to ignore.
I know it, you know it, Chad Lavallee knows it.
I can look at the BCS stand and look at these polls and still play well on Saturday.
I mean, I know how to put it.
I know how to, you know, worry about that later on.
I mean, but I'm enjoying it.
I mean, I'm glad we're 10-1.
We're going to accomplish things that haven't been accomplished around here in a long time.
So, I mean, but at the same time, I'm taking it one game at a time.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are also taking things at the cliched one game at a time pace, but
the Hogs, SEC and National Title hopes disappeared weeks ago.
They're playing for pride in a nine-win season.
Not the same motivation as LSU, but former Evangelist star Richard Smith says that doesn't
mean the Hogs will play uninspired ball on Friday.
It's like a rivalry game.
You know how other teams have an in-state rival, but we don't have another in-state rival.
So, I think Louisiana does have another in-state rival.
So, this game has always been big for us and in some occasions it's come down to who's going to win the
wedge, you know, like it did last year.
So, it's been a real good game for us.
It's always a lot of fun to play LSU and you know the game's always going to come down to the wire
and that neither team's going to give up.
So, you just got to be ready and focused to play for 60 minutes.
While the Hogs and the Tigers game will determine the SEC Western Division Championship,
the Swacks Western Division title also boils down to the final game of the regular season.
The Bayou Classic winner will represent the division in the Swacks Championship game.
I think that, you know, you set your goals at the beginning of the year and get to the championship game.
Unfortunately, this year the best two teams in black college football are going to fight it out
in the Bayou Classic and if you reach your goals, you got to get through this game in order to get to
our championship game.
Grambling and Southern have both had outstanding seasons.
The G-Men come into the Classic riding a big seven game win streak.
That kickoff is at one o'clock on Saturday.
In the Halls, Huntington High spends the day preparing for the biggest game of their football history.
Friday night, the Raiders play Evangel for the right to advance to the state semis.
If the Raiders hope to pull the upset, they will need a big effort from this week's United Autododge
Athlete of the Week, Bud Bogan.
Bud Bogan loves everything about playing football.
I just don't want to put the pads down, you know what I mean?
When I get done with this, I'll be on the baseball field and, I mean, this is my sport right here, you know,
and I just, it's going to hurt when it's over because it's the best time of your life.
That love of the game is producing big results.
Last Friday, Bogan scored the game clinching touchdown
and allowed Huntington to celebrate a second round playoff victory for the first time ever.
Yeah! No!
Bud and the Raiders are making school history, and he's enjoying every minute of it.
I love being here. I mean, I love getting out here to practice, you know,
and coming out here and practicing with these guys. I mean, it's fun more than anything, you know what I mean?
Overall, it's just, it's a great feeling to be out here just, you know, enjoying the company of the guys.
That's one of the rewards of this business, and that's true for every school.
When you have a player and you just watch him develop from year to year
and finally get some recognition that he truly deserves for all the hard work that he's put in.
But that hard work will come to an end sooner than later.
By the middle of next month, there will be no more long touchdowns and no more victory celebrations.
And Bogan is not looking forward to the end of his high school career.
I know I'm going to miss Atlanta. I mean, I've grown up with these people out here
and how it feels when we're riding the bus on them after we won or something, you know what I mean?
That's what I'll miss right there.
That disappointment may be a little easier to swallow if Bud and the Raiders continue to make history,
all the way to the state finals.
Love that kid with the crutches.
And the gym, former Grambling High star Antonio Hudson and the LSU Tigers face their first semi-tough test
of the season tonight in Baton Rouge.
The Troy State Trojans come to town. That may not set your basketball pants on fire,
but you must remember the men of Troy returned two starters off a team that won 26 last year
and qualified for the big season ending tourney.
The Tigers handle that test with ease tonight.
They control this one throughout when 78-69, former Grambling High star Antonio Hudson,
had 15 points and six rebounds.
Jaime Ureta had 23 to lead the Tigers in scoring.
Looks like they're going to have another good year down in Tiger Town,
but we'll worry about that after football season is over.
That's when we start concentrating on basketball.
That's when you and Fletch just start crying.
No more football.
No more football. That's right.
All right. Thanks a lot.
That does it for us tonight. We thank you so much for joining us for UPN 21 News.
Straight to the point. Have a great night, everyone.