Theresa Schmidt
Reporter
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Theresa was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. After receiving a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, she accepted a reporting job at KPLC. That was April 12, 1978. Over the years Theresa has covered nearly every news beat. Over recent years she has covered the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the environment and general assignment and many high profile court cases. She often covers issues related to aging and seniors enjoying their golden years. Theresa's on-air work over the years has ranged from investigative reports to a three-week series on quitting smoking. Her work has been recognized locally, statewide and nationally. Theresa is a widow whose life revolves primarily around her four children and her career. She also sings in the choir at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. She attributes her success in life to her strong faith in God and supportive family and friends.
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A local family with seven children is working to adapt to a new normal, now that the mom is diagnosed with "Nutcracker Syndrome."
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A landowner fighting a pipeline company thinks they should not be allowed to forcibly take property, when they already have unused right-of-way that is suitable.
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The voters have spoken and now it's up to City officials to get make LC Rebound a reality.
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State officials say the Restore Louisiana program has helped many storm survivors since the hurricanes of 2020. Yet some recipients have had extreme difficulties navigating the process and getting the quality work expected. James Babin is one of those people.
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The killer of his wife and a sheriff's deputy is trying to get out of prison. Woody Hamilton has applied for clemency and the victims' family members oppose it.
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It was the fifth day of testimony in the civil service hearing of a fired Lake Charles police officer who wants his job back.
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Voter turnout has continued to decline over recent years. Calcasieu Clerk of Court Lynn Jones hopes to change that.
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The Restore Louisiana program can be hard to figure out when vulnerable elderly and others seem unable to navigate the program and have success with hurricane recovery. We talk to a woman who explains why she was initially told to pay $13,000.
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Some residents are still at square one when it comes to recovering from the 2020 disasters.
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Voters within the City of Lake Charles are early voting on two propositions that, if approved, will allow Lake Charles Rebound to go forward.
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Only 1250 people are eligible to vote on the proposed new property tax for a waterworks district north of Westlake. And an undetermined number of early voters eligible found the proposal was left off their ballot.
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Today was the third day of testimony in the ongoing Civil Service Hearing to determine whether former Lake Charles Police Sergeant Harold Nevels was fired fairly and whether he should get his job back.
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Some Lake Charles residents are out of patience waiting for a storm-ravaged apartment complex to be put back together.
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There are concerts that entertain, but an upcoming series is to help heal the wounded hearts of those who have experienced loss in the last several years.
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Sophisticated scammers may be targeting small businesses, whose security systems may not be as advanced as big box stores. That's according to one local businessman who narrowly escaped losing thousands of dollars from credit card fraud.
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Friday, a letter from lawmakers was published, explaining to people how they are carrying on the effort to replace the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge.
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A proposal that would have used a toll to partially pay for the new bridge was rejected last week.
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Friend Ships is holding disaster training for volunteers at their base at Port Mercy in Lake Charles. People can still sign up for sessions Friday and Saturday.
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U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has arrived home from a whirlwind trip to Israel. He says the growing humanitarian crisis is on Hamas.
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Sulphur voters have decided against amending their City Charter, so the 1986 charter will remain in effect.
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A stretch of Maplewood Drive in Sulphur been reconstructed and drivers seem to be enjoying the new roadway. But the contractor has not put stripes and yellow warning paint that guide drives. Some think the situation is posing a greater risk of accidents.
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The local Friend Ships relief organization is collecting funds to buy bulletproof vests requested by one of their close contacts in Israel.
A former Lake Charles police sergeant has appealed his 2022 firing to the Police and Fire Civil Service Board. Two days of a hearing will pick up again November 3.
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The Lake Charles Fire and Police Civil Service Board is hearing the appeal of a former police sergeant who wants his job back.
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Those who use the Cameron Ferry regularly know it frequently is "out of service." But the state is spending $50 million to build two ferry boats that will provide reliable service once they are complete.
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After the summer of wildfires, environmentalists worry how close some fires came to LNG export facilities. They fear a fire could pose a grave danger.
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It was LNG Day at McNeese State University. And this year there was a major financial contribution to the University from one of the LNG companies, Tellurian which owns Driftwood LNG.
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Elcie Guillory is remembered as a kind, gentle public servant after dedicating much of his life as an elected official. He served on the Calcasieu Police Jury for 17 years and then the State House for 14 years.
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The concern about possible instability in a cavern of the Sulphur salt dome includes the potential for contamination of underground drinking water.
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Calcasieu Parish will elect a new judge for the Fourteenth Judicial District Court of Louisiana in the Oct. 14 election.
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Orphan oil wells are those for which no responsible party can be forced to pay to clean up the site. But with federal partners the State of Louisiana is making a lot more progress than usual.
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It's been a rough day for Kinder town employees, who worked through the night trying to restore water for the community. The water began flowing again by noon.
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There are three candidates competing for 14th JDC District C which is Family & Juvenile Court in Calcasieu Parish. If no one gets more than half the vote October 14, there will be a runoff election November 18.
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The former bookkeeper for the Oasis women's shelter is to begin serving her sentence this week. She pleaded guilty to theft over $25,000 and was sentenced to 10 years with all but three suspended. After serving three she will spend seven years on probation.
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Local environmentalists attended a Climate Action Summit in New York and visited the FERC in Washington D.C.
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The Governor's Office and Commissioner of Conservation each issued an emergency declaration in response to concerns about the future stability of a salt cavern on the western side of the Sulphur MInes Salt Dome in Calcasieu Parish.
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The Alliance to Fight Human Trafficking in SWLA is working to improve efforts to identify and stop such crime in this area.
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A new stretch of highway called Mossville Way will save time, gas and make life a little easier for some in West Calcasieu. And developers made a point to help preserve history along the way.
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One of three convicted of first-degree murder of Barry Seal sought clemency, to allow his release from prison. But he did not get the approval he needed.
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A gas pipeline may be coming your way if you live between the Cameron coast and Jasper County,Texas.
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About 30 concerned citizens, mostly retirees, gathered to talk about climate change and global warming and how to do their part toward solving the problem.
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This morning, the court granted a $125,000 bond.
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“What on Earth is Happening?” That’s the name of a series of presentations starting Thursday about climate change and how to cope with it.
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In Allen Parish, school officials urged students and others in the community to contribute supplies for firefighters until 3:30 p.m. The drive was to honor firefighters who have been battling wildfires.
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Anyone waiting for vehicle prices to get lower may be out of luck if members of United Auto Workers strike on Sept. 14.
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Three people are behind bars on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was shot several times in Vinton earlier this week, according to police.
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The SAVE Plan is an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan that calculates payments based on the student’s income and family size rather than how much they owe.
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Drone operators are advised to begin the process of what's call a "Remote ID" which will be required by September 19. It's kind of like a tracking device.
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La. Office of Juvenile Justice held in contempt of court for not keeping offender in secure facility
The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice ignored a judge’s order to place a young offender in a secure facility, leading to the teen leaving a group home and committing another crime, according to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
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The former Oasis bookkeeper who stole nearly $200,000 from the women's shelter is sentenced to serve prison time. But she has asked the judge to reconsider because she has a child to care for.
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