Chandler Watkins
Reporter
Shreveport, La.
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Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Chandler is excited to be in the Pacific Northwest covering the news that matters to you. Chandler graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in December 2017 after studying broadcast journalism and public relations.
She worked for the student-run news station, News 6, as a reporter, anchor, and even news director!
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Three teens and a sheriff's deputy have a "long road to recovery" after surviving a car crash.
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Multiple agencies responded to Cross Lake Friday afternoon after getting reports of someone struggling in the water.
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The Shreveport Volunteer Network put the word out on what items were needed and the northwest Louisiana community delivered.
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"We will all miss his presence & voice."
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Save the Children’s report looks at hunger, lack of tools for remote learning, and difficulty for families to pay bills as the top three hardships making it more challenging for children across America to reach their full potential.
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Death of 61-year-old Caddo man due to exposure-related hypothermia confirmed to be storm-related
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The Senate opened Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial Tuesday. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La) says he will approach this impeachment trial the same way he approached Trump’s first impeachment trial as a juror. He says he will not announce how he will vote just yet.
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Iowa, Louisiana is just another town in SWLA that was ravaged by Hurricane Laura, but just like others, they are determined to move forward.
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Beauregard residents are picking up the pieces one week after Laura hit their community as a Category 3 hurricane. Although it’s left devastation for many, the storm has also brought the community closer together.
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Sulphur receives 18-wheeler full of donations from North Carolina
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Sulphur residents who rode out the storm, speak on the damage
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The Calcasieu Coroners Office sustained heavy damage after Hurricane Laura
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This is subject to an extension, if necessary.
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The National Council for Home Safety and Security released a study showing DeRidder and Sulphur are two of the safest cities in Louisiana.
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Secretary of State speaks about election security ahead of 2020 election
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SWLA Lake Charles Launch encourages entrepreneurship
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Senator Kennedy weighs in on President Trump’s 2021 fiscal year budget plan
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What began as a discussion proposing a new concession stand and football field turf at Sam Houston High School, quickly devolved into residents voicing their concerns with Gillis Elementary.
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The Calcasieu River Bridge. Tens of thousands of people use it every day, but many say the aging bridge has seen better days.
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The search continues for a missing Leesville man who hasn’t been seen since last year.
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Several Washington-Marion students are making a difference in the City of Lake Charles through Tellurian’s Youth LEAD Program.
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Life expectancy in the United States is up for the first time in years according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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After 23 weeks of intense training, the Cadet Class 99 has been assigned to troops across the state. 6 have been assigned to Troop D, which covers Southwest Louisiana.
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Before he announced his candidacy for president, then-Senator John F Kennedy made a 2-day visit to Louisiana in 1959. The tour ended at the Pioneer Club in Lake Charles.
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“It almost makes you want to cry because you always hear the bad news, you know you don’t really hear about people being kind," she said. "That’s our big thing now. Be kind. I feel like this has really brought a small community together.”
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Sheriff Craft says when comparing their stats from 2018 and 2019 to the national stats put together by the FBI, the only stat that shows an increase in Vernon Parish from the national average is rape or sex crimes.
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On Friday, the 2020 Children’s Miracle Network Local Champion Ceremony was held with the announcement of the 2020 Miracle Family: Scott and Kara Ortego and their daughter Bella Grace.
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Through this program, LCPD Property Crimes detectives and Community Policing officers will schedule a time meet with the property owner and complete a security check, including an inspection of both the inside and outside of the property to advise property owners of where improvements can be made in
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It’s an alarming new version of an old scam where criminals try to convince you they have illicit recordings, photos, or information about you saying they’ll release it unless you pay up.
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A car crashed into a mobile home in Carlyss following a police chase Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
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We can learn so much from older residents of Southwest Louisiana, especially from those who served our country. The City of Lake Charles has launched a new project to help tell local veterans’ stories.
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The Jacksonville Downtown Development Authority unanimously approved the idea of the Orleck becoming a floating naval museum in the city.
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You may have spotted them on the streets of downtown Lake Charles or at the mall: a group of locals is looking to spread the importance of math education one multiplication question at a time.
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Burley Thompson calls it a passion project.
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Some Ragley residents are voicing concerns about a proposed compressor station that could be built in their area. Sunday they held a neighborhood meeting to discuss the project.
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Who should manage the Lake Charles Civic Center? That question was answered at the first Lake Charles City Council meeting of the year.
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Last month alone the State Fire Marshall’s Office investigated 10 fatal fires that killed 12 people; the latest one was on New Year’s Eve.
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2019 was a busy year for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, but Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they saw some decreases in certain crimes.
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Friday afternoon Acadian Ambulance announced they will be revitalizing the form Dimmick Supply Company building off of Enterprise Boulevard for several uses, like creating a maintenance facility and National EMS Academy.
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A senior sewing class at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in North Lake Charles is spreading holiday cheer this week by presenting over a dozen local veterans with quilts they have made.
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The Lake Charles City Council voted 6-for approving a cooperative endeavor agreement between the City of Lake Charles and Crying Eagle Brewery for the construction of a restaurant on the Lake Charles lakefront.
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There are few things that can simulate real life situations that law enforcement officers face every day, but the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has a virtual training system that comes pretty close and it’s preparing officers across Southwest Louisiana for anything that could happen.
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Deputy Chief Chris Rudy says that fire and police are currently at CBG Buick GMC on U.S. 171 following damage from a possible tornado.
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Commander James McGee with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says the training helps patrol be ready for any situation.
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No space, sewage backups, a leaky roof - those are just some of the daily issues staff have had to deal with at the Calcasieu Coroner’s Office. Building a new Coroner’s Office has been on the books since 2015, but what’s the latest on the project?
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The city of Sulphur held its last City Council meeting of 2019 Monday night. The main topics revolved around the city’s finances, including a sales tax that will soon be up for renewal and a look at Sulphur’s spending in the past fiscal year.
Katie Harrington, the city spokesperson, says the meeting is being held to discuss the possibility of Lake Charles contracting with a professional management company for operations of the Lake Charles Civic Center.