Kaitlin Rust
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Kaitlin Rust joined the Fox 8 News team in November 2020 as a reporter.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Kaitlin is enjoying her trek around the United States.
She's back down in the Bayou State after spending almost three years in Louisville, Kentucky reporting for Fox 8’s sister station WAVE 3.
Kaitlin started her career in Lake Charles after graduating from Rider University with a major in Digital Media and a minor in Political Science.
Obsessed with animals and music, Kaitlin can often be found spending time with her rabbit and two dogs or out dancing at a show.
She's excited to be in New Orleans and would love to tell your stories!
Feel free to email her with any ideas or just to say hello.
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Police are investigating a deadly shooting in New Orleans that took the life of a National Guard member.
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The court raises an initially low bond for a Slidell man accused of shooting two North Shore teens in the head after raping one and leaving them for dead in New Orleans.
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There have been at least 11 murders in just the past five days across New Orleans. We’re now up to at least 135 homicides this year as police start 12-hour shifts to try to fight back.
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Four people were wounded when gunfire broke out at a high school’s graduation on Southeastern Louisiana University’s campus Thurs., May 19.
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The body of a man that went missing after a boat capsized at a Louisiana lake on Memorial Day has been recovered and identified according to authorities.
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Louisiana leads the entire nation in mass shootings per capita according to the Gun Violence Archive.
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Louisiana Right to Life, along with some other prominent religious organizations, says they will not support House Bill 813 that is heading to the House floor this Thursday.
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Police say that the suspect took the victim around 8 a.m. in the area of North Oak Street and West Dakota Street and the incident was reported to campus police at 10:52 a.m.
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Arts and sciences converge in New Orleans East thanks to the Mackie brothers, both spearheading their own multi-million dollar projects near Read Boulevard.
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It’s an eye-opener for some neighbors, but for many, this has been a fear for a while.
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Hours after the coroner confirmed that the remains of a woman found in a freezer in a bus in the Upper 9th Ward last week belonged to Julia Dardar, friends and family gathered to remember her life.
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The victim, Jonshel Alexander, 22, was around 11 years old when she was cast in Benh Zeitlin’s low-budget yet visually stunning full-length motion picture filmed in Montegut and areas around Terrebonne Parish.
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Ochsner, the largest health system in the state, says it will soon make it mandatory for all of its employees to have their COVID shots.
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An Uber driver was robbed at gunpoint by his own passenger Monday night next to Pontchartrain Park, and it briefly cost the driver his job.
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A 13-year-old girl has been reunited with her parents after being rescued from an alleged sex-trafficking situation in Terrytown. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office alleges the young girl was forced to have sex more than 10 times, arranged online by a Texas man and woman.
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A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in Russia following the death of an American student and New Orleans native, Catherine Serou.
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Officials the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has confirmed the state’s first two identified cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as the Brazil P.1 variant.
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There’s been little federal help for an industry that spans from musicians to technicians.
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In response to this third COVID-19 surge and the threat of variants sending us into another spike, the state health department launched a new app Friday that can anonymously detect if you’ve been exposed to COVID.
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After the historic move to impeach the President for the second time in the House, it’s still unclear exactly what will happen in the Senate.
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Kristina Larkin was only about 10 minutes into her 19th birthday celebration with her family when she heard a commotion near the host stand. Now, she said those next few terrifying moments have been playing on a loop in her head.
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A high school senior at Vinton received over $1 million in scholarship money.
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You just can't stop Justify. The fan favorite edges closer to glory, but there's something you may not know about this young stunner. One of his owners found her love for racing right here in SWLA. DeRidder native, Laurie Wolf is a co-managing partner with Starlight Racing, one of the four companies to own a part of the horse. Wolf says she never doubted Justify, who broke "Apollo's Curse" and becoming the first two year-old to win the derby in over 100 years....
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Here we go again... This time, the internet isn't fighting over a dress that may or may not be blue and black. A strange audio clip has taken over making people question their hearing. It's the newest debate sweeping the internet, whether you hear Yanny or Laurel in this clip. What do you hear?! Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/jvHhCbMc8I — Cloe Feldman (@CloeCouture) May 15, 2018 What do you hear? Audiologist and owner of Hearing Solutions of Louisiana...
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Lake Charles has seen growth, but over the past year, you may have noticed a few notable restaurants and small businesses closing. Why is this the case if our economy is said to be thriving? "It's not a big town but you have to stay relevant," said Brett Stutes the owner of Sloppy Taco and Sloppy's Downtown. Stutes has had some success here in Lake Charles over the past 3 years, becoming a major player in the local food scene and with a new venture on the...
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The Louisiana Department of Health will begin mailing notices May 10 to nearly 37,000 Medicaid patients to inform them that their eligibility could end on July 1. These notices will include instructions on how the recipients can apply for re-determination for other Medicaid programs. In a press conference Wednesday, Jay Dardenne, commissioner of the Division of Administration, and Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health discus...
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Over 30,000 elderly nursing home residents in Louisiana may be evicted due to proposed budget cuts to Medicaid. The Louisiana Department of Health says it's beginning the process of notifying nursing home residents who may lose their Medicaid eligibility and the effects of this could impact more than just the residents evicted. Massive cuts to the Department of Health proposed in the house's plan... "People tell us to cut the budget, cut the budget," said Repr...
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Those who have ever rescued or adopted an animal know how much joy they can bring to your life, and vice versa. However, older animals tend to get overlooked. Julie Strong is a wife, mother of three humans (with one on the way) and a shining light for animals in need. 17 dogs, some handicapped bunnies, a 165 pound mini pig, a bunch of cats, there's nothing Strong doesn't take on. That's where Rita comes in. Fostering with the Lake Charles Pit Bull Rescue, Strong w...
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A hit and run Saturday morning left a Lake Charles salon picking up the pieces, for the second time. Signatures Salon Manager, Noel Mills, describes what happened early Saturday morning. "I was boarding a flight to New York at about 5 a.m.Saturday morning and my phone just kept going off from a phone number I didn't recognize, so I finally answered it," said Mills. "I was literally sitting in my airplane seat and it was Lake Charles Police Department." LCPD...
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Take a trip down Shell Beach Drive and you'll see signs lining the road, asking people to vote no on a restaurant. A historic home at 1301 Shell Beach Drive has been up for sale for $2.6 million dollars. "My vision is to keep the house in tact and save it from being demolished or being used for other commercial venues and the property can be used as a subdivision easily here in Lake Charles," said Mazen Hijazi owner of Mazen's in Lake Charles. Hijazi is planning...
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Pictures on Facebook are sparking new concerns with the West Fork Bridge, better known as the Moss Bluff Draw Bridge on Highway 378. Driving over the draw bridge, everything seems normal, but people in the area say you have to go underneath to see what everyone's worried about. "We have a lot of dump trucks and 18 wheelers that pass, with all the construction that's going on and the Sasol projects, there's a good bit of traffic," said one Moss Bluff resi...
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Louisiana's senators have agreed to allow the state's riverboat casinos to move on land. The Senate voted 22-14 Tuesday for the proposal by Sen. Ronnie Johns, a Lake Charles Republican. The measure would allow Louisiana's 15 riverboat casinos to conduct gambling activities within 1,200 feet on land from where the riverboat is berthed and remove the requirement the riverboats have an operable paddlewheel. It also would redefine the limits on gambling space.
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It's no secret we need a new I-10 bridge. Right now, there is work being done to strengthen the bridge to handle an a future increase in traffic, diverted from the re-decking of the I-210 bridge. The bridge already normally sees 90,000 vehicles cross a day. I-10 is an important corridor to the nation for interstate commerce and travel. There are a lot of scenarios like this all over the country and federal funding for infrastructure has been cut significantly.&nbs
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The man accused of killing a 10-year-old boy on Shattuck Street was pleads not guilty. The grand jury indicted Felton Thompson, 50 on October 5, 2017 for one count of first-degree murder. Administrative First Assistant District Attorney, Loren M. Lampert says, "his arraignment was delayed in order to allow the Indigent Defense Board to appoint capital certified defense counsel. Both the State and defense filed pre-trial discovery motions. A status co...
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A local teen is trying to earn his Eagle Scout rank by going where not many Boy Scouts have gone before, to the pound. This is Joel Bailey, a 17 year old Boy Scout, eager to do something great. This is Greg Menkins, the only animal control officer for Beauregard Parish, who's mission could use a little help. "It's seven days a week, whether I'm here or on Facebook trying to network getting dogs out, constantly making new contacts with rescues," said M...
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Close friends of the cyclist hit and killed last week on Highway 90 in Sulphur spoke with 7News today. 34 year old J.J. Brooks was riding his bike at night, and was struck from behind. State police say its preliminary investigation revealed the driver was not at fault and the cyclist was violating state law. Brooks' friends disagree. "Me and my fiancé, Crystal, he called us 'mom and dad'," said Michael Trahan. "It's really taki...
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Louisiana Senator John Kennedy stood out during yesterday's testimony of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for grilling the billionaire on privacy and propaganda concerns. Mark Zuckerberg faced hours in the hot seat and Senator John Kennedy laid into the CEO. "I was mildly disappointed in the hearing because, I hope I'm wrong on this, I felt like we weren't connecting with Mr. Zuckerberg," said Kennedy. "He was well rehearsed. He's obviously whip smart, and he did ack...
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You may notice traffic on I-10 running a bit smoother, but with the westbound side of the interstate seeing some work, it won't stay that way. All 4 lanes are open on the bridge and on the eastbound side of the interstate, but now the westbound side is beginning to see some closures. Luckily they haven't reached the bridge quite yet. I-10 westbound is reduced to one lane from exit 33 to 31. Commuters, like Cade Marcantel, are used to getting stuck in traffic on the bridge and...
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An off-duty Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Deputy is hospitalized and suffering serious injuries, after being struck on his motorcycle by a car. Deputy Parker Vaughan has a lot of surgeries in the coming weeks that will require a lot of blood. Today, there will be a blood drive that's open to the public for Deputy Vaughan from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sheriff's Office, located at 4900 Broad Street. Stop by and donate! If you can't make it today, you ...
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An off-duty Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Deputy is now hospitalized and suffering serious injuries, after being struck on his motorcycle by a car Saturday night. "I've been texting his mother back-and-forth and he's in very, very serious condition in a Lafayette hospital," said Mancuso. "We're just kind a hoping and praying. I guess if I were to ask community for anything, it would be for their prayers, because he's got a long road to recovery and it's go...
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The aging water lines in the city of Lake Charles are no secret. This month the City began a project on a wastewater basin to rehabilitate sewer lines. This it the third year of a multiyear maintenance program for the sewerage collection lines that lead to Plant A located on North Ryan Street. The goal of the work is something you may not see, but something that affects you, especially when it rains. Water bubbling up through the sewers and manhole covers is common sight to see in...
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It was a not-so-pleasant surprise for criminals who have violated their probation or parole. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Probation and Parole Officers, along with local law enforcement, arrested 38 people out of 82, as part of a massive warrant sweep in Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis parishes. The people they were searching for were on probation or parole for various crimes like armed robbery, battery, distribution and possession of drugs, as well as bur...
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We're all feeling the increase in traffic, but no one feels the pain more than the people of Sulphur. With cars trying to find alternative routes, residential areas are becoming hazardous. Sulphur Police Chief Lewis Coats has come up with a unique way to hopefully help. "I believe I saw a painted bike in Lake Charles advertising a business, and I thought I could probably take that and twist it a little to put here in Sulphur and do somethi...
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With the recent case of Canine Distemper found at Calcasieu Parish Animal Services, it serves as a reminder for pet owners. Make sure your dogs are protected, especially in social situations, like the dog park or the vet. The most surefire way to ensure your dog's health, is to make sure all vaccinations are up to date. Here are a few tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association to protect your dog in social situations: Do not let your dog come into contact w...
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Dog adoptions at Calcasieu Parish Animal Services have been suspended indefinitely due to a positive case of canine distemper in the shelter. One confirmed case of Canine Distemper is keeping Dr. Jamie Houston and the rest of Animal Services busy. "A lot of them are strays," said Houston. "They can come into contact with wildlife and we don't know. Sometimes, these animals may even be shedding the virus and not showing clinical signs when they get here, so by th...
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A new audit report says the Village of Fenton continues to be under investigation by the State Legislative Auditor's Office. This is related to an audit report issued last fall, raising concerns for the 2016 fiscal year. In this report, an independent auditor was unable to issue an opinion on Fenton's financial statements or internal controls because officials cannot provide the proper documentation to justify their spending. Assistant Legislative Auditor, Bradley Cryer, says somet...
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The FBI is now reporting over 106 school threats statewide since the Florida school shooting four weeks ago. Here in Calcasieu, there have been 50 school threats in the past four weeks. Now that doesn't mean we have 50% of the threats reported by the FBI, they were only highlighting those they considered serious. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says out of the 106 threats the FBI highlighted, around 10 came from Southwest Louisiana, 7 coming from Calcasieu Parish. CPSO is not required to...
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Imagine driving home on a dark road at night and seeing something squirm in the middle of the road. You stop to see what it is and find a litter of puppies. That's what happened to one Texas woman. She found six three-week-old puppies in a pile in the road and raised them, even through illness. Now, they are happy, healthy, and up for adoption at the Lake Charles Pit Bull Rescue! Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Animal abandonment is a huge issue throughout t...
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A shocking discovery leads to the arrests of Kimberly Evans and Alfredo Sanchez in Sulphur. Both are charged with 35 counts of animal cruelty and 6 counts of aggravated animal cruelty. This comes after several citations from Calcasieu Parish Animal Services over several months. They say after Evans failed to address the citations, the Sheriff's Office was called in and seized more than 3 dozen animals, some of them dead. "It's one of those calls where you never know what ...