Rumors are spreading through email, text messge and word of mouth about a gang initiation where three women will be killed. Authorities are inundated with phone calls, as well as the News Radio 105.1 KPEL newsroom.

Lafayette Police Cpl. Paul Mouton and Lafayette Sheriff's Lt. Craig Stansbury say their investigators have looked into this threat and have found it's not valid. The following is a press release from Captain Wendell Raborn with the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office.

Press Release:

There are reports and rumors rapidly circulating through, word of mouth, text messages and emails about a gang initiation locally that calls for the shooting of three women and/or three men. The numbers of people and the names of the gang have changed since the message was started. It is a hoax that has taken on a life of its own and the newest version has the shooting occurring at Wal-mart stores. We have received several calls regarding these types of complaints and people are still receiving this hoax by text message and emails. This appears to be occurring throughout the United States and our agency has no information that would confirm the messages as a valid threat.

Louisiana officials are hoping the new statewide prescription drug monitoring program will curtail doctor shopping by drug addicts hoping to score narcotics. Under the program, prescriptions are entered into a database that can be accessed by prescribers, dispensers and, in some cases, law enforcement agencies.

Tighter rules in mortgage lending have led to a tsunami of cheating.  That's the finding of a newly released study from the Mortgage Asset Research Institute.  As lenders require more proof of income, better credit scores and larger down payments borrowers and even lenders themselves have been fudging the facts on loan applications.  Institute researchers have found more than 60-percent of the mortgage related fraud cases discovered last year were linked to falsified applications. 

The wife of a  Keithville man found murdered in his home Sunday has been arrested for hiring someone to kill her husband.

State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham reopens part of the Mississippi River delta in Plaquemines Parish to recreational fishing.

First Lady Supriya Jindal was in Shreveport and Alexandria today to rally support for an effort to assist those affected by the Gulf oil spill crisis.

Here's a look at stories making national news.

A new national poll finds former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is currently the Republican with the chance of defeating President Obama in 2012. 

Arizona has filed an appeal in the federal lawsuit which resulted in an injunction against portions of the state's new immigration law.