The US set a new auto sales record in 2015, but Louisiana didn’t see such a boost. Michelle Southern reports…

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Due to the continuing rising waters in the Mississippi River, the US Army Corps of Engineers announced they will begin daily inspections of the levee system. An announcement is expected today on whether or not they will open the Bonnet Carre Spillway. The gates of the spillway could be opened as early as Saturday. Officials are also continuing to monitor the flow rate of the Mississippi at the Morganza Spillway. They say Louisiana’s levee system is ready and capable of handling the coming waters.

LSU public health professor Doctor Rebekah Gee is the new secretary for the Department of Health and Hospitals. Gee says expanding the eligibility qualifications, so more people can participate in the state’s Medicaid program is her top priority, saying it would benefit thousands of poor working adults…

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Gee will oversee a nine-point-seven billion dollar agency that has about seven-thousand employees.

At $450 million dollars, tonight’s Powerball jackpot is the 4th largest in the game’s history. Louisiana Lottery spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says sales for this run have been through the roof, which is why it was raised from $400 million…

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The cash value for tonight’s jackpot is an estimated $275.4 million dollars.